Dishwasher Caught Fire

[sudsmaster]

Well, in my opinion, a wire that breaks at a crimp connector is the victim of shoddy engineering and/or manufacturing/assembly. We all know the quality problems Maytag has had in the past decade, so perhaps it shouldn't be a big surprise that one of their dishwashers should self-immolate. Perhaps this is a lesson - if you have a major appliance that you consider a "POS", then perhaps the safest plan to is get rid of it ASAP, out of the house, and either replace it with a quality unit, or do without.

 

[panthera]

sich ins eigene Fleisch schneiden

Rich, that is how you say it in German - tho' there are certainly somewhat, less jungendfreie, ways of saying it.
It is hard not to be critical when you switch cultures. Part of it is that one is, oneself, very unsettled.
Part of it is the tendency in Europe to be hyper-critical of everything American Why? Because!
I have often been told "aber, dieses wirst du sowieso nicht begreifen können" - you won't be able to understand this, anyway - because I grew up in the US.
Having said all this: Here in Germany (and, except for Poland) all of the European Union gay people can live their lives in peace. In many countries we can marry. Nobody cares one bit who you love.
The entirety of Wester Europe together does not manage in one year all the violent crime of some major American cities in one month, alone.
Christianity (outside of Poland) is defined by how one expresses their god's love and not by the US definition of hatred.
I could go on and on - certainly, under the current US administration the opinions have not exactly improved.
Ultimately, 99% of the problem is, quite simply, jealousy. The US is such a great, big, beautiful country with people who are entitled to pursue happiness. The German consitution places "human dignity" at the same level.
Not happiness.
This said - there is still no excuse for the fact that machinery which the US exports to the rest of the world is of much higher quality than what is sold domestically. That just plain sucks.

 

[sudsmaster]

Panthera,

Thanks. What exactly would be the German word or phrase for "cutting off one's nose to spite one's face"? Is it "sich ins eigene Fleisch schneiden"? (You can tell I don't understand much German...).

Strictly speaking, the definition of "happiness" in the Declaration of Independence was not personal joy. Rather, at that time in that colonial British culture being rocked by the concepts of the "Enlightenment", "the pursuit of happiness" meant being free to contribute to the public good. Which in turn, I suppose, could eventually result in personal joy for the majority. It was probably a big departure from traditional British society, where only the upper crust and nobility had much say in how things were run. And, of course, the Declaration holds no legal status in our society - it is the Constitution and Common Law that defines our legal system (except in Louisiana where Napoleonic law has a strong influence). A lot of the sentiments in the Declaration made their way into the Constitution, but you won't find "happiness" anywhere in it.

I wasn't aware that our domestic manufacturers supplied products of superior quality for export. However I have heard for some time that various european manufacturers have supplied shoddier versions for export to America. Volvo in the 70's and 80's springs to mind. I recall being told that the Volvo's sold in Sweden were much better than the ones they exported to America. I guess our reputation for being a disposable society got around.

 

[panthera]

Hey Rich,

Yup - that's it "sich ins eigene fleisch schneiden" which means, verbatim: ones' self in the one's own skin to cut".
You get the point.
I am not so sure but what the founding fathers actually meant it just the way they said it; they were mostly deists and free-thinkers - to them the concept of happiness would probably only be possible if it originated at the individual level. Of course you are right - there is a big difference between the preamble to a non-binding document (for the US) and German law - largely written by the US government, by the way in 1948.
The original consitution, unmodified by the "bill of rights" and other amendments is a rather, hmm, well not exactly the most empowering of documents. With the bill of rights, it is really something special and wonderful.
The basic mentality, tho', remains the same: The US is predicated on the concept of people determining their own fate to their own advantage; the German constitution is more concerned with limiting the evil which men do to a minimum. Can't imagine why...the 1930's and 40's were rather dull and boring here im Vaterland...I mean, Germany. Unless you were Jewish, devout Christian (there are such things, not the hate-filled US kind), homosexual, romany (gypsy), and so on...
A-hem.
I have worked (translating) with scientists from a few US companies who have two sets of standards: domestic and EC. The EC standards are often higher. The same applies to stuff many car makers built in the 90's: Chrysler reworked every auto they exported individually.
There are more examples, but the one closest to my heart is country music. You would be surprised how many groups do their experimenting and trying out over hear and stick to the s.o.s. in their home market.

