Power Balance Bracelet: How Does It Work?

I work at a fast food place and people are constantly coming through the line with their Power Balance bracelets. I find this to be a good opportunity to ask simple questions about this device.

"How does the bracelet work?"

The answers kind of range a bit.

"I don't know."

"It improves your balance."

"It balances your ions."

"It improves performance."

I have very little time for any follow-up questions, because I am the cashier. I get responses more frequently in the vain of the last three responses. To which I would just love to ask, "What exactly does that mean?"

One of my co-workers would love to respond to the claim, "It improves your balance."

"What balance? My bank balance?"

What surprised me was how many responses I got in the vain of, "It doesn't work", and "It's a piece of crap." It has become somewhat obvious to me that this is just, "Well, I invested money in this thing, might as well just keep wearing it." To tell themselves that it was worth the $10-$30 they spent on it. Or it's a gift from a friend or family member and they can't bring themselves to throw it out.

I even got a physical demonstration of how this bracelet "works." Three young guys. One was wearing the bracelet. The one wearing the bracelet shows me a demonstration of how his friend is "not balanced." His friend puts his hands behind his back and interlocks his fingers. The guy with the bracelet pushes down on his hands and the friend falls backwards. Clear evidence that his friend is "not balanced." Then he puts the bracelet on his friend and does the same thing. Only this time, the friend doesn't fall over when he pushes down on his hands.

I then ask one them to put the bracelet on. I tell the one who will be pushing down on their friend's hands to stand further back when he pushes down. This way the guy who is pushing isn't offering physical support. Sure enough, with the Power Balance bracelet on, the guy falls backward. He's wearing the bracelet. He shouldn't fall over. How does the owner of the bracelet deal with this obvious failure? He said, "Well, he's not balanced."

You have to be balanced before you even put on the bracelet for it to work?! If you're already balanced, then why do you need the bracelet? Are these guys even aware that the creators of the bracelet admit there's no evidence that it works? Why isn't this information offered at the time of purchase? Until it is, I will keep asking the question, "How does it work?"


Richard Saunders of the Australian Skeptics asked this same question:







Further Reading:

Power Balance Technology

Placebo Jewelry

Power Balance: Magical Energy Bracelets, or Nonsense?

Skeptics & Freethinkers Donate Food

On two occasions now, The Cleveland Skeptics and The Cleveland Freethinkers have participated in a food drive for the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland. It was an effort organized by Ginger and it has paid off. We have, thus far, donated 130lbs of food! That's food going into the mouths of people who can't afford it. It feels good to do good!

We plan on doing this on a regular basis. We are thinking we will have a food drive every three months or so. The holidays don't have to be the only time of year people donate food. I don't know about you, but I get hungry all year-round.


We want to thank everyone who donated!




We donated a good amount the first time!





Even more the second time!

Cleveland Skeptics' Psychic Predictions

The Cleveland Skeptics recently had a meetup entitled A Skeptical New Year. At this meetup we discussed psychic predictions by Sylvia Browne. We then decided to make our own "psychic" predictions for the year 2011. What follows are the predictions from all those Cleveland Skeptics who participated.

Ginger predicted:

1. There will be a major internet outage through much of the US.
2. Two country singers will die together in a tragic car crash.
3. A major US political figure will come out as gay.
4. Paris Hilton will be hospitalized for a drug overdose.
5. Jack LeLanne will die of a massive heart attack. (This could be a hit.)
6. Christopher Hitchens will pass away, but no death bed conversion.

Mark T. predicted:

1. A Republican will say something stupid.
   
2. Compelling new evidence will be found for the "Multiverse" theory.

Ray and Mary predicted:

1. Cleveland Freethinkers membership will reach 700 or more.
2. FOX News will produce false-negative reports about the Obama administration.
3. Extreme weather will occur in the US and the rest of the world. (This has nothing to do with global warming.)
4. Peace and love will prevail in the world.
   
5. Glenn Beck will be involved in a big scandal and fired from FOX.

Randy S. predicted:

1. I predict that people will begin seeing Michael Jackson in high-end antique stores, or cub scout meetings.
2. The great musician Jimi Hendrix will return on the mother ship from whatever nether region of the universe he has been dwelling for the last 40 years.
3. The Cleveland Skeptics will reach over 400 members.

Randy P. predicted:

1. Josh(me) will become President in 2026.
2. Unemployment will rise to 10.1% before end of 2011.
3. Income inequality will reach a new high.
4. US poverty rate will increase by at least 2%.
5. The sky will turn dark once in 2011 somewhere on Earth during daylight hours.
6. The sky will be filled with blazing trails of light on Monday, January 3.
7. A magnitude 8.0+ earthquake will strike Sarah Palin's Alaska.

Wendy predicted:

1. There will be a big earthquake in California.

Marni predicted:

1. President Obama will officially close Gitmo.
   

Dale predicted:

1. Micro meteor strikes in the Indian Ocean - between 3 & 7 magnitude earthquake off the west coast of US. You may have heard that Wal-Mart is going "international". I predict that Wal-Mart will go into some 3rd world nations driving whole countries out of business. But, there is hope. Out of the ashes of destruction, like the phoenix, a new nation will rise! And it will be called the country of Wal-Martistan.

