Russian Toy Protest

[Bruce N H]

Hey all,



Russians upset with recent moves by their government have become creative. Last month there was a toy protest in the city of Barnaul, with stuffed animals, LEGO figs, and other toys holding banners protesting election corruption. This was ruled illegal since it had not been sanctioned. So the protesters submitted a petition for a second toy rally, featuring "100 Kinder Surprise toys, 100 Lego people, 20 model soldiers, 15 soft toys and 10 toy cars", but it was rejected because, the toys are not "citizens of Russia", and therefore do not have any right to protest.

"As you understand, toys, especially imported toys, are not only not citizens of Russia but they are not even people," Andrei Lyapunov, a spokesman for Barnaul, told local media.

We need to stand up for the free speech rights of Russian minifigs!

Bruce

[theboywarrior]

Where do you get this stuff, Bruce? This is just TOO funny.




In Soviet Russia... LEGOs step on YOU!

[Bluesecrets]

100 Kinder Surprise toys

!!!!! Even Russia can have Kinder Eggs and the US can't!?!?!

It is a brilliant bit of information Bruce.

[Medieval Guy]

100 Kinder Surprise toys

!!!!! Even Russia can have Kinder Eggs and the US can't!?!?!

It is a brilliant bit of information Bruce.

Yeah, you'd think that they would be a huge success around here. Kids love candy and toys, so I don't know why we don't have them. I've only tried them courtesy of some German friends.

As for the Russian protests, the use of toys is a good way to get sone publicity.

[Bruce N H]

I've gotten KinderToys in the US before. Back when I was in school at UCLA this little snack shop had them. I didn't realize they weren't generally available.

BoyWarrior - I check 'lego' on Google news relatively regularly.

Bruce

[Bluesecrets]

Kinder Eggs are the one of the most collected contraband coming out of Canada into the US. I read that somewhere once...Trevor can back me on that. I believe the reason we don't have them here in the US is because the toys can be a "choking hazard."

See the following info:

More recently, the US Consumer Products Safety Commission determined in 2008 that the product did not meet the small-parts requirement for toys for children under the age of three, creating a choking and asphyxiation hazard in young children. From 1991 to 1998, at least 4 children around the world have died of choking after swallowing the toy inside the Kinder egg.[6]

On January 10, 2011, it was reported that a Kinder egg was seized from a woman's car during a random inspection while entering the United States from Canada. She was informed that bringing the egg into the United States could result in a $300 fine.[2] Seizures such as that one, and even the prohibition of the product itself, have been cited on political blogs and web forums as an example of an overzealous application of law and an intrusion upon personal liberty.[7] The rationale against a ban of the product also takes the form that deaths have been too few for it to be considered a serious danger. Additionally, the argument is made that there should be a consistent standard in place, as several worse dangers are not regulated.[8]

Meanwhile, if those law makers would take the time to have fun with one and taste the chocolate...or just let us have the really huge one I got in Canada once.

[Bruce N H]

Ah. Well I'm thinking back to the late 90's. I'll stop now before going into a more political rant on the role of government here, though maybe toys should hold a rally in Washington DC as well.

Bruce

[mencot]

Kinder Eggs are the one of the most collected contraband coming out of Canada into the US. I read that somewhere once...Trevor can back me on that. I believe the reason we don't have them here in the US is because the toys can be a "choking hazard."

See the following info:

More recently, the US Consumer Products Safety Commission determined in 2008 that the product did not meet the small-parts requirement for toys for children under the age of three, creating a choking and asphyxiation hazard in young children. From 1991 to 1998, at least 4 children around the world have died of choking after swallowing the toy inside the Kinder egg.[6]

On January 10, 2011, it was reported that a Kinder egg was seized from a woman's car during a random inspection while entering the United States from Canada. She was informed that bringing the egg into the United States could result in a $300 fine.[2] Seizures such as that one, and even the prohibition of the product itself, have been cited on political blogs and web forums as an example of an overzealous application of law and an intrusion upon personal liberty.[7] The rationale against a ban of the product also takes the form that deaths have been too few for it to be considered a serious danger. Additionally, the argument is made that there should be a consistent standard in place, as several worse dangers are not regulated.[8]

Meanwhile, if those law makers would take the time to have fun with one and taste the chocolate...or just let us have the really huge one I got in Canada once.

whut that is pathetic, so you don't have kinder eggs in the us because of that. Hey first of all there is a big warninglabel on the box and is there on the eggs too on, "not for children under 3" and second who would give the small toy to someone under 3. not going political here because this is not the right place( but stranges how goverments concentrate on this kinds of things and ignore other more important things.) so do you have other Kinder merchandises, choclate bar and candy then?

[Eklund]

whut that is pathetic, so you don't have kinder eggs in the us because of that. Hey first of all there is a big warninglabel on the box and is there on the eggs too on, "not for children under 3" and second who would give the small toy to someone under 3. not going political here because this is not the right place( but stranges how goverments concentrate on this kinds of things and ignore other more important things.) so do you have other Kinder merchandises, choclate bar and candy then?

I live in the U.S. and had never even heard of Kinder eggs and candy before this thread, so no I don't think we have other Kinder merchandises, at least I have never seen them.

[soccerkid6]

I have had kinder eggs before, several years ago. I have quite a few relatives in Germany, and they brought some with them on one of their visits. I thought they were the coolest thing ever. WARNING: Start of Rant: Rather sad to hear they illegal in the U.S. I mean really? The government is putting so many regulations/laws in place that don't really make any sense. Whatever happened to personal responsibility? End Rant

[eilonwy77]

I have never heard of them either, before now.

[Bluesecrets]

See the following if you have never seen them before:

http://kimsulli.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/08_kinder_egg.jpg

A great blend of white chocolate and milk chocolate with a cute little surprise. They make me happy. Once I was gifted with a whole case of them...that was pretty fabulous.

[eilonwy77]

Oh, I'm pleased to see that the toy seemed to be encased in a plastic egg. I was kind of thinking there would just be a toy in the middle of a bunch of chocolate and it truly would be a choking hazard. But that looks fine. Silly governmental regulations.

[Kev]

How absurd. You can walk down any toy aisle in the country and find dozens of toys of the exact same size cluttering the shelves.

Fact: More kids choked to death on legos last year than on kindertoys.

[theboywarrior]

Fact: More kids choked to death on legos last year than on kindertoys.

Shhh.....They don't need to know that!

Free speech for 'figs!