A pedestrian communication

[Don Coombs <dcoombs@uidaho.edu>]

Here we have perhaps a new use of the Vision2020 list-serve -- sort of a
Consumer Reports use. And I recognize that it is not philosophically deep.
On the plus side, it could be seen as a break from skate parks and bikini
contests.

A question: If you live in Moscow or around Moscow, have you had problems
with light bulbs burning out recently? My experience is that a light bulb
will burn out in my house every now and then, but not four in a week.

>From my valued training in the Naval Reserve many years ago (we once put
every television set in Denver out of action when we fired up some surplus
gear at the Federal Center there) I know that high voltage makes light
bulbs brighter, and if they get really bright, they then get dim forever.

I stuck a voltmeter in an outlet and it registered between 122 and 123
volts. It's digital, but it's never been calibrated, so I can't testify
that it's accurate.

But I liked the idea that Vision 2020 would allow us to find out if
everybody in town was having the same problem. And I liked the fact that I
could write this message and not say anything negative about our power
monopoly, "the utility with a view."

Don H. Coombs