The Real Deal on Veal

   

 

What Sets Dutch Valley Apart From All The Rest

1.) All Milk Fed, and 100% U.S. Holstein Cattle
a. The Holstein Bred assures the most tender meat
b. All milk fed, means white, tender, moist and humane
i. You wouldn’t feed solid food to a 6 month old, and you can’t humanely feed grass or grain to a young calf!
c. No growth promtants or feed antibiotics are used

2.) Humane Production
a. We give all our calves freedom of movement and the ability to naturally groom themselves
b. However, we provide enclosures and safe zones to protect them from harmful bullying and other adolescent behavior
c. All our animals are seen on farm weekly, surpassing the American Veterinarian Medical Association, the American Bovine Practitioners Association, and the American Veal Association’s guidelines by an astonishing 2200%.

3.) Local and Sustainable
a. All our calves our sourced from within 300 miles of our plant, assuring limited transport times and stress
b. All our producers raise no more than 260 animals, assuring us the lowest caretaker to animal ratio in ALL of animal agriculture
c. We use ONLY dairy ingredients, these are the by-products of cheese production and milk manufacturing. The products we use could otherwise end up in our landfills

Our Veal is the highest in vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin B, the lowest in calories and fat, it contains no meat binders or substitutes, no water and salt solutions, and is local, humane and sustainable, while providing the whitest, most tender veal available in North America. All backed by 5 generations of the Oedzes Family overseeing all aspects of production and processing, since 1944! USDA Establishment #167…..THAT IS EXPERIENCE, which no one can match, PERIOD! 1-800-832-VEAL. And on the web at, http://www.dv-foods.com.

 

All fruits and veggies aren’t created equal…….Ocean Avenue and Essante Organics

www.skinnybdirect.com

 

All fruits and vegetables aren’t created equally, to follow is a list of the worst offenders and the best of class when it comes to pesticide issues. The Skinny B Team has some great ideas for supplementation from Ocean Avenue and Essante Organics here: http://www.skinnybdirect.com/bitchin-cool-product.html

The Dirty dozen – these are presented in descending order in terms of pesticide residue frequency (the uppermost food contains pesticide residues on the most frequent basis, and the next food down contains pesticide residues at the second highest frequency):

Apples

Celery

Sweet bell peppers

Peaches

Strawberries

Nectarines-imported

Grapes

Spinach

Lettuce

Cucumbers

Blueberries-domestic

Potatoes

The “Clean 15” which are the ones that were found to have the least amount of pesticide residues. These are:

Onion

Sweet Corn

Pineapple

Avocado

Cabbage

Sweet Peas

Asparagus

Mangoes

Eggplant

Kiwifruit

Cantaloupe-domestic

Sweet potatoes

Grapefruit

Watermelon

Mushrooms

Come check us out at www.skinnybdirect.com!

Why don’t Catholics eat meat on Friday, a brief history……

 

www.skinnybdirect.com

Can’t eat meat on Friday? We have some awesome protein shakes (Wheybeyond and Wheysmart) to fill in on those Friday’s, you can find them at: http://www.skinnybdirect.com/ocean-avenue-nutrition.html

Reprinted from: http://www.examiner.com/article/why-catholics-don-t-eat-meat-on-fridays

Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of the forty day period known as Lent.  Lent is distinguished by its notably somber tone.  For example, flowers are removed from Church and the usual Alleluias are no longer sung.  For Catholics, it also means a time of fasting, abstinence, penitence, and sacrifice.  For the next two weeks I’ll take a look at the customs and traditions of this season leading up to the great celebration that is Easter.

If you have a question, send me an email and I’ll do my best to get an answer.

Question: Why don’t Catholics eat meat on Fridays during Lent?

Answer:  The practice of refraining from the consumption of meat by Catholics is known as abstinence and is an old and venerable tradition.  St. Thomas Aquinas gives the three purposes of fasting and abstaining: “in order to bridle the lusts of the flesh…that the mind may arise more freely to the contemplation of heavenly things…and in order to satisfy for sins.”

In ages past, the consumption of meat was not as frequent as today and celebrations were marked with meat-filled meals.  Because Jesus was crucified on a Friday, for Christians, this day has always regarded as a penitential day marked by the abstention from consuming flesh.

