WORTHWHILE OR WORTHLESS- A CONSUMER GUIDE TO AVOIDING SCAMS AND SCOUNDRELS. THE ADVERTORIAL- SELLING THE "NEWS?" #2.

I have been using DONALD TRUMP, AND HIS FREQUENT APPEARANCES ON THE INTERNET,  AS EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENT WAYS CERTAIN MARKETERS TRY TO SELL PRODUCTS AND/OR SERVICES TO THE CONSUMER BY DISGUISING THE SALES PITCH AS A "NEWS" REPORT, ITEM, OR INVESTIGATION. IT IS A PRACTICE THAT RELIES ON THE GULLIBILITY, AND TRUST, OF SOME CONSUMERS WHO BELIEVE IN THE "INHERENT" TRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE NEWS MEDIA.

HOWEVER, THE DONALD TRUMP ADVERTORIALS ARE BY NO MEANS EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE, AND NEITHER HE, NOR THE BUSINESSES THAT USE HIS NAME, LIKENESS, AND "WORDS", ARE UNIQUE IN UTILIZING THIS DECEPTIVE SALES PITCH.

ADVERTORIALS are a common SALES AND MARKETING TECHNIQUE that inhabits every form of TRADITIONAL MEDIA that we come in contact with, often on a Daily Basis.

TV, RADIO, NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES etc., have been using them for years to Generate Income. (This includes the Internet of course.) However, It is important to Understand that the INFORMATION RELAYED BY SUCH PROGRAMS, STORIES, OR ARTICLES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE EDITORIAL SCRUTINY OR OVERSIGHT THAT ARE FOUND IN GENUINE NEWS ITEMS.

KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS AD SPACE, OR ON AIR TIME, THAT IS BOUGHT AND PAID FOR BY COMPANIES TRYING TO SELL YOU A PRODUCT OR SERVICE.

THESE INCLUDE:

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS.

- COOKWARE.

- REPAIR AND FIX-IT.

- JEWELRY.

- ALARMS, PROTECTION DEVICES.

ETC...

OR

HEALTH AND BEAUTY.

- DIET FOODS TO IMPROVE

YOUR GENERAL HEALTH.

- MAKE UP OR CLOTHES ACCESSORIES

FOR IMMEDIATE ALTERING OF YOUR

GENERAL APPEARANCE.

- EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, AND/OR

VIDEOS.

ETC...

OR

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.

- GENERAL INVESTMENT ADVICE.

- BUY/SELL PARTICULAR GOODS

OR COMMODITIES.

- CREATING YOUR OWN BUSINESS.

So what are the Guarantees that what you are SEEING, HEARING, OR READING REPRESENTS
TRUTHFUL OR CORRECT INFORMATION, INSTEAD OF SOMETHING CREATED BY AN AD
AGENCY, WITH THE SOLE GOAL OF SEPARATING YOU FROM YOUR MONEY.

PRACTICALLY NONE. WHY DO I SAY THIS?

HERE ARE A FEW REASONS:

- THE DISCLAIMER.

- GREAT MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS

ARE MADE IN THE LAB, AND VERIFIED

BY VALID PEER REVIEWS.

- INDIVIDUAL ENDORSEMENTS ARE

VIRTUALLY WORTHLESS.

- MANY OF THE "BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES",

ARE LITTLE MORE THAN MLM SCHEMES.

- BEING FAMOUS, OR RENOWNED IN ONE FIELD,

DOES NOT MEAN COMPETENCE, OR RELIABILITY,

IN OTHERS.

We Will Examine each of these in the Future.

WHAT A SHAME- A look at the low points in the modern media. HUMILIATION TELEVISION; IT DOESNT GET ANY LOWER THAN THIS. "DON'T HATE YOURSELF, HATE THESE PEOPLE."

So if what we are watching on TV Today, at Least in Terms of SO-CALLED "REALITY TELEVISION," is a return to the Concept of "BREAD AND CIRCUSES" that was part of the ROMAN EMPIRE, why does it appeal to so many people?

It may be Difficult for some fans of these shows to accept, but it could be the Desire to see a PATHETIC OR UNAPPEALING INDIVIDUAL SUFFERING, AND THAT NO MATTER HOW BAD THE VIEWERS LIFE IS, AT LEAST IT'S NOT THEM ON THE SCREEN.

To Add to this Image, a HOST is tossed in to either:

- Make the Guests seem more Reprehensible.

- Fan the Flames to Encourage More Conflict, including

Physical Altercations.