I predicted:

1. Steve Jobs will come out with a new version of the IPad.
2. Gay marriage will be legalized in half the states.
3. Marijuana will be fully legalized in at least two states.
   
4. President Obama's administration will be plagued with a scandal that will doom Obama's chance for re-election.
5. Oprah's new network will fail miserably.

There you have it! The Cleveland Skeptics predictions of 2011! Unlike most psychics we will be keeping track of both the misses and hits. We will also take note of the partial hits as well. Happy New Year!

Sylvia Browne Predictions: 2011

It's that time of year again. Time for family, food, and psychic predictions by none other than Sylvia Browne. Lets take a look at what she had in-store for us in 2010, 2011 and beyond!


Browne's predictions are as follows:

"Around 2009 to 2011, I predict Americans will start working on what I like to call our 'buts.' There are problems that we are aware of that make the global community smaller. We have liked to say, 'Our system works'..but...

...Children are not properly fed, clothed, educated, protected or given adequate medical care.

...Many in our population do not have a place to call home.

...Some of our youth get more attention from gangs and drug dealers than they do positive role models.

...People who are ready, willing and able to work cannot find decent jobs.

...Our elderly are not cared for properly either financially or medically.

...Some death row inmates are innocent.

...Some elected officials and large corporations do not think of the welfare of the people as a high priority - they'd rather just increase their bank accounts.

I predict we'll develop strong resolve and resources to address these problems and come up with some good solutions."

This seems quite vague, to say the least. Browne states that Americans will start to work on problems in our country that need solutions. Which Americans? The President? The House? The Senate? Me? You? Your neighbors? Who exactly is going to start working on these problems, Sylvia? What does "will start working on" mean? It seems that any American putting up a flier about the homeless needing homes would make your "prediction" accurate. Not very impressive.

"I predict a great rise in skin cancer in children until 2010. There is a lot of media coverage about the UV rays and many products to protect people against them. But people are still often careless when it comes to the sun. Then again, people could pay attention - and reverse this prediction right out from under me. I would certainly be all for that!"

What a great technique. Browne explains away a failure before it even happens. She wins either way!

"I predict the President elected sometime between 2008 and 2020 will die in office from a heart attack. The Vice President who will finish their term will have an unpopular and mistaken intention to declare war on North Korea. By that time, North Korea will have weapons of mass destruction. In the middle of efforts to declare war, I predict the Vice President will be assassinated."

This could be between President Obama and whoever the next president will be. According to Browne, whoever the president is between 2008 and 2020 will die in office from a heart attack. Browne is very specific when she says "will die in office from a heart attack". Does this mean if the president dies in office from something other than a heart attack, Browne's "prediction" is a failure? It would seem so. "North Korea will have weapons of mass destruction." I think North Korea has had weapons of mass destruction since October, 2006. Browne also predicts that the Vice President will be assassinated in office. I guess we'll have to wait till 2020 to see if any of this pans out.

"There will be a worldwide investigation into the Vice President's death with both pleasant and unpleasant surprises. A lot of attention will be paid to one of the investigative congressional committees and serious accusations will be made regarding missing funds. Finally, it will be revealed that their accusations are part of a conspiracy to damage the American people's faith in their government, with the media manipulated to 'fan the flames,' and the committee will be vindicated in the end."

Again, we'll have to wait until 2020 to see if any of this comes true. What a great time window Browne has given herself. If one is investigating the death of a Vice President, what would be considered a "pleasant surprise"?

"I predict we can truly say 'goodbye' to the common cold in 2009 or 2010. The solution to the common cold involves heat. Keep in mind that the body's first response when we develop a cold is to come down with a fever. Many doctors today no longer rush to push patients to take temperature reducing medications when they come down with a fever, unless the fever is dangerous. They feel the immune system is the patient's best medicine and should be given a chance to fight back. So as the immune system fights a cold with heat, the cure for the common cold certainly may lie in this first signal to heal."

According to the Mayo Clinic the symptoms of cold might include a low-grade fever. According to WebMD a fever would indicate the flu not a cold. Again, Browne is not very specific. Is it a low-grade fever or a high fever, Sylvia? It's almost the end of 2010 and the cold is still around. Is this a failure? Lets wait until January 1st, 2011 and see.

"I predict that a small cubicle will become available in doctor's offices sometime in 2009 and it will be heated to a very precise temperature. There may be a special vapor placed into the cubicle. Patients will stand in the cubicle for approximately five minutes and the rhinitis germ will be destroyed."

I see no evidence that this "prediction" was accurate. I call this one a miss.

"Another wonderful bit of good news on the health front with this discovery - since this cubicle can easily take on the rhinitis germ, many people that have breathing problems with allergies and asthma complications will find some breakthroughs as well. We will see this cubicle discovery used for healing for those with breathing disorders. The cubicle will become available in 2009 or 2010."

There is no evidence that this "cubicle" has come to fruition. This "prediction" looks like a miss to me.

