Science that makes you cringe

[hellymedic]

[OT] Some sauces give contents in both ml and grams.

I use disparities to guess the fat and sugar content...

[Wowbagger]

[OT] Some sauces give contents in both ml and grams.

I use disparities to guess the fat and sugar content...

Do you have a sauce for that?

[citoyen]

[redacted] is spearheading the new era of quantum health and healing. However, Scalar Energy is nothing new. It is as old as the universe itself because Scalar Energy is the quantum energy emitted from all the stars of the universe including our own star - the sun. Many renown scientists of the old days pioneered this research including James Clerk Maxwell, Nikola Tesla and Dr. T. Galen Hieronymus to name only a few. Today, [redacted] has developed a device for harnessing Scalar Energy, coding the light with health and healing instructions and administering it to a photograph of a person, animal or plant. People are experiencing the benefits of this remote therapy by way of quantum entanglement. We offer a FREE 15-day trial (no credit/debit card required). No obligation! See if this works for YOU. Go to [website] upload your photograph and get started!

Names removed because this is an advertiser so I need to be careful what I say! But really, this is even worse than homeopathy.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Healing by photograph! It's like voodoo dolls, but with wonderful positive energy!

[spesh]

"[redacted] has developed a device for harnessing Scalar Energy, coding the light with health and healing instructions and administering it to a photograph of a person, animal or plant. People are experiencing the benefits of this remote therapy by way of quantum entanglement. "

I'm not a quantum physicist, but something tells me that this sure as hell isn't how quantum entanglement works.

There is more chance of something happening to the original picture file than this sub-pseudoscience actually producing any health benefits, and even then, we are talking about the cube root of sweet knack-all.

It's only a matter of time before some woo-merchant rips off one of the running gags from Robert Rankin's Armageddon trilogy and starts wibbling about the "trans-perambulation of pseudo-cosmic antimatter". 

[citoyen]

Or even rip off the Doctor Who gag and start wibbling about "reversing the polarity".

You'll be pleased to know I've told the publisher I don't think we should be carrying this stuff as it will undermine our credentials. Trouble is, the board tend to only be interested in the bottom line so we'll probably have to accept it. 

[mrcharly-YHT]

Can you add a statement in the publication saying something like "All text and viewpoints in advertisements is the property and responsibility of the advertiser. The appearance of an advertisement in this publication is not a recommendation by the publisher."

[citoyen]

Can you add a statement in the publication saying something like "All text and viewpoints in advertisements is the property and responsibility of the advertiser. The appearance of an advertisement in this publication is not a recommendation by the publisher."

We do already, but in this instance they want an advertorial, ie an ad masquerading as editorial (for which we charge a lot more than a basic display ad).

To be fair, I shouldn't prejudge what management will say - we have in the past pushed back on ads that don't align with our brand values.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I noticed that "We are cycling" Cycle mag now labels its advertorials as such.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Can you add a statement in the publication saying something like "All text and viewpoints in advertisements is the property and responsibility of the advertiser. The appearance of an advertisement in this publication is not a recommendation by the publisher."

We do already, but in this instance they want an advertorial, ie an ad masquerading as editorial (for which we charge a lot more than a basic display ad).

To be fair, I shouldn't prejudge what management will say - we have in the past pushed back on ads that don't align with our brand values.

Oh I hate those damn things. So misleading.

Yes, charge them like they were a flat Telsa.

[TheLurker]

Can you add a statement in the publication saying something like "All text and viewpoints in advertisements is the property and responsibility of the advertiser. The appearance of an advertisement in this publication is not a recommendation by the publisher."

We do already, but in this instance they want an advertorial, ie an ad masquerading as editorial (for which we charge a lot more than a basic display ad).

To be fair, I shouldn't prejudge what management will say - we have in the past pushed back on ads that don't align with our brand values.

Oh I hate those damn things. So misleading.

Yes, charge them like they were a flat Telsa.

And then dob them in to the ASA? 

[citoyen]

I noticed that "We are cycling" Cycle mag now labels its advertorials as such.

Every publication I've ever worked on has labelled advertorials clearly as such. You're undermining yourself if you don't.

