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by R U Sirius on February 26th, 2007

R U Sirius

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I bought a new jacket the other day and in the pocket was a little white package of silica gel. On this package, it say's "do not eat". Do we as Americans, have stupid written on our foreheads?

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  • by gone on February 26th, 2007

    gone

    I think 'litigation' is the word. Every company out there covers their ass-ets in every way they can think of, including stupidity.

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  • by John. on February 26th, 2007

    John.

    No, but if I may use a stereotype:

    You, as Americans do tend to sue the pants of things quite often. If the company did not put this warning on the package, and someone ingested the gel and was harmed, they could be liable, I think.

    Its just a legal precaution.

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  • by VivaNOLA on February 26th, 2007

    VivaNOLA

    Yes - sort of. We're not stupid, but we are unbelievably litigious. If someone ate that stuff, however obvious it is that they shouldn't, they could sue. Many foreign courts make it very hard to sue for obvious infractions of common sense - we don't, and that's stupid. The worst part of growing up in such an environment is that you start abandoning your own common sense because you get so used to anything with even the slightest potential of danger blinking and screeching a warning at you. Within three hours of landing in Holland I was almost killed twice by silent trams and unmarked steps. I felt like an idiot - I had to totally re-learn how to look for actual danger instead of looking around for yellow reflective tape.

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  • by Im Alec has abandoned this account on February 26th, 2007

    Im Alec has abandoned this account

    Not when you know that it is silica gel and that it is part of a preservative system. But when you take it out of the jacket and leave it around, and your eight year old child doesn't understand "Silica Gel" thinks it is a sachet of sugar, it might be a good ides. They are going to print "Silica Gel" on it anyway. It costs nothing more to print "Do Not Eat" and it might just, one day, save some person from an unpleasant experience. Why not do that, at zero cost?

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  • by Crazed_Wiseman on February 26th, 2007

    Crazed_Wiseman

    no we dont need labels, its jsut common sense, we are the fattest nation in the world. hell we'd eat anything if they'd let us. I know i would :-D

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  • by Mushen on February 2nd, 2008

    Mushen

    Over here in the UK, we put the same warning (word for word) on a mattress. And you think you've got problems.

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  • by Egico is now Egioz on February 2nd, 2008

    Egico is now Egioz

    Funny you should ask this question. I was just thinking about the same thing as I sit here with a bar of "Hazelnut chocolate" that contains the warning "May contain Nuts." D'ya think? I guess that warning is for those among us who don't understand that a hazelNUT is a NUT!

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  • by Auntie Em on February 2nd, 2008

    Auntie Em

    Well, if we do have stupid written on our foreheads it is only there as a warning label./disclaimer so we can to avoid litigation/liability.

    In fact, that's not a bad idea.

    Warning: STUPID
    Expect little to nothing.

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  • by HungryGuy on February 2nd, 2008

    HungryGuy

    No. You have, "Let's hire a lawyer and sue everyone for any feeble excuse we can possibly get away with," written on your foreheads :-)

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  • by Jez is recovering on February 2nd, 2008

    Jez is recovering

    What? Clothes don't come with little bags of candy in them?? ;)

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  • by somewhat_anonymous on February 2nd, 2008

    somewhat_anonymous

    if they didn't write that on there someone would be like, hey, i bet i can get money out of this, eat just enough to get a reaction, and sue.

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  • by VIOLENT DAVE IS A VIKING PIMP on February 2nd, 2008

    VIOLENT DAVE IS A VIKING PIMP

    Attached to my toaster is a tag that reads,DO NOT USE IN BATH! They do this, because at one time or another someone thought to themselves, " Hey, I need to relax in the tub after a long days work, and eat some toast! I got an idea, I'll do them both at the same time!"

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  • by Chelle on February 2nd, 2008

    Chelle

    I bought my 5-year-old son a backpack recently. I didn't look inside to see if there was a silica packet--I just gave it to him. This morning, he came into my room to let me know that he found an "icy, sugary package" in his bag. He opened it up, but didn't eat it. He threw it away.

    I didn't even think to check the backpack for silica. Do we have stupid written on our foreheads? Some of us do...but my boy sure was smart enough to know not to eat it.

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  • by Mirage V2.0 AWOL on February 26th, 2007

    Mirage V2.0 AWOL

    When we make poor choices, we reject common sense and personal responsibility.
    We think "someone should have warned me."
    Perhaps the correct tattoo would just read
    "MOMMY!"

