Strollerderby : bratz

Bratz Back on the Corner ... er, I Mean Shelves

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:24:00 GMT

Bad news for parents who don't like the slutification of toys: A judge who earlier this month ordered Bratz dolls off the shelves because of a patent infringement, could rule the vixens in cellophane should remain through the end of 2009.

Oh yay.

The fight has something to do with a party where Barbie was all, "Like what up?" and the Bratz were all, "Biatch!" and then they went to court where Bratz lost for totally mimicking Barbie's every move, or something. (Here's a better recap of the tussle.) It doesn't really matter.

I still think Barbie's a bad enough play model but Bratz are even worse, with their focus on risque clothes and the early sexualization of kids. Four year olds don't need mini-skirts or role models who sit around and look "pretty" while their male counterparts actually do shit. (The American Psychological Association singled out the dolls as moronic.) So I was pleased to see Bratz going to toy ho heaven, but now it appears there's one more year to go.

Am I just a prude, some puritanical preacher shaking his fists at the sky during a round of musical chairs and screaming, "Children! Stop that wicked dancing!" or does anyone else get bent out of shape over Bratz dolls? (And am I just as bad as the marketers of Bratz by my demonization of something ultra-feminine with words like slut or ho? Hmm, food for introspection -- and stay tuned next week at the 'Derby when we debate the merits of Barbie.) But still, it makes me wonder: Why can't we give young girls toys of real role models to play with? I can't stand watching Dora for its repitition, but man, that girl works hard!

Barbie Beats Bratz in Battle of the Dolls

Kate Tuttle — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:29:00 GMT

After a four-year legal battle, toy empire Mattel has finally vanquished Bratz, the vaguely hooker-ish doll line that had nearly sunk the company's venerable Barbie brand. US District Judge Stephen Larson ruled Wednesday that MGA, which makes and sells Bratz, must immediately cease and desist, siding with a lower court's finding that Bratz inventor Carter Bryant had developed the pouty, vampy dols while working for Mattel. That case, decided by jury, gave Mattel $10 million for copyright vilations and another $90 million for breach of contract.

Fear not, Bratz lovers: MGA plans an immediate appeal. And hey, if they lose, remember to steal a motto from the crazy gun fans out there: when Bratz are outlawed, only outlaws will have Bratz. Fess up: aren't you glad these skanky items will likely be off the shelf before your baby girl gets old enough to ask for one?

More by this author:

Baby Nearly Starves to Death, Diluted Formula to Blame
Grandmother’s Right? Or Totally Obnoxious?
Health Scam: Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Mama’s Got a Brand New Bag

Scholastic Says Bye-Bye To Bratz

Amy S.F. Lutz — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:33:00 GMT

I know there are a lot of parents out there who despise Bratz - who think they sexualize children and fear they will turn their precious little girls into tramps in miniskirts and go-go boots.

Those parents will be happy to hear that Scholastic has decided to cut Bratz chapter books from its book clubs and fairs this year. Also gone are tie-ins, such as a Bratz computer game and stencil kit.

Although a consumer advocacy group, The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, claims their 18-month fight against Bratz books was the reason Scholastic made the move, Scholastic itself credits declining sales of Bratz merchandise.

I'm neither pro-Bratz nor anti-Bratz. I just don't see much difference between Bratz books and books featuring other characters, such as Transformers or Strawberry Shortcake. All these titles are inherently commercial and designed to make kids beg their parents for toys, videos and other crap. But if parents are faced with kids who don't necessarily love reading but are excited about books featuring their favorite characters - hey, whatever works.

Barbie to Bratz: Pay Up B*tch

SunnyChanel — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:50:00 GMT

The headline of the Los Angeles Times business section read “Mattel Wins Skimpy Damages in Bratz Doll Case”. How much is skimpy? Well I guess in plastic doll circles, 100 million dollars is considered skimpy. That’s some math I can’t even begin to comprehend. But Mattel had asked for 1.8 billon so they ended up with only about 5.5% of what they really wanted and felt that they deserved.

