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chinese poison train
China Says Only 15% Of Mattel Recalls Are Its Responsibility
China's "chief safety watchdog" says that only 15% of Mattel's recalls were due to manufacturing errors and also attempted to absolve China of responsibility for the formaldehyde-soaked children's clothes found in New Zealand, according to Forbes: More » -
lawsuits
Mattel Sues Porn Site Over "Barbie" Trademark
Mattel's lawyers are having a busy week, they're suing a porn site over use of their trademark "Barbie." From Dow Jones: More » -
class action
Lawsuit Says Mattel Should Pay For Lead Testing
A lawsuit filed Monday asks Mattel to pay for lead testing to determine if children have been exposed to lead from the millions of recalled toys. More » -
chinese poison train
Mattel CEO's Online Video Apology For Millions Of Toy Recalls
Mattel CEO Bob Eckert posted a video apology for the millions of lead-tainted and faulty magnet toys they were forced to recall. In it, he apologizes, has himself and his company take full responsibility for the issue, and outlines specific new steps to insure product quality and step up inspection processes. This is the best corporate apology video we've ever seen. More » -
chinese poison train
Mattel Recalls Over 7 Million Chinese-Made Toys For Lead Paint, Magnets
Today Mattel expanded their lead paint recall to include 253,000 die cast "Cars" toys. In addition, Mattel expended a 2006 magnetic toy recall to include about 7 million other toys. More » -
chinese poison train
Mattel Will Recall Another Chinese-Made Toy For Lead Paint
Mattel is probably going to take another toy off the shelves due to overleaded paint, reports the AP and a tipster. The announcement of which toy could come today.
Hopefully it's not our favorite line of moldable playdolls, The Plumbum Pals. We've got like almost the whole set.
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chinese poison train
Chinese Lead Toy Maker Commits Suicide In Mattel Recall Aftermath
The owner of a Chinese toy factory identified by Mattel as the maker of the lead-tainted toys involved in a million unit recall committed suicide Saturday afternoon inside his factory, according to Chinese officials, the AP reports. According to the article, dishonored officials commonly commit suicide.
It would appear that the Chinese Poison Train is, itself, made of lead, and even its own wicked engineers are not immune to its sickly sweet charms.
China Toy Boss Kills Self After Recall [AP]
(Photo: William.Ward) -
chinese poison train
China: It's Mattel's Fault That Chinese Companies Manufactured Toys Covered With Lead. What?
China's General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ) blamed Mattel for the recent lead contamination of nearly 1 million toys, saying that the toy maker did not adequately supervise their suppliers. Mattel's oversight safeguards are widely regarded as the "gold standard" for manufacturing in China. From the LA Times: More » -
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severe punishment train
Is China Going To Execute Lead-Toy Vendors?
Chinese officials have announced that they will "severely" punish the vendors responsible for the recent lead-tainted toy snafu. That leads us to ask, what do they consider severe punishment? Remember what they did to the director of the food and drug agency for accepting poisoned toothpaste bribes? And the new state-sponsored video game "Incorruptible Fighter", where players get to execute corrupt officials with magic or weapons, is so popular that it's been downloaded over 100,000 times. More » -
chinese poison train
Mattel Identifies Manufacturer Responsible For Supplying 967,000 Tainted Toys
Mattel is blaming a potentially bankrupt cardboard box vendor for supplying 967,000 toys covered with lead paint. The toy maker publicly identified the Lee Der Industrial Company in Guangdong province in the hopes that other toy makers will take their business elsewhere. The AP tried to call Lee Der for comment, which resulted in this odd exchange: More » -
whoops
Mattel Thought They Could Outsmart The Chinese Poison Train
Two weeks before announcing the recall of nearly 1 million toys tainted with toxic lead paint, Mattel was featured in the New York Times as a role model, the "gold standard" for companies manufacturing goods in China. The Chinese Poison Train's ability to sneak past Mattel's fortified defenses highlights the tremendous difficulties faced by well-meaning American manufacturers trying to police their supply chains. Mattel spared no expense to ensure the safety of their products. More » -
chinese poison train
Toxic Lead Paint Prompts Recall of 967,000 Fisher-Price Toys
Sorry kids, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fisher-Price are recalling Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and 83 other types of fun toys that happen to be covered with toxic lead paint from China. More » -
barbie
Take that Bratz: Barbie is Back?
Apparently, Toy giant Mattel is coming back with a vengence on the strength of sales of T.M.X. Elmo and...Barbie? After stiff competition from those slutty-looking (allegedly foul-mouthed) Bratz dolls, Barbie is finally making a comeback. From the Washington Post: More » -
ariel
Little Mermaid Doll Calls Child a "Slut"
Well, well, well. Who knew Ariel was a prude? Apparently, if you press the button on the talking Ariel fast enough, the toy cycles through such saccharine phrases as "Life is the bubbles" quickly enough that a secret message is revealed. "You're a slut!" More » -
polly pocket
Serious Injuries Prompt Recall of Polly Pocket Toys
Mattel is recalling 2.4 million Polly Pocket play sets due to several serious injuries sustained when magnets inside the dolls and accessories fell out undetected. More » -
barbie
Finally! This Site Covers A REAL Consumerist Issue
My 11 year old, cute-as-a-button cousin Lilly writes in: More » -
fuel economy
The News; Wal-Mart Hires Flying Nun
• The creative team was crushed to learn Mother Theresa wasn't available. [LAT] "Wal-Mart Puts Its Faith in Ex-Nun to Convert Critics" More » -
barbie
Barbie is Dead
For this post, we knew exactly what image we were looking for: an image of Barbie — barefoot and flanked by Ken and two of Barbie's pan-ethnic plastic girlfriends — sashaying with shopping bags right across Abbey Road. Unfortunately, that image doesn't exist, and we're too stupid to make it. So instead, we've been forced to illustrate it with this image of a murdered Barbie, her head crushed by a Volkwagen sized aluminum can. Serves her right, the cocktease. More »
















