[jshorva65]

I've heard that China helped to fund the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but that's unconfirmed and off-topic. I wouldn't put it past them, though.

I spoke with Rob today, and he pointed out that there are very few components in a modern tv chassis that can be easily replaced so most troubleshooting would be board-level work. Actually, that was the way the early solid state tv chassis' were designed. I recall a commercial for one brand of set from the early 1970's in which the set was shown without its cabinet. One of the features of the set was "Plug-in circuit modules for easy servicing." I worked at a repair shop in the late 1980's that also sold used tv sets, and most of the used sets they sold were RCA (CTC-48, CTC-58 and CTC-68), Magnavox and Zenith modular sets from the early 1970's. Modular designs would be a great thing for the next generation of TV sets.

How many auto mechanics and used car dealers would be in business if cars were made the way tv sets are made now? I predict that cars will be the next item to become "disposable" if the trend continues. There is still a market for ten-year-old cars because everyone wants a car, not everyone can afford a new one, and cars are still built to last longer than their warranties. A good market existed for ten-year-old tv sets when they were still built to last ten years for the same reason.

I learned something after two years in the telearketing business ... people will buy anything as long as the seller can convince the buyer that the product is desirable. The unscrupulous telemarketing firm where I worked expected me to convince senior citizens who had good long-distance plans that the plan we were selling (lower price, but lots of restrictions and catches) was a good deal ... and that's the reason I'm no longer a telemarketer. There was a time when quality was inherently desirable, but the manufacturers of disposable products have convinced some of us that price is more important than quality, just like an unscrupulous telemarketer. The way to bring back the American electronics industry will be to convince the American consumer that quality is worth the higher price and that a quality set will retain a significant value for trade-in or resale. The used car market is proof that a quality product will retain value.