Since so many articles over the past few months have been holiday-themed, I figured we should get back to basics. Oh hey! Here's something basic: Maxx Steele Erector Set. Some of you might remember Maxx as the lead hero from "Robo Force," though he's appeared in other forms on the site through the years. Well, he's back. And now he's an Erector set. Review includes a video clip of the original commercial, and an exhaustive study of the actual kit, which I own. Things didn't pan out the way I hoped in creating my new robot, but at least I can fall back on the timeless "oh, a pineapple got involved" excuse and not feel too bad about it.

Next Macy's Parade review should be up by Monday...Tuesday the latest. I originally intended to go with 1986 next, but wouldn't you know it, the '85 video just fell in my lap. So I guess that's coming up. I know I'll never go backwards, so if you guys are going to see everything, it's going to have to be chronologically. I wouldn't put it on par with the '86 parade, but there were a few key moments definitely worth seeing. It was pouring rain on Thanksgiving in 1985, and that made for a very strange parade. Sajak's new co-host? Claire Huxtable. Yup.

By the way, I know some of the site's readers had some legitimate luck in winning prizes with a few of UGO's many contests, so if you feel like giving a new one a shot, here it is. It's a promo for that new "Gothika" flick, but you don't need to be interested in that to like the prizes. Pocket PCs and that sorta stuff -- you know, the kind of crap you want to own just so you can tell people you own it. Anyway, these contests are on the up and up and I gain nothing whether you enter or not, so izz up to you. Though, if you do win, make sure somebody knows where you came from. Ya came from heah.

There might be another new article up before the next parade review -- as an old eBay habit, I still pick up old board games whenever I find 'em cheap. These, by the way, are some of the easiest auction moneymakers in as far as the price you pay versus the price you can get for 'em. You'll rarely pay more than 2-3 bucks for one at a yard sale/thrift shop, and more typically even less. Keep it in mind if you ever need quick cash. Anyway, through this, I've gathered up some really good ones that tie into the kind of shit talked about on the site. None of 'em warrant a full length article, so I'm gonna lump them together for a boosted review. The lot includes two 80s faves and one video-turned-board game too awful to go unpunished.

I'll go back and fix the static link later, but those who couldn't download the Toys 'R' Us "Stompers" commercial from the '84 parade review, now you can.