A new craze in China. It is basically shaped like a fly swatter, but is hooked up to two AA batteries and will fry any insect upon contact with a loud, crackling noise (Bzzzzt!), and emit an acrid, burning, stinky smoke. The hapless bug usually writhes a little bit before its entire body is fried by the electricity, then turns into a small pile of smoky ash. Especially satisfying if it is the mosquito that just killed just bit you. The blood inside it usually boils, popping out of the body of the bug and as a result completely "gibs" the sucker.

China is a country plagued with an immense number of annoying bugs, mostly flies and mosquitoes. In Shanghai, the problem used to be mild (the more northern you get, the less of a problem it is). However, the situation aggravated when in the 1950's (according to common legend), from fear over a possible American nuclear attack, people dug shelters everywhere around the city. When the attack never came, the holes were abandoned. Unfortunately, Shanghai has a monsoon season, around spring (usually February to May), where it would rain heavily non-stop. As the holes filled with water, it provided an ideal breeding ground for annoying insects, especially mosquitoes. Hence Shanghai became the insect-infested city it is now, with the problem peaking in the middle of the summer. You cannot sleep without a mosquito net.

The swatter was invented to as a quick short-term solution for the overwhelming numerical superiority the bugs hold over you. Simply press the button and wave the device. Any insect intercepted in its path is instantly zapped. It works very well on any flying insect, from the smallest mosquito to the largest fly. Just don't zap yourself, it hurts. For great fun, go outdoors at night and just wave it around. The sparkles are very pretty.

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