 

[sudsmaster]

Well, Panthera, perhaps the meaning of "happiness" in the Declaration would be more accurately translated into today's language as "the pursuit of doing the right thing". If you read the rest of the piece, this makes some sense, as it contains a laundry list of grievances against what the founders saw as immoral, corrupt, unfair, and unethical treatment of the American Colonies by the British King George. It basically said, "The King had a chance to do the right thing; he blew it; now we are going to do it on our own". The colonials were tired of being treated like second class citizens; they wanted the right to do things right. Of course, they were not completely successful, as the tacit approval of slavery in the first constitution indicates, and the British Empire abolished it in its territories long before the Americans did.

In any case, the "pursuit of doing the right thing" is an individual pursuit, that just so happens to benefit everybody. It implies both domestic and public peace, tranquility, and justice.

For many children, the "pursuit of happiness" means the right to cut school and eat as much candy as one likes. Obviously, this was not what the founding fathers had in mind.

 

[sudsmaster]

Here's a good summary of what I think is the best definition of "the pursuit of happiness", as Jefferson intended it:

"Did the "happiness" of the Declaration, then, simply mean personal pleasure in keeping with individual taste? In certain respects, yes--for, like Locke, Jefferson believed that happiness was ultimately in the eyes of the beholder. Hence the need for liberty to allow individuals to follow it where they best saw fit. No government could deign to tell its citizens where true happiness lay.

"And yet it is essential to appreciate that Jefferson also held strong views on what constituted the highest source of happiness, the purest pleasure of them all. "Happiness is the aim of life," he affirmed, "but virtue is the foundation of happiness." No 18th-century Founder--whether a Christian, a classicist or a cultivator of simple pleasures--would have disagreed.

"Here was the common assumption--what Jefferson called a "harmonizing sentiment"--that united Americans in their differences through the magic of e pluribus unum, making one of many. For in Christian, classical or Lockean terms, virtue at its highest meant serving one's fellow citizens, working for the public welfare, furthering the public good. It followed that virtue was the indispensable means to reconcile the conflicts of individual interest. However else they might differ in their understanding of the critical phrase, early Americans could agree that by pursuing the happiness of others, they helped to ensure their own.

"Jefferson's colleague Samuel Adams once observed that "we too often mistake our true happiness, and when we arrive to the enjoyment of that which seemed to promise it to us, we find that it is all an imaginary dream, at best fleeting and transitory." Lest our moments of private pleasure be as ephemeral as a rocket's red glare, we might vow this Fourth of July to pursue happiness in keeping with the Founders' full intent. Jefferson himself put it well. The best means to serve "the happiness and freedom of all," he noted in his first inaugural address, was to perform "all the good in my power." As much as the search for individual satisfaction, that too is an American way, the foundation of a truly noble pursuit."



http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110006896

 

[mr_sparkle]

Eurovision

I was watching the Eurovision song contest saturday - any of you in the US see it?
Even being part of Europe, I all the european countries a little strange, they are just so far removed from my countries way of life. Strange.

Here we all have smoke detectors, and dont really care where they come from, since they allow us to live. Radiation? i think they all still have radiation in them dont they? but then lots of things do Im sure.

Also english women always shave - arm pits, legs, amongst other places, our men also do a fair bit of trimming too!!!!!

LoL

Even our men can marry other men!!!! thats happyness to me!

 

[panthera]

Rich,

The depth and and breadth of your knowledge never ceases to amaze me. It has been too long since I read Locke to rightly remember most of his thoughts on the subject (and that, although I diligently listened to every word he said at the time, I did. Guess I am getting old )) - I did recall enough to quickly locate this:

"The constant desire of happiness, and the constraint it puts upon us to act for it, nobody, I think, accounts an abridgment of liberty, or at least an abridgment of liberty to be complained of."

(Book II, Chapter XXI, Of the Idea of Power. 51. A constant Determination to a Pursuit of Happiness no Abridgment of Liberty.)

Thank goodness for the internet, by the time I'd gone through my four volumes with a magnifying glass, it would have been the 22 century...

Everyone - from the days of the SPQR (actually the Greek democracies before) down to JFK's ...ask not, what your country can do for you..." has always argued that satisfaction lies in following duty and honor.
The question, to my mind is - do we ever "do" anything unless we want to? Either we do an unpleasant thing in order to avoid something even less pleasant - or we do what we want and look for a socially acceptable excuse afterwards.
Locke, JFK, Shakespeare in Marc Anthony's speech...all come down to this one point: Seeing the good of all as your own good - and therefore co-commitent to your own happiness. Co-commitent? O my paws and whiskers, it has too long been since I the English write...Hope you know what I mean.
Or maybe I just need a cup of coffee. It is early morning over here. Love to hear your ideas on this...I confess to having fulfilled my philosphy requirements at university with courses in logic and a few essays for final exams which were so peppered with Latin (now forgotten) that my profs. thought I must be competent...silly them.

