# WHY DO These Products Exist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 4, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129 "2004-09-04T18:36:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/21 "2004-09-05T17:00:48Z")
> [@truthbot](#): > > P.S. > > Ralph, it’s not an erection problem. It’s _maintaining_ the erection that’s problematic. > > “Here Lassie, come girl! Would Lassie-Wassie like a Ball Park frank, or a widdle Snausage?” Let’s let Lassie do the math… 😉 There is something so not right about your choices of examples… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/22 "2004-09-05T17:08:00Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > I have a Dyson (its doesn’t _lose_ suction, but it certainly does _use_ suction). It’s truly unbelievable the amount of crap this thing pulls out of the carpet. Plus it looks cool. And no, I’m not an employee of Dyson. So… you’re saying it sucks? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/23 "2004-09-05T17:27:38Z")
On those exercise machines… What they don’t tell you is, only people who were born with the right body type will look like the people in the commercials. Someone who was always very thin will still be thin. Stronger, but still thin. Someone who naturally tends to be heavy will still be heavy. The plus side for the heavy/big guys is, they become incredibly strong - picture the Russian Olymic weightlifters. They are strong beyond belief, but they are still not “model material”. If it was just a matter of working at it, there would be a lot more Arnolds walking around. But alas, it takes a specific body type, and it boils down to genetics. Fortunately for the rest of us, not everyone wants a Hulk for a significant other. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/24 "2004-09-05T17:45:19Z")
> [@PussyCow](#): > > Selling and buying a house can be a VERY complicated thing. Some people don’t want to spend the time learning all the nuances of selling/buying a house, and would rather trust a professional. This is your silliest example, IMHO. It’s like saying why I hire a plumber to fix my pipes, or why should I have a dentists pull my teeth. I believe **ralph** is denouncing those Real Estate \*\*“Systems”/b] or **“methods”** , _“as seen on TV”_ thru which any schlub should be able to make his hometown his personal Monopoly[sup]TM[/sup] board – and he denounces them precisely because if it were so simple we _would_ be selling houses to each other every day. Heck, we would _have_ to sell houses to each other every day, 'cause we would not be actually producing any cash flow otherwise… ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/25 "2004-09-05T18:04:49Z")
Very breifly, I sold Kirby vacuums. Now, they are good machines, but they are so higly priced as to be unreal and the high pressure tactics used by the salesmen are unbelievable. (Which is why I left.) As a result, I got to use a lot of other vacuum cleaners and I learned the most obvious lesson. It’s not so much how good your vacuum is, it’s how often you use it. The Kirby demo models had a pad that collected the dirt they pulled up, so you coulds see what was left behind. In obviously clean houses, with folks who vauumed often, there was dammed little to pull up. In “dirty” housees (and yes I went into some really dirty places) you would get an unbelivable amount of dirt. In those dirty houses they often had a pretty good vacuum, maybe even an older Kirby. But they didn’t use it. The kicker? The “clean” folks were more horrified by their little bit of dirt than the “dirty” folks by pad after pad of filth. My opinion is that if you buy any midranged upright vacuum and use it regularly your house will be pretty clean. If you like the bells and whistles of the higher poriced vacs, fine, but the increased performance is probably minor. The Dyson does look pretty cool though. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/26 "2004-09-05T18:50:57Z")
I don’t think it has anything to do with whether these products work or not. It has to do with who’s going buy this crap. Go to any mall in Ameri… anywhere. Tell me how many shops are selling… rocks! If people will buy it, there’s a market for it. ---
**Author:** ![Mirasol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Mirasol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirasol)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/27 "2004-09-05T22:09:08Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > I have a portable DVD player, with a 3" screen that you can’t see from further than arm’s length, with a wireless remote. > > That’s the kind of product I thought this thread would be about. I have one of these too. I believe the remote is for when you hook up the DVD player to a regular-size TV (in which case you may be watching from across the room). At least, I HOPE that’s what they were thinking… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/28 "2004-09-05T22:42:07Z")
> [@McFeatherHLF](#): > > I have one of these too. I believe the remote is for when you hook up the DVD player to a regular-size TV (in which case you may be watching from across the room). At least, I HOPE that’s what they were thinking… Okay, so how do you explain wireless remote controls for car stereos? ---
