Date: Mon, 10 May 1999 12:57:43 -0500 To: Ed Anderson , D.P. Ray Cc: D.P. Ray From: Greg & Kari Ray Subject: Read this and then leave us alone!!!! Listen Here Ed... I would first like to clarify the Metabolife issue. To begin with ED, Metabolife is no more controversial than anything else out on the market today. I am not a crook and I do not sell things that I do not believe in. I am a very strong Christian and I resent the fact that you have assumed that I am some sort of scam man of compromised integrity. For your information, I would like to tell you a little about the product I sell so that you will not look ignorant the next time it comes up in conversation. Metabiolife International has been around for about 4 years. The main product is Metabolife 356. This is what is called a thermogenic response dietary aid. By that I mean that it works to increase your bodies basal metabolic rate. It does this through numerous biochemical and physiological pathways in our body (most of which you probably would not understand unless you are versed in the subjects of biochemistry, histology and human physiology). You see, in our brain there is a samll gland called the pituitary gland which secretes a hormone that stimulates the thymus gland, located in you neck, to regulate our metabolism. The normal metabolic rate of any given individual controls a function called the weight set point. This is the homoestatic metabolic level that your body uses to maintain what it thinks is an ideal weight. What does this mean? Well, in most diets we try and use good nutrition and exercise to maintain a trim appearance. But because our body uses the weight-set point theory to control weight, we alway eventually return to our optimal weight (set by our body). The only way to fix this problem is to manipulate the weight set point. This is the function that thermogenic weight loss supplements, like Metabolife, perform. You see, upon combining good nutrition, exercise and Metabolife (or most other quality thermogenic weight loss products) a person is able to lose weight the old fasion way, but the new twist is that they can keep it off because their bodily weight set point has changed. Their metabolic rate has increased!!! Metabolife has many herbal ingredients that have been proven over time to improve health, supress appetites and do many other beneficial things for a person. So you may still think that Metabolife is a controversial potion prescribe by Vodoo doctors and charletans, but it is not. The only drawback it has it that it contains a small amount of Guarana (naturally occuring caffeine - about 1/10th of a cup of cofee) & Ma Huang (Naturally occuring ephedrine - used to raise metabolic rate - about 1/6th of a sudafed tablet). The side effects experienced by some include mild jitters and nausea, for most however this is not a problem because the magnesium, zinc & chromium picolinate found in every pill effectively couteract these side effects. So you can make your own call about it, let me say though, we have been selling it for about a year and out of almost 4,500 bottles sold we have had three returned, all of which were given a complete refund. As an added note - most retail stores sell Metabolife 356 for $49.95, but because I am not looking to rape those who are desperately seeking a great method for controlling their weight, my wife and I sell it for $35/tax included and also every 6th bottle is only $30. I myself only get it for about $29/bottle after advertising, shipping and other expenses. If you are FAT and would like more info please go to www.metabolife.com (as we both know my web site is down) Now on to the other topics I would like to discuss... I will admit that you caught me somewhat offgaurd when you contacted me the other day. The skepticism you portrayed was somewhat unnerving and it appeared that you were on some kind of a witch hunt. Now I have never seen my Dad's web page so I do not know what it says. But after speaking with you and then my father I would like to clarify a few points. 1. Did I ever have psoriasis or try my Dad's cure - Well, not that I know of. I never went to the doctor and got a diagnosis for psoriasis. But I was having a major problem with my scalp about a year ago. I can tell you that I had open lesions on my scalp and dry, flakey skin all over. As far as the remedy, well my father recommended that I take some vitamin C, vitamin E, use Neutrogena T-Gel shampoo and invest in a detoxifying agent. All of these things I did for about a month. Suprisingly my condition cleared up. Now I can not say for sure sure that it was my Dad's suggetion that did it, but I do know it did not hurt me. Now I had no idea that this suggetion he gave me included many of the ingredients in his psoriasis cure, so when we spoke I did not know that I had taken the remedy (at least in part), and thus could not comment on it's effectiveness for me. If we want to get technical, you also asked me if I had had psoriasis....I said no...welll now that I think about it I guess I could have had it, or maybe it was a fungus or just real bad dandruff...I don't know. My point is, that I was unaware of what my Dad was speaking in refrence to on his web page, and when put on the spot, I was forced to make a contradictory statement. 2. As far as the validity of my father's regime...well everything I told you was the 100% truth...now I said my Dad tends to exaggerate, but lets get one thing straight....HE IS NOT A LIAR. After calling my uncles after our conversation I found that they tried the regime and it helped them tremendously. My late Grandfather, had psoriasis so bad that was very disfiguring. He had sores from head to toe. My Father also had a terrible case....He began to develope it several years ago and to tell you the truth it made me sick to look at it. There were open soers all over his body. He looked like part man part reptile on other parts. His fingernail and toenails fell off. He had it everywhere and it was a difficult thing for all of us to deal with. He is better now though, and so are many other desperate people because of his help. As far as him cheating people...i look at it this way....He has spent several thousands of dollars trying to cure this problem with medical technology...nothing worked. He then did a lot of research and through trial and error, found a mixture of several products that really did help him. This was not free and I think it only fair that he could recoupe the money he spent finding the remedy. People like you disgust me when you say that it should be public knowledge. Everyone want's something for nothing and you seem to be one of them. Your claims that it must be a scam just because he is asking for $10 for his secret are ridiculous. He