- The Washington Post:
Sunday May 14, 1995, Final Edition
-
- We asked you to come up with absurd
warning labels for common poducts. We loved one
particular entry for its wonderful idiocy:
-
- On a cardboard windshield sun shade:
"Warning: Do Not Drive With Sun Shield in
Place."- We were going to make it a winner, until we
discovered that it wasn't made up.
-
- Fourth Runner-Up -- On an
infant's bathtub: Do not throw baby out with bath water.
(Gary Dawson, Arlington)
- Third Runner-Up -- On a
package of Fisherman's Friend(R) throat lozenges: Not
meant as substitute for human companionship. (Tom Witte,
Gaithersburg)
- Second Runner-Up -- On a
Magic 8 Ball: Not advised for use as a home pregnancy
test. (Chuck Smith, Woodbridge)
- First Runner-Up -- On a
roll of Life Savers: Not for use as a flotation device.
(Jean Sorensen, Herndon)
- And the winner of the
Power Ranger pinata -- On a cup of McDonald's coffee:
Allow to cool before applying to groin area. (Elden
Carnahan, Laurel)
Honorable Mentions
- On a Pentium chip: If this product
exhibits errors, the manufacturer will replace it for a
$2 shipping and a $3 handling charge, for a total of
$4.97. (Russell Beland, Springfield)
- On a refrigerator: Refrigerate after
opening. (Cissie J.Owen, Leesburg)
- On a pack of cigarettes: WARNING -- The
Tobacco Institute has determined that smoking just one
cigarette greatly increases your risk of heart attack by
making you so incredibly sexy that gorgeous members of
the opposite sex surround you night and day, begging for
intercourse and wearing you into
- exhaustion, unless, of course, you have
another couple of cigarettes to steady your nerves.
(Jacob Weinstein, McLean)
- On a disposable razor: Do not use this
product during an earthquake. (JimGaffney, Manassas)
- On a handgun: Not recommended for use as a
nutcracker. (Art Grinath, Takoma Park)
- On pantyhose: Not to be used in the
commission of a felony. (Judith Daniel, Washington)
- On a piano: Harmful or fatal if swallowed.
(Peter Fay, Herndon)
- On a can of Fix-a-Flat: Not to be used for
breast augmentation. (Jerry Robin, Gaithersburg)
- On Kevorkian's suicide machine: This
product uses carbon monoxide, which has been found to
cause cancer in laboratory rats. (Meg Sullivan, Potomac)
- On Lyndon LaRouche literature: Mr.
LaRouche is a serious political figure and not a paranoid
lunatic, and should therefore -- Hey, what are you
looking at? Quit staring at me. (Meg Sullivan, Potomac)
- On work gloves: For best results, do not
leave at crime scene. (Ken Krattenmaker, Landover Hills)
- On a palm sander: Not to be used to sand
palms. (Patrick G. White, Taneytown)
- On a calendar: Use of term
"Sunday" for reference only. No meteorological
warranties express or implied. (Elden Carnahan, Laurel)
- On Odor Eaters: Do not eat. (Chuck Smith,
Woodbridge)
- On Sen. Bob Dole: WARNING: Contents under
pressure and may explode. (Doug Keim, Schaumburg, Ill.
- On a blender: Not for use as an aquarium.
(Gary Dawson, Arlington)
- On a fax machine: WARNING! Never attempt
to directly fax anyone an image of your naked buttocks.
Always photocopy your buttocks and fax the photocopy.
(John Kammer, Herndon)
- On syrup of ipecac: Caution: May cause
vomiting. (Paul Styrene, Olney)
- On a revolving door: Passenger
compartments for individual use only. (Elden Carnahan,
Laurel)
- On a microscope: Objects are smaller and
less alarming than they appear. (J. Calvin Smith, Laurel)
- On children's alphabet blocks: Letters may
be used to construct words, phrases and sentences that
may be deemed offensive. (David Handelsman,
Charlottesville)
- On a wet suit: Capacity, 1. (J. Calvin
Smith, Laurel)
- On The Washington Post: Do not cut up and
use for blackmail note.