Oddly, there's no alarming research to freakout over this week. Which only means we're not looking closely enough:
The CPSC recalled 320,000 Jardine cribs sold at Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Geoffrey's World, and KidsWorld. There have been multiple reports of slats and spindles coming loose, and kids getting stuck or injured. As part of the "swift action," TRU/BRU actually removed the cribs from sale several weeks ago. Said CPSC Commissioner Nancy Nord, "This agency will not hesitate to recall products that are defective and we take very, very seriously our responsibility to our youngest consumers: babies and toddlers." The recall affects cribs sold since January 2002, 6.5 years ago. The other stores have been closed for several years. [chicagotribune.com; cpsc.gov, thanks dt reader gfr]
Chicago Tribune reporters just notice The Mattel Loophole now??: You'll recall [heh] that during the Great Lead Toy Scare Of '07, Mattel threw open the doors of its vast testing labs to the media to distract from the fact that the company accounted for like 14 million of the 18 million recalled toys. Mattel and the Toy Industry Association were very active in putting together the legislation strengthening the CPSC, which called for independent product safety testing--or, you know, corporate testing, if your company [*cough* Mattel *cough"] happens to already have a lab. The Trib says they don't know which lawmaker helped Mattel out of this onerous provision. But DT readers know which lawmaker was thanked with a $1,500/head breakfast reception for helping the industry get out of "onerous provisions": Sen. Ted Stevens [R-AK]. [chicagotribune.com via gfr]
Two words: Disney Little Einsteins Milk with Omega-3 DHA. OK, so that's not two words. How about "WTF?? Disney Milk?" Skip the beancounting already, and just get onboard with Kidscreen Magazine's application of Chan & Maubourgne's Blue Ocean Strategy to merchandise licensing. It means growing your licensing revenues in atypical segments, which are often competition-free, so you don't have to fight for shelf space. Like Dora and Diego non-alcohol hand sanitizers, Hello Kitty fruit bouquets, and Little Einsteins milk. If it didn't mean paying a royalty to 3,2,1 Contact, my head would explode. [kidscreen.com; Stremick Heritage Foods]
Sen. Stevens, Arkansas. Wal-Mart, Arkansas.
AK-
Jesus christ, whenever something fishy or corrupt or just plain stupid goes on, this guy Ted Stevens' name is always attached. I wouldn't hire this crazy evil old bastard to scrub my toilets, let alone vote him into a government office.
(oh sorry, maybe that wasn't a very 'constructive and value-adding' comment!)