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Buckyballs Throws In the Towel

Posted by timothy on from the collectors-items-now dept.

RenderSeven writes "As previously reported the immensely popular Buckyballs office toys have been targeted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Last week Maxfield and Oberton, the maker of Buckyballs gave up the battle and announced they would discontinue sales and close. However, being driven out of business is not enough for R Buckminster Fuller's estate, who has filed yet another lawsuit that they own all rights to the name "buckyballs" despite widespread use of the term. If you still haven't bought your own yet, a few thousand sets in stock are still available."

12 of 383 comments (clear)

  1. I have buckyballs! by biojayc · · Score: 5, Funny

    The company I work for bought everyone on our team a set. Probably worst investment ever. Productivity has definitely suffered. But look at my cool artistic design!

  2. Search for spherical neodymium magnets... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    ... on eBay, and you will find multiple vendors selling exactly the same thing, but not called buckyballs. They still exist - just not under that stupid name.

    1. Re:Search for spherical neodymium magnets... by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      When you have a product that actually kills kids, it's not mindless regulation to ban it.

      What's next? Kitchen knives have killed enough kids over the years...guess we need to ban those.

      Seriously, a few accidents happen....parents that don't keep things dangerous out of the reach of kids, or stupid kids putting anything in their mouth and swallowing it?

      I think that is more Darwin's Law at work....should ban things like that that MOST adults can safely enjoy....

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    2. Re:Search for spherical neodymium magnets... by triffid_98 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      When you have a product that actually kills kids, it's not mindless regulation to ban it

      Um...yes it freaking is. I can think of a great many things it could be fatal to swallow. Even dihydrogen monoxide is fatal in sufficient quantities.

      "Think of the children" has caused so much stupid regulation it should be an automatic fail ala Godwin's law.

  3. More mindless federal regulation by El+Puerco+Loco · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dammit, freedom isn't free. And if the price of my freedom to be entertained by buckyballs is measured in the lives of toddlers, so be it. And now, I think I'll go outside for a nice game of Jarts. Who wants to be goalie?

  4. I'll need to stock up by skipkent · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am a baker and normal dragées just don't work the same.

    1. Re:I'll need to stock up by ddxexex · · Score: 5, Informative

      Well I learn a couple of things today because of this post. 1) A dragée is the name for that metallic decorative ball thing they put on cakes. 2) never accept candy from skipkent.

  5. Hard to swallow by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't see how kids can swallow these, not with their guts full of washing machine gel packs.

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  6. Zenmagnets has cheaper, better magnets... by quietwalker · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So if you want rare earth magnets before they're officially banned, get them from zenmagnets.com. Cheaper and higher quality. Also, they're not jerks like the buckyballs guys are.

    Fun video here comparing the two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Tka4NUmUo

    I know it looks like an advertisement posting, but as someone who owns a crudload of rare earth magnets, zenmagnets seem to me to be the best. I keep a mandala set on my desk at work for downtimes, and I have a manager who keeps trying to make the perfect soccer ball when I'm not looking.

    - and if you get the colored ones, just beware - the color tends to come off very easily if you're rough at all with them. You've been warned.

    1. Re:Zenmagnets has cheaper, better magnets... by RenderSeven · · Score: 5, Insightful

      they're not jerks like the buckyballs guys are.

      In what way are they jerks? They seem a little peeved at the CPSC but I would be too. Also note that the CPSC has targeted Zen Magnets as well: Zen Magnets was the first company to receive an administrative complaint from the Consumer Product Safety Commission without a record of injuries.

  7. Hey Entrepreneurs! by JWW · · Score: 5, Funny

    Still interested in starting a small business in the US?

    Didn't think so....

    Starting a small business in the US today is less like reaching for your dreams and more like Running Man where you get a 30 minute head start before the death lawyers start chasing you...

  8. Re:State gone Mad by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Informative

    They do not market them to children. The products have extensive warnings on them.