If they can put a man on the moon why can't they......

[lets-retire]

I'm tired of telling people to call me first so I can turn on the fax machine, or else leaving the machine on to deafen and repulse regular callers.

And in the meantime, get off my lawn!

I recently had a fax provided by my employer that would monitor the line when the phone was answered. If the machine detected the fax tones, it would pick up and take the fax. If it didn't hear the fax tones, it would stop monitoring the line. It was one of those HP all-in-ones for home use, but it worked well enough.

 

[BOBOT]

Sounds like paradise.



The choice is between a dirty house and a clean one, or a paid cleaning staff.

What's wrong with a dirty house?? Clean freaks are generally a depressing lot.

 

[BOBOT]

--
New toaster idea: blowtorch.

Hmm, could wrap the bread in bacon, then torch it!

 

[ladelfina]

lets-retire.. we had an HP all-in-one, too, but it didn't do that. I'm in the market for a laser all-in-one now.

Toaster: frankly I don't remember crumb problems with our toasters growing up. Maybe they were too cheap to have crumb trays. We would just unplug them, upend over the sink, and shake out the crumbs periodically.

 

[W2R]

What's wrong with a dirty house?? Clean freaks are generally a depressing lot.

My vision seems to have become slightly worse during the past 20 years or so. This is a tremendous help in keeping my house "clean".

If I can't see the dirt, it's not there, right?

 

[Nords]

Well, it's not a perfect solution, but one is dead: Colorado "Spam King" Dead in Apparent Murder/Suicide: Scientific American

I would have expected to get 40 or 50 e-mails announcing that fact...

 

[mickeyd]

If we can put a man on the moon, why can they not invent a mutual fund that beats all other mutaul funds at least 70% of the time?

...Oh, they have?

Never mind.

 

[Khan]

My vision seems to have become slightly worse during the past 20 years or so. This is a tremendous help in keeping my house "clean".

If I can't see the dirt, it's not there, right?

It also helps to use lower wattage lights.

 

[W2R]

It also helps to use lower wattage lights.

I do that too! Odd how my house doesn't seem to get very dirty any more.

 

[CuppaJoe]

If we can put a man on the moon, why can they not invent a mutual fund that beats all other mutaul funds at least 70% of the time?

...Oh, they have?

....

Sure they have but it's closed to new investors.

This thread terrifies me. Both my Krups toaster and DeLonghi toaster oven have bit the dust in the last month. SO blames the cleaning lady but I know the truth, it's that old bugaboo, planned obsolescence. Time to pack up and hit the rails?

Sometime in the '80s I went to visit a friend in Madison, WI. Honestly we went to a movie in a place that could be hosed clean. Blue plastic chairs, awful. Does anyone know the place, it's at one of those east or west malls. Scary.

 

[quietman]

My 30 year old toaster oven flamed out just last year. I blame crumbs (and maybe teenagers "toasting" hamburgers). Had to look in dozens of stores before I could find one where the "toast" setting wasn't a knob that ticked as the time runs down. What's up with that? Are they all made in the same factory with different nameplates on the outside? Finally found a dusty old box in a corner of a hardware store that had one where you push a button to toast and no tick tick tick timer. How can people live with that noise in their kitchen every time they make toast?

 

[ladelfina]

We had to replace the element in a 20-30 y.o. electric oven. Maybe they are like light-bulb filaments and just crap out after extended use/abuse.

Here (with diagrams and photos -yay):
Link Courtesy Appliance411.com the Appliance Information Center
I didn't know these elements had wire inside. I guess I assumed the whole thing was resistance.

 

[CuppaJoe]

....before I could find one where the "toast" setting wasn't a knob that ticked as the time runs down. What's up with that? ....

Yeah, mine ticked on (and ticked me off) even after it was unplugged for the last time. That DeLonghi lasted about four years whereas its (U.S. brand) predecessor lasted 20+. I've discovered you can toast bread in a frying pan! I've had it, I'm mad and I'm not going to take it anymore. Some stuff just doesn't need to be replaced.

 

[Midpack]

Why doesn't someone design and build a self-cleaning house?

Ask and ye shall receive Weird America » Weird America at Francis Gabe’s Self Cleaning House

As for the toaster criticism, you are being totally unfair. There is nothing wrong with toasters today, it's the crumby bread you use...

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Man, I thought I was a little weird when I wanted to chuck my toaster oven every 3-4 years and my coffee maker every 12-18 months. Although having disassembled a couple of year old coffee makers, that seems reasonable.

But now I know I'm weird. At least on the toaster oven...

 

[Nords]

My 30 year old toaster oven flamed out just last year. I blame crumbs (and maybe teenagers "toasting" hamburgers). Had to look in dozens of stores before I could find one where the "toast" setting wasn't a knob that ticked as the time runs down. What's up with that? Are they all made in the same factory with different nameplates on the outside? Finally found a dusty old box in a corner of a hardware store that had one where you push a button to toast and no tick tick tick timer. How can people live with that noise in their kitchen every time they make toast?

Considering the despicable state of toasting technology in today's society, why does anyone bother eating toast anymore?

Bread & beer used to be an important part of my routine, but as soon as I stopped consuming them I lost weight and still had room left for chocolate...

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yeah, but red wine and dark chocolate are a dang good combination...

 

[Nords]

Yeah, but red wine and dark chocolate are a dang good combination...

On toast?!?

 

[unclemick]

Peanut butter on toast(Skippy) - but I don't complain cause she cleans house et al.

heh heh heh -

 

[Khan]

How about an easy to set up/plug in TV/radio/PC/phone accessible from anywhere on the property (from several machines)?

 

[calmloki]

why doesn't my car radio have a tivo function - or at least a 2 minute pause function?

 

[Marquette]

why doesn't my car radio have a tivo function - or at least a 2 minute pause function?

Yes! I've often thought that I'd like a 30 minute buffer... never enough to try and find one or build one, but enough to think it'd be a good idea.

 

[ERD50]

Now can we Puh-leaaase talk about FAX MACHINES??

....

I am waiting for ERD50 to chime in with his burning fax hate.. but too bad. I NEED and WANT FAXES. Asking me why I need faxes is like asking the OP why he/she needs toast. It doesn't matter.

I did see the word "FAX" the first time,but didn't see the reference to me.... so I don't want to disappoint


There is no alternative to toast. There are alternatives to FAXes: email a pdf scan. Better in *every* way. None of the problems that you list. Why fight it?

And most of the new ones have a 'one button' email operation. Hit 'email', and it scans, puts it in the email, and all you do is choose the address and hit 'send'. Easier than entering the phone number of the person you are faxing to.

( all in good 'fun')

-ERD50

 

[Marquette]

efax

 

[ladelfina]

The new "what"s??

Why should anyone have to turn on 3-4 machines (computer, monitor, scanner, printer) when ONE will suffice?

There is a one-button sequence in my dreams.. It's called "SEND".. oh I love the sound of "send"... Ok in reality it would be two buttons: "Mom" and "send".

Seeeennnnnnnnddddddd. It's hypnotic.