tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206556202024-02-08T11:52:08.113+10:30reTARDISExploring stupidity throughout time and space.Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-51834816273969383112011-04-25T23:48:00.005+09:302011-04-26T00:49:31.162+09:30Simpler PS3 VPN<div><span class="Apple-style-span" >An addendum to the <a href="http://retardis.blogspot.com/2011/04/rdr-psn-vpn-lan-yes.html">last post</a> about playing PS3 LAN games over the Internet using a VPN.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >In that setup the PS3 was connected to a laptop which was connected via a VPN to the other players. This worked fine, but required two network interfaces. One for the PS3, one for the Internet.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >A simpler solution exists. Leave the PS3 and PC connected to the Internet as usual. Create a bridge between the TAP interface and the interface used to connect to the Internet. Follow the other steps in the last post.</span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnP1tPpyYG8VaaXehDUrAyE79StathkgVVjaxARJoo9AP7zSB3t_1t0qNvSZ0UZ68XRtOlCOpveZhKdaTfU7QUvEtZptEmwqZ8SZXwXGbNFzLk-otqiaDOAlV9k-9tSzHS017/s1600/Network2.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnP1tPpyYG8VaaXehDUrAyE79StathkgVVjaxARJoo9AP7zSB3t_1t0qNvSZ0UZ68XRtOlCOpveZhKdaTfU7QUvEtZptEmwqZ8SZXwXGbNFzLk-otqiaDOAlV9k-9tSzHS017/s400/Network2.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599533172604664978" /></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >This may be slower than the previous setup because the PS3 traffic has to pass through the PC to get to the VPN. It will work though and it takes less setup because you don't need to play with any cables.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Hope you find this usefull. Happy gaming.</span></div>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-853561958498400192011-04-24T12:04:00.007+09:302011-04-25T23:46:59.086+09:30RDR - PSN + VPN + LAN = YES<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span">I was looking forward to some Red Dead Redemption this weekend. A five day long weekend and there was even a Triple XP session planned.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Then the PSN went down.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Without the PlayStation Network there is no way to connect with other players over the internet. The only option for multiplayer is a LAN game. A LAN game, however, isn't very convenient if you live a long way from your friends, or don't have a car to transport your TV and PS3.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">By creating a Virtual Private Network between players though, you can play a LAN game over the internet. You'll still be able to level up and earn trophies, but you'll only be playing with the people who are part of your VPN.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">I'll outline the steps I took to get things setup. Firstly a diagram of how things were connected:</span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhSwNNHmkpBYp5nOVRDcJm0JBtp3TmuJtSPiGB9AvEKHqZrJva8fz8gEU6ANI0x-hegd8Cjj0PoxKJ2ATF54VEUKJ8Jo_bmAoD9cu8QTZ78PrLEEY0eFnNWj3qZngG_i-3fvV/s400/Network.png" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 94px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599002105419618114" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">1: Connect the PS3 to the laptop with an ethernet cable.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">2: Laptop is connected to the Internet over WiFi to the ADSL router as usual.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">3: Download and install n2n. This excellent software will create the VPN. You can read more about it <a href="http://www.ntop.org/n2n/">here</a>. I downloaded the Windows version from <a href="http://luca.ntop.org/n2nWin32/binary/">here</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">4: Download OpenVPN, run the installer and select only the "TAP Virtual Ethernet Adapter" option. This will create a virtual network interface which the VPN will use.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">5: Create a network bridge between the TAP adapter and the ethernet adapter the PS3 is connected to.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">6: Make a list of the IPs you and your friends will be using so you can be sure there are no conflicts. For example:</span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span">My PS3: 192.168.3.1</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span">My Bridge: 192.168.3.2</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span">Bob's PS3: 192.168.3.3</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span">Bob's Bridge: 192.168.3.4</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span">Sue's PS3: 192.168.3.5</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span">Sue's Bridge: 192.168.3.6</span></li></ul></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">7: Set the IP of the network bridge.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">8: Set your PS3 to use a wired connection and set its IP. Use the IP you set for the bridge as the gateway IP and any other required IPs in the PS3 setup.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Steps everyone does</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">9[Host Only]: One person in the VPN, the host, needs to run a supernode to handle the VPN connection.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>"C:\Program Files\n2n-Win32\bin\supernode" -l 6789</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">You'll also need to setup a port forwarding rule to allow incoming connections to the supernode. In this example I've used port 6789.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">10: Once the host has the supernode running everyone, including the host can connect.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>"C:\Program Files\n2n-Win32\bin\edge" -a 192.168.3.2 -c VPNName -k biglongkey -l 127.0.0.1:6789 -m 00:00:00:00:00:00 -r</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">The -a option should be the IP of your bridge.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">The -l option must be the external IP of the host.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">The -m option should be the MAC of the bridge.