Strollerderby : Batman

Letting Kids See Watchmen

Brett Singer — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Lisa Belkin wonders if her 15-year old should see "Watchmen," this weekend's number one movie. His 18-year old brother saw it and pronounced it brilliant. I won't keep you in suspense (I know, you were on the edge of your seat), but Lisa eventually capitulated and let the younger son go. Spoiler: he liked it.

Having seen the film, I can say that it is definitely not for kids. The R rating should deter parents, but really it's the subject matter that they should be looking at. For the record, I enjoyed the film version of "Watchmen"; it's very faithful to the original comics (aka "graphic novel"), has some flaws, but overall is very much worth seeing. This column at The Onion AV Club by Tasha Robinson does a great job of breaking down the differences between the two, points out some missteps, and is good reading if you're interested.

For our purposes, the question is "how do I decide whether or not a movie is appropriate for my child?" Movie ratings help, but only up to a point. A commenter at the Times' website points out that "Dark Knight" was rated PG-13, which in my opinion is absurd. Great film, one of the best I've seen, and Heath Ledger's performance was incredible and deserving of an Oscar. Part of what makes his Joker so amazing is that he is really, truly disturbing, more so than the bone-popping-out-of-an-arm style of violence on display in "Watchmen." To me, and I believe to my kids, psychological violence is more troubling than physical violence. Not that I want them to see the extreme grossness that "Watchmen" has. But a movie's rating doesn't always tell the whole story.

What I do with superhero movies is see them first. I know. I make the ultimate sacrifice, go on opening weekend with a bunch of guys wearing Captain America t-shirts, and decide whether or not the flick is kid-friendly enough. "Iron Man" was, although the opening sequence is questionable. "Hulk" was borderline, but my then 7-year-old didn't want to see that one anyway. (Although he does love my blog post written from Hulk's point of view.) I thought "Spider-Man 3" would be too scary for him (Venom), but he was unfazed; actually, I think he was a little bored (the bizarre musical number).

What makes this part of my parenting job easier is that I actually want to see superhero movies. Belkin, not so much: when asked by a commenter why she didn't just see "Watchmen" first if she was so concerned, she replied: "You are right, I should have seen it if I felt so strongly about helping to give context to the message, but, frankly, I couldnt [sic] stand the thought of sitting through it." At two and a half hours, I can't really blame her. But if she had seen it, she would have found out that along with the cartoonishly graphic violence (not a lot, but what's there includes someone having their hands cut off with a power saw) is a very violent rape scene, a moment is that is much more graphic than the one in the original comic. Do I think most fifteen year olds have seen something like that in a movie already? Probably. Does that mean I want them to see that without me telling them what's wrong with that behavior? Probably not. For me, seeing a film is the best way to determine whether or not you want your child to see it, no matter what age they are. Fifteen may be too old to be concerned about what sort of entertainment your kids consume. But even if you don't censor it, it's probably a good idea to know what they watch.

Source: NY Times

Image: AVClub.com

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Should Chris Brown Be Getting Out the Kids' Vote?

Soldier Gives Birth At Army Barracks

Heath Ledger's Daughter Gets His Oscar

Brett Singer — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:50:00 GMT

Heath Ledger won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing The Joker in 'The Dark Knight.' It's well-deserved, and personally I think he would have won even without the sentimental vote.

Heath's family – his father Kim, mother Sally and sister Kate -- accepted on his behalf and all three gave an amazingly calm and classy speech, pointing out that his daughter Matilda is the one who will get the golden statuette: "We really wish you were here, but we proudly accept this award on behalf of your beautiful Matilda." Michelle Williams will keep it for her until Matilda turns 18. If Heath and Michelle had been married, it would have gone to her. Executive Director of the Academy Bruce Davis said, "I don't think we have ever had a situation like this."

It's all very sad, but Heath's mother said, "Tonight, we are choosing to celebrate and be happy for what he has achieved," so I'm going to go with that. Congratulations, dude.

image: Reuters

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger Wins 2009 Oscar Gold!

Cookie Monster Cupcake

OctoMom Says No Dating For Her

Babble Podcast for January 26, 2009 (now with a working player)

Brett Singer — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:41:00 GMT

Here is the ninth Babble Podcast.

You can either listen right here

or download the MP3 file by clicking here.

On today's episode:

1.    Quick news update:
- Obama goes after Limbaugh, kind of.
- Rod Blagojevich (who I've decided to start calling B-Rod) is just a bundle of fun
- The Dark Knight did not get nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Some guy in his mother's basement is weeping.
2.    The Week in Blog
- Linda Ellerbee, mini cameras (not Mini-Me), and Jason Wu.
3.    Comment of the Week
- Sarcasm? Or something else?

Notes on this podcast:

Songs parodied:

- Los del Río, Macarena

Posts mentioned:

Linda Ellerbee Says Kids Should Skip School To Watch Inauguration

Parents Criticize Schools for Celebrating Inauguration

Parents Who Waited Decade to Report Son Missing Now Murder Suspects

A Camera for the Mini Photog

Star Baby: Who is This Caped Crusader?

What Should Malia & Sasha Wear to the Inauguration?

Sasha Gives Barack Obama a 'Thumbs Up'

Video: Obamas' Inaugural Ball First Dance & Michelle Wears Jason Wu

Explicitly Nude: Madonna's Photo Up For Grabs

Sarah Palin Says Leave My Kids Alone

Morning News - Obama, Limbaugh, Cheese

Third Printing For Obama/Spider-man Comic Book

VIDEO: O'Reilly Upset About Two Year Old Bashing Bush

Is The Peanut Allergy Scare Overblown?

