Category: Manipulation

Brain, Corruption, Freak Religion, Hypocrisy, Manipulation, PsychologyLeave a comment

SIN IS A MADE-UP RELIGIOUS MARKETING SCHEME

Fernando Kaskais

by Caitlin Johnstone, Contributor Waking Times The word “halitosis” is a household term which everyone knows means bad breath. But did you know that the word has been around for less than a hundred years, and was invented not by the medical field, but by advertisers? Back in the 1920s, people didn’t worry about body odor as much as they do now. They didn’t bathe nearly as often, they didn’t wear deodorant, and some bodily smells weren’t necessarily considered socially catastrophic. A family antiseptic company called Listerine was able to increase its revenue from $115,000 to $8 million over the course of seven … Continue reading SIN IS A MADE-UP RELIGIOUS MARKETING SCHEME

Curiositys, Health, Living, Manipulation, Psychology, SexLeave a comment

How to Tell if Your BDSM Relationship Is Abusive

Fernando Kaskais

David McNew / Getty Images By Matthew Terrell A psychologist explains the line between a healthy exchange of power and potentially fatal abuse. For the average person, BDSM (bondage, dominance, submission, and masochism—a type of sexual behavior) may mean the occasional light spanking in the bedroom. Maybe there are handcuffs, ropes, or other toys obtained from the local erotic store. But for many people who identify as being part of the “leather community” or, more generally, the “kink community,” BDSM is a lifestyle. These folks don’t dabble in BDSM play. They live it. If you ever see someone wearing a chain … Continue reading How to Tell if Your BDSM Relationship Is Abusive

Big Pharma, Curiositys, Health, Manipulation, Science, TechnologyLeave a comment

How did one woman wielding FAKE SCIENCE manage to fool so many supposedly “smart” leaders in the business community?

Fernando Kaskais

By Vicki Batts Theranos and its female founder, Elizabeth Holmes were widely promoted as the would-be future of feminism and medical technology. But as it turned out, her promises of life-changing technology in the world of blood testing were empty, and the science she based her entire company on was fraudulent. How did one woman fool so many people, for such a long period of time? The answer is simple: Holmes was giving the media what they wanted (a female icon)  and over-eager investors simply don’t know enough about science to ask the right questions. The age-old adage, “If it’s … Continue reading How did one woman wielding FAKE SCIENCE manage to fool so many supposedly “smart” leaders in the business community?

Curiositys, History, Manipulation, Science, TechnologyLeave a comment

Vikings unwittingly made their swords stronger by trying to imbue them with spirits

Fernando Kaskais

They didn’t know it, but the rituals of Iron Age Scandinavians turned their iron into steel. by Matt Davis Iron Age Scandinavians only had access to poor quality iron, which put them at a tactical disadvantage against their neighbors. To strengthen their swords, smiths used the bones of their dead ancestors and animals, hoping to transfer the spirit into their blades. They couldn’t have known that in so doing, they actually were forging a rudimentary form of steel. Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke wrote that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” While we usually extend this to the future, … Continue reading Vikings unwittingly made their swords stronger by trying to imbue them with spirits

Curiositys, Freak U.S.A, Mafia, Manipulation, Money, PoliticsLeave a comment

THE PERFECT IRONY THAT ‘THE WOLF OF WALL STREET’ FILM WAS ALSO A REAL-LIFE SCAM

Fernando Kaskais

How Leo got caught up in a money-laundering scheme that screwed the Malaysian people out of billions by Zaron Burnett III It’s April 2013 in New York. Ensconced in a Chelsea studio bubbling with celebrities and champagne, an international man of mystery records his vanity music project. The ballad the 30-year-old sings is called “Void of a Legend.” The man calls himself Jho Low. At one point in his recording session, rapper Busta Rhymes and super-producer Pharrell Williams show up. Low shouts at Busta, “Yo! I own you! You’re my bitch!” The Malaysian financial wunderkind is drunkenly referring to the … Continue reading THE PERFECT IRONY THAT ‘THE WOLF OF WALL STREET’ FILM WAS ALSO A REAL-LIFE SCAM

Curiositys, Living, Manipulation, Media&Culture, PsychologyLeave a comment

Why Do People Believe in Pseudoscience?

Fernando Kaskais

Illustration: Elena Scotti (Photos: Shutterstock) by Daniel Kolitz It’s difficult to change someone’s mind if they have anything like a strong opinion on the risks of vaccination, or the usefulness of orbs and essential oils in the treatment of late-stage liver cancer. But if you’re ever going to stand a chance of doing so, you’re going to need to wipe the rage-spittle off your face and set about the hard, not especially rewarding work of trying to understand these people. And so for this week’s Giz Asks, we reached out to a number of psychologists and historians who’ve studied the issue … Continue reading Why Do People Believe in Pseudoscience?

Animals, Big Food, Eco, Health, Living, Manipulation1 Comment

The Fish On Your Plate May Not Be What You Ordered

Fernando Kaskais

TUPUNGATO VIA GETTY IMAGES Seafood on display at a fish market in New York City. A new investigation finds that one-fifth of U.S. seafood tested is mislabeled. By Chris D’Angelo If you eat seafood, even occasionally, there’s a good chance you’ve been served a fish species you didn’t order. A new monthslong investigation by ocean advocacy group Oceana finds widespread and persistent fraud in the U.S. seafood industry. The organization tested 449 fish from more than 250 restaurants, seafood markets and grocery stores across the country and found that 21 percent of samples were mislabeled. In two restaurants in Florida, cheap … Continue reading The Fish On Your Plate May Not Be What You Ordered