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">11: Run your game in LAN mode on your PS3 and have some fun. For Red Dead Redemption you first have to go into single player and then select LAN from the Multiplayer section of the menu. Any game that supports LAN play should work just fine.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">I hope this is helpful, drop a comment if you have a question or way of simplifying the process.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">It may be possible to get it working with computers with only one network interface and also get DHCP working so you don't need to worry so much about IP conflicts. Depending on how long the PlayStation Network is down for I may do some more tests.</span></div>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-43040115789016959752008-08-30T08:00:00.004+09:302008-08-30T08:00:00.278+09:30Psychic Has A Whale Of A Time<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I suppose it isn't that hard to believe that a psychic would use a whale calf starving to death to grab some publicity. After all they do it when people have been murdered and children have gone missing.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />A whale calf was euthanised in New South Wales this week after it was separated from its mother. Several radio news segments I heard in the days leading up to the calf's death mentioned offers of help from psychics. I assume they would use their powers to ask the calf if it knew where it lived or where its mum worked. It's a great example of how psychics will interfere when time is of the essence.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />There was a far greater uproar from normal people than there was from the psychics though. People seem to like whales a lot and the thought of one dying upsets a lot of people. There were countless calls to "do something". What options are available though?</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Use a spotter plane to find some more whales and lead the calf to them in the hopes that there is a lactating female in the group that will adopt the calf. Possible but not very probable.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Feed the calf by hand and release it into the wild at some stage. Also possible but the calf would have no social or survival skills, at best it would just postpone its death.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Feed the calf and keep it in a tank for the rest of its life. Do we really need more animals in cages to dance for our amusement?</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The kindest option, although not the easiest to watch, is to let things take their course. It happens every day where we can't see it and we do nothing. There is no reason to feel guilty now just because it is in range of the television cameras.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />Or, if you aren't happy with that you could do what some other folks have done and </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080821224736AAZIiA5">blame Kevin Rudd</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> for the whole affair.</span><br /></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-70854051498020549692008-08-29T08:00:00.003+09:302008-08-29T08:00:00.606+09:30Facial, No The Other Kind<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I saw an interesting product on television this week. The <a href="http://www.dermawand.com/">Derma Wand</a>. It makes you look all pretty if you rub it on your face. The technical specs are non-existent on the sites selling the devices. As far as I can ascertain it's basically a vibrator.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />It claims to oxygenate your skin, which confuses me because people spend hundreds of dollars on creams and moisturisers containing anti-oxidants. It also has no source for this oxygen, which could be why it is called a wand, because it would have to be magic to actually work as claimed.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />It can shrink your pores, get rid of the sags and the wrinkles and the lines. I think a better bet would be to just stop fucking with your face so much. Stop poking at it and smearing so many ointments on it. It's not helping.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />If this device does have any effect I'd bet you'd get the exact same benefit from a simple face massage. Plus you have the benefit of not wasting a few hundred bucks.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />In </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TrzfbtiKGk">this YouTube video</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> a woman mentions that she likes to take it home and give herself some "critical attention every day". So it could actually be a covert way for shy housewives to buy themselves a vibrator.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />But then maybe is does work, after all, would an esthatition lie?</span><br /></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-87709690688339188312008-08-28T08:00:00.003+09:302008-08-28T08:00:00.913+09:30Magic Fruit Water<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I put this product on my list of things to post about quite a while ago and never got around to it. When I was checking to see if they had added anything new to their scam I was pleased to see that the site no longer exists. You can check it out </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20071204131227/http://www.o18.com.au/index.html">here</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> via the Wayback Machine.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />It's nice to know that there is one less crappy product making bogus claims on the net. A hundred have probably taken its place and I'm sure it won't be long before someone else is pushing the exact same thing.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />The product is, or was, water extracted from fruit that contains O</span><sup style="font-family: verdana;">18</sup><span style="font-family: verdana;"> instead of O</span><sup style="font-family: verdana;">16</sup><span style="font-family: verdana;">. It can sooth razor burn and make you look pretty if you squirt it on your face. Reduce wrinkles and keep you refreshed for longer if you drink it. These claims are demonstrated by scientific research, but for some reason they forgot to show the research on their website.