How TF did McDonalds approve this happy meal toy?

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: edro
Skoorb, you should know by now that if you assert a solid opinion, no matter how correct it may be, everyone will disagree with you.

It's ATOT's 2nd Law.

meh, he's got a very good point - this isn't something you should be giving kids or encouraging it, especially because it looks like it's got some kind of lense/focusing thing.

Now I'm off to discover my new x-ray ability by seeing the bones in my hand by putting my fingers over the flashlight. Don't tell me you didn't do it. Everybody kid did.

 

[Josh]

Wendys FTW

 

[alkemyst]

you mean these are desserts? thought they were a little chewy.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: jersiq

Originally posted by: Skoorb
The short of it is this: Toy encourages kids to shoot light at eye. I shot light at eye for a second and saw spots for some moments. The safe assumption is that if I held it at my eye for longer, it would not be good for it (at all), and that kids sometimes are dumb. I remember as a kid staring at a flashlight until it hurt because it was a strange sensation. This is what kids do, at least mine might because they share my same genes for self-destruction.

Now with that story of "strange sensations" in mind; what would stop your child from doing the same sensation experiment as you? Confiscate all light sources?
You knew better than to look at light, yet still did it.

P.S. mine show a bunch of heads not just a singular head. My daughter calls him the "scary man"

Yeah it's a bunch of heads, kind of, they really look terrible.

 

[EKKC]

why don't you start a 30million dollar lawsuit against them. im sure that will make more people aware than ATOT

 

[imported_Baloo]

Are you a little young to be buying happy meals. I know it used to be anantech forums were mosty populated by pre-adolexcent and early adolescent boys, but that was a few years ago and most are nearing adulthood. The demographic has changed, hasn't it?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I'd much rather have my kids stare into the toy's light than eat the food at MickeyD's! What are you thinking?

 

[Pepsi90919]

You can take the Skoorb out of Canada but you can't take the Canada out of Skoorb.

 

[theMan]

am i the only one who has never even been within 20 feet of a McDonalds?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
As edro pointed out - it's just an LED, not a laser.

Also, those little cheap lasers that everyone "knows" will make you blind if someone shines it in your eye... Exaggerated.

Laser pointers are class 3A (1 to 5 mW) and are required to carry a warning cautioning users to avoid shining a laser pointer beam into anyone's eye. I agree that this is very good advice--especially if the victim is driving a car"?. But class 3A lasers are less dangerous than most people think. The best supported risk estimate suggests that the retina can theoretically be damaged if someone were to stare into the beam for 10 seconds (Ophthalmology 1997; 104:1213).

But as Dr. Goble pointed out, this would be nearly impossible to achieve. In this situation, 10 seconds is nearly an eternity. The pupil, blink, and gaze-averting reflexes stop significant exposures in less than 0.25 seconds. Even in the office of an eye surgeon, with a chin rest, a target, and a machine to aim the beam steadily, it is difficult to keep a beam on a single spot for more than a few tenths of a second. So, a laser pointer in mischievous hands carries no real risk for immediate or delayed retinal damage.

Lasers can, however, dazzle the eyes. Both pain and dazzle spot images are common results of looking at a laser beam. This has given rise to panic in many individuals. Although laser pointers have never been found to do damage, they have produced hysterical blindness--people who can't see because they are convinced they can't (The Lancet 1998; 351:1291).

here

It's possible the pointer could have been a hopped up one emitting far more than the allowed (4.99mW) max. People are taking diodes from DVD writers and making 200+CW laser pointers and even worse - using the housings of common flashlights for them!

With legal low power pointers the biggest problem is distraction. People shine them in the eyes of someone driving a bus, operating a crane, or a barber sliding a straight razor across the face of a customer. Potentially catastrophic results!

And yes the red lights you see in little toys to the mouse on your desk - are in fact light emitting diodes. Newer laser mice do in fact use actual lasers in the near IR region (similar to a CD player at 780nm) and the actual power output past the lens is in the microwatt region. Not enough to make a mouse blink. :laugh:

 

[moshquerade]

YMMCC - yet more made in China crap.

it doesn't excuse McD's, but then again... they just throw the cheapest pieces of crap in kid's meals that they can find.