Past Podcasts

Destroying Kids As We Know Them . . . Or Not

JeanneSager — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:34:00 GMT

I am all for toys that force kids to think and be creative; for some, I've completely given up hope.

So you would think I'd be all over the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood's TOADY (Toys Oppressive And Destructive to Young Children) Awards. Except, I think the folks a CCFC need to get out more.

To counter the Toy Industry Association's TOTY (Toy Of The Year) Awards on February 15, CCFC is asking parents to put in their votes for the TOADY of 2009. Their picks are perfectly annoying, I'll grant you.

You can pick the pooping Baby Alive, the over-the-top Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade, the Smart Cycle, Barbie Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Doll or the Lego Batman video game. None of these would I personally pick up for my daughter (and for further proof, read up on my thoughts on bimbo Barbie here!), but I can't summon quite the vituperativeness of the folks at CCFC over a toy.

Take the concern over the Smart Cycle, which they say gives kids "monotonous exercise to replace those boring trips to the park." Hello, CCFC, winter called. It wants you to know you need to keep the kids inside today - and they're still going to have the SAME energy to burn today that they'd get out on a sunny summer day at the park. They'll also want to eat the same filling foods they'll eat in the summer - maybe more to fight the cold - and sitting around playing puzzles with Mom all day is guaranteed to pack on the pounds. So, how bad is that exercise looking now?

Lego gets the stinkeye for "partnering with media companies to sell that toy in branded kits designed for recreating movies like Star Wars, rather than creative construction." Because, of course, no kid would ever link those blocks in any way, shape or form that would differ from the original picture on the box, thus allowing them to be creative and enjoy one of their favorite characters at the same time? And no little kid would possibly test their imagination with a Star Wars or Batman toy, crafting their own stories of how to defeat the Dark Knight, in the privacy of their bedroom. So silly. Of course, this is a video game, which draws their real ire because, they insist, "instead of deciding what to build next, children choose which cyber weapons to use to beat up their opponent." Because they won't use a toy good guy to kick the toy villain's ass?

Think the CCFC is on the right track, and I'm just one of those parents who spends too much time playing with real kids? Check them out and vote. Then get off the computer and go play with your kids - because as far as they're concerned, letting a kid play on a SmartCycle is tantamount to parents not "interacting with their preschoolers at all."

And who would want five seconds away from their child?

Image: CCFC

Gifts I Want That I Can Pretend Are For The Kids

Brett Singer — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT

One of the things I like about being a parent is the fact that it allows me to regress with impunity. For example, a childless man who plays with Legos? Creepy. A father who plays with Legos? Aw, that's so sweet. He's such a good dad. With that in mind, here are a few gifts that I want this holiday season that I can pretend are really for the children. If they're lucky, I might even let the kids play with them.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – when we got a Wii, one of the first things I thought of was, "I want a game that lets me use the WiiMote like a sword." When I heard about a new Star Wars game that would allow you to use the WiiMore like a LIGHTSABER, I realized that this was potentially a dream come true. A dream I didn't even know I had. Namely, that I could use the WiiMote like a lightsaber. Hello? How many times did I imagine that I was Luke Skywalker, battling Darth Vader, denying he was my father as I swung my lightsaber in defiance? (Yes, Han Solo was cooler but Luke was a Jedi and was a more attainable goal – you weren't going to be as cool as Han, but you could definitely be like Luke. OK, I was a kid with self-esteem issues.) The idea that I can do this as an adult and get away with it because I have a son is almost too cool to imagine. Reviews of the game on Amazon are mixed, ranging from "pretty good" to "Worst. Game. Ever." There are a few "all my childhood dreams realized" comments on there. Until I actually play the game, I'll stick with those.

To make the nerdy experience truly complete, there is the Thrustmaster Glow Saber Duo Pack, which sounds like the name of a sex toy from a Woody Allen movie but is actually a Wii accessory where you insert the WiiMote into a glowing piece of plastic and wave it around like a lightsaber.

Peanuts Holiday Collection (It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown / A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving / A Charlie Brown Christmas): This one isn't as embarrassing as the other two. The various Peanuts holiday specials have, in my opinion, stood the test of time better than any others. The animation is pleasantly low-key, the voice acting isn't obnoxiously loud and the kids actually sound like kids, and there are no stupid adults around. It's sentimental without being saccharine, funny without resorting to lowbrow comedy (nothing wrong with that but it's nice to see something different everyone now and then), and its great when you can enjoy something from your childhood with your kids without being forced to explain to them why you like it.

Marvel Transformers: It's unclear how I managed to not hear about these amazing new toys. It could be because I'm an adult. But I don't like that explanation. How can something as unbelievably cool as an Iron Man Transformer action figure not have been on my geeky radar? I might have to turn in my Platinum Nerd Card. In all seriousness – well, not ALL seriousness, this isn't a very serious topic – these look cool, appear to be in stock at Amazon, and would provide hours of fun for me, I mean MY CHILDREN. So come on. Fill my stocking with superheroes!

They Say – Lots of Toys Are Sold Out – Or Are They?

When Holiday Toys Attack

They Say – Raise Kids Who Care

Are these toys sold out?