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />Also, they claim the product is pure, then they list the impurities it contains, contradiction much?</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-family:Gill Sans MT;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><ul style="font-family: verdana;"><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Chloride 1.2</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Nitrate 0.05</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Potassium 0.66</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Magnesium 0.05</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I guess calling a product 'nearly pure' doesn't sound as good.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-89834951807721040752008-08-27T08:00:00.005+09:302008-08-27T08:00:00.600+09:30Free Advice, Worth Every Cent<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span>A visitor commented on a post about Don Tolman <a href="http://retardis.blogspot.com/2007/03/don-cucumber-tolman.html">from a while ago</a> that "</span>it'd just be nice to see people post that have done a bit of research and really stepped into the teachings before blindly bashing based on a sound bite</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span><span style="font-family:verdana;">". By this I assume that they are implying that my criticism of Don Tolman is based on me taking things out of context.<br /><br />Here are a few direct quotes from <a href="http://www.dontolmaninternational.com/portal/content/view/32/90/">Don's website</a>:<br /></span><br />A person who has had over 40 skin cancers already, so of course they should get more sun.<br /><blockquote>Q: “I have skin cancer on my nose. I already have scars from previous operations – over 40 from my neck up. So I don’t want another operation. Which are the best foods to eat and which are the best to avoid to support self-healing?”<br /><br />Don’s Answer: A raw food diet is the answer. Every night and every morning smear a layer of extra/extra virgin olive oil all over you especially your face neck and shoulders. Get 20-30 minutes of sunshine with no sun screen every day and watch it all heal. Apply onion juice or garlic juice to the sites of concern each day for 2 weeks the n switch to fresh lemon juice for 2 weeks.</blockquote><br />Yellow foods block electromagnetic fields. Seriously?<br /><blockquote>Q: “What is the effect of EMF radiation and mobile phones etc and how do we strengthen ourselves against its effect?”<br /><br />Don’s Answer: Always use ear phones whenever you can. Yellow foods block EMF radiation. Even yellow clothing assists in this. Technology is getting better and better in these areas so upgrade when ever you can.</blockquote><br />Yes, stay away from surgeons, fruit and vegetables will fix those leaky heart valves. In many <span style="font-family:verdana;">instances of congenital heart defects </span></span></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">diuretics are prescribed to help eliminate water and salt, so recommending more water and salt without knowing this persons individual details seems very responsible.</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span><blockquote>Q: “We have two children who were born with congenital heart disease and were told they would not survive without the 7 open heart operations they have had between them. What more can we do for their future good health? ”<br /><br />Don’s Answer: Stay away from surgeons. This sounds harsh, but if you had seen the things I’ve seen you’d understand. Fear is too much with us and I pam thankful that your children are still alive and with us. And for the skills the doctors displayed by all appearances you need to be thankful, but water, salt, vegetarian diets (or mostly so), walking, playing, jumping rope are the things to do now because life is movement. It can’t be stressed enough that health comes of a happy heart. Hug them, smile with them, play with them and feed them lots of red yellow and orange foods.</blockquote></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Clearly I was wrong to doubt Don's skills as a healer. I'm now going to go and paint my friends mobile phones yellow so they stop working.</span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-35240278623661513602008-08-26T08:00:00.005+09:302008-08-26T08:00:00.962+09:30On The Rhodes Again<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My parents recently received a copy of the David Rhodes chain letter in the mail. This is the second one they've gotten. It's the usual thing, send ten dollars to the first name on the list, then add your name to the bottom of the list and send copies to other people.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">To make it really enticing there is a five cent piece taped to the letter. Wow, five whole cents, this couldn't possibly be a scam, do you accept cheques?<br /><br />There are some distinct warning signs in the letter. It instructs you to not tell your friends or family about it, they won't understand, just trust your feelings and post off your money. Write a note saying that the ten dollars is a gift so that it's all nice and legal. Of course a scam is a scam no matter if you have a note from your mum or not. There is also some dodgy maths to show how much money you'll make.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />Like any pyramid or ponzi scheme it might make money for the instigator, maybe even for the second person on the list, but it will soon collapse. For everyone involved to make money, as the scam claims, there would need to be an infinite amount of new gullible people available to send letters to.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />The only foolproof way of making money from this scam is to go to the first address on the list and start stealing all their mail. Or put your ten dollars in the bank and earn some interest. You won't get fifty thousand in thirty days, but it's guaranteed.</span><br /></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-86169700570343062712008-08-25T08:00:00.005+09:302008-08-25T08:00:00.998+09:30Do I Make You Horny?