Mattel / Fisher Price Recall Geo Trax Engine, Barbie Furniture & It's A Big World Bongo Set Plus one Mom Says "Enough!"

For the 3rd time in five weeks, Mattel Toys is recalling 848,000 toys, due to lead paint hazard. Click the picture for Information regarding this products recall:




Mattel has posted a video and the following pledge to thier consumers:

We take our promises seriously

As promised, in recent weeks, we have been busy testing and retesting toys before they leave factories. Our recent voluntary recalls are part of our ongoing promise to ensure the safety of your children. We have strengthened our testing worldwide with a mandatory 3-stage safety check of paint used on our toys.

1. 1. All paint must be tested before it is used on our toys. No exceptions.
2. 2. We have significantly increased testing and unannounced inspections at every stage of production.
3. 3. We are testing every production run of finished toys to ensure compliance before they reach you.

We encourage you to keep coming back to our website where you can learn about additional affected toys, what we are doing, and to find answers to your questions.At Mattel, the safety of your children is our utmost priority. That is our promise.

I personally would like to point out to Mattel if that if they truley take the safety of our children seriously, then it's time to truley step up thier game and bring thier production back to the United States.

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One Mom had enough after last weeks toy recall and the strain of trying to figure out which of her childrens toys were affected. Dana Laine Parker packed up her children and thier toys and headed to the CA. Mattel headquarters where she demanded that someone from Mattel inspect her childrens toys. Read more of this story:

After watching Mattel Chief Executive Officer Bob Eckert discuss the recall on a morning news program last week, Parker packed up her car with as many bags of her children's toys as she could fit in and headed to Mattel headquarters in El Segundo.

With her kids, mother and the toys in tow, she marched into the lobby and told the security guard she wanted someone to inspect her kids' toys.

Are my toys safe?

Refusing to take the guard's advice that she check the toys against product numbers on the Web site, Parker demanded to see Mattel staffers. Eventually, she was directed to a conference room where two Mattel employees examined the toys, none of which was subject to the company's recalls.

"My children's lives were worth too much to me to trust the Web site," Parker said, adding that sorting the toys is time-consuming and confusing.

"Who knows the names of each and every `Little People' toy? And the model numbers on the back couldn't be harder to read."

Now it's your turn to Sound Off:

1. What can be done (or what would you like to have done)to prevent this continuous issue?
2. Is Mattel doing enough to keep our children safe?

Mattel Toy RecallBarbie, Polly Pockets, "Cars"characters, Batman and more..

Today Mattel is recalling more than 9 million toy sets

(yes, made in China. Shocker, huh?).

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Mattel Inc. Tuesday recalled more than 9 million toys made in China, including "Polly Pocket" and "Batman" dolls and other popular figures, because of loose magnets and lead paint - its second major recall in less than a month.

Main recall site for Mattel

Sarge character recall

Barbie and Tanner Recall

Polly Pocket™, Batman™ Magna, Doggie Daycare™ and Shonen Jump's One Piece™ playsets

Question:
As this is the 2nd recall in a month from Mattel, I am curious to know if you would still purchase toys from them?

I want you to Sound Off:
What will it take for companies and the government to start protecting our children from this type of threat?

Let's say I break into your house....

I am sure that if you read yesterday's post, you can guess my feelings on the issue of illegal immigration facing America.

After my post yesterday, I found a post from one of my friends. I only wish I had thought of this first:

A lady wrote the best letter in the Editorials in ages!!! It explains things better than what you hear on TV.

Her point:

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Congress is finally addressing the issue of illegal immigration.

Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.

Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave.

But I say, "I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hardworking and honest, (except for when I broke into your house).

According to the protesters:

You are Required to let me stay in your house.
You are Required to add me to your family's insurance plan.
You are Required to Educate my kids.
You are Required to Provide other benefits to me & to my family.

(My husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hardworking and honest, except for that breaking in part.)

If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who
will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there.

It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm
just trying to better myself. I'm a hardworking and honest person, except
for well, you know, I did break into your house.

And oh yeah, I get a free education, where you have to pay your own way
through college. (TEEHEE)

And what a deal it is for me!!! I live in your house, contributing only a
fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it
without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted
behavior.

