Builders,
I have written extensively on the differences between machines and appliances, and why only a brainwashed consumer has “brand loyalty” for appliances, conversely, people who chose to spend their lives with durable machines who’s designs, construction and durability are worthy of respect, can actually bestow their favor on such machines.
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Perhaps nothing arouses the displeasure of a machinery loving individual like a sticker, written by a lawyer, that says “no user serviceable parts inside”. Seeing such a judgmental decree on a piece of private property already purchased, and now malfunctioning, leads to expressing a “response” with a machine, directed at the defective appliance……..
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When my Chinese made, microwave stopped heating things just after the one year warranty ran out, it made me think of a time when we expected our US made household appliances to last 20 or more years. The sticker on the back, pictured below, smugly justifying the choice to make the product non-repairable and blaming it on the owner ticked me off. So out to the back yard it went for an encounter with machines of great quality and brilliant design, a contrast worthy of being filmed.
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Above, the last statement on the sticker is the most offensive. It motivated me to violate their most ardently repeated warning not to “Put metal into the microwave”. The metals we selected were copper, steel and lead.
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Looks like that microwave died of “lead poisoning “
My 870 is loaded with buck, then turkey, with 5 more rounds strapped to the stock. My stagecoach Stevens has firecracker and rubber to scare the lions away (yes, works awesomely). The .243 hanging on the coat rack by the front door takes care of coyotes. The .17hrm and .22 have put many, many dirt rats (prairie dogs) to sleep. (not just sport, as on agricultural lands, cows, $1000+, break legs and have to be put down because of the rats fortuitous holing of the landscape). The 9mm has done well in dispatching bobcats after my domestic cats, and scared off momma bear and yearlings when one came in to get the cat food. Also discourages the bear who comes to the bedroom window (twice), my side, 12″ away, open a crack for ventilation in the warm months. Finally, the LCP pocket .380….has never done any duty, and for that I am very grateful.
It would have been nice to see just one shot hitting the ne’er-do-well micro filled with 1/2 pound or so of Tannerite…but those first two were very gratifying. Why the AR 15 was not slightly modified to give an auto demo was probably for accuracy, so, forgiven. Even my 10-22 was auto for a while, but re profiled the sear for one at a time accuracy. {;^)
If any of the above helps qualify me for pre-aviatorship, even ancillary after air activities, …I’m in good shape!
The senseless destruction of inanimate objects that are no longer useful is FUN. When my vacuum cleaner stopped working properly one day, I calmly walked it out to the front yard on a sunny morning in full view of the neighbors and smashed it into a thousand pieces. Then I left it in the front yard for a day so that other vacuum cleaners with know the fate that awaits them if they do not remain functional and serve us well.
My kids enjoyed it, my wife rolled her eyes and we went out later that day, bought a new vacuum cleaner and had Sushi at our favorite restaurant.
Lou
I love it. If the Swiss and Japanese can define what the limits of proper social restraints are, then we can define what fun is.
I remember our first Microwave was an Amana Radar Range my mom bought on credit from the electric company for the price of $450 which was more than a electric oven cost at that time. That chrome monstrosity, built in Fayetteville Tennessee, was the most durable appliance we owned. We sold it 12 years later in a garage sale, fully functional, for hefty sum of $20. The reason: the family was moving to Germany and it weighed too much. The thought of hefting that thing up three flights in base housing was less than appealing.