No more Chinese crap

After yet another toy recall, this time by Fisher-Price of about one MILLION toys that have lead paint in them -- yes, made in China! -- I am through buying Chinese-made toys. I am sick and tired of these companies making a quick buck because they are too cheap to have toys made where there are some kind of regulations for what goes in the products. I am sick and tired of these companies making a quick buck at the expense of our children. I am so angry that I have supported these companies who, it turns out, don't give a flying rat's ass about my son, or anyone else's child, for that matter. So I am done with them. Until they wise up and start either bringing toy manufacturing back to the U.S. or otherwise clean up their acts, I will no longer be buying any toy made in China.

This won't be as easy as it sounds. Go to your local Toys R Us or Wal-Mart and actually look at where the toys are made. I did this last night at Pricesmart (just because I happened to be there; they usually do have some nice toys, albeit not that many). But there were a couple of things I was thinking about picking up for my son and a friend's new baby. Guess what? Every single toy on the shelves except one was made in China. And that other one? Made in Thailand. I thought at least the Chicco toys might be safe, since they are an Italian company, maybe they'd have more sense. But no, made in China, too. Grrr...

The only way these companies are going to wise up is if we as consumers let them know that what they're doing is not okay. Send e-mails, call those 800 numbers, and most importantly, vote with your dollars/colones. First they poisoned our pets, then our kids, and next it will be us. Oh wait, that's already happening, too...

Also? I would encourage everyone who doesn't already receive it to sign up for the CPSC's e-mail alerts.

And as a P.S.: There are a few stores here in Costa Rica that sell toys that aren't 99% "Made in China." The ones I know of are in Escazu: Toy Box and Kreativity on the road from San Rafael to Paco (Kreativity is in the same plaza as Spoon, and Toy Box is across the street from Mas x Menos), and La Tortuga Sabia in the Plaza Acuarium going toward Multiplaza on the back road. (P.P.S.: You see how hard it is to tell where something is when we have no freakin' addresses?)