Brett Singer — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:00:00 GMT

According to Gareb Shamus of Toy Wishes Magazine, these toys are what all the kids want. But, says Shamus, you can't get them, because they're sold out. I'm not sure that he's correct about that. We checked on seven toys here, now let's try eight more.

8. Clone Wars Voice Changing Helmet: Again, Amazon's got it, not even from a third-party shipper. But it's not Darth Vader. So what's the point? According to the product description, "Kids want to be clone troopers." (That's actually listed as a product feature. Odd.) I hope that this statement is not true. If it is, that is sad. Wanting to be Han Solo, I get. Wanting to be a Clone Trooper? Say it ain't so, Bo(ba).

9. Wall-E - U-Command, i-Dance and Transforming: i-Dance they have. Same with U-Command. (Couldn't find Transforming for some reason.) However, both are from third-party folks, and U-Command is over $150.00. That seems like a bad idea unless one of the commands is "rob a bank."

10. Club Penguin Plush and trading cards: Bingo! Club Penguin Plush, not in stock as of this writing. Available from a random person. Looks kind of ugly to me but what do I know. Trading cards they have from third party folks.

11. Webkinz – Plush: It might be tough to find the specific one your kid wants (Webkinz Platypus, anyone? I just made that up) but these are out there.

12. Imaginext – Superfriends: Amazon has it! At least, they have some of them, like this Batmobile. If these are from the same series of toys that my younger son has, I highly recommend them. It's like Batman-lite – more BatMite than Dark Knight. (If you get that reference, you earn points towards your Geek Gold Card.) Fun for kids and also dads. At least this dad.

13. Nerf - all the Nerf Blasters: Well, not ALL, since Amazon has this ominously named Nerf N-Strike Recon CS-6 Dart Blaster. Weapon of kiddie mass destruction, anyone? Also not for the under 3 set.

14. Eyeclops night vision goggles: These look kinda cool, and are in stock. My problem with toys like these is that in my experience kids get bored with them pretty quickly. But perhaps your children are different.

15. Girl Gourmet cupcake maker: I'm not a fan of children making "real" food with dopey fake playsets like these. Why is that? Because I can't imagine that the ingredients of the "special cupcake mixes" are substances that occur in nature. This comment from Amazon, titled "What's that smell??" is telling and quite helpful: "At the end of the day, it was fun for them, stinky for all of us and too darn messy. You are better off with supervised baking then this junky mix." The commenter goes on to say that the product is a good idea but the "flavoring needs tweaking." I beg to differ, but hey, to each his or her own. I'm not against my children eating crap, but they should eat good old American pre-packaged crap that doesn't require further preparation.

So no offense to Mr. Shamus, but this stuff doesn't appear to be as sold out as he said. I'm thinking bad economy = easier to find popular toys. To be fair, many of the items were unavailable except through third-party sellers. But it seems like, with a little digging, you can get most of what your kids want. Not that the holidays are all about toys. But sometimes they are.

When Holiday Toys Attack

Half Price Toys at Target

Last Day For Free Holiday Shipping

Indiana Planned Parenthood Sells Gift Certificates

Miss Piggy Wants a Bailout For Christmas

Babble Podcast for December 15, 2008

They Say – Lots of Toys Are Sold Out – Or Are They?

Brett Singer — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:30:00 GMT

According to Gareb Shamus of Toy Wishes Magazine, these toys are what all the kids want. But, says Shamus, you can't get them, because they're sold out. I'm not sure that he's correct about that. Let's see what we can find in stock.

1.      Bakugan: My son actually got this as an early Chanukah present. Not bad but a little over-rated in my opinion. Basically you throw little balls into a plastic arena, and if the balls hit a particular magnetic card, they pop open. It's neat but only for the first hundred times. There are also rules that seem too complex for my taste, but I’m old and sometimes these games confuse me. Available at Amazon.
2.      Lego Star Wars and Lego Batman: Lego Star Wars is great. Lego Batman, feh. Don't bother. I'm talking about the video games, though, not the Legos themselves. In general I believe that any Legos are good Legos, so if you can't find Star Wars or Batman versions, just go with regular ones. If the kids complain, tell them they should be glad they're getting any presents at all in this economy. (OK, telling them that would be mean. But it's fun to think about, right?) Lots of options at Amazon, but it does appear that most are sold out.
3.      Star Wars Action Figures - All, particularly Clone Commander Cody and Ahsoka Tano: This reveals me to be a tremendous nerd, but I think I've outed myself as Dorky Dad a long time ago. Commander Cody action figures are sold out??? That just doesn't seem right. I mean, I remember when Boba Fett was hard to find. That I can understand. But Commander Cody? C'mon. Available at Amazon for a whopping $44.99. Crazy.
4.      Dora Magical Figures: I found these on Craig's List, although they're probably gone by now. (Note: I am not suggesting you buy something from Craig's List. Also not suggesting that you DON'T buy from Craig's List. That is what is known as a "covering my butt disclaimer". That's a legal term.)
5.      Ben 10 Alien Creation Chamber: Amazon has it from a third-party retailer. Sadly, it does not appear to create life-size "Island of Doctor Moreau" creatures.
6.      Hasbro - Marvel Transformers: I was unaware of the existence of these action figures, but now that I am, I must have them. I mean, my son must have them. Iron Man meets Transformers? Are you kidding me??? Amazon seems to have them in stock from third-party retailers. I… I mean, my SON, really wants these. All of them.
7.      Yo Gabba Gabba Dance Mat: Amazon's got it. It looks fun, but noisy. Also: "CHOKING HAZARD -- Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs." Which seems odd because that's an age I would think this product appeals to. But I guess not.

