OR

Hey!  Check your links!

I was surfing the web the other day and it seemed like every other web-site I went to had at least one problem.  Sometimes it was the ‘ol 404 error.  Sometimes it was the nasty 500.  Mostly it was something like:

Warning: mysql_close(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL-Link resource in\\HOSTING\DFS\20\6\9\9\2002195996\user\sites
\winegard.com\www\over-the-air-television-antennas\index.php on line 354

There was an error in sql statement, “.mysql_error().”
$sql

somewhere on a page or post.  And I’m not talking little “mom-n-pop” type websites.  No, I’m talking HUGE corporations with really fancy, whiz-bang websites.  The kind of organizations that can afford whole staffs to do this sort of thing.

This also applies to other products as well.  Even if it comes from a known “good” country as opposed to a “bad” country of origin.  How many of us will automatically ignore a product if it was built in China or India or some other so-called 3rd world country.  How many of us will turn our nose up at the mere thought of paying for something that was made in one of these “bad” countries?  I have to admit that I do–a lot.  But generally only after I have been burned and I keep it confined to brands and/or companies.  There are exceptions, Harbor Freight being the most notable (some of their stuff is utter crap, other stuff is pretty good for occasional use, and still other stuff is actually one hell-ova-buy).

There are those out there that will say, with vehemence, that there is no way to remove all the defects from a product.  There is no way to remove all the bugs from a software program.  Yeah.  Think about those statements the next time you are asked to use a dangerous product or tod you need to get a CT-Scan.

We as consumers need to stand-up and DEMAND better quality.  Sure things may cost a bit more but at least, hopefully, things won’t break the day after we bring them home.  Or after we unwrap them (think Christmas morning).  I certainly don’t mind paying a few dollars more for better quality.  And it will still leave room in the market place for different price-points.  There will always be consumers out there that don’t care how long something lasts.  They just want it as cheap as possible.

Time to go take the “happy pills”….