[lfjokes] The vibrating Nimbus 2000 broomstick for kids

[Simondo]

Someone's finally caught on:


http://www.nypost.com/seven/09072002/gossip/pagesix.htm


September 7, 2002 -- Potter broom rattles parents


THE "Harry Potter" toy broomstick from Mattel has a vibrating feature 
that has proven to be too popular with teenage girls.  


The "Nimbus 2000" is a plastic battery-powered replica of the broom used 
in  Quidditch matches by J.K. Rowling's boy wizard in "Harry Potter and 
the Sorcerer's Stone." The $19.99 toy features a "grooved stick and 
handle for easy riding," according to Toysrus.com, and, "enhancing the 
excitement are the vibrating effects."  


The Web site's review section is full of comments from parents who are 
amazed at the toy's popularity with their young daughters. One mom who 
bought the broom for her son writes that his sister frequently "fights 
him over it" and complains that "the batteries drain too fast."  


Another notes, "When my 12-year-old daughter asked for this for her 
birthday, I kind of wondered if she was too old for it, but she seems to 
love it."  


An equally enthusiastic parent marvels that "even my daughter's friends 
enjoy playing with this fun toy. I was surprised at how long they can 
just sit in her room and play with this magic broomstick!"  


One astute New Jersey mom says of her daughter: "It wasn't until after 
she opened her gift and started playing with it that I realized the toy 
may offer a more than sensational experience. The broomstick has cute 
sound effects and vibrates . . . what were the creators of this toy 
thinking? She'll keep playing with the Nimbus 2000, but with the 
batteries removed."  


"As always, the well-being of children is our top priority," Mattel rep 
Sara Rosales told PAGE SIX's Jared Paul Stern. "And we in no way consider 
this toy to be inappropriate."  


Meanwhile, parents of young Harry Potter fanatics may have more to worry 
about with the next movie in the series. The London Times recently 
reported  that Chris Columbus, director of the first two installments, 
won't be helming the third. Alfonso Cuaron, director of the sexually 
explicit coming-of-age flick "Y Tu Mama Tambien," may be taking his 
place.  


The Harry Potter franchise has already come under fire from Christian 
groups for its allegedly Satanic, anti-Christian message. A chruch pastor 
in New Mexico said he planned to burn the books in a "holy bonfire." The 
books were also banned at a Christian school in Australia and a toy store 
chain in England.  


-----------------------------------------


If you go to amazon.com today and type in 'Nimbus 2000', you'll find that 
the customer reviews referred to above have been deleted! Yes, Amazon is 
editing customer responses. So much for democracy.  


However, if you want to see the original reviews in all their glory, you
might still be able to catch Google's cache page at:

http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache:iWe6hJcUuVEJ:www.amazon.com/exec/obid
os/tg/stores/detail/-
/imaginarium/B00005NEBW+toysrus+broom+potter&hl=en&ie=UTF-8