Joke of the Week Extra:Riddle

A man is trapped in a room with no way to get out. The only things in the room are a mirror and a table. How does he finally manage to escape?

(Answer below!)

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First, he looked in the mirror and saw what he saw.

He took the saw and cut the table in half.

He then put the two halves together, making a whole.

He climbed through the hole to get outside.

Once outside, he yelled until he was hoarse.

He got on the horse and rode away.

 More little charmers

Cartoon Showcase:Before They Were Stars:My Neighbor is a Teenage Robot

In this pilot episode for what would become the acclaimed Nickelodeon series My Life as a Teenage Robot, as first seen on Oh Yeah! Cartoons, teenage boy Brad and his little brother Tuck discover that the girl next door is a little, well...different. "Different" in that she's a superpowered robot! XJ9(or "Jenny", as she prefers to be called) would like more than anything to have a normal life like every other teenager, a concept lost on her mother(who's also the scientist who built Jenny), Mrs. Wakeman. When Brad offers for Jenny to come hang out with him and Tuck, she(very happily!) obliges. (Fun Fact: This episode was later reconfigured as the first episode of the TV series, possibly owing to the fact that not many people had seen this episode.) Please enjoy!

Cartoon Showcase:Before They Were Stars:The Fairly Oddparents

In this pilot episode for the acclaimed Nickelodeon series, first seen on Oh Yeah! Cartoons, 10-year old Timmy Turner's parents go the movies, leaving him with a babysitter named Vicky. Vicky seems nice at first, but as soon as Timmy's parents leave, she shows her true colors as the mean, nasty sort she truly is and tortures poor Timmy endlessly! All seems lost for Timmy until he meets a pair of wacky fairies named Cosmo and Wanda who can grant his every wish, and he turns the tables on Vicky, but fast! Please enjoy!

Cartoon Showcase:Before They Were Stars:Chalkzone

Here, as per my previous post, is the pilot episode of Chalkzone from Nickelodeon's Oh Yeah! Cartoons series(which, coincidentally, was also the first segment of the first episode of Oh Yeah! Cartoons). In this episode, a young Rudy Tabootie gets in trouble with his serious-minded teacher for doodling in class, while also sparring with the class bully. Things look bleak for Rudy until he discovers a box of magical White Lightnin' chalk; said chalk allows him access to Chalkzone, a place where previously erased chalk drawings(including Rudy's own character Snap, who he befriends) come to life. The sound quality, regrettably, goes a little wonky in places, but the quality of this video is very good otherwise. Please enjoy!

In the Lemon-Limelight:Chalkzone

Chalkzone was first introduced in 1998 as a segment of Nickelodeon's Oh Yeah! Cartoons; it was made into a series in 2002.

The show stars 10-year-old artist Rudy Tabootie who one day finds a piece of magical White Lightnin' chalk which allows him access to Chalkzone, a place where everything written or drawn on chalkboards(and the occasional sidewalk) goes after it's erased(Ahh..so that's where it goes! :-D). Said drawings come to life once in Chalkzone, often making for some rather crazy situations! (Much of which also owing to the fact that people draw all sorts of bizzare things on chalkboards and sidewalks.)

Rudy is joined on his adventures by his brainy pal and erstwhile girlfriend Penny Sanchez, and their zany, lovable friend Snap, who was one of Rudy's chalk drawings. Appearances are also made by Rudy and Penny's(mostly) sensible parents, as well as their various chalk-drawing buddies, such as Biclops, the(slightly loopy) guardian of the Magic Chalk Mines (An interesting fact regarding him is that he was previously a rather cranky Cyclops, until Rudy drew him a second eye, thus improving not only his vision but his mood.), Blocky, an odd, ditzy, square creature who was Rudy's first drawing ever(His personality has been likened to that of the star of Cartoon Network's ever-popular series Chowder), Queen Rapsheeba, Chalkzone's resident music sensation(who mostly sings rap music) and love interest of Snap's(and his crush, fortunately, is reciprocated), and Bathtub Granny, an early comedy drawing made by Rudy. Our heroes were often antagonized by the likes of Reggie Bulnerd(gotta love that name!), the school bully, Mr. Horace Wilter, the comedy-hating teacher(Hmm, could he be related to The Man Who Hated Laughter?), and primarily Skrawl, a large, bizarre, bug-like chalk villain, and his henchmen, the Beanie Boys.

