Didn’t have the luxury of bb guns, had to go out into the back yard or local construction site & chuck dirt clods at each other. Clothespins too (remember those?). Got hit in the face once & got in trouble when I got home too! Those were, indeed, the days!!
I’m not that old (late 20’s) but I remember throwing dirt clods and each other. My first experience with a handgun was when I was 8 years old. It was a .38 special. The target was in the middle of a big tractor tire and I stood about ten feet from it. I did have on hearing protection.
Oh, and we also rode ATC’s (3 wheels not 4) by ourselves and drove the tractor. We rode the cow and hung out with no supervision in the barn and all over the 35 acre farm. And we had run of the city. No helmets with our bikes even after I ran into a dumpster and busted my head open (I learned to watch where I was going). I can’t say we were safer but we did learn how to take care of ourselves. I could only wish my child will have as many chances to get hurt as I did – so she’ll learn how to pick herself back up again and stay safe.
Yes the government should ensure there are standards for product safety and that those standards are met. No they shouldn’t have to inspect everything that hits our shelves. Recalls cost companies millions on total costs. We need to let the free market system work for us here.
The problem is that recals, lawsuits, punitive damages, loss of loyalty, etc do cost the companies money but no amount of money is going to bring back a baby that dies from a stuffed bear’s eye suffocating them or permanent brain damage from lead paint.
That’s really the problem with these huge punative damage settlements. $10m isn’t going to bring your baby back and any responsible parent would rather have their baby healthy than to have the money.
While the Feds may play a role in establishing standards and conducting periodic inspections, it isn’t it’s responsitiliby to inspect and guarantee the safety of 100% of products.
The manufacturer and wholesaler should be held primarily responsible. In this case it’s Mattel and it’s off-shore factories in China. The president of Mattel and his entire senior production team should be summarily fired for failing to perform one of their few responsibilities, making certain Mattel products are safe for children. I’m sure Mattel executives get annual raises and bonuses based on sales. Now that this massive problem has occured, they should pay the price and if not lose their jobs, not get any pay increases, bonuses, or perks for 5 years.
While the government should be overseeing product safety, they cannot cover it all. The toy manufacturers should have quality control procedures in place that should have caught these issues long ago. Let’s hope this is not a case of them knowing and not reacting.
A $100,000.00 fine for each recall toy payable to the consumer who returns the toy because of its effectiveness will cure manufacturers in allowing defective toys to enter the United States. Let the consumers police product safety.
That’s the most asinine statement I have ever heard. Do you want to pay $800 for a Barbie? $1000 for a Monopoly game? That is what would happen. Then again, we could go back to the times when kids made believe and played cowboys and indians with their fingers and yelling pow or bang!. I still am wondering why the appropriates committee and the energy committee are having these hearings. Don’t they have more pressing things in their own areas? Maybe Rove is involved….
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Didn’t have the luxury of bb guns, had to go out into the back yard or local construction site & chuck dirt clods at each other. Clothespins too (remember those?). Got hit in the face once & got in trouble when I got home too! Those were, indeed, the days!!
I’m not that old (late 20’s) but I remember throwing dirt clods and each other. My first experience with a handgun was when I was 8 years old. It was a .38 special. The target was in the middle of a big tractor tire and I stood about ten feet from it. I did have on hearing protection.
Oh, and we also rode ATC’s (3 wheels not 4) by ourselves and drove the tractor. We rode the cow and hung out with no supervision in the barn and all over the 35 acre farm. And we had run of the city. No helmets with our bikes even after I ran into a dumpster and busted my head open (I learned to watch where I was going). I can’t say we were safer but we did learn how to take care of ourselves. I could only wish my child will have as many chances to get hurt as I did – so she’ll learn how to pick herself back up again and stay safe.
Okay!!!– everyone made their point. I enjoyed reading your experience. So what is our solution? Any takers?
Yes the government should ensure there are standards for product safety and that those standards are met. No they shouldn’t have to inspect everything that hits our shelves. Recalls cost companies millions on total costs. We need to let the free market system work for us here.
The problem is that recals, lawsuits, punitive damages, loss of loyalty, etc do cost the companies money but no amount of money is going to bring back a baby that dies from a stuffed bear’s eye suffocating them or permanent brain damage from lead paint.
That’s really the problem with these huge punative damage settlements. $10m isn’t going to bring your baby back and any responsible parent would rather have their baby healthy than to have the money.
While the Feds may play a role in establishing standards and conducting periodic inspections, it isn’t it’s responsitiliby to inspect and guarantee the safety of 100% of products.
The manufacturer and wholesaler should be held primarily responsible. In this case it’s Mattel and it’s off-shore factories in China. The president of Mattel and his entire senior production team should be summarily fired for failing to perform one of their few responsibilities, making certain Mattel products are safe for children. I’m sure Mattel executives get annual raises and bonuses based on sales. Now that this massive problem has occured, they should pay the price and if not lose their jobs, not get any pay increases, bonuses, or perks for 5 years.
While the government should be overseeing product safety, they cannot cover it all. The toy manufacturers should have quality control procedures in place that should have caught these issues long ago. Let’s hope this is not a case of them knowing and not reacting.
A $100,000.00 fine for each recall toy payable to the consumer who returns the toy because of its effectiveness will cure manufacturers in allowing defective toys to enter the United States. Let the consumers police product safety.
That’s the most asinine statement I have ever heard. Do you want to pay $800 for a Barbie? $1000 for a Monopoly game? That is what would happen. Then again, we could go back to the times when kids made believe and played cowboys and indians with their fingers and yelling pow or bang!. I still am wondering why the appropriates committee and the energy committee are having these hearings. Don’t they have more pressing things in their own areas? Maybe Rove is involved….
Asinine as it made sound,it works 100%. It is like curing cancer. Do you have a better idea that works?