Cracked is usually good for a laugh but their order, selection process, content, etc, could use work. More oft than not I find myself disagreeing with a considerable portion of what they write.

It kinda makes too big a deal out of some of these. But, to put things into perspective, this was probably the same generation that saw nothing wrong with giving their kids BB guns...

I couldn't imagine getting a lead casting kit for Christmas. What would your parents think of you if they bought you that??

Cracked FTW!

Shit man, I HAD a couple of those Power Mite things as a kid. They must have been second or third generation, because the case was a more rounded shape, but other than that, it was the same friggin thing. I had the drill and the jigsaw.

My brother had a lead-casting set when he was a kid; made toy soldiers and such. You couldn't really buy the soldiers, so it was pretty much the only way to go.
Funny looking back on it though.


I don't like the way the article seems to treat all children the same though; yes, a lot of children may have touched the red-hot glass, but a lot would've known better. It's the job of the parent to know which type of kid they have, and to supervise so nothing bad happens. Jesus Christ, I mean, pandering to the lowest denominator is something that's common nowadays, but that doesn't mean they were stupid back then for doing things differently.

Hell, I'd have loved to have had a glass-blowing kit. That sounds mad. Same for the power-tools. Make pencil-boxes and stuff. That chemistry set too. The only chemistry sets I've ever known have been unholy crap, that would actually turn people OFF science.

Regulation is great, really. But there should still be options available for the families where the parents play with the children, and where the children aren't goddamn idiots.

"You'll melt your eye out, kid!"