Episode plots often revolved around situations occuring in Chalkzone(and occasionally the real world) which Rudy, with the help of his friends(and his magic chalk), would need to remedy. Also, almost every episode would end with a catchy(and appropriately surreal) musical number. There was also a made-for-TV movie in 2004 entitled The Big Blow-Up.

Chalkzone ran for about 3 years before going on hiatus; in 2008 previously unaired episodes were shown on Nickelodeon. Reruns are occasionaly shown on Nickelodeon's sister network Nicktoons(Check local listings for time and channel).

Overall, this is a fun, interesting show; if it isn't Nickelodeon's most surreal series it most certainly ranks! The bizzare situations are always entertaining, Rudy, Penny, and(especially) Snap are good, likeable characters, the supporting characters are also a lot of fun, and the soundtrack is absolutely great. Honestly, it's a shame that this show didn't have quite as big a following as some of Nickelodeon's more notable franchises, such as SpongeBob Squarepants and The Fairly Oddparents, because it's every bit as enjoyable as they are. An underrated show that's definetly worth a peek.

The theme song is pretty sweet, too!

Although the complete series regrettably hasn't been released on DVD as of yet, a few episodes of the show are available on DVD at the links below:

Nickelodeon Nickstravaganza 

Nickelodeon Nickstravaganza 2

Nickelodeon Nick Picks Holiday

Another episode is available on this VideoNow disc:

 VideoNow Nickelodeon 3-Disc

Also available is an album of the show's soundtrack(not to be confused with the Britney Spears album of the same name, which has fewer chalk drawings :-D):

Rudy and the Chalkzone Gang:In the Zone

"We're in the zone!"

Joke of the Week #7

The seven dwarves are on lunch break at the diamond mines. Grumpy says, "I sure hope this isn't another baloney and mayonnaise sandwich. I just hate baloney and mayonnaise sandwiches! If I have to eat one more of those, I'm gonna run screaming into the woods!"

"I know how you feel." Sleepy says. "Every day it's the same thing:salami and ketchup. If I have to eat one more of those, I'm going to stomp on my hat!"

Dopey says, "Gee, I have a broccoli and mustard sandwich in my lunch every day. If that's what's in there today, I'll climb right up that tree and stay there."

So, they open up their lunch boxes and find the exact same thing they have every day. Grumpy freaks out and runs screaming into the woods, Sleepy throws his hat on the ground and repeatedly stomps on it, and Dopey starts climbing up the tree.

That night, Doc told Snow White what had happened at lunch. "Grumpy and Sleepy always whine about the lunches I make them, but I don't understand what got into Dopey," says a puzzled Snow White. "He makes his own lunch!"

Cartoon Showcase:Boneheads

This may not be a classic cartoon, but it's too over-the-top crazy not to share! This hilarious little slice of weirdness from Nickelodeon's Random! Cartoons series stars two odd little prehistoric creatures of indeterminate species(even the writers don't seem to know what species they are!) named Roccos and Bone, who wear bones on their heads(hence the name). They hunt for, and eventually discover the rare and delicious babanna fruit; when all of it gets eaten save for one piece, they end up feuding with not only each other, but several other critters, including (GLEEP!) a dinosaur! (One assumes that the writers were probably just as caffeinated as the characters.) Please enjoy! (Fun Fact:There were only two voice actors providing all the voices for this cartoon.)

 

Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-babanas, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-babanas, EVERYBODY!!!

The Game Show:Moshi Monsters Moshling Zoo

This is a very, very nifty little game based off of the ever-popular Moshi Monsters website. (I myself don't have an account on this particular site, but this game is still fun even without an account or any prior knowledge of the Moshi Monsters.)

In this game, you work as the caretaker at a zoo for Moshlings, which are the Moshi Monsters' pets.(One could say that Moshlings are to Moshi Monsters as Petpets are to Neopets.) The main object of the game is to travel to different locations and collect various Moshlings for the zoo. Found in each area are various objects that can be used to attract certain Moshlings, but it isn't always apparent how to do so. Hints are given by your associate, Colonel Catcher, as well as in the Monsteropedia; there's also a store in Monstro City that sells hints, which can be handy in particularly tricky situations. While some Moshlings are available from the beginning, others become available after the zoo reaches certain levels.

