"Don't Dry Your Cell Phone in the Microwave," and Other Pearls of Wisdom

I meant to post about this a few days ago, but I kept getting distracted:

Don't clean your kids in the washing machine. Don't dry your cell phone in the microwave. And be sure not to read the phone book while driving. Those are among the winning entries in this year's Wacky Warning Label Contest, run by an anti-lawsuit group.

Backers of the right to sue have a warning of their own - don't be so quick to poke fun at labels, which help save lives. They say the contest is part of an effort to pass laws that shield businesses from liability for those they hurt.

The Wacky Warning contest winners were chosen from about 150 nominations received by Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch, said the group's president, Robert B. Dorigo Jones. The group picked five finalists, and callers to WOMC-FM's Dick Purtan show chose the winners.

The top vote-getter was a warning tag from a front-load washing machine.

"DO NOT put any person in this washer," it read.

Read the whole thing. Of course, the story quotes someone from a washing-machine manufacturer who says that yes, it would be dangerous to put a person in there. And while businesses have to resort to some crazy things to protect themselves from liabilty, it would be a lot easier if we could just post a general warning that read, "Don't be stupid...and don't expect us to give you money if said stupidity causes harm to yourself."

Continuing assimilation into the cult: I made my first purchase from the iTunes Music Store today (it was this, in case you're curious--a brand-new album as of today). I had gotten a gift card for Christmas, and this seemed like a good time to make a purchase like this since I was loading the iPod anyway. I'll admit that I'm old-school enough that it seems weird to own a CD without actually physically being in possession of it, but I'm sure I'll get a few things from the store here and there.

Rats! part 1: Residents of an Arizona neighborhood have recently discovered rats swimming in their toilets.

Rats! part 2: A California man was charged after authorities found 37 rats and six cats living in the cabin of his small sailboat. He started living in the boat after he was evicted from his house last year--because over 1700 rats were found in there.

Better late than never: A man recently was reunited with the wallet he'd lost--in France, during World War II, more than 60 years ago.