A Truly Disgusting Individual

[Baydwin]

Jim McCormick is perhaps representative of how low the human animal can sink.

In his truly horrendous mission to satiate his own greed, he sold fake bomb detectors to Iraqi (and other) security forces. These "detectors" deployed at many security checkpoints across the country have, most likely, been responsible for letting through the devices responsible for the recent attacks that have killed hundreds of innocent civilians.

With the majority of serial killers and murderers we at least have some comfort in knowing they aren't usually "normal" people, typically they will have some form of psychological problem underpinning their actions. With this man we have an example of a sane person out to make a quick buck at the expense of hundreds of people's lives. Evil isn't a word I like to use as it is very overused in our society, but in this case I'm happy to make an exception.

BBC News - Newsnight - Export ban for useless 'bomb detector'

 

[MSizer]

wow, what a scumbag. that really is as low as it gets.

 

[gnomon]

It is deplorable.

It's bunk because it's a dowsing rod. Nothing more.

Whenever people ask me why I'm a skeptic and rail against basically all things superstitious, paranormal or pseudoscientific it's because of things like this.

 

[Baydwin]

Whenever people ask me why I'm a skeptic and rail against basically all things superstitious, paranormal or pseudoscientific it's because of things like this.

It wasn't really the product that got me angry, I mean people have been selling junk since there was junk to sell, it's the man that made me sick to my stomach. How someone can be so cold and self-serving as to sell useless equipment advertised as life saving, well, I can't get my head around it.

What's worse is that it's not like this is an isolated individual, our whole society seems to be heading down this road, although not as far as this monster thank god.

 

[whereismynotecard]

When I saw the title of the thread, I was so scared it was going to be about me. But yes, the guy you are talking about sounds like a jerk.

 

[gnomon]

It wasn't really the product that got me angry, I mean people have been selling junk since there was junk to sell, it's the man that made me sick to my stomach. How someone can be so cold and self-serving as to sell useless equipment advertised as life saving, well, I can't get my head around it.

What's worse is that it's not like this is an isolated individual, our whole society seems to be heading down this road, although not as far as this monster thank god.

It would all boil down to whether or not McCormick believed in what he was selling. That's the common argument.

I don't think he believed in it. Like you, I think he's a scumsucking ****bag.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

What I'm wondering is.... who's the genius that purchased these things? Didn't they investigate what they were purchasing?

I'm thinking that the person who bought it is just as guilty - and may have been in on the scam, or at least got some significant kickbacks.

 

[gnomon]

What I'm wondering is.... who's the genius that purchased these things? Didn't they investigate what they were purchasing?

I'm thinking that the person who bought it is just as guilty - and may have been in on the scam, or at least got some significant kickbacks.

The Iraqi government bought them even though the FBI has pointed out such devices as bunk for a number of years and the US military advised against them.

Also, I think much of the inherent nonsense human beings believe in (i.e. lack of critical thought or skepticism) was a contributing factor.

 

[Baydwin]

What I'm wondering is.... who's the genius that purchased these things? Didn't they investigate what they were purchasing?

I'm thinking that the person who bought it is just as guilty - and may have been in on the scam, or at least got some significant kickbacks.

Well, there is being evil and there is being stupid. Clearly the person buying them thought something like, "oh, these are much cheaper, we can get 10 of these for the price of the one I was recommended to buy", it happens where I work a lot too. The stupid person is at least buying in good faith, that what they are buying will actually work, the person making it though is in a whole other league.

 

[Baydwin]

Also, I think much of the inherent nonsense human beings believe in (i.e. lack of critical thought or skepticism) was a contributing factor.

Do you think there are many people in the Iraqi govenment/army who are avid dowsers? And if they were, would they knowingly buy them and put their people at risk. Personally, I can't believe that is the case, but then there is a lot about human behaviour that renders me speechless.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Well, there is being evil and there is being stupid. Clearly the person buying them thought something like, "oh, these are much cheaper, we can get 10 of these for the price of the one I was recommended to buy", it happens where I work a lot too. The stupid person is at least buying in good faith, that what they are buying will actually work, the person making it though is in a whole other league.

Yes, but it this case, it's a case of criminal stupidity.

Whoever bought those things didn't do their due diligence, and they are just as guilty as the man who sold them.

 

[gnomon]

Do you think there are many people in the Iraqi govenment/army who are avid dowsers? And if they were, would they knowingly buy them and put their people at risk. Personally, I can't believe that is the case, but then there is a lot about human behaviour that renders me speechless.

The FBI has warned against these types of devices. The US military advised against them to the Iraqi's.

