Ivan wrote in message
.. .

"Radiosrfun" wrote in message
...
"Ivan" wrote in message
. ..

"Radiosrfun" wrote in message
...



Like most everything else - Quality Control has gone to hell - too.
Its
all about the "buck" - never mind how you get it.
Years ago - I sent in a piece of test equipment to the manufacturere -
to be repaired and calibrated. I paid like $15 to ship and $75 for
repairs. They "supposedly" fixed it and shipped it back. I had it a
week
and it did the same damned thing. So much for that. I wasn't about to
shell out another $15 to ship it again. I called the company to
complain
and they told me how to fix it myself - to which I asked - then what
did
I pay you for? I finally acquired a schematic and repaired and aligned
it myself.

These companies are becoming a real trip to deal with. They want top
dollar for their stuff, make it cheap and expect top dollar to repair
it. The consumer gets screwed. Lately it is more so the case - than
not.

I agree, and the way the whole world is now geared to buy and throw
away
IMO almost borders on the obscene.

A classic example, about 4 years ago my wife bought me quite an
expensive
electric razor. A year ago it stopped working and from memory the last
one I looked at (a very long time ago!) consisted of an extremely
simple
kind of (virtually foolproof) vibrating AC powered motor which drove
the
cutting head to and fro.

However on dismantling this one I was surprised to find a small
electric
motor and a SOPS (self oscillating power supply) and I found out pretty
quickly that the problem was due to an open circuit quarter watt 2.2
meg
resistor, total cost to replace about two pence and suffice to say that
the razor has been functioning perfectly ever since.

Now I understand perfectly well about labour costs, which would
probably
have ruled taking it to a service depot and having it repaired, but at
same time I couldn't help wondering how many electrical items are
dumped
into landfills every single day, just for the sake of a couple of
pennies
worth of components.. probably millions on a worldwide basis, which to
me
begs the question, just how much longer can our profligate lifestyles
be
sustained?


L.



When I was in Elementary School - they showed us "Film Clips" of
"Recycling Plants" - to do paper, glass, cans, etc.... Said a few
existed
in the world but more to come - it was the way of the future - to
recycle
and save our environment. Yet - here we are - producing JUNK - and
filling
the landfills with it all - and as for "Recycling" - it is NOT used in
all
areas for the "Intended" items and certainly not for electronics. Yeah,
I
agree - sooner or later - we're going to have some real problems.

One of the bigger towns near me "started" to do Recycling, but like all
"phases" - it passed. People are using the allocated color coded bins -
for other things now - much like those milk crates you buy in a store.
"Our" community has never offered recycling.



I don't know if it's the same where you are, but in one of the side
effects
now beginning to manifest itself here in the UK is the increasingly
growing
numbers of ancient churches having the lead stripped off their roofs and
even railways and electricity substations are also being targeted and
literally put out of action because of copper cable and fittings being
stolen. Apparently there is now such a famine of raw materials in China
that
scrap metal is becoming a very big and lucrative business.



L.



This used to be a third world phenomenon
in the last month in the UK
http://www.24dash.com/localgovernment/25306.htm
80 drain covers have gone missing from the Wokingham Borough Council
district.

http://www.hertsad.co.uk/content/her...ADOnline&categ
ory=News&tBrand=herts24&tCategory=newshadnew&itemi d=WEED09%20Aug%202007%2011
%3A10%3A03%3A053
Hatfield and Brookmans Park and more than 200 drain covers have been taken.

http://www.burnhamandhighbridgeweekl...nham/display.v
ar.1615032.0.a_drain_on_resources.php
More than 60 have been stolen in the past two weeks.