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Children’s Toy to be Banned in New Jersey
NJ Biz ^ | Jan. 04, 2008 | Scott Goldstein

Posted on 01/04/2008 3:08:54 PM PST by jdm

Gov. Jon Corzine signed a bill yesterday that prohibits the sale of a children’s toy called “Yo-Yo Waterballs” in New Jersey. The toy has been blamed for injuring hundreds of children nationwide and has already been banned in Canada, Britain, France, Switzerland and Australia. Violators of the New Jersey ban, which goes into effect in three months, face a fine of up to $10,000 for a first offense and up to $20,000 for all subsequent offenses.

Yo-Yo Waterballs, which also are sold under various other names, are squishy toy balls on a bungee-cord string with a finger loop at one end. The ball is filled with toxic liquids, it is flammable, and the string can become wrapped around a child’s neck, causing strangulation.

“Yo-Yo Waterballs are a commercialized death threat to our children,” said Assemblyman David R. Mayer (D-Gloucester), the bill’s co-sponsor. “They are inherently dangerous and deserve to be banned.”

Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester), a co-sponsor of the bill, said that “the Yo-Yo Waterball is easily accessible at convenience stores and toy outlets. … We obviously cannot stop a toy manufacturer from producing substandard toys, but we can stop them from turning a profit in New Jersey and causing further harm to our children.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: dangeroustoys; newjersey; toy; yoyowaterballs
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To: Dutch Boy

“Does anyone remember the Clacker? Two hard plastic balls molded on a cord with a ring handle?”

Yep. Also remember the bruises. Stupid toy. Lawn darts were fun, though.


61 posted on 01/05/2008 1:51:56 AM PST by gracesdad
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To: Lancey Howard

I hate Jersey Nazis....

Back in ancient times when I was a kid(the 50’s) we had all sorts of fun things that would drive today’s bureaucrats into frothing fits of rage: toxic varnish on Lincoln Logs, lead soldiers made from actual brain-rotting lead, pistol caps with real gunpowder, beautiful glass marbles, metal darts, die-cast cars that little kids could swallow and that did a fair imitation of a rock if you threw one.
I remember one kid who brought a little vial of metallic mercury to school and we had a lot of fun trying to pick it up after he dumped it on the floor. Today, this would lead to a Hazmat team in space suits being summoned and the school being shut down for a multi-million dollar cleanup.
If current standards are any guide, it’s a wonder my playmates and I survived childhood at all.


62 posted on 01/05/2008 1:58:02 AM PST by atomic conspiracy (Rousing the blog-rabble since 9-11-01)
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To: All

Sometimes it seems amazing that us older folks made it out of our childhoods with all the deadly toys we had and the deadly games we played and no safety nanny deciding for us.


63 posted on 01/05/2008 3:23:55 AM PST by ltc8k6
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To: MrEdd


Other Toys from the Mainway Toy Company soon to be banned:

Pretty Peggy Ear-Piercing Set, Mr. Skin-Grafter, General Tron's Secret Police Confession Kit, and Doggie Dentist, Johny Switchblade....
64 posted on 01/05/2008 3:35:19 AM PST by Kozak (Anti Shahada: There is no god named Allah, and Muhammed is a false prophet)
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To: ltc8k6
My all time favorite.....


65 posted on 01/05/2008 3:36:52 AM PST by Kozak (Anti Shahada: There is no god named Allah, and Muhammed is a false prophet)
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To: jdm

Happy FUN BALL!

-only $14.95-


Discontinue use of Happy Fun Ball if any of the following occurs:
If Happy Fun Ball begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head.

Happy Fun Ball may stick to certain types of skin.

When not in use, Happy Fun Ball should be returned to its special container and kept under refrigeration...

Failure to do so relieves the makers of Happy Fun Ball, Wacky Products Incorporated, and its parent company Global Chemical Unlimited, of any and all liability.

Ingredients of Happy Fun Ball include an unknown glowing substance which fell to Earth, presumably from outer space.

Happy Fun Ball has been shipped to our troops in Saudi Arabia and is also being dropped by our warplanes on Iraq.

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

Happy Fun Ball comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Happy Fun Ball

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!

66 posted on 01/05/2008 3:40:02 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: gracesdad

I think you were lucky with bruises. I had them too. I remember stories of broken wrist bones and the plastic balls exploding. I don’t know if either are true.


67 posted on 01/05/2008 6:02:05 AM PST by Dutch Boy
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To: atomic conspiracy

Great post! Thanks for your kind reply.
My mom used to buy me those candy cigarettes back in the early ‘60s.


68 posted on 01/05/2008 7:59:38 AM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Dutch Boy

“I remember stories of broken wrist bones and the plastic balls exploding. I don’t know if either are true.”

I think the explosion stories were absolutely true. One of the reasons they disappeared quickly.


69 posted on 01/05/2008 8:50:40 AM PST by gracesdad
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To: gracesdad
I think the explosion stories were absolutely true. One of the reasons they disappeared quickly.

This is true and I was a playground witness to this happening :)

They were LOUD and fun, but yes, I think a bit dangerous. Quite a bit of shrapnel when they explode. My best friend had Jarts - we loved them, but now that I think about it, also a bit dangerous. We used to heave the up in the air as high as possible. Would have been ugly if one came down on our foolish, adolescent heads.

70 posted on 01/07/2008 10:57:02 AM PST by FightforFreedomCA (Fred Storm Rising - Thompson in '08)
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To: AZLiberty
Does anyone remember "Click-Clacks"? Man, talk 'bout DANGEROUS!!

But I and everyone else I knew who played with them as kids are still 'live & kickin'.
71 posted on 01/07/2008 11:00:01 AM PST by LIConFem (Thompson. Lifetime ACU Rating: 86 -- Hunter Lifetime ACU Rating: 92 (any combo will do, fellas))
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To: gracesdad

I can vouch for the bruises. And they didn’t really explode, they’d just starting getting big chips knocked off. We loved them as kids but probably should have used eye protection for when the fragments started flying.


72 posted on 01/07/2008 11:10:29 AM PST by the_devils_advocate_666
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