Fluorescent Lights - Health & A Pondering

[Grimm]

During high energy periods I've noticed that "dead" fluorescent bulbs at a friends house (that were still installed) would flicker for a moment.  After being exposed to fluorescent bulbs for a, what I would consider, extended period of time, I noticed I would feel my energy drained. Others I've talked to experienced headaches.

After doing a little searching I've found a little information for your mental enjoyment.

Some people, including lupus patients, have reported headaches, red blotchy spots, hair loss, and more.

Resource:  http://lupus.physiciansforpatients.com/do/polls/1

Also, another page shows that you can use the electricity from your hair to light a light bulb.

Light a fluorescent light bulb with your hair

WARNING!: DO NOT USE ELECTRICITY FROM A WALL OUTLET FOR THIS EXPERIMENT AND BE CAREFUL NOT TO BREAK THE FLUROESCENT TUBE!

You can light a fluorescent light bulb (but not an incandescent light bulb - so make sure to use a fluorescent one!) with static electricity derived from your hair. It works on the same principle as bending the water stream with a plastic comb charged by your hair as above.

Take a light bulb and clean comb into a dark room (take your clean hair with you too!). Comb your clean, dry hair to build up a negative charge in the comb. You may need to comb quite vigorously as you will need quite a lot of charge in the comb to make this trick work.

Touch the charged part of the comb to the fluorescent light bulb and watch very carefully. You should be able to see small sparks inside the tube/bulb. When the charged comb touches the bulb, electrons will move from it to the bulb, causing the small sparks of light inside. In normal operation, the electrons to light the bulb come from the electrical power lines through a wire in the end of the fluorescent tube. You may also be able to get light inside the tube by brining it close to your hair soon after combing. Your hair has lost electrons to the comb, so it is positively charged. It can collect electrons from the fluorescent bulb.

Resource:  http://www.keratin.com/ay/hair-tricks.shtml

[Albert]

Years ago when I was teaching, we were told in no uncertain terms that the flourescent lights in schools actually damaged the eyes and caused blindness. We were also told that the government knew this but that to offset the power usage 15 new nuclear power stations would have to be built! Something unthinkable during the cold war when the anti-nuclear movement was at its height. Whether this is is true or not i can find no independent source either way. What is for sure is I do not trust my government ever to do us anything for our good.
Nb when I dispose of the bulbs I smash them and chuck them in the bin..what else am I supposed to do?