Teeny Manolo

Oh, how I love Devo. Those little New Wave robots stole my heart back in the last century and just never gave it back. But, as is the way of robots, they have begun to assert their independence and their indifference to human emotions.

They have come for our toys!

This is New Wave Nigel, one of McDonald’s recent American Idol toys, and according to Devo and their human slaves lawyers, his use of the Power Dome hat and his suspiciously nerdish vocals (yes, he sings) constitutes copyright infringement.

Well, there are several issues here, not even counting the fact that Nigel’s performance is a little stiff. According to the AndyOnTheRoad blog, Devo never trademarked that hat, nor do they have a hegemony on nerdish-sounding vocals; after all, wasn’t that the entire New Wave?

Ah, but Devo says they did:

“This New Wave Nigel doll that they’ve created is just a complete Devo rip-off and the red hat is exactly the red hat that I designed, and it’s copyrighted and trademarked.

“They didn’t ask us anything. Plus, we don’t like McDonald’s, and we don’t like American Idol, so we’re doubly offended…”

[Bassist] Casale said it was ironic the world’s largest fast food chain should appropriate the image of a band known for taking aim at the dysfunction and herd mentality of American society.

“The very same people that wanted nothing to do with Devo and looked down on Devo and condescended (to) Devo… enough time’s gone by that they go, ‘Hey, you know those guys are synonymous with what was new about New Wave,”‘ he said.

Of course they’re not going to let the matter drop; are they not men? They are Devo!

But why settle for 1/25th scale ripoffs? Kit your family out in the real thing:

Click here for our Stylin’ Stila Giveaway #2!

Er, well, maybe these are just games I’ve never heard of before. These games are fun for the whole family, and perfect for those game nights! They all promise to not be boring for the older set, as there comes a point when you can play Candyland or Monopoly only so many times.

Quiddler Ages 8+ Sort of like Scrabble, but with cards. And a little more complicated.

Five Crowns Ages 10+ It comes closest to rummy, with five suits. Start with 3’s, and they are wild. Go on to 4’s and 4’s are wild, and so on…

Blokus Ages 5+ A game of strategy, in which your blocks may not be adjacent to anyone else’s blocks, but yet touch at least one corner of one of your other blocks. And once the block is down, that’s it!

SET Game Ages 6+ A card game where the object is to find specific sets.

Pass the Pigs Ages 7+ A game of chance in which you accumulate points by rolling two cute pink piglets.

Wild Planet Hyper Dash Ages 7+ An electronic game that gets the players moving! The game gives commands as to specific targets, and you have to run around the house or yard to get them! Has four different levels and four different game modes to challenge memory, coordination, and teamwork.

Mayfair The Settlers of Catan Board Game Ages 12+ Catan is an imaginary island that is different every time you play the game! The players are explorers and settlers who develop things on the island.

ThinkFun Rush Hour Ages 7+ Set up cars and trucks and try to maneuver your way through rush hour! Forty “road block” cards and four difficulty levels keep this game challenging!

Ticket to Ride Ages 8+ Claim your own railway route across the United States before your opponents get there first!

Deluxe Pit Ages 8+ A card game where you “corner the market” of a certain commodity. You’ll feel just like a stockbroker. But you’ll still be able to feel good about yourself in the morning.

Everything old is goo again!

(I had to; it was there)

Yes, GenX’s favorite toy (besides Pong, that is) is celebrating its thirtieth birthday this year. As with everything and everyone who turns that undeniably-adult age, its tastes have changed over time to something more…sophisticated?

Say hello to Love Slime, Hot Slime, Relax Slime (?) and Elegance Slime (????).

Note that the company says these fragrances are “scented to appeal to adult sensitivities” rather than scented to enhance adult activities. Like that is going to stop anyone.

From TrendsInJapan via Gizmodo.

From the looks of it, maybe we should send them to Iraq and Afghanistan. Is clown fear the universal language?

It’s that time again! When the flowers are blooming, the weather turns warmer, and you can finally kick those kids out of the house!

Here are some fabulous things to keep them occupied through the long summer months…

Megaland I am liking quite a few things about this toy. First, children from 36 months to 8 years can play in it! Now perhaps an 8 year old is too cool to play with it, even if it lasts until 6 years, that’s still a bargain! Also, it can be configured in many ways, so if your kids get bored easily, it can be changed.

Naturally Playful Woodland Climber. Are you a bit weary of your child trying to climb up your counters, cupboards, or onto your sofa? Then this toy just might do the trick. Step 2 makes some great, long lasting toys.

Naturally Playful Sand and Water Activity Center I can speak from personal experience when I say that my son loved this toy. It’s better than a regular sandbox in two ways. 1. They don’t get sand in their pants. 2. They can do what every kid loves to do, mix sand and water, and did I mention not getting sand in every crevice?  Also comes with a lid that stays on tight, keeping out bugs and rain.

