What A Slacker!

Don’t Use Cash at Spencer Gifts They Suck

Add comment June 26th, 2008

OMG! I will never, ever, ever (and might I add ever) buy anything from a Spencer’s Gifts store again, I picked up a toy for a friend the other day and it turns out he no longer needed it so I went to return it.

Check out this scam, they will no longer give you your cash back. I had no idea they had changed their policy to something so ridiculous. (Tiny sign in the store was hidden behind junk on their counter.) Maybe they are heading toward bankruptcy like Sharper Image. So I guess the next thing Spencer’s will try to pull on me is telling me my store credit in the form of the gift card (they forced on me) is no longer valid.

Really what kind of rip off is this? I paid in cash I should be allowed to get cash back. I would understand if I was returning something that was used or opened, but the toy was unopened mint in package with the receipt!

When a company reduces their customer service to zero it is usually a sign they aren’t doing well and could care less if you ever come back. I for one will never set foot in another Spencer’s Gifts since they in essence stole my twenty bucks.

So I beg of you do not buy anything from this rude retailer. But if you have to be sure to pay with your credit card so you can get your money back or at the very least issue a charge back on the card when they refuse to give you your money back.

Now I am stuck with twenty dollars credit at a store I never wish to set foot in again. Maybe I should sell it on ebay with a full explanation as to why it is for sale for less than the value along with a warning about buying from Spencer’s at all. Even if it does not sell at least I will get people to notice how stupid a no cash refunds policy is for a big company like Spencer’s Gifts is.

I Want It Wednesday: Lego Deathstar

Add comment June 25th, 2008

The Lego Star Wars Deathstar has reached new heights with the new Battle inside the Death Star™! This is not just a Lego model it is a playset to beat all playsets (and maybe it should at a $400 price tag). Look at everything this cool Lego set has to offer.

• Includes 25 heroes, villains, droids and creatures!
• Includes 6 new and exclusive minifigures and droids only found in this set: Luke Skywalker™ (Stormtrooper™ outfit), Han Solo™ (Stormtrooper outfit), Assassin Droid™, Interrogation Droid, Death Star Droid and 2 Death Star Troopers™!
• Also includes Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi™, C-3PO™, R2-D2™, Princess Leia™, Chewbacca™, Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight), Darth Vader™, Grand Moff Tarkin™, Emperor Palpatine™, 2 Stormtroopers, 2 Emperor’s Royal Guards™, R2-Q5™, and mouse droid!
• All-new Dianoga™ trash compactor monster!
• Movie-authentic Death Star environments include the Superlaser control room and target monitor, Imperial conference chamber, TIE Advanced hangar bay with moving launch rack, Emperor’s throne room, droid maintenance room, detention block, trash compactor, and much more!
• Rescue Princess Leia from the detention block cell, then escape through the secret hatch to the trash compactor below!
• Reenact the final duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in the Emperor’s Throne Room!
• Death Star measures 16” (41cm) tall and 16½” (42cm) wide!
• TIE Advanced measures 3½” (9cm) wide!

Recreate the action and adventure of the Star Wars™ movies with the ultimate Death Star playset! This amazingly detailed battle station features an incredible array of minifigure-scale scenes, moving parts, characters and accessories from Episodes IV and VI on its multiple decks, including the Death Star control room, rotating turbolaser turrets, hangar bay with TIE Advanced starfighter, tractor beam controls, Emperor’s throne room, detention block, firing laser cannon, Imperial conference chamber, droid maintenance facility, and the powerful Death Star superlaser…plus much more! Swing across the chasm with Luke and Leia, face danger in the crushing trash compactor, and duel with Darth Vader for the fate of the galaxy!

Shop the LEGO Star Wars Collection

I Want It Wednesday: LEGO Mindstorms

Add comment June 18th, 2008

I love robots and I love Lego. So what better combo for me than a Lego Robot? I have the first version of the Mondstorms system and really need to get myself the new one. I love the new functionality and the new look (not such a fan of the technic sets so I was disappointed when this was first announced, but I guess there is only so much one can do with the good ole brick).

TFAW Hellboy Contest

Add comment May 18th, 2008

I just got a newsletter from Things From Another World they are having a Hellboy Contest and here’s the info…Good Luck!

The world’s greatest paranormal investigator will hit the big screen in Hellboy II: The Golden Army on July 11. The movie will take you from our world into a realm inhabited by elves, trolls and demons.

In celebration of the opening, the grand prize winner of TFAW’s Ultimate Hellboy Contest will receive ten (10) movie tickets to Hellboy II: The Golden Army at their local theatre, a copy of the Hellboy Library Edition Vol. 1, Hellboy: The Companion TPB, Hellboy Lunchbox, Hellboy Movie Photo Coaster Set, and both Hellboy Animated Statues.

One second prize winner will win a copy of the Hellboy Library Edition Vol. 1 and a copy of the Hellboy 2: The Golden Army Movie Prequel Comic, which is signed by Doug Jones (Abe Sapien)!

Ten (10) third place winners will get a subscription to Crooked Man, the new Hellboy mini-series starting in July.

What Are These Naked Guys Doing

9 comments May 17th, 2008

Naked headless star trek toys!

Hey, what do you think these two are saying? Leave a comment with your conversation for naked, headless Captain Kirk and Klingon.

