LegendaryLife Blog

I decided to do a little research online regarding my (so far), two cease and desist orders originating from Mannatech’s legal department and guess what, they sent the same identical letter to others as well! Each time, to people who disprove or question the validity for their sales people’s claims that their products cure diseases and illness. Same situation, the blogger writes that their products are essentially a scam, a Mannatech representative says the opposite and voila, Mannatech’s legal department springs into action against, no, not the Mannatech representative telling their lies but the person who put into question their products. I am seeing a pattern here.

Background story regarding my joy of Mannatech here:

• Mannatech cease and desist… again!
• Mannatech sends me a cease and desist
• Mannatech: Overpriced Sugar Pills
• Mannatech Strikes again with Holy Water!
• Herbal Remedies’ aren’t without risks

First question, am I legally liable for comments posted on my blog?

Technically you are not liable for blog comments/forum posts on your site posted by others. You are responsible and liable for comments that you make, but it is very difficult to prosecute or pursue, primarily because of jurisdiction. The Internet is global and there is not one single governing force. Not only is the location of the blogger/poster a factor but the  location of the web host and the laws that govern their locations are a factor.

Source: http://businesscommunicationblog.com/newsletters/?p=43981

Makes sense… I agree Mannatech is barking-up the wrong tree, their threats are as empty as their distributor’s promises.

Where Mannatech learned about Cease and Desist letters…

http://www.rickross.com/reference/mannatech/mannatech49.html

Now I know where the idea for Cease and Desist Orders comes from… the SEC! It seems that the seeds they have sowed all these years are finally starting to sprout weeds!

Mannatech’s SEC problems are on top of a complaint filed by the Texas attorney general’s office last year. In July 2007, the attorney general filed a lawsuit accusing Mannatech of exaggerating the therapeutic benefits of its products for people with cancer, Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis and other serious conditions. That suit is pending in Travis County District Court. Mannatech CEO Wayne Badovinus acknowledged last quarter that dealing with the attorney general’s complaint, as well as related shareholder lawsuits, was taking a financial toll on the company.

This is starting to make sense, they are covering their ass as much as possible with these legal orders as they face an increasing amount of lawsuits based on the practices of their distribution channel.

Deja vue?

Here is a great link to somebody who had exactly the same situation happen to them! Mannatech lawyers go after him instead of commentators working for Mannatech and accuse him of something he never did! I sent his response to Mannatech as well, it’s fantastic! Peter’s response is a very good read – well worth it!

I thought I had made this clear last year when I received a similar complaint from you. I do wish that you would actually take the time to read the page you are complaining about, but just in case you can’t do that I will reiterate what I said last time (and which appears on that page).

At no place on my site do I state, suggest or imply that Mannatech nutritional products prevent, treat or cure disease, or state, suggest or imply that Mannatech nutritional products are a substitute for a doctor’s standard of care. I would not do either of these things because I do not believe that such statements would be true. I do not care what Mannatech’s policies are with regard to such statements because I am not a Mannatech distributor.

Before you write to me again with complaints about things I do not do please try to read my clearly expressed opinions about Mannatech. You only make yourself look foolish by displaying a total lack of comprehension.

Again, I would like to thank you for implicitly informing me that Mannatech products have no role in the prevention, treatment or cure of any disease and that they do not provide an alternative to professional medical care. I will cite this to Mannatech distributors who contact me with anecdotes suggesting otherwise.

As is my usual policy, your email and this reply will be published on my web site.

I have a wish

I wish that Mannatech would spend a few million dollars and perform a clinical, double-blind study relating the the effectiveness of their products… so far, they have a legal department that is unable to comprehend their mother tongue and sales people who must believe their own lies in order to sustain their financial health. I see nothing positive nor progressive coming out of Mannatech. Please perform this completely unbiased study so you can implode.

Here is a fantastic article by ABCNews, Cure for Your Disease or Empty Promises?

The Bottom Line

You reap what you sow.

