The Maryland Public Service Commission is notorious for its fundamental inability to effectively regulate the energy business in Maryland.  And O'Guvnah O'Malley's inability to move beyond Progressive/Fascist mandates -- like compulsory subsidies for the sales of compact fluorescent bulbs -- is legion.

Government is lousy at picking winners and losers.  And the insistence that we all throw our incandescent bulbs in favor of mercury-laden CFLs is just another perfect example.  Why?  Because private industry is working hard to create another alternative:  LED-based light bulbs.

Maybe not.  Apparently there has been a growing movement of scientists questioning whether the "dinosaurs" and "early plant life" could have created the volume of petroleum currently available. 

This article from 2004 is instructive... and the debate goes on.

The International Herald Tribune has an article featuring a new product in development that would allow any citizen to make their own ethanol at home.  I don't know about all of you, but I call that a "still".  Quick, someone call Uncle Jesse!

Well, at least when it comes to nuclear power.  France generates 80% of their electricity through nuclear power.  We generate less than 20%.  Yet, we have the most nuclearized Navy in the world. The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), the latest Nimitz-class Supercarrier to join the fleet, boasts 2 Westinghouse nuclear reactors.  That is the same number currently in service at Calvert Cliffs.

Another day, another data breach.  Government agencies leak information like a sieve.  And they reason they do it is SHEER, UTTER INCOMPETENCE.

Of course, the Calvert Street Communist Party Newsletter chalks it up to data not being "encrypted" on a notebook.

But the problem is much, much worse.  And the government is not the only stupid organization that takes improper measures with your data and mine.

Hypocrites live large in the Maryland State House.  O'Guvnah and the Wannabee (that would be Comptroller Peter Franchot) are two of the biggest, most substantial lying sacks of putrifying human flesh in the state.  Liberal lefties like these two -- joined by Man Perm Mike Miller, Mikey "Double Dipping" Busch and their hordes of ignorant sycophants in the General Politburo always tow the "party line" about the evils of companies that outsource jobs to foreign countries.

But what do they say when IT IS THEIR FAULT?

The Wild Turkey Phone was ringing off the hook this morning, as the Grim Reaper was in Annapolis knocking on O'Guvnah's door.  It turns out there was a Maryland Department of Transportation pre-bid meeting on a massive technology project today (as the Anti-Computer Services Sales Tax Rally was going on).

And guess who showed up?  Representatives from Pennsylvania's Department of Economic Development, inviting all those companies attending to come on up to PA for a meeting on how they could relocate to Pennsylvania -- because Pennsylvania is pro-business, pro-technology, and low tax.

That's right.  Pennsylvania set representatives of their Department of Economic Development to a Maryland STATE GOVERNMENT pre-bid meeting to recruit companies to move to Pennsylvania.

Well played, Pennsylvania.  Screw you, O'Guvnah.

The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article up about plans by head spymaster Mike McConnell to basically read and parse every bit and byte that crosses the Internet.

Why does government think it has or even needs this power?

On December 18, 2007, General Electric got a huge boost to its bottom line when the Senate voted t o essentially ban incandescent light bulbs.

So where are the green weenie environmentalist whacko anti-corporatist "no corporate welfare" types now?

You see, not only did GE's stock jump, but GE will now have a great reason to lay off a ton of workers.  You see, GE manufacturers all of its incandescent bulbs in the United States-- where costs are higher and environmental regulations are very strict.

But it manufactures its CFLS (and other fancy technology bulbs) in China, where manufacturing costs are a fraction of the US, and environmental regulations are, well... you know.  They just don't have them.  (Trust me, been to Shenzhen 4 times and Hong Kong 5.  Its bad. Really bad.)

Chinese factories are dirtier, more polluting, and make no effort to be environmentally respectful, much less friendly.  China still uses lead in their gasoline.  And they could tell you what a CO2 scrubber was if it was sitting in front of you.  Oh, and forget energy efficiency.

So what will be the net gain from the switch to CFLs (which also contain a small amount of mercury, and as a result, cannot just be thrown out with the trash)?

I'm thinking a net negative.

I was a long time Comcast TV customer -- 10 years -- until last Wednesday, when I finally made the switch and had DirecTV installed at my house.

To sum up my experience:  Holy Crap! Why didn't I do this years ago?