<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">No, I didn't think so. Nor am I turned on by people killing Rhinoceros for their horn.<br /><br />I was shocked a few weeks ago to see a television show refer to the use of rhino horn in Chinese medicine as bogus. I'm not shocked to hear that it is bogus, just that it would be called such by a television network with a reputation for shilling quack health products. In fact I saw two new scamish looking devices on the same station this week that I hope to post about soon.<br /><br />Rhino horn is mostly keratin, the same as your fingernails. So a great market exists for someone to grind up their fingernails and start selling I Can't Believe It's Not Rhino on eBay.<br /><br />Rhino horn is used to treat fever. I could only find one study, on rats, that showed a positive effect. You'd think if it was such a good remedy for fever, so good that it's worth hunting and killing a rhino for, that there would be some better evidence by now. It can't be that hard. Bunch of people with a fever, divide them into three groups, aspirin, horn or placebo depending on group and tot up the results.<br /><br />Hopefully calling a scam a scam and a quack a quack will one day become the norm instead of the exception.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-26074373018315967892008-08-24T08:00:00.007+09:302008-08-24T08:00:00.101+09:30No Eye In Iridology<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Still on iridology from yesterday. I was reminded of a question I've asked, but never received an answer to, on a few iridology blogs and forums. The question: How can iridology and iris recognition technology both exist?</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />The two concepts are mutually exclusive. Iridology relies on the iris reflecting changes in the body. Iris recognition relies on the iris being stable in appearance.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />I can buy an iris recognition access control system from companies like LG or Panasonic. It will work. I could buy some iridology books and charts, stare into peoples eyes for fifty dollars a session and tell them lies. It won't work.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />If the iridologists were smart they'd redefine the scam. Claim that the iris doesn't change but that because of quantum all of a persons maladies are fixed in their iris during gestation. You have to keep your scam fresh or you'll never make the big bucks. It's not science if it doesn't have quantum.</span><br /></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-6273562435358522052008-08-23T08:00:00.005+09:302008-08-23T15:02:09.882+09:30Lensidology<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">It occurred to me today that iridologists are missing out on a new income stream. They could apply the techniques of iridology to cameras.<br /><br />A customer brings in a broken camera, the iridologist has a look at the lens and then diagnoses the fault. Bit cloudy in the NE quadrant, must be a flat battery. Smudge just below the centre, obviously a misaligned film take-up spool. White spots around the circumference, the camera has absorbed too many souls.<br /><br />Guaranteed to be just as effective as regular iridology, i.e. useless.<br /><br />This post, like <a href="http://retardis.blogspot.com/2008/08/drive-me-crazy.html">one a couple of days ago</a> was inspired by one of <a href="http://rockstarramblings.blogspot.com/2008/06/doggerel-155-cameras-are-magic.html">Bronze Dog's excellent Doggerel posts</a>.<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span> </span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-61579705624238711712008-08-22T08:00:00.002+09:302008-08-22T08:00:00.919+09:30Michael Shermer On Triple J<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dr Karl was joined yesterday in his regular Thursday slot on radio station Triple J by </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.michaelshermer.com/">Michael Shermer</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />As you would expect with the founder of The Skeptics Society on the show topics such as the recent Bigfoot find, the Moon landing hoax, and the World Trade Center conspiracy were brought up pretty quickly.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />Even though these topics have been around for a while there are still plenty of believers out there. For that reason it's always interesting to hear someone like Shermer talk about them, you never know what new arguments and points of logic you'll pick up. Every idea helps when debating and discussing hoaxes with believers, or more importantly with people who are undecided on such matters. They are usually far more receptive to a logical argument than a true believer who sees facts and science as part of the big cover up.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br />They covered plenty of other topics as well so have a listen if you get a chance. An </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/science/triplej/drkarl_20080821.mp3">MP3 of the show</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> is always available to download for a couple of weeks.<br /><br />Michael Shermer is in Australia at the moment for <a href="http://www.scienceweek.info.au/Pages/NationalTour.aspx">National Science Week</a>, go and see him speak if you have the opportunity.<br /></span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-88017309453193313552008-08-21T08:00:00.006+09:302008-08-21T21:51:02.073+09:30Drive Me Crazy<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I love Bronze Dog's series Doggerel. A </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://rockstarramblings.blogspot.com/2008/06/doggerel-155-cameras-are-magic.html">recent entry about cameras</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> mentioned a spray paint product that claims to obscure your car number plate from traffic cameras. It got me thinking about all the dodgy products, scams and myths targeted at motorists:</span><br /></span><ul style="font-family:verdana;"><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Paints and plastic covers to hide your number plate from traffic cameras.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Radar detectors and LASER jammers to avoid speeding fines.