Infomercials - Late night fodder?

There are 2 that have me sitting with fingertips on the billfold right now.

1. "Any Baby Can Read" - no nonsense infomercial showing 9month olds reading with comprehension.

2. "The Rosetta program" - no nonsense infomercial that shows adults reading with comprehension; only in a foreign language.

I've used Rosetta stone, and while I never got around to completing the program (my life became far to full of more pressing issues then learning a new language for my own amusement) I feel confident in giving the software an enthusiastic enorsement. It uses images and repetition to throw you straight into using the language rather than bogging you down with lots of vocabulary and structure that you wouldn't normally learn until later anyway.

As for the Any Baby can Read program... I haven't seen the product personally, I have seen the infomercial, but I'm inclined to say that it's a waste of money... Not because I doubt it's effectiveness but simply because the main requirement for a child to learn any new skill is involvment. I think this product is good because most parents don't spend the time reading with their kids that is necessary for learning to truly kick off and this product fills the gap... I think this product is bad because it makes parents think they don't have to be involved... sort of like leaving your kid zoned out on Sesame Street while you pay bills or do dishes...

Those are my thoughts on the products you mentioned, I'll bring up one more though... the Jack Lalane Power Juicer is awesome, the only problem I've had with it is the ridiculous cost of fruit and veg needed to keep it running... and remember, never try to juice a banana...

I'd pay real money to see a no holds barred death match between the ShamWow guy and the OxyClean guy - provided that at least one of them dies.

I'm intrigued by those little rubber caulking spreaders.

My dad buys some of this stuff. The dog toe trimmer - the dog is terrified by it. The electric razor blade sharpener - it's fun, but it doesn't sharpen blades.

I heard a story about this on NPR the other day. With the real economy in the toilet, networks are giving away their unsold ad space for cheap to these guys.

_{I heard a story about this on NPR the other day. With the real economy in the toilet, networks are giving away their unsold ad space for cheap to these guys.}

I listened to this as well. Was quite good.

I knew a couple who had used the Flow-be (haircutting vaccuum) for years. I guess it works ok since I found out about it by making fun of it. Only to hear her say "I cut Ed's hair with that." His hair looked good to me.

The rubber caullking spreader. Wow. Yeah that one is up there in the why didnt I do that category. And to think - all these years I have used my finger!

Don't know about Flow-Be, cause my wife always cuts my hair by hand.

Pop-Sci has a good article testing a bunch of these things this month, and that rubber caulking spreader gets high marks for quality of look, seam size, neatness, etc., specifically over using a finger.

Don't ask me. I always use a finger, and it still looks lousy. And the finger does, too!

I liked the idea of the caulking thingee and went to my local big box store. They had one that does the same job, but costs less than half for the TV item. Also take note:

Many of the informercials claim they are not available in stores. This is FALSE. I have found them in Sears, Walgreens and some other stores. They are sold under the banner, "AS SEEN ON TV".

You mean what they say on TV is not true? incomprehensible!

Doesn't it seem like you can buy anything advertised on TV for $19.99 plus shipping and handling. AND, we'll double your order for the same money, just pay the extra shippping and handling.

I bought one of the dog nail trimmers at a local store. It works great. Dogs' not to crazy about it though.

"I'd pay real money to see a no holds barred death match between the ShamWow guy and the OxyClean guy - provided that at least one of them dies."

Yes, I too, would pay to see Vince and Billy Mays duke it out to the death. But I love these guy, reminds me of going to the carnival as a kid.

When you watch the marginal TV networks, (History Channel, Animal Planet, Military Channel, etc.), that's the adverts that you get, all the time.

I've never bought anything there. They must sell a lot of stuff, otherwise they'd go away.

"You'd have to be out of your mind not to own one of these."

" I don't know, It sells itself."

Order in the next twenty minutes, cus we can't do this all day long"

"BUT WAIT, order in the next 20 minutes, and we'll double you order! All you pay is shipping and handling"

_{(OK, it's very cold and snowing now. I have cabin fever.)}

_{When you watch the marginal TV networks, (History Channel, Animal Planet, Military Channel, etc.), that's the adverts that you get, all the time.}

In my market - Austin TX, the History channel shows no infomercials at any time. I love the History channel. Watch it continuously.

