Present Professor » novelty

There Will Be Blood

carli — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:51:54 +0000

Do it yourself blood-typing test kit.

Just add blood.

Yes, really.

Magnetic Personality

carli — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:20:29 +0000

Remember that boyfriend you had who was impossible to shop for? The one who loved LEGOs, and Star Wars, and magnets, and you? And also robbing banks, which is why he’s not your boyfriend anymore? Well, if he was, you could buy him this limited edition metallic chrome Stormtrooper LEGO minifigure magnet ($9.99 at shop.lego.com). Three-pack sets are $14.99 and include characters from Star Wars, SpongeBob, Indiana Jones, and more.

This might just be the thing that gets you kids back together. That, and a favorable parole board hearing.

Super Gifts for the Super Bowl

Shannon — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:51:18 +0000

With less than two weeks until Super Bowl XLIII, you need to get your party plans underway. Surprise your party host with these Referee Shirt Foam Drink Holders, $1.56 from Super Bowl Fun. Or you can’t go wrong with a “nearly life-sized” Chocolate Football, $59.99 from The Popcorn Factory.

Then there’s this awesome Ultimate Pepsi Super Bowl Party Pack! And thanks to Pepsi, one lucky winner will have it in their hands in time for the Super Bowl. To enter to win, leave a comment below and tell us who you are rooting for – Pittsburgh or Arizona? (GO STEELERS! -Ed.)

The Party Pack (valued at $250) contains:

1 football
1 beverage pail
1 snack helmet
2 key chains
2 hats
2 t-shirts
5 Pepsi 24 pack coupons
5 Frito Lay coupons

This sweepstakes is now ended. The winner will be announced shortly.

Gift List: Off-the-Beaten-Path Gifts For Off-the-Beaten-Path People

carli — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:44:12 +0000

1. Miniature campfire tea light candle holder, $20

2. Star Trek Interactive Tribble, $19.99

3. Santa Dreidel, $4.95

4. Chumps Mini Series Art Toys, $7.95

5. Zombie Haiku book by Ryan Mecum, $9.99 (No, really. It’s an entire zombie story told in Haiku form.)

The Cat Came Back. . . in Book Form

carli — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:02:14 +0000

Once upon a time, we had books.

Then, many of us sort of gave up the paper thing and started doing all of our reading on what 15 years ago was called the information superhighway, until everyone decided that sounded too lame for the new millennium.

But then, we became so addicted to our favorite Web sites, that books were written based on those Web sites, lest we ever face a computer uprising against humanity and can no longer access our precious LOLcats. And we were sort of right back where we started, only now we, like Hannah Montana, have the best of both worlds.

Speaking of LOLcats, those of you who are unfamiliar with these captioned cat photos should scuttle on over to ICanHasCheezburger.com for a dose of of fun. Seriously, who would have thought that obnoxious cats with bad spelling and an insatiable appetite for cheeseburgers could be so adorable? And yet, these LOLcats have morphed into a cultural phenomenon on the level with Pacman Fever and that McDonald’s commercial where the kid has to get through her piano recital or her oppressive parents won’t take her for a cheeseburger. . . why does it always come back to cheeseburgers?

Now in book form: I Can Has Cheezburger?: A LOLcat Colleckshun (Lolcat Colleckshun). Available at Amazon.com ($8, free shipping eligible) and book stores everywhere.

Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kid. . . Robot

carli — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:03:00 +0000

The brainchild of designer Paul Budnitz, Kid Robot is at the forefront of the growing art toy movement.
Aimed towards older teens and adults, the items sold by the Kid–many designed by enormously popular artists in coveted limited editions–prefer the mantelpiece to the toy box

Perfect for geeks, hipsters, wannabes, nerds, graphic designers, surly teenagers, funky teenagers, funky-smelling teenagers, and anyone who’d rather stare at a Boba Fett action figure than a still life of fruit.

Many of the series, including Dunny (shown here, $6.95 each), are sold in blind assortments–there are a series of designs available, but you don’t know which one you have until you open the box. This can, of course, lead to copious purchasing of little vinyl designer art toys in an attempt to “catch ‘em all.” But the beauty of the pieces is that they stand alone just as well as they stand side by side or lined up in rows as if they’re a little action figure army.

Ask Present Professor: The Quirky Couple

carli — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:24:15 +0000

Smee91 asks:

Engagement party for a couple that didn’t register as far as I can tell. They are both more creative types and have a wacky sense of humor, so the typical kitchen gadget/place setting won’t fit well.

Check out this recycled bottle lamp. Not only can they customize it with their favorite bottled beverage (Grape Nehi, anyone?) but it’s sure to be a conversation piece as well as a lesson in conservation. Jazz it up with a six pack of suds or soda. And don’t forget the bulb. Or the straws.

$39.99 + shipping at PerpetualKid.com

You Better Put Some Beef On That

carli — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 02:05:20 +0000

Remember in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, when Willy Wonka had that lickable wallpaper that really tasted like fruit when you licked it? Yeah, this beef bandage assortment is just like that, only it’s meat instead of fruit. And it’s bandages instead of wallpaper. And if you lick one, it won’t actually taste like beef. It’ll taste like a blend of polyisobutylene, polybutene, butyl rubber with reinforcing fiber, filler material and zinc oxide blended under heat. Because, as any third-grader can tell you, that’s what adhesive bandages are made of.

$4.95 + shipping (box of 13) from ArchieMcPhee.com