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Fuel pills and hydrogen systems to increase fuel economy.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Ultrasonic devices to scare away kangaroos.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Eating mints to beat breathalysers.</span><span style=""></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Opening cars with a mobile phone.</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Some of these products may work but do you really need a LASER jammer when the only possible reason for having one is so you can exceed the speed limit. Many drivers have an inflated sense of their own skills behind the wheel, couple that with a false sense of security provided by the belief that you can't be caught by the police and you have a fine combination for causing accidents.<br /><br />A fuel pill scam conducted by recently collapsed company Firepower took many hundreds of thousands of dollars from investors. Some of those conned were high profile professional sportsmen, hopefully they'll use their public position to raise awareness of such scams.<br /><br />I don't think there is anything special about cars or motorists that attracts scams. There are simply so many millions of them that frauds are bound to target the industry. So instead of buying that magic fuel saving police eluding magnet system for your car it would be wiser to just obey the road rules and be courteous to your fellow road users. Except the pricks on bikes of course.<br /></span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-62346064176219736622007-12-17T12:35:00.000+10:302007-12-17T12:35:21.623+10:30Over Unity Discovered Off Australian Coast<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">While perusing a box of scallops at work today I discovered clear evidence of over unity.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhNmQz5Ud-JVu-q5ZvZj1NYOVIs-BldckdXgFK1IaWF-nUqRA7r3uQctorEJuUDdt12z7vNePBbnNppiAsozI-VWZplYXRwSife654sf7lzNK8ur_z3gbcvqS5egG0o6IG43M/s1600-h/OU.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhNmQz5Ud-JVu-q5ZvZj1NYOVIs-BldckdXgFK1IaWF-nUqRA7r3uQctorEJuUDdt12z7vNePBbnNppiAsozI-VWZplYXRwSife654sf7lzNK8ur_z3gbcvqS5egG0o6IG43M/s400/OU.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140133132919571266" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">That's right, for every 100g of product there is 106g of sugars. So all we have to do if feed scallops to scallops and we'll be able to power the whole world. I'm sure it won't be long before the government and the evil seafood industry cover up this amazing discovery.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-8675454765665119452007-12-16T12:39:00.000+10:302007-12-16T12:39:27.727+10:30Was Jesus A Homeopath?<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Many of the activities reported in the bible, or The Bible, sound like fiction. Probably because they are. Homeopathy, however, perfectly explains many of these so called miracles.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Water into wine</span><br />If a modern homeopath can convince a believer that a bottle of water will cure <</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >insert any condition here</span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >>. Then, how hard can it be to convince a bunch of people, who have already bought into the story of you being the son of <strike>Santa Claus</strike> god, that what they are drinking is really wine and not water. Especially when they have already been hitting the wine all day long at a wedding.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Loaves and fishes</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Two fish, five loaves, five thousand people, not counting women and children. Sounds impossible right? Wrong. Any competent homeopath would simply succuss a 10C preparation and suddenly you've got plenty for everyone. Jesus could even knock up some wine to help wash it all down.<br /><br />I particularly like the way Jesus gathers a heap of people together; doesn't bother to organise catering; then sends his heavies out to steal a child's food. He then hands that food out and takes all the credit. What a prick.<br /></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-61306419942697311322007-11-30T03:41:00.000+10:302007-11-30T04:03:36.893+10:30A Succussfull Life: Nudity<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVW7Pn7wQ28RIMK8e0Fh_Ayt_cDMXxE5v_xV98eUB7Hk88PO7yYxTzV4nvuNqasNALGo15GEVOB2pyyJtyKCTm815d9AFl9oeeCrjKfjC-xT2d52TUhTrDY4M4X65gk-URs29/s1600-h/One.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVW7Pn7wQ28RIMK8e0Fh_Ayt_cDMXxE5v_xV98eUB7Hk88PO7yYxTzV4nvuNqasNALGo15GEVOB2pyyJtyKCTm815d9AFl9oeeCrjKfjC-xT2d52TUhTrDY4M4X65gk-URs29/s400/One.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138311872718539954" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Homeopathic</span> (<span style="font-style: italic;">adjective</span>): Something too small to function that true<br />believers claim is full of hidden power; if only you'd try it.</span><br /></div>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-35019424909018984122007-11-23T05:19:00.000+10:302007-12-18T01:15:49.409+10:30One Nation: The Voice Of The (stupid) People<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">I've been doing a bit of reading this week to familiarise myself with the policies of all the candidates I can vote for in the upcoming federal election. There are quite a few new organisations such as the </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://secular.org.au/index.php">Secular Party Of Australia</a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> so it's important to find out what everyone stands for and get those Senate preferences in order.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I was a little surprised by the quality of the </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.onenation.com.au/Policy%20document.htm">One Nation policy document</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. It was much lower than I had expected. It was also a lot funnier than I was expecting, check it out, it's comedy gold.