Things You Never Knew Existed
Things You Never Knew Existed.com is the place to shop for novelties, gag gifts and hilarious t-shirts. We also offer magic tricks, novelty collectibles and bizarre toys, books and videos. Recycle
Friday, April 29, 2016
From the ancient cups and balls trick to modern day illusions, I've always been fascinated by magicians and their tricks. I've often thought about writing a book about magic, but then I realized it would take the rest of my life to even skim the surface of the research. Since I don't have the time, dedication or discipline for that, I'll just share a few cool Things I've learned so far.

The essence of magic is convincing people to disbelieve their eyes. The method magicians use to deceive their audiences depends upon the type of magic they're performing. There are three basic types of magic:
  • Close-up Magic requires sleight of hand skill and includes card tricks, vanishing coins and other tricks. Close-up magic dates back over two thousand years. The cups and balls trick, in which the magician appears to pass one solid object (the ball) through another (the cup), was performed by ancient Roman magicians. The sleight-of-hand techniques the Romans used, such as misdirection and palming, are exactly the same today as they were then. 
  • Club Magic uses props for both distraction and as the objects of the tricks themselves. The props can be anything from live animals to flowers, silks, balloons, ropes, etc. When magicians first started putting together magic “acts” that string a series of illusions and tricks together for the purpose of entertaining kings and other important people, club magic was born. 
  • Stage Magic requires specially designed cabinets, props and/or machinery to create illusions. Disappearing acts, sawing people in half and some escape tricks are examples of stage magic that employs engineering, science and technology to fool the audience. Harry Houdini was arguably the father of modern stage magic, elevating himself to worldwide fame with his daring, death-defying escapes. 
Street magic and shock magic have become popular in recent years, but the top three are still the staples of modern day magic. While all magicians have their signature tricks and illusions, they still use the age old techniques of distraction, palming, misdirection and just plain science and engineering to fool their audiences.

You'd think that after working here for most of my life, I'd know how all the tricks are done, but I don't. I don't want to know. Because the kid in me will still likes to wonder “How did they do that?” 

See you next week,
Bobby

Posted by: Bobby | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, April 22, 2016
Around here, we have lots of Things to play with. Which is probably why we have so much fun. And why I'm about to show you 9 of my favorite new Things — so you can have fun, too.

3 Tiny Flying Things
Drones and radio controlled flying Things are a big deal around here right now. Drones, of course, are super popular. But they're getting themselves in a lot of trouble. Get the Drone Experience without the worry with this tiny quadcopter you can launch from your fingertip. The World's Smallest  Radio Controlled Helicopter launches from your palm and had multidirectional control. And take to the skies like a superhero with Marvel's RC hero copters.



3 Things For Your Desk
Fun at the office is imperative for a productive workplace. Amuse yourself by impaling this gruesome zombie with your pen or pencil. Or indulge your geeky side with our Albert Einstein computer sitter. Maybe a screaming goat to yell at your coworkers when you're too lazy to do it yourself? Or all three. 

3 Things For The Bathroom
You knew this was coming, right? Poop Things are among my favorites. So, last, but not least, bathroom Things I couldn't live without. The Potty Piano used to be my absolute feet-down, hands-off winner. Until I found the Slam Dunk (I still think they should have called it the "Slam Dump") which you can actually use in concert with the piano. Any way you play, it's good clean fun in the bathroom. And when the deed is done, Bob's Butt Wipes are at your service.

<

Now go forth, have fun in the air, at work and on the john! I'll see you next week,
Bobby
Posted by: Bobby | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, April 15, 2016
Earlier this year,  I wrote about our Trump-y Things. We don't show favoritism around here, so to give the presidential hopefuls equal time, I decided to show you some Clinton-y Things today.  Here's one of my favorites, the Hillary Nutcracker. She can handle all the nuts in your house, but it remains to be seen if she can do the same in the White House.


If you love to hear the former First Lady laugh out loud, this pen could be for you. Not only can you hear her own recorded raucus laughter, you can actually write with the Thing. It's a perfect gift for Clinton fans. Or for people who want to torture their non-fan friends.

Now, one of my favorites, not for any sort of feelings toward the former FLOTUS, but for my undying love of poop humor, is the Hillary Clinturd. They got the hairstyle dead right, didn't they? Not to mention a few other Things. It remains to be seen if she can "flush" the competition, but either way, this Thing is a keeper.

See you next week,
Bobby


Posted by: Bobby | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, April 8, 2016
Mound of Sound
Source: http://news.croydon.gov.uk/
Loud music is one of my Things. At home and in the car...the louder the better. I know, I know. It's not good for my ears. That's why I stopped listening to my headphones at such intense volumes, which is the worst Thing you can do for your hearing. But that's about as "old" as I'm ever going to get.

Maybe that's why I'm sympathetic to one Michael Baker of Croydon, England, who shares my Thing for loud music. But Michael lives in a small apartment and his building-mates don't seem to share his and my love of rocking out.

After months of complaints about loud music "at all times of the day and night" from neighbors, and after Mr. Baker refused them entry, police finally got a warrant and raided his one-bedroom apartment.

Inside, they found 34 loudspeakers.

They confiscated the lot of them, leaving poor Michael with only a CD player and a set of headphones. It seems he won't be "listening loud" anymore. Not unless he wants to ruin his ears.

You'll hear from me next week,
Bobby

Posted by: Bobby | 8:00 AM | permalink
Friday, April 1, 2016
Did you know most burglaries are committed by amateurs? While that might not soothe your injured ego or wallet after a break-in, it does give you the edge when it comes to protecting your home in the first place.

Take these three easy steps today to make your home more secure:
  1. Try to steal your own stuff: Lock up your house like you always do when you leave. Then, try to break in without being seen or heard by your neighbors. You'll discover your home security weaknesses before the bad guys do.
  2. Keep the lights burning: The easiest possible target is what the average burglar is looking for. Most thieves will stay away from well-lit areas because they don't want to be seen. Worried about the electricity bill? Install motion-detector lights outside at entrances and on walkways. You can also set up interior lights on timers when you're away for extended periods, so it looks like someone's home.
  3. Get a security system: Whether you choose a fancy monitored system or go for a DIY kit, make sure ALL the wires are hidden and inaccessible. If the burglar can locate the wires, it only takes one snip to disable your system. Whatever you install, make sure you display the stickers or signs that come with the system. Warning signs that the house is protected are sometimes reason enough for burglars bypass your house in favor of an easier target.
Security experts also recommend installing deadbolts, cutting shrubs away from windows and changing the locks every time you move or lose your keys. And don't forget to keep your doors, windows and garage door secured — even when you're at home — to cut your chances of losing your Things to thieves.

Have a safe and secure weekend. See you next week,
Bobby

Posted by: Bobby | 8:00 AM | permalink
Newer›  ‹Older

© 2017 Johnson Smith Co.