How much immorality is too much?

[jmcrae]

Nothing like asking the 20 year-old male pharmacy tech about tampons…he’d point and tell you which aisle to look in

Hey, I thought you said you weren’t embarrassed about a perfectly natural biological function. I’m betting he watches tampon ads on TV, too, and thinks about all the women he knows.

With “action/adventure”, I was thinking something with Bruce Willis or Arnold

They don’t show those movies on the commercial channels, anyway, at least not in my area - you have to subscribe to the “Action” channel, which hasn’t got any commercials.

 

[livnlern]

Hey, I thought you said you weren’t embarrassed about a perfectly natural biological function. I’m betting he watches tampon ads on TV, too, and thinks about all the women he knows.

They don’t show those movies on the commercial channels, anyway, at least not in my area - you have to subscribe to the “Action” channel, which hasn’t got any commercials.

I think she meant that a 20 year old male would know nothing about feminine products so what good would it do to ask him?
The Cialis commercials are way out of hand. They’re shown during every kind of TV show you can imagine and there’s no thought as to the age of the people watching the show (meaning kids). Commercials for tampons and mini pads shouldn’t be embarassing for anyone. When my kids were little and one came on TV, they might ask me what they were for and I’d just say something like, “Oh those are something women use”, and let it go at that. No big deal. Yet men seem to cringe over it.

 

[ThereseOfRoses]

Hey, I thought you said you weren’t embarrassed about a perfectly natural biological function. I’m betting he watches tampon ads on TV, too, and thinks about all the women he knows.

They don’t show those movies on the commercial channels, anyway, at least not in my area - you have to subscribe to the “Action” channel, which hasn’t got any commercials.

I wasn’t the one that said I wasn’t embarrassed about perfectly natural biological functions, but since you mentioned it…I’m not. I’m also not embarrassed to ask the pharmacy tech, but I seriously doubt he knows a “U-brand tampon” from one with a plastic applicator or a flushable paper one. I don’t think he’s going to be telling me which one is more comfortable and why he thinks it is. (At least I hope he doesn’t)

You want to know what’s really bad? The toilet paper one with the bears and they are acting like a couple in a Viagra ad (by the sultry voice-over and the suggestive looks the bears give each other), while discussing how soft the toilet paper is. Okay, there’s a phrase I never imagined I’d be typing…

 

[jmcrae]

I think she meant that a 20 year old male would know nothing about feminine products so what good would it do to ask him?

I wasn’t talking about asking the minimum wage staff person at the front counter, but the actual trained professional person (male or female, young or old) who knows all of the products in the drug store, and what they are supposed to do. The one behind the glass partition, in the white coat - that’s the person you ask for drug and product recommendations, especially intimate products.

Most professional medical buildings will have both male and female pharmacologists in the drug store.

 

[ThereseOfRoses]

I wasn’t talking about asking the minimum wage staff person at the front counter, but the actual trained professional person (male or female, young or old) who knows all of the products in the drug store, and what they are supposed to do. The one behind the glass partition, in the white coat - that’s the person you ask for drug and product recommendations, especially intimate products.

Most professional medical buildings will have both male and female pharmacologists in the drug store.

You have to realize, that as a women, I’m pretty sure that I know what I’m talking about when I say that unless the female pharmacist uses that specific brand of product herself, she’s not going to have a recommendation about a kind of tampon anymore than she would for a brand of mascara or a kind of toothpaste. They generally will tell you what aisle the product is in and let you decide, as a consumer, what specific brand you wish to buy.

 

[jmcrae]

You have to realize, that as a women, I’m pretty sure that I know what I’m talking about when I say that unless the female pharmacist uses that specific brand of product herself, she’s not going to have a recommendation about a kind of tampon anymore than she would for a brand of mascara or a kind of toothpaste. They generally will tell you what aisle the product is in and let you decide, as a consumer, what specific brand you wish to buy.

No more so than you can tell from the ad, though. She would know what the claims of each product are, and she’d be able to tell you what she thinks is good - and she’d be able to recommend something for you based on your body type, that you might not have thought of, and that any ad may or may not have thought of mentioning.

