Superstring Backswing

August 11, 2007 3:22 PM

The hucksters behind the QLink Pendant claim that it "utilises Sympathetic Resonance Technology to rebalance the energetic systems of the body". Apparently, some scientists and engineers think £69.99 is a fair price for a necklace consisting of a copper coil and a zero-ohm resistor [neither of which are actually connected to anything]. The inventor claims that the QLink does not use electronics components “in a conventional electronic way” yet it "increases your capacity to function in EMF saturated environments."I guess golfers will buy anything that promises an improved score. It's the perfect accessory for my new Faraday suit.
posted by chuckdarwin (41 comments total)

My brother was sent one for free, and I just had a close look at the thing... it's hilariously science-free.
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:23 PM on August 11, 2007

Is this from the same folks responsible for the silly Q-Ray bracelet?
posted by mrbill at 3:27 PM on August 11, 2007

"The QLink is at the absolute cutting edge of quantum physics technology."

Man, just putting it on envelopes the wearer in a localized Singularity of gullibility.
posted by Burhanistan at 3:31 PM on August 11, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

In a just world James Randi would kill these people using his telepathic powers.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 3:33 PM on August 11, 2007 [11 favorites has favorites]

Did I miss something or wouldn't a zero-ohm resistor by definition outperform a superconductor?
posted by sourwookie at 3:37 PM on August 11, 2007

LOLSCAMARTISTS
posted by Hat Maui at 3:39 PM on August 11, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

sourwookie writes "Did I miss something or wouldn't a zero-ohm resistor by definition outperform a superconductor?"

It's a term of art. Sometimes you have a space for a component on a breadboard, but you just want a wire connecting the two termini, so you'll use a zero-ohm resistor. In reality, of course, these have a nonzero resistance. This one, for example, has a resistance of 0.0025 ohms.
posted by mr_roboto at 3:42 PM on August 11, 2007

This one, for example, has a resistance of 0.0025 ohms.

...and is worth £0.005
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:44 PM on August 11, 2007

But with the current exchange rate that comes out to about $5,000 USD
posted by parallax7d at 3:49 PM on August 11, 2007

But does it cure tired blood?
posted by McLir at 3:51 PM on August 11, 2007

"It is the modern day antidote to modern day living."

and here's me thinking just the right tattoo would do the trick.
posted by de at 3:52 PM on August 11, 2007

Sometimes you have a space for a component on a breadboard, but you just want a wire connecting the two termini, so you'll use a zero-ohm resistor.

Other uses -- you can jump over a trace with one, if you don't have an easier way to make the connection. Many boards use them for configurations -- family band radios, for example, will have some soldered in one position to us the US FRS/GMRS frequencies, and some soldered in other positions to use the PRM466 band in Europe.
posted by eriko at 4:02 PM on August 11, 2007

...something something something born every minute...
posted by quin at 4:09 PM on August 11, 2007

The golf link -- the dialog between Ham and Egg -- almost works as conceptual art. What shook me "right down to" my "wing tips" was that this kind of writing still happens.
posted by McLir at 4:10 PM on August 11, 2007

How long untill Alex Chiu sues them for patent infringement?
posted by bhance at 4:13 PM on August 11, 2007

Ham: Keep your shirt on, Mr. Skeptical.
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:14 PM on August 11, 2007

I remember when we called zero ohm resistors jumpers. If only I'd known I had piles of quantum physics technology in that component cabinet.
posted by mbd1mbd1 at 4:43 PM on August 11, 2007

In my day, we wore copper bracelets and we liked it!
posted by Pope Guilty at 4:55 PM on August 11, 2007

I would GLADLY pay 70 pounds for a resistor that's truly zero-ohms at room temperature. What a bargain!
posted by Twang at 5:03 PM on August 11, 2007

Ok, I'll sell you one. It might be a bit hard to see as it's only a few atoms thick, though.
posted by IronLizard at 5:14 PM on August 11, 2007

You know, I'm kinda pleased. In a community with so many that believe in the magical, curative powers of Detoxifying Foot Wraps, Neti pots and crusades against flouride, there is one type of kookery that is met with disdain.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:50 PM on August 11, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

I think you're pointing out a very small minority there, CPB.
posted by IronLizard at 6:01 PM on August 11, 2007

Be sure to apply liberally with frequency grease after each use. Frequency grease is sold seperately.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 6:26 PM on August 11, 2007

You had me at "zero ohm resistor".
posted by DU at 6:29 PM on August 11, 2007

I'll bet Qbert is spinning off his grave.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:38 PM on August 11, 2007

I remember when we called zero ohm resistors jumpers.

0Ω resistors are packaged like a real resistor, complete with epoxy blob and a single black band (or in a standard SMT shape), so you can use them in automatic assembly machines. Don't ask me why pick-and-place machines apparently can't handle plain old wire jumpers.
posted by hattifattener at 6:38 PM on August 11, 2007

I think you're pointing out a very small minority there, CPB.

