In
May of 1996 the Fresno Alliance for
Konsumer Edukation (FAKE) and the consumer
Protection and Health Organization of
New York (PHONY) merged to become USELESS.
Sima-Bush told Faux-News
that the group has always stuck to their
original charter which was to “Decide
for those who could not decide for themselves,
what is best for them.” They see
the publishing the annual list of unsafe
or inappropriate toys as a USELESS way
to bring value to the communities they
serve.
The following were some of the items
on this year’s list:
Thomas the Tank Engine- Thomas the Tank
Engine is a toy that is created from
a children’s show of the same
name. The toy is a replica of a old
steam engine train with humanoid characteristics.
As Sima-Bush explained to Faux-News
this toy sent an environmentally unfriendly
message to children. “We are trying
to teach our kids to be more conscious
of the environment, as such it seems
to send a very inappropriate message
if we are to give them as a toy a replica
of a train that runs by burning fossil
fuels.” Instead USELESS recommends
Jules the Environmentally Hybrid Engine.
The Captain America Action Figure- This
action figure was one of several to
make this year’s list, all of
the different lines of G.I. Joe action
figures were also included on the list.
Sima-Bush explains: “Many of the
action figures on the list were included
because they are giving kids a very
U.S. centric view of the world, we are
one world community and we should not
look at ourselves as being better than
anyone, and we as group had what we
called a USELESS instinct that this
was not a message we want to instill
in our children.” The entire list
of toys and all associated USELESS warnings,
are available on the USELESS website
at www.fark.com.
Written
& Submitted by
Abe S.
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