Black text on a yellow background, this is a novelty item that is larger than an average sized pinback button.

Don't waste time reading buttons, while spelled out on a button, forces the reader to engage by spending time reading the button. Although wasting time is subjective, the joke message is clear that the wearer has intended for the reader to be the brunt of a practical joke or gag.

Yellow text outlined in red on a blue background resembling the ocean water with 6 colorful fish

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

White text on a red background with a black circle with a white outline

A panic button is generally a device one presses and activates when one wants to quickly put an extreme measure into action. Pressing the panic button is often reserved for emergency situations as is the case for car alarms, medical alerts, and home burglary systems. Activating these can summon an emergency operator or other authorities depending on the type of panic button used. Panic buttons can also be pressed for much more serious scenarios, even setting a nuclear weapons system into motion for the rapid deployment of powerful bombs and missiles.

In pop culture, there are a number of references to the panic button including pin-back buttons bearing the word “PANIC” and computer keyboard adhesives that dress one key in red and turn it into a non-functional panic button.

White text on a red background with a white button underneath

A panic button is generally a device one presses and activates when one wants to quickly put an extreme measure into action. Pressing the panic button is often reserved for emergency situations as is the case for car alarms, medical alerts, and home burglary systems. Activating these can summon an emergency operator or other authorities depending on the type of panic button used. Panic buttons can also be pressed for much more serious scenarios, even setting a nuclear weapons system into motion for the rapid deployment of powerful bombs and missiles.

In pop culture, there are a number of references to the panic button including pin-back buttons bearing the word “PANIC” and computer keyboard adhesives that dress one key in red and turn it into a non-functional panic button.

Black text on a bright orange background with an illustration of a person's head

The Little Ole’ Button Maker was a registered trademark of the Hand Tip and Novelty Co. for promotional buttons in their line. The trademark was registered in 1970 and, on it, notes the first commercial use of the Little Ole’ Button Maker was in 1965. The trademark expired in 1993.

The Hand Tip and Novelty Co. was a manufacturer of promotional items founded in Manhattan, New York, in 1900. Their main products at that time were ornate brass medallions and political buttons. This changed in the 1950s as promotional buttons became popular advertising strategy. Hand and Tip Novelty Co. eventually became Hantico Line, a specialty advertising company. The company moved its base to Newburg, New York, in 1984. Though the Hantico Line produced other items such as ribbons, clips, and clipboards, buttons were the main focus of the company.​ Hantico was later purchased by Uniflex, a bag manufacturer, in 1992. In 1995, Uniflex Inc. sold Hantico to American Greenwood Inc. that had a similar promotional product line. 

Yellow text on a black background with a yellow diamond and arrow.

Based in San Jose, California, KOME was a popular radio station from the 1970s to the 1990s. Playing rock hits by international and local bands, the radio station quickly gained notoriety because of a number of sexual slogans that were popular with their younger audience. Throughout the late 1970s and 80s, the station added comedy to its repertoire, doing skits based on current events and doing odd advertisements for the station. The station was sold to Jacor Communications in 1997, ending KOME's time on the air.

The diamond KOME stickers were originally designed in 1972 with black-on-yellow lettering, though the colors were switched around in 1974. The stickers were popular with young Californians who liked to cut the letters to make different phrases and dirty words. Based on the success of the stickers, KOME paraphernalia was expanded to include pinbacks, cups, and shirts that could be seen around the city.

KOME. (n.d.). Retrieved September 5, 2015 from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KOME

Blue text on a orange background with two white S

Michio Suzuki founded Suzuki Motor Corporation in 1909. The company first started producing weaving looms until Michio Suzuki decided building motor vehicles were more practical. In 1952 the company built its first motorized bicycle designed to be inexpensive and easy to maintain. By 1954 the company was producing more than 6,000 motorcycles a month. Today Suzuki Motor Corporation is a multinational corporation located in Hamamatsu, Japan that manufactures automobiles, wheelchairs, all-terrain vehicles, and motorcycles.  

Orange text on a white sign, held by a man standing with a orange city landscape on a white background

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Pink text on a black background, with a pink flower on the edge.

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Black text on bright reddish orange background

"Keep your cotton-pickin hands off" is a phrase that was used casually by singer Johnny Bond in the song "Keep your cotton-pickin hands off my girl" in 1951 and again by singer Mickey Barnett in the song "Keep your cotton-pickin hands off my gin" in 1974. Picking cotton is a laborous act that would often leave workers with stinging or cut hands. As early as the 1700s, the term "cotton-picking" was used as slang for "damned" or other pejoratives. The phrase gained popularity in the 1940s and continued through the 1950s, even featuring in a Bugs Bunny children's cartoon. Derivatives of this phrase, such as "wait a cotton-picking minute" have also gained popularity over the years with the suggested meaning of cotton-picking as a replacement for damned.

In 2011, Canadian Parliament brought light to the racist connotation of the phrase and questioned the continued usage since most of those who had been known as cotton pickers were black slaves on plantations. Other phrases have been suggested to define frustration rather than one that has a racist or derogatory history.