Prior to reforms in the Church in the 1960s, Catholics were expected to refrain from consuming meat on all Fridays throughout the year and in advance of certain holy days.  However, in 1966, Pope Paul VI limited the number of days that required fasting and abstinence and allowed local bishops to modify certain details.  In the U.S. it is still expected that all Fridays are day observed with abstinence, but one may be permitted to replace abstaining from meat with another form or penitence or by performing some spiritual act.  During Lent, which is the most penitential season of the year, the obligation to abstain from meat may not be substituted.

It is common practice for Catholics to substitute fish for meat in their Friday meals.  In Islam and Judaism, as well as Christianity, fish is not regarded as meat, thus the popular custom of fish fries throughout Lent.

Some interesting facts about meatless Fridays:

• The Church’s understanding of what constitutes “meat” is somewhat broad and doesn’t correlate well with taxonomy.  St. Thomas Aquinas, writing in his Summa Theologica describes the animals whose flesh is not permissible to consume as those “animals that take their rest on the earth, and of those that breathe the air and … those that walk on the earth.”

• As a result of this identification of “meat” based upon its behavioral characteristics, all manner of animals, including shellfish, beavers, and alligators, are classified as “fish” for the purposes of dietary laws.

• Pope Pius XII granted American Catholics a dispensation from abstinence on the Friday after Thanksgiving to allow them to consume the leftovers from the day before.

Check out your Lent protein options at: www.skinnybdirect.com

 

Top 25 MLM Companies (Finally an Objective MLM Review)

Much of the analysis here was done by The Really Bitchin’ Staff at Nexera™ LLC

To learn more about Carla, myself and Team Skinny B, visit www.skinnybdirect.com.

You have likely found your way to our blog because someone has introduced you to the concept of Network Marketing, MLM, or a home based business. You have searched through Google, and you have found a lot of information on the topic (not always so flattering), and much of it seems biased, subjective, or downright untruthful. Yet you know enough to know that Network Marketing is a $600 Billion, that’s right, BILLION dollar industry, and a lot of people are in fact making a lot of money in this area. That said you still aren’t sure about the company that your friend, colleague, or family member introduced you too, for that matter you’re not even sure where to start, PERIOD!

The Skinny B Fam!

Well, welcome to where Carla and I started 7 years ago, we met a friend who said we just had to join a company named Advocare……they were completely crazy over this company, and the opportunity, it was nearly impossible to say no, but we did, we wanted to do a little more research, as the whole industry was new to us. So, we started googling and researching on-line, and honestly back in 2005 we didn’t have much luck finding a lot of decent information.

Soooo, what to do, well we decided to go with our gut (not the way we usually did things), and we joined. We followed the program, we worked our tails off, we went to company events, and after about 4 months we had built a nice little business. However, it was all downhill after that, and no matter what we seemed to do our volume and sales went backwards each month. Well, as we found out much later, this is the case for about 80% of all network marketers, and at this point most people quit, but we were bound and determined not to be a statistic, so we kept going, reading, attending events, and trying different marketing methods.

 

Well, fast forward 7 years, and we are a statistic, but not the way you’re thinking, we became top 5% earners with not 1 but 3 different companies! So this blog became a way for Carla and I to give something back. Yes, we mention and advertise our products on occasion, but we do give away a lot of unbiased, and objective information, much of which has taken us the better part of 7 years to uncover. So, I bet you’re wondering, are the companies we represent listed here, the answer is NO!! All of our companies haven’t reached the 10 year mark yet, so they were automatically excluded from this ranking. That said, we truly think it is one of the best around, so we are going to share it with you nonetheless!

If you want to learn more about Carla, myself, Team Skinny B, the companies we represent, how we went from “zero’s to heros”, and how you can do the same, you can go here: www.skinnybdirect.com. If you’re just here to get some unbiased info, we are happy that you have spent part of your journey with us, the Top 25 list is directly below. No matter how we have “met” remember to pay it forward, as once you have mastered this one MLM concept, the rest comes easy!

So, who are the Top 25 Network Marketing Companies? Well, it really depends on how you define “The Top 25”. As you might imagine, the truth can be a bit subjective. Many business from home magazines and large internet sites may have a pay to play scheme. In other words, if your not advertising with them, you don’t get to play in their annual rankings.

