Re: Google bombing + Free Alternative to International Star Registry

From: sheep defender (sdsdsdsdsd_at_waithingforthelight.com)
Date: 09/03/04 

Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2004 19:03:22 -0600

In article <3u2fj0tcgf47dtk5f2nl2pb53v6n4kr194@4ax.com>, Chris L Peterson
<clp@alumni.caltech.edu> wrote:

>On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 14:23:33 -0600, sdsdsdsdsd@waithingforthelight.com (sheep
>defender) wrote:
>
>>And they got the immediate chance to be educated, no?
>
>Perhaps, a very small fraction of the buyers, anyway. But the vast
majority just
>put their certificate on a wall, or in a drawer, and don't give it another
>thought.
>

I'm not able to help those people.

>
>>Do they say the price was too high for what they got?
>
>There are many stories of people being disappointed when they eventually find
>out that they only bought a certificate. I'll bet quite a few of them do feel
>the price was too high once they learn the truth.
>

Did they actually believe they were buying a star system, with mineral
rights? LOL

>
>>More deceptive than beer or soap companies?
>
>Yes. What real deception is there in beer or soap commercials? The implication
>that some babe is going to like you better if you drink a certain beer or use a
>certain soap? Maybe, but that looks far less deceptive to me than what ISR
>appears to be selling.

But can't you see? We're animals. It's all the same. Sex, notoriety,
vanity, the intangibles...

>
>
>>The education comes easily when the average buyer learns what's behind the
>>direction of the star (or defect) he's been presented with...
>
>I doubt the "average" buyer ever gets this far.

Then they'll never get "their money's worth" in astronomy.

>
>
>>>A company can be entirely legal in its operations and still be sleazy. I
>>put ISR
>>>in this category. (Indeed, even the legality of their operation has been
>>>challenged in several state courts.)
>>
>>Were they successful? 'Guess not..
>
>They lost a decision in New York a few years ago brought against them for
>deceptive advertising practices. In Canada, they are now required to include
>wording in all their ads that they are selling a "novelty item". The U.S.
>Library of Congress forced them to stop using their name in ads (they used to
>say that the book of star names would be registered with the Library of
>Congress).

So now what are they claiming so that you still call them sleazy? I think
people just like the concept of buying a star. It's irrepressible.

>
>As an added measure of ISR's sleaziness, they have brought lawsuits against
>individuals and institutions that suggested there was no value to giving any
>money to such companies. They have effectively used their economic strength
>against individuals (who seldom can afford much in the way of legal defense,
>even if the suit is baseless). In my book, any company behaving this way is the
>scum of the Earth.

Or it's self-preservation.. If it's slander, it's slander.

>
>I have a link to the Buy a Star FAQ on my website, and always let people know
>very clearly what it is they are buying from ISR and similar companies. I've
>also twice printed certificates for friends looking to commemorate a special
>star. I did this for free, and in neither case were the people involved
>operating under any false notions about what they got.

How did you check to see if the star hadn't already been "sold" by some company?

>
>Hey, if you want to go out and shill for these sleazebags, that's your right.
>But I don't think you are going to get much support for that position around
>here!

I'm not seeking support, just a balanced view.

Thanks Chris
Defender

>
>_________________________________________________
>
>Chris L Peterson
>Cloudbait Observatory
>http://www.cloudbait.com

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