Dan Harkless' Misc. Not Available New In The U.S. Want-List

• Boss SE-70 half-rack multi-effects processor. Sold new for $600-$700 in mid 1995 per Music Machines.

• CD-ROMs: Dragon's Lair, Space Ace, and Dragon's Lair II, from Digital Leisure. I speak not of the Windows 9x DVD-ROMs (nor the DVD-Video discs, nor the much older CD-ROMs) that are available from Digital Leisure as of 2001-08-21, but new versions announced 2001-06 that will properly emulate the original arcade games' gameplay. Not sure yet whether I'll want Mac or PC versions by the time these come out (assuming they do come out for both systems).

• Disc-Go-Tech consumer-level CD/DVD repair machine. According to this Usenet post and this Bloomberg Radio report, the device was to be released in Summer 2006, retailing for under $100. As of 2008-04-10, the cheapest system they seem to have for sale is the Disc-Go-Pod, which is categorized as "light commercial" rather than "consumer", and goes for $349.

• Lawn darts. These were made illegal to sell in the U.S. in 1988, which is quite ludicrous, but a loophole allows you to buy a set (somewhat expensively) as individual replacement parts. LawnDartParts.com sells original U.S. Jarts parts, while Crown-Darts.com does the same for the U.K. Crown Darts brand.

• Secret Of NIMH T-Shirts: the one with Mrs. Brisby and Jenner; the one with Mrs. Brisby, Justin, and Jenner. Size L or XL -- the L in these is larger than usual and is pre-shrunk. These were sold by Hot Topic in 2002, but unfortunately I didn't find out about them until mid-2005. At this point eMerchandise.com was liquidating some, and I got the one with Nicodemus and Mrs. Brisby and the one with the Great Owl in size L. The two with Jenner were not available, however.

• Single-hole punch: the kind that was ubiquitous in the 80s. The hinged "hole reservoir" cover was translucent blue plastic and was flush with the metal part of the punch so that no punched holes could fall out. I've looked just about everywhere, and the only kind I can find now has a metal or black plastic cover with huge gaps between it and the punch body, allowing holes to fall all over the place. My Dad was kind enough to give me a used one, but I'd still be interested in finding out if any company out there still makes new ones.

• Skyy Vodka "Inner Peace" ad -- part of the "Skyy Cinema" campaign, ca. 1999. Saw this ad, no doubt cut out from a magazine, pinned up at a shop in L.A.'s Chinatown that sells Chinese dresses. Skyy's lame web site does not have a large collection of images of their ads, as of this writing (and the scan at the lame protester's page linked to above is too small). Perhaps it was offered for sale as a poster at some point. I'd be happy with a clean cut-out from a magazine or just a decent-resolution scan of one.

• Sony HR-MP5 half-rack multi-effects processor. Reviewed in the April 1995 issue of Keyboard by Greg Rule. Originally retailed for $695. At some point after that (the end of its new-sale lifetime?), retail was $595 and the street price was $476, per a rec.music.makers.marketplace post from 1999-05-07, in which a new-in-box HR-MP5 was being sold for $419.

• Static Clear, from MicroComputer Accessories Inc. This was a device resembling a computer mouse, but which had a terminal you would touch to drain static electricity from your body when working with electronic components. While there was static charge remaining, a lightning bolt symbol would show on an LCD display, then it'd go out.

  The company that made this product, which used to reside at 5405 Jandy Place, LA, CA, 90066-0911, and had phone numbers of (800) 521-8270 and (213) 301-9400, appears to be out of business. I learned about this product in Craig Crossman's column on page G1 of the September 25, 1991 issue of the Orange Country Register, and didn't bother to track it down until it was too late. Perhaps another company now offers a similar product (aside from passive static wrist wraps and mats, I mean).

• T-shirt: Beavis & Butthead are in their desks at the back of the class and both of them have their T-shirts pulled over the top of their heads like Beavis does when he becomes Cornholio. Butthead says "I'm a chick magnet, Beavis!" while Beavis states "I am the Great Cornholio". I foolishly waited until this shirt was no longer being made and was all sold out (sometime in 1998?) to try to buy it from the Johnson Smith Company. (Huh huh. I said Johnson.) In early 2001, I found the shirt -- brand new, size M -- on eBay and bought it. While it's a fairly large medium, I'd like an XL, if I can find one (used, if necessary).

• T-shirt: Ghostbusters: "Back off man, I'm a scientist!" (XL). I think this T-shirt was being made in relatively recent years (may have seen it in the Johnson Smith catalog) as well as back during the 80s. I believe it was a white shirt with the Ghostbusters logo in the center and this quote in black block lettering below it (although I'd prefer a black shirt, if available). As of 2003, there are some current-production Ghostbusters Ts out there, so maybe a new shirt will get made with this quote.

• T-shirt: Shonen Knife shirt with a black cartoon kitty with a thought balloon containing the words "Shonen Knife" in a curly purple (?) script. I usually take very careful care of my things, but I used to have this shirt, which I bought at one of their shows (either a headlining show or at Lollapalooza '94), and it mysteriously disappeared at some point. I think it either got stolen from an apartment complex laundry room, or out of my Mom's garage if I was having her try to get a stain out for me (it was a white shirt). Would love to get a replacement for it, in size XL.

Dan Harkless Last modified: April 10, 2008

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