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newsOh dear what has become of this world?
I miss cars from about 15 years ago. New cars now... I won't go there, something else has happened that I find alarming...
I am currently renting an apartment, previously did own one, but now renting. Anyway, the light in the lounge room failed, so got a ladder to change the light globe. Took off the cover, and was shocked. This is what I saw:
...a complete assembly. Sent an email to the rental agent, she booked an electrician, who came this morning.
Electricians are in high demand here, so I imagine the call-out fee will be high, perhaps around AU$100. Asked Google AI:
In Perth, a typical electrician call-out fee ranges from $80
to $160. This fixed charge covers travel time, fuel, vehicle
costs, and usually the first 15 to 30 minutes of on-site
assessment. It is billed separately from the standard hourly
labor rate, which generally sits between $90 and $150
This is what they fitted, a ROBUS RLUS1824CCT3-01:
...AU$163.46 OK, that is probably the retail price. It is only
guaranteed for 3 years.
There was a time when I would have just gone down to the local shopping centre and bought a new LED globe for about 15 dollars. I am left muttering, oh dear...
EDIT:
I should explain the context of the above post. I was just
recently thinking how cars have become more complex. About 20
years ago, I owned a little Daihatsu 1.0 litre car. It had EFI
(Electronic Fuel Injection) but other than that everything was
mechanical, including wind-up windows. No air-bags either. Loved
that car, incredibly gutsy; due to power-to-weight ratio. That
kind of car would not be legal in Australia now, not as a new car.
Probably wouldn't meet emissions standards either.
Then this electric light event happened, I was once again
reminded of the trend to complexity everywhere; red tape,
nanny-State.
Tags: ethos