**Author:** ![PussyCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/22d042/32.png) [@PussyCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PussyCow)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/29 "2004-09-05T22:55:12Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Okay, so how do you explain wireless remote controls for car stereos? Oh, that’s for backseat drivers. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/30 "2004-09-06T00:49:29Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > So… you’re saying it sucks? > > 🆒 Yes, yes it does. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/31 "2004-09-06T02:19:33Z")
> [@McFeatherHLF](#): > > I have one of these too. I believe the remote is for when you hook up the DVD player to a regular-size TV (in which case you may be watching from across the room). At least, I HOPE that’s what they were thinking… I kinda figured the same, but the remote and/or the sensor are so bad that it only works from a foot away or so, aiming very carefully. > [@that\_darn\_cat](#): > > …Very breifly, I sold Kirby vacuums. Now, they are good machines, but they are so higly priced as to be unreal and the high pressure tactics used by the salesmen are unbelievable… They must enjoy the irony of vaccuum salesmen using high pressure tactics. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/32 "2004-09-06T02:35:20Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > I have a portable DVD player, with a 3" screen that you can’t see from further than arm’s length, with a wireless remote. > > That’s the kind of product I thought this thread would be about. Heh. Me too. The one that baffles me is the fridge for three grand with a high-def tv **in the door**. How many times can you slam the door before you kill the tv? And it’s not like they can replace the TV without having you send at least the door to them…what the hell are you going to do with your food then?! ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/33 "2004-09-06T02:50:50Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > The one that baffles me is the fridge for three grand with a high-def tv **in the door**. Please tell me you are joking, **elfkin**. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/34 "2004-09-06T03:02:12Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Heh. Me too. The one that baffles me is the fridge for three grand with a high-def tv **in the door**. How many times can you slam the door before you kill the tv? And it’s not like they can replace the TV without having you send at least the door to them…what the hell are you going to do with your food then?! At least the TV can gnerate enough heat to keep the butter soft inside the door. There are several TV models now with a picture inverter. They are designed to be watched by some facing opposite the set. You mount it on your bathroom wall, behind you as you face the vanity morror. The intent is that you watch the screen’s reflection in the mirror rather than the screen itself, as you shave or do makeup. You can then hit the button to return to a normal picture when you spin aound to face the screen directly and sit on the pot. My GOD, I just _can’t imagine_ how previous generations lived without this technology! ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/35 "2004-09-06T03:58:02Z")
> [@truthbot](#): > > Never feed your dog corn, wheat or soy products. They are major allergins. Ditto for kitties. Really? I asked my vet about this, and he said that as long as I add a little roughage now and then, kitties were just fine for my dog. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/36 "2004-09-06T05:48:30Z")
> [@Alma](#): > > You know, I thought for a long time that’s what the guy in the commercial was saying, but I paid close attention one day and I think he’s actually saying the vacuum that doesn’t _lose_ suction. Not necessarily a response to you in particular, but to the whole vacuum discussion in general. I had a vacuum cleaner salesman come to my house who had this super duper vacuum (damned if I can remember what it was called), but he said that the vacuum does not use suction, but “air flow” or something. He was funny. As for stupid products… eh, I don’t really have an example. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/37 "2004-09-06T05:51:09Z")
> [@BlueKangaroo](#): > > Please tell me you are joking, **elfkin**. Heh, I’ve seen this as well. (Man, a lot happens when you’re waiting for a post to go through.) It’s made by LG, “Life’s Good” and it boasts that you can now do your two favorite things at the same time: eating and watching TV. I’d totally forgotten about that. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2004, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/38 "2004-09-06T08:06:59Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Okay, so how do you explain wireless remote controls for car stereos? [li] Ergonomics. Not all cars are designed to be “driver oriented” and have all the A/C and radio controls within arm’s length of the driver.[/li][li] Asthetics. Some come with the remote because it would clutter the appearance of the head-unit to have buttons for all the available features.[/li][li] Safety. You can bring the remote into your line of sight to make sure you’re pushing the right button. Combine with ergonomics to have someone in an odd position reaching half-way across their car with their eyes off the road.[/li] Also in the safety vein… the “decibel drag”. You do not want to be in the car when it’s making a 180dB attempt. For comparison, a jet engine at 50ft is 110dB… the Bell scale is logarithmic. P.S. **truthbot** ’s post is… er… interesting. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/39 "2004-09-08T06:33:09Z")
> [@BlueKangaroo](#): > > Please tell me you are joking, **elfkin**. Not hardly. They’re $500 more than the ad I saw last month, even. [http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1077624214385&skuId=6366005&type=product](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1077624214385&skuId=6366005&type=product) ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2004, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129/40 "2004-09-08T10:40:45Z")
Wow. Just…wow. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-these-products-exist/263129.md?page=1)