During a recent Clark Stinks segment, someone was upset about Clark's recommendation of CFL (compact fluorescent lights) bulbs. Clark jokes that he's surprised his wife would post something about him behind his back! Clark and Lane always go back and forth about the CFLs in their home. The problem is that Clark was an early adopter of CFLs. He bought when they were too expensive and didn't have all the kinks ironed out. So his CFLs emit a yellow-green glow and take a full 90 seconds to fire up from the time you flip the switch!

CFLs only account for about 5 percent of the market today. But they'll continue to be more prominent in people's lives. There's a new federal mandate that requires 35 percent more efficient lighting over the next several years. Meanwhile, there's been some concern about the level of mercury in CFLs. But Clark says it's only a minor amount. You'd practically have to crack open the bulb and inhale to get yourself in trouble! Keep in mind that CFLs are probably only a transitional technology. The next major advance will be LEDs (light-emitting diodes) in the home. Did you see the Times Square ball drop on New Year's Eve? That was all LEDs. LED Xmas lights were also popular this past season because they're much safer and more cost-efficient. But we're still about 5 years away from commercial viability for LED household use.