Blogger has been causing me grief so I need a test case to see if the error has gone. FreePatentsOnline has a list of crazy patents:

4202456
Toy utilizing used, discardable items such as bottle caps and beverage cans
Making building blocks out of bottle caps? Sounds like a good way to cut yourself. OK, stupid invention. That’s a given — most everything on this page is stupid in one way or another. But, here is a legitimate question: Why did someone spend thousands of dollars to patent something whose primary purpose is to use cheap parts available in the home, rather than having to go to the store and buy blocks (are blocks really that expensive?) when the whole idea of the patent essentially means that the inventor can’t sell a product, since he is encouraging people to make their own “toy” at home? I suppose he could sell the device that puts the holes in the sides of the caps. Not surprisingly, I’ve never seen such a device for sale. Perhaps the toy mafia is blocking the commercialization of this patent. Submitted by Oliver Kroth.

5593398
Protective underwear with malodorous flatus filter
An air freshener system for your drawers. Right. I can understand how an untimely fart in a professional or romantic situation could be embarrassing, but I think its time to practice what we big-boys call self-control. If this isn’t an option perhaps it’s time to see a doctor

Yeah I know, thankyou for sharing Laurel. No tech tags. Test only.