Sunday, January 31, 2010
126.0
What Don DeLillo's Books Tell Him (WSJ)Wood Toys by Anna Mezenova
Landon Donovan: First EPL goal at Everton
Labels: books, soccer, toys, weekend
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
FluXian-Bus: Sell Goods (and Grue Sticks)
This is a bizarre battery operated ice cream truck I found at a local toy store. It's MADE IN CHINA and manufactured by BEI TIAN. I've posted videos on YouTube here and here.
The driver and front-seat passenger look like the chubby mascot from Big Boy Restaurants International. The inside of the truck includes such veritable ice cream favorites as Snow Berry and Grue Stick.
Where the manufacturers really demonstrate their marketing prowess is in the packaging! The box makes it very clear that happy purchasers can SELL GOODS with the FluXian Bus! Another significant selling point is on the truck itself- the Grue logo (is this a brand???) on the front door is powerful marketing!
I should also mention the FluXian Bus also comes with NEW UNIVERSAL DRIVE! Additional features include:
Emulation Mode
Super Power
4WD The Doors Can Open
Go Forward & Back Off
Left & Right Swerve
Light
Back Off is the most impressive feature (although Light and Left & Right Swerve deserve a separate post). Do you think if GM and Chrysler could build vehicles with Super Power, Back Off and Light they could survive without additional taxpayer bailouts?
Lastly, I love the license plate! This could very well be a prototype of the vehicles Ray Nagin is going to purchase for New Orleans with taxpayer "stimulus" money?
Labels: toys
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Weekend 85.4
If the exterior of a product the disposition and the specification is changed, excuse us.
- The FluXian-Bus (MADE IN CHINA)
Related
70,000 Chinese factories have closed recently; 20 million lost jobs as a result (via Instapundit)
Clinton pushes environment, finance in China (via America in the World)
Obama retreats from call for China toy-import ban (Reuters)
- The FluXian-Bus (MADE IN CHINA)
Related
70,000 Chinese factories have closed recently; 20 million lost jobs as a result (via Instapundit)
Clinton pushes environment, finance in China (via America in the World)
Obama retreats from call for China toy-import ban (Reuters)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Weekend 85.0
As Pervy Sage is fond of saying, Let's do this.
(1) Top 10 Disney LEGO Sets We'd Like to See (Wired.com) - My list would include the Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian Resorts.
(2) My Year in Hell (Kiplinger.com)
(3) And what exactly are your demands?
(4) My photo expose of the Playmobil Crusades continues here and here. I took these using a Canon PowerShot SD790 IS.
From the IKEA LINNARP bookshelf...
"Among the more lavish items accumulated by Hermann Goering during his profitable career of indiscriminate looting and exploitation of state and private coffers was his personal yaht, the Carin II. During the 1930s, he regularly sailed her along inland waterways from Berlin to the Elbe and down through the canals to the Rhine to the applause of Germans lining the banks. Dressed in a white uniform and languidly sprawled in a deck chair, he would beam as the boat's loudspeakers blared out gaudy popular songs such as "Blame It on Napoleon" or Wagner operas. Once, he sailed her up to Copenhagen to see a performance at Elsinore Castle of Hamlet and purchased some of his beloved Danish pastries. During the war she was moored on the Oder, but that February she had been removed from her moorings to save her from the Russians and brought to Molln. Here she now lay, a desolate symbol and reminder of a venal and corrupt regime in its final death throes."
- Endgame, 1945 by David Stafford
(1) Top 10 Disney LEGO Sets We'd Like to See (Wired.com) - My list would include the Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian Resorts.
(2) My Year in Hell (Kiplinger.com)
(3) And what exactly are your demands?
(4) My photo expose of the Playmobil Crusades continues here and here. I took these using a Canon PowerShot SD790 IS.
From the IKEA LINNARP bookshelf...
"Among the more lavish items accumulated by Hermann Goering during his profitable career of indiscriminate looting and exploitation of state and private coffers was his personal yaht, the Carin II. During the 1930s, he regularly sailed her along inland waterways from Berlin to the Elbe and down through the canals to the Rhine to the applause of Germans lining the banks. Dressed in a white uniform and languidly sprawled in a deck chair, he would beam as the boat's loudspeakers blared out gaudy popular songs such as "Blame It on Napoleon" or Wagner operas. Once, he sailed her up to Copenhagen to see a performance at Elsinore Castle of Hamlet and purchased some of his beloved Danish pastries. During the war she was moored on the Oder, but that February she had been removed from her moorings to save her from the Russians and brought to Molln. Here she now lay, a desolate symbol and reminder of a venal and corrupt regime in its final death throes."
