Holy crap.. I thought the rogue Zombie ATV was the scariest thing on the list, but then I saw the \"Needles may detatch\" and changed my friggin mind!

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Colonel Jack O'Neill

There shouldn't be a recall on blinds or shades. Parents should know that kids will grab anything, it's the parents own fault for not putting the cord up high enough out of the kids reach.

But as another day goes by, more people lose their common sense.

5 replies

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Vermifuge

@Colonel Jack O'Neill:

It's not the pull string that are a problem. It's the way they are made. look at the images and you will see the system that attaches the shades to the draw strings in the back is the problem.

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lchen

@Colonel Jack O'Neill: but if blinds can be made differently (which they obviously can be) then why not. it's not like they are banning all blinds because of it.

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lordmorgul

@lchen: Those roman blinds are not that big a hazard. In any case, making 'everything' safer when it does not necessarily need to be safer is just a waste of resources. Making those blinds function the same way without exposed strings is significantly more expensive than doing it how the images show: a parent should evaluate the risk of the item in their home when installing it, but a single guy like me wouldn't care that the strings are exposed. When a company is coerced into recalling all these products (and not making it anymore) it costs more money for someone to get a similar product in the future.

Recalls are not all obviously 'good' for everyone. Responsibility should still be taken by users as well as companies to make reasonably safe products and not over engineer a simple window shade...

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bohemian

@Colonel Jack O'Neill: The solution that was given a long time ago was to cut the cords short and not tie them together. This whole strangulation hazard has been around since the 90's.

But it never struck me to put the cords on the back in some sort of casing. All the instructions to make them have exposed cords that go through loops.

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riverstyxxx

@Colonel Jack O'Neill: You obviously have heard the latest trend: Parents aren't responsible for anything anymore, its all about the companies and school teachers playing the role of parenting.
Reminds me of how parents never have any responsibility in the upbringing of a child. If it turns out messed up, committing crimes and failing out of school, the parents take no responsibility..But if it graduates college and raises a family later on, parents are the first ones to take credit. They have it both ways ;)

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Keavy_Rain

Okay, guys...I'm a little scared right now.

I own a Sony Vaio laptop and when I clicked on the link for more information, I got a 404 error. It could be a simple mistake on behalf of The Consumerist, but I'm going with the more rational explanation that my computer has become a sentient being and is planning on killing me.

2 replies

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Nick1693

@Keavy_Rain: Correct link here.

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Keavy_Rain

@Nick1693: Thanks for the link :)

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lchen

did the syringe one make anyone else cringe? the idea of a the needle detaching when in use is making my skin crawl. uggggh

2 replies

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Nick1693

@lchen: Also seems like something pharmacies and doctors offices should send notices about.

Even a simple \"Dear Sir/Madam, Your daily medication is under recall, go here or do this to make sure you don't always have a needle under your skin. Thanks, -Your Doctor.\" would be good.

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Kimaroo - 100% Pure Natural Kitteh

@lchen: YES. See my above comment.

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Preyfar

I understand nut allergies, but it just seems hilarious that a hazelnut spread is being recalled due to \"undeclared\" peanuts. Especially so considering allergies to peanuts tends to also include tree nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.).

2 replies

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WonderKatGoBoom

@Preyfar: I thought the exact same thing. I have never heard of someone having only a peanut allergy, but able to eat other nuts.

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Niphil

@WonderKatGoBoom: Peanuts aren't \"true\" nuts, they're legumes, like peas, soybeans, and lentils. Tree nuts are in a different family altogether.

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yevarechecha

Candles are a fire hazard? Who knew?

1 replies

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MikeM_inMD

@yevarechecha: It's not the candles, but the decorative screen they sit behind. It's mostly metal, but apparently the \"windows\" catch fire.

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csparks

Probably 90% of recalls are about stupid crap. Like someone cannot read a ingredient list to see if it has nuts. I understand the reason behind putting it in when the product *may* have come into contact with peanuts, and don't contain peanuts, but that leads to other questions. Like how does a product that does not contain peanuts come into contact with them? Improper washing of equipment? One product coming into contact with another product? That just seems so wrong!

3 replies

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Rachacha

@csparks: I used to work in a baked good manufacturing facility. They made cookies and donuts that had peanuts. The machinery was washed and sanitized daily, however during the production day, there was no cleaning between chainging products, just a quick wipedown to remove traces of products (sprinkles, chocolate & powdered sugar). They generally would run the peanut products at the very end of the day, but as the products were made on the same machine, each of the products had the peanut warning just in case someone forgot to sanitize the belt the night before or a stray peanut fell out of the peanut tumble machine and on to the conveyer belt.

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madog

@csparks: I don't understand it myself, but many people who are allergic to peanuts can be deathly allergic to even small traces of it. It seems logical that a mixing machine that is used with various products, or even if the same plant uses peanuts nearby (say, same room but different machine) run the risk of having those small traces of peanuts. I could also imagine that the oils put out by them could be difficult to clean off completely and would make no difference to whatever other product is used afterwards except to those that break out in rashes when they even look at a peanut.

What I want to know is, are more people becoming allergic to peanuts these days? Why didn't I ever hear about this when I was young? Is it just media attention that has brought it to my ears or has this always been a problem? Have peoples reactions always been so potentially dangerous to them? If so, then why weren't peanut products banned in schools before?

There's always been that one kid in class who was allergic to them that I knew of, but it never seemed, \"Don't let Bobby touch them or his lungs will collapse and he will die!\"

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nightshade74

@madog: Peanut allergies in children doubled in the 5 year span of 1997-2002. Doing research after finding out for sure that our 2 1/2 year old is allergic. Seems it's becoming a more prevalent thing these days. One source said mothers eating pb while pg could trigger the allergy. Who knew? It's the protein and testa of the peanut, not necessarily the oil, so little man can continue to eat the occasional Chikfila that he likes, but no actual peanuts or pb. And a reaction can vary from exposure to exposure. Kinda scares the crap outta me, same as most parents, to know that something fun to eat for most people *could* kill your child. Just my 2 cents worth for now.
--Mrs. nightshade 74

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The_IT_Crone

Oh Bryers, I thought I could eat you. Now I know I can't trust you.

1 replies

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The_IT_Crone

@The_IT_Crone: Nah, I take it back. Reading the recall, it was from a mispackage, not a failure to declare. That's a bit better.