Here is a concise explanation of what the FTC does, taken from Wikipedia:
The FTC carries out its mission by investigating issues raised by reports from consumers and businesses, pre-merger notification filings, congressional inquiries, or reports in the media. These issues include, for instance, false advertising and other forms of fraud. FTC investigations may pertain to a single company or an entire industry. If the results of the investigation reveal unlawful conduct, the FTC may seek voluntary compliance by the offending business through a consent order, file an administrative complaint, or initiate federal litigation.
Reports from consumers is first in the list of things to which this great big independent government body responds. In the absence of consumer complaints, a misleading online sales pitch can thrive indefinitely. Here is a video tutorial on how to file a complaint with the FTC:
Interestingly, this video recently celebrated its second anniversary an Kimkins is still not in compliance with the current FTC regulations. The FTC has a page of good advice for people shopping for weight loss products and services. Nobody who reads that page carefully will pay for a Kimkins membership but at this point it’s not the careful consumers that we are worried about. If Heidi Diaz had been around in the 1800s, we’d probably be debating whether she had coined the phrase about suckers and their reproductive rates. Kimkins doesn’t comply with the FTC because it simply wouldn’t work. The FTC disapproves of fantastic claims of weight loss and asks instead for typical or average results. Please leave some comments with wording suggestions for the typical results of Kimkins. My suggestion is as follows:
I’m writing this post after noticing that Google put an ad for The Way to Happiness on my blog. I’m not pointing at it, just alluding to it
The only good thing I have to say about the Corporation of scientology is that they have helped internet advertising limp along through this recession. You may not notice all of their ads, because they conceal the fact that they are behind various entities. I may see more scientology ads because I am in a geographic location where the ad space is cheap.
The Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints morality plays that aired on TV throughout my youth had some very similar messages to scientology’s present pushing of The Way To Happiness. scientology is NOT the way to happiness. I would say that anyone who is measurably happier because of it is the exception rather than the rule. The arch enemies of scientology, psychiatrists, arguably have a better record as far as increasing happiness.
Almost everything about Jackie Cox mirrors the Kimkins Controversy.
500 calorie diet -check.
Weightloss guru who is discovered to be obese -check.
Dieters reporting hair loss and other health side effects -check.
There is one very important difference. As far as I know, Jackie Cox has never posted fake pictures of herself or fabricated facts about her own successful long term weight loss. The other difference may be a direct result of that difference. Her diet empire, LighterLife, continues to thrive and Jackie lives the good life in the Bahamas (a popular tax haven with the Brits).
In real life, there is nothing funny about Super Lice. That being said, this item in The Onion about Head Lice Going Around Senate is quite hilarious. It puts things in perspective.
The fictitious lice outbreak was not dealt with effectively because the politicians could not agree on a plan of action. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) even made a privileged motion that all affected heads be immediately soaked in kerosene (not really it is satire). Using kerosene or gasoline to kill head lice is very dangerous, DO NOT DO IT. A teen in Indiana is in hospital with life threatening burns after the gasoline on her hair ignited. Even if you do not have a problem with head lice now, you should educate yourself. Visit www.super-lice.com and get the toxin free method that works, even on Super Lice. The term Super Lice refers to lice that are resistant to most of the toxic shampoos that are available over the counter or by prescription.
I am kind of conflicted about my purchases of used clothes in Africa. Used clothing is a booming industry here and items trickle in two directions once the export bales are opened. The best items will find their way onto hangers inside shops with all the conventions of retail. The less desirable stuff will sit on sheets of plywood in alleyways and on tarps along busy sidewalks.
I paid the equivalent of 70 US cents for the shirt pictured above. Can anyone tell me it’s original retail price?
In real life, there is nothing funny about 