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It starts off well by promoting the concept of citizens initiated referenda. That could be a good thing, let the people have more of a say and also keep them more engaged in the politics and running of the country.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Sadly, it's all down hill from there. Be warned, it may not be safe to read the full document without the protection of a tin foil hat and some crystals.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Here's a summary of some of One Nations views:</span><br /></span><ul style="font-family:verdana;"><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Peak Oil is a conspiracy, we'll never run out because it isn't made from ye olde forests after all, it's made from magma.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Everyone should have guns to defend themselves with.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Global warming is made up because biologists and dietitians are scientists too man and they don't agree with the climatologists. </span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Don't let any of those foreign folks in.</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">We don't need taxes we'll just take 1% from every bank withdrawal to run the country. Cueing a massive switch to a cash economy and triggering a huge collapse of the economy.</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">The other common themes across several parties were, porn = bad, guns = good. I'm not sure if the two concepts are related though.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">While I got a good laugh out of the One Nation policies I was also embarrassed that a party based on such paranoid gibberish can find people to support them. I'll be numbering all the boxes on my Senate ballot just so I can have the pleasure of putting One Nation dead fucking last.</span><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-43883750640430526902007-11-22T03:31:00.000+10:302007-11-29T02:59:41.131+10:30Who Needs An Ambulance When You Have Homeopathy?<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A while ago I posted about </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://retardis.blogspot.com/2006/08/homeopathic-emergency-kit.html">homeopathic first aid kits</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. I was, of course, taking the piss; so I was a bit surprised to see someone offering a </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.homeopathypure.com/courses_in_homeopathy.html">homeopathic first aid course</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to the public.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I suppose if you burnt yourself you could tip the water from the homeopathic potion bottles on yourself. Or if you encounter someone with hypoglycaemia you could feed them some of your handy sugar pills.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are many similar courses available claiming they can prepare you to deal with a wide range of emergency situations. Insect bites, allergic reactions, burns, whiplash, cuts and plenty of other maladies.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Homeopathy is based on the concept that 'like cures like'. Which means that these clever homeopaths must have little bottles of diluted knives and car crashes to treat cuts and whiplash with.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">The most disappointing discovery was that </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.goldcoast.tafe.qld.gov.au/search/course_finder/coursedetails.php?courseid=3143">TAFE colleges</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> are offering such courses. That's a great use of public funds. I wonder if you can do a course in entrail reading at the same time.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's bad enough that Homeopaths can freely bilk people with no legal reprisals without TAFE and, indirectly, the government endorsing and even promoting such ridiculous quackery.<br /><br />So the next time that peanut allergy sends you into anaphylactic shock, don't worry about the adrenalin, all you need is a bottle of magic water and you'll be up and about in no time.<br /></span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-87502597509444388352007-10-03T23:02:00.000+09:302007-10-04T02:11:37.893+09:30Manly Men Don't Want To Keep It Bottled Up<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Channel Ten News just had a story about the Manly council proposing a ban on bottled water. Apparently bottled water has a bigger 'carbon footprint' than tap water. I think this is a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">superb</span> idea and not in any way retarded. Next we should get rid of cars because they wear larger carbon shoes than bicycles and follow that up with the abolition of long pants in favour of more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">environmentally</span> friendly shorts and kilts.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Does the Ten Network show stories like this to try and discredit environmentalists? Instead of talking about science and facts they go for the 'oh look at what the crazy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">greenie</span> said this time' angle. Making it harder for scientists and environmentalists to get serious points across.<br /><br />Yesterday they had a story with Federal Minister for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Agri</span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">culture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">McGauran</span>. He was again stating how much he hates wind turbines. From this story I learnt that wind farms only produce about 8% of their capacity, are very noisy and nobody wants them built anywhere near them. I'm <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">surprised</span> he didn't pull out the one about them causing epilepsy.<br /><br />Combine that with his past claim that wind farms don't generate any measurable amounts of electricity and I'm starting to wonder if a windmill killed his pa</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">rents and he's harboured a deep resentment of them ever since. Or perhaps he actually believes these lies.<br /><br />Maybe he should stick to the sheep, fish and trees and leave everything else to the grownups.