So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[vitanola]

Quack "supplements" and "oils" are rampant here in the USA -- all they're missing is a stage with a banjo player and a fake Indian chief.

Or "The Great Schnozzola" at the piano:

 

[tonyb]

Quack "supplements" and "oils" are rampant here in the USA -- all they're missing is a stage with a banjo player and a fake Indian chief.

Gotta get me some of that Prevagen stuff so I, too, can have a brain like a jellyfish.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Colloidal silver is the way to go.

 

[Zombie_61]

...Do other countries have adverts for pharmaceuticals for the common cold? We have one that implies that a cure has been discovered for the common cold. Lemsip Max Strength for relief from colds and flu. It's no more than the 19th century quack medicine. Told with drama, you would believe that one sip and you are up and about, almost like shaking off a hangover. Are people really so gullible?

I don't know about other countries, but here in the U.S. those adverts aren't strictly for off-the-shelf medications. We regularly see ads for prescription medications here, usually of the "Ask your doctor about 'fill-in-the-blank' if you're experiencing symptoms like..." variety, then they list any number of relatively common symptoms that almost everyone I know experiences from time to time. They're enabling hypochondriacs, and the doctors I've spoken with hate them as well because they now have to waste time explaining to patients why they can't possibly have whatever disease/condition those commercials convinced them they have. "Do you regularly suffer from heartburn, indigestion, and/or diarrhea?" Instead of asking your doctor for medication, maybe you should just cut back on the spicy foods you eat almost every day ya' dumb bastid.

As an added bonus, those commercials divulge a list of "possible side effects" that are almost always worse than whatever disease/condition the medication allegedly treats in the first place. Anti-depression meds that "may increase thoughts of suicide", anti-insomnia meds that "might cause sleeplessness", and any number that "may cause stroke, heart attack, or death." It borders on being comically absurd.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We are one of only four countries in the world that allow that kind of pharmaceutical hard-sell, the others being New Zealand, Brazil, and Hong Kong, and it didn't start here on a large scale until the 1990s. Thus have the Boys assumed the status of that creepy pimply-faced guy in the hoodie hanging around the schoolyard.

 

[tonyb]

Millions upon millions of our fellows have much improved and appreciably longer lives thanks to modern pharmaceuticals. I am among them, as are many others here, I’m all but certain.

But I would sooner take a rush-hour stroll alongside the Interstate than ask any of my providers if some drug advertised on TV is “right for me.” I’m on five prescription medications, most of which are generic and relatively inexpensive. Many of those TV ads are geared toward people like me, who might be persuaded to pressure our providers into “upgrading” us to the newest medications that do pretty much what the ones we’ve been taking do anyway. Sure, there are breakthrough drugs, and that’s just great. But most new meds do perhaps a slightly more effective job than the ones that went generic years ago.

 

[GHT]

But I would sooner take a rush-hour stroll alongside the Interstate than ask any of my providers if some drug advertised on TV is “right for me.”

Careful Tony, a Canadian report says that walking is the new wonder drug.
https://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/fitness/why-walking-is-the-new-wonder-drug/

 

[tonyb]

Careful Tony, a Canadian report says that walking is the new wonder drug.
https://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/fitness/why-walking-is-the-new-wonder-drug/

Fiber is good for you, too. I'll have some tree bark for breakfast now.

 

[LizzieMaine]

 

[Trenchfriend]

Hm, the nice conductor-lady in the railcar on my way home, sits in my head, now. It was only the second time after some months, I saw her in our railcar, but she is the kind of "neat" and "spirited" woman, that whirr around in your brain for a while and maybe upset your thoughs.
I mean, she widely smells as the whole drugstore would come with her and normally, I don't like the girls with deep black "Schneewittchen-hair". But she got all that in the good, smart and vibrating way, not the cheap style. And glasses, giving her an additional nerdy touch. And the navyblue rail conductor-clothes.

