Harmless placebos are lawful, but 'Homeopathy' remains a deception

 Shyam 

Like 'Santa Claus', 'homeopathy' can be either a benign or (if it is in the hands of persons with hidden criminal objectives) an exploitative deception, but it remains a deception. Once this is understood, a purely-objective study of 'homeopthy', takes your free-thinking readers into a particularly difficult area, for, self-evidently, not all deceptions are unlawful.

Today, conventional medicine accepts that many illnesses are psychosomatic (i.e. they are caused, or aggravated, by mental conflict, stress, etc.). Qualified, conventional, medical practitioners, themselves, are, therefore, permitted to give harmless placebos (including 'homeopathic remedies') to their patients, due to the genuinely beneficial psychological, and resulting physical, effects that this 'white lie' can bring to certain people. The regulation and prevalence of 'homeopathy' varies-reality from country to country. As far as I am aware, there are no specific laws anywhere in the world, either prohibiting 'homeopathy' as a fraud or identifying its legitimate use as a harmless placebo. In some countries, licenses or degrees in conventional medicine from accredited universities are required. In various countries, 'homeopathic treatment' is wholly or partly refunded by national insurance schemes. In other countries, it is fully integrated into national health-care programs. However, since legislators have invariably ignored 'homeopathy', strict laws which govern the regulation, development and testing of conventional drugs often do not apply to 'homeopathic remedies.' That said, if there is no independent regulation of 'homeopathy,' nor any effective means of enforcing existing regulation, then the deception can easily be perverted and used by charlatans to exploit vulnerable people. Indeed, there are many parallels between the always-unlawful 'MLM income opportunity' deception and the often-unlawful 'homeopathy' deception.  In the past, I have described criminogenic organizations like 'Amway' as 'peddling an economic placebo' dissimulated as a harmless scientifically-proven cure for poverty. All active 'MLM' participants have lost their time and money, but they have mostly survived their brief encounter with the 'MLM' deception. However, just as with the exploitative version of the 'homeopathy' deception, if vulnerable people start to accept the 'MLM' lie as total reality (and persist to a level of delusion), eventually, they risk destitution and destruction.

To its many satisfied adherents, 'Homeopathy' (also spelt 'homoeopathy' or 'homœopathy'), is a proven, alternative medical science.To free-thinking observers, it is an absurd, latter-day revival of an absurd, 19th century pseudo-science based on an assemblage of absurd, ancient, non-rational or superstitious beliefs. 

Like their 19th century counterparts, today's 'homeopathy'  practitioners point to their many satisfied customers and confidently claim to be able to treat patients using massively-diluted preparations. These preparations are supposed to cause healthy people to exhibit symptoms similar to those exhibited by the unhealthy people they are supposed to treat. However, the overwhelming bulk of quantifiable evidence proves 'homeopathy' to be no more and no less effective than any other harmless placebo.

'Homeopathy' is supposedly based on what is known as the 'law of similars' -  a term coined by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, in 1796. However for many centuries, prior to this, it had been a widely-held superstition that anything resembling a particular part of the human body could be used to treat illnesses, or failings, of the same body part. (e.g. walnuts look like the human brain, so it was once thought that walnuts and walnut oil are good for ailments of the brain - confusion, memory loss, headaches, etc.). 

In reality, so-called 'homeopathic remedies' are prepared by progressive dilution in water (involving shaking and striking), of animal, vegetable or mineral substances. These substances are arbitrarily chosen according to the so-called 'law of similars.' Practitioners describe the dilution process as 'succussion and potentization.' This typically complex, ritual, hocus-pocus (involving thought-stopping jargon and the contemplation of infinity) is claimed 'to increase effectiveness.'  However, dilution can continue until no trace of the original substance remains.  Apart from the symptoms, so-called 'homeopaths' examine their 'patients'' physical and psychological state,  then 'homeopathic' publications known as 'repertories' are consulted, and a 'remedy' is chosen. Common-sense reveals that, at very high-rates of dilution, so-called 'homeopathic remedies' contain few, or no, pharmacologically active molecules. Thus, 'homeopaths' are, in fact, peddling water which, for it to have any pharmacological effect, would violate the fundamental laws of science. Consequently, certain so-called 'homeopaths' have lately-pretended that 'water has a memory' allowing homeopathic preparations to work without any of the original pharmacological substance remaining. Unfortunately, there is neither quantifiable evidence nor any plausible physical mechanisms by which such a convenient phenomenon can be proved. 

