What is an equivalent product to HiFi snake oil?

[Doodski]

My last ink jet was HP. Every time I ran out of black ink I was "informed " out of color. Finally, took color cartridge out on sidewalk and beat open with hammer. That was it. Drove 50 miles and purchased Epsom EcoTank. My ink bill dropped from over $100/mth to about $5. I have small office and don't print alot due to scanning and email. Only function worth using is printer and is slow. Copying and scanning suck. I purchased dedicated scanner and also use to copy.

After spending about $200 in ink for my money pit inkjet printer and each cleaning consumed about 1/5 or more of the tank I gave up on inkjets and went laser. Much better.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

After spending about $200 in ink for my money pit inkjet printer and each cleaning consumed about 1/5 or more of the tank I gave up on inkjets and went laser. Much better.

I used laser for years. In old days, copiers were expensive and laser ink lasted 6 months for a lot of printing. When laser printers dropped in price, cartridges lasted 3 months and eventually down to 1 month. Prices for replacement laser cartridges kept climbing. Epson EcoTank is cheapest refill by far.

 

[Holmz]

I really did go thru the whole thread and have but a few items that have been omitted.
SHAMpoo, CellPhones, Movies, Sports, Organics.

But I may have an issue with declaring art as "snake-oil" like.
Let me give you my example (keeping apolitical) ::
View attachment 302507
Masturbation usually is not a crime but how would you like to spend 400+ years of public display (currently, a replica), humiliation and scrutiny of having a hose stuck up your rectum?
Yet, it has been seen by bazillions and has elicited and stirred many an emotion. Art? Snake Oil?

^The Manneken Pis^

• Another legend suggests that, in the 14th century, Brussels was under siege by a foreign power. The city had held its ground for some time, so the attackers conceived of a plan to place explosive charges at the city walls. A little boy named Julianske happened to be spying on them, as they were preparing. He urinated on the burning fuse and thus saved the city.[36] There was, at the time (middle of the 15th century, perhaps as early as 1388), a similar statue made of stone. The statue was stolen several times.[6]

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

Many dietary supplements and herbal remedies--some are legit. Many car fuel and oil additives. Most all fad diets.

One trend I find very disturbing is the amount of time PBS allocates during pledge time to medical quacks.

 

[Spocko]

• "hand crafted"
• "all natural"
• "responsibly sourced"

 

[Timcognito]

One trend I find very disturbing is the amount of time PBS allocates during pledge time to medical quacks.

YES, and they replace a show that you watch, say "This Old House" with Suzy Orman instead of something to with architecture or woodworking or energy saving to raise money. That is just bad marketing.

 

[kemmler3D]

YES, and they replace a show that you watch, say "This Old House" with Suzy Orman instead of something to with architecture or woodworking or energy saving to raise money. That is just bad marketing.

Not to be a downer, but if they replace a show that you watch, with a show that 2 people watch instead of you, that's actually good marketing. Not that I personally support removal of DIY content from the airwaves, but nobody is employed to keep unpopular stuff in circulation except university librarians and junk shop proprietors.

 

[Timcognito]

Not to be a downer, but if they replace a show that you watch, with a show that 2 people watch instead of you, that's actually good marketing. Not that I personally support removal of DIY content from the airwaves, but nobody is employed to keep unpopular stuff in circulation except university librarians and junk shop proprietors.

I think you just called me a NERD -

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

Not to be a downer, but if they replace a show that you watch, with a show that 2 people watch instead of you, that's actually good marketing. Not that I personally support removal of DIY content from the airwaves, but nobody is employed to keep unpopular stuff in circulation except university librarians and junk shop proprietors.

Apparently the snake oil sells membership. Is it good marketing or effective marketing? I'm old. I remember pre-public television "educational" stations. I probably developed some ethical expectations back then. I remember things like David Susskind's talk show and all the art movies I watched on Saturday nights when I was in high school.

 

[kemmler3D]

Apparently the snake oil sells membership. Is it good marketing or effective marketing? I'm old. I remember pre-public television "educational" stations. I probably developed some ethical expectations back then. I remember things like David Susskind's talk show and all the art movies I watched on Saturday nights when I was in high school.

Good marketing and effective marketing are often considered the same thing, just like good / effective engineering. Now, do I personally like or approve of these developments, no. Maybe if PBS had more public funding they could pander less...

 

[pseudoid]

...(oh how about penile growth supplements on top?! :-D)

I understand this business is flourishing very well, since Covid and has been said to be at tens of billions dollars in market capitalization.
Think of it as this...

...but it is called manzillian wax << I think.
Some of the product brand-names are absolutely hilarious.
ADD: I forgot to write my punchline: That stuff would be the real-deal "snake oil"!