It’s a long weekend here in the land of Aus, and my wife is competing in an ice skating contest ….so I've borrowed a digital camera from my workplace.

Being a conservative sort of person, ( and also being threatened by my wife that I had BETTER make sure any pictures I take are good ones ) I decided to actually read the instruction booklet.

Hmmmmmm ……

Perhaps booklet is not the correct term. The instructions are in pdf format - 110 A4 pages.

But what really surprised me were the safety warnings. SIX full A4 pages of them. I never knew using a digital camera could be an activity subject to so much peril.

To protect the guilty, I shall refrain from telling what brand and model this camera is, but it is a well known and respected brand.

I offer for your general education some of the warnings and cautions offered to the novice digital camera user.

-------------------------------------------------------

- Do not use batteries that are soiled with oil or sweat
( Safe to soil them with anything else though? )

- Do not use the camera while driving.
( Hadn't really planned to … )

- Stop using the camera immediately if smoke starts coming out of it.
( It's gonna do WHAT? )

- Do not use the camera on unstable ground. Serious injury or death may result from a fall from a high place.
( Can't argue with that … )

- Do not use the camera during thunder or lightning.Death may occur if lightning strikes the camera.
( Hey, what about if the lightning strikes *me* ?? )

- The strap might wrap around the neck causing strangulation.
( Just what I need, a camera strap with with a life of its own, AND homicidal tendancies … )

- Camera dropping on the head or body parts may not only cause personal injury but malfunction of the unit as well.
( No mention of the reason why the camera was dropped on my, or anyone else's head. Probably better not to know, I guess ...)

- Do not use force when operating the camera. The camera may become damaged, causing personal injury.
( Damm. And I was soooooo looking forward to bashing it. )

Do not drop combustible items items into the camera
( So that’s what causes the smoke !! )

And finally, provided I haven't been in a traffic accident, asphyxiated by smoke, fallen off of a cliff, struck by lightning, strangled, hit on the head, or otherwise personally injured, I might fall victim to this final, deadly, hazard.

- Take care not to get fingers caught in the battery cover. Personal injury may result

( Ouch. I just pinched my finger ) [img]graemlins/cat3.gif[/img]


Pang.

ROFL hilarious :D

who new there were so many ways to die or be injured through use of such a small device :D . i may never be able to use one again :D

Maybe this is why professional photographers charge so much $$$$ the fee includes hazard pay.

Hiya Pangur [img]smile.gif[/img]

And whilst doing (or not doing) all that - don't forget to watch out for Drop Bears :D

Seems to me you can thank your bar association for that stuff.

Hi Davros [img]graemlins/cat3.gif[/img]

At least there should be no drop bears in the skating rink. The skaters are much more dangerous.

Pang.

they forgot to mention these :D

Do not use in bathtub, might cause electricuation if plugged into ac outlet

if camera should fall in river...do not dive after it, serious ingury or death could result

[img]tongue.gif[/img] do not ask if I did this cuz no, but have known of people doind it :D

LOL, funny comment man. You have a talent for making jokes. [img]graemlins/laugh2.gif[/img]

while reading that I experienced a fun feeling and I could not help from making short but strong sounds. kinda like hahahaha. I wonder if i am sick or if I experience this strange thing known as a laugh. [img]tongue.gif[/img]