>-----Original Message-----
>From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] 
>Sent: 10 January 2006 07:37
>To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
>Subject: Re: [EE] stupid (learning) mistakes
>
>
>> > I am so tempted to get into the "unconventional beliefs"
>
>> I used to think that you'd have to have dubious morals to do this
>
>I'm coming to the conclusion that I would actually be doing 
>society a service by starting goofygadgets.com  Take the money 
>off those who cannot be responsible with it and give it to, 
>well, me ;-) I'll put it to good use
>
>> but I figure that if they are happy to pay for this rubbish, it 
>> doesn't behove you to believe in any of it
>
>That's quite true. Any retailer who actually wants to sell 
>anything can't judge their customers' needs. If they've got 
>the money, I'll sell it to 'em (stopping short at illegal 
>substances of course). Enough with the cotton wool, these 
>people are grown-ups
>
>A few months ago I was asked to make some thing called a 
>Little Zapper (I think). An oscillator device based on shonky 
>1930s "medical opinion", that claims to cure everything. 
>Except gullibility
>
>I priced it at around $50 (basically a not-very-sophisticated 
>555 circuit). My potential customer queried why so cheap and 
>pointed me to a site selling a "professional model", akin to a 
>low-performance TENs unit, for $3000 (my estimate to build - 
>$150). And $1500 courses on how to use it and make money. 
>Apparently very popular with the alternative life-stylers
>
>Ka-ching ka-ching ka-ching

How wierd, I was asked to produce these exact same things in the last place I worked (as a home job). The wife of one of the quality managers (who was very scathing of the whole thing) sold them to various guilible punters.  The thing is, I'm pretty sure she actualy belived they worked.

The only thing I worried about was if somehow a 9v square wave applied in the wrong place could trigger an fit or some other serious problem.  Puiblic liability insurance is not cheap...

Regards

Mike

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