Napoleon Dynamite pens nixed

Sweet! The Napoleon Dynamite pens that earned a spot in last Saturday's Hall of Shame are on their way off Target shelves, according to an item posted today by Jay Allen on Blogging Baby. After initially denying that it stocked the pens -- which spout lines from the movie, including "You guys are retarded" -- the retailer is removing them from stores. It's encouraging that they've realized these items are offensive, and depressing that it took complaints from advocates to point that out. If you'd still like to make your voice heard and stop the production of these pens altogether -- or at least remove offensive lines from their repertoire -- consider signing an online petition or firing off a letter to Fox, which licensed the material in the first place. ... If this story leaves you in a good mood to be outraged, check out the new blog Parents Behaving Badly, filled with true "Hall of Shame" material. (But be warned: the language can be blunt, as befits some of these lowlifes). On the other hand, if you're just in the mood to sit around looking at websites while your kids tear the house apart, refer to our ongoing list of Five Fun Things to Do Today. Our shopping entry at #3 has lots of neat school-related items that don't say anything upsetting at all.