Modern Techno Crap

There is, I think, a general acceptance that modern times involves technology which, despite making products more expensive, improves their position in our lives overall. One would have to be something of a Luddite to think otherwise. Between the technology itself, however, and the way business implements it, we seem to be reaching a point which might make an old man like myself begin to wish for the good old days. To give you a couple of examples.

My wife took her car in the other day to be “smog tested.” It passed, for the most part, and does not need any repairs to correct any issue, but it cannot be given a certificate allowing it’s license to be renewed for another year. To correct the problem, the car must be driven for approximately 3 hours per day for two days at 55 mph to “reset the catalytic converter.” 55 mph. No slower, and no faster. Precisely 55 mph, after which it will pass and may be licensed for another year.

Driving 55 mph on California freeways, by the way, where average speed is 75 mph, is scary as hell, and quite dangerous. One can get run over doing that. 

Anyway, the next day our water heater failed. Not leaking or anything, just not producing hot water. There is a light on the gas valve which is blinking red instead of blue. The water heater was installed just under 5 years ago, and when I saw the blinking light on the gas valve, I had a sinking feeling that thing was going to be a problem somehow. Yes, it certainly is. Turns out the valve cannot be replaced because it is no longer available. For a water heater manufactured five years ago. Parts for the valve are available, but they have to be shipped from afar and it takes two weeks or more to get them.

So we are replacing a water heater today, some ten years before the end of it’s design lifetime, because the gas valve on it failed and cannot feasibly be repaired. If the valve could be replaced the cost would be about $500. The new water heater is costing us about $1200 more than that.

This is becoming ridiculous.