Oh yeah, I DEMAND that you to learn MY LANGUAGE!!! So you can communicate
with me. And don't forget make sure your forms are in MY language - I need to understand them.

Why can't people see how ridiculous this is?! Only in America.

If you agree, pass it on ( in English ). Share it if you see the
value of it.

If not blow it off......... Along with your future Social Security funds,
and a lot of other things.

And that is the best and most simple explanation I've ever heard.

Feel free to comment your opinions if you agree or even if you don't.

Will you read this? Or Pretend you didn't see it?

I've been meaning to put this music video on here for a month now. It's by Nickelback, one of my favorite music groups and the song is 'If Everyone Cared'. The first time I saw this video I got teary and goose bumpy. Before you read the rest of my post, I want you to watch it.








What was the point of this Video? The point is that every person, every single one of us, can make a difference in someone else's life.

When did we stop believing in each other? When did we stop trying to help others beyond the scope of those in our daily contact? I know that I personally have my own little set of excuses:

1. It won't really make a difference

2. The money never actually gets to the people it was intended for and just lines a ceo's pocket.

3. What difference is $5 going to really make?

4. The job is so big and there is so much to be done that our help really won't even begin to solve the problem.

These are the excuses I make to myself. The ones that are supposed to help me feel less guilty and better about myself when I don't help. The ones that help me turn a blind eye to problems that I hear about on the news. But the truth is:

1. Most organizations and fund raisers are on the level. It's just the bad few who have caused the bad rep.

2. See above answer.

3. The difference is that $5 per person adds up quickly. $5 donated by 100 people means another $500 to help. That is more than a years pay for people in this village.

4. It won't. This will not solve the bigger issues or problems. Right now. But it will help this one village and this one community. And eventually village by village maybe people like Chris and Jenn can start to truly make a difference in the big picture.

Now I want to introduce you to Karen. She has stopped making excuses and is taking on the blogosphere on behalf of her friends, Chris and Jenn. Here is an excerpt from her post:

One of my very good friends, Chris, and his lovely wife Jenn are traveling to Swaziland at the end of May to volunteer a month of their time, and as many supplies as they can muster to the small town of Manzini.

Traveling to Africa is my biggest dream and I’m so proud of Jenn and Chris for taking this huge leap and helping their fellow man. One day, when my kids are older, I plan on doing this very thing.

In Chris’ words:

As you may, or may not know, Jenn and I are traveling to Swaziland, Africa at the end of the month to volunteer in a hospital in the small town of Manzini for a month. What prompted this??… I’m trying to off-set my carbon-credits with good-Karma-juju credits, thereby allowing me to continue my current global-carbon-polluting ways.

Seriously - I have recently been in contact via email with someone at the hospital, as well as someone at an orphanage nearby. And they are in need of supplies. I am attempting to get donations from VGH ( through the Vancouver General Hospital / UBC Hospital Foundation) for simple items such as diagnostic pen-lights, bone and pleural biopsy needles, and N95 masks ( the masks are for the opportunistic infections coinciding with HIV/AIDS … eg: TB ( see: drug resistant TB on the rise ) Swaziland has the worlds highest HIV/AIDS infection rate (38.8%) life expectancy : male: 31.84 years female: 32.62 years.

70% of the country earns less than $1 American per day (wikipedia)

I am also organizing donations for the orphanage nearby. these kids are orphaned due to the loss of their entire families from HIV/AIDS. they have no family to take them in, and the fortunate ones end up in the orphanage.....

Why am I writing about this? Because one of my new years promises was to be a better person. To make my optimism go past my smile and into my life. And because I believe in Karma. And who couldn't use a little bit of good Karma in their life?

Karen is right. One skipped cup of Starbucks (and you KNOW that NOTHING has EVER come between me and my Starbucks when I am near one) is enough to help. Five dollars. That is IT. Just Five Dollars. I didn't buy my traditional cup of coffee last night after grocery shopping. I have $5.18 that I will be donating.

Please head over to her post and help in any way you can.

You can make a difference by helping someone else make a difference. Is $5 really too difficult to manage??

Post about this or donate and I will link to you. Thank you!

So far they've raised $500!! Donations will be accepted until the end of the month, so please, spread the word and lets show how much each of us can accomplish on our own!