By the way, I am also a woman, and I’ve tried a lot of different products and brands throughout the years - and as far as I remember, I’ve never bought anything based on a TV ad - when I was a kid, I used what my mother was using, and now, I read the packaging in the store when I’m shopping.

 

[ThereseOfRoses]

No more so than you can tell from the ad, though. She would know what the claims of each product are, and she’d be able to tell you what she thinks is good - and she’d be able to recommend something for you based on your body type, that you might not have thought of, and that any ad may or may not have thought of mentioning.

By the way, I am also a woman, and I’ve tried a lot of different products and brands throughout the years - and as far as I remember, I’ve never bought anything based on a TV ad - when I was a kid, I used what my mother was using, and now, I read the packaging in the store when I’m shopping.

I don’t know about your pharmacies in Canada, but here in the US, we have several types. The one where I get my prescriptions filled at is a chain of pharmacy/convenience stores (CVS) and maybe it’s my specific location, but the staff (even the Pharmacist) are a little lacking in knowledge regarding over-the-counter feminine products. I’m beginning to feel the only reason you posted back was to get the last word in with me on this subject. The point…the pharmacist, pharmacy tech, and stock person, other than personal experience, would have no more knowledge about the product than anyone else who watched the commercial. The concern you had was about the airing of those commercials…Can we just agree to disagree on this? I’m too old to argue about Tampax…

and let me say that “Therese is done discussing the purchase of tampons at the drugstore, Target, or anywhere else here on CAF”!

 

[jmcrae]

I don’t know about your pharmacies in Canada, but here in the US, we have several types. The one where I get my prescriptions filled at is a chain of pharmacy/convenience stores (CVS) and maybe it’s my specific location, but the staff (even the Pharmacist) are a little lacking in knowledge regarding over-the-counter feminine products. I’m beginning to feel the only reason you posted back was to get the last word in with me on this subject. The point…the pharmacist, pharmacy tech, and stock person, other than personal experience, would have no more knowledge about the product than anyone else who watched the commercial. The concern you had was about the airing of those commercials…Can we just agree to disagree on this? I’m too old to argue about Tampax…

and let me say that “Therese is done discussing the purchase of tampons at the drugstore, Target, or anywhere else here on CAF”!

My point was simply that there are better ways to get information about feminine hygiene products than from television, and that TV ads about them are an unnecessary embarrassment.

 

[LittleSoldier]

NO, I am talking about Chatelaine, Readers’ Digest, and Best of Bridge, and magazines like that.

In any case, if you are looking for a product, rather than just passively having them pushed in your face, you can always ask at the pharmacy.

Ask who? The pharmacist? Should I request a consult with the pharmacist and ask him (note: I said “him’”) about feminine hygiene products? And he is going to set me straight because he has knowledge about tampons vs. napkins, tampons with plastic applicators vs. those with paper applicators vs. those with no applicator?

He won’t know what I’m talking about. The only things he would be able to tell me is that ibuprofen has been shown to be an excellent OTC med for cramps and to warn me about toxic shock syndrome.

However, there is someone who could probably answer my questions and that would be my gynecologist. But at $150 plus per visit I can’t afford to see her to ask her about something I can easily find out about by watching ads on TV.

Well, I see them during CSI (definitely “Action/Adventure”), and even during Merlin and Dr. Who, which are kids’ shows.

Why shouldn’t a child know about women’s menstruation? What is wrong with that knowledge? Is menstruation evil? Is it a sin to menstruate? No. So why is it that menstruation is such a scary subject for children? I don’t think it is a scary subject. I think it’s best for children to learn about natural biological functions as they are growing up. Children aren’t stupid. They can learn about menstruation without becoming frightened or ill. It’s not a complicated subject like sex.

If you’re watching Merlin and Dr. Who, which are kids’ shows, and you’re an adult there is obviously an audience which will watch those ads and respond to them. And I see no problem with children seeing those ads, whether they be in a magazine or on TV.

When we hide subjects we make them taboo. Some subjects, like sexual behavior and morality and NFP and contraceptives and covenants and waiting until marriage, are very complicated. But menstruation? It’s really not that complicated at all. So why should menstruation be a taboo subject? Why are some people afraid of it?

