About Alexandra Heep

About Alexandra Heep: The internet has allowed allowed Alexandra to maintain a semblance of life when encountering an unexpected, lingering health crisis. The Internet is a lifeline which not only allows her to remain connected to friends, but also survive, via writing.While Alexandra Heep is her pen name, she does not hide behind it. Instead, she used it to brand herself on the Internet and to create opportunities.

Alexandra published her first book, a collection of her best poems, on July 11, 2012. You can buy it at Lulu.com

Support independent publishing: Buy this book on Lulu.


Monday, October 4, 2010

Bad Commercials

I was never really much into watching TV, but circumstances have me spending a lot of time on my back (get your mind out of the gutter, it's health related).  What's a girl to do but install a HDTV in her room to watch the evil thing on FIOS.  Now, while I think 99.9 percent of commercials are bad anyway, in my opinion there are a few that really stand out in a worse way.

Liberty Medical

In these two commercials for diabetic testing supplies, a paid endorser - Wilford Brimley - says either of the following: "When you have diabetes, you are confronted with choices.  You can choose to feel sorry for yourself - I hope you don't.  Choose to get involved with a good doctor ..."  In the other commercial he says: "In this box is everything I need to stay healthy and get on with my life."

I see two problems: In the first commercial, what is this about choices?  How many people can really shop around for a good doctor without being restricted by financial issues and medical insurance - if they are lucky enough to have it, that is.  Also, while I am sure Wilford Brimley is a nice person, he is not the picture of health and fitness.  He never gets up during the commercial and they only show part of his upper body, but he looks very over weight and out of shape.  Could they not have found someone who at least looks somewhat healthy and fit to make that statement?  It probably would have cost them less too.  Or, give the poor man a better script. I am available to write one by the way.

5-Hour Energy

In this commercial, a woman comes struggling through the front door with two filled grocery paper bags in her arms as her two kids come running by.  She says something like: "When I am done with my first job and already tired, I come home to my second job.  My husband recommended 5-Hour Energy."  As she proceeds into the living room to down her 5 Hour Energy bottle, she is greeted by her husband with his feet on the table, reading a magazine.  Sure, recommend a drug, pill or whatever to your wife so she can do all the housework after her 8 hour job, carrying in groceries by herself, while you sit on your ass doing nothing.

The Scooter Store

Oh boy, as a person with limited mobility myself I really can't stand that one.  There are several commercials for this product, but this one stands out in a bad way: In this one they show older, active adults in a power chair (or whatever those things are called) on the edge overlooking the Grand Canyon.  In another scene, there is someone in a power chair in front of the Statue of Liberty.

Now, the commercials are supposed to show how these chairs allow you to get out of your home, be independent and see the world.  Well, how are you supposed to get your chair out of the house down the steps?  If your house does not have steps, how do you get that thing in the car?  Besides, I don't know how things are where you live, but where I am you can't ride one of those things down the street even.  They would give you a ticket if you were lucky enough to not get run over first.

Okay, so maybe I have too much time on my hands and need to get a life if these things bother me, but I had to say this.

2 comments:

Diane said...

I'm with you about the absurdity in TV commercials! That's why I always grab the remote and hit "mute." The ones hawking drugs ARE particularly offensive. The only commericals I like have animals in them! Especially talking animals. They're a hoot!

Conny said...

It's all a bunch of baloney Alex. I wonder if anybody actually falls for that stuff.