Don't Mess with Elmo...

...especially if your name is James. Check out this CNN video of a Elmo doll that apparently says something like "Kill James" after his batteries are changed. That's one bad puppet.

Do the robot!

Robots were all over the place at Toy Fair this year, ranging from the Elmo robot-like doll, to Lego Mindstorms to Robotis (left) and more. Check out this article on ABC's news site about the robotization of toys.

Elmo just flew in from Sesame Street yesterday...

...and boy, are his arms tired. Bad da dump.

Fisher Price introduced the newest in the line of their Elmo dolls, and this one is the grandmonster of em all. Check out this YouTube video of Elmo.

Do you own this toy?

Mattel has yet to recall this toy medical kit. Why should it? Apparently, the red and green versions (kits with other colors tested OK) of the blood pressure cuff contain 4500 to 5900 parts per million of lead, about eight times the federally allowable amount of lead in paint. Alas, the cuff is not painted, it's plastic and the federal law only covers those items that are painted. So, technically, they're legal. Check out this New York Times article about the brouhaha.

In more Mattel related news, remember this post about Mattel's attempts to make their workplaces a better place for it's employees in their factories in China. Part of their attempt was to make the entire process transparent - to allow the public to review it's efforts. Well, they've issued a follow up report, available as a pdf file here. It's pretty interesting.

Very interesting article in the New York Times

Jonathan Dee has written an extensive article about toymaker Mattel and it's quest to be a better global citizen in it's manufacture of toys. It's an eye-opening article about the steps they have taken to make it's factories better places to work. It also talks about Mattel's recent recalls. Check it out