The real monkey doing the Rick Flair impression Flip Mino HD should be arriving on Wednesday - Friday of next week.  Interestingly enough, the printing is done by Cafe Press where you can stock up on Obama t-shirts or Twilight fan-designed merchandise.

Also, free UPS ground shipping after the nail you with tax.

So I was just reading this morning on Baby Cheapskate and then on the LA Times that on February 10th the government will be enforcing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).  The rough and dirty of it is that all clothing, toys, etc designed for those humans 12 and under are required to be tested for lead and phthalates, which are used to make plastics more pliable.  This applies to all items currently in circulation, not just newly manufactured items.

So basically, in a month, all parents in the USA will have to buy clothes and toys for their children brand new.  No garage sales.  No consignment shops.  You’re not even supposed to be able to give the stuff away legally as the act is currently written.  These tests are just a drop in the bucket for major manufacturers who should have been doing this all along.  This is going to have massive ramifications on your pocket book as well as open up storefronts all over the metro due to consignment store closings.

The way I see it, the government was too lazy/uncaring to regulate the items they were allowing to come over from China which caused this child health issue.  Now they are issuing wide-encompassing acts that will affect the financial health of you and me.  Talk about an economic stimulous!  Not to mention how green it will look when a cosignment shop has to throw away it’s entire inventory on February 10th when they can’t afford to test the merchandise.

You parents out there need to act.  If you are still single but have a sibling or parent with young kids, let them know.  If you shop at a consignment store with children’s items, ask them about it to make sure they are aware of it.  The LA Times article stated that half of the stores they called had no idea.

If you don’t know who to contact, here are the contact sites for Rep Dennis Moore, Sen Sam Brownback and Sen Pat Roberts.  All of them have email forms on their site for quick response.

Fine purveyors of child-specific used goods in KC :

• Once Upon A Child
• Children’s Orchard
• The Recycled Kid

There’s also the numerous Goodwill and Salvation Army locations around the city.

So I’ve decided to plunk down a portion of my Christmas cash on getting a Flip Mino HD.  I’ve been looking at these for a while and have decided just to jump at it before I get the bill for my car.

I decided to get the HD over the regular Flip Mino based off the recommendation of Ramsey, who received his own over the holidays.  But the one thing I can’t decide on what I want to customize it with.  Below are my two favorite options, which I submit for your approval.  I realize the images are a bit small, but I think you can get the idea.  The first is the Robo-Murrito from my site banner.  The other is an actual chimp raising his arm and looks to be doing the Rick Flair ‘WOOOOO!’

VS   

Please share your feelings in the comments, which I may or may not take into consideration.