Wherever you look, you are guaranteed sight of an ad for a weight loss product or service. It can be a careful pitch from a local aerobics class or an over-the-top claim for a “natural” product that you can eat as much as you like and still lose weight. This evidences a sad truth. As millions of us grow steadily more overweight, there are thousands of companies and tens of thousands of products and services that target us. The intention is to exploit our fears and insecurities, and so extract the maximum amount of dollars from us. This business is worth billions every year and, truth be told, the first thing that gets lost in the marketing is the truth. Although the FDA has a specific department tasked with policing the advertizing of all weight-loss products, it has been consistently underfunded and is completely unable to stay on top of the flood of ads that compete for our attention. Similarly, the majority of states have “false claims” laws that allow action to be taken against any seller or service provider exaggerating the quality, effectiveness or value of their product or service. But states are often reluctant to interfere in the “free market” and leave it to individuals to claim they have been cheated by the companies.
As an example of the problems affecting all of us, let’s look at the activities of Basic Research and ThinCare International. These two linked companies are based in Utah but sell online to all US states. Their sales pitch is simple. If you take two pills before your main meal, you will lose weight no matter how much you eat. Better still, this is effortless weight loss and guaranteed even though you never stir from the couch. Instead of the conventional wisdom, “No pain, no gain!” (or should that be loss?), there’s no need to exercise. The pounds just drop off your body thanks to the chemical wizardry of these companies. What has made this ad campaign so successful has been the presence of Jillian Michaels as brand ambassador. Ms Michaels appears on the reality show, “The Biggest Loser”, as a personal trainer to the contestants as they sweat and groan their way towards cash and other prizes for losing weight. In this role, her reputation depends on a clear and consistent message. If you want to lose weight, you have to be disciplined in exercising and eating healthy food. For her to endorse an “effortless” product therefore looks less than completely honest.
It is significant that the two companies and the FDA are already engaged in court battles. The companies allege the FDA is wrong in rejecting their “scientific” evidence of effectiveness. To that litigation, you can now add false claims actions in California and Utah. Of course, you can take the cynical line that everyone knows ads always exaggerate the truth. Anyone who buys a product based on the marketing deserves to lose his or her money. Except there comes a point when the law has to step in and say, “Enough!” It seems this point has been reached with these products. It will be for Ms Michaels to defend her reputation. All of which bring us to phentermine hcl which has quietly been selling for decades as the best of the real drugs designed to support weight loss. It makes no exaggerated claims. Its effectiveness is supported by real scientific evidence. When you buy phentermine online, you are buying a successful product. Honest!
Ad Campaign, Advertizing, Aerobics Class, Bran, Chemical Wizardry, Conventional Wisdom, Effortless Weight Loss, Evidences, Fda, Flood, Insecurities, Jillian Michaels, Linked Companies, Phentermine, Pills, Sad Truth, Sales Pitch, Service Provider, Specific Department, Worth Billions
ArticlesJanuary 26th, 2010
When I was growing up, my parents and other adults took up the challenge of trying to educate me in the ways of sex. It was dangerous work, but someone had to do it. One of the first pieces of advice that stuck concerned the activity of masturbation. Although no-one would give me a demonstration of what this thing was, I was led to understand that too much of it and I would go blind. Naturally, being of a stubborn disposition, I decided to keep the activity going, hoping I was only risking one eye. This is a classic use of fear and guilt to encourage people to modify their behavior. It came alongside a similar warning that watching too much television was also bad for my eyesight. Apparently, the cathode ray tube gave off radiation that would rot the lenses and turn my retinas to jelly. Or was it that my retinas were a kind of jelly and, as with a microwave, they would be cooked and stop admitting light. The details are hazy but the message was clear. The combination of television and sex were bad for the eyesight.
Coming forward to the new century and the FDA began to receive reports through the post-marketing monitoring program that some men were experiencing problems with their eyesight when using the little blue pills. Because they were blue pills, the men claimed their vision was tinged with blue and sometimes blurry. Actually, I made that up. The men made no such claim but their vision was tinged with blue. The reason was that PDE6 changes the way the retina works and the little blue pills are designed to affect PDE5 which is in the penis. Unfortunately, the pill is not always specific, what with sex and eyes being so closely connected.
At first, this was not thought to be a serious problem but it became so when one or two men reported actual vision loss. In a billion dollar US market, the notion that men may go blind is dangerous to future sales, so an immediate new clinical trial was ordered. Well, men can relax again (except after taking the pill, of course). This October has seen the publication of the report from a six month trial. In a double-blind, randomized trial, two-thirds of the participants took the real drug and one-third took a placebo. At the end of six months, there was no measurable difference in the eyesight of the participants in both groups. Allowing for natural ageing, their eyesight was unchanged from start to finish.
It’s a little ironic after all these years to see real panic at the notion that too much sex using viagra will make you go blind. My parents would have appreciated the temporary support to their own threats relating to masturbation. Although I do admit to having to wear spectacles these days, I am no different from the millions of older men. We Boomers wear our fading eyesight with pride. Despite all the sex over the years, we have managed to make it this far with only minor short-sightedness. With a little help from viagra when our muscles tire, we can expect to enjoy many more years of sex (or, at least, we can all risk one eye with that aim in mind).
Cathode Ray Tube, Clinical Trial, Dangerous Work, Demonstration, Eyesight, Fda, Future Sales, Guilt, Little Blue Pills, Masturbation, Microwave, Monitoring Program, New Century, Notion, Radiation, Retina, Retinas, Two Men, Vision Loss, Ways Of Sex
The preparation of specialty cakes draws the attention of many people around the world. People are now eager to make cakes with excellent and innovative designs. There are many specialty cake making schools that let you go through the basics. The introduction of specialty cake pans has revolutionized the industry. With a wide range of shapes and size, people need to buy it for the preparation of cakes. The size of it varies from miniature to extra large and of different materials.
To Be Innovative: In the past, people knew only about classic, round-shaped pans. Now, there are many innovative designs available that let you make excellent cakes of your choice. There are special pans for kids with complex and intricate designs. The design of the pan is the feature that gives a particular shape to the cake. So it is very important for you to buy a pan that suits you. In fact, you may need to buy more than one to make a variety of designs.
To Be Attractive: The cakes that are made of specialty cake pans are very attractive. Moreover, it increases the scope of decoration. If you intend to be a professional, or if you want to show your talents to others, then it is mandatory for you to buy specialty cake pans that suit you.
To Preserve Shape: A great feature of the specialty pans is that it is bendable. So the cakes can be easily removed from the pan. It preserves the shape of the cake and gives originality to the cake.
To Make Cleaning Easy: Many of the cake pans are made of silicon. So it is easy for you clean. Moreover, it withstands high temperature. The cakes that you prepare will be in good shape and will be presentable to others.
To Conform To Standards: Some of the quality cake pans are approved by FDA, as they do not transfer particles to food. This feature of the pan is very important.
You should go for specialty cake plans if you are a businessman or if you are an individual who loves to make cakes at home. Opting for specialty pans gives you a lot of choice. The options will be wide open to you and you can make the best out of your own resources. Why should you wait, go for the best!
Businessman, Cake Pans, Decoration, Different Materials, Fda, Good Shape, High Temperature, Innovative Designs, Intricate Designs, Originality, Particles, Quality Cake, Scope, Shape Cake, Shapes, Silicon, Specialty Cakes, Suits, Talents