Dan's Wild Wild Science Journal

Sign advertising the Power Balance Bracelets. (Pic taken by my wife)

So I go out to eat on my birthday Wednesday and what do I see?

This sign at a fitness store next to my fave tex-mex place.

Could it be another scam.

Yes indeedy!

I wonder how many thousands they have scammed??

Let’s take a look at their website and see what unscientific goodies we can find.

Here is what they claim on their web site:

•What is Power Balance?

Power Balance is Performance Technology designed to work with your body’s natural energy field. Founded by athletes, Power Balance is a favorite among elite athletes for whom balance, strength and flexibility are important.

•How Does the Hologram Work?

Power Balance is based on the idea of optimizing the body’s natural energy flow, similar to concepts behind many Eastern philosophies. The hologram in Power Balance is designed to resonate with and respond to the natural energy field of the body.

from plognark's blog- gotta love it.

Ok, I have just a few questions if I may.

1. What is the body’s “natural energy field”?? What is it composed of and how is it generated?

2. How is it measured?

3. Who discovered it? Has anyone taken a picture of it??

4. Have there been any papers published on it in a peer reviewed scientific/medical journal?

5. How is this natural energy field connected to the health of someone?

6. Is it radiation? Is it dangerous radiation? Do some people have an energy field while others do not?

7. Do fat people have a bigger field than skinny people? Does it get weaker as you age?

8. How does your little piece of plastic with a hologram printed on it resonate with this so called field?

9. If it does resonate with it, how could this affect the body?

10. How much money have you paid these athletes to claim a piece of plastic and silicone worn on the wrist can do anything other than make your wrist sweat??

The fact that thousands of people are buying this junk is proof positive of the lack of basic science literacy in America. If you are taking a class somewhere and you see one of these on your instructors wrist- run!

(Note this post has been updated as of 15 Aug.)

So I turn on MSNBC here in the hotel today to catch up on the days news and on pops this commercial for the i-Renew bracelet.

Here is the advert below.

I went to the company web site and they have a photo of a Mr. Scott Becker MD who is also in their commercial.

Look at the quote:

From the i-Renew Bracelet web site.

Oh, but it gets better, look how carefully the first paragraph on he website is worded:

Purpose – The main health benefit of i-Renew Bracelet is the ability to inspire each and everyone’s inner strength. This is done by reported benefits to create Higher Energy Levels, Greater Flexibility and Better Sleep, by wearing the i-Renew Bracelet. By achieving the three key results above will create a better more stronger you.

Now do you get it?? It’s supposed to inspire you to call on your inner strength. That’s right, this little bracelet is magic. It will inspire you to draw in your inner strength and create higher energy levels. Just how this happens they do not say. They want you to think it’s MAGIC!

They never actually claim it’s magic, but they sure make you think they have!

A little more digging and there is even more interesting tidbits. Take a look at what comes up when you google i-Renew Bracelet:

Google results for search of i-Renew bracelet

Notice the listing beneath the one that says “Seen On TV Offer”. Just what we need an unbiased review. It says, “Do Not Buy until you have read this review!” Well guess who did the review.

The same people hawking the bracelet??

I’d bet yes. They even have a direct link to go buy it! It looks like the whole google search page is full of sites made up by the same company selling this little trinket of junk.

Yea, these people are slick.

Real slick.

They are preying on scientific illiteracy and general ignorance. MSNBC should be ashamed for airing such tripe. The only bracelets the i-Renew people should be wearing in my opinion are handcuffs. If it were up to me they would be put in jail. That TV advert would never be allowed on air in most modern industrialized countries.

Why do we allow this pile of crap to be openly advertised here in America.

Maybe I should start selling a special glass cup. It absorbs the calories from your martini and you can drink a dozen and never gain a pound! It also has binding energy that reduces the effects of the alcohol so you will not get drunk. Amazing.

The state authorities where this Scott Becker has his lic. to practice medicine need to be looking at him as well. I sure would not want any doctor touching me who thinks that putting a plastic and metal bracelet on my wrist is going to do anything but block the sun from the spot it covers on my wrist.

Now, I don’t go around calling people liars very often. I even more rarely put it in writing.

So, come and get me iRenew. Show me one little piece of real peer reviewed science that says your bracelet does what you claim.

You can’t and you know it. Your slick little ad is a big lie designed to steal $20 from the pockets of poorly educated and scientifically illiterate Americans. We have a big supply of them too.

The saddest thing of all is that thousands of people will spend $20 they cannot afford to spend in this economy and buy one. After all, “They would not let them advertise it if it wasn’t true, RIGHT??”

If you read this, do the world a favour and file a complaint with the FTC over these frauds. While you are at it, drop GE a note and tell them to pull the advert. They are just as guilty for letting them air it, when they know good and well, it’s a hoax. You don’t get to be a big dog at MSNBC or GE and still be that patently stupid.

One last thing, what do you bet that I get emails from people who have one and say it really works?!!

NOTE:

After some of the best laughs I have had in years and a fuller realization of the failings of our educational system, I am closing the comments on this post. You can continue on the follow up to this post here.

Some ominous modeling data from the folks at the National Centers For Atmospheric Research (NCAR) today. The used a model to show where ocean currents may take the oil coming up in the Gulf.

It’s important to realize that this is not a forecast of where the oil will be, but a model of where the currents would normally carry it. The NCAR explanation of this is below the video.

Image from NASA Aqua satellite. Oil spill is huge. Click for full size 500m resolution.

The oil is as far west as Destin, Florida now but still off shore except in Louisiana. There is some good news. The winds in the gulf will be northerly for a few days and that should keep the oil from Alabama and Mississippi. For now.

From Adam Nieman. Click the image to see his blog with more images like this.

Keep in mind you are just seeing the thickest oil. It’s actually covering an even larger area than is visible from orbit. The astronauts on the ISS have also reported it being clearly visible.

Adam Nieman writes the POSTEROUS blog and specialises in images that make big numbers easier to understand. He has done a few on the oil spill.

One other thing to remember about this oil spill.

Most fo the oil is beneath the surface and not visible. It’s no longer a possibility that an environmental catastrophe will happen. It’s happening.

A little fact to think about. If every drop of oil was extracted from the Gulf, the oil would be burned in America in ten years. At some point we are going to have to wake up and think about the future…

Maybe this will be the silver lining in this catastrophe.

I’m not optimistic though.

Art Robinson is running for congress in Oregon. He  says the ocean life is starved for oil and we need to dump more into the oceans. He also thinks climate change is a hoax. Why does that not surprise me. (He won the primary).

Dan

Tim Minchin is going to be at TAM (The Amazing Meeting) in London in the autumn and Stephen Fry himself is on the bill. Would dearly love to go to that but 400 quid a ticket plus transatlantic airfare is more than an ouch.

In the been there done that category…

Warning for very strong language and not suitable for under 13, but well worth watching…