'Blue Water' for €20 a Litre!!!

Myksyk

Oh for goodness sake!!

I am told by a reliable source that BT are selling bottles of what is called 'Blue Water' for €20 per litre while claiming that the water exhibits all sorts of mysterious and wonderful properties. The labels on the bottles even include a description of a "scientific" test that consumers can carry out in their kitchen at home which will conclusively demonstrate the incredible powers of the water. I am open to correction but the test goes something like this: get a lemon (don't let it get too near the bottle of water as this could affect it!!) And add a couple of squeezes of juice to two glasses of water and place one beside the bottle of blue water and one about 5 yd. away. After a few minutes taste both glasses and lo and behold they will taste different, the one closest to the blue water having been affected by the incredible energising power of the liquid!! There are a host of other claims made about the nature of water in general and in particular the nature of blue water, all of which has a particularly homoeopathic feel about it.

Before we go any further lets put this in perspective. You can buy a damn good bottle of wine for €20. Surely this type of advertising borders on deception and must stretch advertising guidelines to the limit.

Has anyone else seen this product?

davros

Originally posted by Myksyk
I am told by a reliable source that BT are selling bottles of what is called 'Blue Water' for €20 per litre...

Confirmed here where Brown Thomas is listed as a stockist.

How about making this product the target of the first ISS writing campaign? Seems like a good test.

williamgrogan

Sounds about as useful as the stuff RTE Radio 1 are advertising as Pharmaton (spl?) that "beats daily fatigue" or the stuff that "helps joints". I notice a lot of use of the word “help”. Presumably they can’t say “cures”.

Did you ever see such BS?

Blue Water is how all water once was, pure, living and vital. Pollution has contributed to reducing the energetic health of our water causing it to become fragmented. Simply put, it is in a poor state of health, and lacking vitality. Johann Grander understands the energetic properties of water and uses nature’s energy to return it back to its optimal, healthy and vital state.
All living things have a vibrational frequency and water is the main medium through which this frequency is communicated. Grander’s discoveries allow us to experience living, revitalised water, which has the capacity to communicate its energetic signature to all bodies of water, including the human body.

PS

Don't mention wine, another rip off in this country. In France a very good bottle of wine costs €20.00

Myksyk

My 'reliable source' (Deep Throat!) has informed me that he has been in contact with the Office of Consumer Affairs, Marian Finucane and BT themselves. Watch this space for feedback. Should be fun!

eth0_

I say let the morons who shop in BT have it, what sort of idiot is going to spend TWENTY EURO on a little bottle of water??

Myksyk

I received an interesting snippet from the Irish Times of February 13th. The headline reads "Scientist Convicted over Medicines Claim" and is about a French scientist who manufactured a pseudo-medicinal product called G5 or Silanol. A spokeswoman for the Irish medicines board said G5 is 98% water (unlike our Blue Water which is much more powerful being 100% water).

He received a one-year prison term, of which six months is a suspended sentence. He was also fined a total of €28,000 of which €20,000 will go to the doctors' and pharmacists' associations which filed the complaints that led to his conviction.

Calling him "a modern-day charlatan" the prosecutor had recommended a two-year prison sentence and €35,000 in fines. In his own defence he said "I never said that Silanol cured people, it restructures the immune defences of the organism"(where have we heard that sort of thing before?). A litre of Silanol, which is 98% water, costs €38.11. Now, how is blue water any different to this guy's racket?

According to the Irish Times the leaflet accompanying the product talks about the product's "extraordinary properties which can assist you in numerous various diseases."

Le Monde reported that his Irish laboratory sells between 14,000 and 15,000 litres over the Internet each month for an annual turnover of €1.5 million.

Seeing Ireland as obviously an easier touch Loic le Ribault told journalists "France is finished for me. Ireland is not like France. I'm going back to Ireland,"

You said it Loic.

williamgrogan

Please read these "testimonials" if you haven't already......

http://www.blueh2o.co.uk/index.php?op=16&bg=0

Calibos

That guy talking about the blue water filter he fitted to the supply for his colonic practice was obviously talking through his arse

Myksyk

The testimonials are brilliant ... what the heck is "reverse osmosis water"?

williamgrogan

I caught a piece, in the background, recently on (I think) RTE 1 radio concerning the discovery/invention of “Energised Water”. I think it was on Pat Kenny. Anyway the guy said he was on the staff of some Irish University.

He claimed that his energised water made plants grow faster and bigger and sounded very similar to this Blue Water. Does anyone known about this?

bminish

Originally posted by williamgrogan
I caught a piece, in the background, recently on (I think) RTE 1 radio concerning the discovery/invention of “Energised Water”. I think it was on Pat Kenny. Anyway the guy said he was on the staff of some Irish University.