The Moshling species fit into several different categories, such as kitties, puppies, ponies, fishies, techies, foodies, ninjas et al., with such cute(and sometimes bizzare) creatures as princess ponies, mini-dragons, disco ducks, walking ice cream cones, alley cats, ninja monkeys, cutesy ghosts, flying unicorns, walking Easter Island heads, fuzzy puffball cats...

...and then, there are critters like THIS!

There are also baby versions of each Moshling species, the eggs of which can be found in each area. Once an egg is found, it's taken to the baby care center in the zoo, where it's looked after until it hatches.

Moshlings occasionally require some maintaining; players can tap on the Moshlings they own to check their status and see if they need fed, bathed, or played with(baby Moshlings require a special kind of care, too). Moshlings can be levelled up by being cared for and by playing the either of two different mini-games available on each Moshling's status page. Players can also enter their Moshlings in the Ulti-Moshling Contest(also availabe via the status page). Players choose one Moshling to compete against two others in tests of speed(a race), intelligence(varous logic puzzles), and culinary skills(a cooking challenge) or a chance to win a gold trophy.

Upgrades for the zoo's areas can be purchased at a construction shop in Monstro City, and there's also a shop that sells decorations for the Moshling's living areas.

Pros:-A fun, entertaining game with next-to-no learning curve.

         -The graphics and sound effects are top-notch.

         -Like other games of this genre, collecting, training, and caring for the little critters is a lot of fun(Much like a certain other very popular and very good game of this genre).

Cons:-Like other games of this genre, collecting all the little critters is also very tricky.

          -Some of the logic puzzle games involve higher math, which wouldn't be so bad, except that you're given a limited amount of time to finish the games.

           -Some of the Moshlings(such as Humphrey and Scamp) are a little high-maintenance, making it difficult to keep them happy.

Overall, a good, well-made, and highly enjoyable game for Moshi Monster and non-Moshi Monster enthusiasts alike.

Buy it on Amazon!

For some reason, this Moshling reminds me of Bogart from this Pound Puppies book.

Probably because he, like Bogart, appears to be a bloodhound.

Joke of the Week #6

Frankie and Waldo are watching and old Lone Ranger movie. Halfway into the movie, Frankie turns to Waldo and says, "I bet you the Lone Ranger falls off his horse."

"Oh, don't josh with me," says Waldo. "The Lone Ranger never falls off his horse."

"I'll bet you $10 that he does."

"All right, I'll bet you $10 that he doesn't."

They sit watching the film a few more minutes in silence. A bunch of outlaws ambush the Lone Ranger shooting a flurry of bullets. The Lone Ranger's horse rears abruptly, and off he falls.

"See? I told you!" Frankie says.

"Oh, all right." Waldo takes $10 out of his wallet and hands it to Frankie. "Here you go."

"No...I can't take it." Frankie says. "I have a confession to make. I've seen this movie before."

"Well, to be quite honest, I've seen it before too," Waldo says. "But I didn't think he'd be klutzy enough to fall twice!"

Big Sis and Li'l Sis.

Classic Cartoon Showcase:Before They Were Stars:Pound Puppies in City Pound

(I think City Pound may be the official name of this episode.) In this nifty little pilot episode for the Pound Puppies series(complete with a celeb-filled cast) the daring entourage of dogs endeavor to both reunite newcomer Violet with her owners and save pound supervisor Bigelow's job while dodging the dogcatcher Dabney Nabbit and doing battle with the dastardly(albeit dopey and ditzy) dognappers Flack and Tubbs. (By golly, if this doesn't win the prize for most alliteration in a single article, it probably at least ranks!) Please enjoy!(BTW, watch for a humorously hypocritical moment in part one where Nabbit calls the dogs "Walking flea farms" and tells them to "Suck in their bellies." Uh, Nabbit? Have you checked a reflective surface lately?)