The total absence of quantifiable evidence to support what 'homeopaths' steadfastly pretend to be reality, and particularly their peddling of water as a remedy,  is what has led qualified observers to describe certain  'homeopaths' as charlatans and quacks, exploiting vulnerable persons with a cruel deception. Oral 'homeopathic remedies' are safe at the high dilutions (for the simple reason they are likely not to contain any active substance), but they may be unsafe at lower dilutions. Whilst a delusional, unquestioning faith in the power of 'homeopathy' can expose vulnerable persons to significant risks; particularly, if they are advised against vaccinations, anti-malarial drugs and antibiotics.

 'homeopathy' became widespread in the 19th century, particularly in the USA. Dr. John Franklin Gray (1804–1882) was the first American 'homeopathic' practitioner, in New York City. The first 'homeopathic school' opened in 1830. During the 19th century, many 'homeopathic' institutions were begun in Europe and America.  By 1900, there were 22 'homeopathic colleges' and 15,000 practitioners in the USA. In the past, many conventional medical treatments were useless and dangerous quackery, whereas harmless 'homeopathic' placebos often had better results. It has been suggested that the relative success of 'homeopathy' as a placebo in the 19th century was one of the factors that led to the disappearance of the useless and harmful quackery of 'bleeding and purging. ' 

As conventional medical science advanced, in leaps and bounds 'homeopathy' was generally derided by mainstream scientists and rejected by the public. Like all fashions, its popularity soon waned. By 1920, the few remaining schools in the USA exclusively teaching 'homeopathy' had closed. Sadly, the US federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 was sponsored by a New York Senator and 'homeopathic' doctor, Royal Copeland. This legislation, foolishly recognized 'homeopathic remedies' as drugs. Even then, by the 1950s, there were only 75 homeopaths practising in the USA.  By  late 1970s alternative medicine had become fashionable again, and 'homeopathy' reappeared in America and Europe, where sales of some 'homeopathic' companies multiplied. The medical profession then started to adopt 'homeopathic remedies' in the 1990s.

Today, all over the world, the owners, and/or corporate officers of pharmacy chains have recognized the massive potential for profit, and they have begun selling vast quantities of harmless placebos branded as 'homeopathic remedies.'

David Brear (copyright 2012)

Homeo Care racketeers on the prowl

Recently, after the British Parliamentary Committee recommended discontinuation of State funding to the Homeopathy stream of medicine as it is unscientific and has no rational base, there was furore in many countries. In India it caused real commotion as Homeopathy medicine is widespread all over country with tall claims it cures all diseases without any side effects.

The British Parliamentary Committee stated that Homeopathy medicine has only placebo effect and there is no medicine in it.

Suddenly there are statements from a number of persons who claim that they had been using Homeopathy for the last several years and they got great relief from a number of ailments. They started narrating how the other streams of medicine miserably failed and when they have taken to Homeopathy, the ailments were cured.

After listening to all these statements, generally people are confused about the whole issue. Whenever a new ailment like bird flu, Japanese encephalitis, and others the practitioners of Homeopathy immediately claim that they are ready to administer the doses of homeo medicine to prevent the ailment. It is apt to note that it is a new ailment and there is a need to know the cause of the disease. Any discerning person easily understands that it is a hoax.

