Morts Musings

OK, so on the face of it this piece might seem a little hypocritical after my last, but actually I think it’s a good example of the sort of thing which consumers should be protected from. In this case, bizarrely, it was sofas which proved to be a source of hidden danger.

This piece from the BBC looks at a long running legal case over the use of the fungicide dimethyl fumarate on leather sofas made by a number of firms in China, & sold by UK retailers, including big names like, Land of Leather, Walmsleys and Argos. The sofas were apparently treated with the chemical to stop them developing mould while in transport & storage, however many people who bought the affected sofas developed painful skin rashes, as well as chest and eye problems in some cases. The chemical has now been banned by the EU, and the big name retailers who sold the sofas were all quite prompt when it came to issuing recalls & offering refunds.

Anyway, it seems that it’s pretty much old news now, and that those affected have received reparation, but after a couple of comments on my last piece* I wanted to make it clear that I’m not a completely heartless git. I do firmly believe that private companies can’t be allowed to operate under a completely lassiez faire system; The prime motive of business is to make profit, & history has shown countless times that, when unregulated, some businesses will put the bottom line before the quality, or safety, of their goods. Having said that, as an utter cynic, I think any consumer who doesn’t exercise the caveat emptor spirit is probably a little foolish.

In anycase this is the sort of hidden danger which a consumer can’t reasonably be expected to anticipate by exercising common sense, and which they should be protected from. Ok, so this is a pretty clear cut case, people looking to buy quality sofas have a reasonable right to expect that they shouldn’t be laced with unpleasant toxins. Whereas warnings about not letting heavy furniture fall on children should be pretty redundant, since, to my mind it’s rather obvious advice. Obviously there are grey areas inbetween these two examples, & I suppose those are where the slippery slope towards an over-protective nanny state starts.

Hopefully, this sets the record straight on the view I’m expressing, i.e. that people should be expected (& given the freedom) to exercise personal responsibility where possible, not, that we should live in an unregulated world where unethical manufacturers can endanger the lives of consumers if it means cutting production costs.

*No, I didn’t publish them, I’m fine with people criticising my views, but I’m not going to publish streams of profanity, or waste my time editing such comments to make them work place friendly.

I want to start this piece by making it absolutely clear that it’s an unashamed rant about the way the world appears to be moving towards a state where the public expect to be told any time they interact with anything which might be even slightly dangerous, even when it should be perfectly evident that exercising some common sense might be in order.

The tendancy for governments to bombard us with more and more safety legislation every year is an insidious creep towards a situation where everybody is assumed to be a moron who should be wrapped in cotton wool for their own safety. Maybe this is a good thing for the “hard of thinking”, the proportion of society who really do need to be protected from themselves, but I firmly believe that, by taking a “one size fits all” approach to looking after these poor unfortunate souls, govts are encouraging everyone to be more cretinous and less likely to think for themselves in situations where some judgement might be advisable; Not to mention that blanket legislation which caters to the lowest common denominator curtails the freedoms of everybody else.

I’m sure the campaigners who get behind these causes do so with the best of intentions. Often I believe it’s because the “danger” which they seek to protect everybody from has effected their lives in some traumatic way, and that’s almost part of the problem; Nobody wants to be the one to tell these poor misguided souls that they’re over-reacting, perfectly understandable if the campaigner in question has lost a relative, but really somebody should, rather than media, and politicians, jumping on the band wagon for the sake of sales, or to gain a few points in the polls.

Someone really should be able to tell these people that sometimes bad stuff happens, and it’s just bad luck, that no-one deserves to be sued as a consequence, & no laws need to be drawn up to protect others from themselves, or cruel twists of fate, especially if those laws would curtail the freedoms of others who are willing to take personal responsibility & aren’t hurting anyone else.

Ok, so you’ve had the rant now but what was it that set me off? Actually it was this piece from an US news site. It details moves in New Jersey to introduce laws which would require manufacturers, of TVs, and furniture, over a certain size, to provide warnings about the potential dangers to children of such heavy objects falling on them, & provide advice about ways to prevent such accidents.

From the article:

The proposed rules would apply to dressers, bookcases, bureaus, armoires or similar furniture that is 42 inches or more in height and designed to store, display, or otherwise place items; televisions with display screens that are 25 inches or more; and all television stands.

