The Nibbana Family

In this day and age where electronics go out of style within minutes of purchase and “out with the old, in with the new” permeates our disposable lifestyle, trying to find quality products that last beyond the manufacturer’s warranty is getting tougher and tougher. Building low quality products results in higher profit margins for manufacturers. Using throw-away materials not only guarantees a repurchase of the same item (in a new model, with more features, at a higher price), but the cost savings also end up being pure profit or the manufacturer.

I have always believed by being a careful shopper, buying only reputable brands and thoroughly researching products before purchasing, I would be less susceptible to problems. Boy, was I wrong. Recently I have had a string of problems with electronics equipment. Ironically, these issues are common problems experienced by many other consumers with the same items. The manufacturer’s refuse to acknowledge these problems and pass the issues off as consumer misuse. The frequency of these complaints will tell you otherwise.

First, my Nikon D70s digital SLR camera mysteriously stopped working within 30 days of the expiration of the warranty. The issue, known as the “CHA error” plagues the entire line of DSLR’s from top to bottom and causes everything from problems with flash operation, memory card slot read/write issues, and complete camera failure. In all cases the letters “CHA” appear on the LCD screen. I sent my camera into Nikon repair along with a letter and received a free repair along with a new 6 month warranty for the issue. So what do you think happened? That’s right, within 30 days of the new warranty expiration it failed again. Luckily they repaired it again for free, but how many more times will this happen?

When it comes to laptops, you would think HP would be pretty reputable, right? Well, not exactly. My wife Kelsi has an HP zv6000 laptop. Over the course of a year the hinges that hold the LCD screen have been slowly cracking. A couple of days ago they gave way completely and now she has to physically hold the LCD screen open in order to use it. I thought this was ununusal considering she is very careful with it and has never dropped or abused it, so I began researching the issue. Well, what do you know, this seems to be widespread and has so many compliants that people have begun websites dedicated to the issue. Notebook Hinge Crack.com is one of the several I found. There also seems to be a class action lawsuit forming.

Lastly, how about owning a router that drops your Internet signal willy-nilly? I have a Linksys eight port BEFSR81 v3.1 connected to a Linksys cable modem. Originally I had version 1.0 of this router for almost five years without any problems, but one day after a thunder storm it gave up the ghost. Thinking I couldn’t go wrong with Linksys, I bought the latest version. That’s when the problems began. Mysteriously and without reason, the new router would work fine and then suddenly drop the signal. I replaced the router with another one and the problem continued. I have updated the firmware, adjusted the MTU, cloned the MAC, and tried all of the other options the legions of other people having the same problem have suggested. Nothing has worked. So what to do? I have to unplug the power from the router every time it happens and wait a couple of seconds before plugging it back in. This can be as many as 5-6 times a day.

So what’s the point? The point is that it’s frustrating manufacturer’s have become so enamored with churning out new products in record time that quality has taken the backseat to quantity. Even more frustrating is that manufacturer’s refuse to acknowledge these widespread issues and do the right thing and offer a fix or replacement. They figure consumers will ultimately discard their problem electronics and buy the latest and greatest. Well, I just might, but one thing is for sure: my next camera will not be a Nikon, my next laptop will not be HP, and my next router will not be Linksys.

I spent the weekend at Grandma’s house and had a lot of fun.  We played games and swam and gardened.  When I came home this afternoon, my sister Ari wanted to go skating, so Mom and Dad took us outside.  I surprised them because I learned how to walk really well!  I can walk over 50 steps without falling and now I walk a lot more then I crawl.

I love this walking thing!

As you may be figuring out by now, my main “hobby” is trying to find ways to live more naturally, or as Chuck sees it, “harder.”  My response to an item we need to purchase might be “get the organic one” or “eww, that is filled with chemicals,” at which point we usually choose my product or a happy medium (ok, occasionally he wins).  My reasons are not to be difficult or annoying, but because I feel that there are so many potential hazards in products available that choosing something with fewer chemicals is less likely to be harmful to myself or my family.

