I'm starting to agree with Tom.
Cruise, that is. About all medicines being toxins you put into your body, I mean.
I'm just kidding of course. Tom's completely off his rocker, I fear, but at least if there were no drugs, there would be no drug commercials. I rue the day our government decided to allow prescription medications to be advertised on television. First off, as the writer Bill Bryson pointed out (in a much funnier fashion, of course; I'm paraphrasing), even over-the-counter medications are advertised much differently in our country than they are in, say, Britain. Here, he says, a cold medicine commercial will make it seem as if you'll be rock climbing 3 hours post-dose, even if you never climbed rocks before you got sick. In Britain, though, commercials seem to indicate that you may still be feeling puny and lying around in your pajamas, but at least you'll be able to drag yourself to the couch to watch television.
Now, in addition to that, we have to see ads for every prescription drug ever invented. I don't know which ads are worse, though: the ubiquitous penis-problem ads, or the commercials that are so vague that you have no idea what the hell the medication even does. It simply says, "Ask your doctor about Placebocol today." And when I ask my doctor, how hard will she laugh before telling me that it's for erectile dysfunction or prostate cancer or something that I have no chance of experiencing? Why the HELL would I ask her about a medication if I don't even know what it treats? Well, I wouldn't. I do enjoy how all of the ads, though, pretty much have to list this long litany of possible side effects, and how there is always one that could occur with no warning and, basically, kill you. And I can't think of a single one of these medicines that doesn't have the potential to cause diarrhea, which leads me to believe that people just have diarrhea from time to time and want to think it has something to do with every medicine known to man.
My new favorite is the ad for Prilosec OTC, in which "country music star" Phil Vassar (is he a star? I've never, ever heard of him, but what do I know from country music?) tells us that jumping around on stage was giving him some digestive problems, but then..."My mom turned me on to Prilosec." Turned you on to Prilosec? Oh. My. God. The fact that we now casually use '60s illegal-drug metaphors to sell perfectly legal drugs best suited to middle-aged people...well, it means something. I have no idea what, but I know it does mean something.
P.S. Finished ready Harry Potter 6. Willing to discuss with anyone. This page includes some interesting theories and links, but of course is full of spoilers, so stay away if you're not done reading.
I'm just kidding of course. Tom's completely off his rocker, I fear, but at least if there were no drugs, there would be no drug commercials. I rue the day our government decided to allow prescription medications to be advertised on television. First off, as the writer Bill Bryson pointed out (in a much funnier fashion, of course; I'm paraphrasing), even over-the-counter medications are advertised much differently in our country than they are in, say, Britain. Here, he says, a cold medicine commercial will make it seem as if you'll be rock climbing 3 hours post-dose, even if you never climbed rocks before you got sick. In Britain, though, commercials seem to indicate that you may still be feeling puny and lying around in your pajamas, but at least you'll be able to drag yourself to the couch to watch television.
Now, in addition to that, we have to see ads for every prescription drug ever invented. I don't know which ads are worse, though: the ubiquitous penis-problem ads, or the commercials that are so vague that you have no idea what the hell the medication even does. It simply says, "Ask your doctor about Placebocol today." And when I ask my doctor, how hard will she laugh before telling me that it's for erectile dysfunction or prostate cancer or something that I have no chance of experiencing? Why the HELL would I ask her about a medication if I don't even know what it treats? Well, I wouldn't. I do enjoy how all of the ads, though, pretty much have to list this long litany of possible side effects, and how there is always one that could occur with no warning and, basically, kill you. And I can't think of a single one of these medicines that doesn't have the potential to cause diarrhea, which leads me to believe that people just have diarrhea from time to time and want to think it has something to do with every medicine known to man.
My new favorite is the ad for Prilosec OTC, in which "country music star" Phil Vassar (is he a star? I've never, ever heard of him, but what do I know from country music?) tells us that jumping around on stage was giving him some digestive problems, but then..."My mom turned me on to Prilosec." Turned you on to Prilosec? Oh. My. God. The fact that we now casually use '60s illegal-drug metaphors to sell perfectly legal drugs best suited to middle-aged people...well, it means something. I have no idea what, but I know it does mean something.
P.S. Finished ready Harry Potter 6. Willing to discuss with anyone. This page includes some interesting theories and links, but of course is full of spoilers, so stay away if you're not done reading.
posted by tp at 9:50 PM
1 Comments:
it's about freaking time! I'm already on book 4 again, of re-reading all of the books, and here, for your eyes only, are the notes I've been taking along the way...
In Book one, we hear Dumbledore say to Harry:
“To the organized mind, Harry, Death is but the next great adventure.” – so YES, DD is really dead. HE will “live” through his portraits, however.
In book two, we hear DD tell Harry that he’s never really gone for those that are loyal to him, and as a result, Fawkes comes to his aid against the basalisk, giving him the sword from the sorting hat.
In book three, we learn about Trelawney’s prophecy “Voldemort will come to power, and it will be his servant (Peter Pettigrew) that will help him.”
We also learn about the time turner – which I HOPE comes to play in book seven… perhaps they sneak into the Ministry of Magic and steal it, and turn back time to prevent DD’s death….
And we learn that “if a wizard saves another wizards life, they have a special bond, and he is indebted to him.” (Potter saving Pettigrew) – THAT explains why Snape is always saving Potter, as James saved HIS life, and since he could not save James’ life, he is now focusing on Harry.
In book four, we learn about Snape’s past as a Death Eater, and how he came over to the good side BEFORE Voldemoret fell, and how DD trusts him and uses him as a spy. I think DD and Snape did their own unbreakable vow some time back…
Oh, and as for the movies, I was getting so annoyed that their hair was getting longer, but then I realized – “Look at Dumbledore!” HIS hair is long. DOH! Wizards have long hair. Except, of course from other schools. So perhaps it’s just a Hogwarts thing.
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