One year ago I wrote an article entitled, “Dean Kamen’s Miracle Water Distiller, It’s Not Going to Save the World.” Unfortunately I removed the article because I didn’t fill it meshed with the Skewism re-launch very well, but it turns out I was wrong. Every week dozens of people are still stumbling upon this site after searching Google for information on Kamen’s “Amazing Water Distiller.” I’m even getting e-mails from people asking where to get it, so they can try it in third world countries. So I guess it’s time for an update.

It’s been a year, so where’s the distiller?

The same place it’s always been, already invented. In fact, Kamen’s U.S. patent is nothing more than a re-hashed version of the Aqua Technologies distiller, with enough changes to qualify for a patent of its own. And while you’re on the patent page, take a look at the date when it was filed, November 13, 2003.

Many people believe that Kamen first introduced his distiller on the Colbert Report last year, but this is incorrect. Several times over the past five years he has “introduced” the distiller to various outlets. Why re-introduce the distiller several times? Two words: The Segway.

Why Dean Kamen needs the hype.

Kamen spent a large part of his life dedicated to the Segway, a device which he truly believed was going to change the way the world traveled. And when the Segway not only failed to change the world, but flopped completely, he started looking for a way to better market the system. He started to target niche markets like security teams (malls, etc…) and entertainment parks. However, he needed a way to boost the marketing power of not only the Segway, but his name as well. And to do this he created the story of his “miracle distiller” that would not only change the world, but save it.

Kamen is smart enough to know that he can’t generate any new hype about the Segway, but he can generate hype for other “inventions” and that hype will slightly roll over to the Segway, helping his bottom line. In short, Kamen re-introduces his distiller anytime he needs a little exposure. And while this is a brilliant move from a marketing standpoint, it has a large negative side-effect: false hope.

Which brings me to the point… Since Kamen decided to really push the idea of his distiller last year, going so far as to call it something that will “wipe out dirty water and diseases in third world countries once and for all,” he’s done the exact same thing he did with the Segway (only this time he doesn’t actually believe that the distiller will change the world in the way he thought the Segway would). His claims have given false hope to millions of people around the world, in much the same way announcing a “cure” for cancer would.

However don’t get me wrong. Kamen has invented some truly groundbreaking things. His AutoSyringe, all-terrain wheelchair, and robotic limb replacement technologies have made life better for thousands of people. Unfortunately, his vapor distiller is not one of those things. So if you found this article in hopes of finding one of his distillers, stop now, you won’t. Just remember what its true purpose is the next time you see Kamen on television “introducing” it to the world. Again.

For eight years I’ve watched in amazement as right-wing radio talk show hosts like Sean Hannity and Mark Levin have grown their audiences into the millions. And while I first believed that these hosts were generally trying to be shocking, it’s obvious that even if they are, their audience isn’t.

Just a few years ago, in an effort to prove that Godwin’s Law could be invoked no matter what the topic, Hannity launched an online forum. At first glance, a new visitor to the forum might believe s/he’s stumbled upon an extraordinarily large MMORPG, in which the objective is to repeat the words heard during Hannity’s radio show as many times as possible. However, it soon becomes apparent that the members of the forum are serious (I was pissed when I realized I wouldn’t be awarded any points for my “Obama Hitler” thread, which had 20 pages of replies (from people agreeing with me) in less than 24 hours).

What makes the Hannity Forums particularly skewed, is their belief that they are now in exile since Obama won the election. Taking a direct line from the Democratic Underground forum, Hannity now announces his show at the start of each hour with, “Here we are, the conservative underground, conservatism in exile!” In exile? Really? Melodramatic much?

But his audience is eating it up. With more than 13.5 million adult listeners everyday, the Sean Hannity show is currently the 4th most-listened-to radio program in the United States. Which begs the question: Are these radio shows converting people into these nutcases, or are they simply giving them a place to congregate?

While hearing voices from God and dancing in the mud might not classify you as normal (or even sane), it does apparently classify you as fodder for members of the /r/Atheism group on Reddit.

In what can only be described as an Internet-flash-mob, a group of Reddit members found and attacked a MySpace user who had posted a blog over three years ago, in which she stated she heard voices from God. And while this Skewism article could definitely go after her, I’ve chosen the /r/Atheism group instead, for one major reason: They claim to be the rational ones.

From her grammar to her weight, the users of Reddit bombarded her blog with negative and hateful comments (4chan style). It was only after dozens of negative comments were posted that a few /r/Atheism members came in and apologized for their behavior. In fact, a lot of members who did state their disapproval were quickly downmodded.

In short, I realize that Reddit has grown a lot in the three years since I joined, but I’d think a group of people who claim to be more rational than their religious counterparts would want to walk the walk… On the other hand, this is the Internet.

The entire ordeal reminds me of Neil deGrasse Tyson and his rebuke to Richard Dawkins and his rhetorical style:

This was the third article ever article published to Skewism. It was removed due to Skewism’s re-launch. The article centered around around Dean Kamen and his “Miracle Water Distiller” and how he is the king of hype (think Segway). The basic belief behind the article was that the water distiller is a fun invention, but it will never solve the world’s water crisis like Kamen stated.