In The Dark With Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

I wanted to be a good citizen and go green but, I'm sorry, compact fluorescent bulbs just don't do it for me. Looks like I'm not alone:

It sounds like such a simple thing to do: buy some new light bulbs, screw them in, save the planet.
But a lot of people these days are finding the new compact fluorescent bulbs anything but simple. Consumers who are trying them say they sometimes fail to work, or wear out early. At best, people discover that using the bulbs requires learning a long list of dos and don’ts.

The one's I've bought - GE, I think - burn out just as quickly as regular bulbs. Sometimes faster. Sometimes they'll work in one socket, sometimes they won't, sometimes they'll work in another socket before just giving up. Well, I've given up on 'em if they can't try any harder than that. As they go out, I'm replacing them with good ol' regular bulbs. Cheap and when they burn out, I'm not enraged at the unfairness of the world.

Oh, and our electricity bill isn't noticeably different.

Is the planet warmer as a result? I dunno. We're recycling. That counts, doesn't it?