Another good example of the subjective nature of any list would be cars. The best-selling car in the World is the Toyota Corolla. Apparently it’s a great car, and yet at the same time it’s probably not the car of your dreams. Which begs the question,  “Does an MLM company deserve a higher ranking simply because more people are involved?” It’s a fair question. Here’s what we know for sure: Popularity is definitely one of the best ways to determine what’s going on in the marketplace. It plays a part in the movies we see, the music we download, and sometimes even where we invest our money.

So is “The Top 25…” just an online popularity contest? Not exactly. To make a fair assessment we gave consideration to things that really don’t matter; for instance, 24 of the 25 companies are members of the DSA. And to things that really do matter; like Time In Business!

In short, we wanted you to know the exact criteria we used in order to select, and then to rank, “The Top 25”. You may agree with our findings, or you may not; we welcome your thoughts and opinions either way. Here’s the Nexera Five-Factor Formula we used to make our selections:

1) The company must be a self-described Network Marketing, Multi Level, or MLM company. 2) The company must be in business for at least 10 years as of December 31, 2012.* 3) The company must have a Google Page Rank – GPR. A scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best. 4) The company must have an Alexa Rank – AR. Here the smaller the number the better. 5) The company must show up in Google Trends – GT. All Regions. Last 12 months.**

The five factors above are taken into account at the end of each quarter, and then a ranking decision is made. As of September 30, 2012, The Top 25 Network Marketing Companies are:

Company	Time In Business	GPR  –  AR  –  GT
1. Amway	1959 – 53 Years	6 –     8,556 – 2.18
2. Melaleuca	1985 – 27 Years	5 –   10,797 – 0.44
3. USANA	1992 – 20 Years	6 –   12,424 – 0.44
4. Nu Skin	1984 – 28 Years	6 –   12,527 – 0.20
5. Isagenix	2002 – 10 Years	3 –   15,591 – 0.20
6. Forever Living	1978 – 34 Years	5 –   17,178 – 0.42
7. Legal Shield	1972 – 40 Years	4 –   18,855 – 0.20
8. ACN	1993 – 19 Years	6 –   27,301 – 1.12
9. Herbalife	1980 – 32 Years	5 –   29,151 – 2.24
10. 4Life	1998 – 14 Years	4 –   32,924 – 0.14
11. Advocare	1993 – 19 Years	5 –   32,943 – 0.14
12. 5LINX	2001 – 11 Years	4 –   34,372 – 0.03
13. Synergy WorldWide	1999 – 13 Years	3 –   39,323 – 0.01
14. Arbonne	1980 – 32 Years	5 –   57,636 – 0.66
15. Xango	2002 – 10 Years	4 –   57,841 – 0.38
16. Nature’s Sunshine	1972 – 40 Years	4 –   62,661 – 0.01
17.Morinda	1994 – 18 Years	4 –   70,897 – 0.14
18. Mannatech	1994 – 18 Years	4 –   75,855 – 0.16
19.Shaklee	1956 – 56 Years	5 –   83,234 – 0.20
20. Nikken	1975 – 37 Years	4 –   93,145 – 0.29
21. Sunrider	1982 – 30 Years	4 – 108,784 – 0.07
22. Freelife	1995 – 17 Years	4 – 139,510 – 0.03
23. Neways	1992 – 20 Years	4 – 166,079 – 0.17
24. Juice Plus (NSA)	1970 – 42 Years	5 – 172,897 – 0.26
25. GNLD	1958 – 54 Years	4 – 213,549 – 0.07

*Why 10 years? Because that amount of time really seems to matter. For example, according to research, since 1956 thousands of different MLM, Multi Level, or Network Marketing companies have opened their doors; and to date only +/- 50 MLM companies have found a way to celebrate their 10th anniversary and still remain in business today. Now, to be completely fair, we should also point out that each and every company on our list was at one time a start-up company too.

**For purposes of comparing Internet search term interest using Google Trends (GT), all 25 companies were compared to the term, MLM. A score of 1.00 would indicate the same level of Internet search interest; anything above 1.00 more interest, anything below 1.00 less interest.

