In the news today....

[Brian]

SANTA CLARA -- In the home of one Brian, a computer was found dead today.  Coroners examination reports list the time of death as some time last evening, with the cause of "improper grounding".

Investigation revealed that the apartment's electrical wiring system was not grounded, a fact that had not been disclosed during the initial visit of the property, nor during the signing of the lease.  Authorities leave the blame on computers, for breaking too often.

The survivor of the disaster, Brian, has vowed to, "...gather all misfortune into a single incarnate being, that I will then challenge to a duel.  This is just [a little bit] annoying."  He then added, "I don't like replacing the motherboard and CPU every three months.  Someone should do something about it, and I guess that's me."

Concluded Brian at the end of the interview, "God-damnit."

[baka]

Ouch. That's gotta hoit.

[Edward]

My condolences.

[Brian]

Sadly, I'm starting to get used to buying processors like vaccum tubes.

[Anastasia]

That sucks. I'd say more, but really? What else can I say that doesn't boil down to that, short of offering a free computer? Good luck and I hope this one doesn't break your pocketbook.

[Dracos]

Yay for people who hide facts from renters.

May long they receive face punches.

Dracos

[Jon]

Is there something you could buy that would help prevent this? I'm pretty sure they make products that would help keep the power lines from frying your equipment. Might be spendy, but so is replacing parts so often.

[Brian]

Is there something you could buy that would help prevent this? I'm pretty sure they make products that would help keep the power lines from frying your equipment. Might be spendy, but so is replacing parts so often.

I've yet to find a self-contained ground.  I already have a UPS, but it's got nothing to ground on.  I also can't ground to my plumbing, because in order to do so, I'd need to get into the walls.  Which I can't do (and no one can) because my walls have: a.) Lead paint b.) asbestos.

[Bjorn]

Which I can't do (and no one can) because my walls have: a.) Lead paint b.) asbestos.

Don't think of it as lead paint, think of it as lead opportunity.

[Brian]

SANTA CLARA -- Today, in an inexplicable turn of events, the elemental incarnation of misfortune was defeated in a duel.

The winner of the duel wishes to remain anonymous, but cites his reasons for the battle as being, "Over a dead computer."  In an equally mysterious turn of events, the coroner has reversed their diagnosis and proclaimed the slain PC of one Brian Randall as, "not that dead after all."

Experts are still scrambling to try and find a link between these events.

[Jason_Miao]

Bri-

I'm taking Property this semester.  Tenant rights is one of the topics we just finished covering.

Out of curiosity, this is a feature that you couldn't have easily have seen and anticipated during your inspection of the place, right?  If you couldn't have reasonably anticipated it, then the landlord might be liable for any damages incurred (i.e cost of a undamaged computer components).

Of course, every state has its own screwy laws, so please don't take this as legal advice.  But if you can give any details about if the Landlord told you of any risks, what you knew about the place, etc, I'd like to run this by my professor and see what she thinks.

-Jason

[Brian]

Well, she told me:

1.) We have hard water.  Don't drink it.

2.) There's lead in the paint, so don't hang anything without getting adhesive picture hangers from her.

3.) There's asbestos in the insulation, so don't go into the walls.

Those were the only things I had to initial my awareness of.  And oddly enough, my friend Jim DOES inspect any apartment he's moving into with an electrician's kit to check the quality of power and ground.

I mentioned that the power was no good for ground, and my land-lady said that she knew, but couldn't do anything about it for a decade or so (the 22-year apart updates to the apartment complex for wiring/etc.  Our plumbing has not been redone since it was originally placed in 1940something).