I’d rather see an ad on TV for sanitary napkins or tampons than see another adventure of the “Mucus Family.” Those ads can make me nauseous.

Off-topic: Do you recommend “Best of Bridge”? I’ve never heard of it.

 

[LittleSoldier]

My point was simply that there are better ways to get information about feminine hygiene products than from television, and that TV ads about them are an unnecessary embarrassment.

My point is simply that there is no reason for anyone to be embarrassed about menstruation or about ads for products used during menstruation.

 

[jmcrae]

Ask who? The pharmacist? Should I request a consult with the pharmacist and ask him (note: I said “him’”) about feminine hygiene products? And he is going to set me straight because he has knowledge about tampons vs. napkins, tampons with plastic applicators vs. those with paper applicators vs. those with no applicator?

You can also just read the labels, if you don’t think the pharmacist will know what she’s talking about.

Why shouldn’t a child know about women’s menstruation? What is wrong with that knowledge? Is menstruation evil? Is it a sin to menstruate? No. So why is it that menstruation is such a scary subject for children? I don’t think it is a scary subject. I think it’s best for children to learn about natural biological functions as they are growing up. Children aren’t stupid. They can learn about menstruation without becoming frightened or ill. It’s not a complicated subject like sex.

Actually, it’s part of the sex chat, because female menstruation is all about the sexual reproductive system in women. But that aside, it’s a private bodily function - and I’m with you about the “mucus family” because it’s in the same category of private bodily functions. Nobody needs to have it shoved in their face like that.

 

[Kate50]

For those who have issues with tv ads about periods, I’m curious, do you also get embarrassed by ads about things like yeast infections, breast cancer, acne, Crohn’s disease, or incontinence, and if so, do you feel these should be pulled off the air?

 

[yorkshiregirl]

I would have to say that as a 40 something woman I don’t exactly find sanitary products ads embarassing just a little distasteful - and yes ads for any other thing like that. All these products are accessible either in a pharmacy or supermarket and really don’t need to be ‘shoved at us’ constantly. Woman for years have been able to find these things without having to have them advertised. When I first started work these products were way down the back of the pharmacy and you really had to hunt for them - I’m not saying that’s necessary but I don’t need them to be at the checkouts ! (sometimes with condoms and other ‘adult’ paraphenalia - eugh!) As my dad was fond of saying to me and my sister while we were growing up - let’s have a little bit of decorum

With respect to the OP’s question about immorality generally, there was an interesting conversation on a local radio station this morning. It was about (I think) topless modelling - I wasn’t really listening as I’m not particularly interested - I think that a newspaper that shows bare chested women is not really worth the label of ‘newspaper’ - but there was a guy on saying we should be able to dress as we want (or not as this case was) and anyone should be able to look. He would not be moved on this until one of the other callers said would he allow his wife or daughter to pose topless and that shut him up completely. All this nudity or whatever is all very well when its someone else being exploited or degraded. TV makes voyeurism acceptable because its easy to forget (or delude ourselves) that those on the screen are real people.

I find it difficult to watch films with constant sex, although I am certainly not a prude, but it would be nice if occasionally the act was either preceded or followed by marriage! Writers seem very lazy these days - blow something up, shoot someone graphically, lots of bad language, sex every other scene - will be a blockbuster! I would personally rather see something with actual characters, not one dimensional characatures, with a real story. Give me Jane Austen anyday - or a wonderful series that has just ended here called Downton Abbey - great script and characters, little bit of ‘nookie’ but totally pertinent to the story, gorgeous Edwardian clothes

 

[edwest2]

For those who have issues with tv ads about periods, I’m curious, do you also get embarrassed by ads about things like yeast infections, breast cancer, acne, Crohn’s disease, or incontinence, and if so, do you feel these should be pulled off the air?

All ads should be screened for appropriateness. Those deemed embarassing, inappropriate and too graphic should be pulled. Anyone suffering from any condition should ask their doctor or pharmacist. It’s simple.

Peace,
Ed

 

[jmcrae]

All ads should be screened for appropriateness. Those deemed embarassing, inappropriate and too graphic should be pulled. Anyone suffering from any condition should ask their doctor or pharmacist. It’s simple.

