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Cool, Culture Note, Fun, Gadgets/Toys, Games
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Winners of 2017 Toy Hall of Fame: Clue, Wiffle Ball, Paper Airplanes
by Shifra on November 10, 2017Clue was an excellent choice. But the PEZ candy dispenser lost to the wiffle ball? Maybe the Toy Hall of Fame voting is rigged. Must ask Donna Brazile. Via IGN. Clue, Wiffle Ball, and paper airplanes are this year’s National Toy Hall of Fame inductees. The three entries beat out nine other 2017 finalists, according to The Strong Museum, including Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox Cars, My Little Pony, PEZ Candy Dispenser, play food, Risk, sand, Transformers, and Uno. Speaking on why these three classics were chosen, The Strong said Clue has remained an “icon of pop culture” for decades, while Wiffle Ball “changed the outdoor play landscape.” Regarding paper airplanes, it added, “Where some toys require financial investment, paper airplanes...
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In Bid to Keep Citizens Safe, Germany Bans… Cayla the Talking Doll
by Shifra on April 20, 2017The German government is stepping up efforts to ban Cayla, who apparently has built-in spyware capability. But keeping Germans safe from violent “asylum seekers” spreading mayhem in the country? Not so much. Via WSJ. Earlier this year, Lisa Harmann received a warning from the German government: A spy might be lurking in her child’s bedroom. She should find it and destroy it. With their 10-year-old daughter sound asleep, Ms. Harmann and her husband sneaked into the room armed with a flashlight and soon found the culprit sitting inside the cupboard, sporting a frozen smile and billowing pink skirt. Despite her innocent looks, “My Friend Cayla” isn’t a doll—at least not in the eyes of German authorities—but an illegal eavesdropping device....
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Video of Girl Receiving Doll With Prosthetic Leg Like Hers Goes Viral
by Shifra on June 5, 2016As of Friday, nine million viewers. Via KHOU.com. ….Courtney and Justin Bennett just wanted to give their daughter Emma something special. The precocious 10-year-old was born with a rare birth defect and has worn a prosthetic limb for most of her life; but it’s never slowed her down. “She’s like any other child,” said Justin Bennett. “She swims. She’s in soccer, cheerleading, volleyball.” Emma also loves her ever expanding collection of American Girl dolls. But according to her mom, she’s always wished for a doll that looked like her. So the Bennetts researched the topic online and found “A Step Ahead Prosthetics,” a company willing to make after-market alterations to dolls. They sent one off, and a month later the...
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Nooo! Cracker Jack Ending Toy Prizes In Favor of Digital Codes
by Tammy on April 23, 2016After 125 years, folks, 125 YEARS! People, this is awful. Is there nothing sacred? The toys in the Cracker Jack box are classic and fun. They require a kid using their imagination. Not everything has to be digital, in fact, the digital experience removes us from the human experience. It has its place, but really, nothing will replace getting a mood ring or a dinosaur or even a toy gun! Yes, all teeny-tiny but that’s the point. I suppose I should be grateful we still have boardgames like Monopoly.At the next TAMFest we need to have a boardgame night! Here’s the sad news from Mental Floss. After 125 years of including wrapped toy prizes in each Cracker Jack caramel popcorn...
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Watch TSA’s $1.4M ‘Randomized’ iPad App Randomly Point Right Or Left
by Shifra on April 5, 2016This is even more ridiculous when you see the ‘Randomizer’ in action. Via Daily Caller: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spent a little over $1.4 million on an app that randomly shows a right or left arrow…. The app’s purpose is to eliminate potential bias when a TSA agent tells passengers which line to go to. Currently on the iTunes app store, there are multiple free coin flip apps which perform the same process as the TSA’s “randomizer.” ****************************************************
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New Monopoly Ultimate Banking Eliminates Cash For Tiny ATM Cards
by Shifra on February 17, 2016First, they axed the iron. Now, the new game goes cashless. Can we still yell “RENT!” when someone lands on a property? Or, will the new rules require texting the other player? Via Gizmodo: Is there anything worse in a game of Monopoly than thinking you’ve bankrupted another player only to discover they have a secret stash of cash hidden away? That’s no longer an option with the new Monopoly Ultimate Banking edition that uses a tiny ATM to keep track of every last financial transaction. …the compact banking unit in the Monopoly Ultimate Banking edition is able to quickly scan not only each player’s credit card, but all of the individual property and chance cards in the game which...
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Israel Seizes Rock-Throwing Toys, Palestinians Accuse Israel of ‘War on Dolls’
by Shifra on December 14, 2015Four thousand dolls, each with its face hidden by a keffiyeh, holding a tiny rock in a raised arm, with a banner proclaiming “Jerusalem is ours,” were confiscated by Israeli authorities. Terrible timing by the Israelis, because now, what will the little darlings get for Christmas? Oh wait… Via Breitbart: Thousands of “rock-throwing” dolls were confiscated by the Israeli Customs Authority for inciting children to violence, yet the Palestinian media claimed the toys were confiscated as part of Israel’s “war against children’s dolls.” Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported that official Palestinian media attacked Israel for its “war on dolls” while failing to mention that the doll is shown to be throwing a rock…. Last Thursday, the official PA daily, Al...
