Business Notes TOYS

You hear it before you see it. Clacker. Klickstick. Kabanger. No matter what you call it, it's the most ubiquitous and onomatopoetic toy in 20 years. That's how long ago the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the original clackers, which were often made of ceramic. Connected by ropes, they sometimes shattered on impact. But the 1990s model is made entirely of plastic and is apparently harmless -- except to the sanity of adults. (Retail prices: $1.50 to $5.) One company to thank for this is Classic Items of Chicago. It has sold 2.5 million of its version, the Klika, since April. A Seattle company, Fascinations Toys and Gifts, has sold 900,000 of its Newton's Yo-Yo. Competition for the cacophonous market share is reaching a peak.