Laid up in bed with KindyFlu and got to do a bit of grumbling. It started with the electric blanket.
Old style blankets had a clicky lever and the maximum effort was 3 clicks to whatever temperature you wanted. And you could feel the numbers. This one has a switch on the back, then turn over and press the button for feet maybe 8 times to get it on full, then another button for the main section - another 8 presses - but you also have to read the pissy little display to make sure you didn't press too many times. That's not a better product.
Antifoul. I used to use a paint with TBT in it. It worked. Lasted for years, but was banned as too toxic (ie too good). So now I have to use inferior products three times as often, making three times as much toxic waste. I want my TBT back.
Creosote. Guaranteed to make timber immune to pests and rot. Haven't seen it for ages. I guess it must be illegal now.
Decking Oil. I used some water based decking oil last time. Always slightly tacky, gets milky when wet, always looks dirty. I'm going back to real oil. Hope the environment can cope with that.
Marine Safety. Took the grandkids out in the 11' dinghy, but it was 3 hours of preparation to have the right lifejackets, with current AS ratings (and this meant weighing the kids!), check expiry dates on the flares, new battery for the waterproof torch, check the fire extinguisher, anchor, oars, bailer, and current rego for the boat and the trailer. Yes I know it's common sense but this is in a lake and canals, never more than 50m from shore, and so shallow you could probably walk it in anyway. Flares, for Christ's sake!
Common Sense. A mate has informed me that in the world of OH&S you are actively discouraged from using common sense. Apparently it's better to sift through the manuals and standards to find an approved procedure, and common sense is reckoned to be a very poor defence if you are ever called to account.
Knobs. Much better than multiple presses on a button when all you want to do is change the volume.
And Switches. So much more direct than the nested menus that have escaped from computers to infect he rest of the world.
There's lots more but now I'm too depressed to continue
and I posted in the wrong section too - sorry