Have a heavy load that needs lifting? Have the kids do it.
This picture was taken from a big heavy box delivered to our office today. We get the point of the illustration, but we couldn’t help but chuckle about how the people look like 9 year olds. Thanks for the photo, BB.
Jason Fried wrote this on Feb 15 2007
There are35 comments.
I’m interested what it is about these featureless outlines that makes them look young. They’re thin with smallish faces, but otherwise I’m not seeing it. I think this might be due to a brain problem on my part though :)
I’m with Peter Cooper, I think the sideburns mean they are at least in their early teen years. My guess is that they are actually a Cirque du Soleil act and they are able to the arched back, off balance appearing stunt due to their years and years of gymnastics training.
I could be wrong, but…
Jonathan
on 16 Feb 07
Is it just me, or is this blog starting to reach for topics, to find something to post, in a desperate attempt to keep the audience? I visit occasionally here, in search of wisdom, but I find these kinds of filler posts a waste of time. Sorry 37Signals, we expect more (er… should I say “we expect less”?!)
And if they don’t watch out they are going to hit their heads on the wrecklessly placed “Handle with Care” when they stand up. Remember kids – lift with your legs, not your back!
f5
on 16 Feb 07
Interesting that the illustrations demonstrate exactly how not to lift something heavy, without totally ganking your lower back.
Mike
on 16 Feb 07
Ignore Jonathon. He’s just jealous he doesn’t have eyeless, earless, mouthless, sideburned twin 9 year olds with bad lifting techniques working in his office.
Peter – I think it is that their heads are slightly too large for their bodies. Isn’t it true that children don’t ‘grow into’ their heads, and therefore have an appropriate head-to-body-size ratio until 10 years? i think this is what does it with this picture…
Kyle
on 16 Feb 07
The world’s going to hell .. 37s with DELL hardware? Isn’t there an apple video about these guys? j/k
JF
on 16 Feb 07
Ha! Actually the box was for our officemates at Coudal.
Easy there JF, that product went home with Steve, so it wasn’t officially a Coudal purchase.
FredS
on 17 Feb 07
The guys have sideburns…kids can’t grow sideburns.
craig d
on 18 Feb 07
this is an obvious situation of people not thinking outside of the box…
these children are fighting over the monitor—-
not lifting it.
cd
kyle
on 19 Feb 07
The kids are included right? So do you throw them away when you’re done, or do you just put them back in the box for later use?
Curtis
on 21 Feb 07
I am pretty sure that those are two Japanese guys fighting over a Famicon.
Phillip
on 21 Feb 07
Must be a playstation 3.
This discussion is closed.
About Jason Fried
Jason co-founded Basecamp back in 1999. He also co-authored REWORK, the New York Times bestselling book on running a "right-sized" business. Co-founded, co-authored... Can he do anything on his own?
Zack
on 15 Feb 07What was the big heavy box?
JF
on 15 Feb 07What was the big heavy box?
Mummies. Lots of mummies.
Darren
on 15 Feb 07Don’t knock child labour – look on it as a learning experience, character building even!
Martha
on 15 Feb 07Looks like a big plasma/LCD from the picture on the box. Must be big if it takes two nine-year olds. Yummy.
gwg
on 15 Feb 07I was thinking the opposite. Those are either two giants lifting a tv, or the tv is made of solid lead.
Dan
on 15 Feb 07Yeah, I’ve got to go with giants as well.
Splashman
on 15 Feb 07I interpreted the illustration this way:
“Warning! If two kids fight over this product, it may fly up into the air!”
That’s an awful representation. Both “kids” are about to fall over backwards.
Doug March
on 15 Feb 07So how big did you go with the flat screen? 42inch?
Dan
on 15 Feb 07It’s definitely a Dell LCD panel, and probably the 24” or the 30” at least (smaller ones only require one child to lift).
Believe me they are heavier things then you might think; I would definitely recommend using the two supplied 9 year olds to do the lifting for you.
