On Jun 12, 2007, at 18:05, Thurlow Weed wrote:
It is amazing the apparent issues people have had with various
appliances and tools to warrant all manner of odd warnings in User
Manuals.
The general rule of thumb is: if something mindbogglingly stupid *can*
be done, someone will do it. And then sue *your* pants off for not
stopping them (remember the case of McDonald's-hot-coffe-meet-crotch?).
Hence the Self-Defense (or Preemptive Disclaimer) Manuals also known as
"User Manuals". I wouldn't be surprised to hear that every company has
a team of bright sparks (probably males of high school age) thinking up
the weirdest possible "scenarios" and then putting them in manuals as
"do not do this". Has to be cheaper than prolonged court cases :)
Yesterday I purchased a new coffeemaker [...]
"Do not place this appliance on or near a hot gas or electric burner
or in a heated oven."
But, but, but... Isn't that how you reheat the leftovers? On the burner
or in the oven? Of course it is.
The same manual, on the next page, informs that "a short power supply
cord is provided to reduce the hazards from becoming entangled in or
tripping over a longer cord." Tripping over? I'd have to be ambling
down the countertop,
No, no, no. Ever since most appliances shortened their cords severely,
I've had to use extension cords, two joined, to make sure that my
electric kettle is where I want it -- near the sink (to fill with
water) and near me (to empty into the cup). You see, it's plugged in
accross the room... I do try to keep the cord taped to the floor with
duct tape but it *will* get unstuck when the floor is washed, and then
you *do* trip over it... Actually, even *with* the duct tape securing
the cord to the floor, I *still* trip over the bumpy couplings.
I can tell you've never been "a blonde"...
--
Tamara P Duvall http://t-n-lace.net/
Lexington, Virginia, USA (Formerly of Warsaw, Poland)
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