It is apt to recall that former director of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, Mr P M Bhargava has challenged the homeopathy practitioners to prove exactly what type of medicine is there in these sugar pills. Nobody answered him.

THE MAJOR RACKET:

Nowadays, the homeopathy medicine has become a racketeering activity in India. I am not sure about other countries. The other day a person approached us stating that he was cheated by Homeo Care International, Vijayawada. He said that when he approached Homeo Care International clinic for curing his ailment, he was told that they give medicine for the ailment for six months and it would cost him Rs. 9,000. Though he was immediately stuck by the business model as if it is a contract, he obliged and paid the amount. But the symptoms only aggravated after using the medicine. He immediately rushed to the clinic with the complaint. But he was told to pay some more money for further treatment. Aggrieved, he approached Corporate Frauds Watch.

The patient issued a legal notice to the clinic. The management instead of answering to the legal notice or offering further treatment, wanted to strike a deal to prevent the patient to go ahead with consumer case. They offered Rs. 40,000 to settle the issue.

This is only a tip of the iceberg. The homeopathy racket is widespread.

Corporate Frauds Watch appeals to people all over world not to fall prey to the racketeering activity of homeo practitioners. 

Neither Newt Gingrich nor Mitt Romney is fit to serve as US President

Shyam

Your free-thinking readers might be interested to learn that, in response to my recent posts, a  timid, conservative, mainstream journalist has defended her profession by claiming that (privately) lots of her conservative, colleagues would be in broad-agreement with my analysis of Messrs. Gingrich and Romney (as being too stupid, and/or corrupt, to be US President).  However, she then goes on to say that even liberal, mainstream editors cannot afford to publish, or broadcast, similar accusations, because they would be hit with costly defamation suits.

If what this correspondent claims, is true: then, numerous mainstream journalists and their editors (of all political persuasions) are currently too scared to inform the world that the two front-runners for nomination as the Republican party candidate for the US presidential election of 2012 , Newt Gingrich  and Mitt Romney, are both unfit to hold office. Apparently, a silent flock of mainstream hacks accept that this greedy pair have been bought  by 'MLM' racketeers (posing as pious patriots and philanthropic capitalists).  However, I personally would like to know where exactly any alleged 'defamation' might be found, when it is a matter of public record that the billionaire bosses of the 'Amway' and 'NuSkin'  frauds, have paid Messrs. Gingrich and Romney fortunes to make propaganda-recordings in which they have given credibility to, and/or enthusiastically-endorsed, the essentially-identical totalitarian/criminal enterprise. Thus, making Messrs. Gingrich and Romney de facto traitors to the American Republic and the recipients of stolen money.  

According to the 'Bible,' two thousand years ago, the going-rate for this shameful activity was '30 pieces of silver.' Today , in Mr. Gingrich's case, the standard reward has risen to $60 thousands per act of betrayal; whilst Mr. Romney admits to receiving approximately $400 thousands in what he describes as 'speaking-fees' during 2010.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/mitt-romney-not-much-definition-speaking-fees_n_1210522.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/29/newt-gingrich-lobbyist-speaking-fees_n_1119431.html 

Self-evidently, America is a land that has become so morally-bankrupt that any celebrity-Judas can sell his/her soul to the highest bidding Devil in disguise, simply by arbitrarily defining this intellectual prostitution as 'lobbying'.  In plain English,'lobbying' often means the bribing of law-makers in order to subvert the democratic process and rule of law.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMMppBhOLXA 

Laughably, Mr. Gingrich boasts that he didn't need to become a 'lobbyist' after he retired from Congress, since he was paid so handsomely to make speeches. However, Mr. Gingrich is merely playing with words, because it's a matter of public record that he did become a paid-adviser to other persons who described themselves as 'lobbyists,'  but who were actually attempting to subvert the democratic process and rule of law on behalf of the banksters behind the multi-billion dollar 'liar-loan' fraud known as  'Freddie Mac.' 