Classic Cartoon Showcase:Popeye in King of the Mardi Gras

In this classic Popeye cartoon, Bluto and Popeye both have acts at the annual Mardi Gras carnival. Bluto, declaring himself "King of the Mardi Gras", brags about his many amazing skills; Popeye becomes highly annoyed at all this and challenges him to prove once and for all who's more worthy of the title of "King". When Olive Oyl lands herself in danger, it's up to one of them to rescue her. Who will save the day? Please enjoy! (Fun Fact:This cartoon was made in September, which definetly isn't Mardi Gras season.)

The Game Show:Prey the Stars for Nintendo DS

This madcap little game(known as Gabu Gabu Planet in Japan) is similar to the various Katamari series games, with one key difference-instead of rolling up everything in sight, you're devouring everything in sight!

In this game, you play as one of 4 giant alien monsters(although never referred to as such, they look kind of like dogs), each with different eating abilities:Gabu who's well-rounded, Bari who specializes in biting, Pero who specializes in licking, and Chuchu who specializes in sucking.

You select one of them to play as, and battle the other three in various levels, such as a city, a carnival, a shopping mall, undersea, and many more. The object is to try get the highest score by eating more than the other monsters, and battling them when your paths cross.

You'll only be able to eat small items initially, but by eating enough of the power-up items found in each level, you'll gain the ability to eat bigger items. Eating three objects with the same attributes(water, fire, electricity, etc.) will briefly transform you into a giant creature of the same attribute, capable of crushing everything in your wake. Also, making several perfect bites in a row will briefly make you invincible and enable you to double your scores.

Pros:-A humorous, clever, and highly original game concept.

         -The graphics are excellent.

         -Exciting and entertaining arcade-style gameplay.

        

         -You can win various(very nifty!) outfits for your monsters by clearing stages and meeting certain qualifications, adding to the game's fun factor.

Cons:-The game's storyline(in story mode) is very inane and makes no sense. Honestly, IMHO, it seems like a game like this wouldn't really need a storyline. A minor hiccup which fortunately in no way deters from the games enjoyability.

Overall, an enjoyable and exciting game with very high replay value.

Buy it on Amazon!

Classic Cartoon Showcase:Shirt Tales in Horsin' Around and Mission:Mutt

In the first half of this Shirt Tales episode, Clarence, the old carriage-driving horse, is retiring to a farm in the country, but he isn't happy. He feels out of place among all the racehorses residing there, due to the fact that he himself has always wanted to be in a race, but just never had the chance. Can the Shirt Tales help  make his dream a reality?

In the second half, the furry little superguys meet an enormous and enormously appealing dog named Bubba.(Who, for some mysterious reason, seems to have a pouch on his belly...perhaps he's part kangaroo?) Bubba tells the Shirt Tales that he's bored with his home life, and seeks excitement. Unfortunately, he finds more than he bargained for when Hatcher, the local dogcatcher(who's so nasty he makes Nabbit look like a sweetheart!) nabs him and takes him to the pound. Can Bubba's new little friends save him? Please enjoy!

The Game Show:Petz Fantasy Sunshine Magic for the Nintendo DS

"Honey, did you remember to walk the unicorn?"

One of the niftier games in the eponymous Petz series, this game allows you to care for, play with, and train various mythical creatures that hatch out of eggs(you start out with only 2 to choose between, but more eggs are unlocked as the game progresses). One particular point of interest is that the dragon and unicorn are the only pre-existing mythical species in the game; the other species are completely original, such as the energetic mongoose-like Chagron, the prank-loving turtle-like Bublue, the fussy cat-like Mialou, the adorable little winged cow-like Toolin, and the speedy reindeer-like Felir.  

Gameplay involves feeding, playing with, and bathing your pets, making sure they're happy. Doing each of these things fills each of their respective needs bars; when all three needs bars are full, a mini-game specific to the pet's abilities(fire, ice, flight, or speed) can be played. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are rewarded at the end of each mini-game, depending on your score. If a gold medal is won, a new pet will be unlocked. Each pet also has favorite toys, food, and cleaning equipment(2 in each respective category); finding out what their favorites are not only fills their needs bars a lot more quickly, but discovering all 6 of their favorites levels them up, giving their skills a boost in the mini-games.

