Default

Modern Science

When we remodeled the bathrooms a year and a half ago we bought fancy new toilets and the nice nice lady at the plumbing supply house tossed in some Plain Jane seats for free. Well, you get what you pay for, the thin paint on the seats has allowed moisture to enter the wood and the undersides were starting to get ugly.

We went to Lowes the other day to buy new seats. There before us stood the giant wall of toilet seats ranging in price from $20 to $80. We eliminated half instantly because we needed oblong not round. Half again were eliminated when we dismissed ones costing more the $35. We further cut the nominees half again because they were painted wood. In the end we opted for the $20 one because it had the flatter top and touted it self as anti-bacterial or anti-fungal or anti-something.

To top it off, it is slow closing. Twenty bucks and it lowers itself slowly and magically down once you give it a gentle push. Isn’t modern science wonderful?

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 440

Nowhere Man (& Woman)

Flagg Coal Company #75

Sunday by the numbers:
8 – O’clock wake up call
1 – Trip to the end of the driveway to get the paper
0 – Hours away from home
3 – Meals eaten in
0 – Caches found

Started up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 437

Alone in the Dark

I like computer work while in the dark. That’s why I love lighted keyboards. At home the only things that give off light are the monitor, a small light behind the monitor pointed at the wall giving a nice ambiance and the previously mentioned keyboard.

At work I have removed the florescence tubes from as many fixtures as my coworkers will let me get away with, the room my cube is in holds four people. And I also have added a couple thicknesses of plotter paper to the ones that still have bulbs to dim them a couple notches too. I have two small florescent fixtures under the cabinets to each side of me that provide a nice bit of task lighting. It’s as good as I’m going to get here.

My other three roommates were not there for various reasons today, so I had the place to myself. About mid morning I got up, walked to the front wall and turned off all the lights. There was one fixture up front over near the door that always stays on for emergencies, but it is out of my line of sight. Queued up some light New Age/Ambient music and aaaahh, almost like home.

Trouble was the quiet didn’t last for long, as about half the front office staff pass through up front on their way to places and nearly everyone of them when confronted with the darkness had a reaction. They either had to a) walk back to my cube and ask if I wanted it that way, b) walk back to see if I was sleeping, c) walk by while shouting out asking if I was there or d) walk through and turn on the lights.

By after lunch everyone was used to the new darkness and I was pretty much left alone and I got quite a bit of work done.

Including making a Boss’s Day Card from a template I found on the web, love the retro business look. Here is the cover and the inside just said, “Happy Boss’s Day.”

Boss's Day Card
* You know, now that I look at it, it has a slight homo-erotic feel. Or maybe that is just me.

Started up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 435

Backwards Time Travel Is Impossible

We finished watching Disc 1 of Season 1 of Taxi last night and while we thoroughly enjoyed the show way back when and we enjoyed re-watching these 8 episodes, we decided to take the rest of the discs out of the queue. Sometimes you just can’t go home again.

Now that I don’t has the FRS to listen to anymore (well, at least for the 6 months) I’ve been watching some Netflix Instant Watch movies, finishing three of five in the last week. DNF’d were Sex Drive and Numb.

Finished (along with the movie note I sent to friends):

Brick – Mix an LA high school unrequited love story with a heavy dose of “The Big Sleep.” Then add a plot so thick with characters that when the movie ends you may not know what happened. Interesting watch.

Deadgirl – This isn’t for many people & I’m not so sure I’d even recommend it to anyone. Even with a central theme that is about as sick and twisted as can be, I found this a movie worth watching.

The Last Word – Boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, in spite of himself. Boy & girl break up. They don’t get back together. Quirky. Quiet. Dark. Contemplative. Oddly enjoyable.

Started up, went down, went up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 435

Thanks Again Holly/Jarden Consumer Solutions/Oster/Mr. Coffee

Electric Skillet Temperature Knob

Our new replacement 12″ Oster Electric Skillet was sitting on our doorstep this evening. I want all my regular readers (all three of you) to down load this picture and save it on your PC in case I need it in the future.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 432

The Biggest Thing To Hit Aiken Hits Johnston

After a couple of weeks languishing on the eastern bypass of Aiken and setting tongue’s a wagging all over town, the biggest thing, literally, to hit town has moved on. We know this because on our way back from Hendersonville this afternoon we were stopped by a huge commotion of cop cars and 18 wheeler trucks in the town of Johnston. The 1.2 1.89 million pound generator (according to an earlier referenced Aiken Standard article) and its entourage was parking for the night at the corner of SC 121 & SC 191.

