Homopathy scam I caught at my mom's retirement home.
Offline I came to dinner tonday to find my mom in the activity room with a woman putting round patches on her body. (Like neurology scan patches, without wires), I watched wondering what this lady was doing. She kept moving the patches around her body and her leg, where she had a sore muscle. Asking if the pain had moved.
Turned out the lady wasn't a trained thearapist or even a medical doctor. She was selling the patches for a company called "Lifewave". I complained to the staff there that if my mom was in pain she needs to go to a doctor.
In any case the brocure has outragious claims.
"Improves overall health"
"Supports the immune system"
"Promotes the release of stored toxins"
"Improves biolelectrical properties of the organs"
"Helps you regulate your appitite"
Ect ect ect.
The brocure claims the patches improve the flow of energy. But when this salesperson put the damned patch on the bottem of my mom's shoe, I knew right then what was going on. I picked up the brocure and am taking it home with me to report this company to whomever will listen.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
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Richard Dawkins covered the fraud of homeopathy quite well in his enemies of reason documentary.
I think it sucks that phony companies like this will peddle products to elderly people to make a few bucks.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
http://www.worldwidescam.info/drschmidt.htm I'll be back later with a translation. gotta run now.
] I fixed the link, try now.[
"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."
VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"
If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?
I'm generally not a fan of government cracking down on advertising and such, but these types of scams make a strong case for government intervention. At the very least, her ass should be tossed into the alley by the people who run the nursing home. I wonder if they allowed her in there or if she came in as a "guest" without the knowledge of anyone on the staff.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
But in any case, I suspect that this is an MLM scam. "Own your own business" scam. But I think the activity director has fallen for it to because she invited this scam artist in.
She even had the nerve, when I complained to ask me 'What makes you an expert". I was so pissed I couldn't respond without yelling what a stupid question that was. I held my tongue. But I should have responded, "I bet I could get hired to sell that crap, what does that tell you about the credibility of the product".
My mom isn't in a state run home, she is in a private retirement home. Her teachers pension covers it quite nicely, but if your republican buddies have their way, she could potentially get this tax deduction taken away from her as a medical expense. I think serving as a public teacher for 30 years is deserving of tax payer support.
So the Grench doesn't always have a tiny heart. Now, try extending it to the economy too. Climates of attitudes in a given society can screw people, even if you think it isn't directly affecting you.
This is what your "less government" climate attitude creates.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
You might start with a call to the FBI. No joke!!
Their on-line website advertises several patches for several different purposes. All are claimed to be FDA approved. I checked with the FDA and there is no repeat NO approvals at all. There is an FDA file on Icewave. it's a Refusal of Import ruling dated Oct. 2, 2009. Yet it is still for sale online.
Claiming FDA approval when it does not exist, is a Federal offence. Selling band items is also a Federal offence. David Schmidt who invented that piece of woo woo, Signed a U.S.patent office application has Doctor David Schmidt, [file # 60413617]. Schmidt has a 2 year buisness degree from Pace uni. I am pretty sure telling the U.S.Government that you are a Doctor when you are not is also a Federal offence.
Their marketing set up is a pyramid scheme, similar to Amway. That woman was NOT a salesperson she was an unliscenced Distributor. That's a legal term for, "Not an employee but a buyer who may or maynot faithfully represent Lifewave" . It helps Schmidt's defence team just in case the FBI or FDA do investigate.
You could bring this to the attention of the nursing home. I'm sure they would like to avoid invovelment in a Federal crime.
"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."
VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"
If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?
I wish it were that easy. The brochure has a pic of Suzanne Summers(Threes Company sitcom fame) Which I am sure she is a money whore who will peddle anything for a buck.
Scientology exists and it doesn't hurt for them that Tom Cruise supports that tripe.
I think maybe the best I can do is get these cockroaches out of my mom's place. Snake oil salesmen will always exist no matter how many you stomp out.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
If I had my way your mom wouldn't pay any taxes, therefore she wouldn't need a tax deduction.
I have always said that governments role is to be the referee and that fraud should be illegal. I think these are clear cases of fraud, they sell their product knowing that it does not perform its main function. I do think the government should ere on the side of non-intervention for claims that are plausible where the people selling it might truly believe it works and it might possibly work (say all the ab-doer other stupid miracle weight loss machines). In cases like this I think it is an absolute scam, the people perpetrating it know it is a scam and when they say it will heal they are knowingly participating in fraud and should be punished.
Punishing fraud is one of the few things government should be doing, it we weren't wasting so much time and resources on the billions of other things government is doing maybe we could do something about these snake oil sales people. It has always been my position that government should punish theft, fraud and violence. It is when they are busy regulating honest businesses that provide legitimate products to people is when I have a problem.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
No you don't want to enforce fraud, otherwise our economy would not be in this mess. You have been party to a climate of "no rules" which has allowed money to make the rules. You have been supporting legalized racketeering, merely because voting exists and it was put on paper. Legal doesn't equal moral.