Apparently, Mr. Gingrich indirectly received $1.6 millions from the 'Freddie Mac 'banksters between 1999 and 2008. In return, he gave these shysters what was euphemistically-described as 'strategic advice.' 

Self-evidently, Mr. Gingrich and his ilk, have made a habit of betraying their fellow citizens for a pile of silver.

David Brear (copyright 2012)

Newt Gingrich has also been the de facto agent of 'MLM' racketeers.

Shyam

Your free thinking readers should be alarmed to discover that Newt Gingrich  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16669714  has become the new front-runner to become the Republican party's candidate for the US presidency in 2012. 

Unfortunately, Newt Gingrich is another stupid, and/or lazy, and/or corrupt, US politician who steadfastly pretends moral and intellectual authority, but who has sold his soul for a few pieces of silver (stolen by 'MLM' racketeers).

Life-long conservative, and courageous 'Amway' whistle-blower, Eric Scheibeler, actually met Mr. Gingrich at 'Amway' mass-rallies where he had been a paid, key-note speaker. At one of these profitable-orgies of deluded 'MLM' self-gratification, Mr. Gingrich (in return for a reported $50 000) proclaimed that

'Nothing would do more to help the people who used to live in the Soviet empire achieve prosperity, to achieve freedom, to achieve opportunity than to have sixty or seventy thousand Amway folks go over there and start recruiting.'

Click On MP3 Icon To Hear Newt Gingrich Proclaim Amway As Russia's Economic Savior

This absurd, but nonetheless shameful, recording proves that Newt Gingrich has betrayed the American Republic by enthusiastically participating in a serious fraud that has secretly stolen, and continues to steal, from tens of millions of his fellow citizens and those of America's allies.

Self-evidently, Mr. Gingrich's scripted-propaganda broadcasts on behalf of the billionaire bosses of the 'Amway' mob were part of an overall pattern of ongoing, major, racketeering activity (as defined by the US federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 1970).

As I have previously stated, if Newt Gingrich truly believes that the so-called 'Amway MLM income opportunity' is genuine, and I have no reason to doubt that he does not, then he is probably far too stupid to be held fully to account for his crimes.

However, how is it possible that the mainstream media has failed to report these stomach-churning matters and has, instead, allowed such a greedy numb-skull as Newt Gingrich, to become a serious contender for the White House?

David Brear (Copyright 2012)

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. '

Shyam,

A particularly foolish Indian 'Amway' addict has left a comment on Corporate Frauds Watch under the name of 'Vikky1979.' 
This brainwashed commentator says:

'You can make fool to some of people for some time. But you can't make fool a lot of people for long time. Amway is running since 1959 in more than 90 countries. Also you are not having correct information how it works. Remember Direct Selling is future.

For 'Vikky1979's' information, the exact quote is:

'You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. '

Another interesting quote which might kick-start 'Vikky1979's' critical faculties, is:

'If you tell a big enough lie and keep repeating it, eventually people will accept it as the truth.'

From 1959 until the early 1970s, the big 'Amway' ('direct selling/MLM income opportunity') lie only existed in North America. 'Amway' was first challenged as a dissimulated fraud by US trade regulators during the 1970s. At this time, the big'Amway' lie began to spread around the world to countries where it wasn't yet being challenged. 

It is a matter of public record that, between 1973 and 2006, the big 'Amway'lie fooled around one million people in Britain. At one time, in the 1980s, the organization claimed approximately 100 thousands British 'Independent Business Owners,'  but declared an annual drop-out rate of more than 50%. By 2007, when the UK government finally took civil regulatory action against 'Amway UK Ltd.,' the organization claimed only around 35 thousands British followers, but still with an annual drop-out rate of more than 50%. Today, 'Amway UK Ltd.' claims just a few thousands British followers, who can no longer be falsely described as 'Independent Business Owners.'

