error with blogger.com

I was looking at my posts. Then I tried to click on overview and got this error message

I took this screen shot, but then tried to give feedback.  In order to give feedback, I had to clear this error message.  Then the website took a snapshot of my screen while I was giving feedback, but by that time the error message was gone.

Frustrating.

Catch 22

one more thing that broke

I like to use a reel mower.  There are several reasons for this:

1. exercise;
2. seems better for the environment
3. quieter (my dad had hearing loss from loud appliances: mower, snowblower, shaver)

My previous reel mower experienced a bent & nearly broken handle, courtesy of my son, who does not know his own strength and who just keeps pushing, no matter what happens.

Since the last reel mower did not last long, I decided to go on amazon.com to look  for something different.  I chose the Fiskars 6201 18-Inch Staysharp Max Push Reel Lawn Mower, because it looked sturdier than the one i had been using.

Unfortunately, it turned out not to be so much sturdier.  Here is a photo of the front wheel with a huge chip out of it.

Just another broken thing driving me nuts.

You'll notice this is my third blog in a row about things that have broken.

washing machine failure

This is a picture of the motor control unit of my washing machine showing burn marks

This is a closeup of a part with the top exploded off

This is a copy of the case for my motor control unit showing burn marks.

This washing machine is a Whirlpool model wfw9150ww00.  It is two years old and therefore out of warranty.

This part cost approximately $220 with the tax.  With the service added, the repair was about twice the cost of a new washer.

The repair person said that this type of damage could be caused by a voltage surge.  

I got a surge protector for my washing machine.  Before that I had never realized that washing machines needed surge protectors.

My previous washing machine lasted over 20 years, with only one or two repairs, none of which was this expensive.

I believe that something needs to be done about protecting consumers from this type of crap.  Obviously a one year warranty with planned obsolescence is completely inadequate.  Moreover, Con Ed should be responsible if their voltage surge caused this problem, yet they claim no responsibility for damage to appliances.

The quality of products being distributed in this country is clearly in a downward trend. I know I am not unique in being victimized by shoddy construction and poor customer service.

The government is asleep at the switch here, while everyone is getting ripped off.

warranty and lack of product markings

Here is a photo of my garden clippers that fell apart in my hands when I was pruning.

Now you will note that these clippers have no brand name on them.  I checked the other side as well.  It also has no brand name, no phone number, no information at all indicating where this clipper might have been made.

OK, so I went and bought some new clippers.

Looks pretty similar to my old clippers, but, again, nowhere on the actual clippers is there any brand name, website, phone number, or anything that might allow me to trace where the clippers might have been made.

The packaging does have such information, as shown here

You will note that this packaging indicates a lifetime warranty.  Obviously, tho, if this new pair of clippers were to break next year I would most likely no longer have the packaging, nor would I remember where I got the clippers or be able to find a receipt.  Therefore the lifetime warranty is inherently useless.

While this clipper looks very similar to the one that broke, I have no way of proving that the manufacturer is in fact the same.

I would submit that this type of packaging/marking is essentially fraudulent, inducing people to purchase substandard goods, based on the promise of a lifetime warranty, without any real possibility of claiming the warranty.

I would further submit that this type of packaging should be illegal where the product itself has no indication of where to claim the warranty.  

Laws to protect consumers should require that this type of warranty be enforceable without the packaging or receipt.