The Iraqi government has a responsibility to their people. They knowingly put their people at risk by buying into a product they did not test which, if the product failed, would directly lead to the loss of human life. Whether or not the government were avid dowsers is irrelevant. They failed to perform a basic human function and a required governmental function. Critical thought which would lead to testing of the devices rather than relying on the mere statements of the manufacturer or anecdotal evidence.

 

[xkatz]

Wow what an ***.

 

[MSizer]

When I saw the title of the thread, I was so scared it was going to be about me. But yes, the guy you are talking about sounds like a jerk.

Don't be silly! you can do no wrong.

 

[YmirGF]

Yes, but it this case, it's a case of criminal stupidity.

Whoever bought those things didn't do their due diligence, and they are just as guilty as the man who sold them.

Exactly. Then again, one should never underestimate the stupidity of garden variety human animals. They'll buy anything if you tailor your pitch to their thinking. This guy isn't evil or even particularly clever. He is just like every other salesperson on Earth, it is just that his clientele is a bit above the average muck.

 

[Baydwin]

This guy isn't evil or even particularly clever. He is just like every other salesperson on Earth, it is just that his clientele is a bit above the average muck.

I disagree. There's a clear difference in my mind between people who sell phoney items that do no harm bar conning some gullible people out of some cash, and people who sell phoney bomb detectors which result in people getting blown up.

The Iraqi government has a responsibility to their people. They knowingly put their people at risk by buying into a product they did not test which, if the product failed, would directly lead to the loss of human life. Whether or not the government were avid dowsers is irrelevant. They failed to perform a basic human function and a required governmental function. Critical thought which would lead to testing of the devices rather than relying on the mere statements of the manufacturer or anecdotal evidence.

All true. But I still find the manufacturing of such devices far more offensive than the irresponsible purchasing of them.

 

[gnomon]

All true. But I still find the manufacturing of such devices far more offensive than the irresponsible purchasing of them.

Can't disagree with that.

Your premise holds true. The man's disgusting.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Exactly. Then again, one should never underestimate the stupidity of garden variety human animals. They'll buy anything if you tailor your pitch to their thinking. This guy isn't evil or even particularly clever. He is just like every other salesperson on Earth, it is just that his clientele is a bit above the average muck.

I disagree.

Everyone is a salesperson. We sell our services, our labor, or trade goods.

In a fair *non-hostile* exchange, which is what most people want, both parties agree to a trade that best suits the value of both commodities.

In this case, the trade was money for nothing.

Not everyone selling stuff is selling something without any value -- or, as in this case, something that will certainly cause death. It's just like selling poison to someone.

 

[YmirGF]

I disagree.

Everyone is a salesperson. We sell our services, our labor, or trade goods.

In a fair *non-hostile* exchange, which is what most people want, both parties agree to a trade that best suits the value of both commodities.

In this case, the trade was money for nothing.

On this, you are quite wrong. All transactions are based on perceived value. Pretend that reality out of existence. Go ahead, try.

Not everyone selling stuff is selling something without any value -- or, as in this case, something that will certainly cause death. It's just like selling poison to someone.

That calls into question why he is allowed to market his product at all, especially since the FBI and military already knew about it. Their not acting to stop his production is, in my view, even more criminal.

 

[Smoke]

That calls into question why he is allowed to market his product at all, especially since the FBI and military already knew about it. Their not acting to stop his production is, in my view, even more criminal.

Oh, yeah. That's just what we want. The FBI and the US military intervening in Britain.

British authorities have now acted -- better late than never, I guess -- to ban the export of these products to Iraq and Afghanistan. It's not clear from the story whether there's a general ban on export or why there doesn't seem to be any move to prosecute McCormick.

Concern over the use of dowsing rods to detect bombs was first raised by American sceptic, James Randi.

Okay, so people really are so stupid that it takes a professional skeptic to notice that there's something wrong with this product.

Exactly how stupid are they?

Major General Jehad al-Jabiri, who appeared at a press conference with Mr McCormick following the December explosions, said he did not "care about Sandia" and knew more about bombs than the Americans:

"Whether it's magic or scientific, what I care about is it detects bombs," he said.

This is criminal stupidity.

Well, there is being evil and there is being stupid. Clearly the person buying them thought something like, "oh, these are much cheaper, we can get 10 of these for the price of the one I was recommended to buy", it happens where I work a lot too.

It happens daily on the job I just quit. It has become very clear to me that the Peter Principle is wrong. People don't just rise to the level of their incompetence and stay there. In many cases, they continue to rise to a level far above their level of incompetence. I don't know why it took my stupid job to make this clear to me; I could have just taken a good look at the United States Senate.