There's another version of this game called Moonlight Magic; regrettably, I don't know much about it since I haven't played it. As far as I can tell from the screenshots I've seen, the only discernible difference is that the pets look different and the game takes place in the nighttime rather than the daytime(These may or may not be the only differences, though).

Pros: -A good, innovative, and highly original game concept.

          -Gameplay is fun and easy, with next-to-no learning curve.

          -The graphics are beautiful.

Cons:-Figuring out what the pets' favorite items are takes a lot of guesswork. If you do well taking care of them, however, the pets will give you a hint as to what one of their favorites is.

All in all, a fun game, somewhere between a standard Petz game and an RPG, that has a lot of replay value.

Buy Sunshine Magic on Amazon!

Buy Moonlight Magic on Amazon!

In the Lemon-Limelight:The Weekenders

The Weekenders was a TV series made by Disney in 2000.  It was broadcast on the Disney Channel and its sister networks ABC and Toon Disney(now Disney XD).

The show chronicled the weekend plans of four 12-year old kids residing in the fictional city of Bahia Bay, California. The group consisted of the neurotic, high-strung Tino Tonittini, the goofy tomboy Lor McQuarrie, the slightly stuck-up Carver Descartes, and the smart, sensible Tish Katsufracas. The kids enjoyed such activities as playing basketball, shooting pool, playing video games, going to rock concerts, and eating at the local pizza parlor(the motif of which changes with every episode). Episodes usually involved some(usually odd) situation occuring, and the kids having to solve it(with ample hilarity ensuing).

This show, regrettably, is not currently available on TV or DVD, but a lot of episodes(if not all) are available on Youtube.

Overall, this is a good, funny, well-made show that definetly deserved more attention than it got. The main characters manage to be both funny and relatable, and their equally wacky friends and relatives more than add to the show's appeal. The voice cast is also excellent, with the main characters themselves being voiced by a few of the best. Humorous running gags are also utilized in most(if not all) of the episodes, such being Lor's brothers dog-piling on anyone who enters their house, jibes about Tino's head resembles a pumpkin and/or Carver's head resembling a pineapple, Tino's mother's bizarre recipes, Coach Colson, the school gym teacher answering the door in his bathrobe thinking he hears girl scouts selling cookies(lovely...just lovely...), hilariously embarassing things happening to the perpetually unseen Chloe Montez et al. An underrated show that's most certainly worth a peek.

  

The theme song is mighty good, too!

Classic Cartoon Showcase:Pluto in Lend a Paw

In this classic Disney short, Mickey's often put-upon dog sees a bag floating down the river and rescues it. He becomes annoyed, however, upon his dicovery that it was a cat that he rescued. The kitty, however, loves Pluto and reguards him as a hero. The kitty follows Pluto home, and is welcomed with open arms by Mickey, which causes Pluto to reguard the kitty as a nuisance and try to get him in trouble. Will Pluto ever learn his lesson? Please enjoy! (This cartoon is slightly similar to an episode of the Pound Puppies TV show, called "Tuffy Gets Fluffy".)

Classic Cartoon Showcase:Betty Boop and Pudgy in Little Nobody

Betty's adorable little dog Pudgy falls in love with the cute girl dog next door. Sadly, not only does the girl dog turn him down, but her owner calls him a little nobody and runs him off, leaving him heartbroken. Betty endeavors to comfort her little friend by telling him(in song, nonetheless) that not only is he not a little nobody, but he's very special, particularly to her, which more than lifts his spirits.
Very sweet. Please enjoy!

 

Jokes of the Week #5:Foodie Fun

"Waiter, why do you have your thumb on my steak?"

"I didn't want it to fall on the floor again, sir."

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"Do you serve fish here?"

"Yes, we do."

"Then could you bring some fish flakes for my koi?"

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"Waiter, how long will my cheese sub be?"

"Oh, about eight inches."

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"Do you have frog's legs?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, hop into the kitchen and make me a sandwich!"

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What's thin, salty, and romantic?

Chips that pass in the night.

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Hannah and her friends are hanging out after school, chatting about their favorite places to eat a hamburger. Ben says he likes a picnic table at the park, Danny likes a bench at the local fair, and Erin likes a table at the beach. Erin then turns to Hannah and asks, "Where's your favorite place to eat a hamburger?"

Hannah says, "In my mouth."