Now, to get to the point of this post – stinky pits.  One of the products I am trying to avoid is antiperspirant.  Why, you ask?  Because of the aluminum.  Aluminum compounds are the most extensively used antiperspirants, and they work by stopping or limiting perspiration, which reduces the moist climate in armpits for bacteria, the source of the stink.  You may wonder why aluminum is a problem – I did.  I found out that aluminum is neurotoxin, “a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells, usually by interacting with membrane proteins such as ion channels.“  The effects of neurotoxins are based on the toxin itself and the dosage, but I decided not to take any chances.  I threw away my antiperspirant.

First, I tried walking around with nothing on and discovered that I after a few hours no one wanted to be near me.  Over the next several months, I tried a lot of different deodorants – mostly the natural ones, but nothing worked for more than a few hours.  I finally discovered Funk Butter.  The stuff is amazing – it works for 12-48 hours with no stink and the Black Cedar Fig scent is wonderful!  I was delighted to find that this cream deodorant was handmade too.

Months went by.  One day I noticed a rash appearing under my arms.  After some research I found that many users had the same issue (usually attributed to the baking soda, but sometimes also to the essential and fragrance oils).  Sadly, I switched back to antiperspirant for my wedding.  did not want rashy armpits with my sleeveless gown!

After we returned from the honeymoon, I began my research again.  I tried everything, but found that one of the best “armpit regimes” was washing with baking soda and using Thai Crystal Spray Mist.  The baking soda can be harsh, so I can’t do it every day, but I mix it up with washing with Burt’s Bees Shampoo Bar (I have no clue why this works) and the baking soda, using the crystal spray after both.

I’m not saying I smell like roses, but you can get close to me and not hold your nose, even after most long days!

What better way to spend a Saturday then to learn about living sustainably?

Today, with the girls in tow, I visited the Maryland Heartland Sustainable Living Fair.  We didn’t leave as early as I hoped, but with two young kids I rarely leave on time for anything.  The festival was held at the Carroll County Farm Museum, which I had never visited before, but I plan to return.

I went in the hope to learn more about green building or retrofitting a house, but unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to go to any of their workshops.  What self-respecting five-year-old would sit patiently for an hour?  When we first arrived Ari spotted the children’s area, where we spent some time.  Ari used some materials they had on hand to do some weaving.  We wandered around a bit more, looking at the booths, and then stopped for lunch – an organic cheeseburger, vegan popcorn and cookie, and ice cream.   Next we stopped by the animals they had in pens on the farm  and strolled through their vegetable garden, staffed by Carroll County Master Gardeners.  Ari played on their playground and then we walked to the plant booths and back to the kids area where she planted a flower for herself.

I did learn some useful information and make new contacts.  I first found out about the fair from Karen Daniel of Daniel Creations, who had a booth set up for her cloth diapers (we bought a large hot pink one for Abby – Ari’s choice).  We discovered the benefits of Lamb’s Quarter, an edible weed, from a gentleman staffing the Common Ground Farms booth.  Did you know that Lamb’s Quarter has tons of calcium, beta carotene, fiber, niacin, phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamin C?  I’m munching as I type!  We also stopped by booths set up by Baby Drawers & More, Lolababiez – where Ari loved a purple Sigg water bottle, and the non-profit Green Building Institute, which looks like it will be helpful since I missed all of the workshops today.  I bought a cool blue reusable bag with an Earth on it that is stored in a tiny pouch, which I plan to keep on hand for other festivals such as this where I neglect to bring a bag.  Finally, I stopped by a booth run by Natural Parenting of Carroll County.  The ladies at the booth were friendly and helpful, and just seemed like so much fun!  They were also handing out free wipes from Seaside Quilts.  Ari picked out an adorable one that was pink with crowns, and had polka dots on the reverse.

Eventually, with our bags stuffed and my skin somewhat sunburnt, we headed home.  Ari was sad to go, which made me feel pretty good as I went for myself!

Last week I got a car.  It is a Pink Barbie Jeep and I can drive it. Abby sits next to me and we can zoom! It is really fun.

It can go fast and faster and backwards. When I go really fast, Abby laughs a lot. It also has a phone and a windshield with no glass and seatbelt. Sometimes Abby tries to help me drive, but she is not allowed because she is only one year old.