A few noteworthy points on this list… The only companies considered for this list are U.S.A. based; and if you click on each and every company linked above, what you will not find should be as interesting to you (and as revealing) as what you will find. There are no travel companies, only two technology companies (ACN and 5LINX), just one service company (Legal Shield), and 22 health and wellness companies. Even Amway, whose core product line still includes soap, really got started by way of the wellness revolution! Read this book by Paul Zane Pilzer and you’ll understand why nutrition, weight management, and skincare products continue to drive the trends in the Network Marketing industry to this day.

Lastly, if the company is publicly traded, and six of The Top 25… are, we have linked their year in business above, in red, over to MarketWatch for a real time stock quote and other financial information.

All the best,

Bryan, Carla, and Team Skinny B

www.skinnybdirect.com

P.S. Network Marketing continues to gain in popularity throughout the world. According to, Future Choice: Why Network Marketing May Be Your Best Career Move, “This week, 175,000 people will find a new way to increase their financial security and personal freedom. They will join more than 57 million others who are earning a living, full- or part-time, through Network Marketing.”

Is Viridian Energy a Pyramid Scheme?

The short answer is absolutely NOT, but read on to learn more about the differences between a pyramid scheme and a legitimate Multi Level Marketing (MLM) company like Viridian. Feel free to check Carla and I out at www.skinnybdirect.com for more information on clean, less expensive energy choices with no new bills, equipment, or fuss!

Interview with MLM Attorney On The Difference Between a Pyramid Scheme and Legitimate MLM

On January 22, 2013,  by mlmattorney

Interviewer: Jeff, let me ask you this question, what’s the difference between a legitimate direct sales opportunity and a pyramid scheme?

Jeff Babener: If you’re selling a product or service and it stands on its own in the marketplace and people would buy it because they want it, then you have a real, legitimate direct selling company. If on the other hand, the quality of the product is low, the price is high, then it merely becomes an excuse for people to buy the product because they want to qualify for the program in order to recruit others, make money, and earn commissions.

If you indulge me for a second, I’ll give you a metaphor that I think will help you, and the viewers, to think about the essential difference between a legitimate MLM and a pyramid scheme:

The story is about a gentlemen, will call him Party #1, and he sells a case of canned tuna fish to Party #2 for $10. And, Party #2 sells it to Party #3 for $20, and Party #3 sells the case of canned tuna fish until it gets to Party #10, who buys the case of canned tuna for $500. And, Party #10 opens up the case of tuna fish and it’s rancid. It’s inedible.

He goes back to Party #9 and complains, “I bought this case of tuna for $500 and it’s rancid.” Party #9 tells him to take it to Party #8, and Party #8 tells him to take it to Party #7, and so on until Party #10 goes all the way back to Party #1 and says, “You’re the one who started all of this! I have a problem!”

And, Party #1 asks, “What’s your problem?”

Party #10 says, “Well, I bought this tuna fish, I opened it up, it’s rancid. It’s no good!”

Party #1 asks, “Well, what’s your problem?”

Party #10 says, “Don’t you understand? It’s rancid. How am I going to sell this?”

And, Party #1 says, “Well, you don’t have a problem.”

Party #10 answers, “What do you mean I don’t have a problem?”

And, Party #1 says, “You don’t understand, this tuna is for selling, not for eating.”

If you think about that metaphor, it may help explain the difference between a legitimate company and a pyramid scheme.

Interviewer: It was never meant to be consumed?

Jeff Babener: That’s right.

Interviewer: It was always meant to be merely a product that got sold, and resold, and resold?

Jeff Babener: And, sometimes in the original cases, the original pyramid scheme cases, it was just about money. The original pyramid scheme case started before we had pyramid laws. There was a gentleman who was very charismatic, named Glenn Turner, who had a program called Dare-To-Be-Great. It was a motivational seminar. People would basically be invited to come to the seminar, pay $5,000 where they would be taught how to go out and get someone else to come to the seminar, where they would pay $5,000, and so on. We didn’t used to have pyramid laws. This was in the late 1960s. He was prosecuted under securities laws and was put out of business as an illegal pyramid scheme because a pyramid is also a security. It’s a passive investment that will not stand up on its own. As a result, almost all states adopted pyramid laws that basically say it’s illegal to make people have to pay money for the right to go recruit others, effectively who will go out and do the same, and so on.

Interviewer: They call that a Pay to Play, right?