Hmmm... so far lots of stuff is in stock, although sometimes from third-party sellers. For eight more, check out part 2 here.

When Holiday Toys Attack

Half Price Toys at Target

Last Day For Free Holiday Shipping

Indiana Planned Parenthood Sells Gift Certificates

Miss Piggy Wants a Bailout For Christmas

Babble Podcast for December 15, 2008

The Candy That Time Forgot

Brett Singer — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:45:00 GMT

I stumbled onto a list of candies that we are unlikely to encounter in our children's treat bags tonight. One of them (Bit O'Honey) was on my Babble List, but the rest weren't. Let's look at a few entries from the Island of Discarded Sweets:

Bubble Gum Cigarettes

To my recollection, these tasted really gross, but they blew sugary "smoke" and were therefore "cool" – or should that be "Kool"? I can't imagine seeing them today.

Candy Buttons

Nothing wrong with these, I guess – that is, they're not a candy that mimics a horrible unhealthy habit. But they do encourage the eating of paper, since it's impossible to get the stupid buttons off the backing without ingesting a little mashed up dead tree substance.

Wax Bottles

I have to be honest here. I've never tasted one of these. Whenever I encountered one, I avoided it like booger-flavored jellybeans. I guess it's some sort of sugary liquid encased in wax – is that right? Anyone want to enlighten me?

Sixlets

These were a rare treat. So good. Like M&M's but somehow fancier.

Toffifay

These always offended me a little bit. I can't remember if “It’s Too Good For Kids!” was the actual slogan but that was definitely the attitude. This and Toberlone – if these somehow ended up in my trick or treat bag, some dopey grown-up would liberate them from my possession. NO CANDY IS TOO GOOD FOR ME!

Pop Rocks

Man, do I not miss these things. They did not, I believe, actually kill Mikey. But they're so gross it's believable.

There's more, read the rest of the list here. Any old-time candy that you miss, or don't miss?

Source: MightyJunior

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Why Are The Grown Up Costumes For Women So Slutty?

What are your kids wearing this Halloween?

Santa Claus says: Smoke More

Defamer's Top 10 Halloween Specials

A Halloween Playlist for Your Kids' Party

7 Awesome Halloween Costumes for Pregnant Chicks

The Return of the Halloween Baby Slut Costumes

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The Babble List: The Best Candy Ever

Babble Best: Toddler Halloween Costumes

Babble Best: Newborn Halloween Costumes

How To Carve a Pumpkin (Video)

Brett Singer — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:00:00 GMT

If anyone hasn't gotten around to slicing and dicing their yearly Jack O'Lantern (me), or just wants a few tips on how to do it better (me), here is Chris Gould (not me) to show you how. Apparently it's all about etching rather than carving. In the spirit of the holiday, we'll forgive the Red Sox t-shirt.

Source: how2heroes.com

More Bad Halloween Costumes for Kids

Do You Dress Up for Halloween?

Why Are The Grown Up Costumes For Women So Slutty?

What are your kids wearing this Halloween?

Santa Claus says: Smoke More

Defamer's Top 10 Halloween Specials

A Halloween Playlist for Your Kids' Party

7 Awesome Halloween Costumes for Pregnant Chicks

The Return of the Halloween Baby Slut Costumes

Related on Babble:

The Babble List: The Best Candy Ever

Babble Best: Toddler Halloween Costumes

Babble Best: Newborn Halloween Costumes

Incredibly Good Homemade Halloween Costumes

Brett Singer — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:00:00 GMT

When it comes to Halloween costumes, we're not very crafty at my house. The kids want to be characters from movies and TV, and I'm fine with that. It's much easier to buy an Iron Man costume than it is to make one. Admittedly, I have the artistic ability of a three year old, and that's being generous.

Some people, however, have the talent and are not afraid to use it. Check out this gallery of homemade costumes from the Kansas City Star.

Optimus Prime

This is, frankly, much better than anything you could buy. It wasn't cheap or easy, though – 40 hours and 50 bucks worth of materials, such as " rubber doorstops, PVC, football shoulder pads and 'lots and lots of duct tape'" according to Eric Collins, who made the lead Autobot costume for his son Cameron. The final touch was "custom vinyl decals." Way over my head. But nice job, dude.

Homemade Hippies

These two are more the kind of thing I might be able to do, except for the whole "making the clothes" part. (I can sew on a button, but that's about it.) Less impressive than Optimus Prime, but still cute. I guess that means the younger generation still knows what hippies were.

For a few more, click here.

When Halloween rolls around, do you buy costumes or make your own?

Source: kansascity.com

Do You Dress Up for Halloween?

Why Are The Grown Up Costumes For Women So Slutty?

What are your kids wearing this Halloween?

Santa Claus says: Smoke More

Defamer's Top 10 Halloween Specials

A Halloween Playlist for Your Kids' Party

7 Awesome Halloween Costumes for Pregnant Chicks

The Return of the Halloween Baby Slut Costumes

Related on Babble:

The Babble List: The Best Candy Ever

Babble Best: Toddler Halloween Costumes

Babble Best: Newborn Halloween Costumes

Why Are The Grown Up Costumes For Women So Slutty?

Brett Singer — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:00:00 GMT

When I asked the question "do you dress up for Halloween", I received a couple of unexpected answers. From the comments:

Manjari: They don't sell costumes for adult women that aren't bedroom wear.