I read these two books a while back… here are a few quotes which stood out while reading them.

Trump! Surviving at the top

What separates the winner from the loosers… is how a person reacts to each twist of fate… life is a series of struggles.

I know that, whatever happens, I’m a survivor, a survivor of success, which is a very rare thing indeed

What’s Luck got to do with it?

If you make a mistake, admit it and it will be OK. If you don’t admit a mistake and try to cover it up… then you’re going to have real problems.
-Ted Waitt, Founder of Gateway 2000

The real key to success is the contact economy. Humans crave connections and anything you do to boost that connection, those units of social intimacy, is going to be wildly successful.
-Jim McCann, Founder of 1-800-FLOWER

…in business you have only 2 ways of surviving: Either your product is better than your competitor’s or it’s cheaper
-Jim Koch, Founder of Boston Beer Company

When you appeal to the highest level of thinking, you get the highest level of performance.
-Jack Stack, Founder of Sprinfield ReManufacturing Corporation

Let’s push for more discussion, not less – everywhere. Let’s seek common ground wherever we can find it.
-Gary Hirshberg, Founder of Stonyfield Farms

As far as an entrepreneur is concerned, I think the successful entrepreneur never feels that the game is over
-Steven Hamerslag, Founder of MTI Technology Corporation

I enjoy a good quote or two every once in a while… here are a few I found online that should make think a little about your priorities on keeping yourself as healthy as possible.

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. ~Doug Larson

It’s no secret that a diet high in meat products is a risk factor for many types of cancer. Next time you eat a very meaty meal, down it with a cup of green tea and about an hour later as many vegetables and fruits as you can eat. Not only will this help your intestines both clean and push the meal bulk away but the added benefit is the fiber will absorb a lot of the “not so healthy” components of the meat you have just eaten.

He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors. ~Chinese Proverb

Very true, I am still astounded at how many people fail to realize that you literally are what you eat. Nothing is as anabolic as food, no amounts of supplements, pills and potions will replace the damage done by a bad diet. Diets are not a bad thing, they are a good thing, if you have sound knowledge behind your actions. The weight loss industry has made billions selling useless (sometimes harmful) products, don’t be a lemming, read about food yourself (this blog is a good start) and make lasting changes.

If you have health, you probably will be happy, and if you have health and happiness, you have all the wealth you need, even if it is not all you want. ~Elbert Hubbard

Happiness is a state of mind, the mind and body are linked, let me explain. You cannot have a healthy mind without a healthy body anymore then you can have a healthy body without a healthy mind. If somebody is sick, obese or diseased, their mind is affected whether they realize it or not. Push both your mind and body daily by learning new things or hitting the gym, that is the true secret to living a very rewarding life. Wealth is a state of mind.

Fresh air impoverishes the doctor. ~Danish Proverb

Think of your body as a filtration system, you give it food, it takes out the nutrients it needs and expels the rest. You breath in air, your body takes in the oxygen and expels the carbon dioxide along with other waste products. What happens when you feed your body junk and breath in polluted air? Well, you are pushing your body into overdrive, giving it a less then optimal environment to thrive in. If you smoke, quit. If you eat any type of processed food, stop. If you live in a polluted environment, move. Your health should be your number one priority in life, as without health, you have nothing.

We drink one another’s health and spoil our own. ~Jerome K.

Just about every fall, like clockwork, there is a new study, often funded by the wine industry stating how healthy it is to drink a glass of wine everyday. What they neglect to tell you is that it isn’t the alcohol that is good for you (which wine contains), it’s the anti-oxidants in the grapes used to make the wine that are. In other words, grape juice is HEALTHIER then wine, but let’s face it, why promote grape juice when you can promote a product that has a far higher profit margin? No amount of alcohol is good for you, alcohol is a toxic substance. If you want to have a party, give out grape juice instead of wine, you won’t need to worry about drunken behavior and better yet, improving the health of your mates.

The Bottom Line

Quote are but the tip of the educational iceberg, but an important one.