“A new book reveals that the man behind Barbie’s creation was a ’seventies-style swinger’ who lived a life filled with perversions. Jack Ryan, a high-profile designer at Mattel, lived a no-longer-secret life filled with hookers ranging from call girls to streetwalkers. All the juicy details are coming out in a new book, Toy Monster: The Big, Bad World of Mattel, by veteran author Jerry Oppenheimer” [Link]

Toy Monster: The Big, Bad World of Mattel

“The latest decision, to allow them to remain on sale this year, follows an appeal by MGA. ‘This stay gives assurance to our retailers and licensees that business is back to normal with Bratz for 2009, and that all Bratz products may continue to be sold throughout the calendar year,’ said MGA chief executive Isaac Larian. ” [Link]

“A judge has granted an injunction request by Mattel Inc. that permanently bars MGA Entertainment Inc. from manufacturing Bratz dolls. The decision, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Riverside, follows a federal jury’s finding that Bratz doll designer Carter Bryant came up with the edgy concept while working for Mattel.” [Link]

“The dolls are the latest in a line of American political candidates who have been immortalised including John McCain and Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Two variations of the doll are on sale – Sarah Palin the Executive and Sarah Palin the Super Hero – available from toy company Hero Builders at $27.95 for the executive doll and two dollars more for the super hero version.” [Link]