Keep Bugs Away the Pseudoscientific Way!

Well, my most recent inspiration for a post is definitely more entertaining than it is cerebral, but I really had to get some thoughts out about this one--it's too good to waste.
A quick caveat before venting:
1) I am not a practitioner of pranic healing, brain yoga, aura imaging, or anything of the sort, but I do not dismiss the idea that some practices in that general category can have healing effects for some people.
2) However, if I happen come off as cynical then I probably have a good reason for it.

While channel surfing a couple days ago, per usual, I came across a typical and friendly infomercial screen. Infomercials are a weak spot for me, so I stopped to check out the latest gadget on display: Shoo!TAG™. They asked questions like, "are you sick of putting harmful and toxic chemicals on your pets to keep bugs away," and "don't you wish there was a safer way to stay bug-free for you and your pets?" Sure, sounds great. I've never looked into it, but those flea and tick topical meds can't be totally safe considering that they are designed to poison pests and stay on the skin for up to a month. These guys, at least in theory, have a better way. With a quick google search of most any product you can get on TV from an 800 number one generally finds at least a couple people posting angrily about how they wasted their money, the refund department doesn't really exist, etc, etc. Just a few mixed reviews here and there, I wanted to go ahead and do a little critical thinking about this "Shoo!TAG™" before it explodes. Apparently, sales are exploding right now, and the makers are unable to meet demand. You must at least give them credit for releasing their product in winter. It was a brilliant move considering flea, tick, and mosquito season was months away with ample time to unload ridiculous amounts of their cutting-edge product before real results could even be seen. Early buyers of Shoo!TAG™ probably stopped their pet's pest medication, attached the tag and found that even after a month there were still no bugs all the while forgetting that it's still cold outside and the infestation won't really begin for another few months. Who is to say that it's not actually working? A look at their website cleared things up a little.

Here's how this device is "working" to keep you bug free:
[Note: One must make some bold (unfounded) scientific assumptions in order to understand the function of this product.]

Shoo!TAG™ utilizes Nature’s energetic principles in combination with physics, quantum physics and advanced computer software technology. The key to Shoo!TAG™ is the three dimensional electromagnetic field embedded in the magnetic strip.

The tag consists of a magnetic strip on a piece of plastic. About as much consideration for quantum physics went into this as it did for a credit card.

Shoo!TAG™ utilizes the power of the bio-energetic field which surrounds all living things to create a frequency barrier which repels targeted pests for up to four months.

Unlike a credit card, which is encoded with a high-coercivity (~4000 Oe) which will last a very long time, it can be assumed that the Shoo!TAG™ was most likely encoded with some low-coercivity to decrease the life of the product. Again, this is an assumption, but it does raise questions.

Shoo!TAG™'s magnetic strip is encoded with beneficial frequencies and resonances and an electromagnetic charge bearing a polarized energy signature, which when introduced into the bio-energetic field of the wearer produces results. Shoo!TAG™ assists the body in altering its external bio-energetic field so as to effectively repel targeted pests.

The company behind Shoo!TAG™, Energetic Solutions, also advertises for "Aura Imaging," which is a sort of crude method of measuring a person's "bio-energetic field." It displays different colored lights surrounding the subject in the picture which can be read to determine the psychological state of the individual. The principle behind "aura imaging" is that everyone's "bio-energetic field" is different. Now, even if one was to buy into that, would it notfundamentally discredit the Shoo!TAG™? To translate the jumbled science jargon: the tag emits resonance frequencies which when combined with one's own frequencies being emitted, will produce a field of a frequency"known to disrupt insect behavior."

Various insects and pests react to frequencies. These frequencies are introduced into the bio-energetic field of the wearer. These specific frequencies and resonances have proven to disturb and repel the targeted pests.

Studies have shown that insect behavior can indeed be modified through the application of an electromagnetic field of specific frequency and amplitude ranges. Problem: The Shoo!TAG™ FAQ says that frequencies emitted are in the neighborhood of Schumann Waves, which are very low frequency (below 100Hz). In a study with drosophila, Watson et al. found an inverse relationship between frequency and amplitude in disruption of insect behavior by an electric field. According to the study, a wave frequency in the range of the Shoo!TAG™ would require an amplitude upwards of 500kV. Good luck getting trying to get that to emanate from a magnetic strip.

(Bold text was quoted directly from http://www.shootag.com/.)

The creaters of Shoo!TAG™ hail from the city where I live, Austin, TX, and we're not short of metaphysics and Eastern healing enthusiasts here. Don't get me wrong, I love Austin. We do get our "Keep Austin Weird" motto for a reason though. The company behind the tag is Energetic Solutions. Their website has no mainsteam or conventional product or service to offer, specializing in pranic healing, feng shui, meditation, and other healing services such as aura imaging and infrared therapy. Many energy medicine products have been the modern day snake oil but many have provided at least some benefit to their practitioners. It is important that people take a real look at this product and others like it before they think they have some miracle cure. The average person viewing the Shoo!TAG™ website, lacking more advanced scientific knowledge, would without a doubt be highly impressed by the descriptions given, even if he or she didn't understand them, and there is no way of knowing of any connection between Shoo!TAG™ and energy healing. In response to an email requesting trial data or details about the product, this is what I received verbatim:

Thank you for your interest in Shoo!TAG. Your questions are excellent. Youan go to our shootag.com for some of our science explanations. We have had alot of companies wanting to know how we did it. The million dollar question!

If you would like to sign a confidentiality agreement and come visit with us, we will consider answering your questions. We do have a patent pending and have to be very careful. However, if you would be interested in doing a trial or working on some of our science applications (depending what department you are in) we would be very interested.

Please let me know if there is more we can help you with.

Melissa Rogers
Co-Founder, CEO
Energetic Solutions, Ltd

So they dodged the question and offered me a job. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign... I might just have to pay them a visit and sign that confidentiality agreement.