<br /><br />So, is it the fault of the media for showing these idiots without providing any facts to allow viewers to learn the truth of the matter. Or is it the fault of the idiots for being idiots and talking shit about things they know nothing about?<br /><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gp2o279kO8BZVBDC_cilvIICuve9b7BZB28SWuKetfmXQJ6_BSymBfOBj0h6Lgr-Ut_aTcbp8z8Lv4ZrDWJsjb_eijq7LechbVIwi1DPbZZPhdGVs-DVSRDyhHDDjatDrw-F/s1600-h/wind2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gp2o279kO8BZVBDC_cilvIICuve9b7BZB28SWuKetfmXQJ6_BSymBfOBj0h6Lgr-Ut_aTcbp8z8Lv4ZrDWJsjb_eijq7LechbVIwi1DPbZZPhdGVs-DVSRDyhHDDjatDrw-F/s320/wind2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117149818515639906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Look out <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">McGauran</span>, it's got a taste for blood and it's coming to get you.</span></span><br /></div>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-66394258026162456642007-06-27T00:48:00.000+09:302007-11-29T02:59:41.132+10:30ENAR II: Son Of ENARHere is the footage of the ENAR on A Current Affair:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5i9dJ7CYATs"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5i9dJ7CYATs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div><br />And another fine bit of shill work from Channel Nine:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4Ea5t0RwPmA"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4Ea5t0RwPmA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div><br />Here's some footage of the SCENAR healing a guys burns. The SCENAR is the ENARs big brother or retarded cousin, something like that. It's a pretty amazing device, not only did it heal the burns it also managed to replace a scar and a tattoo to the burned area.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8s0v8YL1ZBc"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8s0v8YL1ZBc" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /></div><br />To quote Kevin 'Bloody' Wilson: Wank, wank, money in the bank.Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-6143947582903002692007-06-22T13:36:00.000+09:302007-06-26T21:19:13.960+09:30Security Guard In Double Blind Study<div style="text-align: center;"><embed style="width: 400px; height: 326px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-4458429540632531354&hl=en-AU" flashvars=""></embed><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Right, dozens of LASERs but not one motion sensor? Do not use over the counter pain relievers as part of your home security system. If burglars persist, please see you doctor.</span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-33810494138084040052007-06-19T03:33:00.000+09:302007-11-29T02:59:41.134+10:30Beaten To The PunchJust in case last weeks <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ENAR</span> device wasn't <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">scamtastic</span> enough Channel Nine's program A Current Affair has followed up with some more gold standard quackery. This time it's a magic drink that will solve all your blood pressure woes.<br /><br />The product is called <a href="http://www.drred.com.au/new/">Dr Red</a> and is a cordial made from many ingredients including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roselle_%28Plant%29"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Rosselle</span></a>, a species of hibiscus. The usual claims were made regarding the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">existence</span> of supporting evidence and trials. The evidence is pretty thin though. After reading the information presented about the trials I was only able to conclude that this punch doesn't kill mice. Hardly a breakthrough.<br /><br />I assume that Channel Nine will push any product if given enough cash. It would certainly explain all the product placement and infomercial style of the segment. Or perhaps they just don't do too much research into their stories. Either way it is worrying that so much bunk is being broadcast.<br /><br />You can see the <a href="http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=273685">segment</a> on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ACA</span> website. My favourite part is a close shot of the bottle where we can read on the label:<br /><br /><blockquote>Antioxidant Enriched<br />Evidence Based<br />Rosella Concentrate</blockquote><br />Still, at just $53.00 for a 750<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ml</span> bottle it's a bargain. Regular cordial is only $3.00 but that has a fruit base which is easier to get in the bottle than an evidence base.<br /><br />Beverages are also available to aid your immune system and your prostate. It looks like this company has <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"></span>solved <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">mankind's</span> health <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">dilemmas single handed</span>. We should all thank the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">nutraceuticals</span> industry for allowing us to pay prescription prices for everyday grocery items.<br /><br />In contrast, as I'm writing this Channel Ten news is running a story about Chinese herbs. The segment is about a study being conducted to see if particular herbs lower blood sugar. Unlike A Current Affair they don't mention a brand name and vague unsupported claims to try and sell units. Maybe they could teach Channel Nine the difference between science and shite.<br /><br />Now I'm off to have a nice glass of evidence based milk.Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-17586890172978288442007-06-11T05:22:00.000+09:302007-06-11T05:23:47.627+09:30Smokes And Mirrors<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Yay for the government. I've never been able to understand why tobacco is treated differently to other recreational drugs. I'm not saying that everything should be legal but I do think that all drugs should be held to the same standards.