By the time you read this your son may be dead

[FRED]

Letter in the NYTimes today, below. Why advise a reader to take an "immediate trip to the ER" in a letter published in a newspaper? That's like sending a letter to the FIRE Department when your house is on fire. Shouldn't they have tried to contact the writer immediately and published the information about CO poisoning in a separate warning?

[Nervous Drake]

Re: By the time you read this your son may be dead

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[Jay]

Re: By the time you read this your son may be dead

Dear Do-it-yourself house repairs,

I bought a used oven from craigslist advertised as "free." When I got home and installed it, it was working perfectly. I even baked a fine cake, but I smelled something weird. Later on I got kind of a headache but I just opened the windows in the kitchen.

It's been a week now and the smell has gotten so bad I can't enter the kitchen without feeling extremely light headed. I was wondering, is there something wrong with this oven?

Chuck it or have it looked at.

[metalman]

Re: By the time you read this your son may be dead

Dear Do-it-yourself house repairs,

I bought a used oven from craigslist advertised as "free." When I got home and installed it, it was working perfectly. I even baked a fine cake, but I smelled something weird. Later on I got kind of a headache but I just opened the windows in the kitchen.

It's been a week now and the smell has gotten so bad I can't enter the kitchen without feeling extremely light headed. I was wondering, is there something wrong with this oven?

listen to your head, man. anything stinks and gives me a headache ain't staying in my house.

[Nervous Drake]

Re: By the time you read this your son may be dead

.

[jk]

Re: By the time you read this your son may be dead

Dear Do-it-yourself house repairs,

I bought a used oven from craigslist advertised as "free." When I got home and installed it, it was working perfectly. I even baked a fine cake, but I smelled something weird. Later on I got kind of a headache but I just opened the windows in the kitchen.

It's been a week now and the smell has gotten so bad I can't enter the kitchen without feeling extremely light headed. I was wondering, is there something wrong with this oven?

if you peek into the stove and strike a match, that might illuminate the situation.

[FRED]

Re: By the time you read this your son may be dead

Haha.

Dear utilities-r-us,

I noticed that when I plug my tv into the outlet in my living room, these weird flashy sparks come out. One time I touched the flash and it sent a strange shock through my body.

Now whenever I turn on my TV, the outlet starts to smoke. Is there a problem here or should I keep using my TV?

Dear iTulip,

When I drop my plugged-in toaster into the bathtub my hair stands on end. Is that bad?

Signed,

Toasted

Dear Toasted,

We'd never recommend dropping a plugged-in toaster into the bathtub. However, if the toaster is on fire and your mother-in-law is in the bathtub and your choice is between burning down your home and zapping your mother-in-law, we admit that the choice may be difficult. If you are in the tub with her, recommend an additional plugged-in toaster just to be sure.