10 November 2010
Power Bracelet Quackery Spreads To Universities
Posted by Dan Satterfield
No blog post I’ve ever written has had more comment than the one about these so called “magic power bracelets” being sold on cable TV.
You know the ads- They promise this little bracelet will harness your bodies natural energy field and correct all kinds of problems. Issues like balance and the sudden urge to eat dog food among others. They don’t, however, seem to correct the urge to throw money away.
While skimming the blogosphere tonight, I see Phil Plait on Bad Astronomy has a post up about the University of Colorado Athletic Department. They are licensing their logo to be sold on these bracelets. That left me utterly dumbfounded.
Then I find this. It’s on a well known news site. These people are in college! You know, that place where you are supposed to pick up some knowledge!
Several MD’s have emailed me to say thank you for telling people about these hoax bracelets. Here is a link to a medical opinion about them.
Just to be clear, one more time.
This is QUACKERY.
iPower, iRenew, Power Balance they are all the same. They are lying to you. There is no such thing as an energy field around your body. If there was, this little piece of plastic wouldn’t control it.
My favourite quote is by Physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. It’s very apropos here: “The laws of physics are real, everything else is just politics.”
A note to my alma mater, The University of Oklahoma: If you start licensing this kind of quackery, you can save the stamp on that letter you send me each year asking for money.
For those of you about to write me and tell me that you bought one, and that it has actually curbed you urge to eat dog food, etc. Let me ask you to read this first.
Most people in science see this kind of thing and just shake their heads. We live in an age where science needs to stand up and not be afraid to call something like this out. With America 21st in the world in maths and 25th in science, it’s even more imperative.
I once ate one of these power bracelets in hope of improving my digestive system. Not only do I now process foods with no fiber, my “expulsions” actually come out as pure gold! No matter what I eat I poop out golden bars! Except for Frosted Flakes, they make me poo out silver dollars.
Placebos rule. Humans like magic and mysticism. I think you and I both know that when people want to believe something is true… no matter what evidence is presented to them… they will continue will hold firm to their belief.
Well said Sean!
Did you see this today — http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/02/08/133569580/homeopathic-medicine-overdosers-survive-unscathed?ps=sh_sthdl
I think the power braclets are nothing but a rip off.If any one has more money then they need send it to me because i can use it and it want be wasted.there are people like my self could use it to pay light,water,and heating gas with it .Dont understand how people can be so wasteful in a time like this.
Just had a glance at this article about magic power bracelet and I thought I must say about the power bracelets. I don’t know magic power bracelets work or does not work but I use Germanium magnetic bracelet and it really working. I had a severe back and neck pain due to sitting 10-12 hours/day in the chair before computer. But since I am wearing germanium bracelet and necklace, I relieved from the pain in around 45 days.