On the same day my colleague Tom Meersman reported that too many toys are still laden with poisonous substances, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall by a Minneapolis toy retailer, Manhattan Group, of Indonesian-made doll clothing sets called “Groovy Fashions™ Sassy Jammies™”

The problem: “Surface paints on the pajama pants contain excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard.” Exposure to lead, of course, can damage children’s brains.

The recall affects about 9,200 sets, which sold for about $12. Manhattan Group is the same company that recalled potentially baby-choking baby rattles in the spring.

Starbucks makes a concoction of espresso, steamed non-fat milk and sugar-free cinnamon syrup that it calls a Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte. Typically, Giselle Matsui needs two of them to make it through her waking hours.

Matsui is an audiologist who lives in Chanhassen. She understands the world of pricing. After forking over $3.90 plus tax for a Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte, she figured out a couple of months ago that she could order the same drink off the make-your-own latte list, specifying non-fat milk and a shot of cinnamon syrup. It would save her 40 cents a drink. That’s no small matter when you consider how many times she shows up at Starbucks jonesing for that pungent beverage.

Alas, Starbucks baristas haven’t always cooperated with Matsui’s cost-saving scheme. Despite her protests, they ring the make-your-own latte up as a full-priced specialty drink.

In Matsui’s view, that’s just wrong. She said she had persuaded the baristas at her hometown Starbucks to charge her the make-your-own price. But everywhere else, there’s a fight at the counter.

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Minnesotans lose $30 million every year in bogus foreign lotteries and other international scams, a new anti-fraud partnership announced last week. According to the story by my colleague Greg Patterson, Minnesotans should start hearing and seeing all kinds of warnings about get-rich-quick schemes that are really ways of separating them from their dwindling assets.

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With the flip of a switch, some motorboats get really, really loud. A special feature diverts the boat’s exhaust from underwater to an outlet in the hull. It’s supposed to give the engine more oomph, but there’s another attraction — your boat will bellow.

“Why does a guy own a Harley with straight pipes? It’s cool. It looks tough,” said Wayzata boat dealer Dan Gau, trying to explain the appeal, which he doesn’t share.

The exhaust diverter is marketed under names such as “Captain’s Call” and “Silent Choice.” But it can’t be sold or used in Minnesota. These devices have been against the law here since 1980.

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