- To Show the Audience that They can Rescue the

Guests from Themselves. Of Course Help is offered

after Thoroughly Humiliating and Demeaning those on Stage.

Remember, These shows are Promoting what you are seeing as TRUE TO LIFE,

NOT CHARACTERS ACTING FROM A SCRIPT. ( How much of this is actually True is Very Suspect, and Accusations of Fictional Dramas being played off as REALITY RUN RAMPANT.)

However, what does it say about the Regular Viewers of such Material? Is the Pain, Anguish, and Emotional Suffering appearing before Their Eyes somehow CATHARTIC, when They See:

- Members of the Audience Chant and Ridicule Those who are the Focus of the Days Program.

- See Individuals in a better Economic Situation then They, Suffer Emotionally

and Physically.

- The Anger, Hate and Turmoil They may feel, reduced to an OBJECT OF PITY

AND RIDICULE, WHERE THE ONLY THING THEY TAKE AWAY FROM THE

EPISODE IS AN ATTITUDE OF, "AT LEAST THATS NOT ME."

Some will CRITICIZE me for taking issue with Subject Matter that is just a GUILTY PLEASURE, AND SHOULDNT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

Im Sorry to say This, but anything placed on TV that:

-  Uses Live Film of Minor Children to Create Tension and Confrontation,

ESPECIALLY AMONG PARENTAL FIGURES...

-  Pretends to Solve Complex Emotional Problems with 15- 20 Minutes

of POP PSYCHOLOGY...

-  Encourages or Creates Situations that May Lead to Physical Violence...

- Opens and Closes with Monologues by the Host, Telling everyone

how Wise and Benevolent They are..

... AMONG THE MOST DISGUSTING AND DISTASTEFUL FORMS OF PROGRAMMING, THAT ARE OF NO CONCEIVABLE BENEFIT TO ANYONE, ACCEPT MAYBE THOSE WHO BUY ADVERTISING DURING THE AIRING OF THE SHOW.

WORTHWHILE OR WORTHLESS- A CONSUMER GUIDE TO AVOIDING SCAMS AND SCOUNDRELS. MULTI- LEVEL MARKETING- JUST ANOTHER PYRAMID SCHEME. PT 3.

A Typical Pay Structure differs for a MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING Scenario, compared to that of Traditional Employment, in different ways. How so?

First, an MLM is usually Marketed as a START- UP BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. You are now an

ENTREPRENEUR, working as much, or as little as possible. It is all up to you.

Of Course, having your own Business requires ONE VERY IMPORTANT INITIAL REQUIREMENT: INVESTMENT CAPITOL.

Thats Right, unlike employment you may be Familiar with, an MLM Requires You to make an Investment before you can make any Money.  Along these lines, You may find that one of your first out of pocket expenses is:

THE LICENSE OR DISTRIBUTOR FEE- Whatever type of Product you will be Selling, The Parent Corporation is probaby going to Charge you a Fee to become an EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR OF THEIR PRODUCT, WHICH IS NOT AVAILABLE IN STORES. (This is a Sample of the SALES PITCH USUALLY GIVEN TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU REALLY ARE.)

The Cost or Fee can DIFFER VASTLY, DEPENDING ON THE PRODUCT YOU WILL BE SELLING. Some of the more POPULAR TYPES OF PRODUCTS ARE:

- HOME HEALTH CARE.

- VITAMINS.

- NUTRITION SUPPLEMENTS.

- CLEANING PRODUCTS.

- WATER FILTERS, OR DEVICES TO CLEAN, PURIFY, OR EVEN "ENERGIZE" TAP WATER.

It is Quite True that the Brand Name Products you are now Selling are not found in Stores, BUT HIGHER QUALITY AND CHEAPER PRICES ARE NOT THE REASONS. When COMPARABLE PRODUCTS ARE FOUND IN RETAIL SETTINGS, MLM ITEMS ARE USUALLY MORE EXPENSIVE, AND DO NOT MEET THE SAME QUALITY STANDARDS.

However, some MLM products are so UNIQUE, that it is sometimes hard to find similar items for Sale in a Retail Store. This in itself, is used as a MARKETING TOOL. You are now offering YOUR FRIENDS, RELATIVES, NEIGHBORS etc., a PRODUCT "THEY" DONT WANT THE PUBLIC TO FIND OUT ABOUT.

DO YOU REMEMBER...BLASTS FROM THE PAST.

"DUCK DYNASTY" CONTROVERSY, AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH. PT 1.

