If Dave Barry has stopped writing for good, we'll never get to read his yearly roundup of bizzaro items that you can actually purchase. Fortunately, some other people are already on the job. Excerpt:

"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" Quidditch Set

What is it? This playset lets kids play the flying broomstick game from the popular books and films. Includes a set of two broomsticks, two hoops, various balls and a large catapault.

Why it's dangerous: We were able to get good velocity and height with the enormous slingshot launcher (consisting of two aircraft-grade bungee straps and a child-sized chair). However, the younger children were unable to keep the broom clenched between their legs while being launched 150 feet into the air. Landing also appeared to be an issue, though these results were inconclusive, as we were unable to find many of the children following impact.

What you should do: The only way we were able to score points was by aiming the catapult at the goal and firing the children through the hoop with a ball taped to their chests. And, while amusing, we probably could have done this without purchasing the Quidditch Set.

Posted by: Physics Geek at 08:50 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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