I can't figure out if this eBay listing is a joke or not:  The seller claims to have "way more shoes than closet space" and that "If you like your shoes very worn and very broken in, you absolutely won't be disappointed by these."  I guess my question is, who would buy well-worn used shoes?  What kind of person is this listing geared towards?  I think I'd very much like to avoid someone who purchases used shoes. #products

I received a Capcatcher as a groomsman's gift recently, and it's amazing.  It's simply a wall- or fridge-mounted bottle opener, but it has the distinction that many of my favorite products have:  It does one thing, and it does it well.  I was skeptical that a magnetically-mounted bottle opener would actually be able to open a bottle and catch the cap, but it works, and with very little effort.  I realize this sounds like a commercial, but I swear no one's paying me to write this. #products

From The Onion, for the children: 

Tragedy struck the town of Maple Grove last night when a monster broke into the room of six-year-old Barry Davies.  The creature brutally murdered and devoured the boy despite the presence of a protective Power Rangers nightlight.  A forensics report says the beast violently shook the child, making him tastier through the release of flavor-enhancing adrenaline.  The monster tore off and ate the boy's limbs first, enjoying his screams until the very end.  The Consumer Product Safety Commission is calling for a full-scale investigation into the nightlight's failure.

Sweet dreams. #products

There's a baby toy called the Fisher Price Clutch N Shake Turtle Toy.  From what I know about babies, this directly satisfies two main baby requirements:  (1) Can I grab it and squeeze it to death? and (2) Can I shake it to death?  I'm pretty sure the perfect baby toy would include these two attributes plus a third one:  (3) Can I put it in my mouth and gum it to death?  As you can see, I believe babies are out to kill us. #products

Bimbo is an American slang word that means, "A woman regarded as vacuous or as having an exaggerated interest in her sexual appeal."  Imagine my surprise when I found myself driving behind a truck with this logo:  It turns out Grupo Bimbo "is the biggest Mexican food corporation and the largest bakery in the world" and they make Bimbo Bread. #products

Four overly descriptive product names: 

1. Snot sucker
2. Urinal cake
3. Puke bucket
4. Poop candle

You're welcome. #products

I tend to be gentle with my gadgets.  I don't sit on my cameras, and my cell phones don't slide across parking lots.  But a couple years ago, Wendy and I found an iPod on the beach, and since no one was around to claim it, we adopted it as our own.  But Wendy had just bought an iPod, so this one became mine.  Alas, a wind-swept sandy beach, as one might expect, had not treated this poor device too kindly.  It had a scratched screen, and the usually beautiful shiny steel back was all mottled and ugly.  But I have to say from the time I've been using this thing, I've never treated a device more poorly, and I've never felt less bad about it.  If it breaks, oh well, it wasn't mine to begin with.  So I throw it in my bag, put my grubby fingerprints all over it, and laugh at the people who keep their precious little metallic music players in pretty little cases. #products

The Laptop Compubody Sock (picture from here) is one of several "Body Technology Interfaces" designed and knitted by the artist Becky Stern.  Sometimes you just want some privacy where there isn't any. #products

Today's top story: 

Yamaha CEO Pleased With Current Production Of Jet Skis, Alto Saxophones, Snowmobiles, Power Generators, Scooters, Golf Carts

"Initially we thought that the declining global market would result in overproduction of synthesizers, PA systems, DVD players, tone generators, and motocross bikes, but in fact our production quotas were almost perfectly attuned to the market in power amplifiers, heart-rate monitors, signal processors, analog mixers, engine oil, microphones, HiFi systems, and grand pianos," said Umemura, who stressed that his company prides itself on attention to detail.

"At the Yamaha Corporation we're focused on one thing and one thing alone -- quality sound chips, ceiling brackets, editing software, race-kart engines, sport boats, flugelhorns, ATVs, sequencers, outboard motors, conference systems, golf clubs, projectors, MIDI controllers, lamp cartridges, portable recorders, subwoofers, component systems, and motorcycles."

Growing up I had a Yamaha saxophone, a Yamaha electric guitar, and a Yamaha electric keyboard.  I always thought it was weird that a company known for jet skis and dirt bikes was the same company that made my musical instruments. #products

I depend a lot on product reviews to make my purchasing decisions, both big and small.  I'll read as many reviews as I can before I spend hundreds of dollars on a new gadget, but I'll also look at reviews when only spending a few bucks.  My trick is to look at the negative reviews to see why people didn't like the product.  Usually it's something stupid like they bought the wrong color or there was a problem with shipping.  Rarely is their complaint worthy of a negative review.  But sometimes you can sift through the crap and find some useful information.  And then if you're me, you ignore it. 

That's what I did when I bought a pair of retractable headphones recently.  I kept reading negative reviews and dismissing them because the situation didn't apply to me.  One reviewer said she uses her iPod while running, and the retractable cable wasn't long enough to reach from her hip to her head.  I figured, meh, I'll be sitting at a desk, not running, so that won't matter.  Several other reviews said things about how short the cable was, and I just ignored them because I figured any length of cable would reach from my desktop computer to my ears.  It turned out I was horribly wrong.  I got the headphones in the mail, extended them all the way, and still had to put my head close to my desk to use them.  That's the last time I ignore product reviews. #products