Thousands of lethal toys seized

[NewGuy]

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9355213%5E26462,00.html

It is Australia.....but think about the WHOLE article and what would happen if America was made "safe".

THOUSANDS of toys that authorities say could have strangled and mutilated children have been seized in Victoria.

In what is believed to be Australia's second biggest mass confiscation of playthings, safety officers discovered almost 3000 potentially lethal yo-yos, as well as hundreds of dangerous sucker-dart guns and projectile-hurling action figures in a warehouse raid last week.

The yo-yo balls posed a strangulation hazard, according Consumer Affairs officials, while the other toys could have cause eye loss.

It is the biggest seizure to hit the dangerous toy racket since customs officials seized 3700 fake guns in a pre-Christmas raid in 1999.

Victorian Consumer Affairs Minister John Lenders said the seizure showed the State Government would not tolerate the sale of banned toys that had the potential to seriously injure or even kill.

"We acted quickly to seize the dangerous toys and prevent the importer from distributing more banned items to retailers across the State," Mr Lenders said.

During the warehouse raid computer records were seized which could help trace the suppliers of the banned toys.

The Huntingdale warehouse where the toys were discovered supplies toys to discount retailers across Victoria.

“It is irresponsible and unacceptable that a large toy supplier would continue to sell dangerous toys which have been banned for at least 12 months,” Mr Lenders said.

Consumer Affairs safety inspectors seized:


2596 Yo Yo Balls that pose a strangulation hazard to children and were banned in May 2003;

768 ‘Protector Riot Guns’, which contain small suction cup darts and pose a choking hazard to children;

16 ‘Electric Shooting Box Lucky Star’ sets - a gun and target assembly that fires projectiles with enough force to cause eye injuries, and

21 ‘Power Steel Super Action’ hero model figures which fire projectiles with enough force to cause eye injuries.
Mr Lenders said the ‘Protector Riot Gun’ was similar to the gun and dart set that caused a child’s death in New South Wales in 2002 and prompted the ban.

A spokesman for Mr Lenders said the toys were being held in storage so they could be used in any legal proceedings arising out of the seizure.

They would then most likely be destroyed, the spokesman said.

 

[nycflasher]

Originally posted by NewGuy

It is Australia.....but think about the WHOLE article and what would happen if America was made "safe".

Pretty vague statement, NewGuy. What do you mean?
Unsafe toys are constantly being pulled off the shelves here in the U.S.
Thanks to who you ask? Ralph Nader.

He founded the Public Interest Research Groups(an alliance of state-based, citizen-funded organizations that advocate for the public interest) which in its lifetime has pulled many unsafe toys off the shelves.

How do I know? My first job when I was 15 or 16 was with ConnPIRG, the CT chapter. Shitty ass job, I made no money and quit after 3 weeks. But they do good work.
I am just not a fan of going to people's houses at dinner time asking for contributions.

 

[NewGuy]

Originally posted by nycflasher
Pretty vague statement, NewGuy. What do you mean?
Unsafe toys are constantly being pulled off the shelves here in the U.S.
Thanks to who you ask? Ralph Nader.

Of course it was vague. I wanted to get people thinking about the "what-ifs".

Seems most people don't think beyond the latest sound bite anymore. I was looking to get people to consider what DOES happen in the US and how we control our safety and then wether we even SHOULD control it from a governmental standpoint. After that, how do you regulate what is going "too far".

I guess all of that needed to be stated as free thinking didn't happen as I would have hoped.

 

[Reilly]

"The yo-yo balls posed a strangulation hazard, according Consumer Affairs officials"

How could one yo-yo pose more of a strangulation risk than another? Is the string made out of fishing wire?

 

[nycflasher]

Originally posted by NewGuy
Of course it was vague. I wanted to get people thinking about the "what-ifs".

Seems most people don't think beyond the latest sound bite anymore. I was looking to get people to consider what DOES happen in the US and how we control our safety and then wether we even SHOULD control it from a governmental standpoint. After that, how do you regulate what is going "too far".

I guess all of that needed to be stated as free thinking didn't happen as I would have hoped.

I always think freely ;-)
edit: I just foiund the question to be vague. Safe from toys, safe from terrorism, safe from eugenics?

 

[nycflasher]

Originally posted by Reilly
"The yo-yo balls posed a strangulation hazard, according Consumer Affairs officials"

How could one yo-yo pose more of a strangulation risk than another? Is the string made out of fishing wire?

He-he. Razor wire.

 

[pegwinn]

....... but I still played with my slingshot.

I am surprized that any product gets pulled. If we actually took an objective (non partizan) look and removed it based on the probability of injury, tobacco and alcohol would get banned along with darts and barbie accessories.

Besides if we pulled too many products the product liability lawsuit industry would slump, Caint have that now can we?

 

[proud_savagette]

I can't help but wonder how many children have died playing with a yo yo....what is their argument concerning the yo-yo, anyway? I mean, sure, in ancient china they used them as weapons, but methinks that they are alot more...domestic..than they were then, eh? I played with yo-yos when I was little, and so did my mom and dad, and my triplet brother and sister, and my little brother, and my grandparents, etc. They never died from that. I've never HEARD of anyone doing that. What are they going to do, unwind it and wrap it around their throats? even then, how would it stay, really? That's strange. Oh well.

 

[MtnBiker]

There is an old SNL skit with Dan Akroyd, he is a sleazy manufacture selling toys. One of them was "Bag-O-Broken-Glass"
:teeth:

 

[nycflasher]

Originally posted by MtnBiker
There is an old SNL skit with Dan Akroyd, he is a sleazy manufacture selling toys. One of them was "Bag-O-Broken-Glass"
:teeth:

That's the funniest thing I've heard all day.
Thank you

 

[Hobbit]

I can understand pulling things that are the perfect size to choke kids (small enough to go down the throat and large enough to get stuck) or obviously dangerous toys (involving fire or sharp things, for example), but what happened to just letting kids play with toys? I was on the front edge of these "safety toys," but when I was a kid, it was Darwinian. The kid who eats too many marbles doesn't grow up to have kids of his own. Now, with all these "safety toys," we're growing thousands more idiots.

 

[insein]

Originally posted by Hobbit
I can understand pulling things that are the perfect size to choke kids (small enough to go down the throat and large enough to get stuck) or obviously dangerous toys (involving fire or sharp things, for example), but what happened to just letting kids play with toys? I was on the front edge of these "safety toys," but when I was a kid, it was Darwinian. The kid who eats too many marbles doesn't grow up to have kids of his own. Now, with all these "safety toys," we're growing thousands more idiots.

Indeed, but think of the children. Oh nm they'll all grow up to be brainwashed Dems anyway. We're fucked.

 

[Sandy73]

Originally posted by nycflasher
That's the funniest thing I've heard all day.
Thank you

Oh yeah I remember that one too !! They showed knives and shit like that for kids it was funny

 

[Hobbit]

Originally posted by insein
Indeed, but think of the children. Oh nm they'll all grow up to be brainwashed Dems anyway. We're fucked.

Liste to the George Carling routine "F*** the Children."

He has a point. They're not clever, cute, and adorable. Some are, but most of them are quite dumb, frustrating, immoral, and many of the smell.

Anyways, for a serious view, I think we need to concentrate less on making foolproof safety devices and more on limiting who is allowed to sue who over what.

 

[pegwinn]

Originally posted by Hobbit
..............more on limiting who is allowed to sue who over what.

Yes, Yes, Vote for him