• [ network ]
  • goatmatrix.net
  • gvid.tv
  • img.gvid.tv
  • speedy.gvid.tv
  • apps.gvid.tv
HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

The Feds vs. Craig Zucker: Q&A with the Creator of Buckyballs

Views:1055
@ReasonVids

Four years ago, serial-entrepreneur Craig Zucker had a hit product on his hands: Buckyballs, desk toys comprised of supercharged mini magnets, which were flying off the shelves and into the shopping carts of fidgety-handed customers. Zucker's company, Maxfield & Oberton, had sales of $10 million in 2009.

Zucker's troubles began last year, when the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) filed an administrative complaint that sought to ban and recall the product on the grounds that it was dangerous for children. It's true that if swallowed, these powerful tiny balls can cause internal bleeding because they seek to find other magnets when lodged in a person's bowels or intestinal tract. But banning the product was "statistically ridiculous," as a report in the Huffington Post explained. There were 22 reported incidents of ingested Buckeyballs from 2009 to October 2011, or one for every 100,000 sets sold. That means the product is orders of magnitude less risky than dogs, tennis, skateboarding, and poisonous household chemicals. And the product was clearly marked, "Keep Away from All Children."

Finding himself in the cross hairs of federal regulators, Craig Zucker did the opposite of pull back. He went on a publicity rampage to save Buckyballs. Zucker's company even created a poster encouraging supporters to give CPSC Chairwoman Inez Tennenbaum a ring on her "psychic hotline," a reference to how the CPSC claims to have reviewed Maxfield & Oberton's Corrective Action Plan for Buckyballs less than 24 hours after it was submitted, which the company called "plain spooky."

Within a few months, Zucker had conceded defeat. Many stores stopped carrying Buckyballs, sales plummeted, legal fees mounted, and Maxfield & Oberton was dissolved. Then in February 2013, the Consumer Product Safety Commission added Craig Zucker to its complaint, holding him personally liable for the cost of recalling Buckyballs, which the agency claims will come to about $57 million. The case has drawn widespread attention in legal circles because it's the first time the Commission has attempted to hold a former officer personally responsible for the actions of a defunct corporation. The National Association of Manufacturers, the National Retail Federation, and the Retail Industry Leaders Association have filed a joint brief on Zucker's behalf.

Is the Consumer Product Safety Commission carrying out a personal vendetta against Craig Zucker? Reason TV Contributor Naomi Brockwell sat down with him to discuss the lawsuit and Liberty Balls, a new product that's being sold to help raise money to cover Zucker's legal fees.

Watch Reason TV's September 2012 interview with Craig Zucker, back when Buckyballs were still on the market and Maxfield & Oberton was fighting for its survival.

Approximately 7.30 minutes.

Hosted by Naomi Brockwell. Written, shot, edited and produced by Jim Epstein. Additional camera by Anthony Fisher.
Go to http://reason.com/reasontv for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason TV's YouTube Channel to receive automatic updates when new material goes live.

