Serious Chinese toy issue. Parents, listen up.

A toy made in China has been found to have a lot more wrong with it that
a little lead paint. Check this out.
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071107.wchinatoy1107/BNStory/International/home>

> Australia announced a nationwide ban on Wednesday on a Chinese-made
> toy which investigations showed contained a chemical which metabolizes
> into a "date rape" style drug when swallowed.
>
> The ban across Australia's six states and two territories came after
> three children became severely ill after they swallowed the toy beads
> called Bindeez.
>
> Toy importer Moose Enterprise issued a voluntary recall of Bindeez,
> named Australia's 2007 Toy of the Year, saying some batches of the
> beads did not match the approved formula.
>
This toy is being marketed in Canada and the US as Aquadots. Its on
kid's TV all the time. Here's the poop:
>
> Three Australian children suffered seizures and needed intensive
> hospital care in the past two weeks after eating the plastic beads,
> which scientists discovered contain a chemical that breaks down into a
> potentially fatal recreational drug.
>
> Ms. Burney said an investigation was under way into how the dangerous
> chemical 1,4-butanediol came to replace the safe chemical
> 1,5-pentanediol in the manufacturing process.
>
> "The issue of how a dangerous substance was used in these beads and
> not the non-toxic substance ... that is going to take us a few more
> days to uncover," she said.
>
I think now would be the time to */not/* buy toys that say "Made in
China" on them. A wee bit of lead paint, ok whatever, don't let the kid
eat the ALL the paint off the thing. But this here, this is a whole new
level of Chicoms not giving a shit.

Bottom line, if it's made in China there's a good chance its hinkey.
'Nuff said.

The Phantom (who ain't buying any more Chicom made toys, Mr. Walmart sir.)