The name says it all: Weirdo Toys

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Cracked.com’s list of 25 Most Baffling Toys from Around the World.

(via Crocodile Skin and Alligator Toes)

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The Something Store - Send them $10.00 and they send you something.

Bonus Round - Huh? Corp. “We Do Stuff.”

(via Kate)

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Mini Rock’em Sock’em Robots - now in handy finger size.

Bonus Round: Eric Joyner’s cool Rock’em Sock’em Robots art.

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It goes without saying that Wal*Mart can be the dumping ground for slightly off items.

I was in Wal*Mart today - searching unsuccessfully for red velvet Twinkies - and I come across this: a mustacheod Indiana Jones action figure. Perhaps it is just a mistake, or perhaps a rare limited edition reflecting a scene from the recent movie that only appears in the director’s cut. Either way, he looks like the lost member of the Village People or actor Sam Elliott. How much do you think an Indiana Jones with mustache would go for on eBay?

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An image from Rika Eguchi’s “How to Cook Docomodake“ exhibit. Docomodake is a cartoony mushroom corporate icon for Japanese cellular phone company NTT DoCoMo - sort of like the Japanese equivalent of the Pillsbury Doughboy. And like the Pillsbury Doughboy, people want to do mean things to it.

(via Pink Tentacle, via watz’s Flickr photostream)

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As some of you may know: when I’m not engrossed in Blogadilla, I’m a Mesoamerican Archaeology professor (really, no joke). So, I’m all for anything that gets kids intrigued with archaeology . . . even if it’s total bullsh!t.

Stores have been pimping Indiana Jones stuff for almost a month now and I thought it would be time to do yet another round-up of some of the more interesting items.

Of course Hasbro has released a huge line of Indiana Jones action figures, complete with awesome Raiders of the Lost Ark ‘Chachapoyan Idol’ Temple Playset and both young and elderly Indiana Jones figures.

Some cool touches: each action figure comes with a treasure/artifact and with 6 proof of purchase stickers, you can send away for the crystal alien skeleton (which is not available in stores).

And I broke down and bought a box of Kellogg’s Cocoa Krispies (you won, you marketing bastards) for the awesome Indiana Jones light-up spoon - which broadens children’s horizons, teaching them about the ancient Mesoamerican art of luminous spoonery.

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And speaking of Indiana Jones - no home is safe from looters and grave robbers without the ancient Mesoamerican booby trap kit: one idol drops plastic spiders on unwary looters, the other shoots darts from its eyes.

Bonus Round: The Chachapoyan Fertility Idol pencil cup and the Ark of the Covenant business card holder.

Super-Mega Bonus Round: The Crystal Skull Adventure Projector (man I wish I was making this one up).

All of these can be found at The Indiana Jones Shop.

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This sport is common throughout several east and southeast Asian cultures, usually involving the large horned beetles of the Rhinoceros beetle subfamily (Dynastinae), whose members include the awesome Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) and the Atlas beetle (Chalcosoma atlas). The large “horns” of the males are used for territorial fighting, where they will wrestle in an attempt to topple one another, until one submits, retreats, or is knocked-off a perch. Fighting these beetles is a popular gambling sport throughout Asia, from Thailand to Hong Kong (another link).

In Japan, collecting and fighting these beetles is common among boys - Rhinoceros beetles are easy pets to care for. These fighting pets are common enough in Japan that one can even buy Rhinoceros beetles from streetside vending machines (photo from the Photomann gallery of Japanese vending machines), and there are many Japanese toys and models that relate to Rhinoceros beetle collecting. Also, this practice is the likely origin of the Japanese game Pokémon, which gained world popularity in the late 1990’s, and which focuses on the collecting, husbandry, and fighting of supernatural creatures.

There are also dire “blood sport” forms of bug fighting, involving more dangerous insects, arachnids, and crustaceans - as seen on the website Japanese Bug Fights! (sadly, sometimes the matches end in fatalities).

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A long, long time ago (1998 to be exact) and in anticipation of the release of the first of three Star Wars prequels, toy maker Jason Deyer and his buddy Steve Ross were approached to design ‘Dealer Loaders’ for promotions and giveaways. But because they were ‘unapproved vendors’ (AKA not part of George Lucas’ monolith) Jason and his friend had to base their designs on the original trilogy.

You can check out the original drawings on Jason’s blog, Action Figure Insider, and you also can hear an interview about his trials and tribulations on NPR. Make sure to check out NPR’s Bryant Park Project page on the Star Wars merchandise, here. (Click ‘Listen Now’ for the interview).

