Posted on March 9, 2008 - by Calvin L. Smith

Englishman Near New York (7)

Just a quick note on some further unusual, totally useless, but must-have items they sell over here:

Motorised tie-rack (hang all your ties on it, press a button, and it goes round in circles displaying each tie one at a time for you to select from).

Little wooden staircases that fit in your car boot or under your bed, designed just so your dog doesn’t have too jump up into the car or bed (no wonder Jim Bakker had an air-conditioned kennel for his dog).

Rope ladders to hang out of your bedroom, supposedly to save lives in case of emergencies, but which would certainly fall foul of UK `ealf and safety rules (the picture of the little girl dangling in outer space as she escapes her window was not exactly the best of sales pitches I’ve seen).

I could go on. In fact, I think I will… so in future posts expect me to continue listing any items I come across. Today, I also saw chewing tobacco with names like Grizzly, Timberwolf, and Longhorn at the supermarket counters, cans and cans of the stuff. There was even a mint-flavoured chewing tobacco, which seemed a bit of an oxymoron. Another oxymoron is a pram for talking pets for a walk, the idea being Fido is strapped into the chair. Imagine!

Anyway, off to a very large Christian bookshop now for a new Bible. Wonder what I will come across there.