It's a miracle I lived through the '60s and '70s.
As if Richard Nixon, Vietnam, mutual assured destruction, and fashion really, really bad not been quite risky, I faced the daily threat of mass-market toys that could maim, wound and disfigure. Mattel? Expert? Hasbro? Wham? Endless fun with a pinch of mutilation thrown in for good measure. Children's toys of my youth has never made the cut today - but how much went back to my heart, though.
Toymy childhood - how I love you?
Let me count the ways.
The toxic:
In the 20 years spanning 1960-1979, nothing said FUN like toxic chemicals and fumes. The Bubble Jet, a fancy water pistol is driven bubble producing cyanide tablets, it was great recovery. If the solution is injected into a friend's eyes or mouth, or your chemical means wholesome entertainment. If you get bored of the toxic bubble fun, you can relax with a few shots from the fake cigarettesand blow (or inhale) some 'artificial chemical smoke. If smoking was not your thing, it was time for some Superelastic Bubble Wrap. When the smoke from the blob of plastic goo you want to accurately place the short term will not fry a few brain cells, essential to the psychedelic colors of the bubbles were ready to blow your mind. It was always the classic standby, the Chemistry Set, always full of toxic potential. "Hey Mix Mommmmm an experiment! (Ie stirring every damn ..Powder or in solution in the set together). "" This is the great Johnny. Just do not be late for dinner. Johnny? Johnny? What is this terrible smell? "
I find the intoxicating smell of burning flesh, once he had worked up a healthy buzz from snorting and puffing up some of the good things, it was time to get to the real economy. If you do not have a steel bar at 373 Kelvin, you were having fun. I think 'Iron Red Hot Poker' was not very marketable. Instead, they called a fun elementBurning wood kits. Designed to track the young artist with beautiful designs in the face of a smooth screen of virgin wood, we found much more fascinating and rewarding to see our toys sister was fuel. The fun lasted until we ran out of things to light, or burned to death one of our fingers. The Wood Burning Kit had the further advantage of this time a little 'more toxic fumes, a plus if the previous Headrush was calmed fun.
One of the most memorableToys from my youth had the potential to offer fun and burns the third grade. Creepy Crawlers can make your own rubber bugs and reptiles colored goo from the pressing of the liquid into a mold of metal and then placed in a heated bath of hot water amazing. The mixture of high voltage electricity, water, toxic goo and torrid heat was intoxicating. I can not remember what the hell we had with the rubber bugs, but makes sure was fun. If you're really adventurous,They have incredible edible version that the risks mentioned above with the inclusion of the final combined (presumably "edible") product, thereby providing a high risk toys twofer. What a bargain!
For girls there was always the classic Easy Bake Oven, which delivered the potential need for skin grafts only with the power of an incandescent bulb. But the brownies were really unwell, who helped you, thoughts of burns.
Finally, the real ambitious, there were children Estes rocket kits.He spent weeks carefully mounting the model rockets, inserting the real-solid-fuel engine, and then prepare carefully for your Rocketship Blastoff. Three weeks he worked in a few seconds your rocket blast off in the afterlife, usually are never seen again. After a few, we naturally go to the next logical step - the missiles on their side and bring them off. We were among the most popular guys in the neighborhood. Finally, we would also tireProblems with the rocket at all, and would strip the engines almost appliances (such as glass bottles Coca Cola), and the fire like this. Good clean fun American!
You put your eyes!
We damn near had, several times. At that time the federal government to turn idealism betweem very busy and corruption and the war in the dark corners of the world to discuss what the children were with the game to worry about. One of my primary school friends, Bonnie Higham,had one of his eyes dart thrown by a group of his brother. As a girl I remember elementary school, Bonnie was pretty hot, though a bit 'confusing for its beautiful blue glass eyes drift off unwanted see in one direction, while the others looked sharp right through you could be . If the loss of an eye was not good enough to play for you, you could head on the pole with the full brother of the Duel jarts, better known as "Lawn Darts' well-known risk factors. These bad boyswere large enough to do serious damage, and they were so tempting, usually immersed in adults with them. Add a little 'klutziness alcohol and adults, and one had a recipe for fun crazy, or tragedy, depending on your luck.
And, of course, we had the old S-standby mode, the Daisy BB gun. If we have records of squirrels, crows, and the windows of the neighbors are not tired like us, it was only a matter of time before they approached us. Lets face it. We saw it coming.
