my useless purchases today

[маразм1]

I was totally bored during my training, and bought one of those magnetic bracelets that you can tear apart, rearrange into other shapes. 

d

[orbital]

I want to buy a Rubik's Magic if I can locate one. It will be totally useless 

[Szykneij]

I was totally bored during my training, and bought one of those magnetic bracelets that you can tear apart, rearrange into other shapes. 

You can always use it to attach pizza delivery coupons to your refrigerator.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Today I paid $93.55 for one month's cable and high speed internet, which is 4.50 more than last month.    Half of that (i.e., the cable) is useless to me, and I'd love nothing better than to tell those evil greedy bastards to go screw, but my wife insists on having all those cable channels!

[Heather Harrison]

Great idea for a thread!  I make useless purchases fairly often.  I didn't happen to buy anything today except food, but I'm sure I will buy something before long.  My latest purchase of items that have little use except to sit on a shelf was a group of small lumps (20 to 100 grams each) of chemical elements - specifically tellurium, lanthanum, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, erbium, thulium, and ytterbium.

Heather

[Kullervo]

My latest purchase of items that have little use except to sit on a shelf was a group of small lumps (20 to 100 grams each) of chemical elements - specifically tellurium, lanthanum, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, erbium, thulium, and ytterbium.

Wow, how much were those?

[Symphonien]

I want to buy a Rubik's Magic if I can locate one. It will be totally useless 

Rubik's Magic? Get a real puzzle - the Rubik's Cube!

I recently got a new one myself actually. I was bored so I dug up a very old one we had hanging around our house and finally decided to learn how to solve them. Thought I'd better get a decent one that is a lot easier to turn to practise for speed now that I've learnt how. Strangely addictive once you start playing with it, even though it took me hours to solve it the first time even with the instructions! Shows how stupid I am...

I've memorised 3 algorithms now which is enough for me to be able to solve it, although professionals memorise heaps of them for different situations so they can do it really fast. I can't really be bothered, although I can do the ones I know really quickly without me even thinking about it, pretty cool. Impresses everyone when you do the final 9 moves to solve it really quickly - just don't let them know it's just a memorised sequence that is exactly the same every time!

EDIT: Just looked up "Rubik's Magic" on Wikipedia. The current world record is 0.86 seconds!!! ROFL... Some people are freaks.

[Heather Harrison]

Wow, how much were those?

They vary a bit in price; some are relatively rare, while others are common.  The samples I bought were about $20 to $70 each.  Such things can be purchased here (and at a few other places):

http://www.elementsales.com/

Heather

[Larry Rinkel]

Great idea for a thread!  I make useless purchases fairly often.  I didn't happen to buy anything today except food, but I'm sure I will buy something before long.  My latest purchase of items that have little use except to sit on a shelf was a group of small lumps (20 to 100 grams each) of chemical elements - specifically tellurium, lanthanum, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, erbium, thulium, and ytterbium.

Heather

Where does one buy such useless lumps?

[orbital]

Rubik's Magic? Get a real puzzle - the Rubik's Cube!

Then it wouldn't be useless
I solved Rubik's Magic a lot of times as a kid, I know how to do it. It is just that I like the act of folding stuff 

[Heather Harrison]

Where does one buy such useless lumps?

See the link in my post above yours.  Also, sometimes they show up on eBay.  Do a search on one that has hardly any uses, such as thulium or lutetium, and you will find the people who sell them.

There is another company - United Nuclear - that sells all kinds of interesting stuff that few of us need, including uranium metal (unless it is out of stock) and interesting science supplies.  Look at their "chemicals and metals" page to find the uranium.  They only ship to the U.S., so those who are in other countries are out of luck.

http://www.unitednuclear.com

Heather

[Solitary Wanderer]

I was given a Rubiks Cube when I was 15 but could only suss out how to do one/nearly two sides

I've still got it somewhere so maybe I'll have another crack at it since they're back in vogue

[Heather Harrison]

I just realized that, since I am actually telling people where I get these lumps of exotic metals with few uses, I should warn people that some of them are dangerous in case anyone gets the idea that they really want some of these things.  If you buy any, make sure you do proper research and understand the hazards associated with them.  Of course, some (i.e. thulium) are harmless under normal conditions, but others (i.e. tellurium) must be handled with great care.  Tellurium is infamous for causing garlic-like "tellurium breath", which lasts for months, and it is toxic in larger quantities.  Some are far worse - potassium (which you can get from United Nuclear) catches fire easily, can explode if dropped in water (and therefore water cannot be used to put out a potassium fire), and over time develops dangerous friction-sensitive peroxides on the surface even when stored properly in mineral oil.  The hazards associated with the dangerous ones can be minimized by keeping quantities down, but they still must be handled with care and kept away from those (i.e. children, pets, idiots, and the uninformed) who don't appreciate the dangers.

Heather

[Bogey]

I just realized that, since I am actually telling people where I get these lumps of exotic metals with few uses, I should warn people that some of them are dangerous in case anyone gets the idea that they really want some of these things.  If you buy any, make sure you do proper research and understand the hazards associated with them.  Of course, some (i.e. thulium) are harmless under normal conditions, but others (i.e. tellurium) must be handled with great care.  Tellurium is infamous for causing garlic-like "tellurium breath", which lasts for months, and it is toxic in larger quantities.  Some are far worse - potassium (which you can get from United Nuclear) catches fire easily, can explode if dropped in water (and therefore water cannot be used to put out a potassium fire), and over time develops dangerous friction-sensitive peroxides on the surface even when stored properly in mineral oil.  The hazards associated with the dangerous ones can be minimized by keeping quantities down, but they still must be handled with care and kept away from those (i.e. children, pets, idiots, and the uninformed) who don't appreciate the dangers.

Heather

As happened recently with Gurn (due to his tractor picture) your coolness just shot up a few notches at this end Heather.

[Symphonien]

Then it wouldn't be useless

Yeah, well it's not as if knowing how to solve a Rubik's Cube is that useful anyway...

I was given a Rubiks Cube when I was 15 but could only suss out how to do one/nearly two sides

I've still got it somewhere so maybe I'll have another crack at it since they're back in vogue

Hint: It's about solving layers, not sides.

[маразм1]

I bought a foldable gas scooter.  why??? why???

$260.  GONE!

[head-case]

As happened recently with Gurn (due to his tractor picture) your coolness just shot up a few notches at this end Heather.

Although her coolness may go down if she manages to blow herself up or die by slow poisoning.

[Solitary Wanderer]

Hint: It's about solving layers, not sides.

Thanks, I'll have another crack at it 

[Anne]

How much $ did the guy who invented Rubik's cube make?

[sidoze]

probably 200 forints and a slice of cake