There is absolutely no quantifiable evidence (in the form of audited accounts) which proves that any of the persons who signed contracts with 'Amway UK ltd.'between 1973 and 2006, received one penny of overall net-income as a result of regularly retailing 'Amway' wampum to the public for a profit. The actual failure/drop-out rate in the so-called 'Amway MLM income opportunity' in the UK was effectively 100%, because it was a dissimualted closed-market swindle and related advance fee fraud. This means that, since this vital information was deliberately withheld from the UK public, the so-called 'Amway MLM income opportunity' was fundamentally fraudulent in Britain during 34 years. However, in 2008, a UK High Court refused to close 'Amway UK Ltd.' when the organization's shyster-lawyers managed to fool him into believing that the 34 year old 'direct selling scheme,' which hadn't directly sold anything (except a fake income opportunity), had been completely reformed in Britain.

Perhaps 'Vikky1979' would like to explain to the free-thinking readers of CFW why it is that the US Internal Revenue Service does not consider 'Amway' participation to be a viable business activity from which it is possible to make a net-profit. No doubt this brainwashed fool will maintain that US tax officials also do not have correct information about how 'Amway' works.

In the adult world of quantifiable reality, US tax officials have access to the evidence proving that, during the previous 50+ years, effectively no one has ever declared an overall net-income as a result of regularly retailing 'Amway' wampum to the public for a profit. On the contray, countless American 'Amway' addicts have fraudulently tried to deduct their substantial 'Amway' costs from their income tax declarations by falsely describing them as 'legitmate business expenses.'  The US Internal Revenue Service has taken the extraordinary measure of issuing a document to its officials which instructs them to disallow all false 'business expense' claims from 'Amway' addicts. 

Tellingly, the US Internal Revenue Service classifies 'Amway' participation as being an expensive social activity (akin to attending a pay-to-enter Church or practising a pay to play sport).

David Brear (copyright 2012)

The 'Amway' Lord Haw Haw exhibits the Diagnostic Criteria of Amway (MLM) Addiction Disorder

The unmasked 'Amway' Lord Haw Haw, Mr. David Steadson, is so preoccupied with'Amway/MLM' that, for the last several years he has spent almost 24 hour per day, 7 days per week, defending it.

In literally thousands of tightly-scripted, propaganda interventions on the Net, and ignoring all quantifiable evidence to the contrary, Mr. Steadson has foolishly broadcast to the world his apparent complete faith that Amway (MLM) is not a dissimulated fraud, and/or cult, and that it really is a viable 'income opportunity,' but he has never once produced any quantifiable evidence (in the form of audited accounts) to support this demonstrably-deluded model of reality. 

Although  Mr. Steadson, knows he's been banned from Corporate Frauds Watch, our posting of the Diagnostic Criteria of Amway (MLM) Addiction Disorder have obliged him to post a typically-provocative, reality-inverting comment, in which he steadfastly pretends moral and intellectual authority. However, the arrogant 'Amway' Lord Haw Haw seems to have blown a fuse. He first accuses me of 'ranting' (i.e empty talk), but then makes the following empty boast: 

'Happy New Year! Or maybe not so happy for you, as Amway breaks through $10 million in sales, and even the UK grows strongly!'

It is always interesting to note Mr. Steadson's manipulative use of the English language, but on this occasion he has made the child-like mistake of putting millions: instead of the usual billions. 

