"But right now, in Lafourche parish there is a monopoly in who owns the energy company. Why would I want to pay more money to the [not nice word] that own the energy company? " -- how is that relevant to batteries and more efficient means of producing energy?

"I would like a 80 year lightbulb that cost ~$1" -- right, that's going to happen. There's actually a reason why lightbulb technology hasn't really changed in the last.... oh what, 100 years or so.... there's no incentive to do so.

Same thing with battery technologies ... what incentive do they really have to create batteries that will last? They only last as long as they do because of competition. But beyond that, they're all about selling a product, and if they create something that lasts for years and years and years, they would sell less. If they sell less, then they'll have to jack up the price to make up for the loss. That's one of the reason CF bulbs and LED bulbs are more than conventional incandescent.

Besides... a well built incandescent can outlast any CF or LED - http://www.centennialbulb.org/

-tg