Re: Free Light Bulb cite re: predatory pricing

[Beth Farmer <sbf2@psu.edu>]

  At 09:33 AM 10/8/97 -0400, James Love wrote:
  >I received the following message, which made reference to a case
  >involving free distribution of light bulbs by an electric utility.  Does
  >anyone have a cite for this case?   Jamie
  >
  >-------------------------------------
  >Metri Duley
  >a Macintosh user & web user
  >Detroit, Michigan
  >metri_duley@macgroup.org
  >Microsoft is practicing unfair competition: it browser attempts to
  >prevent use of other browser once it is installed; giving "it" away
  >freely has been ruled unfair: a Chicago drugstore owner vs Detroit
  >Edison, (197x ?)--that power company exchanged spent light bulbs for new
  >for free to its customers.
  >
  >-- 
  >James Love | Center for Study of Responsive Law
  >P.O. Box 19367 | Washington, DC 20036 | http://www.cptech.org
  >voice 202.387.8030 | fax 202.234.5176 | love@cptech.org
  >
  	You are probably thinking of Cantor v. Detroit Edison Co., 428 U.S. 579
  (1976), where the utility gave away light bulbs to residential customers
  and included the cost in its electric utility rates.  The practice was
  challenged as a tying arrangement.  At the Supreme Court level, the
  discussion concerned the state action immunity doctrine and defining the
  proper test - the state utility commission had approved the rates but did
  not compel the practice, there was no clearly articulated policy about
  lightbulbs, and so forth.  There was no majority opinion.
  
  		Beth Farmer
  Beth Farmer                   (717)240-5278
  Assistant Professor           (717)240-5126 (FAX)
  Dickinson School of Law       sbf2@psu.edu 
  Pennsylvania State University http://www.dsl.edu
  150 S. College St.
  Carlisle, PA 17013