Charlie Brown coming to the big screen

The beloved Peanuts characters created by Charles M. Schulz are headed to the big screen. The movie is scheduled to hit theaters in November of 2015, marking the 65th anniversary of the original comic strip and the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Schulz's son, Craig, and grandson, Bryan, are involved in writing and producing the film.

I was excited when I first heard the news, but something Craig Schulz said in a statement bugged me: "We have been working on this project for years. We finally felt the time was right and the technology is where we need it to be to create this film."

What does he mean by "technology"? Are we talking about state-of-the-art computer animation, or, worse, 3-D? Good grief! I'm sorry, but I just don't see what technology has to do with remaining true to the spirit of the classic comic strip. I think that moving away from the hand-drawn feel of the animation is the best way to ruin it.

Of course, I may be jumping the gun; the movie is still three years away. I guess I'll just have to wait and see along with every other fan.

The original stuffed animals that inspired Winnie the Pooh

As this evening was winding down, we were chilling to some toddler tunes on one of the cable TV music channels. Our four-year-old daughter perked up when she heard the first couple measures of a Carly Simon song. "This is from Winnie the Pooh!" she exclaimed. Sure enough, it was from the soundtrack of Piglet's Big Movie.

Now when it comes to the history of one of the most beloved children's characters of all-time, I am a bear of very little brain. I had a vague memory of hearing somewhere that A. A. Milne, creator of Winnie the Pooh, based his stories on stuffed animals belonging to his son, Christopher Robin.

Well, it's true. And it turns out those stuffed animals are still with us.

Kanga, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger are on display at the Main Branch of the New York Public Library in New York City.

The highlight of any school day

So true.

(via Iowa Girl Eats)

The Barbie with the dragon tattoo

The new tattoo-splattered TokiDoki Barbie isn't the Barbie your grandmother played with when she was a little girl. Kristin Tillotson has the scoop:

At a little over 50 herself, Barbie's no tattoo neophyte. She's sported a little ink at least twice before -- in 1999 when one model had a butterfly on her stomach, and again in 2009, when Totally Stylin' Barbie came with temporary tat kits that kids could use to decorate her and themselves.

But this time, flowers completely cover her clavicle, a sinister-looking dragon curls across her back and a large geisha adorns her left shoulder. Her black shirt sports crossbones under a heart (love + death = confusing message), and the rest of her ensemble includes pink hair, hot-pink miniskirt, fanged mouth-shaped-belt buckle, leopard leggings, silver stiletto pumps and black toenail polish. This Barbie looks more like she's headed out to an underground club than a Dream House.

You've come a long way, baby...but that ain't necessarily a good thing.

Kids just wanna have fun; don't let them

While I'm on vacation, please help yourself to some old slices of Lemon Harangue Pie.

Kids just wanna have fun; don't let them
(originally posted 10/09/2006)

When I was a kid, I had these:



...and my sister had this:



What's funny is that those three toys, packaged and in mint condition, could fetch over $1,000. The same goes for toys like these:



And I had a lot of 'em!

Of course, being kids, we didn't see the big picture. We just had to play with these valuable collectibles. We didn't even save the boxes they came in. Boy, were we stupid!

So, if you are contemplating buying dolls or action figures for your kids, go ahead. But whatever you do, don't let them have any fun. Keep the toys in their boxes, safely tucked away where they can't be found. Your kids will only render them worthless.

The 5 best toys of all time

From GeekDad:

1. Stick
   This versatile toy is a real classic — chances are your great-great-grandparents played with one, and your kids have probably discovered it for themselves as well. It’s a required ingredient for Stickball, of course, but it’s so much more. Stick works really well as a poker, digger and reach-extender. It can also be combined with many other toys (both from this list and otherwise) to perform even more functions.
   
   
2. Box
   
   Another toy that is quite versatile, Box also comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Need proof? Depending on the number and size you have, Boxes can be turned into furniture or a kitchen playset. You can turn your kids into cardboard robots or create elaborate Star Wars costumes. A large Box can be used as a fort or house and the smaller Box can be used to hide away a special treasure. Got a Stick? Use it as an oar and Box becomes a boat. One particularly famous kid has used the Box as a key component of a time machine, a duplicator and a transmogrifier, among other things.
   
   
3. String
   My kids absolutely love String—and when they can’t find it, sometimes they substitute other things for it such as scarves or blankets, but what they’re really after is String. Now, I should start off by saying that String is not intended for toddlers and babies: it is a strangulation hazard and your kids must be old enough to know not to put it around their necks. However, when used properly your kids can really have a ball with String.
   
   
4. Cardboard Tube
   Ah, the Cardboard Tube. These are kind of like the toy at the bottom of a box of Cracker Jacks—they come free with a roll of paper towels and other products but you have to wait until you get to the end of the roll before you can finally claim the toy. (Perhaps this explains why my kids—who love the small size—go through toilet paper so quickly.) The small- and medium-sized are most common, but the large versions that come with wrapping paper can be more difficult to obtain—I had a roll of Christmas wrapping paper that lasted about three years before my kids finally got the Tube. There’s also an extra-large size that is sometimes sold with posters, and a super-sized industrial version which you’ll generally only find from carpet suppliers. (Of course, carpet stores aren’t toy stores, and while their product also goes by the name Cardboard Tube it’s hardly the same thing and probably shouldn’t be considered a toy.)
   
   
5. Dirt
   When I was a kid one of my favorite things to play with was Dirt. At some point I picked up an interest in cleanliness and I have to admit that I’m personally not such a fan of Dirt anymore—many parents (particularly indoor people like me) aren’t so fond if it either. But you can’t argue with success. Dirt has been around longer than any of the other toys on this list, and shows no signs of going away. There’s just no getting rid of it, so you might as well learn to live with it.

I am really looking forward to Christmas this year!

Kids Just Wanna Have Fun; Don't Let Them

When I was a kid, I had these...:



...and my sister had this:



What's funny is that those three toys, packaged and in mint condition, could fetch over $1,000. The same goes for toys like these...:



And I had a lot of 'em!

Of course, being kids, we didn't see the big picture. We just had to play with these valuable collectibles. We didn't even save the boxes they came in. Boy, were we stupid!

So, if you are contemplating buying dolls or action figures for your kids, go ahead. But whatever you do, don't let them have any fun. Keep the toys in their boxes, safely tucked away where they can't be found. Your kids will only render them worthless.