Jeff Babener: It’s a Pay to Play. And, that’s why every pyramid statute has what is referenced to as a “prohibited investment.” Meaning, other than the exemption for purchasing an at-cost sales kit (typically $49-$100, which is sold not-for-profit, no commission paid, very well accepted, every leading company has one) all other purchases from the company are optional. The key issue is whether or not people buy the product because they want to use it for their own purpose or they want to sell it.

There was a recent situation that is perhaps the most recent situation in which our Federal Trade Commission accused a company of being a pyramid scheme, not a legit direct selling company. It had the legitimate elements, it looked on its face legitimate, but the FTC accused it of being a pyramid and a federal court agreed. The company was called Burnlounge. The company basically intended to make a mark in selling music online, probably not unlike what we get from iTunes or anywhere else. It tended to offer that through independent distributors, consultants, and marketers. It offered consultants the opportunity to buy various packages, website hosting packages, where they could drive customers to their website, where people could then download music, and make money. That’s how it looked on its face. The packages went up to several hundred dollars. The problem is that the packages were really regarded by the court and by the FTC as tools not as products. But, in fact, Burnlounge paid commissions on all those purchases of website packages. In fact, what the court found was that there were approximately $29 million in sales done by Burnlounge of which only one million was downloaded music. So, one million out of 29 million, the rest was basically from the sale of packages to distributors. And the court concluded: We think we know what is happening. We think distributors are encouraged to buy these packages, find other distributors to buy the packages, and make a lot of money. And that’s where the commissions were coming from. In the end, the FTC and the court said: You know what? The sale of music was really incidental, an excuse. Really what was happening was that Burnlounge was a movement of money.

We’ve seen this happen many times in the industry. And, it’s only a matter of common sense. Again, what is it that people are paying and why are they paying for it? It’s one of those situations where the court, in the Burnlounge case, indicated that if they were buying music and other things for their own use, not tools, then the court would recognize the concept that we’ve often seen in the industry called “Personal Use,” which has been a bit controversial from time-to-time. We’ve even seen it recently in some questions posed in our stock market.

However, the court seemed to think that personal use would be fine if people were using the music or the product. Unfortunately, the FTC as it wanted to do in its final order, got an order that basically indicated that even purchases for personal use should not be considered in terms of illegitimate MLM. Its final order was inconsistent with its own previous position and inconsistent with some of the court’s own statements. It will pose some problems in the future.

Getting back to the issue of what’s real and what’s not, it really is common sense. Common sense. That is, does something stand on its own? I often like to tell people, here’s how you know if you’re involved in something real: If you can go to your next door neighbor and you can look him in the eye and say I have a great product for you, I have a great opportunity for you, and feel like you’re doing him a favor, then you’re doing great. On the other hand, if go next door to your neighbor and you’re looking down at your shoes the entire time you’re telling him about this great product and opportunity, then maybe you’re in the wrong opportunity. You’ve got to be proud of what you are marketing. You have to be bonded with the product and the company. It really is common sense.

Interviewer: Awesome. I appreciate that. Thank you.

For more information on pyramid schemes vs. legitimate MLM companies, read the following articles:

“Network Marketing Legal Issues”

“Is This a Pyramid or a Legitimate MLM?”

“Identifying Illegal Pyramid Schemes”

Watch one of many of Attorney Jeff Babener’s videos on MLM pyramid schemes:

What Makes a Pyramid Scheme?

From a Legal Perspective: The Difference Between a Pyramid Scheme and Legitimate MLM – Companion Video to this Blog Post

Not all Direct Selling Companies are Pyramid Schemes

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VIRIDIAN ENERGY VISIT US AT:

www.skinnybdirect.com

http://viridian.com/bryanscott

Are Ocean Avenue Products a Pyramid Scheme?

The short answer is absolutely NOT, but read on to learn more about the differences between a pyramid scheme and a legitimate Multi Level Marketing (MLM) company like Ocean Avenue. Feel free to check us out at www.skinnybdirect.com for more information!

Interview with MLM Attorney On The Difference Between a Pyramid Scheme and Legitimate MLM

 On January 22, 2013,  by mlmattorney

Interviewer: Jeff, let me ask you this question, what’s the difference between a legitimate direct sales opportunity and a pyramid scheme?

Jeff Babener: If you’re selling a product or service and it stands on its own in the marketplace and people would buy it because they want it, then you have a real, legitimate direct selling company. If on the other hand, the quality of the product is low, the price is high, then it merely becomes an excuse for people to buy the product because they want to qualify for the program in order to recruit others, make money, and earn commissions.