Furniture can Kill! No really, it can!

That’s right apparently furniture is a hidden menace lurking in our homes! All this time you thought it was useful stuff you kept around to store things on, or in, but in reality it’s a killer, just waiting to strike!

Don’t get me wrong I don’t intend to make light of anybody dying, let alone children, but we, as a species, have survived around heavy objects for millenia without anyone needing to legislate for our own protection; Why do we suddenly need laws to protect us, & why should a manufacturer be responsible if a consumer lacks the common sense to realise that heavy stuff is dangerous if it falls on you?!? By the logic of this legislation everything we ever buy should be plastered in warnings, just on the off chance that someone might use it in some unintended but potentially lethal manner! What? you mean it’s a bad idea to insert TVs into random bodily orifaces?
I mean, really, come on, where does it all stop?

It wouldn’t be so bad but, honestly, how many people actually read the manuals for their new TVs anyway? This move seems to be purely about protecting manufacturers from the asininely litigious, a section of humanity who thoroughly deserve to be told to shut up & go away, if not locked up for wasting everyone elses time!

Anyway, you’ve been warned, so next time you’re thinking about buying furniture or a new digital TV consider the dangers it poses to others around you, especially if you have small children! Anyway I’m off to post a warning in the article I hosted about sideboards, a couple of months back, before some litigious numpty tries to sue me for not pointing out the incredibly obvious!

By guest writer: Elena Price

Sideboards and dressers were extremely popular in the 1970s, but lost their appeal in later years. However, they have recently been making a come-back and are now seen as stylish, must-have pieces of furniture for the dining room.

A dresser is a tall piece of furniture, which usually has a base which has cupboards or drawers, whilst the top section has shelves where you can display your crockery. A sideboard is a piece of furniture which has drawers, cupboards or compartments in which you can store your tableware, and has a flat surface like a table. However, you can also often buy a matching top unit to place on top of the sideboard, making it look like a dresser.

Sideboards and dressers are incredibly practical pieces of furniture, allowing you to store plates, glasses, cutlery and other tableware in your dining room, leaving your kitchen cupboards free for other things.

We’ve put together some hints and tips to help you to choose the perfect sideboard or dresser for your dining room.

Measure up before shopping

Before you start searching for your new furniture, decide where you would like to put it and measure up to see how much space you have available. Remember to make sure that you will have enough room to open the cupboards or drawers. If you are buying a wooden dresser or sideboard, make sure that you don’t place it in direct sunlight, as this can cause fading, or next to a direct heat source, such as a fire or a radiator.

Choose high-quality furniture

Your sideboard or dresser is likely to be used fairly regularly, so it’s important to choose one which is well made so that it will last for years. If you are thinking about buying a wooden sideboard or dresser, look for one which is crafted either entirely or predominantly from solid wood, as it will last longer than one built from cheaper materials such as MDF. Some retailers offer wooden sideboards and dressers with protective lacquer finishes. This type of finish will help to keep your furniture looking its best for longer.

Make sure it’s practical

Make sure that your new sideboard or dresser is practical as well as beautiful. Think about what you want to be able to store in it and make sure that choose one with enough space for your tableware. Do you want to be able to display your crockery or glassware, or would you rather hide it away inside of the unit? Would storing your tableware be easier if the sideboard or dresser had adjustable shelves?

Choose the right style

There are many different styles of sideboard and dresser on the market, and it’s important to make sure that you choose one that suits your dining room, particularly as a sideboard or dresser is likely to be a real focal point in the room. Firstly, you will need to decide whether you would like a traditional or a more contemporary style piece and ensure that whichever style you choose will suit the look of your room and fit in with the rest of your dining room furniture.

Sideboards and dressers can sometimes be fairly bulky, so it’s important to choose one which doesn’t make your dining room look smaller or darker. Although some people avoid buying wooden furniture for this reason, you can buy sideboards and dressers in many different types of wood, and you may find that furniture made from a light coloured wood looks perfect. Alternatively, if you want to make your dining room look warm and cosy, try choosing a sideboard or dresser made from a darker wood.

Look for great deals online

Some online furniture retailers offer great deals on sideboards, dressers and other pieces of furniture, and will deliver your item straight to your door.