A Sci-fi Whirlwind of a Weekend in LA

Add comment May 15th, 2008

A few years ago one of my best friends and I had a whirlwind vacation out to Los Angeles. I had just returned from a family vacation to southern Germany and the very next weekend I am back on a plane to LA for the weekend. Yes, you heard me right, I said for the weekend. Normally, when I go places I like to go and stay for a while. That way I get to see things and experience the area more.

We flew into LAX and went straight to our hotel. We were in town for the very first Farscape convention which was being held in our hotel. We really did not have the need to drive anywhere so neither of us had rented a car. So no going anywhere other than the convention or so you would think.

Between convention events we went out to Griffiths Park to visit Forrest J Ackerman’s sci-fi museum, which was amazing. Then that evening my best friend from high school who was now living in LA picked us up and gave us a late night tour of the city. Renee drove us all over the place. She took Mary and me to this neat little sci-fi cafe and out to the coast so Mary could touch the pacific ocean. This was my Mary’s first trip to Los Angeles and it would have been more interesting for her had we had the time to actually take some sightseeing tours a bit, but we did not.

We’ll just have to plan more carefully and take the time to schedule something through TrustedTours.com. Hey, they may even be offering up a contest to win a tour. That would be cool. I know right now you can win $150 iTunes gift card just for signing up to their newsletter.

For vacations across the country look to TrusterTours.com for Things to do in New York City to LA.

High Cost of Oil Takes Its Toll on My Toys

Add comment May 13th, 2008

I noticed the scale of action figures seems to be going back down in size. Instead of all the hulking, big seven inch pieces of plastic we are once again seeing smaller three inch scale figures in the toy stores.

Since plastic is basically a petroleum based product do you think the trend in smaller toys is being caused by the higher oil prices? I know the cost of action figures and toys is going up. So where does that leave me and my collecting days? Are they numbered? Will I have to stop collecting or simply cut back in the amount of toys I buy? Honestly, I don’t like either option. I don’t want to stop or even reduce collecting my Star Trek figures. Maybe I just need to stop with the other items. No more Indian Jones. No more monsters. No more Lego. NO!

Steampunk Star Wars Figures

Add comment May 11th, 2008

I have always been a fan of the folks who can make custom action figures especially when they are such high quality as those over at Sillof’s Workshop.

But these are no ordinary custom figures. What do I mean by ordinary? I guess to clarify; I would say in this case ordinary means creating figures of existing characters not already in action figure form.

So why are Sillof’s figures so extraordinary? Well these figures are of existing figures and/or characters but they are totally re-imagined. Below you will see what I mean with the steampunk Star Wars figures, which are just stunning in design and workmanship. But don’t just take my word for it head to Sillof.com to see more detailed pictures and to read a little about the inspiration behind each figure. While you are there be sure to take a look at the Victorian Avengers and Gaslight Justice League figures they’re amazing.

I Loves Me My Mini Figures

Add comment May 9th, 2008

I love miniatures. Anything in a small scale is great to me. I have been fascinated be mini stuff since I was a kid. Maybe that’s why I like LEGO so much, the mini figures that come with each set.

Most recently I was very excited to hear Playmates toys would be getting the license to make the action figures for the new Star Trek movie. Even more excited when I heard that one of their new figures would be in a 3” scale. Yeah! I saw they have a small 2” line of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and just introduced new small-scale play sets for these mini figures too. So perhaps in this day of the mini block figures (Kubrick and Minimates have been all the rage for the last few years) I am not the only one who likes small things.

Hasbro brought us the mini 2” Galactic Heroes in their Star Wars line a few years ago too. While these are geared more for the younger kids they are still a must for me. Then they gave us Marvel heroes and now Indiana Jones. I picked up three of these sets already and since they have a mail-away exclusive figure I will be getting at least three more as well. Since I have these little guys stuck to my car’s dash with Velcro I can swap they out every once in awhile. So the more the merrier!

As Seen On TV Package Shark Pro

1 comment May 6th, 2008

Many As Seen On TV items are really just a bunch of crap you don’t need. The Package Shark Pro might be one of those pieces of crap. Not sure where you stand on it. I bought one from Boscov’s they have a small as seen on tv section in their housewares section. By buying it there I get the ability to easily return it if I don’t like the item and no shipping and handling costs either way. Besides when you buy online or from call the 800 number flashed on the TV screen aren’t you really buying two? Cost was $10.

Funny thing is you need the package shark to open the package shark as it comes in one of those solid clam-shell plastic tombs. It is really just a plastic holder for a razor blade with different widths for different package types; clam-shell, CD and DVD. I did not attempt the last two types as I was mostly interested in open my toys when I get them. Well it did not work all that well, nothing I couldn’t do with an exacto blade just a little safer maybe.

I was going to take it back on my way home from work when I actually came across a use for it at work. We had a bunch of defective items that needed to be opened, tested and new batteries put back in if they worked. And you guessed it they were in plastic packages. It really did work out in that application as I was able to open about 50 packages in less than thirty minutes and it would have taken me a lot longer with scissors, which would have hurt my hand to boot.

Only draw back was if the package shark veered of the intended course it was difficult to complete the cut. It also only cuts through one side of the package’s plastic. So if you were hoping to cleanly remove all of the sealed plastic you might as well still use scissors to open it. So while I did return the product, I did get my ten bucks back since it became a work expense.

Unless this sucker pops apart some how there is no way to replace the blade so once it gets dull you will have to shell out for another one.