Bright idea: Stock up on 60- and 40-watt bulbs before they go dark

Come Jan. 1, the biggest remaining incandescent light bulbs on the market, 60- and 40-watt versions, can no longer be manufactured and sold in the U.S., under environmental and energy laws put in place by President George W. Bush.

Stores will legally continue to sell their surplus bulbs. But once that stockpile is gone, it's lights out for Thomas Edison's most-popular invention.

Sure, CFLs do a more efficient job at producing light and I certainly won't mind not replacing bulbs as often. But when I do, I'll forever fear dropping one and having to call in a Haz-mat team to clean up the mess.