Our gasoline works at a molecular level

Just saw an Exxon Mobile commercial claiming "our gasoline works at a molecular level" and it just struck me ... perhaps if we all take a step back from the often emotional/dogmatic diet world and look at another area where science often factors in and is exploited for fun and profit, perhaps one message I'm getting at might make it through to the recent wave of detractors.

That was an exact quote.  Perhaps someone with no chemistry background can please chime in here with what that statement would mean to you.   It is so utterly nonsensical and meaningless to this chemist and I find it insulting to all that someone thought up this crap.  I looked to see if this made mention about the net, and here is just one such in the comments:
This reminds me of some commercial from Exxon-Mobil a few weeks ago. I wasn't particularly paying attenion, but the commercial started out: "Our gas works on a molecular level..."  At that moment, my inner smartass snapped and I said "That's how ALL gas works, that's the entire basis of combustion! You simple fools!"  Honestly, if you zoom out and don't really pay attention to what the TeeVee is spitting out, you realize how stupid a majority of the programs and ads are.
Stuff like this torques me off, because it's that baffling with bullshit crap.  The comment above is spot on.  Gas "works" at a molecular level.  Tis true that different blends and additives "act" differently, but it's mostly all about chemical reactions.  

When's the last time you heard similar from the diet world?   



Comments

Mike said…
Yeah, but the low carb diet works on a biochemical level...
garymar said…
That's nothing. My gasoline works at the compiler and apps development tool level.
Sanjeev said…
geez ... Come on ...

don't you people have flux capacitors yet?

Mr Fusion?
Anonymous said…
I heard that ad, had a little WTF? moment, then had a revelation. Maybe I can make chemical-free gas! I eat so much chemical free food, it makes sense. Right?
LeonRover said…
Wow, this is a relief!

Now I do not need to think about the (lack of) relevance of existence of Higg's Boson on oxidation of gasoline - or beta oxidation cycle.

Slainte
CarbSane said…
I've lost a lot of sleep over this :D
bentleyj74 said…
It's everywhere. I had a tattooed swat team guy tell me very earnestly that ya can't use regular shampoo...the detergent is an ingredient in jet fuel. Assuming jet fuel does use the same surfactant...so what? Just another example of fear mongering for profit using things that may be technically true out of context for profit.
CarbSane said…
Years ago when we were looking to buy hubs a new truck, one salesman went on and on about how the particular model we were viewing had an ergonomic dashboard/console designed by software. We winked at each other and nodded. To this day we joke about how podjos built our truck. Podjo is Ukie for pillow (may be a slang, and that's phonetic) and hubs also has a funny story about his childhood friend who told someone she was a software developer and the person thought she was making stuffed animals and pillows.

I have learned to use my cute blonde looks to my advantage when I'm being sold something. I will play up the naive act and see how badly they mangle science to try to sell me something. My background in metallurgy/corrosion means I know not a whole lot about audio equipment, but I do know a lot about conduction and corrosion. It is always enlightening to see how much the salesman tries to sell me the gold tipped cables, etc. Especially if, after the first "pass" I tell them that I know what they just told me was BS.
bentleyj74 said…
Lol, I was soooo tempted to ask if my hair would get better mileage but he was SERIOUS and not selling anything. Hopefully he doesn't mind shelling out 4 times the price for an inefficiently produced probably very similar if not almost identical cleansing agent.
Frosty said…
If you think there is woo in the diet world, you haven't seen anything like what's in high end audio. For example:

http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AKDL1-Dedicated-Link-Cable/dp/B000I1X6PM/ref=cm_rdp_product

"Get the purest digital audio you've ever experienced from multi-channel DVD and CD playback through your Denon home theater receiver with the AK-DL1 dedicated cable. Made of high-purity copper wire, it's designed to thoroughly eliminate adverse effects from vibration and helps stabilize the digital transmission from occurrences of jitter and ripple. A tin-bearing copper alloy is used for the cable's shield while the insulation is made of a fluoropolymer material with superior heat resistance, weather resistance, and anti-aging properties. The connector features a rounded plug lever to prevent bending or breaking and direction marks to indicate correct direction for connecting cable. "

"Purest digital audio" *snort*
Unknown said…
Not only on a biochemical level, but on a QUANTUM biochemical level, it is the quantumness that is the key to everything
CarbSane said…
Ooooh! I forgot the quantum bullsheet! LOL
P2ZR said…
'eliminate adverse effects from vibration'

Your audio ain't pure till it's 100.00% vibration-free ;P
Anonymous said…
The "tin-bearing copper alloy" was pretty funny too. This guy should write for Kruse's blog, except he would have to learn to misspell more.
P2ZR said…
Knoweth not thou, that there is a certain fruit that contains not only fructose, but entire MOLECULES of them, and not just that--but almost 10% of a levulosic MOLE of them? Yes, there are furry mammals with snouts made of fructose that are burrowing through your innards, *creating* leaky gut and making you FAT!!!


~~~
Genesis 3:2-5, Paleo International Version:

The feral, majestic Grokette said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die from fructose poisoning. But not before your liver is reduced to foie gras, and you become incapacitated by your morbid obesity.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to Grokette. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

And that EVIL was CARBS. (And agriculture.)
~~~

BTW, this happened all of 6,000 years ago. None other than His Prophet Made Famous by Haters told me so.
P2ZR said…
Pfft. What should you care about mileage if it can make your hair airborne?!

If it's got the same stuff as jet fuel in it, that means washing with it will make your hair swishhhh oh-so-buoyantly, just like a Panteen Pro-V commercial!

Hair Follicles: (chorus, in Munchkin voices) I believeee I can flyyy...!