While flipping through the latest issue of Time Out: Chicago, I noticed a small blurb on the Bagball: a little sphere you place in your gym bag that releases flavored fumes to combat sweaty-smelling clothing.

The product targets three demographics: 1) the aforementioned gym monkeys, 2) hunters (to help mask your human smell from the animals -- yikes) and 3) your house. Oddly enough, they're missing out on a huge core group, one where smelly clothes in overstuffed bags are the norm: travelers.

How great would it be to have one of thee little balls floating around your backpack? If I had a dime for every time I pulled a wrinkly shirt out of my pack only to sniff it and dry heave (while still putting it on, of course), I could afford at least three or four loads of overpriced loads of hostel laundry.

While daydreaming of the wonders of having fresh smelling travel clothes, I realized that I could probably come up with something cheaper, and more portable, to keep me smelling fresh on the road. For instance, a few dryer sheets floating around my bag would probably do the trick, and take up a lot less space to boot.

But if you're interested in giving the Bagball a go on your next trip, they can be had from their website for $7.99 a pop.

Here at SkyMall Monday, we're always thinking about the kids. Life is hard for kids. Between bullies, food allergies and cooties, there are a lot of things out there trying to kill you. Well, finally, there's a product that can help kids with a common problem while also keeping them from being teased on the playground. The next time your child gets a nosebleed, be sure to clamp the discreet and handsome Noseaid on his schnoz.

For years, people have treated children's nosebleeds with tissues and the application of light pressure. Who has the time for that? And who can remember if you're supposed to tilt the head forwards or backwards? Not me. And certainly not little Timmy in the photo up there. Why not take all the guesswork and parental attentiveness out of the equation and clamp a glorified clothespin right there on his sensitive face?

Let's face it it. Kids get a lot of nosebleeds. They're constantly picking their boogers, getting smacked by older brothers and failing to catch easily thrown pop flies from their weekend visitation fathers. If we stopped to hold a tissue to their faces every single time that happened, we'd be missing a lot of television.

As always, we turn to the official product description for definitive proof that we all must own this fruit that has fallen from the amazing tree:

The new Hands-Free NoseAid was developed and patented by an emergency room physician to provide an easy, painless, and safe method to stop nosebleeds. It has been clinically tested and proven effective in patients from ages 3 to 73!

What's that you say? Your grandfather is 74 years old? Well, you better say goodbye to grandpa, because there is no stopping his nosebleed. That's quite the gusher. But hey, I'm sure he lived a full life and would want to die with dignity and not with some odd fetish device clamped to his beak.

I recommend keeping a Noseaid on your child's nose at all times. Not only will his nose never bleed, but his voice will amuse all of your party guests. And he'll thank you for giving the bullies at school something else to focus on besides his pathological bed-wetting.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

The days of poop-behind-a-rock be gone - a Nepali climber has recently started promoting the use of a packable toilet for hikers up the world's tallest mountain. Tired of the 965 kilos of waste he picked up during an expedition in May (including a corpse dating back to 1972! wtf!), Dawa Steven Sherpa is determined to make Mt. Everest a cleaner place.

His solution is the Luggable Loo – a portable bucket-cum-toilet that stores waste in a gas-impervious bag. This way, hikers will have a potty to sit on (plus!) but poop to haul out (not so much plus). The bags do their job to keep unwanted aromas from reaching expeditionists while they hike.

Still, if hauling your own waste out seems like too much trouble, what the hell are you doing climbing Mt. Everest anyway? Any good hiker knows that the first rule of messing with Mother Nature is to leave her exactly as you found her. That includes poop, too.

The loo retails from Cabela's Outfitters for $15 – not too shabby – and 6 of the "Doodie Bags" (as they are so named) will cost you $12.99. If I were Mr. Sherpa, I'd be handing these things out at the base camp. Who wants to clean up someone else's 20-year-old, iced-over poo anyway?

Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the Flipbac.

The "Flipbac Angle Viewfinder and LCD Screen Protector for Digital Cameras" is a little mirror on a hinge that attaches easily to any digital camera to make it possible to "shoot from the hip," as they say. Snapped shut, it looks nice and tidy, and protects your LCD screen from scratches, smudging, and lipstick from your purse.

This reminds me of the kinds of toys I had for playing "spy" as a kid, only it's for grownups, it's useful, and it's totally respectable-looking. You can use the FlipBac to take photos from the ground or around a corner, and if you hold your camera upside down, the Flipbac enables you to take photos from high overhead! Useful in airport bathrooms. Wait ... no. Forget that.

You could get this for your next vacation to Banff or your next trip to the pub. It would also make a good gift, especially for someone who's about to travel somewhere (and has an LCD display camera - most are compatible, list here). It's only $19.99 and $5 shipping to anywhere in the US. Get one for me here.

I mentioned last week that I was getting ready for a trip to England -- and I was a bit panicky about the fact that I hadn't finished packing. The truth is, whenever I pack for an international trip, I pack with two "me"'s in mind: Me The Tourist (who, at all costs, needs adequate underwear and hair products) and Me The Photographer (whose head would explode if she forgot her camera charger or, God forbid, her camera). So since I've already written about what I pack on any trip abroad, today, I'd thought I'd talk about how I prepare from a photographer's standpoint.

Fire. The Wheel. Airplanes. Bacon. Until recently, it was unanimously agreed upon by all the peoples of the world that these four items were man's greatest discoveries and inventions. But, in this week's SkyMall Monday, we learn that those things have all taken a backseat to the single greatest invention ever. A device that will save more lives than the polio vaccine and penicillin combined. Ladies and gentlemen, please gaze in wonderment at the Cruzin Cooler.

