Wow! Electric Protect

[HeyBub]

My power company is now offering ELECTRIC PROTECT.

For only $47.88, they'll cover electrical repairs of up to $1000.00 per year. This includes:

1. "A broken fuse box" - up to 5
2. "A faulty oven outlet" - up to 0
3. "A worn-out light switch" - up to 5

Their promo literature reads:

"What would you do if you flipped on the switch to your fan, computer, TV or oven - and nothing happened?

"If you're like most homeowners, you'd first have to find an electrician you trust who could also make an immediate service call... And the work may not be guaranteed. Even worse, you could be looking at a bill of $175 or more to repair a simple duplex outlet. Or $525 to replace faulty wiring to an exhaust fan!"

I pity those poor souls in other parts of the country that don't have access to this fine service. Without professionals available to repair a duplex outlet, one might as well be living in a flood plain. With rain clouds on the horizon.

[professorpaul]

Many years ago, when in college, I repaired a broken rung on a chair for a guy down the hall. Simple deal... some glue, a couple of #4 wood screws, some putty, and a dab of black paint. maybe 15 minute's work. As I did the job, he said "Oh, that is the direction you turn the screws." TRUE story. A friend of my son's does side work changing light bulbs for people.

[mm]

I don't remember when I learned that. I think I had use of my brother's Erector Set since I was 6.

But one can tell pretty easily by trying both directions. Or even by looking at the threads. I hope the guy got good grades and got a job where he could pay for this stuff.

[HeyBub]

I remember when New York Transit had bulbs made with reverse threads. To discourage the thieves.

Somebody could have gotten rich selling a light-bulb thread-changer (like a gender-changer only different).

[Frank]

Sounds good but also troubles me that electric company is often responsible for these problems and one here always claims "act of God". Well, if God kept those trees near power lines trimmed, we would not have not had outages that cost me food spoilage, loss of a TV, microwave and every surge protector in the house ;( Frank

[<nni/gilmer]

Our local Electric Company has been sending up that stuff too. Lately they started "selling" a service that would maintain the sewer/spetic tank connection.

I didn&#39;t take it seriously on the theory that if it sounds too good to be true it likely isn&#39;t.

I didn&#39;t even bother to read the small print.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

OK, don&#39;t keep us in suspense. Which way do you turn the screws?

[Jeff]

Can you afford to pay to have a problem fixed? Then don&#39;t buy insurance. Only buy insurance for stuff you couldn&#39;t afford to pay for such as health, home and auto liability.

[professorpaul]

Righty tighty, lefty loosy, according to my DIL, who ran a medical testing facility at local hospital, and had to deal with the intellectually challenged.

BTW, the guy was an English major, if memory serves me correctly. I also went to a party once. Girl there had no idea how to get ice cubes out of ice cube trays. She came from a background where she had people to do that for her.

Engineers, like me, were looked down upon....

Long ago, and far away...

[professorpaul]

On the other hand, I live at the DE shore on the Atlantic Ocean. There is a good cottage industry around here for taking care of people&#39;s condos. Open up, close up for season, turn on/off water, etc., etc. People want to come down to vacation, not take care of the place. Amazing....

[mm]

Aluminum or plastic?

For plastic, I twist the tray, then lift my hands quickly and sometimes some won&#39;t fall back into their spots. Sometimes when there are only a ffew cubes left, it takes 3 or 4 times to get one though.

I don&#39;t think other people do it this way.

[willshak]

on 7/23/2007 9:29 PM Edwin Pawlowski said the following:

Turn them in to attach, and out to remove.

[Al Bundy]

"HeyBub" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Worked in an old fashoned hardware store in town when I was a teen. Rental property owners would come in to buy them for hallways.