Choosing a ‘Hissling’ kettle

Before anything, I received an email from a certain Mr. Marten Harinck informing me that my information about 11,000 car plate is off the mark. He claims there are 11 containers at the pier with over 600,000 car plates inside them, while many more containers are abroad waiting for shipment.

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Back when our daughter called or said things based on how she “heard” other people say it, Hannah used to call our hot water pot “The Hissling Kettle.” As a Kim possible fan she often grabbed some object or another and called it her “COMPUTICATOR.” It all made absolute sense to me since the kettle often hissed before it whistled and Kim Possible’s “communicator” was certainly a computer that made it possible for her to communicate.

Unfortunately, not all “Hissling Kettles” are created equal. While they all seem to be made in China, they are not all made with the same quality. Or is that an Oxymoron given that traders and retailers source products based on price and not quality first. Last week our long serving “Hissling” kettle finally hissed no more as the plastic component on the flip cover had turned crisp and brittle to countless heat exposure. Yes impatience is the mother of excessive heat,wasted LPG and ruined kettles.

Thus began my sorry tale of going into the land of cheap kettles of various sizes, shapes and colors. What was confusing was the fact that nothing in the display or merchandising material explained the price difference. What they all had in common was that they were all inexplicably cheaper and worth less than the materials or man hours,put into them.

Twenty-four hours later I found out why. My brand new “Hissling” kettle was ruined on the first try! As the water came to a boil so did the spout turn into ashen crispy plastic. All these simply reminded me of the fact that many malls, hardwares and supermarkets have all but taken away our right to choose by taking away choice and selection. The entire world lost its choice by turning to China for cheap labor and we are all now paying the price by ending up with self destructing goods that make our purchases and all our effort an entire waste of time and money.

This I believe is another area where the Department of Trade and Industry can look harder into and start flexing their muscle. There is a big difference between affordable prices and disposable prices. I know that the DTI people in charge of product standards are trying to widen public knowledge and value for product standards, so here is one for them, I bought the V-ONE stainless steel kettle at Robinson’s Pioneer.  I’m not in getting my money back. What I would appreciate is if the DTI started visiting and inspecting establishments that have primarily been offering CHEAP products that are not beneficial to the general public in terms of product life.

You know things have gone totally out of whack if most companies and stores only give you a 7-day warranty!!!

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No sign – No wonder !

That’s how I sum up the traffic mess that always occurs every time there is a DPWH road re-blocking! I fully support the DPWH in their road re-blocking efforts but I think it is about time that Secretary Babes Singson cracked the whip at his contractors and officers who barely puts up warning signs for motorists at least 500 meters before the choke point. From what I can figure out, the standard practice of signs has been set aside as a cost cutting measure for contractors. There must also be a presumption that if the MMDA and the DPWH has gone on radio or to the newspapers to announce a road re-blocking, that exempts the project proponents from the responsibility of putting up signs and notices.

Anyone who drives along the C5/Lanuza area must have noticed the many directional signs going to certain commercial and residential developments that appear to be “official” MMDA signs. If the government can put up or allow such signs, should the MMDA/DPWH also put up the much needed warning signs for road re-blocking!

Speaking of EDSA a lot of people are talking about the HPG’s plans of arresting private motorists beginning this week if they enter the Yellow lane. The things is that is nothing new. That rule or policy has been in existence in one form or another from the time of Ferdinand Marcos to now. Back then they had a 24” island that was eventually shrunk to 8” and then totally demolished and then replaced by cats eyes and the yellow when the following governments ran out of money they made the Yellow lane.

Back in the time of Bayani Fernando drivers already knew and followed the rule. The problem was the rule did not make for a flexi plan or adjustable plan for non peak hours. So enforcers themselves allowed and encouraged drivers to use the lane during off peak or whenever it was necessary. What ruined the whole thing was when the MMDA started focusing on many other things instead of prioritizing EDSA and effectively abdicated from their responsibility which resulted in chaps and the HPG taking over. Because we live in a country where bureaucrats and bosses don’t continually study and adjust things, our rules almost always go from good to bad or to extremes.

The HPG should restudy the rule and realities and introduce a flexi plan based on the volumes of buses plying EDSA. They should also diligently study the space given to buses and where the orange buses are located because even now, private motorists are complaining that buses are given more space than they need while lanes for cars and motorcycles are being eaten up. The HPG should also provide and strictly enforce the use of a motorcycle lane so vehicles can move faster with less risks of fender benders and collisions.

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