buckyballs
,
liberty balls
,
craig zucker
,
inez tenenbaum
,
cpsc
,
naomi brockwell
,
reason tv
,
reason magazine
,
u.s. consumer product safety commission (government agency)
,
libertarian
,
libertarianism
    Thumbnail for "Gaga Feminism: Sex, Gender & the End of Normal": A Chat with Jack Halberstam and Thaddeus Russell24:15
    "Gaga Feminism: Sex, Gender & the End of Normal": A Chat with Jack Halberstam and Thaddeus Russell
    ReasonVids
    962 views
    Thumbnail for Kru Paul Miller crushing nigs1:21
    Kru Paul Miller crushing nigs
    bestofvid8
    602 views
    Thumbnail for Roy Choi and the Next Street Food Revolution10:03
    Roy Choi and the Next Street Food Revolution
    ReasonVids
    1053 views
    Thumbnail for Wired's Louis Rossetto on the Death of the Mega-State and the Digital Revolution15:27
    Wired's Louis Rossetto on the Death of the Mega-State and the Digital Revolution
    ReasonVids
    919 views
    Thumbnail for Surf Without Surveillance: Tor's Karen Reilly6:55
    Surf Without Surveillance: Tor's Karen Reilly
    ReasonVids
    996 views
    Thumbnail for Glenn Loury: 'We're Being Swept Along by Hysteria' About Racism in America1:02:09
    Glenn Loury: 'We're Being Swept Along by Hysteria' About Racism in America
    ReasonVids
    835 views
    Thumbnail for how not to sell a product (watch till the end)0:30
    how not to sell a product (watch till the end)
    bestofupgoat
    566 views
    Thumbnail for Why the GOP Sucks at Courting Millennials: 'The Selfie Vote' Author Kristen Soltis Anderson12:56
    Why the GOP Sucks at Courting Millennials: 'The Selfie Vote' Author Kristen Soltis Anderson
    ReasonVids
    973 views
    Thumbnail for WORLD OF LIGHT: One Punch Mac | Alpharad16:22
    WORLD OF LIGHT: One Punch Mac | Alpharad
    gaming.topic
    800 views
    Thumbnail for Should America Open Its Borders? Reason Presents a Debate on Immigration36:50
    Should America Open Its Borders? Reason Presents a Debate on Immigration
    ReasonVids
    831 views
    Thumbnail for Upgoats spotted in the wild0:43
    Upgoats spotted in the wild
    bestofupgoat
    230 views
    Thumbnail for "Addiction Rewires Your Brain Like Falling in Love Does"6:46
    "Addiction Rewires Your Brain Like Falling in Love Does"
    ReasonVids
    866 views
    Thumbnail for Hillary Clinton vs. James Comey: Email Scandal Supercut1:48
    Hillary Clinton vs. James Comey: Email Scandal Supercut
    ReasonVids
    838 views
    Thumbnail for John McWhorter: America Has Never Been Less Racist45:51
    John McWhorter: America Has Never Been Less Racist
    ReasonVids
    906 views
    Thumbnail for Phỏng Vấn Người Dân Đến Xem Trực Tiếp Lễ Diễu Binh, Diễu Hành Kỷ Niệm 50 Năm Giải Phóng Miền Nam | VTV Sao Đại Chiến34:48
    Phỏng Vấn Người Dân Đến Xem Trực Tiếp Lễ Diễu Binh, Diễu Hành Kỷ Niệm 50 Năm Giải Phóng Miền Nam | VTV Sao Đại Chiến
    invidious
    133 views
    Thumbnail for Why Are Babies Born So Helpless? 🤔 | Zack D. Films0:38
    Why Are Babies Born So Helpless? 🤔 | Zack D. Films
    invidious
    105 views
    Thumbnail for Judge Andrew Napolitano on Election 2016 and Being a Pro-Life Libertarian33:36
    Judge Andrew Napolitano on Election 2016 and Being a Pro-Life Libertarian
    ReasonVids
    1096 views
    Thumbnail for Juden Peterstein brought to you by Flood3:06
    Juden Peterstein brought to you by Flood
    bestofvoatxyz
    600 views
    Thumbnail for Get DIDO up ya1:08
    Get DIDO up ya
    bestofupgoat
    196 views
    Thumbnail for You Will Seal Our Fate1:26
    You Will Seal Our Fate
    bestofvoatxyz
    851 views
    Thumbnail for "White cucks for kamala" picked a being of pure soy to lead their zoom calls0:57
    "White cucks for kamala" picked a being of pure soy to lead their zoom calls
    bestofupgoat
    232 views
    Thumbnail for What They Fought For.1:49
    What They Fought For.
    bestofupgoat
    514 views
    Thumbnail for tornaderz0:11
    tornaderz
    bestofupgoat
    148 views
    Thumbnail for If Your Price Is Not Your Life, Then You Are For Sale0:47
    If Your Price Is Not Your Life, Then You Are For Sale
    bestofupgoat
    131 views
    Thumbnail for Interview 1763 - Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink - #NewWorldNextWeek20:54
    Interview 1763 - Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink - #NewWorldNextWeek
    corbettreport_uo
    770 views

points

Permalink
Reply
buckyballs
,
liberty balls
,
craig zucker
,
inez tenenbaum
,
cpsc
,
naomi brockwell
,
reason tv
,
reason magazine
,
u.s. consumer product safety commission (government agency)
,
libertarian
,
libertarianism
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle