Sunday, December 03, 2006

Christmas toys, the REAL Worst

W.A.T.C.H is World Against Toys Causing Harm, Incorporated no less. They have a dull and worthily pessimistic annual list of the most dangerous toys for sale.

Their list is a little anemic this year, aside from a cheap rocket I would have dearly loved to practice controlled mayhem with at 12. Otherwise the list comes off as nannyish and occasionally preachy. I think Wheelies are brilliant for instance. I would have loved a pair as a kid. Their standards here seem like they would have meant no skateboards or rollerskates or Weebles.

A certain amount of physical risk is kind of inherent to childhood.

The real worst toys sink to new levels of mind-blowing awfulness and cluelessness that has to be seen to believed. For example, McFarlane's Humpty Dumpty. Granted its more intended for the adult toy collector, but it's grotesque and unpleasant no matter who the intended audience.

Then there's this mind-blowing example of unlimited cluelssness to marvel at:



But nothing can beat the soul-searing awfulness of this. The toy you give to the child you hate.

2 comments:

Alison said...

World Against Toys Causing Harm.
What an excellent idea.
Presumably the list includes toys made by child, slave, or political prisoner labour, toys destined for immediate space in a landfill, and toys that promote sexist, racist or speciesist behavior.

Cliff said...

Well they have the ultra realistic machine gun - I find that one hard to argue with.

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