Blast Pad Missile Launch System Some rocket launchers are difficult to use, somewhat dangerous, and easily broken. This one beats them all. Not a whole lot of effort to launch, but they go up satisfyingly high!

Ultimate Beach Ball Sprinkler Perfect for those days when you are feeling slightly lazy. Just fill up the ball and let the kids do all the work! Wait, but isn’t that almost every day?  Or is it just me?

Splash Balls Sprinkler Sprays tons of water every which way! More unpredictable (and therefore, better) than the sprinklers that just sort of rotate around in a circle.

Naturally Playful Picnic Table with Umbrella Got one or more kids? Do they have any friends? Then an outdoor picnic table is a great solution to the dilemma of letting dirty kids in the house to have a snack. I also have personal experience with this table, and not only is it “pretty,” it is sturdy and well made. It seems a bit expensive, but it is well worth the money.

Neat & Tidy Cottage Looking for a playhouse, but need to pick yourself up off the floor from sticker shock? This cottage is a bargain for the price compared to other playhouses with similar features. It also has that all-important kitchen.

Radio Flyer Pathfinder Wagon We also own this wagon, and it rocks. Are we noticing a trend, here? Hey, when possible I like to speak from experience. With seatbacks, seatbelts, real rubber wheels and cup holders, this wagon is one sweet ride!

Push Around Buggy If your child is not yet able to propel themselves around in the Cozy Coupe, then this is your solution. Yes, you have to do all the work, but isn’t it worth it? Also comes in pink!

Either people are not so into the My Little Pony as we have been led to believe, or bubblegum pink is just not Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s colour.

And I think we all know which of the two it is.

In any case, it is time to announce the winner of our highly prestigious Friday caption contest. Given our voyeuristic interest in scandals, there was only one choice.

Liz Says: April 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm

The MLB steroid scandal investigation took a new turn when baseball officials learned of the new My Little Pony/Roger Clemens connection.

Congratulations and lucky horseshoes to Liz! And also, hypothetical trophy accessories:

It’s the Juicy Couture Equestrian Princess Fluffy Hobo Bag, which is way more name than you’d think a hobo could carry, but a snazzy handbag to say the least.

And at 16″W x 9″H x 9″D, it can fit an entire (small) MLP stable at once.

You know what to do. Just think “Whoopi-level” rather than “Sherri-level” in terms of wit and you’ll be fine.

Now, there are just some people in this world that, when something bad happens to them, everyone laughs and says, Well, dude totally had it coming. Or my personal favorite: Many people are like slinkies - not really good for anything, but you can’t help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. And so it is with the designers and producers of this perky set of celebratory Passover finger puppets.

Can you see the teensy problem here?

Is that BUCKWHEAT? Oh, sure, it could make an award-winning book, but somehow I don’t think it was the Torah. So, if this toy is to be believed, the plagues are: boils, water turns to blood, frogs, flies, locusts, diseased livestock, a hail of fire (that’s the one that looks like Bozo the Clown), lice, death of the firstborn, and being a black guy.

From YouOnMyBlog, via Gawker:

How can you make plagues more distasteful?

I’d really thought Catholics had cornered the market on gruesome religious paraphernalia for children, but damn, this is good. I’m not sure it quite takes it to the level that my Martyrdom of the Saints coloring book that I had back in the day, but it’s quite the contender.

Robert Downey Jr could not be reached for comment.

What Would Black Jesus Do?

That was then:

This is now:

from eBay via HawtyMcBloggy
Comes with free matching assault rifle!

Not outside the box, just about outside.  You know, the place your kids go to burn off that extra energy and for you to keep your sanity.

And let’s face it, they need to get outside, just as you need to relax with your iced tea and some Oprah.

Let’s take a gander at some of the newest in outdoor toys.

The Pulse Kick n’ Go Xcelerator  has a lever in the back that enables the rider to push down on it frantically in order to whoosh down the street.  Unlike regular scooters, they never have to put their feet on the ground to get it going.  This looks like great exercise, actually, and I might buy it just to make sure the Munchkin falls asleep within ten minutes of going to bed.

Adventurous types only need apply for this next one:

The Xlider (because apparently it isn’t cool unless there’s an X in front of it) is an “independent foot stance skateboard.”  This roughly translates to: “Be ready to take your child to the emergency room on a moment’s notice.”

And for the athletic poser in the family comes the Grafeeti Shoe:

Because our kids don’t have enough things to distract them, shoes that you can write on have been invented.  The special pens can be used for artwork (or whatever) that lasts as long as the owner wants it to.  Can also be used as a cheat sheet.