Robo-Hamsters Are Hot Toys This Year

Robotic hamsters called Zhu Zhu Pets are selling like mad this holiday season. The toys come in several versions, including Mr. Squiggles (pictured), Num Nums, Pipsqueek and Chunk. They are currently going for $50 and up on Amazon.com.

From Amazon's product description: "Each Zhu Zhu Hamter has its own unique personality & whimsical sounds. Loving Mode: Pet them, love them, hear them chatter Explore Mode: Let them scoot, scamper, across the floor. Provide them with their Hamster Habitat."

The Associated Press calls the toys, which originally sold for $10, "an unlikely hit." (That's what everybody said about "Hamsterman.")

(Thanks for the tip, Bill from Milwaukee, who says: "Perfect gift for Hamsterman this x-mas!")

Jabara Rokushimai, aka The Six Bellows Sisters

Jabara Rokushimai, aka The Six Bellows Sisters, is a six-piece all-female accordion band from Japan.

(Thanks for the tip, Bill!)

Hamsterman Video by Those Darn Accordions

I was messing around at Animoto.com. You can upload a bunch of photos or videos and then your song. It does the rest! Check out the video it created for TDA's "Hamsterman".

Free MP3s From Those Darn Accordions

Sign up for the Those Darn Accordions newsletter and receive a link for a free MP3 download every Friday. You'll also get the story behind each song. The first free download is The Perry Mason TV Theme. Enjoy!

The Christmas Jug Band is On The Holiday Highway

Those Darn Accordions takes December off each year while I join the Christmas Jug Band for a month of shows. This year we have a new CD out, "On The Holiday Highway". We are returning to the great Northwest as well as Northern CA for a bunch of jugaliciuos shows. If you need a little jump start to get your holiday spirit in gear, this is the place to be!

Oh No! Santa Lost a Ho...Again!

Look what they done to my song, Ma! Or should I say,Big Mama! It's just about that time again. Can't get enough of this video of "Santa Lost A Ho" as performed by the Fruitcake Follies. Of course, the original by the Christmas Jug Band is pretty good too! (If I don't say so myself).

40 Years of Sesame Street

As TDA celebrates 20 years, a staple of childhood is celebrating double that. Sesame Street first aired in 1969 as a pilot with a less muppety format. As Muppet Wiki explains,
Before Sesame Street began regular production, five test pilots were produced and shown to children. In these pilots, Ernie and Bert were the only Muppets present, and they didn't interact on the Street with the humans. Segments from these pilots include a sketch in which Ernie talks about what parts of the body he has two of, Batman appearing on Ernie and Bert's TV set, telling them to take turns watching TV, and the original version of the song "Rubber Duckie".

Since Sesame Street has been such a staple in so many people's developing years, it's no surprise that there's been so many homages. There's the creepy spin on Snuffy and the touching theme song cover that wraps up a hit television show episode. Sesame Street itself has released some items that rival any homage; Team TDA's favorites being the 1979 disco track "Me Lost Me Cookie," and the eventually banned track "I Want A Monster."

As we toast a glass of milk to Jim Henson, we ask what's your favorite Sesame Street moment?

Photo: Flickr/MarkJSebastian