Probably the Plumber

He claimed that his energised water made plants grow faster and bigger and sounded very similar to this Blue Water. Does anyone known about this?

has anyone tried taking the blue water thing to the Advertising Standards Authority ?

Not that the ASA are much good at detecting pseudosicence when it's presented to them.
Last year I took a complaint against the makers of the ' Mobile Protection Chip' last year but the ASA accepted the manufacture's claims in full based on ' laboratory evidence ' from these guys Harry Oldfield and Roger Coghill Two well established psuedoscientists.

I appealed the ASA decision and I asked the ASA to have the data submitted by the company evaluated by someone with a technical background ( I suggested that the ASA ask Comreg for technical advice on the matter since they are responsible for electromagnetic field strength monitoring) but the ASA chose to dismiss the case and accept fully the manufacturers claims for the mobile protection chip instead.

.Brendan

williamgrogan

The BIG problem with the ASA is that it is completly funded by the Advertising Industry itself. It is not independent.

bminish

Originally posted by williamgrogan
The BIG problem with the ASA is that it is completly funded by the Advertising Industry itself. It is not independent.

I knew that before I started but I didn't expect them to be plain lazy and accept all the 'evidence' supplied by the manufacturer at face value.
Perhaps someone in the ASA was a user of the ' mobile protection chip ' .
Some of the users of the MPC I have spoken to claim that it helps a lot but of course the problems it helps with are purely psychosomatic anyway, so a placebo (preferably an expensive one!) is just what the Doctor ordered

.Brendan

williamgrogan

Perhaps an approach might be to try and undermine the ASA itself. It probably has been tried but I'm sure like all entities it will try and survive perhaps by taking your complaint more seriously. Is there an appeal process? Can you stir more sh1t? Does the ASA answer to anyone, any department? I'm thinking of having a go with certain adds on RTE. Continuous pressure does work.

seamus

The ASAI publishes every complaint they receive, and their judgement, on their website. I'd be comfortable that they're nice and transparent, despite the origin of their funds.
And as someone else pointed out, there is an appeals process.

Most people notice an amazing change caused by the natural energy of Blue Water.

This after the 'Lemon Test'. Notice the use of the word 'most'. If this actually did change the taste of the lemon juice, then everyone would notice a difference. The very fact that some people don't notice it suggests that the effects are purely psychological, that is, the test results occur because you've already been told what's going to happen. Telling people what to expect from "The Lemon Test" removes any impartiality on the part of the tester. :rolleyes:

williamgrogan

I don't think this needs its own thread. Similar scam in Roches Stores.

I have sent this letter.

If Roches Stores do not agree to stop selling them I intend making a formal complaint to the cops to see what they will do. They do have a fraud squad.


Mr L. Owens
Roche’s Stores
Patrick Street
Cork


Dear Mr Owens, Date: 19-03-04

I was shopping in Roche’s Stores in Cork Thursday the 18th of March. I saw in your electrical department a display stand (about 2m by 2m) of various products from a particular company. These all had as a fundamental component a magnet or magnets.

These products claimed that the magnet and the field it produced had a beneficial effect on the health of the user. For example there was an insole that contained a magnet in the heel section and a diagram of the sole of the foot showing what parts of the body would benefit from the application of this magnet field.

As I am sure you realise, all these claims are completely bogus. Magnets have no beneficial effect on human health. Many studies have shown no relevant effect on human tissue of electromagnetic fields and certainly no study has shown a beneficial health effect.

It is wrong that Roche’s Stores should sell products whose primary function is to defraud the purchaser. Roche’s Stores has a well earned reputation as an honest trader that might be compromised if it sells bogus products. It is stating the obvious that many people would not realise that these products could not possibly do what they claim. Many of these people will be ill, poor and badly educated.

Do not take my word for this; ask any doctor if wearing magnets is beneficial to human health.

I would ask that these products be withdrawn from sale in Roche’s Stores shops in Ireland.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely


___________
W.A. Grogan

PS

If you wish to read an article on this please link to the web page below. If you cannot I can supply a printed copy.

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/PhonyAds/florsheim.html

Typedef

I've seen the X-Men WG.

They had the chief antagonist in a plastic prison .. 'Plastic'.

If that isn't clear evidence one needed of the ability of electro-folocution to bring back Patrick Stweart's hair, I don't know what is?

Roches Stores, scamming?

