Chindogu, or Useful Silliness

One of the most engrossing questions in the history of technology is just how to determine whether a given technology "works." It's a classic "cui bono" question: the atomic bomb was a heinous invention, but it sure worked well for the U.S. in 1945. Computers: their very utility depends on what you are trying to do.

Along these lines, Boing-Boing leads us to a hilarious page of "chindogu" - items that perfectly solve a problem but in such an embarrassing or silly way that no one could actually use the item - like, say, a tie that holds office supplies on the inside. (Wikipedia) The twelve representative chindogu are hilarious: the vertigo soothing glasses are subtle, the solar-powered lighter over the top.