There were also otherless forboding weapons. Fli The paddle back was a personal favorite. He did a great weapon with a good tug of war at a distance, so be sure to have an advantage, you were punching the back of the head to decide to counterattack. It also provided the risk is hard to beat the ball in the face just when you're not careful, or break the rubber band, sending the bullet from God knows, is here, determined to break, a family heirloom, in any form. If one were to accept theThe hostility of a notch, you might call the red-eye ball in action. A modern bat, blunt teeth were hard nearly fatal when thrown with maximum speed. Finally, the preferred weapon in the arsenal of many childhood Johnny Reb Cannon, cannon balls hard plastic on the Damn Yankees was throwing almost frightening anger. I wish I had lived in a land of cotton.
I call your eyes and raise a blunt trauma head: It 'amazing that none of us, without losing our childhood traumaticBrain injury. Even the simplest of toys in my time had the potential to maim. One of my favorites was the boomerang. Ironically, even then people knew that the weapon was hunting boomerang in Australia, but you may still exist in your stocking at Christmas. It will take years to master the boomerang perfect launch, make her look fast and full, beautiful bow and start running again to you and their point of departure. It took only a few seconds to realize that he had no idea what to doon how to run to the head 90 mph. Run for your life!
We all remember joyous laughter of a pillow fight Slumber Party. So it was no wonder that marketers of time trying to hit on the memoirs of mist with capital Boppers stockings. They were the nostalgic memory of pillow fights past fades quickly through the head and shoulders with a few thunderous header from Brian Elkins, the middle child of big beat on the street. "Knock em Boppers Senseless" couldThere have been a more descriptive moniker.
Sometimes there was no need for anyone ever to feel severe trauma head. In the pre-rollerblade era, a common instrument of death known as Strap-On Skate could be detected in almost all the sidewalks in America. After class, you must apply the strap on your shoes or Keds Buster Browns, with your special 'skate key' to tighten up, she was in for the ride of your life. Everything usually went pretty well, until you happen to be a successRock or stick on the sidewalk, at which point all bets were off. The runners had a tendency simply to get interesting at some point. The only salvation was that the maximum speed, inline skates in on what had to raise a short walk normally. Fortunately, all children of that time he asked to wear their head protection for skating special. We called them "baseball caps".
Vehicles of death!:
If you go to death, do not drive, becausewith a very serious Bitchin 'wheels? This is my philosophy of life anyway. After the incident, filmed 10 years April 24, 1972 PBW (Pre-Big Wheel), have been robbed of the chance to sport a really elegant and functional. Unfortunately, our vehicles have been lame, and usually dangerous as hell. The most dangerous of all was the ominous-looking Skoota Skat. A set of four wheels, two red imprint plastic pedals, even Houdini could not escape his clutches successfully.Moreover, even if you manage to cross the street to the matter, without breaking the neck, seemed decidedly uncool to do so. Bummer.
Another classic transport those days was the Inch Worm Hasbro. The vehicle was completely harmless. But if you were spotted riding the thing ridiculous, your safety could not be guaranteed. It may take up to secondary school for your representative to recover. The only positive point was the inchworm catchy tune.
In fact, our selection of new racesduring the day were so woefully inadequate, we were forced to create our own. In its lowest form, this could mean a couple of cans of baked beans stilts and some string of laundry done. But my most memorable experience of traffic vehicle involved two childhood friends, twins, David and Eddie Reynolds. With plywood and nails (many of them), on top of a frame Radio Flyer wagon, we have built a monument for transport unrivaled to this day. We formed the site is like a bright lemon yellow paint themselves asthe final touch of glory. Cautiously has been moved to the top of the unit Larkspur, which will take place at the steepest point in our neighborhood. Eddie, that no one quickly to the top (though to be honest) has the good fortune of straw as our primary driver. He went into the car a lemon. The fateful countdown began, and with a gentle push, drove down the hill, gaining momentum as it went. Since our establishment has dropped down into the abyss, we suddenly realize our plan to get excited about, but it was a fatal mistake.She could not control radio flyer wagon. If the speed of the car hits 25 mph lemon, decided at 90 th round was in order. Plywood, nails and Eddie Reynolds decided, however, below Larkspur units. It was a grand finale. The lesson? We did not need dangerous toys. It 'was natural.
I both cheer and recoil in the typical activities of childhood diseases, then we embraced. When my brother turned 10, got together for a target bow and Christmas. We routinelyreal arrows shot at high speed past each ear. Hilarious, surprising, and ummmm .... Kind of silly in retrospect. I would never allow my children to do the same, but still wonder if there are some essential life safety education from their X-Box and Play Stations. I shared with you the dangers of my youth. The next time will delight you with stories of some of my favorite toys. Maybe if they're lucky, you can share your memories.
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