 

[panthera]

John,

Don't be angry, but England and the US are far more similar than either country wishes to admit.
(OK, now the flame war can start.)
Nobody in my circle of US friends even knew what I was talking about when I asked them whether they had seen the Eurovision contest...nor did they care.
There is a very strong sense of "if it isn't here, it doesn't matter" in the US.
Just ask anyone who Juri Gagarin was...

 

[mr_sparkle]

The same only with an accent!

Yes I agree thom the US and UK are VERY similar! Of course we both have differnt landscapes etc, but culture is pretty much the same, we have walmart here, and costco, macdonalds, the lot. In fact where i am from we lived virtually on the American Air base, and it was weird that Amkericans used to come over, all excited about the UKl, but when they got here I heard more then one exclaim, how its just like the US, the food and culture etc. I think the UK is MUCH more like the US than we are any of our European neighbours. I think it stems that bouth our countries are based on the land of the free, listen to our anthems, also were joined in soooo many ways.

 

[toggleswitch]

Two countries divided by a common language and history

Agreed.

Some small differences exist. But I felt VERY comfortable in London. Paris was another story.

Other than Bruce Springsteen in the *import* section and driving in the left side of the street, oh and huge power-points(outlets) it is not so different.

There are also some customs and traditions that differ, but no big deal.

 

[mr_sparkle]

traditions

yeah, I have a foreskin!!!!

ha ha ha

 

[panthera]

and you have the queen...

Well, there are few differences. But most of them are to the advantage of the English. Since I used to live in San Francisco I guess I am entitled to comment on the weather. Other folks have climates, the English have weather.
This is more than made up for by the beauty of the countryside, the wonderful (don't laugh if you haven't been there in the last 10 years) cooking and the 99% of the English who are content to live and let live.
I often wonder what would have become of England and the US if Cromwell had crossed the big pond.
Hmm, the US might today be a fundamentalist, repressive society...nah, that's just a silly thought...

 

[mr_sparkle]

Oh on the subject of the weather.....

I really think climate change is taking its toll with us, water supply is a big thing at the moment, cos apparantly it dosnt raid enough here, AND WE HAVE THE WRONG TYPE OF RAIN!!! LoL

 

[sudsmaster]

Panthera,

You flatter me too much on that count. I'm not sure if my apparent knowledge is more educated guesswork than received wisdom. I passed most of my college English requirement in high school, and after that I had a mostly technical education, even at university, and never had formal study of philosophy. But I'm on my third professional career now and that must in itself force a broadening if not a deepening of my knowledge of some things.

It seems to me that observations such as from Jefferson and Adams on "happiness" are the result not so much of book learning as it is from examining their own experiences, and observing other's experiences, with the "purfuit of happiness", and they drew some conclusions about what really constitutes a successful bottling of that elusive elixir, i.e., one that will age gracefully, and not leave one with a sour aftertaste.

Since college I set about to broaden my knowlege. I used to pour through a borrowed set of Collier's Encyclopedia, and then my own set of Grolier's. Now the Internet is like a vast if somewhat chaotic and mostly unedited encylopedia. One of my favorite works is Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Can that man write, and of things that actually happened, too. I'm pretty sure my own writing would generally improve when I read his work, and as you may discern, I haven't read him for a while. He is, I think, the ultimate journalist, because he makes ancient history almost seem like it is happening in the here and now. His exposition on the comparative suitability of soldiers vs. kings to govern is breathtaking, even if one doesn't agree with his point of view (which is predictably pro-British crown, but not without a little winking). I suppose it's one of those rare cases of a historical treatise also being a work of great literature.

 

[panthera]

nah, Rich -

I stand by my comment. You got brains, baby.

 

[sudsmaster]

OK, Panthera, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree ;-)

 

[panthera]

as you like it - still think you are pretty damn smart

Just saw Enigma with Dougray Scott...Beautiful Mind is coming up this Thursday.
Must be "let's make Panthera feel inadequate upstairs" week over here.
One of my favourite definitions of "happiness" is from Robert Heinlein:
"Happiness is working long hours at something you enjoy."
- Jubal Hershaw

There is something to be said for that, IMHO

 

[rinso]

Some very good friends of ours came home to a smoke-filled house recently. The culprit was their 2 year old TOL KA dishwasher, whose detergent dispenser wiring caught fire when the release mechanism failed to function correctly. The fire spread to the surrounding cabinets, then petered out for some fortunate reason. The irony is that their insurance company replaced it with a nearly identical model. Needless to say, they no longer run any appliances while they are away from home.