A New Year's Resolution For Science Advocates: Don't Cry Wolfe

[HuckleB]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kavinsenapathy/2016/01/01/a-new-years-resolution-for-science-advocates-dont-cry-wolfe/#2715e4857a0b618dd87c29dd

"On December 23rd, a group of science advocacy social media pages (including my own) asked their followers to make a New Year’s resolution . With hashtag #DontCryWolfe, the resolution was released to the internet world, with a request regarding one David “Avocado” Wolfe: “In 2016 we pledge to never share posts from this man on Facebook FB -4.21%. We will also encourage our friends to do the same.”

Who is David “Avocado” Wolfe, and why is he worth an internet campaign? Known best as the star of the infomercial for the NutriBullet blender, billed “America’s #1 selling kitchen appliance” and a life changing “nutrition extractor,” Wolfe is a self-styled “rock star and Indiana Jones of the superfoods and longevity universe,” the author of several books including “Eating for Beauty,” and “Chaga: King of the Medicinal Mushrooms,” and seller of superfoods and super-supplements via the “Longevity Warehouse” website. With over 3.3 million Facebook followers (which is more than Hillary Clinton’s and Bernie Sanders’ Facebook followings and less than Donald Trump’s), and frequently viral graphics and motivational quotes, the man has a massive reach.

Certainly his touting the so-called life altering cyclonic extractor is misleading but relatively benign, despite its hefty price point of 6 easy payments of $19.99 plus an exorbitant $39.98 in shipping and processing fees. A glorified and overpriced albeit effective blender, its spokesman makes dubious and even impossible claims of the NutriBullet improving everything from aches and pains to menopause symptoms through its “exclusive cyclonic action” that breaks down food on a cellular level; a mechanism that might be beneficial for anyone who doesn’t possess a digestive system.

...

But Wolfe needs to convince his audience that evidence-based cancer treatments are “largely a fraud.” After all, a quick keyword search for “cancer” on the blender-peddling salesman’s “Longevity Warehouse” site turns up over ten products that claim to treat or prevent cancer, like UMAC Core Marine Phytoplankton that sells for just $109.72 for six ounces. Wolfe’s site has a disclaimer: “The products and the claims made about specific products on or through this site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.” Nice avoidance of liability there, Mr. Wolfe.

...

"


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Indeed. Scam artists like Wolfe are ugly and horrific. Please don't support these people.