If you indulge me for a second, I’ll give you a metaphor that I think will help you, and the viewers, to think about the essential difference between a legitimate MLM and a pyramid scheme:

The story is about a gentlemen, will call him Party #1, and he sells a case of canned tuna fish to Party #2 for $10. And, Party #2 sells it to Party #3 for $20, and Party #3 sells the case of canned tuna fish until it gets to Party #10, who buys the case of canned tuna for $500. And, Party #10 opens up the case of tuna fish and it’s rancid. It’s inedible.

He goes back to Party #9 and complains, “I bought this case of tuna for $500 and it’s rancid.” Party #9 tells him to take it to Party #8, and Party #8 tells him to take it to Party #7, and so on until Party #10 goes all the way back to Party #1 and says, “You’re the one who started all of this! I have a problem!”

And, Party #1 asks, “What’s your problem?”

Party #10 says, “Well, I bought this tuna fish, I opened it up, it’s rancid. It’s no good!”

Party #1 asks, “Well, what’s your problem?”

Party #10 says, “Don’t you understand? It’s rancid. How am I going to sell this?”

And, Party #1 says, “Well, you don’t have a problem.”

Party #10 answers, “What do you mean I don’t have a problem?”

And, Party #1 says, “You don’t understand, this tuna is for selling, not for eating.”

If you think about that metaphor, it may help explain the difference between a legitimate company and a pyramid scheme.

Interviewer: It was never meant to be consumed?

Jeff Babener: That’s right.

Interviewer: It was always meant to be merely a product that got sold, and resold, and resold?

Jeff Babener: And, sometimes in the original cases, the original pyramid scheme cases, it was just about money. The original pyramid scheme case started before we had pyramid laws. There was a gentleman who was very charismatic, named Glenn Turner, who had a program called Dare-To-Be-Great. It was a motivational seminar. People would basically be invited to come to the seminar, pay $5,000 where they would be taught how to go out and get someone else to come to the seminar, where they would pay $5,000, and so on. We didn’t used to have pyramid laws. This was in the late 1960s. He was prosecuted under securities laws and was put out of business as an illegal pyramid scheme because a pyramid is also a security. It’s a passive investment that will not stand up on its own. As a result, almost all states adopted pyramid laws that basically say it’s illegal to make people have to pay money for the right to go recruit others, effectively who will go out and do the same, and so on.

Interviewer: They call that a Pay to Play, right?

Jeff Babener: It’s a Pay to Play. And, that’s why every pyramid statute has what is referenced to as a “prohibited investment.” Meaning, other than the exemption for purchasing an at-cost sales kit (typically $49-$100, which is sold not-for-profit, no commission paid, very well accepted, every leading company has one) all other purchases from the company are optional. The key issue is whether or not people buy the product because they want to use it for their own purpose or they want to sell it.

There was a recent situation that is perhaps the most recent situation in which our Federal Trade Commission accused a company of being a pyramid scheme, not a legit direct selling company. It had the legitimate elements, it looked on its face legitimate, but the FTC accused it of being a pyramid and a federal court agreed. The company was called Burnlounge. The company basically intended to make a mark in selling music online, probably not unlike what we get from iTunes or anywhere else. It tended to offer that through independent distributors, consultants, and marketers. It offered consultants the opportunity to buy various packages, website hosting packages, where they could drive customers to their website, where people could then download music, and make money. That’s how it looked on its face. The packages went up to several hundred dollars. The problem is that the packages were really regarded by the court and by the FTC as tools not as products. But, in fact, Burnlounge paid commissions on all those purchases of website packages. In fact, what the court found was that there were approximately $29 million in sales done by Burnlounge of which only one million was downloaded music. So, one million out of 29 million, the rest was basically from the sale of packages to distributors. And the court concluded: We think we know what is happening. We think distributors are encouraged to buy these packages, find other distributors to buy the packages, and make a lot of money. And that’s where the commissions were coming from. In the end, the FTC and the court said: You know what? The sale of music was really incidental, an excuse. Really what was happening was that Burnlounge was a movement of money.

