Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Yo-Yo.

April 11, 2003 9:06 PM

Do Not Taunt Happy Fun Yo-Yo. Health officials in New York are concerned about "water yo-yos", a hot new toy imported from Asia filled with a "foul-smelling liquid" that has made some kids ill. So far, they haven't been able to figure out what the liquid is, who manufactures the toys, or who brings them into the United States.
posted by jjg (30 comments total)

I don't know much about stinky water, but those yo-yos are a *lot* of fun.
posted by djacobs at 9:14 PM on April 11, 2003

So far, they haven't been able to figure out what the liquid is, who manufactures the toys, or who brings them into the United States.

Eew. "Ralphie, the stranger has offered you a treat."
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 9:22 PM on April 11, 2003

I bet it has something to do with the rumoured to be lethal liquid inside magic 8-balls...
posted by Space Coyote at 9:24 PM on April 11, 2003

I see those damn things everywhere, and for the record, as a yoyo enthusiast... those ain't yoyos.
posted by KnitWit at 9:39 PM on April 11, 2003

Health officials in New York are concerned about "water yo-yos"

An area father was on the news a week or so ago complaining about these things because he walked into his daughter's room to find the cord had wrapped around her neck and bedpost and she was choking. I'm happy she's alright, but at the same time I wonder what he was doing letting her play with something like it unsupervised anyway, and would he have complained if the same thing had happened with a regular yo-yo, or a belt?
posted by lia at 9:39 PM on April 11, 2003

I have a long zipper scar down the web between my right thumb and forefinger, because when I was in first grade my brother told me there was poison gas inside golf balls, so I went at one with an X-acto knife. And, oh yes, I really hate yo-yo's.
posted by planetkyoto at 9:44 PM on April 11, 2003

Are they loaded with SARS juice?
posted by mathowie at 9:48 PM on April 11, 2003

planetkyoto, with reasoning like that I'd be glad to have escaped childhood with just a scar :)
posted by Space Coyote at 9:48 PM on April 11, 2003

another child drank the liquid and got sick

That's always a good rule when you don't know what's in something. Drink it, and see what happens.

I find it hard to believe that most people can't even get on an airplane these days without having their shoes x-rayed, yet these water-filled agents of doom can just come right into the country . . . and no one knows from where, or who.

I also know it's the weekend, but shouldn't Tom Ridge and the Homeland Security people be manning some sort of yo-yo alert post? (Maybe if you wrap duct tape around these alleged yo-yos, they won't leak.)
posted by LeLiLo at 9:52 PM on April 11, 2003

Look at that picture! It looks like a... like a... scrotum.
posted by Slagman at 9:56 PM on April 11, 2003

It looks like a... like a... scrotum.

1. [insert joke about foul-smelling liquid here]

2. If that's what your scrotum looks like, please go see a doctor.
posted by jjg at 10:04 PM on April 11, 2003

"...water-filled agents of doom..."

Oh, yeah. You know this phrase will be turning up again.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:06 PM on April 11, 2003

(Somebody has to say it, and I'm disappointed someone hasn't yet...)

So THAT's where Saddam hid all his chemical weapons...

(Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week, try the veal...)
posted by wendell at 10:16 PM on April 11, 2003

It's a dangerous world out there.
posted by troutfishing at 10:43 PM on April 11, 2003

Most of the water I've encountered in Asia has been foul-smelling, and quite a lot of it has made me sick, too.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 10:56 PM on April 11, 2003

From "water-filled agents of doom" to "filled with SARS juice," I have a feeling this thread will lead to, if anything, countless new additions to the tagline roll.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 10:58 PM on April 11, 2003

Radioactive water being given to our children! OUR CHILDREN! If this isn't a reason to invade North Korea, nothing is!

As an aside, I do not think I have ever owned a yo-yo.
posted by bargle at 11:57 PM on April 11, 2003

Why are these things fun? What do they do?
posted by spacewaitress at 12:34 AM on April 12, 2003

In Spain they have been already banned, the liquid inside the ball has some form of detergent that can be toxic if you drink it (maybe an adult won't do it, but those little running motherf***** will do it, it's Murphy's Law...)
posted by samelborp at 1:37 AM on April 12, 2003

maybe an adult won't do it...

And adults are less likely to pick up frag grenades that are the same color as food aid packages...

Ohmigod. I've gone Iraqrazy. I can't stop making war references. I'm going to have to quarantine myself at WarFilter until the fever breaks. This could be more dangerous than SARS. If any other MeFites have come in contact with me... oh, nevermind.
posted by wendell at 2:20 AM on April 12, 2003

As a public service, obligatory link to relevant Simpsons episode.
posted by PrinceValium at 7:29 AM on April 12, 2003

I don't understand. Why don't they just fill them with water? Seems like that'd be cheaper than filling them with detergent or radioactive waste or whatever.

Also, I live in NYC and it truly seems like every kid in the city has at least one of these faux-yo's.
posted by bshort at 8:04 AM on April 12, 2003

And an obligatory South Park reference, for all of you in the counter culture.

Cartman: You don't even know what the Primary Main Objective is?!
Stan: The Primary Main Objective is to destroy the Evil Power!
Kyle: Well, what's the Evil Power?!
Stan: Aw!
Cartman: Oh, my God! The identity of the Evil Power won't be revealed until all Chinpokomon are collected by a Royal Crown Chinpokomaster!
Kyle: What?!
Cartman: Duh!
posted by kaibutsu at 8:31 AM on April 12, 2003

These yo-yo's are people!
posted by soundofsuburbia at 9:27 AM on April 12, 2003

The detergent probably makes them internally slippery. Water's not the worlds greates lubricant.
posted by inpHilltr8r at 9:54 AM on April 12, 2003

that damn link won't work for me, yesterday or today....
so here's another, for anyone else with the same problem (yes, I'm registered).
posted by Espoo2 at 10:01 AM on April 12, 2003

Water's not the worlds greates lubricant

What is Astroglide ® ?
"Astroglide is a personal lubricant. It is water-based and water-soluble and Astroglide is designed to mimic the body's natural fluids"
posted by matteo at 10:27 AM on April 12, 2003

Why not water? Probably because it's not viscous enough to feel right. I imagine the manufacturers wanted a semi-liquid gel inside. The obvious one that springs to mind is a mixture of glycerin and propylene glycol (Astroglide, less the antibios and surfactants). It's completely safe, candy less the sugar. A detergent is a surprising choice; probably more expensive and not terribly pleasant if spilled.

It's surprising that they don't know what this is yet. A couple of days, hours really, and any competent lab could figure it out. Stuff that stinks is easy.
posted by bonehead at 5:18 PM on April 12, 2003

Sounds a lot more like mass hysteria to me. This "yoyo balloon" sales site's assembly instructions make no mention of anything other than good ol' H2O. And, of course, there's hilarious engrish for all.
posted by LimePi at 9:52 PM on April 12, 2003

Wow, those finger cots are pretty hot.
posted by ukamikanasi at 1:17 AM on April 13, 2003