2011 Wacky Warning Label Finalists Announced!

Warning on dust mask:  “Does not supply oxygen”

14^th ANNUAL WACKY WARNING LABELS™ CONTEST:

2011 FINALISTS SELECTED

Finalist Photos Available at www.centerforamerica.org, www.bobdorigojones.com

ATLANTA/DETROIT, MAY 17, 2011:        The internationally recognized Wacky Warning Labels™ Contest, now in its 14^th year, has selected the 2011 FINALISTS! The top five finalists are:

“For gun only, not a functional day planner.”

A label on an advertisement for a leather handgun holder designed to look like a daily planner (submitted from Massachusetts)

“Does not supply oxygen.”

A label on a common dust mask.  (Submitted from Texas)

“Warning:  Avoid Drowning.  Remove safety cover from spa when in use.”

A label on an outdoor hot tub cover (submitted from Wisconsin)

“Warning:  The action depicted in this brochure is potentially dangerous.  The riders seen are experienced experts or professionals.”

A bicycle brochure with pictures of small children riding their bikes (submitted from Michigan)

 “Warning:  Pen caps can obstruct breathing.  Keep out of mouth.”

Instructions that come with a ballpoint pen (submitted from Michigan)

Contest creator Bob Dorigo Jones, bestselling author of Remove Child Before Folding:  The 101 Stupidest, Silliest and Wackiest Warning Labels Ever, has reached hundreds of millions of Americans in the past decade with the important message of the Contest – “Absurd and silly labels surround us in everyday places – because America has a lawsuit-happy culture that must be changed!”

Bob’s been talking about the Contest on his weekly radio commentary, “Let’s Be Fair!”  and in his “Let’s Be Fair!” blog (www.bobdorigojones.com).

Hilarious and thought-provoking past winners include:

• “Remove child before folding” – on a baby stroller!
• “Never operate your speakerphone while driving” – on a hands-free cell phone product called the “Drive ‘N’ Talk”! (2010 Contest Winner)
• “Not for use on moving vehicles” – the warning on the “Off-Road Commode,” a portable toilet seat that attaches to a trailer hitch!
• “Danger:  Avoid Death” – a warning on a small tractor!
• “Harmful if swallowed – a warning on a  brass fishing lure with a three-pronged hook
• “This product moves when used” – a warning on a popular children’s scooter!

Last year, contest results reached more than 150 million Americans via international media coverage.  Wacky Warning Labels™ is a project of The Center for America, a dynamic non-profit organization educating, motivating and empowering the American people to reduce barriers to free enterprise.  See more about CFA and Wacky Warning Labels™ at www.centerforamerica.org.

Bob would love to talk to you about the Wacky Warning Label Contest and his observations about America’s lawsuit-happy culture.  Please contact the media representatives listed above and we’ll make it happen.  

–END –

Lawsuit taxes go public

They're not hidden anymore - they're on your tax bill

By Bob Dorigo Jones

The Washington Times (link)

Thursday, August 26, 2010

--

The "hidden" lawsuit tax that all Americans pay because we live in the most lawsuit-happy society on earth isn't hiding in Detroit anymore. Beware - it may come out of hiding soon in your city, too.

Because of mounting lawsuits against public schools in the Motor City, taxpayers there have been forced to pay a new special levy over and above the other taxes. It's an alarming development and should be a warning sign to residents of other cities across the nation of what will happen if courts and policymakers fail to address the growing problem of excessive litigation in our country.

In July, the Detroit Free Press reported that property owners there are getting socked with a new markup on their summer property tax bills to pay off lawsuits against the schools.

Like most school districts and cities in the United States, the Detroit Public School District is facing a financial emergency brought on by, among other things, the struggling national economy.

Rather than roll the costs of the lawsuits into the general-fund budget as they try to pay other bills, officials chose to use a little-known law that allows them to charge a "judgment tax levy." Worse yet, this lawsuit tax doesn't require voter approval.

For years, consumer advocates like myself have been sounding an alarm about the hidden lawsuit tax built into everything we buy. All of the lawsuits against doctors, job providers and even charities add a staggering amount to the cost of the things we buy every day - not to mention the quality of life in our communities.

According to the most thorough analysis of the total legal costs in America conducted to date, an American family of four pays an "excessive tort tax" of about $7,800 a year in higher prices, fewer new products and reduced access to health care. This study was conducted by the Pacific Research Institute and is the most realistic look at how much we pay for excessive litigation.

Although the lawsuit tax hasn't appeared on the receipts we get when we buy a car or go to the doctor, the costs are there nonetheless. Now, with Detroit's schools adding a special levy for the lawsuits, one portion of the tax is out in the open.

With other cities and school districts facing financial crises of their own, how much longer will you be able to avoid a special levy on your tax bill? Just this week, an advocacy group in California called Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse released a study revealing that 12 school districts in the Golden State have had to pay $98.7 million in litigation costs over the past three fiscal years. That's troubling, for sure, but it's only a fraction of the total cost of lawsuits because there are nearly 1,000 school districts in California.

