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Previous: Customer courtesy phone | Main | Next: Ice cream truck sign
July 14, 2006 12:03 AM
Broken: Cactus pencil
Yadav Gowda writes in:
My friend's mother recently came back from Arizona, and she brought with her a pencil from a gift shop.
The pencil is shaped like a cactus. The eraser is at the end of the outline of the cactus, making the eraser unusable, unless you were to break off the end of the pencil to use the eraser.
It is a novelty item, so maybe the design is supposed to be funny. Maybe it is intentionally broken to be humorous.
Nice Parallax, Lefty Chef. I really don't know about the humor on this one. It just seems to be a pencil. Excellent post though, never thought of this one.
-Cameron
I agree that it's broken.
Perhaps it's not really meant to be used? I've seen similar pencils (and pens) shaped like different things and I think you're just supposed to keep it because it's neat-looking, not to actually fulfill the role of writing/erasing utensil.
i got one of these pencils from a freakin orthodontist. it was shaped like a tooth and had a dysfunctional eraser.
I think the pencil melted from all the dang heat down here. No good as a pencil, but great for stirring a bloody zit, if you know what I mean...
I stumbled across your blog while I was doing some online research. I looked at that photo without much interest, then did a decided double take! To think someone got paid for that colossally bad idea!
"Not broken. The purpose of that pencil is to be a novelty item with a cactus outline."
Then why put an eraser at all? It's an excellent eraser, if you can actually use it. For that matter, why put graphite in it? I would agree that some people enjoy collecting pencils, however, most people that buy it in an airport gift shop wouldn't think twice about using it as a regular pencil.
I am fairly certain that some people would pull this out when a guest asks for a pencil, simply to show it off.
Also I am fairly sure that the eraser is there simply so that it is clear that it is a novelty PENCIL as opposed to a straw or simply a peice of molded plastic.
Not Broken. The question to be asked is whether the design of the product meets the needs for which it is being made. The pencil's primary purpose is to be a novelty souvenir, and not a writing instrument. As kitschy as it is, it does indeed meet that goal.
BROKEN and rediculously un-useful.
P.S. "uh...is it me or does it look like the middle finger gesture?"
-Joke
I see what you mean!
Creepy.
http://www.pencilpages.com/articles/mjgrace.htm
"The desire to collect a record of places one visits, organisations one has belonged to is always strong. Pencils are one form of souvenir that can be purchased, often quite cheaply.
The passing 'cult' characters are often displayed on 'souvenir' or 'collectable' items and pencils are no exception. A collection of this nature marks the passing fads and trends."
Not Broken.
http://www.pencilpages.com/articles/mjgrace.htm
"The desire to collect a record of places one visits, organisations one has belonged to is always strong. Pencils are one form of souvenir that can be purchased, often quite cheaply.
The passing 'cult' characters are often displayed on 'souvenir' or 'collectable' items and pencils are no exception. A collection of this nature marks the passing fads and trends."
Not Broken.
http://www.pencilpages.com/articles/mjgrace.htm
"The desire to collect a record of places one visits, organisations one has belonged to is always strong. Pencils are one form of souvenir that can be purchased, often quite cheaply.
The passing 'cult' characters are often displayed on 'souvenir' or 'collectable' items and pencils are no exception. A collection of this nature marks the passing fads and trends."
Not Broken.
http://www.pencilpages.com/articles/mjgrace.htm
"The desire to collect a record of places one visits, organisations one has belonged to is always strong. Pencils are one form of souvenir that can be purchased, often quite cheaply.
The passing 'cult' characters are often displayed on 'souvenir' or 'collectable' items and pencils are no exception. A collection of this nature marks the passing fads and trends."
Not Broken.
It's all a neferious plot by the gift shop to make money. You buy the pencil really cheap and then think, "I'm going to need an eraser." Then they mark up all the erasers to $14.99 a pop.
It's only broken if you're trying to erase something that you've written on an un-bendable surface.
The paper that *I* write on is quite flexible, and can easily be bent so that the offending mis-mark can reach the eraser on this pencil.
And besides, I never make misstakes, so I never need erasers, anyway. ;-)
SOLD! to CactusFreek. I guess there's no such thing as bad publicity when it comes to a pencil shaped like a cactus.
"Perhaps it's not really meant to be used? I've seen similar pencils (and pens) shaped like different things and I think you're just supposed to keep it because it's neat-looking, not to actually fulfill the role of writing/erasing utensil."
Exactly what I was going to say. Not broken.
one poster blogged: "Also I am fairly sure that the eraser is there simply so that it is clear that it is a novelty PENCIL as opposed to a straw or simply a peice of molded plastic."
I have to agree with this. If the eraser wasn't there, it would be unclear to you all that it was a pencil...they are sold unsharpened, after all.
Plus, who actually uses such a pencil, if it is bought as a souvenir? Seems a little top heavy and not suitable for doing math homework with. :)
Comments on this entry are closed
Previous: Customer courtesy phone | Main | Next: Ice cream truck sign
I am not stupid enough to post that I am first
Posted by: Danny at July 14, 2006 10:24 AM