Why was Mattel looking for some payback in the first place? Well in a nutshell, if you haven’t been following the "war of the dolls", Bratz’s Daddy, and former Barbie designer Carter Bryant, developed the line while under an exclusive contract with toy giant Mattel. But Cater played the field and ended up having the toy company MGA develop the dolls even though Mattel owned his ass (and all his ideas). MGA’s chief officer, who was found to have “secretly aided the designer in breaking his exclusivity” also got a bitch slap from the jury.

But the story doesn’t end there. Mattel will “seek an injunction as soon as next month to stop MGA from making more Bratz dolls.” Oh those dolls, why can’t they all just play nice.

For more information about the trial check out the more informed and eloquent musing on the situation by our own Jen Chaney here:

The Latest on Barbie v. Bratz

In Barbie v. Bratz, Barbie Wins

In The Courtroom: Barbie V. Bratz

In Barbie v. Bratz, Barbie Wins

Jen Chaney — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:02:00 GMT

In case you missed the news a few days ago, it looks like Barbie has won her court battle with those younger, sluttier Bratz.

The jury in the Barbie vs. Bratz trial ruled that MGA Entertainment, the company that makes Bratz, is guilty of contract interference and copyright infringement. The reason: Former Mattel designer Carter Bryant was, in the jury's eyes, still under contract with Mattel when he came up with the idea for Bratz. In other words, MGA stole what was rightfully Mattel's, and now MGA will have to pay.

How much is unclear. The second phase of the trial will determine the amount of damages. And of course, there's always the possibililty of appeals, not to mention another pending lawsuit in which MGA accuses Mattel of stealing designs from them. It appears MGA won't give up their Bratz without a fight.

Now, I don't have a dog -- or a doll -- in this fight. But I'm kinda glad to see Barbie as the victor only because, you know, she has seniority. And despite the debut of S&M Barbie, I still think she's classier than those big-headed mini-hos.

Related Post

The Latest on Barbie v. Bratz

In the Courtroom: Barbie v. Bratz

Topless Barbie Leads to Man's Arrest

S&M Barbie

Top 5 Worst Sweet-to-Sexy Toy Makeovers

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:31:00 GMT

As if thong-wearing Bratz weren't already securing the kiddie toy sexual revolution, toymakers continue to try and wrest sexay from remodels of iconic toys from the 70s and 80s. Pictured right is the original Holly Hobbie. See her disturbing modern makeover after the jump.

She is only one of the Top 5 Worst Sweet-to-Sexy Toy Makeovers:

1. Strawberry Shortcake - No longer the dumpling gumdrop five or six-year-old, she is now a tween, likes to sit sexy sidesaddle, and wears her hair to her waist. Hard to imagine her playing soccer or doing anything but sitting passively and looking pretty.

2. Holly Hobbie - Like her friend Strawberry, Holly is now a tween with attitude (and long hair). Check her out. It's a sad day when we forsake prioneer girls like Laura Ingalls for Hannah Montana lookalikes.

3. Barbie - Hard to imagine that Barbie would some day seem tame compared to her slutty doll counterparts. Nevertheless, she's doing her best to keep up with the times.

4. My Little Pony - These sweet little purple and pink-haired quadropeds have a newer modern relative, the Strutz. The new horsies have implied cleavage, high heels and wear tons of makeup.

5. Trollz - Remember those crazy plastic statues with the weird furry hair? Take a look at their new incarnation.

If trolls can look like Bratz and Holly Hobbie has forsworn her pioneer girl roots, then surely the kiddie toy sexual revolution is complete.

The Latest on Barbie v. Bratz

Jen Chaney — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:28:00 GMT

The epic Battle of the Dolls -- otherwise known as the trial over who really owns the concept for Bratz, Mattel or MGA Entertainment -- is getting underway in California. And some of the proceedings are already providing fodder for comedy.

