Thomas Edison, inventor of the phonograph, motion pictures and the light bulb, was born on this day in 1847. So today’s a good day to ask the question: “Should we still be using Edison’s incandescent bulb that heats a filament to 6,000 degrees or new compact fluorescent bulbs that burn cooler, use less energy and save money?” You be the judge. Compact fluorescents use 75 percent less energy and operate at one-fourth the cost. But don’t let low energy fool you. An 18-watt fluorescent gives the same amount of light as a 75-watt incandescent and lasts up to 10 times longer. They even offer three-level lighting and a low-watt 13-23-34 fluorescent gives the same light as a 50-100 and 150-watt bulb. Maybe it’s time to rethink. See the light and switch, because it seems somebody has come up with an illuminating alternative.