Recalling For Safety

I smoked a turkey today and think I smell more appetizing than the bird. That is my big complaint with using a charcoal pit. The food tastes much better than what is barbecued on a gas pit, but it is a mess. I sometimes shower after I finish the smoking because it is too odorous for me.
I am being bombarded with news of product recalls these days. You know, a government ordered or a voluntary manufacture's recall of a product because it may be "unsafe". The United States may be "the land of free and home of the brave", but it also the main place for stupid product recalls. Both manufacturers and the government say those allegedly dangerous products must be recalled for "public safety" reasons, but the real reason for most of them is to prevent the other American passion- the frivolous lawsuit.
A company knows that if one accident happens that involves one of their products a lot of people will use the same reason to claim the product did expensive damage to them as well. Let's say little Johnny falls of his bike and breaks a leg. Even if he fell because he is clumsy, the parents may claim it was because the bike isn't sturdy enough to prevent such accidents. The parents will sue for an enormous amount of money, and two things will happen as a result.
The first is that the company will pay off the parents with a handsome settlement in return for their promise to keep quiet and forget the whole matter. The second action the company will take depends on whether media has broadcast the little Johnny accident episode enough to make other parents encourage their own little Johnny's to break their legs too (I think some parents actually shove Johnny off the bike if he won't go down himself).
If the word is out that the bike is "unsafe", the bike company will recall all the bikes in stores and stop making that edition of bike. A new (almost identical one) will replace it so no one can sue as the first parent has done. However, if no one else sues or complains about the bike that little Johnny rode when having his accident, the company will put out an idiot disclaimer on every one of the model of bikes Johnny rode...something like "Careful, it is possible your child may fall while riding"
It is a product warning for morons because it is so common sense everyone must already know it. Wrong! Juries want a warning statement before they side with a company being sued by a "grieving parent". This may indeed protect the company from future lawsuits by a parents who sue because their kids fell of the bike, After all, they are "warned" about it happening when they buy, assemble the bike and read the warning message. That's why consumer products have so many silly warnings. they all help when the company is sued by a user of a product it makes.
We now have product recalls for everything : toys (I remember Jane's 'Barbie Car' was recalled for safety reasons- the battery caught fire in 3 of them...but I never returned the car), food (it is dirty, has allergens, sulfites...and a million more reasons), drugs is a health risk, has undetermined substances within, may cause cancer or lead contamination etc..), cars (you name it and it has been a reason for a recall)....A list of all the products recalled would include every type conceivable.
In the case of 99% of the recalls there is no real danger, making them unnecessary. Let's face it. There are billions of people in the world, and almost all of them are much more likely to suffer injury from something that is NOT recalled. Anyone can hurt him or herself getting out of bed (maybe all the beds should be recalled?) in the morning. To be completely safe in life we would have to recall everything we use or come in contact with (my mail may be infected with my stupidity but if you recall it I am not taking it back). Most recalls are for idiots and that is the problem. You see, the idiots are the ones inconveniencing us, making us subject to recalls and product withdrawals that are not necessary.
Are the recalls worth the inconvenience to us? Most of the time, NO. I prefer to take my chances in the Barbie Car (well, I can't now because I gave it to charity years ago when Jane outgrew it) than to be subjected to crazy recalls. The fact is we can't make the lives of people foolproof, and there is a limit to how far we should go to try. Most product recalls go wayyyyyyyyy past that limit.
Oh....I almost forgot to wrote this before ending my mail.......... " Please be advised. Due to the idiotic and irrational content contained, reading Jim's E mail exposes one's brain to inherent risks that may cause damages. Said composer of this E mails disavows himself any legal liability due to anything he has written herein."