In reality, the  academically-qualified, law-abiding, unpaid 'IBOFB' character, is merely a sophistic front for the unqualified, law-breaking, billionaire bosses of the 'Amway' mob. These narcissistic charlatans have very-specifically never actually said that their company retails anything to the public for a profit; what they have very-specifically said is that their company 'sells' $billions of products, and services, annually, via networks comprising millions of self-employed, non-salaried commission agents. However, there is no quantifiable evidence (in the form of audited accounts) proving that any of these transitory, so-called 'business owners' have themselves regularly retailed significant quantities of their own 'Amway' purchases directly to the public for a profit. Furthermore, the US Internal Revenue Service, does not classify 'Amway' participation as a viable commercial activity from which it is possible to earn an overall income. The quantifiable evidence, + common sense, proves beyond all reasonable doubt, that  the so-called 'Amway MLM income opportunity' has always been a dissimulated closed-market swindle, in which regular losing-investments made by the poor victims to the wealthy perpetrators (on the pretext that they can earn an overall income) have been laundered simply by calling these illegal payments, 'sales,' and by giving the victims cheaply-procured, grossly-over-priced and, therefore, effectively-unsaleable wampum, in return. Apart from an insignificant minority of grinning schills (whose apparent wealth has secretly derived from a secondary advance fee fraud a.k.a. 'tool scam'), during the previous 50+years, the so-called 'Amway MLM income opportunity' has, in fact, been hiding a 100%, overall, drop-out/failure rate.

Given the above, irrefutable analysis, Mr. Steadson's latest, tightly-scripted, propaganda intervention on CFW, in which he yet again attempts to futher the clandestine criminal objectives of his masters, is revealed as being part of an overall pattern of ongoing, major, racketeering activity (as defined by the US federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 1970).

David Brear (copyright 2012)

Mitt Romney's dream/goal of becoming US President, has blinded him to the ugly racket lurking behind 'NuSkin'

Shyam 

You free-thinking readers should be interested to learn that the following, typically, loaded-question has been put to me by an attorney : 

'Do you honestly think that Mitt Romney knows that NuSkin is a fraud: Yes or No?'

Contrary to what this legally-qualified correspondent imagines, what I honestly think, is what I have previously stated. However, just so that there can be no room for any further doubt, I shall elaborate: 

The quantifiable evidence proves that 'NuSkin' has been the title over the entrance to one of numerous  'MLM income oportunity,' and related-advance fee, frauds. It is a matter of public record that Mitt Romney has accepted millions of dollars via a corporate structure (temporarily created by the bosses of this 'Amway' copy-cat), ostensibly to finance his declared-dream/goal of becoming US President. However, in return, Mr. Romney has actually associated with, and actively-participated in, a criminal enterprise. Unfortunately, he's not the only ambitious politician to have fallen into this particularly-deceptive type of self-incriminating, cultic trap. 

The mainstream media has generally portrayed Mr. Romney as a positive-thinking 'Mormon' businessman and a potential President of the USA. However, if your free-thinking readers care to examine his background more-closely, they will discover that Mr. Romney  has also been an enthusiastic advocate of the original, absurd 'self-help' guru, Napoleon Hill, who invoked his followers to stop thinking critically and, instead, develop 100% positive thinking as a means of achieving their wildest dreams and goals of success http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitt_Romney. Classically, the manipulative charlatans behind 'NuSkin' have pretended affinity with Mr. Romney, posing as positive-thinking 'Mormon' businessmen and supporters of his declared-dream/goal of becoming US President. Self-evidently, the huge 'contributions' made to Mr. Romney's presidential campaign by the billionaire bosses of the 'NuSkin' mob, have been bribes maliciously-designed to further their own clandestine criminal objectives, and are, therefore, part of an overall pattern of ongoing, major, racketeering activity (as defined by the US federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 1970).

Before he snaffled the cash, Mr. Romney (as a graduate of the Harvard Law, and Business, Schools) ought to have made it his business to find out that 'NuSkin' is part of a criminogenic phenomenon that continues to damage countless ill-informed individuals around the world. Unfortunately, the front-runner in the race to become Republican presidential candidate for 2012, is apparently now suffering from a classic case of Confirmation Bias http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias . 

Thus, currently, it is impossible for Mitt Romney to see beyond his own ego, and discover the mountain of quantifiable evidence proving that he has foolishly betrayed his country in return for a few bedazzling pieces of stolen silver.

David Brear (copyright 2012)