Yesterday, a judge ruled that lawyers can present evidence that shows Carter Bryant, the creator of Bratz and a former Barbie designer for Mattel, erased files from his computer a few months after Mattel sued him. The best part? He deleted the files by using a program called ... wait for it .. "Evidence Eliminator." Where did he download that software, at reallyiamnotdoinganythingsuspicious.com?

Mattel's attorneys contend that Bryant was attempting to get rid of proof that he came up with the Bratz concept while still under contract to Mattel. Meanwhile, lawyers for MGA are using what I'll call the porn defense: Actually, he was just using "Evidence Eliminator" to rid his computer of sexually explicit pop-up ads. Really, Bryant doesn't win either way on that one.

More updates from the trial will come as news, or just stuff that makes me laugh, breaks. (It's going to be a sweet, sweet day when Ken takes the stand. You can bet that dude knows a little something about "Evidence Eliminator.")

RetroFitted: Glamour Gals Were, Like, Way Better Than Bratz

Jen Chaney — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:03:00 GMT

All the attention on the epic battle between Bratz and Barbie got me thinking about some dolls -- stylish action figures, really -- I loved as a kid: Glamour Gals.

Four-inch-tall ladies who tooled around town in Firebirds, wore sparkly outfits and had names like Loni and Jessie, the Glamour Gals were similar to Bratz except: a. not as slutty; b. they appeared to have much less collagen in their lips; and c. their heads were not 85 times larger than their bodies. Best of all, they could be carted around in a sweet carrying case, as demonstrated by this commercial:

My favorite part of that commercial, by the way: The impressionable little girl urging Shara to "buy something pretty." Yeah, the Glamour Gals really made young females dream big.

The GG line didn't last long; Kenner sold them for a couple of years in the '80s, then sent them off to the Glamour Graveyard. Personally, I'd like to see them come back as an alternative to Bratz, if only because they're a little more, well, elegant. (If Carrie Bradshaw had been a tad younger, she totally would have played with Glamour Gals.)

But given the somewhat sexist subtext behind the dolls, they'd need to be smartened up to make them truly appropriate for girls circa 2008. Maybe call them Glamour Gals with Grad Degrees? Or make them environmentally-conscious Green Gals, who drive hybrid vehicles instead of Firebird? Hmmm ... I might be on to something there.

Image: Bigredtoybox.com

RetroFitted appears every Thursday on Strollerderby.

In the Courtroom: Barbie v. Bratz

Jen Chaney — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:32:00 GMT

The trial of the century -- okay, maybe the No. 2 Trial of the Century, just after R. Kelly -- is underway. It's Barbie v. Bratz in a civil suit destined to rock this nation to the very core of its being. As the court proceedings get underway, here is a brief primer on what's at stake in this battle of the less-than-progressive-toys for little girls.

The Barbie Side

Who is involved in the suit: Mattel Inc., the company behind one of the most enduring dolls in toy history.

Their argument: One of their designers, Carter Bryant, crafted the Bratz dolls while he was working at Mattel. Therefore, Mattel deserves a share of the profits from the Bratz franchise.

Their argument, in easier-to-digest form: "Those slutty dolls with the oversized heads and collagened lips were totally our idea!"

What's at stake: The reputation of the less slutty, though not necessarily liberated, Barbie, as well as potential revenue for Mattel, which has not been strong of late.

The Bratz Side

Who is involved in the suit: MGA Entertainment Inc., the company behind the lucrative Bratz franchise.

Their argument: Bryant came up with the concept for Bratz while on hiatus from Mattel, and therefore Mattel is not entitled to any Bratz profits.

Their argument, in easier-to-digest form: "Those slutty dolls with the oversized heads and collagened lips were created by someone who used to work at Mattel, but didn't when he created these dolls. So suck it."

