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D. Peter Maus[_2_] · August 5th 13, 04:15 PM posted to rec.radio.shortwave

On 8/5/13 24:37 , wrote:

This is probably the biggest problem in most advanced countries today- young people cannot do /make anything . Very disturbing, to say the least...

Industry has wanted this for generations. The individual buys what
she/he cannot build. Prices can rise, warranties can be revised. And the
whole tenor of Customer Service can be dumbed down to "Policies" and
procedures read from a computer screen.

Heath, Dyna, and their like and kind in kit form are gone. Even
Hafler were products built with parts and circuit designs from David
Hafrler's Dyna days, and many of the manuals were reprints of Dynaco
manusals with a new logo and front page.

Convenience, higher wages, and lower costs of production have made
kits, and a lot of DIY obsolete.

Even DIY at the Home Depot is backed up by a league of installers who
can drop a new cartridge for a water faucet in place for you. Codes,
government permit policies, and oversight in your own home have made
much of DIY repair impractical. In some developments, DIY is not
permitted by CC&R's. Even painting your own home must be done by
approved conractors. Often at elevated prices.

And state law has facilitated much of this. Here in the Land of
Lincoln, any new construction project, condominium, housing development,
and subdivision MUST, by law, have a homeowner's association in place
before construction may begin. And CC&R's must be approved by an
oversight committee answering to the State.

So, we become serf's to the contracting and construction trades. We
become serfs to plumbers, electricians. Painters. And even lawn
maintenance contractors.

And doing things for ourselves....well that becomes a case of
atrophy. A thing no exercised wastes away.