Toys will kill you

According to a new report by the Michigan-based Ecology Center, 1 out of every three toys they examined (out of 1,500) tested positive for "medium" to "high" levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, PVC and other harmful chemicals.

The full report can be found here.

Toy Helicopters = Death

More toy helicopter tragedy.

First, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has put the kibosh on another toy helicopter because of exploding battery problems. The Chinese-made batteries in Hobbico Inc's Electrifly helicopter kits due to problems with the batteries melting, bursting into flames, and causing property damage.

On a sadder note, a six-year old boy was killed by a toy helicopter in the rural Brazilian city of Altinho in the state of Pernambuco. No word on what model it was, but let's face it, these things are just bad.

The Epidemic of Exploding Helicopters Continues Unabated

Another month, another recall of exploding toy helicopters. According to the CPSC, the "Sky Scrambler" and "Sharper Image" helicopters (made in Hong Kong by Innovage) join the ranks of the Sky Champion and the Thunder Wolf as toys recalled because they burst into flames.

Kind of makes me wonder what other toys might be really cool if they started exploding: Elmo's Inferno, Dora Explores the Inside of a Volcano, Burn Barney Burn!

More Exploding Toy Helicopters

Another toy helicopter recall due to flaming batteries. The CPCS issued a recall for the "Sky Champion" helicopter distributed by Tradewinds International Enterprises (props for actually posting the recall on the website).

Maybe they should start marketing these with a SAM.

Toy Helicopters May Burst Into Flames

According to the CPSC, the “Thunder Wolf” Remote Controlled Indoor Helicopters, sold by Westminster Inc, are prone to overheating, melting, and bursting into flames. They have been recalled.

Actually, this sounds pretty cool.

Oddly, while they are listed as being manufactured in China, only the helicopters not labeled "Made in China" are subject to the recall.