What's at stake: If they lose the lawsuit? Potentially precious profits from the multi-billion-dollar Bratz line.

Who Will Testify:

A number of Mattel designers and possibly Bryant himself, who apparently settled a separate set of claims this month for an undisclosed amount.

Who Would Testify if This Trial Took Place in My Barbie Dreamcourthouse:

Skipper (Don't think for a second that she doesn't know about some serious, lowdown s@!%.)

Jon Voight, who starred in the "Bratz" movie.

Da Brat. Granted, she has nothing to do with this. But maybe she could bust out a little "Fundafied."

Members of the group Aqua, who sang "Barbie Girl," a track that, on more than one occasion, made me question my reasons for continuing to exist on this planet.

Updates regarding the trial will be posted here at Strollerderby as warranted.

Photo: theage.com.au

6 Toys That Should Be Destroyed with Baseball Bats

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:31:00 GMT

There are so many reasons to destroy toys with baseball bats (like Office Space, but with more plastic). First, it's fun to smash slutty dolls marketed to our 4 year olds. Second, it's a great way to work off that frustration over the cost of gas, health care, and housing:

Here are 6 toys that could use a good bashing:

1. Diego's Lead-Filled Animal Rescue Boat - Identified as one of the 10 worst toys of 2007, this plastic nightmare is loaded with lead.

2. Barbie My Scene - Because any toy using the word "bling" deserves to be demolished

3. Struts - Horses wearing high heels and heavy heavy eye makeup. Enough said.

4. Bratz Babyz- Babies wearing thongs. Next: "Baby Streetwalker"

5. Giant Microbes - These are hard to break because they're plushy, but giant microbes as toys? "Here's a nice cuddly bacterium to show you how much Mommy loves you." [Edited to add: Ok, seriously, I'm the only person who thinks these are unbelievably odd, these little bugs have quite a following!]

6. Operation Checkpoint X-Ray Machine - It's never too late to train your kids to practice working for homeland security?

Which toys would you pull an Office Space on? Don't remember that scene? It's here for your enjoyment, but be forwarned: Bad Words are Said Loudly!!!

Adult "Bimbo" Players Mad at Parents

Kelly Mills — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:33:00 GMT

There's no such thing as bad publicity, right? In the wake of the widespread hand-wringing over the Miss Bimbo game--hand-wringing I partook in as well--there's an article on how regular adult users are peeved because the site is now getting so many hits people can't log in. Aw, poor locked out Bimbos. And let's face it: After watching a few news clips, it's clear the site creators have been intentionally milking the media attention. I mean, they say ridonkulous stuff about how the game promotes good values because you can send your Bimbo to university instead of the more obvious damage control things like, "It's intended for grown-ups," and no one is actually that stupid, are they?

One irate Bimbo user says that only the worst parents ever would actually let their kids play the game, and that the controversy must be manufactured. While I'd never, ever let my six-year-old play, and I hope I'll be up on her internet activties for a while, I believe there may come a time when I can't oversee every site she visits, nor block every potentially problem webpage. But even after I wrote about the site, I started getting irked by the media coverage, screaming that children will develop eating disorders if they just look at the site. (If we did everything our avatars did, why there would be far more shootings and leaping over mushrooms and I would totally be a lead guitarist in a kickass rock band.) Yeah, I wouldn't ever want girls playing the game. And sadly, they can also learn about tramp clothes and crazy body image from their Barbies and Bratz; they can get the message that a woman is complete when she lands a rich guy from maybe 90 percent of the Disney catalog; and they'll learn about their movie and music idols getting plastic surgery and taking diet pills from any gossip magazine on supermarket stands. Miss Bimbo just happens to be an obvious collection of all that shit in one lame place.

