Buckeyballs Banned by Bureaucracy

[Ben]

Despite the manufacturer apparently putting a bajillion warning labels on them, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has banned Buckeyballs. For the children.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/07/26/cpsc-bans-sale-buckyballs-magnetic-toys-cites-hazard/?test=latestnews



PS - On a totally unrelated side note. I have NEVER been able to spell bureaucracy correctly on the first go. Even though I work in one and use the word a lot. It has to be a subconscious mental block of some kind.

[RoadKingLarry]

The spelling of bureaucracy should be changed to burro-ocracy.

[Jamisjockey]

We are not a nation of laws, but of agencies.

[Nick1911]

What the hell?

Yea.  Magnets are dangerous if you swollow (more then one of) them.  So is drain cleaner and gasoline.  Here's an idea; don't let your four year old eat any of these things!

[MrsSmith]

Should probably ban legos too. Not only did both of my boys manage to get one stuck up each of their noses when they were little, but they also built toy guns with them.

[zahc]

I consider this a very serious violation of freedom. You have to admit, there is a certain amount of 'WTF' when I can mailorder thousands of rounds of ammunition, but not buckyballs. And there are a lot of people to whom buckyballs are more important than ammunition. If the CPSC can ban magnets, they can ban pretty much anything.

I would also point out that you can buy chlorine bleach and even uranium ore on Amazon.

[Jamisjockey]

My money is that if obama has a second term, expect the CPSC to go after ammunition.

[BobR]

Well, there goes a best seller for Woot!

Glad I have mine.

bob

[AJ Dual]

Cant find the name brand ones already.

Bought two generic Chinese sets from eBay.

Were I the owner of Buckyballs, and this my lifetime's work/investment, I'd go "UC" on whatever CPSC officials I could find. Fire and blunt trauma if possible. Don't need any more anti-gun rhetoric right now...

[Nick1911]

The more I think about this, the more annoyed I am.

This just in: Americans too stupid to play with small rare-earth magnets!

[TommyGunn]

Oh thank G-d I got my buckey balls when I could!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mtnbkr]

This just in: Americans too stupid to play with small rare-earth magnets!

I wouldn't go that far.  Kids put things in their mouth, especially very young children.   

My money is that if obama has a second term, expect the CPSC to go after ammunition.

Yup.  That's why reloading and casting are good things.  Stock up on powder, primers, and brass (powder and primers are the two main consumables).  Lead isn't going anywhere for a while and remains available, even if not free like in years past. 

Chris

[Nick1911]

I wouldn't go that far.  Kids put things in their mouth, especially very young children.   

This product is marketed to adults.  The packaging clearly warns that it is not for persons under 14 year old.  If a very young child got ahold of it, that would be a failure of the owner, not the product - just as if a very young child were to get ahold of my loaded Glock.

[cordex]

I own a set from when they first came out.

Yes, they could be dangerous if you use them in a way they are not intended to be used, but so what?  This is stupid.

[mtnbkr]

True, I thought you were referring to the kids.

Chris

[brimic]

Lead isn't going anywhere for a while and remains available, even if not free like in years past.  

What do you mean its not free?

Grab a bucket and a pair of pliars and head for the biggest parking lot that you can find.

[makattak]

I believe your alliterative title is missing a word.

And though the word "retards" might be appropriate, the one I'm thinking of only rhymes with it.

[Bigjake]

Were I the owner of Buckyballs, and this my lifetime's work/investment, I'd go "UC" on whatever CPSC officials I could find. Fire and blunt trauma if possible. Don't need any more anti-gun rhetoric right now...

This

[Perd Hapley]

You'd think if they were going to ban dangerous stuff, they'd start with government.

[Scout26]

My money is that if obama has a second term, expect the CPSC to go after ammunition.

They already have...

[MrsSmith]

You'd think if they were going to ban dangerous stuff, they'd start with government.

Excellent notion!!

Now how can we get it to catch on?

[MechAg94]

Maxfield and Oberton founder and Chief Executive Craig Zucker said his company marketed the magnets to adults and teenagers and the CPSC held the "absurd position" that warnings did not work.

"We will vigorously fight this action taken by President Obama's handpicked agency," he said in an emailed statement.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/07/26/cpsc-bans-sale-buckyballs-magnetic-toys-cites-hazard/?test=latestnews#ixzz21mSnv4gA

I can't seem to find the buckyball stuff on www.thinkgeek.com anymore.  They had expanded into BuckyCubes and other stuff also.  I got the cubes and they are more fun/frustrating than the BB's.

[seeker_two]

I always wanted to make sporting clays with steel filings incorporated into the mix.....then load my shotgun shells with buckyballs....

[gunsmith]

I saw this earlier tonight, assumed it was a joke.

[AmbulanceDriver]

Local talk show was talking to the PR guy from the manufacture of the Bucky Balls.   Basically, the timeline went something like this:

CPSC: We would like you to voluntarily recall your product.

BBM:  WTF? Why?

CPSC:  Because it kills children.

BBM:  Yes, there have been a couple of deaths.  That being said, that is after we've sold a whole pisspot full of the things.  And it's because parents don't keep them out of reach of kids, like it says *all over the friggin packaging*.

CPSC:  So you won't recall?

BBM:  No.  Now go away.

CPSC to all the retailers:  BUCKY BALLS ARE DANGEROUS AND WE'RE GONNA PROHIBIT THEIR SALE SO YOU BETTER STOP SELLING THEM ZOMG!!!11!!!1111!!!eleventy

BBM:  WTF?  There's warnings all over this thing not to give it to kids, etc.  Warnings *you* demanded.

CPSC:  Yeah, well we don't think warnings work.  BTW, here's an administrative complaint that we're going to use to shut you down.

And basically, it turns out that CPSC has violated their own procedures in how they handle these things.   They haven't quite managed to ban the sales of these items, but they're making it a living nightmare for this company.  And they have gone to all their retailers and basically bullied them into not carrying the items any more.   

I imagine the manufacturer will be filing a lawsuit *very* shortly. 

here's more detail:  http://www.getbuckyballs.com/buckyballs-only-marketed-to-adults-cpsc-press-release/

BTW, you *can* still buy them directly from the manufacturer at the above link.  If anyone was planning on buying these, I would recommend doing it just to support the manufacturer, and simultaneously give the finger to the CPSC.  I plan on doing so...