Boy toys not the same as they used to be

When I was growing up, I didn’t have any of the fancy-schmancy electronic toys that kids have today. That’s OK. I had some neat stuff that - gasp! - didn’t even require batteries.

Things like a Daisy BB gun, a mousetrap game, silly putty, a Slinky, a Man from UNCLE game, cap pistols, Duncan yo-yos, Case pocket knives, Frisbees and a bike that Dad bought at Sears. About the only thing I wanted that I never got was Lawn Darts. That’s because my parents thought I would turn them into weapons — and they were right. By the way, who even came up with this idea? At some product development meeting, did a toy executive stand up and say, “Hey! What if we make giant steel tipped darts that kids can throw in the air?” And everyone else said,” Yeah!”