Death Star BBQ Grill Anyone?

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For you collectors of either Dutch delft blue ceramics or dildos, here’s the holy grail of both worlds. I think the plug is so you can fill it with, er, well, I have no f’ing idea, but I’m sure you can come up with something… Either way I think it would make a nice addition to a figurine or fine china display case.

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The world of LEGO has been missing the element of violence.
Until now.
The Brickarms LEGO weapons dealer.
They have everything, at low, low prices.

(via Notcot)

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I love my ipod. I talk to it. “I love you, ipod.” I have it full of obnoxious Justin Timberlake videos. But, I had no idea I could love it this way. Dang.

“Simply plug OhMiBod into your iPod® or any music player and it automatically vibrates to the rhythm and intensity of the music. Let your body feel the vibrations as you get down with your favorite tunes”.

Also check out Boditalk - “Boditalk™ is activated by calls made to or from your cell phone when in close range. The cell signal triggers a unique 3 pattern vibrating sequence that lasts for the entire call – enabling you to “get off while you’re on.”"

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The time has come for toast, onions, and bacon to get the attention they deserve in children’s stories.

Mr. Toast

It’s like Hello Kitty with breakfast foods.

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Many of you out there in Internet-land have come to know and love the Pillsbury Doughboy. I know as a kid, I did, even if my mother would never buy me his Crescent rolls or Toaster Strudels.

But beyond the pastries and belly-poking, how much do you know about this strange dough figure? For instance, did you know his name is not actually the Pillsbury Doughboy, but rather, “Poppin’ Fresh“? And how many of you knew that did you know that he has a family– let alone one that includes a divorcée?

According to the Wikipedia page, which also details how Poppin’ was dreamt up, we see PF’s strange family, created as “action” figures by Sears in the 1970s:

• Poppin’ Fresh (a.ka. The Pillsbury Doughboy)
• Poppie Fresh (a.k.a. Mrs. Poppin’ Fresh / The Pillsbury Doughgirl / wife)
• Popper (son)
• Bun Bun (baby daughter)
• GrandPopper and GranMommer (grandparents)
• Shortcake (cat)
• Flapjack (dog)
• Rollie (uncle)
• Tim (Ex-Wife)

My question is this: Which one in the photo is Tim, the ex-wife? Or do we have on our hands another case of Wikivandalism?

[Update from Timbotron]:
I think this one is probably “Tim, the ex-wife.” She’s got the best muffins.

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Thought Valentine’s Day is over, it’s not too late to give that special someone Gonorrhea.

Giant Microbes offers an extensive line of colorful plush microbes:

The Common Cold (Rhinovirus sp.)
Strep Throat (Streptococcus sp.)
Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis)
Black Plague (Yersinia pestis)
Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrheae)
Herpes (Herpes Simplex Virus 2)
Syphilis (Treponema pallidum)
Ebola (Ebola)
Sleeping Sickness (Trypanosoma brucei)
Typhoid Fever (Salmonella typhi)
E. coli (Escherichia coli)
Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi)
Penicillin Mold (Penicillium chrysogenum)
T4 Bacteriophage Virus
Martian Life (fossil from Mars Rock ALH 84001) [coolness]
Staph Infection (Staphylococcus aureus)
Toxic Mold (Stachybotrys chartarum)
Giardia (Giardia lamblia)
Hepatitis C (Hepatitis C Virus, HCV)
Malaria (Plasmodium falciparum)

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When Japanese Schoolgirl and American Gun Collector collide at high speed: a custom made “Hello Kitty” AR-15.

(via Aardvark)

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From Swedish artist Emma Megitt, Pee and Poo (called Kiss and Bajs in Swedish) are perhaps the warmest, steamiest, freshest renditions of the world’s most popular bodily functions. Available on keychains, t-shirts, and underwear (if you don’t have Pee and Poo on your underwear already).

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Having 2 boys has made me a big Lego fan and Lego knows it. Being target market #1 I’ve been notified of the coming Lego MMOG, Lego Universe. Will there be Lego guilds, Lego sex, Lego MMOG law suits, Lego 12 step programs…?

Even I may be tempted…

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This arrived in the mail today. Sent by my friend Steve (he’s a sicko).

What is wrong with this squirtgun?

a). - It is a clown.

b). - It is a gun.

c). - It is a clown and a gun.

d). - Anatomically, the trigger is in the worst possible location.

e). - When you squeeze the trigger, you feel dirty like that time when you were nine and a clown was at your friend’s birthday party and . . .

f). - All of the above.

It’s wrong. So very wrong. I hate you Steve.

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