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">My current tobacco induced confusion is as follows:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">In 2005 changes were made to the labels on packs of cigarettes to remove the amounts of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide contained in each cigarette. It was considered misleading because people would accosiate lower levels of those components with the cigarette being less harmful which, of course, they aren't. Descriptions such as 'light' and 'mild' are also no longer allowed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">It's annoying when customers come in and ask for Tarco 8s or Lungy Extreme Mild when these types of labels have been off the shelves for a long time. Just tell me the brand and the colour of the packet, okay dickhead. And no, I don't know what your wife smokes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The real confusion, however, was triggered by some information received from the government this week regarding new fines for breaches of tobacco laws. One in particular stood out.</span><br /><br /></span><blockquote style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">34—Information as to tar, nicotine etc content of cigarettes<br /> (1) A person who sells cigarettes by retail must, on demand by a customer who is considering purchasing cigarettes, provide the customer with information as to the quantity of tar and carbon monoxide that will be produced, and the quantity of nicotine that will be released, in the normal course of smoking each cigarette.<br />Expiation fee: $315. Maximum penalty: $5 000.<br /><br /> (2) The information must be provided in writing in a form approved by the Minister.<br />Expiation fee: $105. Maximum penalty: $750.</span></blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />Riiiiiiiight. So the labeling requirements are changed to remove this information from packs and it is now an offence to not provide this information to the customer. The Fuck?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Oh and it must be costly to collect all these new fines. Price of a tobacco licence last year was $12.90. This year $200.00, that's a 1450% increase. No wonder people think the government are cunts.</span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-77403703107925577042007-05-30T03:02:00.000+09:302007-11-29T02:59:41.138+10:30So ENAR Yet So Far<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Another nugget of gold from </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=269701">A Current Affair</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. This time they are promoting health fraud in the form of the </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.enar.com.au/index.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ENAR</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ENAR</span> is a small device that looks much like a remote control. The promoters claim that it can <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">relieve</span> pain.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Why do I think it is a scam? A few reasons, the first warning sign was the stated origin of the technology. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Scammers</span> often claim fantastic origins for their devices to make them sound more astounding. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ENAR</span> has its origins in the Russian space program. Apparently.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Second major warning sign came in the form of research. It's standard practise to claim that a university or noted scientist has proven the efficacy of a product when really it's all bullshit. In this case the research comes from </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20060917013912/http://www.pr.mq.edu.au/events/archive.asp?ItemID=1817"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Macquarie</span> University</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. Now, this part isn't bullshit, the study really does exist. Does it prove the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ENAR</span> works? No. The study was not double blinded and the grand total of subjects to be treated with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ENAR</span>? Nine. Yup, just nine people. Can you get statistically significant results with such a small group. Again, I'm going to say no.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Third warning sign? My grandmother had a device very similar to this given to her over ten years ago. Just like the perpetual motion machines this looks like an old scam that is being given a fresh coat of paint.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Maybe this device does work and is very effective. I don't really care if it works or not. What I do care about is television networks promoting health treatments when there is only the thinnest shimmer of evidence to support the very large claims and the very large $1400 price tag of these devices.</span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-32561875493249323172007-05-29T01:56:00.000+09:302007-05-31T22:53:00.620+09:30Is It Still Clever If You Alter Reality To Fit The Joke?<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oHGAqbMB8XI"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oHGAqbMB8XI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Microwaves count <span style="font-style: italic;">down</span>, fuckers.</span></span></div>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20655620.post-29425576759756532742007-05-28T18:57:00.000+09:302007-11-29T02:59:41.139+10:30The Secret<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Top work from Channel Nine. A Current Affair just had a story about a con man ripping people off under the cover of running seminars based on the abortion of intellect that is The Secret.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now that doesn't sound that bad until you realise that Channel Nine produced The Secret movie. So they help create the phenomenon and then they pick on the people who are using it to scam idiots. There is no other purpose for The Secret other than parting people from their money so I'm not sure why they are so suprised.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">For those of you who have no idea what The Secret is it is basically praying for money. Perfect for the shallow, trendy, entitled people and the idiots who feed on them.</span></span>Flithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743175208438807258noreply@blogger.com0