Ant wrote:
Is it just me in So(uthern) CA, USA? Or is happening to everywhere else?

Thank you in advance.

Depends on whether your computer store carries
only "boutique" fans. Ones with blue LEDs or
fancy operating principles (magnetic levitation).
Expect to pay more for "Corsair" versus
"company-of-the-month-club" fans. Expect to
pay less, for those fans made with the
stinky plastic. How many of those did I have
to leave in the box, because they smelled so bad ?

My all time favorite was Vantec Stealth. But they're
no longer being made. They were mid-range pricing,
and they *never* wore out. Just a modest unassuming fan.
No LEDs.

*******

You can browse through this selection...

http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l1/g36/Fans.html

Paul