ORLY? Down here in Houston we get a lot of them on the History Channel. I don't know which is more implausible, the infomercials or the Nostradamus crap.

Things that gets to me about the history channel here are... How many times have they aired "the Nostradamus Crap" It is awfully old after the umpteenth viewing.

What about all this crap on ghost hunting? on UFOs? What does all this have to do with history?

Luckily, my boss/wife upgraded our cable so we now get "History International". It is history... not junk.

Regarding the info-mercials, I am so sick and tired of them, I would NEVER consider buying any of their products. Is there any reason that Sham-Wow starts out with "Sham"?

My 2 cents worth...

Bill

"Is there any reason that Sham-Wow starts out with "Sham"?"

Yes. They couldn't call it "Crap-Wow", now could they? My thought, boycott shampoo. Demand REAL poo!

I don't believe in no ghosts, so I don't see any historical value there, either. The one UFO episode that was historical was the one on the history of Project Bluebook. And while Nostrodamus was an historical character, you are right about the umpteenth viewing. Likewise the 2nd week of "Apocalypse Week". Probably not as bad as the third week will be, tho'...

Don't you know, Bricktop, that the real product they are selling is not a product at all, but "Shipping and handling". They charge typically $7.95 S&H for a $12.95 item and "we will double the order", adds another S&H charge. Free return (less S&H)if not satisfied. That's where they make their money. Not the product, but on the S&H. The S&H is a tax free expense to them who can afford to take a loss on the already inflated price for the product.

I bought a book from a guy named Gary Trudeau off TV. I forget what the S&H charge was, but I didn't like the book so I contacted them to return it. They refunded the money(less S&H) and told me they didn't want the book back. They said keep it or toss it.

Yes I know. They charge you something like $7.95, and the shipping cost is like $1.20. And yup, the "free one", another S&H fee. If you can look fast enough, all that info is up there. However, "The big printh givith, and the small printh taketh away".

you are exactly right about where the sellers make their profit. How can the guy make money giving away computer learning disks for free? It's the $6.95 s&h.

The OxyClean guy would destroy anyone, and I mean anyone in a death match.

That OxyClean guy has some sort of super-beard and I think he has some disorder where he can't close his hands completely and his thumb is always sticking up. Here, you guys be the judge:

With a malady like that, how does he DO anything? I mean, opposable thumbs don't help if you can't make them touch the fingers of the same hand.

Oh, wait, maybe THAT'S why he doesn't do anything but informercials. Talk about turning a liability into an ASSet!

Micah

Watch out. Vince is the new kid on the block. Billy should be looking over his sholder....

Actually, Vince is a pretty interesting guy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Offer

Freakin Wiki. They've got everyone on that site. Now why did I just read the whole damn thing......?

Great - yet another bozo who is famous only for being a celebrity! What woodwork do these guys come OUT of, anyway?

That dark, roach and termite infested steamer trunk in your grannies attic, I suspect. Looking at that one, he sure didn't come out of any family tree I roosted in!

I have often thought about picking up some Ginsu knives that can cut a nail in half and then perfectly slice a tomatoe...

I also liked the wrench that would fit any size bolt...

I thought real hard about the shamwow as well, but I resisted all...

"I thought real hard about the shamwow as well, but I resisted all..."

The shamwow is just a shammy, artificial at that, but been around for years. It's a good product. And the TV offer that Vince halks isn't a bad deal, for 20 bucks. (I like Vince, a really ugly guy, that could sell sand to the Saudi's.)

"Made in Germany, and everyone knows the Germans make good stuff".

"I also liked the wrench that would fit any size bolt..."

Ya, they fit any size, but they don't fit anywhere.

BTW, the Ginsu is a good knife. Had one for years.

I got one of those razors that are claimed to stay sharp forever, for Christmas. I'm sure it will last forever, because you can't get a decent shave out of it. My weedwacker would do a better job.

Do you still have your Mr Microphone?

