Monthly Archives: April 2003

Mailbag: Kenmore Dryer Door Latch

--- Julie Land wrote:
> 
> I have a Kenmore dryer-it's brown so it's old. The
> problem I'm having is with the door latch. We've
> secured it with magnets to get it to keep running,
> but now that's not working either. I've price the
> part, but want to know if this is something I can
> replace without a lot of bother. Or should I just
> call in a repairman? Or can you walk me through it?
> I bet you can! Please let me know how complicated it
> is so I'll know whether to order the part. Right now
> I'm debating on buying a new dryer-the husband is
> dragging his feet on that one! Thanks for your
> prompt answer.-Julie
> 
> _______________________________
> The above message was sent when you were offline,
> via your LivePerson site.
>  
> Message sent from IP: 67.195.79.74

dryer door latch, fits most models, click to orderYou must be kidding–you would seriously consider replacing a dryer that needs a $5 part!? The door latch literally snaps in place–no tools required. Buy it here and spare our over-crowded landfills your otherwise perfectly-fine dryer. Fits most models, too.


Protocols of the Elders of Neocons

Hello, my friends. I direct you to this priceless article from Hussein Shobokshi:

In his weekly telephone report, Paul Wolfowitz expressed his anxiety to Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister, about the situation in the Middle East. �How are you doing?� asked Wolfowitz. �OK, OK,� answered Sharon, “but you must go to Syria.” Wolfowitz pondered, “this will be tougher to get the president’s okay on.” Sharon could not help but scream, “He does not know Damascus from Des Moines, Iowa. Move it Paul. You can always tell him that this man of peace thinks it’s kosher,” concluded Sharon with a hysterical laugh. read more…

Need Appliance Repair Help?

Need more detailed or personalized help than what you’re finding in the online appliance repair manuals or the appliance repair tips? The Samurai has you covered! You have two additional sources for expert appliance repair help:

  • The Appliantology Group: Repair photos and a repair forum, too. Look through the photo albums and you might find a diagram that’ll answer your question. And check out the repair forum. There are lots of questions posted there by other seekers of appliance wisdom just like you. You can also post your question in the forum and me or one of the other fine gurus there can help you. You need to join the group to post but membership is free and open to all.

  • Live Appliance Repair Help: Need answers fast? You can get ’em right from the Samurai. If you see the face in the Live Person box, that means I’m online and available for real-time help. More info here.

Appliance Tip of the Day: Energy-Saving Appliances

appliance tip of the day archive
Here’s the list of the most energy-efficient appliances:

  • Standard Refrigerators: Whirlpool 18.9 cf model number GR9SHKXKQ. Cost $879. Annual energy cost: $36.
  • Large Refrigerators: Whirlpool 21.6 cf model number GR2SHTXKQ. Cost: $1,149. Annual energy cost: $39.
  • Front-Loading Washers: Frigidaire Energy Star. Cost: $749. Annual energy cost: $21.
  • Top-Loading Washers: Whirlpool Calypso model number GVW9959KQ. Cost: $943. Annual energy cost: $27.
  • Dishwashers: Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer. Cost: $699 for single drawer model, $1,199 for double-drawer. Annual energy cost: $18.


cute comment

Lesson in Libery: Pseudo-Pacifist Wussies

Don't Tread on MeFirst off, I am a true pacifist: you leave me alone and I’ll leave you alone; step on me and I’ll cut yo ass, suckah. The “Don’t Tread on Me” flag used in the American Revolution accurately portrays this truly pacifist sentiment.

Most of the weenies parading around today whining, “Like, no blood for oil, man, you know?” are really just socialist limp-dicks. Oh, how they wail and bemoan the use of military force (which is really just gubmint force) yet they’re perfectly happy to use gubmint force to extort YOUR hard-earned money so they can use it for all sorts of bizarre socialist programs. Force is force. Hiding behind gubmint tax collectors to rob Peter so you can pay Paul is no different than hiding behind the gubmint military to go beat up on some other gubmint half-way around the globe.

You don’t think taxation is force? Try not paying the Income Tax or your property taxes and see how long it takes before an armed gubmint representative comes to your home to “help you” pay the gubmint’s tax bill. These weenies who eschew gubmint military violence yet applaud the economic violence that we are all victims of right here at home are really just wimps who think they’re taking the moral high ground by condemning physical violence. In their hearts, they still seethe with violence and they express it by using the gubmint to bully away the money that you and I earn. Down South, they have a good name for these people: wussies.

True pacifism begins with the recognition that gubmint is force, plain and simple. Unfortunately, it’s also a necessary force because there will always be nabobs out there who want to deprive other people of their Liberty. The only legitimate role of gubmint is to secure Liberty. Period. Not “grant rights,” not “create jobs,” not engage in “liberation” conquests around the world, not “wealth redistribution,” not providing for your medical expenses or retirement, not telling you what you can’t do in your bedroom with any other consenting adult — just secure Liberty right here at home. That means ensuring that I’m free to do whatever the hell I want to do so long as I do not infringe on the Liberty of someone else. As a true pacifist, I would not be tempted to do this anyway, but lots of control-freaks out there would. The only legitimate purpose for gubmint is to stop these meddlesome no-gooders. Yes, it’s force, but it’s a force that should be reactive, not proactive; passive rather than aggressive.

