Ground Fault Interrupted

Our hair dryer whined while it blew the other day and it was time to get another. We'd had this one 3 or 4 years. With a track record like that, I bought the same brand and wattage. This year's model was considerably cheaper than I recalled paying before and came in hot pink in support of breast cancer research. Now we can find it in the drawer with all the black things. It does everything but glow in the dark.

Among the copious paperwork which comes with any simple plug-in-and-turn-on appliance nowadays was a notice on ground fault interrupters. As in, we should have one in our bathroom in order to safely operate this new gadget. Now, we have them outside: they're covered with little metal covers or plastic boxes. But in my bathroom? Really? Who was going to pay for the electrician? The manufacturer of my new hair-styling device?

Let me think on that a minute: Probably not them. All of a sudden, a $13 purchase could go into the three figures. That would be of my money.

But that company's not the only one wanting to spend my money for me this week. On one of my loops, I've been looking for someone to accompany me 30 miles to a 5:45 in the morning TV interview for a program said loop is sponsoring. No one has raced to do that, but one member suggested I spend the night in a hotel.

Alas, she didn't include her credit card number.