"I predict hypnotic past-life regression will become available through a group of trained psychologists on both the east and west coasts of the U.S.A. in 2009. It will prove to be quite a success and will be widely practiced by 2011."

Once again, I see no evidence of this coming to fruition. I call this one a miss, too. If you would like to read more about hypnosis and past life regression go here and here.


Well, that does it for 2011. Lets look forward to what Browne will "predict" for 2012 and beyond!



Further Reading:

Predictions for 2009: Sylvia Browne Can't Lose

"Psychic" Article from The Skeptic's Dictionary

Michael A. Stackpole: How to Comminicate Skepticism to the Public

Michael A. Stackpole from TAM 5.5 from JREF on Vimeo.

Michael A. Stackpole is a podcaster, best-selling science fiction writer, author of the "Pulling Report" which debunks myths about the harmful effects of role playing games, and a long-time activist skeptic. In this fun and informative talk from The Amaz!ing Meeting 5.5, he tells us how to effectively communicate our skeptical message through mainstream media, blogging, or through conversation with friends and family.

Phil Plait - Active Skepticism Online

Phil Plait talks about communicating skepticism and science online!

The Psychic and I

My name is Josh Hunt and I am a skeptic. I wasn’t always a skeptic, though. You might be asked the question, “what’s the harm in believing in the paranormal?” You might even be asked why skepticism is important. I have an answer to both questions and it comes in the form of a personal story.

In 2004, when I was eighteen, I moved to New York City to study and pursue a career in acting. I had gotten a regular job working as a room service order taker. I remember feeling very out-of-place and very uncertain about what I was doing. I had so many questions that I wanted answered, but I didn’t know who to ask. Was I supposed to be in New York City? Was I supposed to be an actor? Will I be working in a job I hate for the rest of my life? Who would have the answer to these questions? Maybe a psychic would.

One day, on my thirty minute break, I was walking around lower Manhattan when I saw an advertisement for a local psychic. The fee was ten dollars. I figured I had spent more than that on junk food and porn. I called the psychic and a woman’s voice came on the phone. I told her that I was interested in getting a reading done. She said that her name was Crystal and that she would see me the next day in the afternoon.

I can only describe this woman as a sweet elderly aunt or grandmother with an accent. I sat down and she began the reading. Crystal started by staring at me and then looking me up and down. She told me that I had a "dark aura" and that “bad spirits” were causing it. Crystal said that these “spirits” were keeping me from achieving my goals and reaching my fullest potential. Before I left, I asked her if I was meant to be an actor, and I also told her that I was working at a job I didn’t like. I had given her all of the information that she would ever need. I came back a day or so after that and she told me exactly what I wanted to hear. She told me that there were people in Los Angeles talking about me and that I would start shooting a movie in a few months. A question that I should’ve asked her was how could people in Los Angeles be talking about me when they don’t even know I exist? At that point I had never even sent my picture and resume to anyone in Los Angeles. Crystal was telling me exactly what I wanted to hear and that’s all that mattered to me.

Crystal told me that we needed to get rid of these “bad spirits” and fast. How were we going to do that? She told me to get a glass jar, clean it out completely, tear off the label, and fill it with water from the tap in my kitchen. She also instructed me to put the jar of water in two plastic shopping bags (one bag was inside the other) and put it somewhere where no light would touch it. I went ahead and put it under my bed. I then brought the jar of water back to Crystal. Crystal said that if what she was about to do worked then the water would go from clean to dirty. She began to pray over the jar of water and she kept praying louder and louder. Crystal revealed the jar to me with a gasp. The water was dirty! It went from clean to dirty right before my eyes. From that point onward any skepticism I held was now gone. I was convinced that this woman was the real deal. At no point did the words “magic trick”, “slight-of-hand”, or “self-deception” enter my mind. Crystal performed the jar trick one more time. She told me that I had something like cancer in my stomach and took a different jar of water and turned it red. The red obviously resembling blood convinced me even further that this woman was the real deal.

Crystal had informed me that there were “bad spirits” surrounding my money. She told me that she could take these “bad spirits” away. She asked me how much money I could get to her. I told her about six to five hundred dollars. I immediately raced out, went to the ATM and got out about five hundred dollars. I brought it back to her and she prayed over it and told me she would bless it by bringing it to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for more blessing. Crystal kept telling me that she would give me my money back, but kept stalling. She then told me to quit my job, because I was not meant to work there. I put in my two weeks’ notice and felt very scared and uneasy. Well, she did give me a candle with Jesus on it. Surely a sweet old woman with a Jesus candle wouldn’t try to swindle me, right?

I finally decided to march right over to her apartment and get the money she said she would return to me. I walked up to the front desk clerk in her apartment building and told him I was there to see Crystal. He said that Crystal and her family had moved out. I walked out on the sidewalk and the next thing I remember I was in my apartment. I felt like the whole world had collapsed on me. I had been betrayed and swindled out of about $1,700. I kept asking myself how I could be so stupid to fall for that con. I said I would never tell anyone because I felt so embarrassed. This is why I think skepticism is important. What happened to me is happening to a lot of people even as you read this.


This story was also published here:

"The Psychic and I" on Indie Skeptics