Alice: …the costumes are all too trashy these days. Sexy Ragdoll? 70's Afroqueen? Gimme a break.

Looking at most of the costume pictures I found – I didn't do extensive research but still – I think we're on to something. Look at these:

This one is listed under "Women – Occupational":

2 Piece Black Fire Woman Costume

What's her occupation, stripper? This looks like, um...what's the word? Porn. Plus that is OBVIOUSLY a white lady (I know, bad joke).

This is under "Women – Period":

3 Piece Indian Girl Costume W/ Tomahawk

Again – this looks like something from "Zack and Miri Make a Porno". "Poke-Her-Hontas", anyone? Plus the proper term is "native American", everyone knows that.

Even the pic I used on the "do you dress up for Halloween" is clearly meant to be suggestive, although the costume covers far more skin. Compared to some of the Fire Lady and the Tomahawk Queen, it's practically a burka.

The men's costumes from the same store (Ricky's in NYC) are much less revealing.

After an admittedly quick perusal I found only one semi-nekkid costume:
Borat Mankini Green Lycra

The others are mostly clothed -- police officer, etc.

Now, as a guy, sure, I find the porno lady costumes pleasant to look at. And I'm not going all moral majority on you. But who is buying these things? Am I off base here? And when did this trend start?

Plus, won't those women be chilly? It is October, after all.

Source: Ricky's Halloween, Babble commenters

Do You Dress Up for Halloween?

What are your kids wearing this Halloween?

Santa Claus says: Smoke More

Defamer's Top 10 Halloween Specials

A Halloween Playlist for Your Kids' Party

7 Awesome Halloween Costumes for Pregnant Chicks

The Return of the Halloween Baby Slut Costumes

Related on Babble:

The Babble List: The Best Candy Ever

Babble Best: Toddler Halloween Costumes

Babble Best: Newborn Halloween Costumes

More Bad Halloween Costumes for Kids

Brett Singer — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Shine has a list of some of the worst kiddie costumes. Mike covered a lot of these in his brilliant post The Return of the Halloween Baby Slut Costumes. (Sample: "Would anyone ever sell a Chippendale outfit for young boys? Would a parent ever buy one?") But there are a few more in the Shine list that are worthy of attention, and I found a couple of others I wanted to share.

Baby Whoopie Cushion Costume

I have to admit, I think this is hilarious. I mean, I wouldn't put this costume on my child. But it's a funny picture. The only way that a parent could get away with something like this is if they were some sort of a lovable doofus – think Joe Isuzu. (You either get that reference or you don't. Here's a video if you're curious.) Maybe if you own a novelty store – I can imagine Christopher Walken's character in 'Hairspray' putting this on an infant Tracy Turnblad. Of course, those are both fictional characters, which probably means that parents should avoid this outfit.

The Joker from The Dark Knight

The Joker was always a scary character. In the Batman comics, he's a guy with no powers that is feared by heroes and villains alike. Why? Because he's just that crazy. Even so, Heath Ledger's performance in 'The Dark Knight' took that madness to a new level. (“Want to see me make a pencil disappear?” If you saw the movie, you know what I'm talking about.) In the comic book, Joker's perma-grin is the result of a fall into a vat of mysterious chemical goo. In Ledger's interpretation, it's a scar. As in, cut with a knife. Ew. This one will probably be popular because the movie was monster hit, but I wonder how many little kids actually saw it (it really wasn't a kids' movie, but that doesn't always matter). Dressing up as Ledger's Joker would be OK for an older kid I suppose, but if a parent buys this costume for a little one they either didn't see the movie or are a weirdo. Or both.

Zombie Skate Punk Child Costume

This one is on sale. BIG surprise. What's weird about this costume is the shirt, which I guess is supposed to show scars and tattoos and other “punk” things. If you really wanted your kid to dress up as a “punk”, you could just get an old flannel shirt, rip it up, put a Black Flag t-shirt under it. Maybe some ripped jeans with safety pins. A heroin needle. You know, easy.

Batman Muscle Chest Costume

This isn't on Shine's list, but I'm going to add it because it annoys me. I wore a Batman costume for years, and I never thought, “Boy, I wish this had big fake muscles.” Do we really need to make kids feel bad about their bodies this early? There's plenty of time for them to be insecure when they get older, start losing their hair, many years from now... You know, when they hit 30.

Source: Yahoo Shine, mrcostumes.com

The Return of the Halloween Baby Slut Costumes

What are your kids wearing this Halloween?

Another non news photo

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Photo Contest: No Trick, All Treat

Etsy Alert: Gobble Gobble Gladrags

Rich or Rehab: Whatever Happened to the Little Girl From 'Halloween'?

Do You Dress Up for Halloween?

The Smurfs Turn 50

The Obamas wear cheap clothes

Halloween Costume Confession: Why it Pays to be the Cheapskate Mom

JeanneSager — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:21:00 GMT

I've got a secret that could make me the mom they whisper nasties about on the playground. I've never paid a red cent for a Halloween costume. I've never made one either. I'm not bragging. Well, maybe a little.

I just don't get the $30 price tags other moms are paying. You can tell me it's because I never have, but I don't think I ever will.

