Photo contributed by Sven:



NEVER Do This at Home!

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 08-28-2003).]

Is something like this a good subject for a Safety Poster?

Or do you think it may give some children ideas?

Bill

I think it depends on the targeted age group, but that sure looks dangerous. Where is this photo from?

I still remember being told at a very young age that if I ever put something (and more specifically, something such as a knife) into an outlet, I would get pulled inside and would be stuck forever. (My wife finally convinced me that plugging in the vacuum cleaner really is not dangerous.)

TG / Bill -- That's not too crazy of a threat. :-)



From: http://www.themeterguy.com/photogallery/main/tmg_photogallery.htm

The picture was emailed to me by an online buddy (and co-contributor to the Use-Net newsgroup rec.antiques.radio+phono). Don't know where he got it from.

We were joking around about another guy who frequents the group...who, some time back, actually admitted that he had done a similar thing once.

I believe he said he tried to pry off one of those really old round hemi-spehrical bakelite plugs using either a screwdriver or a knife. You know, the ones similar to those black open-front caps but without the little handle to grasp onto.

He's got a habit of blowing up old radios a lot....

[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 08-28-2003).]

A steak knife would have provided at least a minimal amount of insulation via the handle...Amateurs!

Looks like a good topic to start a heart-to-heart discussion in an episode of Leave It To Beaver.

Seriously though, I suppose young kid seeing the picture on its own without any supporting words from adults might get ideas about trying it. I think the picture would need to be backed up with a lesson on why doing something such as this is a bad idea, and an explanation of the consequences.

I love getting kids involved with technical stuff if they seem interested, and a few weeks ago I had a little girl (about 5) who was fascinated by what I was doing and wanted to help. A couple of times I gave her a pair of side-cutters and let her cut wires for me.

I did explain that she must only ever do such a thing if a grown-up tells her to, but was it still encouragement to maybe do something she shouldn't?

Now we know what caused the east coast power problems!

There goes my mom, handing out my baby pictures again.

BTW - My hair is curly now.

This may put bad ideas into people's heads.

A couple of years back the local sheriff put up a large banner at the high school that stated: Stealing Street Signs is a Crime.

The result was a 250% increase is sign theft in the county.

[This message has been edited by ftl-eric (edited 09-18-2003).]

You know...there IS a 50 percent chance that the kid is shoving the knife into the hole leading to the neutral....

SvenNYC - Not according to Murphy there isn't. Theory 50/50 Reality 95/5 to the favor of hot.