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How do you turn a pie into a vegetable?

Toss it into the air and it comes down SQUASH!

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In ancient Greece, there was a cyclops named Pete who was feared by everyone. One look from his eye could zap someone. Everyone in Greece was warned to beware Pete's zap eye.

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"Waiter, what's this fly doing in my soup?"

"Looks like the backstroke, ma'am."

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"Waiter, there's a fly in my ice cream!"

"Serves him right. Let him freeze!"

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"Waiter, what's this fly doing in my soup?"

"Looks like he's playing water polo, sir."

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"Waiter, there's a fly in my soup!"

"Actually, the chef's a witch doctor, and that's what's left of our last customer."

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"Waiter, there's a dead fly in my soup!"

"Sorry, sir, but we can't always guarantee you'll always get a living one."

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"Waiter, there's a dead moth in my soup!"

"It's the heat that kills them, ma'am."

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"Waiter, there's a dead ant in my soup!"

"Yes, they're not very good swimmers."

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"Yesterday there was no fly in my soup, but today there is one!"

"Yes, we're a fly-by-night operation."

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A dopey guy goes into a pizza parlor and orders a pizza. The guy behind the counter asks, "Would you like it cut into six slices or twelve?"

The guy says, "Six. I could never eat twelve slices."

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A grizzly bear goes into a restaurant and says, "I'd like a burger, french fries and a......soda."

The guy behind the counter says, "Why the big pause?"

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A guy goes into an Italian restaurant and says to the waiter, "Give me an order of lasagna before the trouble starts."

The waiter brings him the lasagna and he eats it, then says, "Give me a slice of pizza before the trouble starts."

The waiter brings him the pizza and he eats it, then says, "Quick, bring me an order of spaghetti! The trouble's going to start at any minute now."

The waiter says, "Excuse me, sir, but when is all this trouble supposed to start?"

The guy says, "The trouble starts as soon as you find out I don't have any money."

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A frog goes into a restaurant and orders soup. After the waiter seves him, he yells, "Hey, waiter! There's no fly in my soup!"

From Nickelodeon Magazine.

 

Well, you certainly can't accuse them of false advertising!

Classic Cartoon Showcase:Somewhere in Dreamland

In this very touching cartoon made by Max Fleischer (creator of cartoons featuring Betty Boop, Popeye, Superman et al.), two little poor children, a brother and sister, have an elaborate dream about a magical land filled with toys, food, and other wonderful things. Needless to say, a happy ending is inevitable. (I highly recommend a full box of kleenex for this one.)  :*)  Please enjoy!

In the Lemon-Limelight:Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch

This is the first of my series of articles of underappreciated cartoons that, despite their low fanbase, are still more than worth a peek.

Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch is a cartoon series made by Hanna-Barbera in 1971. The show concerns three wacky bears living at the Wonderland zoo. The trio consists of the scheming, afro-adorned group leader Hair, the sloppy, doleful Square, and the short, gibberish-speaking Bubi. The bears would often try to flee the zoo in search of adventure, and end up being pursued by the zookeeper, Eustace P. Peevley and his(rather inept) assistant, Lionel J. Botch(The latter of whom is known for his pet phrase, "Ooh! Ooh!" not unlike Welcome Back, Kotter's Arnold Horshack; unsurprisingly, this was Botch's voice actor Joe E. Ross' pet phrase.). The bears, however, usually outwit them in the end, often with the help of their zoo animal friends, such as Bananas the Gorilla (who bears a striking resemblance to Magilla Gorilla), Furface the Lion (gotta love that name!), Bumpo the Elephant, Slicks the Fox, and Pipsqueak the Mouse, among others. One particular point of interest is that the bears owned, among other things, an invisible motorcycle. (Hmm, do you suppose they got it from Mermaidman?)

The show had a very short run, with only 16 episodes made. Reruns can be seen on Boomerang. (Check local listings for the time and channel.)

UPDATE 7/7/12:I recently discovered this DVD which contains, among other(very nifty!) things, a Hair Bear Bunch episode!:

Saturday Morning Cartoons:1970s Vol. 2

 

Overall, this was a humorous, well-made show that truly deserved more attention. (I may be a little biased because I love Hanna-Barbera stuff!) Despite the show being made in the '70's, it doesn't seem particularly dated, even by today's standards, and the characters are interesting, funny, and likeable. (Even Peevley and Botch!) A rather underrated(Even Joe Barbera disliked it; when even the producer doesn't like the show, that's the definition of underappreciated!) show that's definetly worth a peek.

