So this was in a joke book I got the other day. I don’t get it at all. I googled it, but I’ve only seen it on trivia sites, not presented as a joke. What’s so funny about it?
I’m guessing the joke is that it’s a subtle statement that a man wouldn’t be practical enough to invent those things? 
(Note that I don’t agree with the sentiment, though I’ve heard such things voiced before.)
It’s a joke?
Heh. Y’ever notice how when it’s raining, women always turn on the windshield wipers? But men, y’know, also turn on the windshield wipers? What’s up with that?
In Russia, the laser printer invents YOU!
The punchline “Who then menstruated on them” is missing.
You left out the joke that appears right under it.
Why didn’t men invent those thigs?
They wanted a break after inventing everything else in the world.
Sorry.
Probably because it isn’t a joke. Kevlar was invented/created by Stephanie Kwolek. Not sure about the others.
It seems clear to me that what’s quoted in the OP isn’t a joke, nor is it meant to be. It’s part of a joke – the set-up to part two, provided by Shagnasty. Neither one stands on its own. The two together, a joke make.
Windshield wipers invented by a Mary Anderson, according to:
But laser printers were invented by a man, according to:
I don’t understand the laser printer thing. The others, sure. But laser printer?
Okeydokey, thought I’d pop back in here to clarify.
The book in question is The Adult Only Joke Book (hey, I got it as a bargain book from Waldenbooks). It contains only jokes, nothing intended as actual trivia.
The joke before the one I posted is a list of “The 13 most innocuous, common words, phrases, and sounds, and what they really mean when a woman sees them.” The joke after it is a list of “Great Female Combacks.” Neither of them have anything to do with women inventing anything or bullet-proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, or laser printers.
From what I can find googling, kevlar and windshield wipers were indeed invented by women, but fire escapes and laser printers weren’t. So it’s also an untrue factoid, which I’ve found it presented as on some trivia sites.
They were all feminists.
Q: How many feminists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: That’s NOT funny.
:smack: Comebacks.
Well, I thought Shagnasty had the same book and was serious. Now I’ve got one leg longer than the other from being pulled. :o
So now I don’t get it either.
Perhaps the publisher of the OP’s book was just copying from some other source, and mixed up the order, without realizing that it destroyed the comedy of this particular two-question joke.
Bwa ha ha ha ha!
:wipes tears from my eyes:
laser printers. Oh, man. That’s classic.
Tell me about it. I grew up in a town so small, the hooker wore a helmet!
I think it is unusual to think that the inventor of the fire escape could be narrowed down to one person. If that’s the case, who invented the spoon, the screwdriver, etc?
By the way, in order to have a laser printer, you’d need a laser. The laser was invented by Gordon Gould, who passed away quite recently.
At least you now know why it was so inexpensive.