School districts aren't the only governmental units being crippled by the cost of litigation. In 2008, it cost New York City $554 million to pay off lawsuits. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg was quoted as saying, "Court settlements are killing us," and one major newspaper said the city should be known as "Sue York."

Taxpayers should wake up to the hidden - and not-so-hidden-anymore - tax that's piling up because of the proliferation of lawsuits. Because we're in election season, voters should ask candidates where they stand on this issue. It's time for policymakers to tackle the problem of lawsuit abuse because the true costs are coming out of hiding. Your city might be next.

Bob Dorigo Jones is senior fellow at Foundation for Fair Civil Justice.

© Copyright 2010 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

13th Annual Wacky Warning Labels™ Contest Winners Selected On National Television

Grand Prize Winner – “Drive ‘N’ Talk Speakerphone – Not for use while driving!”

Watch the video here, and see the images of all the finalists here.

(New York City/July 12, 2010): The winners are in – and the list is crazier than ever!  The 13th annual Wacky Warning Labels™ Contest, which reaches tens of millions of Americans each year, entertains and alarms the nation about the lawsuit-happy culture and the lengths to which companies must go to avoid lawsuits.  Here are the winners, as selected by the studio audience for “Stossel” on FOX Business Network, which first aired on July 8:

• This year’s Grand Prize Winner (pictured right) is “Never operate your speakerphone while driving,” a warning attached to the Jabra “Drive ‘N’ Talk” speakerphone for use with a mobile cell phone.  The label was submitted by Courtney Pike of Bay City, Michigan, who wins the $1000 grand prize and a copy of Wacky Warning Labels™ Contest host Bob Dorigo Jones’ bestselling book, Remove Child Before Folding:  101 Stupidest, Silliest and Wackiest Warning Labels Ever.  As Bob says in his short news video (www.wackywarninglabelstv.com), “That’s why we bought the thing!”


• The Second Prize Winner is “This product moves when used,” a warning attached to a Razor motorized go-cart.


• The Third Prize Winner is “Use of a headset that covers both ears will impair your ability to hear other sounds,” a warning on the Plantronics Bluetooth full headset.

“Once a year, millions of people around the world get a collective laugh from our winners,” said Bob Dorigo Jones.  “The truth is, this is no laughing matter.  In fact, every family of four in America pays a ‘litigation tax’ of more than $9,000 a year on products and services we buy.”

Bob is Senior Fellow at Foundation for Fair Civil Justice, one of the nation’s leading legal reform and free enterprise organizations (www.foundationforfairciviljustice.org).  Bob hosts a weekly radio commentary, “Let’s Be Fair!” that demonstrates the impact of lawsuit abuse on American families and communities.  The radio commentaries are heard on 20 radio stations and are available on www.dailycaller.com, one of the nation’s leading newssites.  Bob also hosts a blog on which he expands on the stories from “Let’s Be Fair!” and other free enterprise issues (www.bobdorigojones.com).

For more information, or to schedule an interview with Bob, contact:

Jenny Kefauver
703-850-3533
jenny@jkpublicrelationsdc.com

 or

Todd Young,
770-317-2423
todd@dminews.com

Winners Announced on "Stossel", Fox Business Network!

13th Annual Wacky Warning Label™ Contest Finalists!

ATLANTA/USA:  The internationally recognized Wacky Warning Labels™ Contest – this year, it’s bigger, more hilarious and more important than ever!  Our new video is more than “news” about this year’s contest – it’s a “fun” video release featuring this year’s Contest finalists!

NEW VIDEO RELEASE:  90 Seconds of Fun and Insights on Wacky Warning Labels™ 

Downloads available in various broadcast media formats for use on TV, radio and Internet!
It makes terrific entertaining news!

This year’s winners will be selected by studio audience on FOX Business News’ “Stossel,” airing at 8 PM ET on Thursday, July 8.

Contest creator Bob Dorigo Jones, bestselling author of Remove Child Before Folding: The 101 Stupidest, Silliest and Wackiest Warning Labels Ever, has reached hundreds of millions of Americans in the past decade with the important message of the WWL Annual Contest –

“Absurd and silly labels surround us in everyday places – because America has a lawsuit-happy culture that must be changed!”

Hilarious and thought-provoking past winners include:

• “Remove child before folding” – on a child car safety seat!
• “Not for use on moving vehicles” – the warning on the “Off-Road Commode,” a portable toilet seat that attaches to a trailer hitch!
• “Danger:  Avoid Death” – a warning on a small tractor!
• “Harmful if swallowed – a warning on a  brass fishing lure with a three-pronged hook
• “This product moves when used” – a warning on a popular children’s scooter!

Bob would love to talk to you about the Wacky Warning Label Contest and his observations about America’s lawsuit-happy culture.  The Wacky Warning Labels™ Contest is sponsored by Foundation for Fair Civil Justice (www.foundationforfairciviljustice.org). 

Please contact the media representatives listed on our media contacts page, and we'll make it happen.