We’ve seen this happen many times in the industry. And, it’s only a matter of common sense. Again, what is it that people are paying and why are they paying for it? It’s one of those situations where the court, in the Burnlounge case, indicated that if they were buying music and other things for their own use, not tools, then the court would recognize the concept that we’ve often seen in the industry called “Personal Use,” which has been a bit controversial from time-to-time. We’ve even seen it recently in some questions posed in our stock market.

However, the court seemed to think that personal use would be fine if people were using the music or the product. Unfortunately, the FTC as it wanted to do in its final order, got an order that basically indicated that even purchases for personal use should not be considered in terms of illegitimate MLM. Its final order was inconsistent with its own previous position and inconsistent with some of the court’s own statements. It will pose some problems in the future.

Getting back to the issue of what’s real and what’s not, it really is common sense. Common sense. That is, does something stand on its own? I often like to tell people, here’s how you know if you’re involved in something real: If you can go to your next door neighbor and you can look him in the eye and say I have a great product for you, I have a great opportunity for you, and feel like you’re doing him a favor, then you’re doing great. On the other hand, if go next door to your neighbor and you’re looking down at your shoes the entire time you’re telling him about this great product and opportunity, then maybe you’re in the wrong opportunity. You’ve got to be proud of what you are marketing. You have to be bonded with the product and the company. It really is common sense.

Interviewer: Awesome. I appreciate that. Thank you.

For more information on pyramid schemes vs. legitimate MLM companies, read the following articles:

“Network Marketing Legal Issues”

“Is This a Pyramid or a Legitimate MLM?”

“Identifying Illegal Pyramid Schemes”

Watch one of many of Attorney Jeff Babener’s videos on MLM pyramid schemes:

What Makes a Pyramid Scheme?

From a Legal Perspective: The Difference Between a Pyramid Scheme and Legitimate MLM – Companion Video to this Blog Post

Not all Direct Selling Companies are Pyramid Schemes

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OCEAN AVENUE PRODUCTS VISIT US AT:

www.skinnybdirect.com

www.myoave.com/carlabolin

Ocean Avenue Products from A-Z

Today we are going to take a look at what we consider the star of the Ocean Avenue Product line up, Empower. As many of you are aware Carla and I represent several direct selling companies, in industries as diverse as deregulated energy to fine foods. However, the newest addition to our company portfolio is Ocean Avenue, and their flagship product is Empower, and all natural anti-inflammatory.

First a little background about inflammation. Some estimates state that as many as 50 million American’s were prescribed NSAID’s (non steriodal anti inflammatory drugs) such a Vioxx, Bexstra and Celebrex, between 1999-2004 only to have the FDA pull Vioxx and Bextra from the market in 2004 due to increased risks of serious cardiac events and strokes. That left many Americans with few choices to manage acute and chronic pain from arthritis and other inflammatory illnesses. And, a full 8 years later, Big Pharma still hasn’t found a suitable replacement for the Cox 2 Inhibitor class of NSAID’s.

The CDC estimates that in the U.S. 1 in 3 or 70 million people suffer from arthritis and 21 million of those have limited activity because of it (http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/). Now add in to the 20-50 million people who have IBS and Crohns, (http://ibdcrohns.about.com/cs/faqsibs/a/ibs101.htm), plus the 20+ million who are estimated to have an autoimmune inflammatory disease, (http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/Autoinflammatory/default.asp), well you get the picture, it is an epidemic in North America and really throughout the world. So what’s a person to do?

Well, Ocean Avenue teamed up with world renowned biochemist Franco Cavaleri to market an all natural NSAID alternative. Franco is an amazing person, he was a world class and IBFF North American body building champion who suffers from inflammatory disease, and decided to dedicate his later life, professional career to helping people who suffered like he did. You can find out a lot more about Franco, in a short video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyJxun6rlho.

EMPOWER is an innovative breakthrough anti-inflammatory and immune system support supplement empowering your body through our unique patent-pending Nanofractionate formula which may offer relief from discomfort, swelling and other common ailments associated with systematic inflammation. EMPOWER’s nutrient-gene activity provides anti-aging support by protecting the disulfide bonds in connective tissues throughout the body. There is nothing like EMPOWER to promote recovery, regeneration and rebuilding of tissues. Among it’s many benefits, Empower Helps Alleviate Chronic Inflammation, Helps Relieve Stiffness in Joints, Supports Immune System Efficiency, Supports Anti-Aging, Helps Support Healthy Bones and Joints*. If you would like to take a closer scientific and ingredient by ingredient look at Empower, you can click here: http://myoave.com/carlabolin/Empower.aspx.

