So-Called Psychic Sandra Marks Arrested......

Yes, I often make fun of people who fall for bogus treatments, psychics, astrology, and so on; however, that I will not do today. The indictment for Marks is charging her with 31 counts of wire fraud, two count of mail fraud and one count of money laundering.

How appropriate and ironic that her name is Marks.

mark....noun. A person identified as an easy target, or "sucker". A mark is always the short end of a joke or scam, and is never let in on what's going on. A mark is usually being cheated out of money. Definition from the urbandictionary.

Here is a quote from a recent article at newsplex.com. 

"According to the indictment, victims from several states wired Marks money, in some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars."

So, what does it take for someone to be conned and scammed by a so-called psychic? With or without the help of confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance, you'll have to believe:

There are people who can see into the past and future.
There are people who can detect curses.
There are people who can remove curses.
There are people who can cleanse your money (whatever that means).
There are people who can communicate with the dead.

These so-called psychics can be dangerous to your health, finances, and emotions. Take a look at "What's the harm," for examples.

How Not to Treat a Customer.... A Few Minutes at CVS and the Craphead Award Number Two.....

For about a year I've been using a lamp on my desk that has a chimney, like an oil lamp.

Because of the chimney, I could only use a small light bulb, a max of 60 watts.

A few months ago I took my small light bulb to CVS to see if I could find a higher wattage bulb that would fit. Anyway, I ended-up buying a 100 watt compact fluorescent bulb. As I best remember, it was guaranteed for seven years. It cost eight bucks. 

The bulb fit and I like the increased light. As I tossed the box and receipt I wondered if I'd regret it. I am unorganized. Figured even if I kept the box and receipt I'd never be able to find them. Also, I figured that if it worked for a couple of years, that would be fine.

So, yes, the bulb crapped-out last night. 

When I went to CVS today to get a replacement I figured I may well be in for a battle. I knew they would ask for a receipt. I have a CVS card and figured they could see my purchase by looking at my card. Also, would be insulted if they questioned whether I purchased it at their store.

The clerk of course called the manager. She was most likely in her 50s. I told her my story. 

You can't exchange it if you don't have the box. I'd have no way of sending it back. (Because there's not a box you can't send it back? Well, that doesn't make sense to me, but I didn't mention that.)

Well, that's fine, I'll give you the box from the new one. (BTW, she seemed put out and hostile when she came to the front of the store to talk to me.)

She looked at the clerk, said OK, and literally stormed off without eye contact or a word to me.

I briefly thought about tracking her down and telling her she shouldn't treat her customers as she treated me. But, I figured, what the heck. She surely wouldn't change her attitude...and, maybe she was just having a shitty day (though frankly, I think it was who she is.....).

Hey, maybe she could put on her resume that she earned my second Craphead Award!

Craphead Award Number One to Kathy Verrico, Executive Director of the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority, Boca Grande, Florida.......

Yesterday, in Chattanooga, TN, a Muslim terrorist murdered four Marines. I've been thinking about posting a comment, but what to say? Go on a rant about Muslims? Muslims suffer the same god virus that all religious people suffer-firmly held beliefs in the supernatural and what amounts to fairy tales. 

I guess my only comment would be that if a Muslim plans an act of terrorism she/he should be sentenced to life in prison. Why? Simple, if they are released they will be the same and nothing will have changed. They will still want to kill us. It would seem giving them a fifteen-year sentence would only delay their attacks.

Then I saw the article about Sam Samsonov, a 77-year-old  toll collector, who's worked for the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority for almost 30 years.  It seems he lost his job, fired, for an act of kindness in paying a toll for someone who he realized he'd changed too little. Obviously, there may be something that I'm not privy too, however, it seems he wasn't fired exactly, but told that he could only work two days a week. Read the article.

I guess I had what I'm calling an epiphany. Samsonov and I are almost the same age-I'll be 76 in a few weeks. I worked until I was 71 at which time I was forced out of my job. I can appreciate the importance of people working who want to work. It seems Samsonov's job, was more than just a job.

Anyway, I decided that the person who fired him, Kathy Verrico (she's the executive director, so I'm putting his firing on her) would be given my first S*ithead Award. In deference to my mom, I have toned it down to my first Craphead Award. My mom, who maybe said damn once or twice in her life always said, Profanity is the tender, if you will, of a bankrupt vocabulary.

EDIT: July 18, 2015. Sadly, a fifth person has died.

Yes, Let's Make the Bible Our State Book...... This Time it's Tennessee....

Not going to waste much time on this one. Here's the link to an article in the Guardian. Subsequently, the bill was sent back to committee. So, we'll all have to wait and

see. 

Amazing, and sadly, I think these politicians are so eat up with religion that they can't help themselves. They have the god virus for which there is no injectable antidote. The only things that can help are common sense, reason, logic, and the desire to seek out the truth using evidence and lack of evidence. 

Yes, 2015 and folks still believe in the supernatural. Amazing, and these are the folks who control our destiny by writing our laws.

EDIT: Here's a link to my comment about Mississippi. Yep, they want the Bible and Confederate flag.

This So-Called Doctor is Treating People. And, Yes, Homeopathy Again.....