- Endgame, 1945 by David Stafford
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Hans Beck, RIP
Playmobil Creator DiesPlaymobil has very passionate fans. I think these photos on Flickr demonstrate Beck's legacy.
Hans Beck was the German inventor of the toy figurines that became a wild success all over the world. Hans Beck, German inventor of the Playmobil toy figurines, died on 30th January 2009, aged 79.
My own contribution to that collection and a tribute to Hans Beck.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Weekend 82.0
A 1968 Citroen DS from Matchbox. My last purchase from Kay-Bee Toys before they close forever.Labels: toys
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Quarterline Railroad
The Romance of the Rails
A generation that grew up with model trains is renewing its love affair with Lionel and others
A generation that grew up with model trains is renewing its love affair with Lionel and others
Friday, August 22, 2008
Made In China
I found these Bag O' Bots from the movie Wall•E at a local KB Toys. It seems a little ironic that a movie chastising us for being consumers is selling blocks of plastic made in China. I keep thinking of that Mainway Toy skit Aykroyd used to do on SNL. The Bag O' Bots are even manufactured for THINKWAY TOYS in Point Lookout, NY!KB Toys could be a division of BnL. It's mostly a dollar store at this point with cheap toys from China.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Weekend 50.1
From Balaguet there cometh an Emir;His form is noble, his eyes are bold and clear,
When on his horse he's mounted in career
He bears him bravely armed in his battle-gear,
And for his courage he's famous far and near;
Were he but Christian, right knightly he'd appear.
Before Marsile he cries for all to hear:
"To Roncevaux", saith he, "my course I'll steer;
If I find Roland, then death shall be his weird,
And Oliver's, and all of the Twelve Peers!
The French shall die the death in shame and tears.
King Charlemayne, the dotard old and blear,
Will soon be sick of waging warfare here!
Spain shall be ours in peace this many a year!"
The King Marsile pours thanks into his ears.
Labels: england, playmobil, toys, weekend
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Playmobil
Playmobil on FlickrP (Prayer, work and study)
L (Whaddya gonna do bout it?)
A (Shimmy like my sister Kate)
Y (Robotica gigante @ Sci-Fi Diner)
M (We're all gonna die!!!)
O (Public Works Commission)
B (Hurry. Before she wakes!)
I (Economic downturn)
L (Identity theft)
Labels: toys
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Weekend 48.0
"I am Bender, please insert girder." Here is another card in my limited-edition robot trading card series™. Bender is my favorite robot. In the pantheon of robotdom only R2D2 comes close (and a distant second at that).
Bender isn't great because he smokes cigars and uses foul language. It's not his womanizing, drunkenness, thievery, or lying that makes him great either. Bender is great because his indifference and selfishness are rendered benign by his feelings for Fry (and everyone else at Planet Express).
I would love some nominees for the most useless/worst robots category. I'm quite certain Roboz from Riptide would make the list. I think H.E.L.P.eR from the Venture Brothers deserves a nomination.
Here is a list of "favorite robots" I found on the Internets®. I am happy to report that the blogger/writer/author included Small Wonder in the montage.
She's fantastic. Made of plastic. Micro chips here and there.
Before I forget...
Here's a link to the smartest toy robot in the world.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Weekend 47.1
Tag Sales, Flea Markets and eBay, Part IIIA photograph of the square people from the Playskool® Play Friend National Park set. I first wrote about it here I'm still taking photographs of the other pieces in the set. The "car" the square people sit in rivals the smart fortwo.
Hope Springs Eternal
The Washington Nationals are hosting my beloved Atlanta Braves tonight at 8:00 ET (approximately 1 hour from now). It is the first domestic game of the MLB season and the inaugural game at Nationals Park. President Bush is throwing out the ceremonial first pitch for the Nats.
The Limestone Roof Director of Print gave me this article [My Fair Leather Friend] from the Wall Street Journal. It's worth reading and afterwards you'll want to scramble around your basement, attic or garage to find your old mitt.
One other baseball topic before the season starts. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays changed their name to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Navy blue and light blue have replaced green and black as the primary colors. The club's new logo, as well as the home and road uniforms for next season, feature the word "Rays" in navy blue lettering with a light blue shadow...
Labels: baseball, toys, weekend