just wants to make his money back. It is sketicism from people like you that ruin a lot of good things in this world. In closing, I would like to say that I feel sorry for you. You are obviously suffering terribly with your disease, but that gives you know right to go on a witch hunt. This "secret" is not a scam. If the regimen does not work you'll get your money back -- no questions asked, but if it does work don't you think my Dad is worthy of receiving a $10 gratuity for his time, money and effort put forth discovering it? I sure do! So now you know everything...take this stuff to heart please. If you think it is a scam then fine..believe what you want...but don't rain on everyone else's parade in the processs. Please drop this childish pursuit of an argument and have faith in your fellow man. And last but not least, please leave us alone....It is quite clear that you are a cynical, manipulative, sick individual who only looks for the bad in things. My father and I have spent many hours discussing this issue with you and each other and we are sick of it. You and your condition are of no importance to us and we would appreciate it if you would stop wasting our time. Just go back into the dark hole you came from and leave the rest of the world alone. Farewell and good luck. Greg Ray Ed Anderson wrote: > On Sat, 8 May 1999, D.P. Ray wrote: > > > Ed, > > I received your response, thank you for your comments. > > > > Please read the message I sent you carefully. Although my test with my son > > was not under rigid guidelines that you would expect a laboratory to use the > > results were positive. Your assumption that the results are fraudulent are > > just that, assumptions. > > Your son told me that he doesn't have psoriasis, and that he never used > the product. You claim him as one of your success cases. I've simply asked > for clarification. You're the one making assumptions and talking fraud. > > > Your rational complaint is based on hunt and peck prying, otherwise you > > would not have gone to the trouble to investigate, track down and invade the > > privacy of my son. > > Nonsense. I visited your website, and went to the home page. Most of the > links are broken, but I followed one to an ad for Metabolife, a rather > controversial diet pill. The ad included someone with the last name of > Ray. I assumed it was the same operation. The page simply says: > > "CALL TODAY TOLL FREE ----- 1-877-5SKINNY > We accpet all forms of payment: cash, checks, money orders & credit cards" > > I called the number and got Greg. I listened to his sales pitch, and asked > about the ingredients. He said he was your son, but also said he didn't > have psoriasis. I simply asked if he was your only son, and read off the > page that I had open in front of me. He didn't know you were making that > claim, and said it wasn't true. He was clearly embarassed. Without my > asking, he said that he had no explanation for why you would make such a > claim, except that you tend to exaggerate. > > To turn this around and accuse me of invading anyone's privacy is > ridiculous. I did nothing of the sort. I simply called your toll free > number for information about what you are selling, and got more than I > expected. > > > I would never suggest to anyone to embark on a therapy without first > > becoming as informed as possible. Should you decide to attack me and/or my > > suggestions without first trying them yourself would prove your lack of > > objectivity and also indicate that you can make "intelligent" decisions > > based on limited facts...can anyone really make "intelligent" decisions > > under those conditions? > > Without knowing anything about what you are selling, it is impossible to > make any sort of informed decision. Suppose I told you that I have four > methods that work very well for me, and thousands of other people. I could > go into detail listing all the benefits, and the horrible risks of other > unrelated treatments. If you want to know these secrets to clear skin, > you'll have to send $1000. The "regime" is valid, but are you desperate > enough to fork over the cash? Most people aren't. The fact is, most people > have already heard of them, but discounted the benefits. I would never in > good conscience be able to take money that way. > > > Many people have benefited from my suggestions. As I mentioned before, one > > person did not get his desired results with my suggestions and his $10.00 > > was returned. > > Your son volunteered that he personally counted 350 letters from people > who had signed up for your cure. Are you saying that you have only > returned the money to one person? > > > Where is the scam when you help some and any you can't help > > risk nothing? Perhaps the worst thing that could happen, due to our > > investigative assumptions, is that your claims of a scam would take away a > > possible solution for some psoriasis sufferers. > > No, the worst thing that happens is that you have raised the hopes of a > cure in a desperate person, and then they find out that it is something > that they have already tried, or that it didn't work. You say ony "some" > people are helped. The others who aren't are left with a choice to either > complain about being separated form their money, or give up on it > altogether. When someone is desperate enough to send away for a secret > regimen, they're the most likely to lose all hope when it fails, giving up > on seeking treatments that may actually work for them. > > If there is one thing to know about treating psoriasis, it's that what > works for one person is completely useless for the next. I don't doubt > that you had personal success with your regimen, but it is extremely > irresponsible of you to present that to the world as a secret cure that > others must pay to discover. It is incredibly misleading, no matter what > the treatment. > > > You do not seem to be the type that can be stopped from slandering another > > once your mind is made up, regardless of the accuracy of your research. You > > have decided my claims are false...you have not proven it. The only fact > > you found that may be true is that I did not explain, in detail, the > > circumstances involving my son. > > You need to get your terminology right if you are going to strt making > legal accusations. Slander is verbal, libel is written. Both require > false and misleading statements. I've got the benefit of truth on my side. > If you have some evidence that I have made a false statement, please > present it. > > I asked you for a clarification and public statement about your regimen. > What I got instead was personal accusations. That in itself speaks > volumes. Would you care to add anything more before I post my review? > > -- Ed Anderson