Big Thing

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 430

That Was Unexpected

Not too long ago we finally replaced our old warhorse of an electric frying pan. Because it is just the two of us we didn’t need anything too big, so we bought the only option we had in a 12″ square size. It preformed wonderfully and the only problem is the markings on the temperature dial didn’t last very long. After slightly overcooking something the weekend before last I surfed over to the manufacturer’s web site looking for picture of the dial so I could take a felt tip pen and crudely recreate the markings. Not finding any help on the site, there is only one image of the thing on there, I found the contact page and left a note explaining my predicament asking for a photo of the dial.

Dear Brian,

Thank you for contacting Oster, a brand of Jarden Consumer Solutions. We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced with your SH12 and will be happy to help you.

Please respond via email with the exact date of purchase and a code located on the bottom of the unit or engraved on the outside of the metal prongs you plug into the wall to give the unit power. The metal prongs are located on the end of the power cord. This code should begin with one letter, followed by three numbers.

We appreciate your business and are happy to help if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,
Jennifer
Jarden Consumer Solutions
www.oster.com

I especially like that they told me where to find those tricky metal prongs you plug into the wall. I write back:

Jennifer,

I have no earthly idea when the unit was purchased, I am not expecting a replacement under warranty, I would just like a high resolution or spec drawing of the temperature dial so I can remake my existing unit.

The number engraved on the plug is “A201J”.

The label on the underside of the power section reads:
Model: TKSP-S008A-10
125Vac 60Hz 15A
E81296 (SP)
MADE IN CHINA P.N. 128149

Thanks for any help you can give me,
Brian

The next day I get this reply:

Dear Brian,

Thank you for contacting Mr. Coffee, a brand of Jarden Consumer Solutions. We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced with your skillet and will be happy to help you.

We do have replacement options available for your SH12. Although we appreciate your willingness to repair the unit, we cannot send out internal components for both liability issues as well as certain patent concerns as many of our parts and schematics are considered proprietary company information.

Again, we do have replacement options available for your SH12. If you would like to discuss these options, please contact us at our toll-free number 1-800-334-0759. For your convenience we are available 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday – Friday, EST. Please have your electric skillet available when you call

Again, I apologize for any inconvenience. We appreciate your business and are happy to help if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Holly
Jarden Consumer Solutions
www.oster.com

At first I was a little miffed at the direction this was taking and then I noticed my poorly worded request. So I try one last time to get across that I just want a picture of the dial:

Holly, Jennifer or any other random CSR who gets this,

I believe I was misunderstood in my previous email because I said remake when I actually meant to say remark.

I just want an image of the temperature control dial so I can remark with a pen the missing settings, allowing me to be able tell what temperature I have it set at. I am not interested in a replacement part because it will, with shipping, handling and tax, probably end up costing more than if I were to drive to my nearest Walmart and purchase a whole new skillet. Which is exactly what I am going to do if you can not supply me with a picture, catalog image or hand sketch of said dial. And you can take a pretty good guess as to which brand I won’t include in my decision making.

Thanks in advance for your consideration in this manner,

Brian
Frustrated Consumer
www.mr-miata.net

Figuring that I was going to get another polite email suggesting I call about replacement parts, I was totally floored with their reply the next day:

Dear Brian,

Thank you for contacting Oster, a brand of Jarden Consumer Solutions. We apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced with your SH12 and will be happy to help you.

Unfortunately, we do not have a scan to send you or a replacement temperature control. Therefore, I have placed an order for a SH12 that you will receive within 2-3 weeks.

You will receive an order confirmation, shortly as well as a shipping confirmation when our item leaves our warehouse.

Again, I apologize for any inconvenience. We appreciate your business and are happy to help if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Holly
Jarden Consumer Solutions
www.oster.com

Thanks Holly/Jarden Consumer Solutions/Oster/Mr. Coffee, really nice way to turn a possibly crummy situation into a win for everybody.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 10/24/08: 414