I recently (as in just now) was in a Twitter about Mason Pearson brushes -- specifically, Heather Spohr wanted to know<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/mamaspohr/status/43037115814129664"> what made them worth $80</a>.

My response was, "They're well made and once you buy one you'll never have to buy another. The end."

I just love things that are made to last forever. Unfortunately very few things are made to last forever these days, and we have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence">planned obsolescence</a> to thank. (Thanks a lot, jerks.)

I recently (and rather expensively) was forced to deal with this when our cheap printer ran out of magenta ink and black ink. I needed to print something out so I went to Staples to buy a black ink cartridge. The clerk informed me that the black cartridge would cost me $20. Steep, but whatever. Then she asked me if I needed color cartridges. I told her that the printer was out of magenta, but I don't have to print in color so I'll just take the black thankyouverymuch.

"Well," she said, "the black cartridge won't work if you're low on magenta."

"But I'm just printing black words on white paper. I'll be fine."

"Um, no you won't. The printer will be disabled until you refill all the colors."

Of course, the magenta came packaged with other color cartridges (but not black). My total cost for ink? $97. I think the pr