A new addition to the family

About a month ago, my Gateway laptop started having, shall we say, "issues" with its power cord. When I'd plug it into the back of the computer, the contacts wouldn't connect with the little spindly post in there, to deliver power to the battery. I'd fiddle with the cord a bit, and it would work. As the weeks went on, I had to fiddle a lot more. I ordered a new cord; no difference. Still problems.

( Really only interesting if you care about laptops at all, Compaqs, or have insight into Gateways )