My baby is more fireproof than your baby!

While I applaud society's (in general) and as a result our government's efforts to protect the lives and interests of its citizens, it is with great humor, accompanied by disdain and annoyance, that I come across the stating-the-obvious warnings I find on labels, coffee cups, etc. - everywhere it seems.

Take for instance the standard disposable coffee cup at your local Starbuck's: typically printed at the bottom of said cup is the sentence, "Warning: this beverage you are about to enjoy is extremely hot." THANK YOU, Mr. Coffee Cup Printer Man. Usually when I order a cup of coffee, unless I specifically ask for iced coffee, I expect that it will be hot. But just in case there was any doubt...

What breaks the mold is the "guide to children's sleepwear," which I found recently in Macy's at the check-out counter and also on specially marked tags throughout the children's apparel department. On this guide I read: "The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sets national safety standards for children's sleepwear that are designed to protect children from burn injuries if they come in contact with an open flame, such as a candle or stove burner. Do not let your children sleep in clothing that does not meet the CPSC sleepwear standards."

OK. Soooo...in other words, when I tuck my little baby into bed at night next to the burning candle and hot plate in her room I'll be sure to put her into jammies that meet the CPSC sleepwear standards so that once her jammies light up and I remove them these flame resistant garments will most likely not continue to burn! These will also prove very useful when I move her crib into the kitchen next to the stove.

These warnings scream: you as a common, possibly somewhat educated populace, despite whatever you may say or do probably have either no common sense, are too busy to use what common sense you have, or better yet, have become so sophisticated in employing your common sense that if we don't print this warning you will sue us for liability, negligence, or some other such fuzzy legality that when it really comes down to it was your own fault for not using your common sense!

~ posted by Ang (actually by Dan, but Ang left it as an edit and then went out of town)