On Wed 25 Jan 2006 02:56:47a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it ?

I can't believe this.
I was working up in the loft in the shed when I bumped my trouble
light. As always, there was a bright flash and the bulb burned out.
They always burn out at the worst possible times. I was in total
black, and getting down from that loft is no easy task. After saying
a few 4 letter words I grabbed the light and was preparing to climb
down from the loft. All of a sudden the light flashed on for a
second, then off again. I shook the light and once again there was a
very bright flash. I knew for sure the bulb was dead after that......
Or so I thought.... Still holding the light, I shook it again, not
expecting it to re-light. Much to my amazement, it lit again. This
time it was normal brightness, but as soon as I moved it, it went
black again. This happened about 4 times, and then the light stayed
on. I hung the light from a nail and proceeded to do what I had been
doing, and waiting for another bright flash. I was almost done with
my tasks up there and just hoped that the bulb would last long enough.
I really suspected that as soon as I started to pound a nail with my
hammer, the vibration would destroy the bulb. I finished pounding in
about ten nails, and the light remained burning. I grabbed the light
and proceeded down the ladder. The bulb remained burning. I hung it
up next to my workbench and shut it off. I closely looked at the
bulb. I could see the scrape marks in the inside coating where the
filament had scraped off that coating. At least six very noticable
scrapes. I was sure that as soon as I turned the switch back on, the
bulb would burn out with a bright flash. I flipped the switch, and
the bulb worked as a normal bulb......

This all happened a week ago. I've used that trouble light with that
same bulb several times. I've moved it, banged it, and turned it on
and off many times. I can tell the filament is loose because whenever
I move the cord even the slightest, the movement of the filament is
visible. I have been carrying around a new bulb, but I dont plan to
install it until this bulb really does burn out. I simply can not
believe that a bulb that burned out with a bright flash TWICE, and
shows all the scratch marks on the glass from a dangling filament, is
still working and apparently healed itself. I have never seen
anything like this...

Miracles do happen!

--
Wayne Boatwright տլ
________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!