by Mike Gray The National Center for Policy Analysis alerts us to a Washington Times report entitled “Europe’s light-bulb socialism”: Beginning today, it is a crime to manufacture or ship for sale a traditional 75-watt incandescent light bulb in the European Union (EU), says the Washington Times.  The United States is scheduled to begin a phaseout schedule mirroring the European plan in 2012 — the same year incandescent lights are to be fully phased out in the EU: Energy-saving bulbs have been clearly labeled since 1998 as the most cost-effective bulbs, but their relatively high purchase price has inhibited take-up, the European Commission Web site explains. In response, EU governments and the European Parliament asked the Commission to adopt minimum requirements phasing out the least-efficient bulbs. Consumers are not reacting as planned: - In Finland, Helsingin Sanomat reported that the new ban has not resulted in a surge of sales for the new bulbs that the bureaucrats expected. Instead, 75-watt packages have been flying off the shelves as customers fill their closets, garages and attics with lighting supplies for the long term. - Such hoarding has been the rule for more than a year — London’s Daily Mail gave away

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