This same principle applies on a personal level. I will not seek to do anything that infringes on your Liberty so long as you don’t step on me. But if you were to infringe on my Liberty by say, oh, I dunno, trying to kill me or my family, then I would respond by infringing on your Liberty with my Smith & Wesson 9mm automatic, or perhaps my Mossberg 12ga “Snake Charmer” loaded with 00 buck shot (I’ve always been partial to this weapon as a home defense tool). In true pacifist spirit, though, I would feel bad about it later…I hate paying federal taxes on ammunition.

Live Free or Die!

Gay Games

Y’know, back in my day, when someone was acting like a lobotomized twit, we’d say he was being a ‘fag.’ Like, "Hey! Pull that pencil out your nose, you look like a fag!" This was really A-list comedy to 12-year old boys. Yes, the heady days of my youth were filled with such cerebral humor. Funny how things come around again, only slightly different. Today, when kids do something stupid, they call it ‘gay’ — and they’re getting suspended from school for it!

Neocon 101

Pat Buchanan asks (and answers) a question I’ve been wondering: Whose War?:

A neoconservative clique seeks to ensnare our country in a series of wars that are not in America�s interest. read more…


Amerael


Iraq, Syria
threaten mainly Israel.
Dubya says, "Oy vey!"

And just who is this cabal of neoconservatives in the Bush administration that has us fighting all these wars? Here’s a little Neocon 101:

"Neoconservatives” are mostly former leftists/liberals who converted to conservatism during the ’70’s and when Ronald Reagan became President. In domestic policy they tend to be moderate “welfare” Republicans. However, their major concern is foreign policy. They strongly favor US military interventions overseas and becoming the world�s policeman. They promoted the First Iraq War and are constantly the instigators for more confrontation with Iraq, Iran, the Sudan, and other Moslem states. They were among the chief instigators of the Kosovo War." read more…

Charlie Reese describes neocons this way:

"Neo-conservatives are really just reformed socialists who love Big Government."

1040, Good Buddy

Wasn’t tax time great? Filling out all those forms telling Big Brother every little detail of your finances and seeing how much of the money you’ve earned gets extorted, er, I mean, collected by the IRS?

What? You didn’t enjoy it? Well, you must be a damn pinko-commie! Where’s your Amerikan patriotism? Don’t you know we have lots and lots of wars to fight, you ingrateful leech? How dare you want to keep the money that you earn! What, you think it’s, like, YOURS or something? Well cough it up ’til you spray blood, pal.

Here, maybe these fun facts to know and tell about the Income Tax will enlighten your mind which has obviously been dulled by too much Liberty.


Let Freedom Ring


Drug wars, Saddam wars,
Income Tax and gun control…
ahh, Land of the Free.

Politically Homeless

The labels "liberal" and "conservative" have been so mis-applied that they’ve lost their meaning. For example, most people think of the Bush administration as being "conservative." This is simply not true and such labeling further confuses what conservatives, real conservatives, stand for. The political identity of the Bush administration is more akin to neoconservatives (or neocons). You can think of neocons as "liberals who’ve been mugged by reality." Doug Casey does a nice job of distinguishing the major political stripes in American politics today:

Libertarians share some practical views with both liberals (who have a purported belief in social and intellectual liberty), and conservatives (who claim to have a belief in economic liberty). Both liberals and conservatives, however, tend to dislike and distrust libertarians. The liberals feel threatened by libertarians’ sincerely held views advocating economic freedom; the conservatives feel threatened by their sincerely held views advocating social and intellectual freedom.

The neocons tend to be the polar opposite of libertarians � they’re authoritarians. They’re like liberals because they believe in economic controls. And they’re like conservatives because they believe in social and intellectual controls. The neocons believe they actually know what’s best for everybody in all areas of life, and they’re happy to use the power of the state to enforce their opinions.

An example might help illustrate these concepts and what better example than yourself? Take the World’s Smallest Political Quiz and see where you fit in the political landscape. You might surprise yourself!

Lesson in Liberty: Foreign Wars

Don't Tread on MeThe United States goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is a well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. If the United States took up all foreign affairs, it would become entangled in all the wars of interest and intrigue, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom. She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own soul.
–President John Quincy Adams, Independence Day Address, 1821

It always seemed curious to me that some of the
loudest voices clamoring for war come from people who’ve
never been in combat or even served in the military.
And many people who’ve seen combat are often loathe to
commit to war. Why is that? Ilana Mercer has an
interesting take on these armchair warriors.