The wrench that fits any size bolt is so big that it would only fit on certain bolts, nuts that lie completely free of other things. So no good for most car fastenings for a start!!! Some bolts and nuts you have problems getting a conventional wrench (spanner in the UK) on them!!

Which is why I have never been interested in putting money out for one....

Yeah, I resisted real well too. Still trying to get the "thinking about it" part, though. Just can't think ... why it's so difficult.

Micah

I thought this might be a texans only thread, until. I saw bricktop join in! Infomercials seem like the harbor freight channel... I miss ron popiel. Who could live without a pocket fisherman. 20bucks for some beveled urathane(sp) when a finger w/a rubberglove will do? Rossetta seems interesting, doubt it will help, since I'm 2nd languege challanged. I was imersed in spanish for 15 years and never got past #s, simple phrases... Then again ignorance was bliss in that situation... I didn't have to listen to operators babeling about matters they didn't understand. The context of the situation was much more informative.

Come on... the perfect pasta cooker! The handles even measure the right amount of noodles for us.

Bill's weeder (with drill purchased seperatly(in small print)).

All the weight loss pills and excersise equipment!

But hey, I've lost 70 lbs, got a weed free garden for my vegies so that I can make juices from my new Bullit blender.

p.s. I've been zit free for over a year now!

HAahahahaha

Never bought any that I know of.

But my son and daughter-in-law read about one of the programs they sell, and applied it.
They taught my grandson (their son, to give credit where due. Sigh!!) to sign. My grandson is 18 months old. He doesn't read (No? Duh! Poor Grandfathering skills?), but he signs for things he wants, or doesn't want, and started vocalizing recognizable words in response to things, matching his signs, about 3 months ago. The interesting thing is that my son and daughter-in-law taught him to sign when he wants a drink, or food, or when he's cold, or hot, and his signs are very readable, and seem to accurately reflect what he means (i.e., he knows what they mean, and what we'll think they mean, and uses them accordingly). And he's been doing this for the last 12-14 months (yeah, started learning it, and showing the knowledge, at a couple of months old. And I thought they didn't even develop a brain until they were 4 or 5. Shows what I know!) But at least I can understand, and talk to him. And that's a REAL rush!

Oh, yeah, and his signs are true to American Sign Language, in the AMESLAN dictionaries. So anyone can communicate with him. If they can get his attention. Short span, sometimes.

Micah

I only watch long enough to know what product NOT to buy if it ever DOES show up on a store shelf. ("But WAIT! What would you give NOW?") When I lived in Colorado Springs, CO, there was a store in the mall (the BIG mall) called "As Seen On TV" that sold all of those products "not available in any store" seen in the infomercials. Wotta hoot! Cost a fraction more, but with no shipping and handling charges, were probably about half the asking price... Never bought anything there, either, but had a chance to see how flimsy/sleazy the stuff was. "That's a sixty dollar value (by whose reckoning?) for only $19.99!"

I saw a product in the Mall out there while I was a contractor, that the inventor had sent to China to have made. It was steel, and had to be able to stand a lot of torque (a wrench of sorts), and being a knife collector, with experience with Chinese steels, I looked it over, and turned it down. He "only" wanted $25 for what would have been a nifty wrench if a)it worked as advertised, and b) it survived the first TWO bolts you used it on (in my opinion, it would do neither, hence, didn't spend the money).

But all that got me to thinking. With companies around like Lisle tools, who will take your idea, and work up a patent for you, in exchange for what all the people who've done it, that I've talked to or read about, think was a good deal, and a fair one, why would he HAVE to pay to hawk it himself? Cause it was junk, maybe?

Even if its really only junk 19 out of 20 times (95% junk, at that rate) why would I want to pay $25 each for 19 pieces of junk, to pay another $25 for the one good one. Let's see, 20 X $25 = $500 to buy one quality $25 item.

If that one is good. Maybe I'm on lemon row today....

Nah, I think I'll stop by Starbuck's. And buy something for 4 friends, and still have some change left.

Micah

Nothing unusual there, just following "Sturgeon's Law".