That’s Just Bucky

Today, I read on the news that Maxfield and Oberton have discontinued the manufacture and sale of Buckyballs and Buckycubes. You might be able to find them on-line, but once they are gone, they are gone. Why? M&O states the reason as “baseless and relentless legal badgering” from the CPSC. Me? I think the reason is the increasing stupidity of the American people.

When I was growing up, we had all sorts of dangerous toys. Remember clackers? Kids would make their own out of resin. Sure, a few would shatter, but what’s an eye? Seriously, we had all sorts of dangerous toys out there, and you were taught not to do stupid things. You didn’t eat buttons off of dolls. You didn’t play with matches. You avoided sharp edges. You certainly didn’t swallow powerful niobium magnets.

Today, we seem to want to protect children from things not meant for them. We have warnings on condoms not to put them on your head. We have warning on coffee that it is hot. We mean to do well, but we’re taking all the fun and adventure out of life.

Here’s a hint folks. You don’t create piercings by putting magnets in your mouth. If it wasn’t designed to go in your mouth, don’t put it there.

Thanks to a bunch of children, the set of available desk toys just got a lot duller.