"Radiosrfun" wrote in message
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"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
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"Radiosrfun" wrote in message
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"Ivan" wrote in message
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"Radiosrfun" wrote in message
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"Ivan" wrote in message
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"Radiosrfun" wrote in message
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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.



Some areas a few miles from me have had copper stolen from homes
(plumbing, etc) being built, siding stolen off the homes being built
"and" lived in. Theives went to places where stockpiles were kept - too
some of it. Some were even stealing the bronze flower vases off of
Cemetary markers. Was it for "China" - I don't know - but doubt it.
Probably more like "drugs". Some idiot tried his luck here ripping out
plumbing from a home of a "vacationer" - and let the water run - doing
about $10,000 worth of damage. He was busted in a week. Our cops caught
him as he was making last minute reservations to go to Florida. That was
his first and last stint - here in town.

L.
My 85 year old mother had lead flashing stolen off her house during the
day whilst she was in, a few weeks ago. The 1000 year old Saxon church in
my village also had a large quantity of lead stolen from one of the roofs
which form a more modern part of it. Apparently, road signs are also
being stolen all over the country, and are now being replaced with glass
fibre composite ones, which actually have a sticker on the back which
says "NO SCRAP VALUE". Sad what the world is coming to ...

Arfa


Not to mince words with you Arfa - but I think DISGUSTING is a better
term.

L.

Well yes, you're probably right. As far as cops go, from what I've seen of
U.S. police (and actually *most* officials over there), they leave ours for
dead. The system of police officer / sheriff / state trooper is far superior
to ours. Not so many years back, I would have said that our police force in
the UK could stand with the world's finest, but as an organisation now, they
are rapidly becoming a joke. This is being further added to by them
replacing genuine officers with "PCSOs" - that's Police Community Support
Officers. These guys (and girls) look for all the world *like* a police
officer, but only have the powers to observe and report. U.S. police look
the part. Their uniforms are smart, and from what I've seen around the
states, always worn with a sense of pride and duty, as are those by customs
and immigration officials at airports. Ours, on the other hand, now have a
sort of 'scruffy' and dishevelled look about them. If you call 999 (our
911), you will get put straight through to the service you need, but with
the police, you may not get an immediate response. Whereas all calls used to
be taken and assessed by a police officer, if you were calling the police,
you are likely now to get a civilian operator, who makes the decision how
quickly to respond. Many even large police stations are now closed at night,
so if you are reporting a proper crime, you may not get someone round before
the next morning, or even afternoon.

On the other hand, if someone reported you making a racist or homophobic
comment in public, you are likely to find yourself dragged off to a police
cell within 5 minutes. It is now also very easy to end up with a criminal
record for motoring offences such as speeding, and even doing your garbage
recycling incorrectly, in some towns. I kid you not. Policing here now is
all about meeting clear-up targets, and it's easier to do this with 'soft'
offences committed by otherwise law-abiding good citizens, who still have a
fear and respect for the police, and will roll over and allow themselves to
be swept along by the system. Junkies, feral gangs, and career criminals
are, on the other hand, laughing their heads off, and doing degrees in human
rights law. I hope that the U.S. doesn't finish up going the same way, but
sadly, I think it is inevitable.

All of which is a jolly long way from odd transformer problems !

Arfa