In the 3 years since my daughter was born, I've lucked into a hand-me-down costume four times in a row. My secret? A pregnancy perfectly timed. Just as my youngest cousin (we're Catholic, what can I say?) was on the verge of turning 1, my daughter debuted. Which puts her second cousin a year ahead of her, and one Halloween costume size bigger. And thanks to an aunt who is among my favorite relatives in the world (and one of the most generous), I've been cheaping out on all hallows eve every year running.

I can sense the end of the run. My cousin is, after all, a little boy. My daughter is not (duh). And while she'll don a pirate hat and Batman cape to prance around town today, tomorrow she may well be begging to be a princess. He's more the Thomas type. But even when the hand-me-downs aren't being handed down, I can't see myself shelling out a mint for an outfit my daughter will wear for one day. OK, maybe two if you count the parade through town. Three if they parade around the nursery school.

Yes, I'm a cheapskate. I eBayed her baby's first Christmas outfit too. I could handle tucking away a $5 outfit. She would have worn the red, green and white through Memorial Day if it had been much more. Sure they're memories, but at what price? Is rushing from house to house on an October night that much better in an outfit that cost your parents more than they'll pay for the gas to drive you around town?

I could go old-fashioned and make her costumes, the way my mother hunched over her sewing machine crafting giant Tweety Bird heads the year my brother and I went as a matching set of Looney Tunes characters or the buzzing bee that still lives in stories of my nursery school parade. But there's not a Martha bone in my body.

The way I see it, I've got two options: the second hand store or making nice with the mother of a daughter older than mine. Cheap is good. Free is better. Now I'm really bragging.

Image: Buy Costume

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Super Mom Beats Pedophile with Lead Pipe

Cole Gamble — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Okay, right off the bat we should let it be known we at Babble aren't big advocates of vigilantism. There is a reason we have due process and don't all take the law into our own hands. Batman gets to, but that's Batman. Having said that, every now and then something happens. And that something is a little piece of awesome called street justice.

Wendy Nelson had been sitting on her house steps when her 10-year-old daughter ran from the local playground crying. When Nelson inquired what was the matter, her daughter told her a strange man tried to take off her pants and asked the girl to stay overnight at his house.

Nelson probably should have left it for the police to deal with, but she approached the man at the playground and told him she called the police. That's when the 24-year-old man introduced his knife. He stabbed Nelson twice before Nelson found the aforementioned lead pipe and struck back.

Nelson's 17-year-old son jumped into the fray and ended up with a slash to the head of his own. Nelson finally got the upper hand an d delivered two convincing blows to the suspects head. The man is currently in the hospital and expected to recover.

What Nelson did was ill-advised to say the least. She could have been killed. Her son could have been killed. However, with the outcome of this incident a happy one, we can comfortably say, “Lead Pipe Wielding Mamas = Kind of Rad.”

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5 reasons it's a good thing I had boys

Brett Singer — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:05:00 GMT

I was going to say, "I'm glad I have boys" but that didn't sound quite right. That is, I would love girl-children just as much as I love my guys. But there are a few ways that having boys has made my life – mine, specifically – a little bit easier.

1. No pink ponies: It doesn't seem like having a Y chromosome should automatically mean that one is interested in superheroes, videogames, and action figures inspired by superheroes and videogames. But experience says otherwise. While there are definitely girls who love trucks and boys who follow the Frasier and Niles Crane path – a love of opera, Broadway and snappy clothing – my guys are way into Spider-Man, Batman, Superman, Pokémon, Wii, Playstation 2, and so on. If I had to learn whatever there is to know about My Little Pony, I think my brain would crawl out of my ear.

2. Miley-free zone: Thus far Things 1 and 2 have shown zero interest in Billy Ray Cyrus' little ~~meal ticket~~ girl, which means I can continue to go through life knowing almost nothing about her. Maybe this will change when they get older, but hopefully by then Miley Ray Hannah Montana Stewart Cyrus will have either pulled a Britney Spears and had a meltdown, grown up and started singing jazz standards, or retired to spend her days sitting on a giant pile of cash gazing longingly at Nick Jonas. OK, I guess I sort of know something about her, but that's just from trying to keep up with pop culture. I have nothing against Miley or the Jonases, but not having to listen to their music or attend their concerts is something I will never, ever complain about.

3. No batting of eyelashes: My wife has pointed out many times that if we had had girls, odds are I would be putty in their hands. I wish I could say I disagree but I think she's probably right. Little girls are so cute, and seeing them cry is much more painful than seeing boys cry. I know that's stupid, sexist, and stupid (did I say that one already?). But I've seen, more than once, little girls who lead their dads around by the nose. It's probably best if we never find out whether or not I would join their ranks.

4. Less irrational over-protectiveness: Again, I am fully aware that this is unfair, stupid and sexist. But if I had girl-children, I would be very tempted not to let them leave the house until they were 30. I guess going to school would be OK, as long as they dressed like those Mormon sect people.

5. No High School Musical: When this monstrosity first started airing on the Disney Channel and the CD went to number one, I tried to watch it out of curiosity. I made it through about 15 minutes before I realized that it would probably be more fun to chew glass. The songs are lame, the characters are dull, the story is… Feh. Anyway, the boys seem immune to whatever charms that thing has, and for that, I am grateful.

image: Amazon.com

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5 ways to get revenge on your kids

Brett Singer — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:00:00 GMT

They're cute. We love them. But sometimes, they make us insane. "Revenge" may sound like too strong a word, but let's be honest: sometimes you want to get back at the little buggers.

