Things I Can't Stand

[Corey Hammer]

So...I'm driving into work today and I hear a commericial for the new "Natrol Brainspeed."

I can't tell you how much those charlatans annoy me. They make all sorts of wild claims about how their products increases thinking speed and how it's been "proven" to do so.

So I go to their website, www.brainspeed.com. Their supposed test that shows an increase in thinking speed...it a test where reaction time to images plays more importance. You see an image and a word, you're supposed to press a key to say whether or not the word matches the image.

Gee...who'd have thought you could get faster at a RT test over two months.

So...I encourage everyone here to email them and demand the citation to the scientific journal in which they achieved their "proof."

[liamo]

Over here they're selling an "anti-snoring" ring for only 50 euros...
An official complaint was made as they were citing studies to support their product. The studies were deemed inconclusive and the complaint upheld. That was in December 2004. They're still selling the ring though!

[Emp-JohnIV]

At least it doesn't have 'ionic' health benefits.

[openeyes]

As a pharmacist, I just cringe when a new marketing campaign in underway for the latest miracle arthritis rub. We've had Tiger Balm, JointRitis, and Mineral Ice to just name a few. Although they can provide mild relief, they marketers always talk them up like they're medical breakthroughs instead of mere reformulations of products that have been on the shelf for years.

Another jaw setter: the "natural" claim, like then it's perfectly safe. Hmmm, can't think of anything "natural" that kills, can you? (Oh, that "natural" mushroom you just picked? I really wouldn't.)

[skepticalbip]

As a pharmacist, I just cringe when a new marketing campaign in underway for the latest miracle arthritis rub. We've had Tiger Balm, JointRitis, and Mineral Ice to just name a few. Although they can provide mild relief, they marketers always talk them up like they're medical breakthroughs instead of mere reformulations of products that have been on the shelf for years. ..................... HEY!!! I've found Tiger Balm to work great... Of course not for a miracle cure but as a mosquito (and general bitey bug) repellent. I do a lot of deep woods primitave camping and have found that Tiger Balm is better than DEET for keeping the little blood suckers at bay but then that is just my opinion. "Vick's Vapo-Rub" would probably work as well but I haven't tried it yet.

[mrzyphl]

Damn! I'd buy that stuff except they don't have any personal testimony!
I always rely on the endorsment of Mary from Pheonix and John from Tampa before I decide anything. :Cheeky:

[kaelcarp]

Just yesterday, I was in the other room while my wife's friend's boyfriend (pause to follow that if you must) explained to my wife about how all these herbal remedies "remove toxins" from the body and "purify" it. I love vague, unsubstantiated claims like that. I purposely stayed in the other room because I didn't want to be drawn in, since I'm not good at hiding my skepticism and I didn't want to create tension.

[Corey Hammer]

Just yesterday, I was in the other room while my wife's friend's boyfriend (pause to follow that if you must) explained to my wife about how all these herbal remedies "remove toxins" from the body and "purify" it. I love vague, unsubstantiated claims like that. I purposely stayed in the other room because I didn't want to be drawn in, since I'm not good at hiding my skepticism and I didn't want to create tension.

I routinely get footstamped in order to make me shut up.

There's something in me that can't abide it when someone gives erroneous or false information.

[Berthold]

In the range of German, there is a folk superstition that blood needs "purifying", and that certain plant materials can achieve this. If there is a readiness to think along such lines, industry will exploit it.

[openeyes]

Damn! I'd buy that stuff except they don't have any personal testimony!
I always rely on the endorsment of Mary from Pheonix and John from Tampa before I decide anything. :Cheeky: Yeah, gotta love those "genuine" testimonials! My current fave is something called "Skin Zinc". :rolleyes:

[Matty]

I routinely get footstamped in order to make me shut up.There's something in me that can't abide it when someone gives erroneous or false information.
You and me both. My wife has a particular "Oh FFS,here we go" face reserved just for that split second before i let rip on someone for such dumb claims.

The "natural therefore good for you" is a doozy.
"hmmmm botulism, deady nightshade, curare and smallpox were all natural last time i checked, dickhead"

The flipside to that one is when something is sooooo bad for you because it contains "chemicals". That can be a fun one too.

Hippy science is great. The best "discussion" i've had in recent years was with a rabid vegan friend of a friend who had "scientific proof" that pasturised cows milk was deadly.
The evidence, (in some ancient paper), they took two newborn cows and fed one on its "natural" mothers milk and the other one on pasturised milk. Lo and behold the one on pastruised milk fell sick and died. :rolleyes: Cue, multiple oohs and ahs and "oh thats so sad"s from the other assorted hippies present.

"Try Googling the following words: colostrum, antibody, immune system and denature, you fucking sickly looking, ashen faced dipshit. Why dont you stick to talking about mung beans and auras as your hippy take on even the most basic science is so retarded it makes my head ache, or maybe thats the cheese..."