I like the idea to ask her, if I can invite her for a coffee or so. But on the other side, what would be the point of that? I basically don't want partnership and what should the ladies do with a vintage boy without mobile-phone??

Hm, confused...

 

[Fading Fast]

Hm, the nice conductor-lady in the railcar on my way home, sits in my head, now. It was only the second time after some months, I saw her in our railcar, but she is the kind of "neat" and "spirited" woman, that whirr around in your brain for a while and maybe upset your thoughs.
I mean, she widely smells as the whole drugstore would come with her and normally, I don't like the girls with deep black "Schneewittchen-hair". But she got all that in the good, smart and vibrating way, not the cheap style. And glasses, giving her an additional nerdy touch. And the navyblue rail conductor-clothes.

I like the idea to ask her, if I can invite her for a coffee or so. But on the other side, what would be the point of that? I basically don't want partnership and what should the ladies do with a vintage boy without mobile-phone??

Hm, confused...

Just asking, have you read the book "The Reader?"

 

[Trenchfriend]

Just asking, have you read the book "The Reader?"

No. But I know, what the story is about.

But I don't get your point.

 

[scottyrocks]

That's interesting, because an alleged linguistics expert once told me that southern Californians don't have an accent per se, but that we tend to speakquicklyandrunallofourwordstogether; I've noticed I'm guilty of that when I'm not stammering or tongue-tied. And I've had several native southern Californians comment on how annoyed they get with people who speak too slowly. So if we speak slower, by comparison you Northeast folks must really speak fast.

I've never been more conscious of my own accent than when I was in England many years ago. Talk about standing out like a sore thumb. haha

No one said anything to me about it, but I was aware of it.

 

[Fading Fast]

No. But I know, what the story is about.

But I don't get your point.

The female lead in "The Reader" is a street car conductor who has a torrid sexual affair with a teenage boy. My comment was tongue-in-cheek (just meant in fun, etc.) as she's a conductor, you referred to yourself as a "boy" and you seemed to be expressing some interest in dating her. That's it, nothing more.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@Fading Fast
Ah, I got it!

So, you better use the twinkle-smiley, next time. That's exactly, why smileys are so important.

 

[LizzieMaine]

What's the deal with these new high-style all-one-dark-metallic-color credit cards? Aside from looking like they come from the Bank of Vader, they make it practically impossible for those of us who suffer from visual impairments to actually read the information on the card when we need to enter it manually into a system.

Bring back bright, blocky primary colors with high-contrast embossed lettering or drop dead.

 

[GHT]

What's the deal with these new high-style all-one-dark-metallic-color credit cards? Aside from looking like they come from the Bank of Vader, they make it practically impossible for those of us who suffer from visual impairments to actually read the information on the card when we need to enter it manually into a system.

Bring back bright, blocky primary colors with high-contrast embossed lettering or drop dead.

Did you not have an era of credit card snobbery? The basic card, usually in the same colours as the bank's letterheads. Then, if you could convince your bank that you were a high earner, a gold card. That was quickly eclipsed by the platinum card, then jet black and on and on. Nowadays I have got rid of my card, two years ago I went credit card free. It does arouse suspicion but when I explain that I'm crusading against the building of my profile and the more sinister, selling on of my profile, it does tend to garner some empathy.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I've only ever had a plain red, white, and yellow one. I can think of nothing in the world more pathetic than someone who ties their identity to the color of their debtload.

We used to have a company around here that proudly declared that it pioneered the "affinity credit card" racket -- wooo, look, your credit card has the logo of your favorite sports team or college. Aren't you just the most special thing.

 

[3fingers]

^^^ You are supposed to be impressed when a traveling jackass whips out their Harvard or Yale card. Apparently you missed the memo.

 

[Zombie_61]

I've never been more conscious of my own accent than when I was in England many years ago. Talk about standing out like a sore thumb. haha

No one said anything to me about it, but I was aware of it.

The only times I can remember being conscious of my accent were when I've attempted to speak Spanish or German.