Adam
on 15 Feb 07They actually look like blind cave-dwelling 9-year olds, eyeless and all.
beto
on 15 Feb 07Well, they’re young. Unlike us almost-geezers, they can afford a sore back and recover themselves in no time.
Wishing I could be unpacking one of those today, still.
Blake P.
on 15 Feb 07They are too young to realize they shouldn’t arch their back. Just wait ‘til gym class in a few years boys.
Seth
on 15 Feb 07I still don’t see whats wrong with a little unpaid child labor!
:)
Peter Cooper
on 16 Feb 07I’m interested what it is about these featureless outlines that makes them look young. They’re thin with smallish faces, but otherwise I’m not seeing it. I think this might be due to a brain problem on my part though :)
topfunky
on 16 Feb 07The sideburns suggest that teenagers are required.
William
on 16 Feb 07Those aren’t just 9 year olds, they’re identical twins!
James D Kirk
on 16 Feb 07I’m with Peter Cooper, I think the sideburns mean they are at least in their early teen years. My guess is that they are actually a Cirque du Soleil act and they are able to the arched back, off balance appearing stunt due to their years and years of gymnastics training.
I could be wrong, but…
Jonathan
on 16 Feb 07Is it just me, or is this blog starting to reach for topics, to find something to post, in a desperate attempt to keep the audience? I visit occasionally here, in search of wisdom, but I find these kinds of filler posts a waste of time. Sorry 37Signals, we expect more (er… should I say “we expect less”?!)
Scott Meade
on 16 Feb 07And if they don’t watch out they are going to hit their heads on the wrecklessly placed “Handle with Care” when they stand up. Remember kids – lift with your legs, not your back!
f5
on 16 Feb 07Interesting that the illustrations demonstrate exactly how not to lift something heavy, without totally ganking your lower back.
Mike
on 16 Feb 07Ignore Jonathon. He’s just jealous he doesn’t have eyeless, earless, mouthless, sideburned twin 9 year olds with bad lifting techniques working in his office.
Kim Siever
on 16 Feb 07Now even nine-year-olds have better sideburns than I.
Another Mike
on 16 Feb 07I agree Mike. Jonathon is definitely lacking in the eyeless, earless, etc. child department. Maybe his oompa-loompas just aren’t cutting it anymore.
Anyway, it’s THEIR blog. They should be able to write whatever they darn well please.
Another Mike
on 16 Feb 07I agree Mike. Jonathon is definitely lacking in the eyeless, earless, etc. child department. Maybe his oompa-loompas just aren’t cutting it anymore.
Anyway, it’s THEIR blog. They should be able to write whatever they darn well please.
JoJo
on 16 Feb 07That’s so funny. Yesterday I was opening a monitor box from Dell which showed that exact picture. I laughed for the very same reason.
topfunky
on 16 Feb 07@jonathan: At least they haven’t gone from a technical blog to one that instructs people on how to make cheese sandwiches!
http://pragdave.pragprog.com/pragdave/2007/02/toasted_cheese.html
chad
on 16 Feb 07Peter – I think it is that their heads are slightly too large for their bodies. Isn’t it true that children don’t ‘grow into’ their heads, and therefore have an appropriate head-to-body-size ratio until 10 years? i think this is what does it with this picture…
Kyle
on 16 Feb 07The world’s going to hell .. 37s with DELL hardware? Isn’t there an apple video about these guys? j/k
JF
on 16 Feb 07Ha! Actually the box was for our officemates at Coudal.
Coudal
on 16 Feb 07Easy there JF, that product went home with Steve, so it wasn’t officially a Coudal purchase.
FredS
on 17 Feb 07The guys have sideburns…kids can’t grow sideburns.
craig d
on 18 Feb 07this is an obvious situation of people not thinking outside of the box…
these children are fighting over the monitor—-
not lifting it.
cd
kyle
on 19 Feb 07The kids are included right? So do you throw them away when you’re done, or do you just put them back in the box for later use?
Curtis
on 21 Feb 07I am pretty sure that those are two Japanese guys fighting over a Famicon.
Phillip
on 21 Feb 07Must be a playstation 3.
This discussion is closed.