The theme song is also mighty catchy!

For those interested also, there are some Hair Bear Bunch items available at the site below(including, of all things, a tissue box cover); some are a little expensive, but well worth it for any Hair Bear Bunch fan :

A few Hair Bear Bunch goodies

Square Bear mug

Many more such nifty items are available on ebay, many of such being comics(which I highly recommend.) :)

"Let's split!"



Fanart of Botch saying his signature phrase.

Another fanart I just had to add. (This one's just silly.)

Book Review:The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

Here's a review of another classic.

This modernized version of the tale of King Midas concerns a little boy named John Midas who likes to eat chocolate-and only chocolate. These eating habits are ruining his appetite, but his parents are unable to convince him otherwise. One day, John comes across a mysterious candy store and buys a piece of their best chocolate. Upon eating it, he gains the ability to turn whatever he puts in his mouth into chocolate. John really enjoys this at first, but his sweet dreams soon turn sour. (Apparently, the song was wrong...too much of a good thing isn't a good thing!)

My thoughts:This is a good and very interesting, albeit slightly dated book. The story is well-written and the characters' goofy names(Dr. Cranium, Ms. Plimsole, Susan Buttercup et al.) add to the overall appeal. The story does, of course, also have the same implicit moral of the original story:people shouldn't be greedy, and being greedy will get them in trouble. Overall, an enjoyable book that's worth a re-read or two.

Buy it on Amazon! 

Book Review:Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary

Here I'm reviewing a classic.

"Little sisters can be difficult...this little sister is impossible!" These words on the cover pictured above couldn't describe Beatrice Quimby's*(better known as Beezus) little sister Ramona better. Ramona has the tendency to do some of the most annoying things imaginable:riding her tricycle through the house(knocking various items of furniture over as she goes), asking Beezus to read her favorite book to her a million times, pestering Beezus' friend Henry Huggins and his dog Ribsy, taking bites out of half a box of apples, baking her rubber doll into Beezus' birthday cake, and inviting a zillion other little kids(each one just as annoying as her, if not moreso) over to her house for a party(unbeknownst to her parents, of course). Put simply, if it's annoying, she does it!

Cue massive scream.

Beezus tries to be patient with Ramona, but it's(dread) hard, and Beezus tends to get really exasperated with her(SHOCK!!), which makes her feel guilty, but what more can she do?

My thoughts:Although it's debatable which Ramona book is the best, this one is certainly a favorite of mine. The author's style is really good, as is the illustrator's, and Beezus and Ramona are good, interesting characters; honestly even, most of the time, Ramona comes off more as "funny-annoying" than "annoying-annoying". Beezus is portrayed well, and in later books, Ramona herself becomes more mature and relatable, even sympathetic. (The annoying/immature torch thus being passed to Howie's little sister Willa Jean.) And even though Ramona and Beezus don't see eye-to-eye most of the time, it's obvious that they really do love each other.

Ramona's only knowing how to write i's and t's(and spelling her name thus), incidentally, reminded me of this exchange from an episode of Full House:

(Stephanie is doing her homework, when Michelle walks in.)

Michelle: "Can I help? I'm good at homework."

Stephanie: "No, Michelle, I'm writing a short story for English class. You can't write, so...you can't help."

Michelle: "I can write i's and t's."

Stephanie: "Great story. 'It, it, it, it, it!'"

Speaking of Ramona's writing, some may recall the way that she would tranform the "Q" in her last name into a kitty cat starting in the book Ramona the Pest and the time in the book Ramona and Her Mother that she transformed the words with double letters in her writing book into angry faces, to express her angry(at the time) feelings:

I couldn't resist.

All in all, a good and very funny book, perfect for any Ramona fan.

*Fans of the Disney sitcom A.N.T. Farm may notice that the character Fletcher has the same last name(Quimby) as Ramona and her family. One wonders whether or not this was intentional.