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  • by singwell-is off researching a lot on February 26th, 2007

    singwell-is off researching a lot

    not just Americans...we have it here in Australia too. LOL

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  • by nfntjy on February 26th, 2007

    nfntjy

    Packets of Silica Gel often come in packages of food products (for instance, beef jerky) to reduce food spoilage. For this reason, it is very important that the packet is labeled "DO NOT EAT," as the packets are mixed in directly with the food product.

    About Silica Gel:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica_gel

    See the label in different languages:
    http://img.alibaba.com/photo/51165950/Type_B_Silica_Gel.jpg

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  • by anonymous on February 26th, 2007

    anonymous

    Apparently we all (as in the world) do, as it is a universal label. But I see that, and it really makes me want to chew on the packet... it's designed for people like me

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  • by unknown on February 26th, 2007

    unknown

    I'm affraid our record speaks for itself.:(

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  • by Brahmanyan on February 2nd, 2008

    Brahmanyan

    Warnings are there for every one. Is it not good to be cautioned than suffering afterwards?

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  • by 8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009 on February 2nd, 2008

    8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009

    Those warnings are a CYA move to head off possible litigation. Those warnings often come after someone has already sued; look at a coffee cup's warning.

    It's not always that we are stupid (though occasionally we are) but more that some Americans are shrewd and the company lawyers have to stay one step ahead of the gold-diggers.

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  • by Superquack on February 2nd, 2008

    Superquack

    There are ones out there that looks for a gap left open to make money off of a company.

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  • by call me Kat on February 2nd, 2008

    call me Kat

    No. some are just plain stupid and these instructions are necessary so the dummies can't say "But nobody told me......"

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  • by Quackers on February 2nd, 2008

    Quackers

    Thanks for pointing out something that always seemed strange but I never thought too much about. I guess there are crazy people out there who will put just about anything in their mouths. I recall there being a powdered dishwasher detergent called Sun Light or something and had "lemon fresh" written on it. It also had a warning label that the detergent was not to be eaten or made into a beverage. Apparently the warning label was needed because some people thought they were buying lemon flavored ice tea, ended up poisoning themselves and sued the company. (I guess the fact that this "tea" was surrounded by detergents, bleach, mops, brooms etc didn't tip them off)

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  • by Teetotal Michael on February 2nd, 2008

    Teetotal Michael

    It's there purely to protect themselves just in case. I used to work in a shop, and had an irate parent come in to complain that her son had eaten silica gel that came in beef jerky, despite the fact it said all over it 'DO NOT EAT', and he wasn't young, he was a teenager. It's like plastic carrier bags carrying the warning 'DO NOT PUT OVER HEAD'.

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  • by killdrphil - reasonable for a madman on February 2nd, 2008

    killdrphil - reasonable for a madman

    I guess it's possible that someone could mistake it for a piece of their own gum or something but, eh, that does seem awfully silly.

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  • by American idle on February 2nd, 2008

    American idle

    Funny you should mention that, I knew a kid that ate one of those..on purpose. They're trying to avoid lawsuits by really stupid people. (Not just Americans).

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  • by Highlander is semi-retired from AB on February 2nd, 2008

    Highlander is semi-retired from AB

    Perhaps, but we all fall into that category from time-to-time... :-)

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  • by PokkiTokki on February 2nd, 2008

    PokkiTokki

    No. You used to have. But by now everyone knows it by heart, and it isn't tatooed on after birth any longer.

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  • by Anonymous on February 2nd, 2008

    Anonymous

    I got a pack of that stuff once, and I was confused, and I just thought to myself 'well what if I'm hungry?'

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  • by Melissa on February 26th, 2007

    Melissa

    No, not all of us, but what really cracks me up about all those ridiculous-sounding warnings on many products, is that most likely the warning is there because someone, at some time, has done it. "Remove child before folding stroller" :-P

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  • by Crazed_Wiseman on February 26th, 2007

    Crazed_Wiseman

    no we dont need labels, its jsut common sense, we are the fattest nation in the world. hell we'd eat anything if they'd let us. I know i woukd :-D

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  • by miRi hates social norms and regulations on February 2nd, 2008

    miRi hates social norms and regulations

    not on all of ours anymore than the rest of the world...i hope

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