Dr, Ben Goldacre, an English physician, I believe has a saying, mocking morons. Folks who have mystical thinking beliefs that are easily refuted by science but keep harboring them, seemingly can never be reasoned with. And, maybe they deserve to be made fun of, ridiculed, and mocked. Of course, that will rarely change their minds and their mystical and magical beliefs will continue on.

OK, here we have Doctor Charlene Werner. The state of Texas gave her a license, she's allowed to parade around in a white coat, and ostensibly treat people. However, I doubt if even in Texas the scope of practice for an optometrist would allow her to use homeopathy to treat folks for problems other than those related to the eye.

Here's a video with Dr. Charlene explaining homeopathy.     

Here's Dara O'Briain's take on homeopathy.  

Here's a link to her website.

Energy Healing.... Yes, Ain't Life Grand.....

OK, I'll readily admit as I'm pounding away on my keyboard I'm ticked off. Well, actually

more than ticked off. The reason isn't important.

Where to begin?

Seemingly, no one has cornered the market, if you will, on energy healing. however, all of the so-called modalities (Reiki Therapeutic Touch, Jin Shi Do, BodyTalk, Quantum this that and the other) or whatever you want to call them, do have a few things in common.

They all talk about universal life energy. Yes, there are various names for this, one is Chi,  pronounced chee.

And, how does this go?

Well, most of them talk about meridians. Though there may not be a consensus, most mention twelve and they run from head to foot.  Channels, if you will.

They all talk about blockages. Yes, in the channels. And, they all talk about how to unblock them. (BTW, this is the same bullshit that acupuncturists talk about.) After all, if the old universal life energy is jammed-up your health will be influenced, any maladies you have will be exacerbated, and other problems may pop-up.

There are no telling how many of these modalities out there; however, a few have a leg-up on the others as they offer distance or remote healing. If you thought healing while the person is in your presence is weird...how about healing from a remote location? Yep, they claim they can heal you regardless of where you are. Using Reiki for the moment, the practitioners  claim they can lay on hands or send remotely massive (my word) amounts of Reiki energy. I believe they use the word limitless. 

OK, so how does a Reiki session work? OK, I fess up...I've never pissed away any money on this stuff, however, the practitioner will check out your meridians and look for blockages. Using acupressure they put their fingers on you pressing down. I guess you could say they are trying to mimic acupuncture but instead of using needles they use their fingers. Then lay on hands to infuse you with Reiki energy.

OK, stepping back for a minute. What will someone have to believe to buy into this stuff...yes, this energy healing stuff?

There is an energy (universal life) that has never been demonstrated to exist. Additionally, this energy can be manipulated. This energy, when unblocked, can treat illnesses and maladies. There are channels that will not be found on any physiology charts.

Now, let's say we visit our Reiki Master (dang, and they aren't even embarrassed to refer to themselves in this way) and we don't feel better. What might the old Master say?

Gosh, you may need more treatments.

Sometimes it takes a while for the treatments to kick in.

Maybe you don't want the healing enough.

Maybe you have doubts about the treatment working.

Sometimes you may actually feel worse for a while.

They may also throw-in, this has been around for hundreds of years.

So, here's my summary, if you will. You're spending money and not only doesn't energy healing work, it can't work. Sadly, if you have a medical problem you are putting off seeking actual medical treatment. 

Now, keep in mind, the James Randi Educational Foundation has $1,000,000 waiting for the person who can show that this stuff works. Out of the thousands and thousands of these so-called energy healers out there, why hasn't someone taken Mr. Randi's million bucks? You tell me. The next time you go to your healer ask why they haven't picked-up a million dollars?

Now, sadly nurses, yes, real-honest-to gosh nurses (RNs and LPNs) use this stuff. No, thankfully, not all of them. There are 50,000 plus trained. Of course they have their own name, it's Therapeutic Touch.

This video is one of mine. It's about Therapeutic Touch. Please note, there are a few minutes of the video when it rolls. Hang in there with me, it will stop. Sorry.

Homeopathy, Yes, One More Time.....

Recently, I twice posted comments about homeopathy; however, there are two videos you need to watch. One might be considered humorous even though the humor is based on the uselessness of homeopathy. The other is a well-done investigative report by a Canadian TV journalist.

Listen up folks.... Most, if not almost all of us will find ourselves in a drug store or pharmacy looking for an-over-the-counter remedy. You've been warned. The next time you're shopping please take the time to read the box. If it says homeopathic, folks, you're being hosed.

You Must See This Movie! Dr. Strangelove: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

I watched this movie last night. I guess it was my 5th or 6th viewing. In many ways it

reminds me of one of my favorite books, Catch-22. If you haven't seen this movie you need to watch it. The plane featured in the movie is a 
B-52 which I first worked on about 1958 (yes, a few years ago-I repaired the radios, intercom system, and nav aids). The plane is still in service today.

I'm sure the movie is available many places, buy a copy, or for Amazon Prime members watch it free.

Interestingly, Peter Sellers played three roles. An amazing performance by him as well as all of the other actors.

Sadly, Sellers may have died sooner than necessary. What follows is from Whats The Harm's Website.

"A heart attack in 1964 had permanently damaged his heart. His doctors were advising bypass surgery, but he delayed it and instead saw psychic surgeons twice a year. He died of a massive heart attack."




The video is James Randi demonstrating so-called psychic surgery.