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Lindsay Graham: How to Destroy Your Cell Phone That Trump Won’t Stop Calling
by Tammy on July 23, 2015Yes, this is funny. Just because of his good natured reaction to Trump giving out his phone number, I might even be liking Miss Lindsay a little bit more 😉 (Which isn’t difficult considering my liking him has been at minus zero). Background: Trump Gives Out Lindsey Graham’s Cell Phone Number in Televised Speech HT Nick at Weasel Zippers.
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‘Breaking Bad’ Figures in Toys ‘R’ Us, Along with Fake Crystal Meth, Pulled From Stores
by Chuck on October 22, 2014**Bumped Up From TAM Wire. Posted By Chuck** File this one under “The Death of Right and Wrong” — Breaking Bad action figures, complete with fake crystal meth and a stash of cash. The packaging says that it is intended for those over 15, but they are selling them on Toys ‘R Us, alongside children’s toys. There is already a petition to remove these toys: http://www.change.org/p/toys-r-us-remove-breaking-bad-dolls-from-their-shelves Via 9News Colorado: ‘Breaking Bad’ figures on toy store shelves Breaking Bad may have been one of the most popular cable shows of the last decade, but do figures depicting the show’s meth-making characters belong on toy store shelves? That’s the question parents are asking after NewsChannel 5 found them in two St. Louis-area...
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Yay Humans! Celebrate ‘Human Achievement Hour’ Saturday at 830pm Your Time
by Tammy on March 23, 2013** In honor of saving the planet by recycling, I’m bumping up this post from last year and updating certain links 😉 ** Competitive Enterprise Institute: “Supporting the freedom needed for humans to innovate so that our lives on earth are longer, healthier, and more enjoyable” Sure, a combination of hippies and leftists want everyone to embrace the Stone Age with “Earth Hour” on Saturday at 830pm your local time, but we here in the normal world celebrate Human Achievement! I especially like enjoying what planet Earth has given us in the form of coal by worshipping electricity and all the products it powers. All at once. Won’t you join me in turning on everything in your house/apartment/shack all at...
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Maynard’s Small Tip for Battling Telemarketers on your Land-Line
by Maynard on August 16, 2012Maybe you knew this already; maybe you don't need it because you've gone entirely wireless. But some of us still use land-lines...
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New NY Rep Turner Orders Scrubbing of Weiner Office
by Tammy on September 16, 2011(From the wonderfully talented Christoph Niemann) Use bleach. Oh, and they found a personalized toothbrush with “Anthony” emblazoned on it. Blech. Weiner gets ‘brush’off Scrub out the stench of Weiner! Newly sworn-in Republican Rep. Bob Turner’s family ordered a thorough cleaning of the House office space he inherited from his disgraced predecessor, Anthony Weiner, after finding an old “Anthony’’ toothbrush in the bathroom. The discovery of Weiner toiletries grossed out the newcomers, who requested that the congressman’s bathroom in Office 2104 of the Rayburn building be sanitized, sources said. Weiner resigned in June amid a sexting scandal in which he tweeted crotch shots and naked photos to young women, including from an office chair. “Weiner left his toothbrush behind! It...
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Brother Laser Printers
by Maynard on February 21, 2010Some technobabble by Maynard When my ancient HP Officejet All-in-One gave up the ghost, I went looking for a replacement. Knowing that the world changes rapidly, I figured my knowledge of printers was obsolete, and I shouldn’t trust my instincts. For example, I first assumed I should get another inkjet. These, being cheaper than laser printers, are the apparent solution for people that don’t do much printing. However, laser technology offers one advantage for the low-volume printer: The toner cartridges don’t clog or dry up like inkjet carts and print heads may do. The only downside to laser technology is it’s considered inferior to ink for printing photographs. So maybe a color laser printer is attractive…if it’s cheap enough.
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Katie Couric’s Forbidden Dance of Gin
by Tammy on November 23, 2009When she’s done ambushing Sarah Palin, Gawker reveals Katie loves the Forbidden Dance of Gin. Besides dancing inappropriately in front of a little kid, Couric has indeed committed the unpardonable sin of making people not want to see women dance together. Even I may have to keep my eyes closed while I’m doing it. Dancing, that is, not humping another woman in front of a kid and co-workers. (HT conservativeBC) Katie Couric’s Forbidden Dance of Gin When CBS News anchor Katie Couric isn’t asking Sarah Palin gotcha questions, she’s doin’ Da Butt, or the Lambada, or whatever white ladies do when the Black Eyed Peas are on the sound system. More unbelievable images after the jump. UPDATE: We’ve learned that...
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Of Lepers and Heatsinks
by Maynard on March 28, 2009A post by Maynard Having been educated at Starfleet Academy, leprosy is not my specialty. But I've heard it said that the primary damage comes as a result of loss of sensation. The leper may lose a limb because he...