Peace,
Ed

By the way, what do you think of those ads for discreet tampons for teenage girls? Way to blow their cover, by showing everyone what they look like on TV.

 

[Kate50]

All ads should be screened for appropriateness. Those deemed embarassing, inappropriate and too graphic should be pulled. Anyone suffering from any condition should ask their doctor or pharmacist. It’s simple.

Peace,
Ed

Any of these can be deemed embarrassing simply by what they are, breast cancer deals with the breast which some may feel is an embarrassing topic, but the awareness has raised money and more importantly, has raised awareness about screening, and has therefore saved countless lives because of it. Crohn’s disease also is something where awareness should be raised, so people can go to the doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment. I agree that any ad about any topic can be done in a tasteless or tasteful manner and should be checked for appropriateness. I strongly disagree with others about a blanket ban on conditions that could be seen as embarrassing simply by what they are. Biology should not be something that we are afraid to talk about - we need to continue to work to help improve awareness and quality of life for those that suffer from any ailment.

 

[edwest2]

Any of these can be deemed embarrassing simply by what they are, breast cancer deals with the breast which some may feel is an embarrassing topic, but the awareness has raised money and more importantly, has raised awareness about screening, and has therefore saved countless lives because of it. Crohn’s disease also is something where awareness should be raised, so people can go to the doctor to get a proper diagnosis and treatment. I agree that any ad about any topic can be done in a tasteless or tasteful manner and should be checked for appropriateness. I strongly disagree with others about a blanket ban on conditions that could be seen as embarrassing simply by what they are. Biology should not be something that we are afraid to talk about - we need to continue to work to help improve awareness and quality of life for those that suffer from any ailment.

Well, taste is a vanishing concept on TV, and dumb seems to be the standard idea behind many TV commercials. Dumb and outrageous.

A definite unhealthy trend is a series of pointless commercials that include the phrase “ask you doctor if weirdname is right for you.” Since when do people decide what prescription drugs they should take? Especially if something is brand new? Mixing different drugs is dangerous and I’m certainly not going to call my doctor and ask if I need to take Rebonicist321 or whatever. Anyone who actually reads the side effect information for many drugs would have a better than not chance of wanting to take any drug in the first place.

Peace,
Ed

 

[havana1]

Since when do people decide what prescription drugs they should take?

**Since some Rx’s lapse into “generic” and fall into a lower co-pay, that’s when. **Some doctors will write the Rx for the specific brand name, others will write it for the generic. If they don’t specify substitution permissible, then you’re stuck paying the higher price. I’m at least glad those TV commercials get people talking about it, because there’s at least one “new” anti-depressant that’s not “new” at all: it’s simply re-formulated so the greedy pharmaceutical company can hold onto its patent.

 

[faithfully]

Man am I bored!

I actually read the last 3 pages about pads on tv. And all I could think of:

It was a tv ad that taught me that the mammoth diapers my mother bought for me were NOT all there was out there. I had to tell my own mother (who is usually quite with it when it comes to this kind of stuff) they actually made pads that weren’t otherwise seat coushins. She didn’t believe me. Luckily she took me to the store.

Has NO ONE heard the F-bomb dropped on tv? Or did I miss that page. With most of our shows DVR’d… DH and I were blown away that they are using that. There’s nothing left.

Re Sam Kinison: I didn’t realize he was so young when he died. I thought he was in his 50’s. Have you ever read about his supposed last words? Google them. Interesting…

 

[edwest2]

**Since some Rx’s lapse into “generic” and fall into a lower co-pay, that’s when. **Some doctors will write the Rx for the specific brand name, others will write it for the generic. If they don’t specify substitution permissible, then you’re stuck paying the higher price. I’m at least glad those TV commercials get people talking about it, because there’s at least one “new” anti-depressant that’s not “new” at all: it’s simply re-formulated so the greedy pharmaceutical company can hold onto its patent.

I’ve never seen a TV commercial for a generic drug. I know they are cheaper and I’m sure it annoys the big pharmaceutical companies. I think it would be OK to name the reformulated anti-depressant as long as you make no effort to encourage people to use or not use it.

Peace,
Ed