Stunning News for Parents

Steve Robnor, a massage therapist in Boca Raton, Florida, has designed a stun gun that looks like a billy club to use on naughty girls and boys instead of spanking them. Called the B-Stik, it costs $29.95, and Robnor hopes it offers a less damaging punishment than the good ol' beating with a belt or strap. "It's a safer alternative for people who physically discipline their children," he told the Chicago Sun-Times. I thought this was a way to fill a technological gap in disciplining children—a device that would sting but not injure."

But please read the instructions, which tell users: "It is recommended that one to five moderate impacts should produce a safe and adequately effective stinging sensation. Do not exceed the recommended amount until you are sure of individual results. Depending on the individual, more or less may be required."

Robnor notes: "It can work for pets, too."

Additional reporting: Phoebe St John