Move Over Barbie: Salma Is a Muslim Alternative

Kelly Mills — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:03:00 GMT

Sukmawati Suryaman used Barbie as the inspiration to create a more modest doll for Muslim children. Salma wears long-sleeved prayer dresses, abayas, and head scarves, "making Salma's conservative clothing more familiar to [Indonesian] children than the glittering, pop-star inspired outfits donned by dolls such as Barbie and Bratz." Of course, sequined hot pants, boas, stilettos and a bra top aren't exactly familiar to my kid, but that hasn't stopped Mattel. Maybe since Salma's whole body is covered, she can just get away with a bizarrely proportioned face or something. Suryaman hopes Salma will "inspire virtue in Muslim girls."

See, now there I take issue. Does that mean Barbie doesn't inspire virtue in our children? Why, credit card Barbie waits until she marries Ken...to pay off her enormous debt, because shopping is fun! And there's, um, that Barbie that scoops poop. I mean, that's pretty virtuous. Barbie teaches values like the importance of not being quite as slutty as Bratz. Um, what else does she teach kids again?

Photo: Reuters/Supri

Maybe Jesus Can Save your Kids from Bratz Dolls

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:31:00 GMT

Look. I hate Bratz dolls just as much as any mother who is trying to prevent her daughter from becoming a complete slut when she grows up. Barbie is still pretty unrealistic, but at least she doesn't look like a hooker.

I am all for a more wholesome alternative, but this may be taking the whole thing a little bit to far in the other direction. Bible action figures. It would be like having the nativity year round! These Purity Dolls will be available at Wal-Mart. Of course, Wal-Mart, the censoring, fascist, evil empire.

Now I am not trying to say that I myself don't have a Jesus action figure (or two) but I assure you they were purchased purely for the hilarity. I got one as a gift one time. When it took five weeks to get from California to Florida the sender was pretty sure she was being smote for blasphemy, but really the post office just misplaced my package.

[ thanks to Whit for the link]

Babble Talk: Summer Film Guide

Gwynne Watkins — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 13:38:00 GMT

With the first summer heat wave approaching, shouldn't you be spending your time enjoying someone else's air conditioning? The Babble Summer Film Guide gives you a rundown of this summer's kid-friendly fare, plus a few R-rated selections prominently featuring parents. In addition to Knocked Up (Have you seen that yet? Seriously, call the sitter and go.), the most promising picks include Pixar's Ratatouille, the superdark new Harry Potter, the Hairspray remake (John Waters for kids!), the documentary Arctic Tale and The Simpsons Movie. Things get a little dire in August (The Bratz movie -- shudder), but Neil Gaiman comes to the rescue with his fantasy film Stardust. Check out the complete list here.

Kylie Minogue's 'Tween Lingerie. Because Every Kid Deserves To Be Sexy, Right?

Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 22:27:00 GMT

Kylie Minogue has added her name and star power to a line of underwear that is really lingerie for 8- to 12-year olds who are really still kids. The Love Kylie Princess undies are cheeky (and when I say cheeky, I mean half-ass hanging-outty), sexy, sassy, marketed to girls and sold at KMart, where one night's babysitting money can get you multiple pairs.

I clearly remember being twelve and begging my mother to let me wear suntan pantyhose with my bobby socks and Keds. OK, so it was a bezillion years ago and I was still secretly playing with Barbies. My mother refused. No negotiations, no further discussion. And then she saw a group of girls from my class, all boobs and boyfriends and, of course, suntan panthose. She gave in. She probably knew that I wouldn't be wearing a bra for years, so the nylons were one little step in the direction of womanhood. While I may have jumped at the chance to put my little skinny pre-pubescent booty into a pair of sassy panties back then, I know my mom would have promptly tossed them from the laundry. One little step was one thing for a girl. Frederick's for 'Tweens? I think not.

This pre-breast bud sexualization of girls is disturbing and unecessary for anything other than mass marketers making even more money. I am pretty sure we all know this. Well, except for cash-counting Kylie Minogue and the folks dreaming up glittery intimates for kids who can barely multiply double digit numbers. Of course, the 'tween thing is normalized because girls have already amassed enough images of how and why their (eventual) boobs, (bare) bellies and (bumpin') booties are attention-getting in the form Bratz dolls and other ridiculous products pushed from kindergarten on.