( FIRST PUBLISHED ON 12/22/2013.)

This past week the A&E network announced that it was suspending Phil Robertson, star of their reality T.V show "DUCK DYNASTY", indefinitely. This action was in response to statements made by Robertson in a GQ MAGAZINE interview to be published in January. Quotes taken from the interview, which indicate the he believes Homosexuality to be "Sinful" and not "Logical", were reported in different media outlets to have offended Same-Sex rights activists and groups.

What is written in the above paragraph is considered to factually accurate, and neither Robertson or GQ has claimed any inaccuracy in the words or quotes reported to be in the body of the interview, or that certain statements were taken out of context. So where is the controversy?

It is amazing that no matter how apparent the flawed reasoning of certain individuals can be, there are those who will seek to justify it. The following is a prime example;

ACCUSATION- BY SUSPENDING ROBERTSON, A&E HAS VIOLATED HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

Question- Did Robertson make these statements?

Answer- Yes, that is not in dispute.

Question-- Are Robertsons comments protected by the 1st amendment,

in that he cannot be prosecuted or punished criminally?

Answer- Yes, his words are protected.

Question- Because A&E suspended Robertson, his Constitutional Right to

Freedom of Speech has been violated.

Answer- Absolutely not.

To even have to address this issue is silly, for it has been covered and ruled upon (Judicially), many times.

However, certain political pundits and commentators are trying to score points with the public at large by claiming that the "DUCK DYNASTY" star has been punished contrary to Constitutional Law.

The simple answer to this claim is the following; TO HAVE YOUR RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR EXPRESSION VIOLATED, IT MUST DONE BY AN ENTITY OF THE GOVERNMENT. PRIVATE CITIZENS OR GROUPS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THIS PART OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

Legally, there are restrictions in how an individual may exercise their right to freedom of speech. Slanderous or Libelous statements can lead to legal sanctions, but that is because the truth of these claims are called into question. Time, Place and Location is also a factor when judging whether or not one has the right to speak or act freely, but that is because such acts may infringe upon the rights of other individuals.

Look for PT 2.

LOGIC. THE SLIPPERY SLOPE- BOOGEYMAN OF THE IRRATIONAL, AND THE SELF-SERVING. PT 2.

Before We Take a look at History, lets examine a Current ISSUE THAT OFTEN HAS A VERSION OF THE THE SLIPPERY- SLOPE ARGUMENT USED BY ONE SIDE TO DEFEND THEIR POSITION.

Does This Look Familiar;

BILL OF RIGHTS.

Second Amendment

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

GUN CONTROL VS RIGHT TO OWN, OR POSSESS FIREARMS.

Yes, this is a Topic I have Covered in other Posts, but here were going to look at it from Different Angles.

HERE ARE 3 VERSIONS OF ARGUMENTS USED AGAINST ANY PROPOSALS THAT ARE PUT FORTH TO ESTABLISH NEW GUN CONTROL LAWS.

THAT THE SECOND AMENDMENT GUARANTEES THE INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN THE RIGHT TO OWN AND KEEP GUNS, AND IF THIS RIGHT IS VIOLATED THEN NONE ARE SAFE.

THAT IF WE OUTLAW GUNS FROM PRIVATE OWNERSHIP, IT WILL LEAVE THE CIVILIAN POPULACE DEFENSELESS, AND GIVE THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT A BIG ADVANTAGE.

ANY REGULATIONS ARE JUST THE FIRST STEP IN GOVERNMENT TAKING AWAY ALL FIREARMS.

To Analyze the VALIDITY AND TRUTH OF the Above ASSERTIONS, WE MUST ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

-  DO THEY CONSTITUTE DIFFERENT FORMS OF THE SLIPPERY SLOPE ARGUMENT?

-  Are They Making ASSUMPTION(S) OR DRAWING CONCLUSION(S) BASED IN REALITY, OR ARE THEY JUST CASES OF "SCARE TACTICS,'' APPEALING TO EMOTIONS AND PRECONCEIVED IDEAS TO DRAW IN PUBLIC AND POLITICAL SUPPORT?

LOOK FOR PART 3.

FEATURE ARTICLES. HOW CAN WE FIGHT TERRORISM? PT 4.

ANOTHER CATEGORY OF POTENTIAL TERRORIST RECRUITS.

THE POWERLESS PAWN.

