# The coolest product I've seen for sale in a while **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 19, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217 "2010-11-19T14:13:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/1 "2010-11-19T14:13:47Z")
[Blue Canary Night Light](http://www.amazon.com/BlueCanaryNightLight-com-Blue-Canary-Night-Light/dp/B002SLGNJG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1290175950&sr=8-1) (Note to mods: I receive no proceeds from any orders of this item, and do not know who is selling it. This is not spam, just a REALLY cool idea.) ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/2 "2010-11-19T14:18:43Z")
I…am speechless. And suddenly I know what I am getting Mr. Whatsit for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/3 "2010-11-19T14:44:04Z")
I present the iPhone [beer opener.](http://www.thestar.com/living/article/892749--how-to-open-a-beer-with-an-iphone) ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/4 "2010-11-19T14:51:42Z")
A blue canary in the outlet by the light switch? Yeah. I am buying one for my husband. Awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/5 "2010-11-19T15:02:12Z")
Thank god we had the obligatory reference in 3. Seems the people marketing it know what’s up, too. Yay for that! ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/6 "2010-11-19T15:07:21Z")
Genuis 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/7 "2010-11-19T15:07:35Z")
Cool. My brother’s Xmas gift is taken care of. And even if he already has one, who couldn’t use a second blue canary in the outlet by the light switch watching over them? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/8 "2010-11-19T15:15:07Z")
Umm, am I missing something regarding the blue canary? 'Cause to me, it’s a blue LED canary. If this is cool and genius then I’m no doubt missing the point. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/9 "2010-11-19T15:19:47Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Umm, am I missing something regarding the blue canary? 'Cause to me, it’s a blue LED canary. If this is cool and genius then I’m no doubt missing the point. It’s your only friend…it’s not your only friend, but it’s a little glowing friend. But really it’s not actually your friend. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/10 "2010-11-19T15:23:08Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > It’s your only friend…it’s not your only friend, but it’s a little glowing friend. But really it’s not actually your friend. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/11 "2010-11-19T15:24:48Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > It’s your only friend…it’s not your only friend, but it’s a little glowing friend. But really it’s not actually your friend. … and once in every 5000 times when you turn it on, it goes _whoosh!_? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/12 "2010-11-19T15:28:51Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Umm, am I missing something regarding the blue canary? 'Cause to me, it’s a blue LED canary. If this is cool and genius then I’m no doubt missing the point. There is just no accounting for taste. There are no doubt many people who would buy a neon blue dog turd night light. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/13 "2010-11-19T15:28:58Z")
In other words, it’s some sort of in-joke that no one is willing to explain. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/14 "2010-11-19T15:30:58Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > 😕 It’s mentioned in the lyrics of a They Might Be Giants song. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/15 "2010-11-19T15:31:33Z")
It’s a song by [They Might be Giants](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhjSzjoU7OQ). ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/16 "2010-11-19T15:31:56Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Umm, am I missing something regarding the blue canary? 'Cause to me, it’s a blue LED canary. If this is cool and genius then I’m no doubt missing the point. [Here you go.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAbZzdalZh4) ETA damn you people so quick on the draw! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/17 "2010-11-19T15:36:18Z")
Can’t do YouTube from work. And although I have heard the band name “They Might Be Giants” I’m pretty sure I have no clue who they are or what they sound like. Stay tuned when I post an awesome picture of a purple umbrella and provide no context. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/18 "2010-11-19T15:36:26Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Umm, am I missing something regarding the blue canary? 'Cause to me, it’s a blue LED canary. If this is cool and genius then I’m no doubt missing the point. Hi Leaffan. It’s a reference to Birdhouse In Your Soul, one of the best songs by They Might Be Giants (a major cult band among Dopers.) Here’s the live Tonight Show version featuring Doc’s Kickass Brass. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rym1ngu09vY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/19 "2010-11-19T15:50:46Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Can’t do YouTube from work. And although I have heard the band name “They Might Be Giants” I’m pretty sure I have no clue who they are or what they sound like. > > Stay tuned when I post an awesome picture of a purple umbrella and provide no context. Well, everyone else who’s a fan of the Purple Umbrella Band or whatever will likely jump in and agree with your assessment that the umbrella is awesome. and the rest of us will be confused for a while until someone clues us in. TMBG really is a great band, by the way - check 'em out when you get a chance! ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217/20 "2010-11-19T15:56:17Z")
I so wish I had a friend who’s a big TMBG fan. Though I’m familiar with the song I didn’t recognize the connection. Know that it’s been explained, I think it’s prertty darned nifty! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coolest-product-ive-seen-for-sale-in-a-while/561217.md?page=2)