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<p>Actually both of those have very useful and legitimate medical uses. It’s not FDA approved for this yet, but Botox injections (in the scalp, not on the face) are looking very promising for treating some forms of serious migraines. And anabolic steroids always have been very useful for building up patients ravaged by wasting diseases.</p>
<p>Those automated phone answering systems at offices and businesses–you may now press *2 to continue.</p>
<p>"A subset of remote controls:</p>
<p>Fan or air conditioner remote controls. OKay, it’s hot. But it’s not like flipping channels–you turn it on, and–it’s on!"</p>
<p>I doubt you’ll feel that way when the hot flashes of menopause hit, Garland:). I don’t know how I’d make it through the night without my tower fan and its handy remote control: Awake with sudden and intense wave of internal heat, throw off covers, hit remote to turn fan on full blast. Sigh, with gratitude, as cooling waves wash over you. Start to shiver. Quickly cover up again. Fumble for remote to quell glacial blast. Go back to sleep (if you can). Repeat cycle in 1/2 to 1 hr increments throughout the night. Awake feeling like you haven’t slept a wink, knowing it would be far worse if you have to actually jump up out of bed to operate the fan all night.</p>
<p>I’ll grant you that the uses you mention, coureur, for Botox and anabolic steroids are appropriate & good medical uses. It’s the other things these products are used for that I find disturbing.</p>
<p>Non-reconstructive cosmetic surgery, in general.</p>
<p>Beanie babies. </p>
<p>The corset (thankfully out of fashion).</p>
<p>Paris Hilton. ;)</p>
<p>Antibacterial soap. It has two functions: making the germs stronger (as the weak ones are killed off) and weakening our immune systems (there is some evidence that increased use of antibacterials is the reason for the increases in food allergies, as the babies are not exposed to enough germs, so their bodies start attacking anything foreign).</p>
<p>Addderal, used by far too many law students to gain a competitive edge. </p>
<p>Those screens sold in kiosks in malls that show really cheesy pictures of the tropics and are meant to be hung on walls. Every time I see those, I think that our economy must be doing well - why else would any company be able to sell those and make a living?</p>
<p>I do like salad spinners, George Foremans, electric pepper mills, the rabbit wine openers, and pretty much every kitchen gadget known to man, except for the can opener. Electric or normal, I hate the things, mostly because I despise canned food. </p>
<p>PoetsHeart: have you considered a remote-controlled window fan? They tend to be more effectual than tower fans, and you can keep the remote by your bed.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>These are suprisingly useful in Japan, where streets are not named and the layout is less-than-intuitive.</p>
<p>Things I could’ve lived without…</p>
<ul>
<li> The pop-up window</li>
<li> spam (both the food and electronic types)</li>
</ul>
<p>
</p>
<p>absolutely!</p>
<p>Also, aluminum bats, sausage races, and no beer after the seventh inning.</p>
<p>Okay, poetsheart, that makes sense. I’ll keep it in mind when I get there!</p>
<p>The snooze button. Allows questionable choices while not yet in a completely rational state of mind!</p>
<p>I appreciate no beer after the seventh inning. The Philly fans at RFK last night were tanked enough…</p>
<p>…but I am a big proponent of personal performance enhancing drugs. Pop two Advil before every tennis match.</p>
<p>I’m reading of all these things, and I don’t own hardly any of them. I do own cell phones. However, MY cell phone (not talking the kids now) number is only known by family and so that is all I use it for. I also own a dishwasher, but we actually “do the dishes” before putting them in it. LOL. </p>
<p>Poetsheart…your post #63 is pretty funny. I guess our fan actually has a remote as well.</p>
<p>ok, I have to weigh in…I am a fan of the designated hitter. (smiling just thinking about Ortiz)</p>
<p>I also love my salad spinner</p>
<p>I wish the web cam had never been invented. I have nightmares thinking about what is going on in college dorms and broadcast all over the internet!</p>
<p>oh, and regarding dishwashers, this is my motto:</p>
<p>If it fits, it goes in! (yay for the adjustable top rack)</p>
<p>And my favorite kitchen gadget is the Mixmaster. Or is it the La Crueset (SP?) corkscrew?</p>
<p>I disagree with the cell phone not being necessary. As much as I dislike people who drive with them in hand, they were pretty helpful to us on 9/11 in NYC. As we were locked down in the city, for many of us it was our only way of contacting the outside world (when we could get it working). And they did save some lives too that day. I always have mine with me when going to work in Manhattan.</p>
<p>Cell phones are a great invention tho not always wisely used, unfortunately. I’ve found them invaluable in allowing people that NEED to reach me be able to contact me without my being tethered to a desk phone. I also love that it allows us to make long distance calls & be in touch when we travel without having to search for a phone or tell everyone our hotel phone #.</p>
<p>It is too bad that folks persist in using cell phones when driving or doing other things that need more attention & not having courtesy of turning them off (or excusing themselves & going somewhere with privacy to have conversations in public places).</p>
<p>I agree that the benefits of cell phones outweigh the bad. For instance when my kids were newer drivers or are traveling now–I am thankful that they have cell phones to use to call for help or just let me know they are at destination ok. Like other posters, for me only family and a couple very close friends have my number. (now the kids…well they are a walking phone book)</p>
<p>The cell phone feels like a necessity to me now between family members. No matter where my kids are or where we are, there is a way to get in touch (if it works, of course) and it was a factor when I had a kid in a serious accident. Now with kids in college and who go all over the place, including one studying abroad, it is easier to reach one another. </p>
<p>Then, of course, it is so different than when I went to college… particularly with my younger D who goes to school in NYC and whose schedule is on the go 24/7, rarely in her dorm…she tends to call often when she is walking from one place to another and so it always ends very abruptly…“I’m walking in the building now, bye” or today, it cut off when she entered the elevator. I’ll hear her ordering at Starbucks, etc. At least she calls but it is a funny routine.</p>
<p>My favorite was yesterday, my hubby told me of one such call he had with her when she was on the street. This kid is always misplacing things, can’t find things, etc. So, she starts telling her dad…“where’s my phone? I can’t find my phone!” etc. and well, um, it was on her ear!</p>
<p>I have to tell you that I thought of this thread when I got a call today from a marketing survey. I won’t get into all the many questions, but there was one entire section asking if I owned this or that electronic…VCR, computer, answering machine, CD player, fax machine…etc. etc. etc. and I’m replying “yes, yes, yes, yes…” and thinking, OMG, it’s like this thread! I had like one “no” in that series of questions…big screen TV. </p>
<p>They asked how often I used the internet…I didn’t mention CC!!! :D</p>
<p>(oh, and because of my time on CC…I could answer not having any favorite TV shows, rarely watch TV…also never go to fast food restaurants…we also don’t have 'em here)</p>
<p>Can somebody tell me why my earlier post on pleated trousers, in answer to cgm, was deleted?!!!</p>