Do NOT buy cheap made-in-China CFLs

I had the light guts of a cheap made-in-China compact fluorescent light separate itself from the screw-in socket base of the bulb last night, no doubt due to cheap and minuscule amounts of glue used. I’ve had similar problems before with cheap made-in-China three-way splitters for electrical outlets.

Anyway, the guts fell out of the socket base, and broke when hitting my kitchen table.

And, if you’re familiar with CFLs, you know what that means — mercury problem.

I forgot, and touched it with my bare hands, though holding my breath. With elemental mercury, the inhalation danger is far worse — though still not earth-shaking — than is the skin adsorption danger. Nonetheless, it’s mercury, and I wasn’t 100 percent cautious.

If there’s no blogging after this, I died.