Dolls are very important because play is one way that kids explore and learn about their world. And speaking of dolls:
According to the Washington Post, the CIA in 2005 began secretly developing a custom-made Osama bin Laden action figure. The doll, which would be handed out to children in Afghanistan, had face-paint that would melt away under the heat of a thumb. At which point a terrified kid would see an evil figure and convince their parents to turn against Bin Laden.
Here’s a photo, courtesy of the Washington Post:
The plan was eventually shelved, probably after a test-kid laughed and shouted “Ooh, someone fell asleep in a tanning bed. Ouchie!!” Or perhaps the contractor was demanding $10,000 per doll, and the CIA would only agree to pay $8,000.
Sources believe that only two or three prototype dolls were created. One will likely be scooped up at auction by a billionaire who didn’t have a childhood. And the other would make a great Christmas gift:
Could you imagine getting paid the big bucks to develop ways to scare children? That’s a dream job. But you don’t get into the CIA by attending a state school. You need to be really, really smart.
Getting paid to scare children? Why have I been doing this for free all these years?
The first Afghani kid would be scared the first time. Then he’d show the doll to all his friends and they’d all want one.
There would be a huge demand for the doll, because kids like scary stuff, especially when it isn’t all that scary. They would also love having all that paint come off on their thumbs, and would find ways to use that to scare their parents and smaller kids. For a few months, the doll would be the biggest fad in Afghanistan since knitted blankets.
Good point never thought of that. Ha.
Clowns have been scaring kids for years.