Some of these are real, some are not, and some just go too far. I'll indicate what I think about each. None of these acts will, as far as I know, lead to your children placing you in an old-age home run by people who were deemed too mean for dental school. But use your own judgment.

-   Repurposing dinner: you know that chicken I cooked that you refused to eat? Here. You can have it for lunch. (This, I have done. In fact, I did it today.)
-   Take them to the wrong movie: Batman? Nah. We're seeing "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2." (This, I would not do, mostly because I can't imagine seeing any film about pants that travel. But if you like that sort of thing, give it a try.)
-   Replace their CDs with something you like better: goodbye Raffi, hello Elvis Costello! (This, I have not done, but I might try it.)
-   Sing those annoying songs that they like in public: Loudly. (Thanks to Hannah for this one.) Can't recall doing this but it's entirely possible that, after a sleepless week of 2am diaper changings, that I did.
-   Speak in gibberish if you catch them getting high: This was on an episode of "My Wife and Kids". The parents, Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, speak sloooowwly, wear the strangest clothes they can find, and pretend to see things that aren't there. It was quite amusing, and it definitely scared "Junior" straight. Of course, that's on TV, but this could work. Certainly more fun than the standard "drugs are bad, bad, bad" speech.

I know there must be other ways to get back at 'em that I missed. Anyone got a good one? After all, it takes a village.

image: AllPosters

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Does Batman Hit His Mom?

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:30:00 GMT

Christian Bale’s professional career may be at all an all-time high, but his family life certainly leaves something to be desired. Although Bale has remain tight-lipped about allegations that he assaulted his mom and his sister, a source close to the Dark Knight star has shed some light on the charges.

Bale has not exactly been tight with either his mom Jenny or his sister Sharon since his parents’ divorce over a decade ago. Christian sided with Dad; Sharon sided with Mom. (Apparently, no one explained the whole making-your-kids-pick-sides-in-a-divorce-causes-irreparable-psychological-damage phenomenon to Christian’s parents). But just before the Dark Knight premiere, Sharon and Jenny reached out to Christian, and he reluctantly agreed to meet them in his hotel room

Turns out they were hoping Christian would front them some cash for a business scheme they’d cooked up. Christian got mad and ordered them out of the room, allegedly pushing his mother out of the door. Sharon and Jenny went to the cops, who questioned Christian and then released him. He has not been formally charged yet.

Photo: Chicago Sun-Times

But that hasn’t prevented his mother from trying to sell her assault story to the media. Perhaps she won’t need her son’s financial assistance after all…

The Dark Knight -- parents strongly cautioned (to go see it)

Brett Singer — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Let's get one thing out of the way right now – you shouldn't bring your children. They might want to go, but unless they have a very high tolerance for a long movie (2 and half hours) and an abnormally high tolerance for what might be the most frightening performance ever (Heath Ledger's Joker), I'd get a sitter.

Now: this is some incredible movie. At first, I was a little bit apprehensive. Part of that feeling was the hype, which was so intense that it seemed impossible anything could live up to it. (Part of it was also that the movie didn't start until almost 1am because we had to sit through 7 commercials, none of which I remember at all – money well spent, advertisers. But I digress.) There are some slow spots, especially in the beginning, and I think the director, Christopher Nolan, could have cut 10 or 15 minutes of film and made it a tighter movie. But that's nitpicking, because there are several scenes, some just quick moments and some long, exciting action sequences, that will put your jaw on the floor.

The saddest thing about Heath Ledger's death is that his daughter will never know her father. But it's fair to say that if an actor had to go out with one performance, this is that performance. He's so good that I completely forgot I was watching an actor, which, for me, almost never happens. (It's worth pointing out that Gary Oldman as James Gordon, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, do the same thing in smaller and less flashy roles.) He's frightening, but not the way a horror movie villain is frightening. It's not shock value, although there is some of that (there's a bit with a pencil that might be the best 5-second description of a character in the history of cinema.) Without giving anything away, The Joker is referred to as a "terrorist" a couple of times, but unlike the terrorists in our world, this one has no cause that he fights for. He's just… mad. Not angry-mad, just flat out crazy. And Ledger captures that in every possible way. You could teach an acting class using this movie – what he does physically, vocally, emotionally; it's all stunning to watch.

The rest of it is, for the most part, equally good. I don't care about the love story, but it's fine I suppose and does serve the story. Aaron Eckhart is a solid actor and he does a good job as Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent. Christian Bale is by far the best Batman yet, although Ledger is so good that he really takes over the movie. Michael Caine is a good Alfred Pennyworth, Maggie Gyllenhaal is fine as token love interest Rachel Dawes; she's more than that, I guess, but it's not her movie. Gary Oldman is amazing; as in "Batman Begins," he somehow manages to completely capture the essence of a fictional comic book character that isn't a superhero, meaning that, as an actor, he has fewer details available to work with. I can't explain it but he IS Jim Gordon.

The nits to pick if you want to go there: some of the dialog is hokey (although the lines written for Ledger are brilliant.) There are a few slow spots. At times the action sequences are a tad frenetic, here and there. But it really doesn't matter. You'll read a lot about the surprising depth of this movie, and this is true to an extent. "The Dark Knight" is incredibly entertaining and does have some thoughtful moments amid the comic-book chaos, but there's no need to over think them. I would say just relax and enjoy it, but it's not a relaxing experience. Ledger's Joker is uncomfortable to watch, but in a good way. I don't want to give anything away, so you'll have to see it for yourself (but, as I said, get your tickets early; even the 12:30am showing was completely sold out.)

