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Author Topic: The snake oil thread  (Read 6056 times)

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
The snake oil thread
« on: 23 May, 2023, 08:46:58 am »
A thread for products that trumpet outlandish benefits, regardless of price.  Bonus points for pseudo-scientific claims and technical mumbo jumbo that means absolutely nothing.

I'll start with this eBay shower filter.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115666133437?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=3V-ZQ2YMRdG&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=NtG1_XQcQXK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

It's made from "excellent ABS" and has a fabulous list of ingredients: "‎KDF55, Vitamim (sic) C, Alkaline Balls, Calcium Sulfite, Active Carbon, PP Cotton, Mineralized Balls, Magnetic Energy Balls".
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De Sisti

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #1 on: 23 May, 2023, 08:50:37 am »
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mrcharly-YHT

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #2 on: 23 May, 2023, 08:51:34 am »
Brexit?
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<i>Marmite slave</i>

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #3 on: 23 May, 2023, 08:55:45 am »
The Metaphysical and New Age category of eBay is a pretty good starting place, btw.
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Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #4 on: 23 May, 2023, 09:31:16 am »
What are the delivery charges on metaphysic?
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graculus

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #5 on: 23 May, 2023, 09:44:52 am »
Quote from: rogerzilla on 23 May, 2023, 08:46:58 am
...
It's made from "excellent ABS" and has a fabulous list of ingredients: "‎KDF55, Vitamim (sic) C, Alkaline Balls, Calcium Sulfite, Active Carbon, PP Cotton, Mineralized Balls, Magnetic Energy Balls".
You're not suggesting it's a load of balls?
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onerousdeporte

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #6 on: 23 May, 2023, 01:34:34 pm »
EMF jewellery anyone?
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spesh

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #7 on: 23 May, 2023, 01:45:47 pm »
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"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Bluebottle

  • Everybody's gotta be somewhere
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #8 on: 23 May, 2023, 02:06:53 pm »
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FGG #5465

Beardy

  • Shedist
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #9 on: 23 May, 2023, 02:47:25 pm »
You’d think they’d have a tin foil lined beanie at least.
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Pickled Onion

    • website
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #10 on: 23 May, 2023, 09:28:57 pm »
Quote from: rogerzilla on 23 May, 2023, 08:46:58 am
A thread for products that trumpet outlandish benefits, regardless of price.  Bonus points for pseudo-scientific claims and technical mumbo jumbo that means absolutely nothing.

I'll start with this eBay shower filter.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/115666133437?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=3V-ZQ2YMRdG&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=NtG1_XQcQXK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

It's made from "excellent ABS" and has a fabulous list of ingredients: "‎KDF55, Vitamim (sic) C, Alkaline Balls, Calcium Sulfite, Active Carbon, PP Cotton, Mineralized Balls, Magnetic Energy Balls".

Loving the idea that hard water makes your shower "harsh" and by implication soft water will feel more gentle!
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Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

perpetual dan

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #11 on: 24 May, 2023, 08:06:11 am »
I’ve just had a YouTube advert for “NexFan” which is a perpetual motion home cooling device, that needs no electricity (despite lots of pictures of an electric fan) and cools a home from 40C to 24C in 5 minutes.
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Beardy

  • Shedist
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #12 on: 24 May, 2023, 11:32:51 am »
I was going to post about solar pavements here, but the examples given so far make solar pavements seem logical and sensible.  :facepalm:
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ravenbait

  • Someone's imaginary friend
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Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #13 on: 24 May, 2023, 11:50:28 am »
Came across spiral water for sale in a health food shop in Exeter once.

Sam
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"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

Quisling

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #14 on: 24 May, 2023, 12:18:41 pm »
In the energy management world, educator Vilnis Vesma frequently calls out bogus energy saving equipment, for example
https://www.enmanreg.org/open-the-box/
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Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #15 on: 24 May, 2023, 12:21:26 pm »
Quote from: ravenbait on 24 May, 2023, 11:50:28 am
Came across spiral water for sale in a health food shop in Exeter once.

Sam
Very important to get the correct chirality so as to strengthen your DNA. And remember that this reverses when you cross the equator.
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T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #16 on: 24 May, 2023, 04:11:40 pm »
Chap I knew used to have a special magnetic cap for mineral-water bottles "to align the molecules" and help it do important stuff better.
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I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Diver300

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #17 on: 24 May, 2023, 05:27:09 pm »
Almost every device that claims to allow cars with CANbus to work with LED trailer lights.*

For example:- https://www.linearelectronicdesign.com/resources/LED-Pamphlet.pdf
Quote
European 4WD’s have an in-built diagnostic system that will cause the trailer LEDs to flash/pulse continuously and the vehicles will not recognise a trailer is connected.
A few European-made vehicles had that sort of thing at one time, but it is is far from universal

The adaptor just loads the car with a high power resistor in parallel with some lamps, resulting in surface temperatures up to about 120 °C. It also delays turn-on of the actual light slightly.

The actual trailer indicators are no longer detected with that adaptor in place. The blinkenlight on the dashboard will illuminate to show that the trailer indicators are working, whether or not they are.

*All cars have had CANbuses since about 2000. That has very little to do with electronics in cars that try to detect lamp filaments electronically, other than electronics make both possible.
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sam

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #18 on: 25 May, 2023, 02:38:04 pm »
What the hell, I'm going to say computers. As if I'd ever go back.



I honestly could live without a smartphone though, provided we all gave them up at the same time.
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Beardy

  • Shedist
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #19 on: 25 May, 2023, 02:41:49 pm »
Who remembers how Tomorrows World always went into raptures about the extra leisure time we’d all have every time they reviewed a computing breakthrough?
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robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
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Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #20 on: 25 May, 2023, 03:30:19 pm »
Quote from: Beardy on 25 May, 2023, 02:41:49 pm
Who remembers how Tomorrows World always went into raptures about the extra leisure time we’d all have every time they reviewed a computing breakthrough?

. . .  and the total lack of paper in the business environment (and newspapers for that matter) - all still very much with us.
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spesh

Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #21 on: 25 May, 2023, 05:16:18 pm »
Quote from: robgul on 25 May, 2023, 03:30:19 pm
Quote from: Beardy on 25 May, 2023, 02:41:49 pm
Who remembers how Tomorrows World always went into raptures about the extra leisure time we’d all have every time they reviewed a computing breakthrough?

. . .  and the total lack of paper in the business environment (and newspapers for that matter) - all still very much with us.

The future sure isn't what it used to be. ;)
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"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #22 on: 25 May, 2023, 05:55:17 pm »
Bloody Tomorrow's World.
Where's my jet pack?
Where's my Bacofoil suit?
Raymond Baxter was a bloody liar.
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Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #23 on: 25 May, 2023, 07:47:30 pm »
Your jet pack has wheels and is called an e-scooter, while your Bacofoil suit has been updated to clingfilm.
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Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: The snake oil thread
« Reply #24 on: 25 May, 2023, 08:07:31 pm »
Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 25 May, 2023, 07:47:30 pm
Your jet pack has wheels and is called an e-scooter, while your Bacofoil suit has been updated to clingfilm.

But New! Futuristic! PVC-free! clingfilm that doesn't cling.
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