Health products are quite strictly regulated as regards what you can claim - there's all sorts of approved formulaic wording and advertisers can get very antsy if you veer even slightly from that in a promotional piece. We sometimes run promotions for homeopathy products (because they pay well) but are always careful not to say that they actually do anything!

And then dob them in to the ASA? 

In all seriousness, that's not a bad idea.

[ian]

Any paid-for content has to be declared under the ASA's CAP code, it's also covered by legislation (Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008).

Health claims are a lot more sensitive, of course, and you can't claim any specific benefits.

That said, I believe in anything that's quantum.

[grams]

Healing by photograph! It's like voodoo dolls, but with wonderful positive energy!

If the process required real photographs rather than uploading a digital one I would find it at least twice as believable.

[citoyen]

Any paid-for content has to be declared under the ASA's CAP code, it's also covered by legislation (Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008).

I assumed it was covered by law, but tbh, I couldn't remember for sure and CBA to look it up. That probably makes me unqualified to do my job!

That said, I believe in anything that's quantum.

Hell yeah!

[spesh]

A Scientologist: Did somebody say "quantum"? 

eBay: Special Edition "Diamond Dust" Mark Super VII Quantum E-Meter

Listed in category:
Everything Else > Religious Products & Supplies > Educational Materials

Er... um... "educational"? 

[Mr Larrington]

The Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 11 - When Quantum Goes Woo

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined on stage by Bad Science author, Ben Goldacre, Professor of Particle Physics at Manchester University, Jeff Forshaw, and comedian Sara Pascoe. They'll be looking at why quantum physics, in particular, seems to attract some of the more fringe elements of pseudoscience and alternative medicine, and whether there is anything about the frankly weird quantum behaviour of particles, like the ability to seemingly be in two places at once, that really can be applied to the human condition. When spiritual healers and gurus talk about our own quantum energy and the power of quantum healing, is it simply a metaphor, or is there more to this esoteric branch of science that we could all learn from?

[JonBuoy]

We sometimes run promotions for homeopathy products (because they pay well) but are always careful not to say that they actually do anything!

Do you actually have to mention the name of the product or are the manufacturers willing to pay you because you have used a couple of its constituent letters randomly scattered throughout the article?

[mrcharly-YHT]

We sometimes run promotions for homeopathy products (because they pay well) but are always careful not to say that they actually do anything!

Do you actually have to mention the name of the product or are the manufacturers willing to pay you because you have used a couple of its constituent letters randomly scattered throughout the article?

No no.

They have to remove the letters spelling out the name of the product.

[citoyen]

 

You people crease me up.

What we actually do is put the article about their product within a bigger article. Then put some of that article into another article. Then put some of that article into another article.

If we keep doing this, we eventually end up with a highly effective promotional piece.

[TheLurker]

Must save an absolute fortune in ink as well.

[spesh]

Must save an absolute fortune in ink as well.

Especially if the final dilution has reduced the "QuAnTuM sCaLaR hEaLiNg" woo to a rogue double-space in an otherwise unimpeachable peer-reviewed article on something which actually works.

[chrisbainbridge]

My wife received a free gift of makeup guaranteed to reduce wrinkles by -20%. I refused to let her use it!

[Mrs Pingu]

20% more wrinkles? Don't blame you.

[pcolbeck]

The Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 11 - When Quantum Goes Woo

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined on stage by Bad Science author, Ben Goldacre, Professor of Particle Physics at Manchester University, Jeff Forshaw, and comedian Sara Pascoe. They'll be looking at why quantum physics, in particular, seems to attract some of the more fringe elements of pseudoscience and alternative medicine, and whether there is anything about the frankly weird quantum behaviour of particles, like the ability to seemingly be in two places at once, that really can be applied to the human condition. When spiritual healers and gurus talk about our own quantum energy and the power of quantum healing, is it simply a metaphor, or is there more to this esoteric branch of science that we could all learn from?

Particles aren't in two places at once they are in an every possible place they could be. And they aren't actually particles they are vibrations in a field. They act like particles when they finally interact with each other.