Dr. Miller studies how much Americans know about science. His conclusion? Most Americans don’t have a clue about science. 20% of Americans believe that the Sun revolves around the Earth! 90% of Americans don’t know what radiation is! Molecules are a mystery, and talk about stem cells is useless when you have no clue of what a cell is.
Our high schools are failing us.
This explains some things. Like how the otherwise reputable company, Harbor Freight, can sell the Fuel Master (ITEM 36098-9VGA) – basically something that clamps onto the fuel line – for $20.00. The manual that comes with it says that Fuel Master works by penetrating, “… the fuel line, causing clusters of hydrocarbon molecules to separate.” This is supposed to not only improve the fuel / oxygen mix, but also remove carbon deposits and varnish from your engine. How they are removed is left unsaid.
The manual says that all this will improve your fuel economy by 11.6% or better.
This is all bunk of course. The manual says that the device has “Magnetic Circuitry” inside of it. First, Hydrocarbons are not magnetic in any way – or at least not at the level of magnetism generated by something that small. Second – the manual misuses the word “Circuitry” – a circuit implies power consumed to accomplish a task. There is no place to plug this thing into power. Is the Fuel Master a perpetual energy machine? Ha!
The lack of knowledge about electricity, radiation, and audio sound waves is used against Americans again and again. Starting with Audio Clarification for your CD-Rom or DVD, and going into Monster Cable for your speaker systems.
Wake up people! Your CD-Rom is just holes drilled in metal encased in plastic. A laser either 'sees' the hole, or it doesn't! Clarification doesn't 'improve' the audio, because it CAN'T - a laser will either 'skip' a hole, or not. Most of us have experienced skipping CDs. The noise is distinctive, but the quality of the non-skipped audio is still great.
And as for speaker wire - just keep it as short as possible, and make sure it's rated for the power you are pushing. It won't matter if you pay $10 a foot, or $0.10 a foot - I guarantee you won't be able to tell a difference in a double-blind test.
It’s all junk science – and people will buy these things because there are enough scientific buzzwords to make it sound believable, and the price is not high enough to cause an average person to be wary. It is no different from Snake Oil. “Maybe it works, maybe not,” is what an average person thinks, “but it’s so cheap, and it won’t hurt to TRY it! I’ll keep an open mind.”
Bah. An open mind is important – but this is pure gullibility.
Do yourselves a favor, America, dig out your High School textbook, see if a reputable scientific body certified it – if not, then get one that is certified. Now STUDY it! You’ve got some catching up to do!
All I ask is to be competent at a High School level. It can't be THAT hard!
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