[housemusicfan]

> The standard US plug is _begging_ for people to stuff things in it like say, knives, rarely if ever has an earth pin, has no shutters, is massively unsafe, the cable gauge is laughable, GFCI outlets are a miracle to find, and the building rules are... let's just say they're an invitation for house fires.

Literally every single thing you've asserted is categorically false.

Earth pins have been required on outlets for nearly 50 years at this point. US outlets are also polarized, which Europlugs are not.

Shutters on outlets have been mandatory in residences and medical facilities for well over a decade.

The cable gauge is sized for the current and ambient temperature.

GFCI outlets are required nearly everywhere there is water, damp conditions (such as basements), and power tools used (such as garages and outdoors) because tools are most likely to have frayed and poorly repaired cords. Additionally all bedrooms and living spaces now require arc fault protection as a leading cause of fires is due to frayed lamp cords.

Europe still leads the world when it comes to smoking in bed as being a leading cause of house fires so I would not cast stones in glass houses.

[crooked-v]

> Shutters on outlets have been mandatory in residences

The only shutters on outlets in any US homes I've ever lived in have been... ones I put in myself.

[pxx]

They've been mandatory since 2008. (NEC Section 406.12).

Many people don't notice they exist. You have to examine the outlet fairly closely to notice them but certainly any new construction is all TR receptacles now (with the possible exception of the ones very far off the floor).

[bombcar]

Most residences are more than fifteen years old, so people won’t notice changes. Also modern shuttered outlets are better than the first ones that were available, so you won’t even notice unless you look closely.

[xcrunner529]

He must have been going for comedy because that post literally made me LOL.