SkyMall

When I was flying last week I looked at the SkyMall magazine in the seat pocket in front of me. I've looked at it when I fly, but never really noticed a few things.

There seem to be a lot of items that can be used to spy on people without them knowing. Cameras, alarm clocks with cameras or video, things that are activated by movements. GPS systems you can place to see where someone is going. A device to retrieve deleted text messages from a cell phone. Something to change your voice on a cell phone. (Kidnapping anyone?) This made me wonder who might buy such things? People that travel constantly who think their spouses are cheating on them. Now that is just kind of sad, and it plays upon a person's insecurity. But isn't that most of marketing?

There were a lot of items that are for the home. A shelving unit to put all your shoes on? Fucking brilliant. Things to organize a closet? Awesome. A claw footed bathtub? Got to have one of those. Funky chrome chairs? Need that now! Watch storage case? Ooohhh! But are any of them really needed? Not really. The prices are high and you could probably find something similar closer and cheaper.

There were a lot of massagers. Back, feet, head. Shoes with inserts, shoes with arches. Wraps for knees, ankles, shoulders with heat or cold. Foot alignment socks. Hand made Irish Shillelagh. A stick? Really? Hmm...

The pet products are amazing. An orthopedic couch for a dog to sleep on that looks like a normal couch, just smaller. Feeders, doors, toys. It's better than Christmas!

The clothes and jewelry and watches are incredible. The watches can tell you what time it is on the moon. Ok, maybe not. But India? Sure. The clothes are good for travel from the beaches to the arctic. Clothes that can hide money and credit cards in case you are robbed while traveling.

Anything you might want you will find. And some of them, while in the rarified air of an aluminum tube, seem like a brilliant idea! How could you have lived without these things? And the prices? Fucking expensive. But while flying and shopping, what the fuck...

But I thought about these things a bit. If they really were so great and made the world so much better, why don't they sell it at Target? Or Walmart? It's all about presentation. It's kinda cool buying things while whizzing around the world, but is it really needed?

Nope.

But, but , look...