Now, despite the fact that there isn't much in the way of blood, this is not a film that you should take your children to see. Obviously, you know your offspring better than I, so if you think they can handle it, that's your call. And of course older kids will be fine. I hesitate to suggest an age-range, but I recommend seeing it yourself first if you're not sure. Worst-case scenario – you get to see it twice. Believe me, that's not a bad thing.

image: Reuters

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Batman: get your tickets now

Brett Singer — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:42:00 GMT

So, being a guy who sees superhero movies, I wanted to see the new Batman movie. Today.

A friend wanted to come with me, so I couldn't pull my usual "go during the day when it's not busy" thing. So OK, let's see when its playing… What? Sold out? You gotta be kidding me.

Well, I'm not. If you're planning on seeing The Dark Knight this weekend, you'd better get your tickets in advance. This is unbelievably annoying. I tried at 2pm to get tickets to a 10:30pm showing, and it was already sold out. The reviews so far are over the top in their praise. Over at Rotten Tomatoes, a site that aggregates reviews from various sources, the rating is a whopping 94% positive (the only film with a higher rating is Wall-E.). If you go to the "top critics" section (print outlets and sites like salon.com), only a couple of the reviews are negative, which is extremely unusual for a comic book flick.

A lot of the interest in this film is because of Heath Ledger's death, but I've never seen anything like this. A movie that you can't get tickets to unless you go at midnight, which is what I'm doing? Come on. (And yes, I know I'm nuts.)

I'll let you know what I think of the film, and whether or not it's appropriate for children, later tonight. But for now, if you plan on going, order those tickets early, Bat-fans. Otherwise, you ain't getting in.

See you tonight -- different Bat-time, same Bat-channel...

image: Rotten Tomatoes

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Boy Rescues 2-Year-Old From Mountain Crevice

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:02:00 GMT

And here it is, your feel-good story of the day: In Western Nepal, a two-year-old girl walking along the Seti River tumbled into a mountain crevice, falling hundreds of feet into the ravine. (Wait, it gets happy, I swear.) 22 hours later, army and police officers had failed to reach the toddler, named Aradhana Pradhan. So a local 12-year-old boy volunteered to come to Pradhan’s aid. The boy, Kamal Nepali, is a skilled gymnast and he was sure he could succeed where more traditional rescue efforts had failed.

Indeed, Nepali proved victorious, clambering down hundreds of feet to the toddler, tying a rope around her, and carrying her to safety. Nepali and Pradhan were both taken to a local hospital after the heroic rescue; Nepali was unharmed, and the tot is now in stable condition.

Who would have guessed that the real life Batman would come in the form of a prepubescent schoolboy? I think Nepali may be headed for the Olympics--or sainthood, whichever comes first.

Photo: Seti River/http://members.pcug.org.au/~alanlevy/Nepal.htm

RetroFitted: Why Legos Will Never Go Out of Style

Jen Chaney — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:02:00 GMT

Legos don't seem like a retro toy. That's what makes them so brilliant.

Earlier this year, those ubiquitous, plastic bricks celebrated the 50th anniversary of being patented. In the 1960s, the Lego as we currently know it became a regular fixture in every American kid's toy box and has pretty much stayed there ever since. Although the company dealt with some major financial trouble just a few years ago, it managed to overcome that and bounce back strong.

Part of the toy's appeal lies in its simplicity. The fact that you can snap those pieces together, then use your imagination and a little manual dexterity to build bigger, better things is a timeless, universally appealing concept. But the folks at Lego have been smart in other ways.

Lego has kept the brand current by associating with pop culture phenomena like "Star Wars" and Batman. At a time when traditional toys face increasing competition from high-tech products, Lego has taken a beat'-em-and-join-'em approach, putting its name on video games like the successful "Lego Star Wars" and "Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures," coming out this summer after the next Indy movie hits the big screen.

The company also tries to engage its most devoted followers, giving them theme parks, like Legoland, and groups like the FIRST Lego League, which is participating this week in an Atlanta festival in which 800 middle-schoolers from around the world will attempt to create a Lego Robot. (Yeah, it's nerdy. But admit it: You also kinda want to see what a Lego Robot looks like.)

Legos also have maintained a hipness factor that few toys have been able to replicate. I mean, the White Stripes and Michel Gondry made a famous music video based on Legos. You can't say that about Tinker Toys or Lincoln Logs.

Of course, there's always room for improvement. The company acknowledges, for example, that it needs to do a better job of appealing to girls. But there is no question that Legos don't have to worry about RetroFitting into today's culture. They've always been there and, if the plastic bricks that build the future interlock just so, they always will be.

Photo: w3.com

RetroFitted appears on Strollerderby every Thursday morning.

Schools on Lockdown Due to Batman Sighting

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 21:42:00 GMT

No really, you read the title right. Three schools in Cave Creek (a Phoenix suburb) were put on lockdown for 45 minutes on Valentine's Day due to a Batman sighting. Yes, that Batman. The Caped Crusader, the Dark Knight. Seriously. A middle schooler "reported seeing a person dressed as Batman run across campus, jump a fence and disappear into the desert".

This particular Batman was about 6' 3" and most likely male. (Heh. Either that or Phoenix Mercury forward Kayte Christensen wearing a mask.)

Police officers and school officials couldn't locate any batmen (batmen is funny and you all know it) out in the desert, but they say they didn't want to take any chances. Chances for what, you ask? Search me.