Of all the problems faced by the human race, perhaps none had stumped scientists more than how one could transport a heavy bin filled with beer and sandwiches. In fact, the brew/cold cut/lifting paradox had befuddled experts for myriad generations. And with every passing year, more and more people had soreness in their backs and slight cramping in their hands from carrying these deadly boxes. We all wondered, "When will this nightmare end?"

Finally, American ingenuity has defeated this silent killer. Now, only your imagination and 500 watts of power limit where you and your Mike's Hard Lemonade can go. It truly is the dawn of a better day. Move over grandpa. We're the greatest generation now.

Let's take a gander at the product description to really understand the magnitude of what we're dealing with here:

Perfect for football games, camping, golf & grocery store trips, this motorized ice chest holds up to (24) 12-ounce cans of your favorite beverages, and thanks to a built-in motor, you can travel at up to 13 miles per hour while sitting on a comfortable padded seat.

That's right, folks. It's perfect for the grocery store and not at all conspicuous. And, after enjoying some of your "favorite beverages," what could possibly go wrong at 13 miles per hour with no safety restraints?

For more information, I recommend that you check out the official Cruzin Cooler website that is not at all too busy and looks totally modern. Then purchase yours so that you finally won't need your mom to drop you off at the beach to hang out with your friends.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

In two days, my husband, 4-year-old daughter and I are going to be leaving for a two-week trip to visit my in-laws in England. And I am panicking: not because I don't like my in-laws (I do) or because I don't like the cold (I don't, but I'll deal) ...

... I'm panicking because I haven't finished packing.

I know some of you are thinking, "Dude, you have TWO DAYS. What's the rush?" And, in fact, you do have a point -- two days should be more than enough time to pack for a two-week trip. But the thing is, with a four-year-old little girl and a 39-year-old husband, who, if "Being Forgetful" were an Olympic sport he'd handily take gold, all of the "remembering what to pack" rests on my shoulders. Luckily, (1) I'm a list-maker, and (b) I like to share. So as I make my packing list right now, as I type, I thought I'd share with you the Top 10 Things I Pack First Before Going Abroad:

As the writer of SkyMall Monday, I encounter plenty of odd products. But even I'm baffled by the idiocy of this little discovery. The Lippi Selk'Bag is essentially a wearable sleeping bag. Imagine that a sleeping bag had sex with your childhood snowsuit and you'll understand what I'm talking about. When you're done cleansing yourself of that awkward situation, we'll proceed.

According to the site's FAQ page, the bag gets its name from the nomadic Selk'nam people of Patagonian Chile. There are three Selk'Bag styles with creative names such as Selk'Bag One, Selk'Bag Two and Selk'Bag Three. As the numbers go up, the warmth of the sleeping bag/suit increases. The Selk-Bag Three has a "comfort temperature" of 49 degrees Fahrenheit. Which is, you know, not really that cold.

So, the bags can't handle extreme temperatures. But surely they're waterproof. Wrong. Referring again to that helpful FAQ page, "Selk'Bag is not a waterproof sleeping bag as this would compromise its breathability." OK, I guess I can deal with it not being waterproof so long as it's convenient. Well, does your definition of convenience include easily being able to go to the bathroom? Oh. Then this thing is not convenient. "When visiting the toilet the Selk'Bag should be unzipped and pulled down." Uhoh. That's going to be a problem considering that it's not waterproof.

I haven't the foggiest idea who this product would appeal to. It looks cumbersome and awkward. I'm going to stick to my favorite sleeping bag and pretend that this ugly episode never happened.

Boy, is this week's SkyMall Monday going to change your lives.

How many times has this happened to you? You're running at a personal record pace in your local 5K fun run when your boss calls you asking for the latest figures on the Johnson account. Of course, you have your laptop with you while you run, but we all remember what happened the last time you tried to jog and type. What a disaster. Well, with the Portable Desk, all of your problems have been solved.*

Finally, you can easily type documents, email with friends and surf the internet for fetish porn all while on-the-go. Why not grab your dog or your best gal and take a stroll while you stare downwards at a 45-degree angle and fail to interact with those around you? Outside and don't believe that it's raining? Well, now you can keep walking while you check the radar to see if the wetness falling from the sky is real.

But don't take my word for it. Just take a look at the good ol' product description:

When you have work to do, having no place to sit is no longer a problem. Now you can use your laptop standing or even walking with this portable desk.

Sure, you could find a chair somewhere or sit on the floor or just, you know, not use your computer for 10 minutes and develop some interpersonal skills. But what's the fun in that? You're a busy, successful individual with things to do and World of Warcraft spells to cast.

Would I recommend the portable desk? I'm using it right now. At a urinal. I think that says it all.

* None of your problems are anywhere close to being solved.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

Travelchic.com makes unusual luggage tags, handle wraps, tassels, and key chains, all desgined to make your luggage stand out on the carousel and to show your unique style and flair.

My verdict? Hit or miss. Some of these items are totally hot, and some of them are absolutely ridiculous. If I were chatting you up on the airplane and then saw you claim a bag with a giant furry handle-wrap on it? I would judge you. I'm just that shallow.

The Orange Synthetic Leather Luggage Tag and Reversible Orange Faux Fur/Orange Synthetic Leather Handle Wrap with Travel Chic Airplane Keychain Set for $26.99 (at right) is reasonably priced insanity. 'A' for effort, 'F' for execution.

Affort Fexecution.

The kids' collection is cute, though I wonder how long those puppy and monkey faces last with the wear and tear of travel, and of course, the sticky hands of the little ones.

I don't mean to be mean. Below, witness the gallery of five totally awesome items from Travelchic.com. They really do make some nice stuff at great prices!