Unintended Consequences

[Gdjjr]

As a *car guy* I remember years ago the arguments (though not in detail) for getting rid of, or greatly restricting "shade tree mechanics" because- well I guess shade trees weren't available to everyone or something equally stupid- that movement, over the years, brought about a law that highly restricted Custom Motorcycle Builders to a limit of just 6 per year where they wouldn't have to comply (or die) to current (and probably future) EPA Standards- as though a twin cylinder (or in some fairly rare cases, 4 cylinders) engine was going to ruin the planet- SMH-

But now, guess what?
Fix, or Toss? The ‘Right to Repair’ Movement Gains Ground
Both Republicans and Democrats are pursuing laws to make it easier for people to fix cellphones, cars, even hospital ventilators. In Europe, the movement is further along.


Now the Empty Suits Brigades and the, at the time, cry babies are crying and demanding the consequences "ain't fair"- imagine that.
But wait!

The idea of planned obsolescence isn’t new. It was written about in 1928 by Justus George Frederick, an American advertising expert who suggested that people would have to buy an ever-increasing variety of things, then discard them and purchase new things, in order to help keep a consumer economy steaming along.

The theft code (usually referred to as the tax code) is partial to buying new over repairing- I came to that conclusion years ago when I was confronted with (by customers) who *budgeted* for repairs and purchases. At the time 100% of repair costs could be written off but only a fraction of that could be written off to *new purchases*- that's changed- and, we got the "cash for clunkers" Bill-

Confused? So am I- which is precisely what the Empty Suit Brigade shoots for- BOTH sides.

 

[Oddball]

I always repair, when possible, to the point of diminishing returns....Only then do I replace.

 

[Gdjjr]

Flat screen TV prices have gotten insanely inexpensive- I paid 438 bucks for my 43 in several years ago- 50in are now that and sometimes less. I have a laptop I bought earlier this year strictly for streaming that was less expensive than the one I'm typing on right this minute- neither of these is near as expensive as the first desk top I got (lap tops were out of the question expensive at the time)

However, I remember telling my wife (as an excuse to get a new car) that we should go ahead and get it because they're only going to get more expensive- at the time, a loaded, 1984 Buick Regal, we paid a bit under 10k- however, in 1975 I bought a Gran Prix (picked out options and ordered) for 6k-

We are a throw away society and the tax code favors that- not for consumers, but for commercial application.
But consumers get a break on, say TV's and computers where as business gets to write them off-

Like I said- I'm confused- and these examples are only the tip of the ice berg.

 

[whitehall]

Some days (although not so much since Covid) the entire beautiful blue sky would be overcast from jet plane con trails that all merge together. It ain't just water vapor, jet fuel is pretty nasty stuff. I ain't got a solution but my point is that blaming custom motorcycles for pollution is the dumbest thing I ever heard of but typical of laws passed by hypocrites who ride around in limo's.