If your tired of suffering and you’ve had enough, you can purchase Ocean Avenue’s Empower right now, at 20% off retail, visit us here: http://myoave.com/carlabolin/RetailMarketSelection.aspx. Ocean Avenue back’s all their products with a 30 Day 100% Money Back Guarantee, so stop suffering and try what Carla and I have seen first hand change hundreds of lives.

If you would like to know more about Skinny B Direct, Team Skinny B, or the products we offer we recommend the following links:

About us: http://www.skinnybdirect.com/

Ocean Avenue Products: http://www.skinnybdirect.com/ocean-avenue-nutrition.html

Contact Us: http://www.skinnybdirect.com/contact-us—we-dont-bite-really.html

*The statements and products referred to throughout this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition.

Bryan Scott Oedzes Bio (Bryan Scott)

Bryan Oedzes graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in Labor Law, magna cum laude, where he was also named outstanding undergraduate business student in both 1993 and 1994.

Bryan Oedzes, or Bryan Scott as many people know him, is what many people call a serial entrepreneur. He has started over a half-dozen companies and sales organizations in very diverse industries, from fine foods to green energy, from high net worth money management to natural health care and beauty products.

Bryan has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, http://www.oprah.com/world/Lisa-Ling-Investigates-Treatment-of-Animals-on-Farms/14, and in countless magazines and on radio shows nationwide. He has been a paid and featured speaker at events including the Annual conferences of the State and Agricultural Rural Leaders (SARL), a conference of state and federal lawmakers from rural areas, the National Institute of Animal Agriculture (NIAA), and the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin

Bryan spends much of his time today building high-powered sales teams for companies on the Inc. 1000 list of fastest growing companies. He has a proven system of rapid sales organization deployment that allows these high growth companies to focus on their core products, knowing the sales infrastructure is there to support new product roll outs.

To find out more about Bryan, some of the companies he is representing today, or to inquire about his consulting services you can visit: http://www.dv-foods.com, http://www.skinnybdirect.com, and http://viridian.com/bryanscott

January ONLY – Viridian Energy and Ocean Avenue Product Specials

Are you ready to do something about your financial future, while helping others and our environment?

Two GREAT offers this month from Skinny B Direct through 1/31:

Join Viridian for only $199.00 (normally $399.00), and start selling green energy for less than the utility in your area, and/or join Ocean Avenue, the newest and hotest MLM in health and weight loss for only $49.00, and get prelaunch placement!

Viridian Sign Up At: http://viridian.com/bryanscott

Viridian Video Overview: http://www.liveviridian.com/site/id/videoplayer/videoid/144/title/Viridian%20Invitation.asp

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Ocean Avenue Sign Up At: http://www.myoave.com/carlabolin

Ocean Avenue Video Intro: http://www.myoave.com/carlabolin/default#prettyPhoto/1/

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If you would like to talk to Carla or I direct, just visit http://www.skinnybdirect.com and fill out the contact form!

Wishing you success! Carla and Bryan

Bryan Oedzes Biography

Bryan Oedzes graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in Labor Law, magna cum laude, where he was also named outstanding undergraduate business student in both 1993 and 1994.

Bryan Oedzes, or Bryan Scott as many people know him, is what many people call a serial entrepreneur. He has started over a half-dozen companies and sales organizations in very diverse industries, from fine foods to green energy, from high net worth money management to natural health care and beauty products.

Bryan has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and in countless magazines and on radio shows nationwide. He has been a paid and featured speaker at events including the Annual conferences of the State and Agricultural Rural Leaders (SARL), a conference of state and federal lawmakers from rural areas, the National Institute of Animal Agriculture (NIAA), and the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin

Bryan spends much of his time today building high-powered sales teams for companies on the Inc. 1000 list of fastest growing companies. He has a proven system of rapid sales organization deployment that allows these high growth companies to focus on their core products, knowing the sales infrastructure is there to support new product roll outs.

To find out more about Bryan, some of the companies he is representing today, or to inquire about his consulting services you can visit: http://www.dv-foods.com, and http://www.skinnybdirect.com.

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