Give it a few more minutes ... wait for it ... wait for it ... ;-)
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 7:03 PM on August 11, 2007

I had the misfortune of spending an evening amongst such kooks once. It was at an event in Toronto on stray voltage (which is a bit of a problem in rural areas) and EMF.
The EMF people were hilarious, if quite scary. One of them had an EMF-barring air spritz spray. Another had a dirty electricity detector (which Ben Goldacre deals with neatly). And finally, another had - I wish I were joking - metallic lining for your hat. And they were a university professor.
posted by scruss at 7:11 PM on August 11, 2007

The name they dareth not say is radionics. Radionics is a form of magic which draws its symbolic system from scientific things.

I have seen very strange and unexplainable things from people practicing magic, including myself, and including radionics. Of course all of those things I saw had conventional explanations but were extremely unlikely in conventional terms.

That being said, I could so make one of these things in my garage in about 15 minutes and it would probably work better, being as I would add a quartz crystal to it on general principles.
posted by localroger at 7:15 PM on August 11, 2007

The name they dareth not say is radionics. Radionics is a form of magic which draws its symbolic system from scientific things.

I have seen very strange and unexplainable things from people practicing magic, including myself, and including radionics. Of course all of those things I saw had conventional explanations but were extremely unlikely in conventional terms.

Please, please, for the love of god, don't prove CPB right. Not in this thread, not in any thread.
posted by Avenger at 7:36 PM on August 11, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Please, please, for the love of god, don't prove CPB right. Not in this thread, not in any thread.

Okay, I laughed. Nice one. ;-)
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 7:48 PM on August 11, 2007

In a community with so many that believe in the magical, curative powers of Detoxifying Foot Wraps, Neti pots and crusades against flouride, there is one type of kookery that is met with disdain.

Funny how all those links point to the green. If case you havent noticed this is the blue. I'm certain that a FPP about the wonders of a detoxifying foot rub would be met laregly the same way as this. There's kookiness here to be sure, but askme is supposed to be a judgement free area.
posted by damn dirty ape at 10:43 PM on August 11, 2007

Nah. You can find studies in the Lancet, I think, about neti pots. Hell, my surgeon has said it was a good idea that I start it before my septoplasty, since I'll have to do nasal irrigation afterwards, too. It's about as far-fetched as tonguescraping or taking a plastic stick with little whiskers on it and rubbing it over your gums.

The fluoride stuff, though, that's just whackjobbery.
posted by adipocere at 11:02 PM on August 11, 2007

unexplainable things [...] had conventional explanations
posted by sidereal at 4:18 AM on August 12, 2007

Back in my long-lost undergraduate days, I once took an Electrical Engineering 100 Lab class. Bored students would often make things not too dissimilar from that pendant out of random spare parts. They were probably more effective, too.
posted by mystyk at 9:31 AM on August 12, 2007

There's kookiness here to be sure, but askme is supposed to be a judgement free area.

And the worse it is for that, because sometimes the most helpful possible thing is to correct someone's inane ideas. It's how we progressed from believing the position of stars in the sky could identify one's health problems, to believing that the better course of action may be antibiotics.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:01 AM on August 12, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Everyone is a scientific genius, to be sure.
posted by Burhanistan at 10:28 AM on August 12, 2007

sounds to me like a good ol-fashioned talisman charged with the latest talk in science so that people believe in it and it works. belief's pretty strong, and this is the sort of thing even a few (but just a few) hard-nosed rationalists might go for.

ten years ago, magnets. thirty years ago, crystals. a hundred years ago, radium. a thousand years ago, a bit of bone and hair incanted over. same thing, really.

here is how you can save yourself tons of money and still get the benefits it claims: go out somewhere where you know you'll find little trinkets or cool rocks or what have you. the creek, a gift shop, wal-mart, whatever suits you. all the while, pretend that everything that you sense has a special significant meaning just for you. cross your senses together; if you smell pizza and hear a dog barking and see a green car, try and figure out what the meaning of that might be, even if it's stupid.

alright, now use this mental exercise to help you decide what object is going to do awesome stuff for you. think about this awesome stuff, and use your heightened senses to pick out a gewgaw.

i've used similar methods to trick my brain into believing things that improve my ability to remain happy, optimistic, and healthy.
posted by maus at 4:41 PM on August 12, 2007

"If you want to become a millionaire, invent a new diet pill. If you want to become a billionaire, invent a diet pill that doesn't work."
posted by McLir at 5:51 PM on August 12, 2007

Breathing is nice. Deep breathing trumps trinkets any day of the zodiac.
posted by Burhanistan at 7:35 PM on August 12, 2007

But is it compatible with my Eberhard Faber Design Art Marker No. 255? I don't want to be canceling out my carefully added-in frequencies.
posted by 1f2frfbf at 11:21 AM on August 13, 2007