My Fake Care Bear

I love claw machines. I will spend 10 dollars just to get that claw to grab a stuffed animal worth 50 cents. Then, I usually don't even want the stuffed animal, and I give it away to the first kid I see.

While that sounds like a good thing to do, I recently saw Toy Story. Now, I wonder.

Sure, the toys seemed proud to be owned by a kid who "loved" them, but if you had your choice, would you rather be dragged around by some dirty brat or put in a closet somewhere and left alone.

Maybe I am just anti-social.

Anyway, I had begun to lose my interest in the claw machines a few years ago. It seemed that every machine I tried was rigged so the "claw" was too loose to pick up anything. It just clamped around the toy and then gently massaged it as it pulled upward not even moving the doll.

My love for claw machines came roaring back recently when I found a machine that lets you play "until you win" for $2.

Sure, it's kinda like cheating. And, true, I wouldn't buy any of these toys if they were at the dollar store.

Well, I might have bought this:

Feast your eyes on my latest win!

At first glance I thought he was a Care Bear. I don't know too much about the Care Bears, but I think their name is usually pertaining to the symbol on their stomach.

That means that this must be Justice Bear.

I can see him ruling over property disputes and making judgments regarding small claims clinging to the hope that one day he will get to preside over a big case and become the next Judge Ito.



Oh, never mind. The tag calls him the Zodiac Bear.

Well, anyway, he still looks like a Care Bear thanks to the fine plagiarism by the folks at Toymax. It's also nice to know that he's "collectable."

So what if it's spelled wrong. He's not "Spelling Bear."