Town Hall

Gut Reactions (April 2009)

In "Gut Math," you read about the instinct for math we all--even preschoolers and pigeons--possess, while "Cracking the Desire Code" revealed how savvy advertisers can manipulate consumers to create an almost instinctive desire for their products.

What about you? Do you trust your instincts? Are you a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type, or are you constantly second-guessing yourself? Do you actually have ESP? Tell us about a time your instincts steered you wrong or a time you made an incredible lucky guess. (Or just tell us about the stupidest thing you've ever bought.)

Well, mostly I just bought this because my grandfather loves really dumb products, but here it is: a marshmallow turner. Yes, you stick the marshmallow on the little prong thingies, put it over the fire, and press the button. On the packaging, it says that it spins at 92 RPMs, "perfect for achieving perfect consistency."

submitted by Timothy M-H, age 12, The latest MUSE issue, VT
(April 2, 2009 - 8:23 pm)

yeah im a marshmallow fan they're my fave non-chocolate candy

submitted by caroline g., age 10 354/365, apex,nc
(May 17, 2009 - 6:20 pm)

  I bought this necklace that had my birthstone on it .  REALLY STUPID

submitted by abby m, age 13, houston missouri
(April 3, 2009 - 4:32 pm)

the dumbest thing i have bought was a hippie-issh ish shirt i liked it when i looked at in the store but when i wore it i was sosossossossossososo embarred. 

submitted by zena ann meyer , age 9 .75, babrie world
(April 7, 2009 - 9:48 pm)

happens to me too. my advice: give it to charity and a peace-loving person will be happy

submitted by caroline g., age 10 354/365, apex,nc
(May 17, 2009 - 6:28 pm)

yeah so there is this one way my teacher assgns homework and she hadnt assigned it that way 4 a while i was telling my sister about it and the next day we get our homework assigned that way. creepy. . . like i predicted it coming or something.

submitted by caroline g., age 10 and 354/365, apex,nc
(May 17, 2009 - 6:25 pm)

the thing about ipods that made me get one is the cool colors,  i'm totally NEON!!!

submitted by caroline g, age 10 and 354/365, apex, nc
(May 17, 2009 - 6:31 pm)

one time when I made an incredible lucky guess was when I was playing a board game and i guessed that i would lose a turn and guess what? i lost a turn. :(    the stupidest thing i ever bought was a mio pup.

submitted by Lily Z., age 9, Colorado Springs, CO
(July 5, 2009 - 4:07 pm)

Oh yeah, and Moon Sand. (New Moon Sand jingle! "Moon sand, moon sand, the sand that you can't mold!") And a My Meebas.

submitted by Lili Z., age 10, Colorado Springs, CO
(May 8, 2010 - 9:02 pm)

Me and my mom are the SUPER PREDICTING PEOPLE. I say that in caps because it is amazing. One time she said to me, "The pizza will come any minute." Then the doorbell rang. And it happened again. And again. And now it's pretty normal. Also, she said as we were taking a walk, "That's funny, the frogs were singing yesterday. Now they're so quiet." As if on cue, the frogs started to sing loudly. I've done similar things, such as the time we made a giant Easter bunny out of snow (It got front page in the newspaper the next day) and my dad had said that it was topheavy, so I was looking out the window and thinking, "I wonder when its head will fall off. I hope I see it." And just like that, its head fell off. Amazing, huh?:)

submitted by Mango
(June 17, 2010 - 4:39 pm)

The dumbest thing I ever bought was a dollar store grab bag. Before that, I got one from a different dollar store that had some neat stuff in it. So I got a new one from a different store and here's what it had in it: 3 hair clips (plastic and small) and a princess rattle. VERY STUPID.

submitted by Scarlett H., age 9, Perrysburg,OH
(June 18, 2010 - 10:44 am)