From the department of cross cultural sensitivity…

I am considering adding a new feature to this Blog intended to foster inter-cultural understanding. I might call it “Top 10 Stupid Things Foreigners Do That Annoy Me” though I doubt I’ll be able to stop at 10. Here’s the first entry. What is the story behind on/off switches on their power outlets? They are everywhere and they make absolutely no sense. In the good ole USA we manage to run a pretty successful country without them. Here you plug something in, say a lamp. You flick the switch on the lamp and it doesn’t work, because you forgot to also flick the switch on the outlet. Haven’t they noticed that every device that needs an on/off switch already has one a lot more conveniently located then 6 inches off the floor, behind the couch? The only conceivable benefit I can think of (beyond added profits to electrical device manufacturers) is that if your kid jams a paperclip into the outlet there is only a 50/50 chance of it electrocuting him. Though if it does it is more likely to kill since they have 220 not 110 voltage. (Don't get me started on that.) If anyone out there has a plausible explanation for the switches please share it.