Anti-Science

The Q-Ray gets ionized!

What’s ahead for 2008 is coming soon, but first:

SUCK IT, frauds! In October 2007, the FTC sued the makers of the totally bunk Q-Ray bracelet, which was sold as a cure-all for just about anything. Presiding over the case was Honorable Frank Easterbrook. Now, I know it’s only January 4, but I think we have a serious contender here for Skeptic of the Year. Observe his statement, published yesterday:

Defendants might as well have said: ‘Beneficent creatures from the 17th Dimension use this bracelet as a beacon to locate people who need pain relief, and whisk them off to their homeworld every night to provide help in ways unknown to our science.’

Are you in love yet? I know I am. I wonder, if I send Judge Easterbrook a self-addressed stamped envelope, will he send me an 8×10 signed glossy of himself to hang over my bed? Click here to read the statement in full (PDF). Thanks to Bruce (and a bunch of other alert skeptics) for sending this in!

Rebecca Watson

Rebecca is a writer, speaker, YouTube personality, and unrepentant science nerd. In addition to founding and continuing to run Skepchick, she hosts Quiz-o-Tron, a monthly science-themed quiz show and podcast that pits comedians against nerds. There is an asteroid named in her honor. Twitter @rebeccawatson Mastodon mstdn.social/@rebeccawatson Instagram @actuallyrebeccawatson TikTok @actuallyrebeccawatson YouTube @rebeccawatson BlueSky @rebeccawatson.bsky.social

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9 Comments

  1. "I wonder, if I send Judge Easterbrook a self-addressed stamped envelope, will he send me an 8×10 signed glossy of himself to hang over my bed?"

    Possibly. But seriously, with James Randi, Michael Shermer and Phil Plait already up there isn't it possible that you're going to intimidate visitors to your bedroom?

    My wife made me take down my Carl Sagan poster that said, "There are billions and billions of sperm in every ejaculation."

  2. Wow,

    Some good news at last. (I'm pulling for Hillary and I did not have a good night).

    Maybe those damn,( poorly done by the way), commercials will go off the air now!

    One can only hope,

    rod

    Than again, maybe all those idiots who swear that it "works for me" will file a counter suit because they can no longer get their "treatment".

    I can see Ann Coulter, on the O'Reilly Factor, screaming about "activist judges" withholding "medicine" from those in need.

    Live on FOX at six…

    One can only hope, not.

  3. I don't want to be a downer but…

    Won't they just start a new company, call the bracelet something else and start all over again?

  4. Okay, this is my favourite quote, regarding "Proof by testimonials": 'That’s why the “testimonial” of someone who keeps elephants off the streets of a large city by snapping his fingers is the basis of a joke rather than proof of cause and effect.'

  5. Actually this is a 7th Circuit judge upholding an earlier ruling. And contained in that ruling is a fine of $16,000,000 the estimated profits of the company during the period that they were making the most spurious claims.

    In the decision the judge roundly turned down both their contention as to why their bracelet isn't a piece of crap, and as to why the shouldn't have to pay $16 million in fines.

    While they can still sell their bracelet they are barred from making any claims like the ones that brought on action in the first place.

    AND even better is the finding by the judge that the owner of the company can be held to task for the actions of his company in marketing this crap. Just maybe if crap artists can't hide behind the employees they hire someone will be a little less likely to sell this crap.

    After such bad news in Texas this last month fighting the second coming of the dark age, this kind of news makes me happy.

  6. Yeah, but they're from the 16th dimension, not the 17th. And they don't cure pain, they clip toenails (an insatiable appetite Ive been told) AND I've got the only beacon ;-P

  7. @Rodney…You are pulling for Hillary?!? I hope that you have a very large income so that you can satisfy her need to fund everything through the government from you and me. Her mantra is 'From each according to his ability to each according to his need as assessed by me.(Hillary)"

    I don't know which is worse, a Huckabee theocracy or a Clinton ultra socialism. I sincerely hope for something in between. Anything…

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