Eric Zorn`s recent piece on those Uncommonly Wealthy Edison ads that tell us how long we can run our electric razors or night lights for a few cents brought to mind my buddy, Larry, who back in the long-gone `50s when a 25-buck-a-week raise was rather substantial, sought to ameliorate a request for such by telling his boss he wanted a penny a minute more.
Fifteen years ago, my wife and I had an all-electric apartment-heat, two air conditioners, stove, even our own personal hot water heater. Electricity cost about $32 a month. Today, in an apartment with central heat and air and a gas stove, we pay nearly twice that. And I don`t even have an electric razor. Maybe it`s those illuminated bathroom switches.
Larry, though he deserved it, did not get his raise. Our electric company, which patently does not deserve one, certainly shouldn`t either.