 

[erikistired]

all of the spiderwick chronicles toys are a bit odd for kids.

it's also not meant to shoot at your eyes, it has a little looking glass that lets you see things in the light.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Sumguy

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: DrPizza
As edro pointed out - it's just an LED, not a laser.

Also, those little cheap lasers that everyone "knows" will make you blind if someone shines it in your eye... Exaggerated.

Laser pointers are class 3A (1 to 5 mW) and are required to carry a warning cautioning users to avoid shining a laser pointer beam into anyone's eye. I agree that this is very good advice--especially if the victim is driving a car"?. But class 3A lasers are less dangerous than most people think. The best supported risk estimate suggests that the retina can theoretically be damaged if someone were to stare into the beam for 10 seconds (Ophthalmology 1997; 104:1213).

But as Dr. Goble pointed out, this would be nearly impossible to achieve. In this situation, 10 seconds is nearly an eternity. The pupil, blink, and gaze-averting reflexes stop significant exposures in less than 0.25 seconds. Even in the office of an eye surgeon, with a chin rest, a target, and a machine to aim the beam steadily, it is difficult to keep a beam on a single spot for more than a few tenths of a second. So, a laser pointer in mischievous hands carries no real risk for immediate or delayed retinal damage.

Lasers can, however, dazzle the eyes. Both pain and dazzle spot images are common results of looking at a laser beam. This has given rise to panic in many individuals. Although laser pointers have never been found to do damage, they have produced hysterical blindness--people who can't see because they are convinced they can't (The Lancet 1998; 351:1291).

here

Tell that to the scar on my retina from looking at a laser. Creates a nice little blurred spot in my field of vision.

How long was it in your eye for, though?

On a side note, I looked directly into the sun when I was little (through a slightly tinted car window, though) because I saw it vibrating a bit. Took me 5 seconds to realize that it was just my eyes, presumably getting owned by the sun, so I looked away. Didn't seem to have much effect.

Got hit with an actual laser-show light. Argon laser to the eyeball FTL. I got it checked out at the doctor's recently and she said there wasn't really any scarring, but I do have damage other places on/in my eye because of it. I can't look at the sky or anything one color without seeing two spots that move with my field of vision when I look around.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Sumguy

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: DrPizza
As edro pointed out - it's just an LED, not a laser.

Also, those little cheap lasers that everyone "knows" will make you blind if someone shines it in your eye... Exaggerated.

Laser pointers are class 3A (1 to 5 mW) and are required to carry a warning cautioning users to avoid shining a laser pointer beam into anyone's eye. I agree that this is very good advice--especially if the victim is driving a car"?. But class 3A lasers are less dangerous than most people think. The best supported risk estimate suggests that the retina can theoretically be damaged if someone were to stare into the beam for 10 seconds (Ophthalmology 1997; 104:1213).

But as Dr. Goble pointed out, this would be nearly impossible to achieve. In this situation, 10 seconds is nearly an eternity. The pupil, blink, and gaze-averting reflexes stop significant exposures in less than 0.25 seconds. Even in the office of an eye surgeon, with a chin rest, a target, and a machine to aim the beam steadily, it is difficult to keep a beam on a single spot for more than a few tenths of a second. So, a laser pointer in mischievous hands carries no real risk for immediate or delayed retinal damage.

Lasers can, however, dazzle the eyes. Both pain and dazzle spot images are common results of looking at a laser beam. This has given rise to panic in many individuals. Although laser pointers have never been found to do damage, they have produced hysterical blindness--people who can't see because they are convinced they can't (The Lancet 1998; 351:1291).

here

Tell that to the scar on my retina from looking at a laser. Creates a nice little blurred spot in my field of vision.

How long was it in your eye for, though?

On a side note, I looked directly into the sun when I was little (through a slightly tinted car window, though) because I saw it vibrating a bit. Took me 5 seconds to realize that it was just my eyes, presumably getting owned by the sun, so I looked away. Didn't seem to have much effect.