Perhaps you are an Individual, who through Indoctrination and Constant Reinforcement, believes that a "HOLY WAR" to Destroy the Enemies of God is an Absolute Necessity.  ( This can be used by any Faith, Religion, or Belief System, for it is a Generic Judgment that allows you to plug in the Deity of your choice.) Perhaps by Living in a Isolated Community, where there is no chance to Interact with others who might look at the World Differently, your frustration at not being able to "Make a Difference" becomes a constant thought in your mind.

Along with this, you also happen to Occupy One of the Lowest Rungs on the Social Ladder in the Culture you Inhabit. YOUR GENDER, ANCESTRY, FINANCIAL STATUS, OR EVEN DISABILITY PREVENTS YOU FROM HAVING ANY SAY, INFLUENCE, OR IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE, THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND YOU, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

However, One Day a Person of Power and Prestige approaches you with an Interesting Offer. Contrary to what you think, or have been told by others, you have the Capability to do Great and Wonderful Things. In Fact, GOD NEEDS YOUR HELP TO CARRY OUT HIS HOLY WORD ON EARTH.

You are Naturally Flattered with this Attention by someone of such Importance, and the IDEA THAT GOD NEEDS YOUR HELP IS A DREAM COME TRUE. YOU ARE NO LONGER A NOBODY TO BE IGNORED AND PUSHED TO THE SIDE, BUT A PERSON TO BE ADMIRED AND LOOKED UPON WITH GREAT RESPECT.

Of Course there is a catch...

LOGIC. WHAT ARE DEDUCTIVE AND INDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS? PART 4.

ARGUMENT #1.                                                 ARGUMENT #2.

PREMISE 1.                                                      PREMISE 1.

ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HUMAN                ALL CHRISTIANS ARE 

EVOLUTION IS AN ATHEIST.                             ANTI-SCIENCE.    

PREMISE 2.                                                      PREMISE 2.      

ALL ATHEISTS DO NOT BELIEVE                     IF YOU ARE ANTI- SCIENCE, 

IN GOD.                                                            YOU DO NOT FOLLOW THE 

                                                                        SCIENTIFIC METHOD.             

                                                  

CONCLUSION.                                                CONCLUSION. 

THEREFORE, IF YOU BELIEVE IN                  THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE A

HUMAN EVOLUTION, YOU DO NOT                CHRISTIAN, YOU DO NOT

BELIEVE IN GOD.                                           FOLLOW THE SCIENTIFIC

                                                                      METHOD.

                                     (REPRINTED FROM PART 2.)

IN #1, THOSE CONSIDERED ANTI-RELIGION OR ANTI- GOD ARE SUBJECT TO FALLACIOUS REASONING BY INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS WHO DEFINE "RELIGION" AND "GOD" SO NARROWLY, THAT ANYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH THEIR STRICT AND SPECIFIC DEFINITION OF SCRIPTURE ARE ATHEISTS. YET, WE FIND THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EMPLOYED IN SCIENTIFIC FIELDS ARE CONFIRMED THEISTS, BUT DO NOT MIX THEIR RELIGIOUS FAITH WITH ESTABLISHED SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES.

In Argument #2, we find a Conclusion that, Essentially, Attacks a Section of Humanity that Adheres to More Traditional Religious Beliefs than those in the First Argument. However, like in the first example, we find those who try to use a VALID DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENT TO JUSTIFY CONCLUSIONS THAT DO NOT STAND UP TO SCRUTINY, AND ARE ULTIMATELY REVEALED TO BE UNTRUTHFUL.

An Analysis of the Second Argument begins with the Premise:

"ALL CHRISTIANS ARE ANTI-SCIENCE."

THIS IS AN ASSERTION THAT MUST BE DEFENDED, AND CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND WITHOUT PROPER DEFINITIONS OF "CHRISTIAN" AND "SCIENCE" BEING PUT FORTH TO JUSTIFY THE WORDING IN THE FIRST PREMISE.

IF WE TAKE THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLE:

"TO BE A CHRISTIAN, ONE MUST ACCEPT THE DIVINE NATURE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH AS BEING THE SON OF GOD."

AS A PROPER DEFINITION FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN, WE MUST ASK THE FOLLOWING:

WHY DOES SUCH A DEFINITION AUTOMATICALLY PLACE THOSE WHO ACCEPT IT AS TRUE, INTO AN ADDITIONAL CATEGORY OF BEING "ANTI-SCIENCE?"

THE ANSWER USUALLY REVOLVES AROUND THE FOLLOWING LINE OF REASONING...

LOOK FOR PT 5.