Infrequently Asked Questions
1. Where do I find Oster blender parts?
Try Corbets Ace Hardware in Kentfield.
2. Do you sell appliance parts? No. Repairs only.
3. Do you give free estimates? Sorry. No free estimates.
4. Are small appliances worth fixing these days? Not unless it's a minor problem like a bad cord. I charge a $10 exam fee to examine
small appliances under $100 and $20 for items over $100.The exam fee goes toward the repair.
5. Where can I find a powerful ice cube crusher for under $15?. Go to the hardware store and buy the biggest vise
grips you can find.
6. What's cheaper and faster than a juicer for juicing veggies and fruits? An Oster blender, some milk or water and a
large strainer. Order a baby food jar from Oster for hard to blend foods.
7. I'm having trouble sleeping with all the racket I have to put up with every night. Come on - what really works
after everything else fails?
Get a construction site hearing protector headset (earmuffs) from Jacksons Hardware with a 27 or
higher db rating and keep it by the bed or buy the world's finest natural ear plugs at www.earplugsonline.com.
8. I've got a pile of spent batteries I feel guilty about but ni-cad rechargeables don't have the power of alkalines.
What's the answer?
Try rechargeable nickel-metal hydrides or the new lithion ion rechargeable batteries.
9. My parakeets are getting louder and louder and people are starting to complain. What can I do?
Replace one of their old toys with a new toy. If this fails then place an unfamiliar object close to or inside the cage.
They'll quiet down.
10. Name two household cleaners that really work.
Trisodium phosphate (TSP) and Simple Green - both at hardware stores.
11. My garbage disposer walked off the job. What do I do now?
Push the little red reset button on the bottom or side. (you'll have to look for it). Use a diposer wrench or crank in the
little hole on the bottom center or a broom handle inserted into the top opening in the sink. The idea is to unjam the
grinding disk if it's stuck.
12. My brain is having trouble keeping up with the challenge of everyday life. Is there a gadget that will force my
brain to smarten up without any effort on my part ? Check out www.centerpointe.com.
13. My electric dryer runs ok but there's no heat. What's wrong?
Snap the dryer circuit breaker back and forth several times before you call me for service.
14. The new appliances in the stores look fancy but pretty chintzy to me. How do I know which ones are the best buy?
Go to the library or online and check Consumer Reports. Whirlpool appliances with no electronic circuit boards
are fairly safe bet. The new appliances have fancy digital displays controlled by circuit boards that are expensive to
replace, and prone to early failure. Not the best choice.
15. Every time I get a urinary infection I have to pay for a doctor visit and expensive pills. Isn't there a natural
medicine the doctor won't tell me about?
Some folks have had good luck with pure cranberry juice from Trader Joes. One theory claims a polymer in
the juice makes the bladder wall too slippery for bacteria to attach themselves with their hooks. How cruel!
16. For years I've been suffering pain in my joints. A month ago I forgot to buy my usual cheese and noticed
the pain subsided and disappeared. Was the cheese somehow causing my pain? Could be.
Also try the Q-Ray Bracelet (Q-Ray.com) for $100. It works!
17. I'm sick of cleaning leaves out of my gutters. Is there a solution that really works?
Not really. The screens come off in storms and the gadgets tend to plug up with debris. The simplest and cheapest
helpers are the wire domes that fit into the downspouts.
18. My yard is really ugly looking and I don't have the money or time to landscape it. What do you suggest?
Pick up some bags of Green All Micro bark ($5 a bag). Clear away the loose debris and spread the bark on the bare
areas. Just water the areas you want to maintain.
19. Sometimes I start to do something but then I forget what it was I was supposed to do. I seem to be getting worse.
Call around (Office depot, Longs drugs, Radio Shack) and see who carries digital voice recorders.
Get one that has a plastic holder. Tie a shoelace or chain through the plastic holder, hang it around your neck and use it.
Check Centerpointe Research audio tapes which stimulate memory. www.centerpointe.com.
20. Do you have a natural remedy for acid stomach?
Raw fruits and vegetables are great for healing the stomach lining. If you eat a bit too much at a meal wait at least
1 hour (2 is better) and take small swigs of Aloe Vera Juice from Trader Joes. The gallon size - green label-
plain tasting is best. Plain water between meals works well also.
21. I just bought a new dishwasher and I'm wondering how I can make it last a long time? The most common
damage occurs when glassware clinks together from the force of the water and cracks. The pieces fall down into
the well, and in poorly designed units, get past the filter into the pump. What happens next is x-rated. The same
thing can be achieved with olive pits, cherry stones and other paraphernalia left on dirty dishes.
22. I just put in a new faucet and the water volume is half what it should be. I unscrewed the spout aerator and
removed rust particles lodged inside - but then it started to drip! Why is this happening to me?
When an old water shut-off valve from under the sink is closed and re-opened, it releases rust, especially with old
pipes. The rust particles get underneath the washers and allow water to leak through. The easy way out is to turn
the water on and off rapidly to blast out the particles. If that fails, remove the washers and clean or replace them .
