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Once again, as a public service, I’m here to announce voluntary manufacturer recalls cited by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Even popular brand-name tools and appliances have their limitations. The Chefmate®  Blender sold at Target Stores made the CPSC homepage this month after consumers reported “serious lacerations” to their hands and fingers following the unplanned separation of the pitcher from the blade assembly.

Tools of destruction

Photo by CPSC

Some 304,000 units of the Chinese-made Chefmate® six-blade blender were sold at Target stores for $14 between September 2007 and February 2011. Read up on the recall at the CPSC. If you bought this blender (look for model #BL-10), contact Target Guest Relations at (800) 440-0680 for recall information, or visit www.target.com.

Lawn troubles? Oh, Deere

Photo by CPSC

September was a terrible month for John Deere. The CPSC announced recalls of 5,200 units of Deere’s  D100 Lawn Tractor. Flaws in the connections of the brake assembly to the transmission housing can cause brake failure and loss of control. Not a good thing. Read the CPSC report on the tractor that identifies specific model numbers in the recall.

Double Deere ya’

Photo by CPSC

On September 14, 2011, the same date at the D100 recall announcement, the CPSC reported that John Deere was recalling 15,000 tractors with Model numbers D100, D110, D120, and D130 — all with a 42-inch Edge™ Cutting System amid reports of laceration hazards. Consumers should contact Deere & Company at (800) 537-8233 for details or visit the John Deere website.

Midnight rider

Photo by CPSC

Completing the tri-fecta for lawn mower recalls in early September are Kubota Riding Mowers said to be prone to fire risks. Some 6,100 mowers were sold in the United States, April 2010 – April 2011 for between $3,600 and $11,500. Visit the CPSC for model numbers in the voluntary recall.

Pardon me if I let the grass grow out this winter!

Have I got a deal for you! Come to Seattle, rent a car, drive north to Anacortes, and charter a boat to Allan Island, a pristine 292-acre atoll in the 172-island San Juan chain. Oh, and bring your checkbook. In an age when disposable income is a privilege, you’ll love getting a bargain on the $25-million spread now reduced for quick sale to $13.5 million.

Allan Island was purchased by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen (no relation), who bought the island in 1992. Allen, currently 57th on the Forbes World’s Billionaires list, is letting the spread go, along with its 2,400 foot airstrip and boat dock, as well as the acreage approved for up to 44 subdivisions.

Native environment, rustic architecture, and Free Willy

Photo by Realtor.com

With two miles of waterfront and seven beaches, you can stroll along without the painful intrusion of neighbors, or paddle your kayak with a resident pod of killer whales. The Seattle Times says Allen never improved the land beyond building the caretaker’s cottage that still remains. Instead, Allen but eventually settled on nearby Lopez Island as a location for his summer getaway.

Flights of fancy

Photo by Windemere

Realtor.com offers this cormorant’s view of the airstrip and island layout.  Your groceries and guests can come by float plane, boat, or helicopter. You could re-sell the lots at $1 million each. But first you have to spend $3 million to bring in electricity. The caretaker’s cabin is powered by a generator.

Temporarily yours with a simple design

The A-frame caretaker’s cabin will suffice while you rough it and build your dream house. It has views overlooking the Strait of Juan De Fuca, Rosario Strait, and the towering, snow-capped Olympic mountains. And you’ll find ways to make do with the miles of dirt jeep trails that traverse the island. Get the goods on the sale at Yahoo.