Buy "it, it, it, it, it" on Amazon! :-D

A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Bookstore:The Toon Treasury of Classic Children's Comics

This very nifty collection of comics is enjoyable for kids and nostalgic adults alike. Included in this collection are a wide variety of comics ranging from familiar standbys(Little Lulu, Pogo, Donald Duck, Dennis the Menace, Gerald McBoingBoing, Uncle Wiggly et al.) to more obscure ones(Supermouse, Powerhouse Pepper, J. Rufus Lion, Egghead Doodle, The Pie-Faced Prince et al.)

The comics range from cute to funny to exciting to freaky weird!

Here, as per the latter example, is an excerpt from Basil Wolverton's Foolish Faces:

 ...What more can we say about this? Honestly, y'gotta love names like "Goopan Goon" and "G. Gangway Grunt".

A good, high-quality collection that's highly recommended for any classic comic collection.(It will sometimes be a little expensive, regrettably, but well worth it.)

Buy it on Amazon!

Joke of the Week Extra:Trick Questions!

1. Do they have a Fourth of July in England?

2.What do you have if you take 2 apple from 3 apples?

3.How many birthdays does the average person have?

4.A farmer had 16 chickens. All but 11 died. How many chickens were left?

5.What planet is closest to us at the present time?

6.Some months have 31 days and some have 30 days; how many have 28 days?

7.We have two coins that equal 35 cents. One is not a quarter. What coins are they?

8.Does half of 2 plus 2 equal 2...or 3?

(Answers below!) 

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1.Absolutely! They may not celebrate it, but there is a July 4 on their calendar.

2.You have two apples, because that's what you took.

3.Everyone has the same number of birthdays-one per year.

4.All but 11 died, so 11 must be left.

5.The planet Earth; it's right under our feet.

6.Every month has(at least) 28 days.

7.A quarter and a dime. We had said that one of the coins wasn't a quarter, and the dime was the one.

8.This is a question everyone gets right, because you can use either one of these answers:

Half of 2 is 1, plus 2 equals 3.

2+2=4; half of 4 is 2.

Little Charmer

Book Review:The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl

Here's a review of one of the late, great Roald Dahl's lesser-known books.

The story is told from the POV of a little boy named Billy, who, while passing by an old, abandoned building labeled, "The Grubber"(old British slang for a candy store)...

 No, not one of those!

...finds that it's been bought by the "Ladderless Window-Cleaning Company", which is comprised of a trio of (very cute!) talking(and singing!) animals:

A giraffe with an extending neck, who serves as the ladder, a pelican(occasionally called "The Pelly") with a retractable upper beak, who seves as the bucket, and a dancing monkey who washes the windows. (On an interesting note, BTW, the words Giraffe, Pelican, and Monkey are always capitalized in the book, as if they're the animals' proper names.) Billy becomes fast friends with these critters; they soon get a call from the Duke of Hampshire who needs all 677 of his mansion's window's washed.

They regrettably don't hit it off with the Duke right away, but they fortunately are eventually able to get on his good side, and end up befriending him, too.

My thoughts:This is definetly Roald Dahl's cutest, most lighthearted book, bereft of the magic, dark overtones, and occasional Downer Endings (George's Marvelous Medicine, anyone?) that are usually present in his books. The animals are cute, lovable, and appealing; they, Billy(and even the Duke!) are good, interesting characters with plenty of personality. An underappreciated book which is more than worth a read.(There's even a reference to Willy Wonka!)

Buy it on Amazon!

Joke of the Week #4

George wins a Super Bowl ticket over the radio, but when he gets there, the seat is all the way over on the 50-yard line. Through his binoculars, he sees an empty seat up in the bleachers. He decides to take a chance, and makes his way past the security guards to the empty seat.

As he's sitting down, he asks the guy in the next seat, "Excuse me, but is this seat taken?"

The guy says, "No, go right ahead."

George says, "This is incredible! Who would have a seat like this and not use it?"

The guy says, "Well, actually, this seat belongs to me. I used to come here with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Super Bowl we haven't seen together since we got married in 1971."

George says, "Wow, that's really sad, but couldn't you find anyone to come with you? A friend or a close relative?"

The guy says, "No, they're all at the funeral."

From Nickelodeon Magazine.