Unscrew the spout filter/aerator & turn the water on full blast to carry away the rust.
23. My refrigerator has water in the bottom and now it's running out onto the floor. What is causing that?
The freezer drain is plugged or the defrost system has a failed component. Time to give me a call.
24. My toilet flushes all by itself. How come?
Your stopper is leaking, the water level drops , and the fill valve allows more water to come in. What
you hear is the tank refilling.
25. What is the ultimate solution for protecting my computer operating system and valuable files?
Use DVD's and external hard drives with a backup program.
26. As I get older I worry about hearing loss. Can this be prevented?
This is what I did : After watching rock stars wearing hearing aids it dawned on me that loud sound vibrations can
damage my delicate hearing mechanism. I began to put foam earplugs in my ears and reduce the intensity of noisy
environments while still hearing what was going on. The end result was an increase in my sensitivity to
sound. Centerpointe Research also developed a cassette audio tape called Silent Stim which gives your hearing
a tune-up.
27. I have a bad case of poison oak. How can I stop the itching?
Apply heat to the itch. Run a stream of hot water, as hot as you can stand, over the itch until it stops tickling. This
takes about 30 seconds. Relief lasts for hours. Wash the rash with soap and hot water to wash away the oil. To speed
healing, it helps if you can keep the affected area uncovered. Clothing that rubs back and forth spreads the rash,
especially when sweating.
28. How can I get rid of graffiti?
The absolute best graffiti remover is Titan Oil Flo from Hagels
Janitorial Supply in
outlet. Forget the toxic products in the hardware store. Go with the best.
29. What is the best adult shoot-em-up video game of all time?
Go online with Unreal Tournament. Free download available at http://www.download.com
Specify the original Game of the Year (GOTY) version from 1999.
30. What is the most effective way to avoid headaches, colds, and general malaise (feeling crummy)? Drink water between
meals whether you are thirsty or not and don't overeat. Stop eating when you are almost full. Lack of sufficient H2O in
the body to flush out the waste after a meal slows the elimination process and encourages bacterial growth.
Microorganisms multiply in food waste and their waste in turn results in headaches, colds and illness. These are
symptoms of the body cleansing itself. Short walks (exercise) after periods of inactivity will quickly
revitalize the body and restore a feeling of well being. I know this works because I stopped suffering from colds, fevers
and headaches once I began to follow these simple rules. A diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and vegetable proteins
(cooked grains, nuts and seeds [raw, unsalted] will clear up most digestive problems.
31. Tired of persistent calls from telemarketers?
For a measly twenty bucks you can save yourself a lot of aggravation with a tiny plug in device called Easy Hang Up. It's
simple to install and fun to push the button that plays the message and disconnects the caller. Just make sure it really is a
telemarketer and not an important call from your boss.
32. What is the best source of interactive music on the web?
Check out SLACKER RADIO http://www.slacker.com and their new G2 portable radio.
33. I have a twitch in my eyelid and in the
muscle below my eye. How can I make it stop?
In
some cases a vitamin deficiency can
cause the electrical biocircuits in your body called
neurons to discharge at random
intervals.Try Trader
Joes high potency multivitamins
and minerals at mealtime if you haven't already. It worked for me.
34. Do you treat your dog as a human being or
as a dog? Did you know that dog rules of
social behavior differ from
human rules?
Learn
to understand and master your dog instead of your dog mastering you.
Rent out “The Dog
Whisperer” on DVD. Your dog will thank you.
35. My refrigerator/freezer quit working and
I’m losing food while I wait for the repairman. What shall I do?
Pick up two bags of dry ice (not regular ice) at the nearest liquor store, put one on the top shelf in the freezer
compartment and one on the top shelf in the refrigerator. It will keep the food from spoiling. Never take chances
with thawed and refrozen food especially meat and dairy products, which favor the rapid growth of bacteria.
It’s safer to throw out the food than risk food poisoning.
36. I purchased three different cold medicines recently and none of them effectively relieved my symptoms the way they
have in the past. What happened to cause this?
What happened is this: Clandestine labs have
sprung up across
methamphetamines. One of the main ingredients in manufacturing crystal meth is pseudoephedrine hydrochloride,
a nasal decongestant found in cold medications. Many retailers have moved all products containing pseudoephedrine
hcl into the pharmacy in an effort to discourage this activity. You can still get the real deal instead of phenylephrine,
which is only half as effective, by showing your photo id and
signing a statement that goes into the computer. This data
can help the DEA locate anyone who is
purchasing large quantities for alternative purposes.
37. What major appliances would you recommend for purchase?
Whirlpool Duet Front Loader or Whirlpool Direct Drive Top Loader are good choices in washing machines.
The front loader uses much less water than the top loader but costs more to purchase and repair. The top loader uses
more water
but
costs less to purchase and repair.