Pun of the Month Award

Katherine Mangu-Ward | February 1, 2007

California is pushing to ban ordinary incandescent light bulbs by 2012, requiring people to use efficient compact florescent bulbs instead. The pun:

How many legislators does it take to change a light bulb?

In California, the answer is a majority -- plus Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

(I'm aware it's only the first of the month, but this is the kind of golden opportunity that doesn't come along every day.)

The bulbs, they say, will save customers time and money in addition to saving the planet--they have to be replaced less often and a single bulb could save $55 over its lifespan. Old incandescent habits die hard, but there has already been significant movement to adopt the newer format bulbs. By 2012, every cheapskate landlord and savvy business owner will probably have already adopted the bulbs as a cheaper option, making legislation unnecessary at best and a harmful technological lock-in at worst.

Gov. Schwarzenegger, who recently declared January 29 Milton Friedman Day, should veto the damn thing and do his "hero" proud.

For more (better?) light bulb jokes, go here.