While there are some amazing and empowering programs for girls, we all know it takes a hell of a lot of programming to outshine the allure of big-star promotion of near-thongs and hooker baby dolls. It pisses me off that the natural and normal evolution of girls' sexuality and self-image is interrupted by and preyed upon and I know it doesn't do any of us -- especially girls at a very vulnerable age -- any good at all. I just wish we could go back to the good old days, when purchasing your first fancy underthings from Victoria's Secret was momentous and exciting, and saved for prom. Not to play dress-up for your bat mitzvah.

Pink Genes Are For Girls

Kelly Mills — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:32:00 GMT

Are girls hard-wired to be all into pink and princesses? If you are looking for the answers, you probably won't find them here. For example:

"The reason why girls like pink is that their brains are structured completely differently to boys," says child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. "Part of the brain that processes emotion and part of the brain that processes language is one and the same in girls but is completely different in boys. This explains so much - you can give a girl a truck and she'll cuddle it. You can give a boy a Barbie doll and he'll rip its head off. These differences are hard-wired at birth but you can't take away the cultural conditioning, which helps it along a bit."

Oh. So pink is, um, nurturing? Or about language and emotion? I'm so confused. See, I don't get how the princess thing and the pink thing and the cuddly-emotion thing are one and the same. However, explanations are clearly not part of the recipe of newsflashes in this one. Let me summarize the rest for you. Disney markets the princess thing to little girls! Barbies might or might not be bad for girls! Bratz are too sexualized, and that is not good!

I do love this quote from a Mattel rep, defending Barbie's educational value by citing the company's launch of Barbie and Tanner, her dog that really poos. "You can actually clean his poo up with a pooper scooper, so it teaches them that if they take their dog for a walk, it's good to do the right thing by the environment." Wow. That doll has some really important lessons to share with us. Like "it's good to clean up poo". Sorry, my hysterical laughter is making it hard to write.

While it's hard to take this all seriously, I'd just like to add I find it interesting people somehow think cultural conditioning is this little thing you can just get over easily, while genes are the real deal. We are social animals; our socialization is what makes us human. I'd say that's just as powerful as a gene. Gawd, I'm such a faux-grad student.

Here's Your Hussy, Honey: Dolls That Make Us Cringe

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Thu, 03 May 2007 17:26:00 GMT

Move over Barbie, and Bratz teen dolls! Make way for Bratz Babyz! Dorothy at BlogHer says it like it is, describing the disturbing thing about these dolls that they scarily resemble many toddler girls.

But now with makeup! And short dresses!

The challenge of raising daughters in this culture is the disappearance of girlhood, the sexualization of women and girls, and the message that the only thing about them that matters is their looks. Ugh.

So when my daughters tell me they're fat, or bad at math, or think boys are stronger, I want to kick something (maybe a weak boy). And they don't watch television and they don't play with Barbies or Bratz or Baby Hooker Junior. But like all the other worried mommies out there, I'm confident this won't prevent them from having the usual preoccupations.

At minimum, I can keep these horrid dolls out of their toy box.

Babble Talk: Rock Camp for Girls!

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Wed, 02 May 2007 21:06:00 GMT

Ada Calhoun's Babble piece on rock camp for girls will make you salivate. Are you pondering how to counteract the Bratz and Barbie and "Sex Kitten 69" t-shirts you see young girls wearing? This rock camp is the way to go, my friend.

Calhoun interviews founder (and lawyer and a brillion other things) mama Hanna Fox, who spun off the program from a similar one in Portland back in 2004.

Fox notes that music is really only a proxy, a tool used to teach girls about empowerment and self-expression. And? they learn self-defense as well as performance (heeeYAAA).

And did you hear there's even a rock camp for mamas now? THAT would rock.

