I have a ton of ropey toys that I’m going to post some day, seriously I’ve dozens.

Look forward to it. It was your fake lego ranting that partially inspired MTM after all.

When’s your 2000 AD debut by the way?

Personally, I’m going for a sight (like a crosshairs)

As in: Get the target in your sights, and shoot the infrared ray.

In the syntax “shoot the infrared ray and in the clout the target”, I suspect ‘and’ is used in a similar fashion to ‘agus’ as Gaeilge, which can also be used to mean ‘while’.

So, we’re onto “Shoot the infrared ray while the target is in your sights”

Collaborative translation… how Web 2.0

The Taoiseach denied that by giving out light from his eye he was in any way encouraging the child.

“I don’t think it’s fair, at this early stage, to start appropriating blame”, a visibly shaken Mr. Ahern said, “But to suggest that my eye and its habit of giving out light can, in any way, excuse this behaviour is totally unacceptable”.

Mr. Ahern went on to say that the government would do everything in its power to seek speedy extradition of the child back to Ireland. Asked what this incident meant in terms of juvenile delinquency and illiteracy the Taoiseach shrugged and replied “What’s one thing got to do with another? This issue will be beaten, the inside to can call”.

“A small child today was caught on camera beating the inside target of the Taoiseach. According to witnesses Mr Ahern produced a sound and the eye gave out light.

When asked why he did it, the child told investigating gardaí that the ‘Taoiseach were beaten the inside to can call’. However before he could be questioned further an owl grabbed him and flew him out to sea to a waiting pirate ship en route from Venice.

Opposition spokepersons were quick to point out this was indicative of the Governments failings on the control of gun crime and a failure to provide proper supports for the development of grammatical language to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

…Imagine it in a ‘Dobbo’ voice…

Fustar, watching infants being carried off by owls is one of the most pleasing experiences one can have in Venice. I have many happy memories of watching the spectacle and it is particularly romantic when watched from a cafe on the Riva degli Schiavoni at sunset while sipping a glass of prosecco. If one goes to the Lido one can often see the pirate ships on the horizon and if one watches very carefully one can see the infants being dropped by the owls into large nets suspended from the rigging.

Ithaca, It’s a bit Jimmy Cagney too.

“See what it says on my gun here? ‘Happy Baby’! That’s what the fellas call me, see. But trust me mac, this baby ain’t never been licked by no one!”

“TARGET IN THE MARK TYPICALLY SHOT AT IN ARCHERY!� might have been more appropriate although it is disappointingly less catchy. As for the rest of the text on the box I have no logical explanation.

This Manky Toy’s packaging is very All Your Base Are Belong To Us, by the way.

It certainly is. It has much the same flavour and will hopefully spawn an internet meme as viral. That kid will be attending conventions before the craze abates.

Are pirates and Owls a particular problem in Venice?

Devo, We were only in Venice 3 nights but in that time I saw several infants carried off by rabid-looking owls. I can still hear the parents scream…

The owls headed in the direction of the open Adriatic, doubtless to hand (or claw) the infants over to their evil, child slave-trading, pirate masters.