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101 Unuseless Japanese Inventions

Short, sweet, and hilarious, a catalog of the very best of the so-called chindogu. These are noncommercial inventions which are mildly, but not wildly, useful. We loved it so much we got one for all our friends (hey, it's not Christmas yet, guys).

The term "un-useless" is particularly charming.

There's a second edition of this out now, its just as good as the first, but the inventions are all new.


Bimbos of the Death Sun
by Sharyn McCrumb.

How could anyone resist a book with such a title? Turns out it's a ruse, scientist 'Jay Omega' writes a hard-science fiction novel, and to his great embarrassment finds it given the title and a lurid and suggestive cover as a marketing ploy. To Sharyn McCrumb's consternation, this hysterical sendup of a science fiction convention has become popular. And so now SHE is rather well known as the author of 'Bimbos of the Death Sun". Isn't this perfect for a book written somewhat by accident?

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