Amazon User Reviews of "Playmobil TSA Checkpoint" Put the "LOL" in "Lost Liberties"

Posted by Xeni Jardin, January 21, 2009 6:18 PM | permalink

These user reviews for a Playmobil Security Check Point ($55!) are pretty hilarious. (via @EFF on Twitter)

Update: Oh, Cory posted about this product 5 years ago! But I'll leave this new post up because a bunch of funny user comments have accrued on the Amazon listing, like so many happy barnacles on an ocean rock.

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Discussion

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#1 posted by eustace , January 21, 2009 6:45 PM

The reviews are hilarious; but when I closely looked at the toy, I realized that it doesn't really represent our current situation very well. This checkpoint would have been perfectly at home in any major airport years before 9-11. It really represents the last time we surrendered our freedoms in the airport to hysteria - then, over a handful of hijackings.

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#2 posted by yashwata , January 21, 2009 7:01 PM

I have one of these and made a funny photograph of it: http://yashwata.info/2008/05/21/happy-birthday-to-me/

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#3 posted by frankiez

, January 21, 2009 7:04 PM

OK, this set confirms what, down here in Europe, we tough when we were kids (and "LEGO heads"): PLAYMOBIL is made by fasc*sts.

Now I'm curious to see what they will display during the Nuremberg Toy Fair at the beginning on february...

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#4 posted by yokimon , January 21, 2009 7:11 PM

too bad my birthday just past and I'm broke because i want this!

don't forget about the Scan-It Operation Checkpoint Toy XRay, too

http://www.amazon.com/Scan-It-Operation-Checkpoint-Toy-XRay/dp/B000Y8BIMC/ref=tag_stp_np_edpp_url

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#5 posted by eustace , January 21, 2009 7:15 PM

Thanks, Yokimon. I liked especially this line from the Technical Details part of the Scan-It Amazon page, "Helps children become acclimated with airport and public spaces security".

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#6 posted by mdh , January 21, 2009 7:19 PM

Nobody in the TSA has hair that long, and Jack White probably wouldn't wear his sweater like that.

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#7 posted by noah , January 21, 2009 7:27 PM

Cory had a better picture when he posted this last time.

It's weird. This has been making a pretty serious run through the blogosphere over the past week or so. It hit pretty hard back in 2004, too, though. The web has a shorter memory than you'd expect.

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#8 posted by Xeni Jardin

, January 21, 2009 7:39 PM

@#7 noah, thanks for that reminder! But what's blog-worthy this time around is the comments, IMO, not just the product listing.

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#9 posted by LSK , January 21, 2009 7:43 PM

Wait, $55? For what amounts to three glorified Lego minifigs and a bluish-whitish object vaguely shaped like a security checkpoint?

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#10 posted by Antinous / Moderator , January 21, 2009 8:07 PM

Well, if we're going to talk about Amazon customer reviews...

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#11 posted by Takuan , January 21, 2009 8:10 PM

too late for Playmobil Gitmo

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#12 posted by Anonymous , January 21, 2009 8:50 PM

They should advertise for this toy during the new hit TV show Homeland Security USA

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#13 posted by jcohn , January 21, 2009 8:53 PM

That's all?

How in the heck are they supposed to do cavity searches?

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#14 posted by Master Gracey , January 21, 2009 9:13 PM

What, no fancy explosives detector (the "poof" machine)? No little trays for the x-ray machine? No high-security "velvet rope" to guide passengers to the checkpoint?

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#15 posted by doggo

, January 21, 2009 9:58 PM

Um... This company Playmobil, is it a real company? Because if you look at their products it's either an elaborate joke... really elaborate, or... or...

Playmobil Child with Wheelchair

Playmobil Roman Arena

Playmobil Doctor with Incubator

carrage with unicorn (Xeni, you need this just for the unicorn)

Playmobil SWAT Mega set 5-in-1 Toy

Playmobil Animal Farm

Playmobil Girl with Cats

dolphin transport

Can a company create and market an entire ironic toy line? WTF!?

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#16 posted by Bekah , January 21, 2009 10:02 PM

If our fearless female traveler makes it through the Playmobil TSA Checkpoint there is a Playmobil Police Checkpoint waiting for her and if she doesn't comply then the Playmobil SWAT helicopter and tactical response team will track her down and take her to the Playmobil Police Headquaters where a Playmobil Ambulance may be required - they have everything covered.

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#17 posted by doggo

, January 21, 2009 10:06 PM

Never mind. Wow.

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#18 posted by lukobe , January 21, 2009 10:25 PM

@15: You must not have been a child in the United States.

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#19 posted by noah , January 21, 2009 10:50 PM

@18: Playmobil is a German company. Their toys are hugely popular throughout Europe, and have been for at least 30 years.

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#20 posted by Anonymous , January 22, 2009 12:05 AM

@17: Check out the wikipedia page again, note under the list of Themes/Current is "Living under a totalitarian regime" (as of midnight PST the beginning of 2009-01-22)

I swear it wasn't me!

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#21 posted by gretagretchen , January 22, 2009 12:23 AM

Really, Playmobil is just making toys that reflect the world around us.

I LOVE the Roman arena! We can play feed the Christians to the lions!

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#22 posted by bonho , January 22, 2009 2:13 AM

Delve deeper and you will find a lovely review by abovereferenced loosenut for a publication called "The 2007-2012 Outlook for Bathroom Toilet Brushes and Holders in Greater China"

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#23 posted by Jane Kansas , January 22, 2009 5:55 AM

@#7 Noah, I like it when notable things are mistakenly reposted years later. I miss so much all the time; I've known about BB for only four months(the shame)and not looked at all the archives.

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#24 posted by jowlsey , January 22, 2009 8:12 AM

Some real winners in the "Customers Who Bought Related Items Also Bought" section.

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#25 posted by standingstill , January 22, 2009 9:29 AM

I like realism in my toy depictions...the REAL TSA would have made him take his shoes off (and then missed the pocket knife).

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#26 posted by Takuan , January 22, 2009 9:41 AM

http://www.examiner.com/x-2071-DC-Special-Interests-Examiner~y2009m1d21-Survey-shows-increased-dissatisfaction-with-management-among-TSA-workers

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#27 posted by Ned613 , January 22, 2009 1:15 PM

These toys are'nt meant for real children. They are marketed to young adults with descretionary income. You should read the user reviews they are hilarious...

Loosnut writes...

"Then, we placed a deadly fingernail file underneath the passenger's scarf, and neither the detector doorway nor the security wand picked it up. My son said "that's the worst security ever!"

and zampano writes...

"Thank you Playmobil for allowing me to teach my 5-year old the importance of recognizing what a failing bureaucracy in a ever growing fascist state looks like. Sometimes it's a hard lesson for kids to learn because not all pigs carry billy clubs and wear body armor."