A few seconds maybe 3-4. My post was mainly to warn others that serious damage to your eyes can be caused by lasers and to heed the warning labels. With a laser you won't see or feel anything, but your retina will be scared. As I scan this post I can still see it move left to right, up and down. About the size of a pea held 1 foot in front of your eye.

There's a reason those warning labels are there.

 

[Soundmanred]

I miss Lego happy meals.
Legos didn't emit lasers.
All you could do was choke on one or step on them with bare feet.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I won't let my kids eat at McD's...

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: edro

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: edro
It's not a laser... it's an LED.

LAZ3R!

Need pics of said LAZ3R! in action... preferably into the camera lens.

LOL @ laser

 

[TehMac]

Maybe McDonald thinks the majority of parents are actually adults who will keep an eye on their kids and stop them from doing mentally retarded shit. That said, it's harder said than done, so I don't think it was the best of ideas.

 

[jamautosound]

Originally posted by: TehMac
Maybe McDonald thinks the majority of parents are actually adults who will keep an eye on their kids and stop them from doing mentally retarded shit. That said, it's harder said than done, so I don't think it was the best of ideas.

I consider myself an semi-overly protective parent. I do what I consider to be "common sense" to me, but seems to be too much for the average parent to accomplish; like hold my daughters hand when we're walking through a parking lot, not letting her play out front unless my wife or I are out there also, etc. She is 6yo btw.

I purchased a mighty kids meal tonight in the McD's drive-thru for my daughter. I handed her the box so she could start eating while I drove home. When I pulled into our driveway I turn and notice her shining this thing in her eye. I yell, take away the toy, she cries and says "That's how you do it!" showing me the instructions.

WTF. E-mail sent to McDonalds corporate also. I should be able to purchase a "gimmick meal" from any number of places that have these for kids, and not have to worry that the "gimmick toy" will somehow hurt my daughter. Now she, of course, was complaining about seeing spots, but she also mentioned that her head hurt. I'm pretty pissed right now.

What the hell were they thinking?

 

[0roo0roo]

laser cost too much
as said led.
still..a stupid toy

 

[CptCrunch]

the goggles?

 

[livingsacrifice]

What the crap is that thing it looks like something from Star Wars.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: jamautosound

Originally posted by: TehMac
Maybe McDonald thinks the majority of parents are actually adults who will keep an eye on their kids and stop them from doing mentally retarded shit. That said, it's harder said than done, so I don't think it was the best of ideas.

I consider myself an semi-overly protective parent. I do what I consider to be "common sense" to me, but seems to be too much for the average parent to accomplish; like hold my daughters hand when we're walking through a parking lot, not letting her play out front unless my wife or I are out there also, etc. She is 6yo btw.

I purchased a mighty kids meal tonight in the McD's drive-thru for my daughter. I handed her the box so she could start eating while I drove home. When I pulled into our driveway I turn and notice her shining this thing in her eye. I yell, take away the toy, she cries and says "That's how you do it!" showing me the instructions.

WTF. E-mail sent to McDonalds corporate also. I should be able to purchase a "gimmick meal" from any number of places that have these for kids, and not have to worry that the "gimmick toy" will somehow hurt my daughter. Now she, of course, was complaining about seeing spots, but she also mentioned that her head hurt. I'm pretty pissed right now.

What the hell were they thinking?

HOLY CRAP. I really cannot believe this. They put a LASER toy in the happy meal? You give a kid a laser, the kid WILL shine it in his or her eye, and WILL cause retina burns. The fact that the toy requires the kid to do that, just with some stupid target in the way, is just stupid. All it takes is to move the target, and the kid has retina burn. Remember, these burns are PERMANENT. I am pissed that they caused this to happen to your daughter. A freaking innocent little girl. I can't even imagine how you feel.


Edit: The target is clear?!?! So it focuses the beam?

Someone said it's an LED. An LED will scar your retina just as well as a laser if the concentration of energy per unit of area is high enough.

 

[erikistired]

it's not a laser.

 

[Throckmorton]

Take a picture of the light shining on a sheet of paper so we can determine whether it's a laser.