The Original Magic 8-Ball
Category: Entertainment
Via: the-irascible-harry-krishner • 13 years ago • 40 comments
The Magic 8-Ball is a toy used for fortune-telling or seeking advice, manufactured by Mattel. The device was invented in 1946 by Albert Carter, son of a clairvoyant, who marketed and sold the device with Abe Bookman of the Alabe Crafts Company (a company named for the first letters in Carter's and Bookman's first names). Although Carter is the inventor, Bookman is often credited for the invention of the device. (LINK)
I believe they're a prominent factor in all Congressional Committee meetings...
I never had one, but I love to use it as a joke in comments.
Are they still around? I had one in the late 60s, but, of course, it's gone...
I onlyplayed 9 ball...
There's a rumour (as yet unconfirmed) that Apple has bought up the company and is planning to bring out Magic10Ball-- a vers 10.0 as it were.
It is thought to have a larger window that is shatterproof and has considerably higher screen definition, (the one you look at to see the answers), a more complete set of answers perhaps over 200 in all, a more advanced doohickey inside with greatly increased processing power (to decrease the amt of time you have to wait for answers).
It can be dropped on sidewalks from a height of as great 12 ft without the case cracking, fingerprint recognition for security, parental controls to completely monitor which answers your kids can see, completely water-proof to a depth of 20 meters plus, & will have a heart-rate monitor (as an accessory available for a slight additional charge).
The user will now have the option of viewing the answers in some 50 or so nifty fonts, and a choice of regular, bold, italic, or bold italic. Additional optional extras: a subscription to Amazon plus and/or Roku, voice recognition, high speed internet access, several games including Farmville, Solitaire, Tetris & Candy Crush, 5 UBS ports, access to wireless printing, and complete compatibility with MAC, Windows, OS/2 and Tandy operating systems.
Basic black is standard, but it is available in a wide variety of designer colours and some really cool graphic patterns for a nominal additional fee.
Yes, the pricetag is a bit high. But according to "usually reliable sources", it appears that Samsung may soon bring out several competing models, which should probably cause a price war, resulting in substantially lower prices (well, at least for entry level models).
Sounds wonderful Krish, but I'll stick to 9 ball. I like the feel of a que in my hand, not a joystick.
These are more fun & higher tech but they don't speak English ...
..and will drive you to the hospital if you have a heart attack or stroke, will arrange for the care of your home (and family or pets) and property, have your vehicle serviced, book a flight for himself and your smart phone in South America, sell your car and home, ship out your family and pets, and have a batch of smart odd-ball kids that talk a lot. They will perform at the local clubs for a "nominal additional fee" which is just a "slight additional charge" over the competitors.
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Do you really think people will pay a lot for these? They sound like fun to play with, but like Trivial Pursuit, once we know all the answers...
I didn't need to add a smiley or sarc tag, did I? That was humor!!
I just want an old fashioned one. No whistles and bells. Just some fun!
I thought they were going to call it the iBall. The neighbor kids had one when I was growing up. They were devout Catholics and told me I was going to hell because I was a Methodist. They worshiped that thing, I kid you not - it had Saintly status in their house. It broke one day and Lydia, the youngest girl at about 12 years of age, cried for 2 days. Her mother made her go to confession and confess her love for the 8-ball to the priest. The priest had a fit and pressed her to learn that the kids also had an Ouija board and he told her to get rid of it cause it was a tool of the devil. They brought the Ouija board next door and gave it to the Methodist kid - me.
Do you have to be smoking dope in the dark for that to work right?
Well ... that helps fo sho . But it works irregardless .
Here are some models you can buy online that supposedly make decisions :
Nah, I don't want one. I use cat entrails for all my important questions.
Petey, in the spirit of the argumentative tone of NT nowadays, there is no such word as Irregardless. Now I am supposed to go on an accuse you of being a tea party member and anti-Semetic, but I shan't since I know it's not true.
I could be wrong, but I think there might be some you left out. (./s - just kidding!!)
Please leave me alone Chloe.
Using cat entrails is going to keep you from membership in the cat group . Is it worth it for such an exclusion ?
Inre : irregardless ... it just felt right to utilize that word . I've never written nor uttered it B4 . Now that I know it can cause consternation [there's another rare one ] I might have to use it all-the-time ...
It's a double negative, ya know. It only gives hemorrhoids to the grammar Nazis and that, in an of itself, is a fairly good reason to use it as frequently as possible. I'm not a grammar Nazi, as you may have already noticed - I make stupendous grammar mistakes quite frequently. An all American boy, taught in public school I am, so I have an excuse. he he he
Petey,
Isn't that what they call the stars?
Just like to joke with everyone...hope that's ok to be social with you? Is there something I need to check off first, or is it ok to have fun with others that are here without approval?
Ok.. Grump, I don't get what the problem is and would like an opportunity to rectify it, because I'm certain there must be a misunderstanding.
I treat everyone with respect and try to be a good person, and there would not be a reason for me to treat you differently.
If something I said or did in the past upset you, I am truly sorry. I am 'not' a mean-spirited person.
Btw, I hope you didn't 'read into' my comment above to you -- I was joking about all of the epithets that people use and you just stated two of them--it didn't mean anything else.
Thank you listening if you did. Again, I would never have had any reason to upset you.
Here's what they looked like (LINK).
Damn boy ... you is well versed in your grammers !
irregardless
an erroneous word that, etymologically, means the exact opposite of what it is used to express, attested in non-standard writing from at least 1870s
At least I've got history on my side ...
Please leave me alone Chloe.
Petey, I'm co admin in the Dog Days group, but I do love the kitties. I have had bunches of them. Right now I am corralled by 2 vicious Corgies who love my grandsons and I to distraction. I may have to get the Corgies a kitty in the near future just to keep them on their toes. Lilly might get somewhat pissy with the kitty, but I think Jack will make friends fairly quickly.
I'll switch to goat entrails if I get a kitty.
Corgies are a hoot & a half ...
Petey, I love dogs and have had several and would love to join the dogs group but I have been rejected three times and I don't know why. I like everyone there.
I love cats as well...and all of the people.
They are extremely sweet and intelligent. They are the same size about as a border collie, but with short legs. They are very charming and very sensitive, too. Do you know some Corgis?
Jack The Pirate is thinking he might be in a bit of trouble because he only gets to be on the couch if I am up there - he's hanging his head a bit, too. Lilly the Princess is hoping I gave her the couch and she gets to keep it forevermore.
Their temperament is much like a Jack Russell Terrier in that they are high energy and have a mind of their own.
Based on the new avatar of the seeder , I propose talking about penguins next .
But the avatar of the seeder keeps changing-- so perhaps we should take about Chameleons . . . ?
Love that game.
Penguins like fish ... a lot .
The fluid inside mine dried out. I saw it up in Mama's attic, and it was dry as a bone, 45 years later, and its ball thingy in the middle rattled around in it like a bean in an empty drawer...
I ordered one last night-- $10. I'm sure I'll get more than $10 of fun from it!
Update, 6/16/2015: A practical application of the vast powers of The Original Magic 8-Ball. (LINK)
I used mine last night... FUN!
Its amazing how creative some of these techies can be.
Here's an amazing fortune telling machine (albeit one with a political twist that will annoy some folks):
The Story Behind The Donald Trump Fortune Teller
This is verrrry important...now more than ever!
The 20 answers inside a Magic 8-Ball are:
Looks like there may have been some recent updates...
You don't need a Magic 8-Ball to know which way the Kavanaugh nomination goes!