4 ms·

He claims in the article that they were specifically not marketed as toys for children, and went to great trouble to ensure his retailers didn't do it either.

gamblor956 13y ago
Craig Zucker says a lot of things that don't correspond with reality. There's a reason that this interview is posted under the Opinion section of the WSJ and not the News section--factually, it wouldn't pass muster. I saw Buckyballs when they were on sale in stores--at Brookstone and at the Discovery Store. (I own 2 sets, they are great office toys, especially if you have metal desks.) They were definitely marketed to children--they were in the children's toy section of both stores, sold alongside other children's toys. Indeed, up until a few months ago, they were even still on sale at the LA Natural History Museuem's gift shop...in the children's toy section. There was a child playing with Buckyballs on the in-store display. The "13+" warning, assuming it was actually on the box art, was in text small enough that it was not visible without the box right up to your face.
- Scramblejams 13y ago
  Meh. This is the attitude that has neutered our chemistry sets and fireworks ordinances. Too much nanny in this state for my taste.
  - gamblor956 13y ago
    Chemistry sets sold today are much better equipped and supplied than the ones sold when I was young, they simply cost more because they're no longer as popular. Also, fireworks ordinances are not nanny state rules. They're fundamental safety regulations. Much of the West is subject to significantly elevated fire risks, due to a combination of ecology and a decade-long drought. I don't mean piddly little fires like you see in a bbq grill. I mean raging infernos hot and wild enough to burn an entire neighborhood to ash in under an hour. The two primary choices for minimizing with this type of risk are: (1) force people to move out of the areas at risk, or (2) prohibit high-risk activities (such as fireworks) in areas of heightened risk. Prohibiting fireworks in high-risk areas is by far the least restrictive option available.
- davidw 13y ago
  Here's an image search: https://www.google.com/search?q=buckyballs&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=UKIhUvO4LoHrswai7oHgAg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=944#q=buckyballs+toy+packaging&tbm=isch https://www.google.com/search?q=buckyballs&source=lnms&tbm=i... As someone with two small kids, this is not the kind of packaging used for toys aimed at that age group.

gamblor956 13y ago

Craig Zucker says a lot of things that don't correspond with reality. There's a reason that this interview is posted under the Opinion section of the WSJ and not the News section--factually, it wouldn't pass muster. I saw Buckyballs when they were on sale in stores--at Brookstone and at the Discovery Store. (I own 2 sets, they are great office toys, especially if you have metal desks.) They were definitely marketed to children--they were in the children's toy section of both stores, sold alongside other children's toys. Indeed, up until a few months ago, they were even still on sale at the LA Natural History Museuem's gift shop...in the children's toy section. There was a child playing with Buckyballs on the in-store display. The "13+" warning, assuming it was actually on the box art, was in text small enough that it was not visible without the box right up to your face.

Scramblejams 13y ago
Meh. This is the attitude that has neutered our chemistry sets and fireworks ordinances. Too much nanny in this state for my taste.
- gamblor956 13y ago
  Chemistry sets sold today are much better equipped and supplied than the ones sold when I was young, they simply cost more because they're no longer as popular. Also, fireworks ordinances are not nanny state rules. They're fundamental safety regulations. Much of the West is subject to significantly elevated fire risks, due to a combination of ecology and a decade-long drought. I don't mean piddly little fires like you see in a bbq grill. I mean raging infernos hot and wild enough to burn an entire neighborhood to ash in under an hour. The two primary choices for minimizing with this type of risk are: (1) force people to move out of the areas at risk, or (2) prohibit high-risk activities (such as fireworks) in areas of heightened risk. Prohibiting fireworks in high-risk areas is by far the least restrictive option available.
davidw 13y ago
Here's an image search: https://www.google.com/search?q=buckyballs&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=UKIhUvO4LoHrswai7oHgAg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=944#q=buckyballs+toy+packaging&tbm=isch https://www.google.com/search?q=buckyballs&source=lnms&tbm=i... As someone with two small kids, this is not the kind of packaging used for toys aimed at that age group.