International Toy Fair 2007: Bratz, High School Musical, and TV Tie-Ins Galore

thezeroboss — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 11:04:00 GMT

(Filed by correspondent Michelle Kung)

It's impossible to discuss girls' toys without bringing up dolls, and it's impossible to discuss dolls without first bringing up Yasmin, Sasha, Cloe, and Jade, better known as the Bratz. Though the appeal of the big-puckered, alien-eyed quartet escapes me (and most parents, I can only presume) the fashion-jonesing dolls are releasing enough new products this year to drive a mom and dad mad. First up, the girls are appearing in a new CGI direct-to-DVD movie entitled Fashion Pixiez, which will be accompanied by MGA Entertainment's tie-in toy line, complete with glittery strap-on fairy wings, and an audio CD. The Bratz will also be featured in their first live-action movie, produced by, among others, the incomparable (and never drunk) Paula Abdul, a.k.a. the original live action bobble-head.

Other Bratz lines in the works revolve around themes of Hollywood red carpets, nature, after-school activities, and an extended pampered "petz" line – pups and kittens, I must admit, far more adorable than the Pound Puppies and Cats I made my mom buy me as a kid.

Barbie is fighting back with her own fairy brand, Fairytopia, which is launching a new film – Magic of the Rainbow – next month. The DVD will push viewers towards products such as Barbie's Fairyoke Wings, which can be strapped onto a young wannabe fairy's back and is musically activated by a wand. Moms of young fairies can wish Mattel's NASCAR line (including Jeff Gordon) and cinematic Enchanted line (including a doll of McDreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey).

And of course, let us not forget new lines of Hillary Duff dolls, Hannah Montana dolls (blond wig and karaoke microphone for you daughter sold separately), Cheetah Girls dolls, Hairspray dolls, and High School Musical dolls, all with appropriate accoutrements.

I'm Thwarting My Daughter's Imagination

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 19:46:00 GMT

We have no dolls in the house. Not one. There are monkeys, sure -- and frogs, monsters, trolls and bears galore. But I can't find one stuffed or plastic anything that in some way resembles a human. And I'm afraid that's thwarting my daughter's imagination.

You see, I just read Lilianna's great post at Mother Talkers about when imagination might begin. Her daughhter, about the same age as my own, was given a doll and began "caring" for it -- or at least treating it like the little girl has been treated, with lots of love and kisses. I'm wondering that by not giving my girl a doll, I might be crippling what appears to be latent instinct?

Bratz are out, obviously. I don't want to raise a prostitute. Barbie as well. We don't want to fall into the American Girl money pit. But I'm beginning to think we need a human doll -- a human baby doll. Anything to get that imagination going.

Mattel Posts 4th-Quarter Profits: Suck It, Bratz!

Patti — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 14:32:00 GMT

If your holiday gift giving included Barbie, Polly Pocket or TMX Elmo, then you helped Mattel and its subsidiaries exceed their expectations for 2006. The toymaker, whose divisions include Fisher Price, reported strong sales and a higher stock price than forecasters predicted. Barbie showed continued growth for the fourth quarter in a row, in the face of wicked competition from those wily Bratz.

Mattel's American Girl division failed to meet expectations for the year but according to CEO Robert Eckert, still managed to have a record year. New American Girl bistro-boutiques opening this year in Dallas and Atlanta should contribute to the brand's continued growth.

Eckert's discussion of Mattel's success held a dim note for parents: he noted that rising costs of the raw materials and labor used to make his company's toys will likely be reflected at the retail level, though he said that he's been comforted by the fact that consumers (that's you and me, especially if your daughters crave ownership of all twelve Dancing Princesses) are willing to pay higher prices for quality and innovation. Or, maybe we'll just stick with just the one Dancing Princess for now (even if I am secretly hankering for the whole bunch myself). Maybe we'll funnel that money into Mattel stock instead.