I say, they are visionaries, 'visionaries',who don't castigate other visionaries as insane, but rather brave people, who can face up to the 'awe' inspiring wonder of the fringe paranormal. Magnets, crystals, god speaking from burning bushes... not closed minded science, which castigates that which is not proveable as false.

davros

Good letter. Reminds me to do my long-threatened letter about Boots and homeopathic medicines which make specific claims (prohibited by legislation).

williamgrogan

My kids laugh when I say this, but I think part of the reason people believe in ESP, ghosts and the paranormal is from watching programs like the X-Files. The "hero" is always protrayed as insisting there are aliens or whatever against the doubious skeptics and he is always proved right in the end.

davros

Originally posted by williamgrogan
My kids laugh when I say this, but I think part of the reason people believe in ESP, ghosts and the paranormal is from watching programs like the X-Files. The "hero" is always protrayed as insisting there are aliens or whatever against the doubious skeptics and he is always proved right in the end.

Getting a little off-topic here, but have them watch Jonathan Creek. Exactly the opposite happens.

robbie1876

I heard that in the glossy brochure that comes with every €20 bottle of blue water, that they recommend you dilute the blue water with 'normal' water.

I buy my water from Tesco at €0.45 per 2L bottle, and have no intention of disturbing the natural resonances of my Tesco water. Surely the blue water will just bully the Tesco water into resonating at frequencies which are not in harmony with the overall karma of the Tesco ethos, resulting in Tesco water's energetic signature becoming harmonically imbalanced?

I would love to be the sales rep for blue water....

williamgrogan

My mother was a bit annoyed that I wrote to Roche’s Stores. She thinks it might affect business. One doesn’t annoy one’s betters.

She also pointed out that Ted O’C.. who lives up the road had arthritis in his fingers until he started wearing a magnetic wristband … and why do I think I know everything?

She also pointed out that her only finger that is not twisted is the one with her wedding ring (she didn’t tell me if it’s a magnetic wedding ring). However all the fingers are on the same hand on which she wears her watch so how come that didn’t keep her fingers straight?

Myksyk

Just to let you know that a couple of letters regarding this have gone out from the Irish Skeptics. We're awaiting replies.

One can hope!

williamgrogan

I was in Wilton Shopping Centre in Cork today. The owners have obviously rented part of the open plan area (it a covered mall) to a person selling a complete range of magnetic health devices. I had my hands full of shopping so I didn’t delay but I did go up to the woman on the stall and looked at her “goods” and said to her, “won’t people buy any old rubbish?”.

She looked a bit horrified and quickly said, “well it’s been proven to work in tests”. So I just laughed and walked away but when I have some time I’ll go back.

One item was a magnetic back “vest” that cures back ache. The list of things magnetism improved was extensive. What’s really funny is that Penn & Teller’s skit on this that was aired recently actually set up a similar stall in a shopping centre with all sorts of bogus magnetic gear and seriously took the piss out of people.

Maybe I should rent the next stall and place a TV just playing the Penn & Teller episode on magnetic rip offs over and over?

Myksyk

Don't know if this was mentioned elsewhere but at the recent RDS alt med festival they were selling 'tachionically' charged water for €80 per litre ... unbelievable!!

Oh yeah, the redeeming feature was that you could dilute the water in water (I'm serious)!!

Bottle_of_Smoke

I purchased some Grander™ blue water and found this to be really good and so quick as over the first 4 weeks of taking this water I lost half a stone in weight

"lets get the fat women now we have the stupid ones"

well we could all be wrong :rolleyes:

williamgrogan

Just as a matter of curiosity, did you change any other aspect of your lifestyle over this 4 week period?

Sleepy

It's obviously one of these American whales that weigh 20 stone and therefore their weight fluctuates by half a stone every time they go to the jacks.

williamgrogan

Not nice Sleepy.

Why is it that every time a non skeptic drops in we insult them?

Anyway, 20 stone is not that heavy. There are many people in the states well over 30 stone.

I lost about 10 lbs over the last 6 months and the only lifestyle change was that I gave up drinking pints of porter - Black Water.

davros

I noticed on the roundup of papers on Sky News this morning that one of the British tabloids has started a campaign against this water (£14/litre, they said).

Myksyk

I bought this month's 'Scientific American' and see in Shermer's 'Skeptic' article that there is some crowd selling water (can't for the life of me remember the product name ... apart from 'water' that is) ... but it was $15 per 1/2 ounce!!!!!! Is that $480 per litre or something? I am just waiting for the 'blue ice for eskimos' site to appear!

davros

Originally posted by Myksyk
I bought this month's 'Scientific American' and see in Shermer's 'Skeptic' article...

Here is the article itself.

williamgrogan

Very funny!

In case anyone thinks that few people fall for this....... it is clear reading Quackwatch which reports instances where the FDA and other law enforcement agencies fine and jail these guys that they often sell millions of dollars worth of "product" before being stopped.

Myksyk

You have to admit that "Golden C Lithium Structured Water" is far more impressive than 'Blue' Water. I guess that's the reason it costs 20 times more!