This difference in attitude and basic trust in consumers allows Mexico to sell some astonishingly fun, awesome products, which are often made in China and imported for sale, here. Take, for example, this “Rechargeable Mosquito-hitting Swatter,” a gift from my friend Larry. Behold:

In case the above photo doesn’t properly illustrate the function of this item, I will explain. This is a plastic, undersized tennis racket, which, instead of nylon strings, contains a metal mesh grid, coursing with 2,500 volts of electricity. That’s right. It is a giant, electrified paddle used to swat bugs out of the air. And in case this function wasn’t clear, the designers even opted to put a GIANT LIGHTNING BOLT ON IT. It’s like something a comic book superhero would use. And when it runs out of juice, why, you can even plug it right back in, so the flying-insect killing fun never has to stop.

The decision about whether or not to use this item in the middle of some giant, mystical body of water, filled with rocky, craggy islands, is left entirely up to the purchaser, but obviously, it is suggested.

Imagine, for a moment, the reaction to this object appearing for sale on store shelves in the United States. The only warning I received about it was from Larry, who suggested that it “might be a good idea to read the instructions before using it.” I did as he asked, but, being written entirely in Engrish, the instructions didn’t give me a lot to go on. Here they are, reprinted in their entirety, with misspellings and assorted weirdness left intact:

Directions:

1. When charging, please use AC 100-240V, 50HZ power source.
2. Before using, please charge the batteries for 8-15 hours. They can be recharged in recycle for 600 times.
3. When hitting mosquitoes, which is sucking blood on human bodies, you can easily kill them just by pressing it’s switch.
4. When the indicator twinkle, it indicate that the batteries run out.

Warning:

1. For more safety, do not press the switch or touch the ourface of net when swatter is in charge.
2. Please do not finger the medium-layer net.
3. Please shake swatter for cleaning off insect carcasses which remain in net. Be sure don’t wash it with water.
4. The swatter may become without high-voltage or in low-voltage conditions when it absorbe damp in wet weather, the effect will be declined. Then, it can be dried by blowing with electric blower or shining with sunshine. The effect will be recovered soon.
5. Children must instruce under adult when use it.

Whatever, I didn’t move to Mexico to read badly translated Chinese instructions. Let me tell you something that you WON’T find written on the packaging: This thing is amazing on every conceivable level. The first time you smack a fly out of the air, there is the sharp, cracking sound of electricity, a tiny blue explosion, and a dead fly on the floor, you will know a deep, profound satisfaction. Our dogs are terrified of it…there is something about the sound that really freaks them out, and sends them scurrying under the bed. Of course, it is hard for me not to spend all afternoon stalking around the house like a lunatic, electrified racket extended out in front of me, looking for bugs. Thank you, Mexico, for trusting that I can have this object in my life without hurting myself.

Update: Interested in purchasing one of these? I don’t know where this one came from, but Alibaba can hook you up, if you are willing to buy a container’s worth at a time from China. A container holds 38,040 electrified flyswatters.