An "Honest business" to you is one that obeys the laws. Sounds nice, but what if the climate is written by those who have the most power. By that standard any business is "honest". Like I said, legal doesn't equal moral.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Precisely what fraud have I supported? Go find an in context quote from me that supports your argument if you can find a good one I'll send $100 to your lab rescue.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
Again, stuck in utopia thinking. EVERYONE has to pay taxes. There is no way around it. But don't blow smoke up my ass with this crap.
My mom is happy to pay taxes. I am too. But unlike your mindset, I understand the pay gap. When I or my mom ask for tax cut, it helps us, so we can spend more money on the products the rich sell. When the rich ask for tax cuts, they STILL ship jobs overseas and they still dump their losses on us.
My mom is the last to ask for charity, something lost on the rich who have the most charity off the backs of the rest of us.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
It is not my lab rescue. Where the fuck did you get that idea. It is a local charity I support and put in my sig. That was years ago. I put it there because my mom's prior dog Honey was a rescue from that charity. That dog became my best friend. I missed her so much after having to put her down from arthoritus that I put that link in my sig.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Specific laws/regulations I have bitched about recently,
Keeping high alcohol beers illegal in Ohio
The farmer who was shut down by the feds for selling raw milk to people who went through extraordinary effort to specifically purchase raw milk.
The government goons who patrol bars and fine them when someone lights up a cigarette.
The government goons who patrol strip clubs and fine them when strippers don't wear pasties on their nipples. (OMG nipples in a strip club! Although, it would be a fun job- don't know how much it pays but how much do you need to search for nipples all day
)
A brothel recently got shut down in Columbus after an extensive police sting.
Significant government resources went into shutting down my online poker.
The ridiculous amount of money spent on the "war on drugs".
All of these were things that were not harming anyone other than consenting adults. I think the resources that went into prosecuting these cases would have been put to much better use prosecuting people who cause real harm such as the homeopathic snake oil salesmen or those SOB's who stole $500 million at Solyndra.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
I agree Beyond.
“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno
The Grench doesn't have such a tiny heart I admit. I agree, with the strip joint issue. I have never understood if one is going to want to see skin, what is the point in covering it?
But in all seriousness, this is not the issue. The issue is HOW do you rightfully fight things like with my mom? HOW do you balance regulation with freedom. All I have been trying to point out is the monopoly of power, the imbalance and all I see you do is poo poo any attempt at oversight.
There is a difference between no oversight and effective oversight. I hate the fact that I have to worry about the health inspector every three months at my job. And even he was bitching about some of the new rules year after year. But seeing what I have seen in the food service industry over the years, I am damned glad I have someone breathing down my neck.
The balance is lopsided. The reason my mom got fleeced 20 bucks today and others there, is the same reason we are in this economic mess. It is because of big money in politics. I am quite sure because of economic inequity that the woman selling the crap, and the activity director who allowed her in, were doing it, not because it was lagit, but because they had bills to pay and kids to take care of themselves. In a less lopsided pay scale, they would be less likely to commit this scam. Lifewave preys upon the desperation of those who want to "own their own business".
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
That's what I meant by "yours", I meant the one you promoted in your sig. I assumed that you had some connection to it, volunteered and/or donated to it and would have some incentive to want to see it get $100. I was hoping it would encourage you to provide evidence for your baseless accusation.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
You make the line more clear. You have far fewer and much more simple regulations designed to solely punish those who are causing harm to others. I have never said I support "no regulations" I am not an anarchist. I support far fewer regulations so that we can have some chance of enforcing them and you don't have to pay a fucking lawyer thousands of dollars just to know whether or not you are breaking the law.
And if it was easier to create a legitimate business, more people would. Instead, it is easier to go sell the lifewave stuff than to get the relevant permits, hire a lawyer and get all the shit you need to run an honest above board business. The lemonade stand we discussed a month or two ago for example. Some government goon found time to shut down those evil kids who didn't even know they needed a permit.
This lifewave company probably isn't even trying to be legal. They probably plan on making a quick buck then dissolving and disappearing if any lawsuits appear. More laws and regulations aren't going to stop them because they probably aren't concerned with following them anyway. Meanwhile, someone like me has the government up their ass everyday when all I do is try to follow the law and I'm not trying to screw anyone. We don't need a lot of laws, just a few simple ones that are vigorously enforced. What we have now is tons of laws that are only occasionally enforced and every time you turn around the government is creating hundreds more.
Because I can tell you I am 99% sure I am breaking some law. I don't know which one, I don't know what I need to do to be legal, but if some government inspector looked deep enough they would almost certainly find some infraction. And people do get punished for that little shit. I know if I piss off some government bureaucrat, they can make my life hell for a year or two because I am going to stick around and keep my business open. While the people at lifewave will simply take their cash, declare bankruptcy and run away because they don't care about their business, their employees or their customers. They are thieves who will knowingly screw people over. It shouldn't be that way.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X