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S06.E24: Budsies, Bee Thinking, PullyPalz, Forus Athletics


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A mom from Atlanta, GA has the solution to the lost pacifier problem; a beekeeper from Portland, OR wants the Sharks to invest in his hives; a Palm Beach, FL entrepreneur sells customized stuffed animals; two men from Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN tout their super-comfortable lightweight running shoes. In addition, Barbara Corcoran follows up with this season's 13-year-old Andrea Hirzel Cao and her mom, Hong Cao, creators of Q Flex.
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A mom from Atlanta, GA has the solution to the lost pacifier problem; a beekeeper from Portland, OR wants the Sharks to invest in his hives

So close to a hat trick.

  • Love 1
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The Kevin plush doll may be the only time he looked slightly huggable.  

 

Pretty awkward episode, especially the last pitch.  They just didn't know where to go with it and it ended abruptly.

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The sneakers were cool. I'd definitely try a new brand of sneakers.  The insert is interesting.  The one thing I love about my Nike flip flops is the gel sole.  I do agree that they were a little scattered.

 

Lori going in on the pacifier thing --- so not surprising.

 

The design your own stuffed animal guy... the leadtime is a killer.  And those dolls looked nothing like the sharks.  The pets also looked generic.  Meh.

 

The beehive was cool but how invest worthy is that?

 

Overall, just an OK episode.

  • Love 1
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I liked the custom plush idea, but agree with the Sharks that it isn't an invest-able business.

 

That woman presenting the pacifier thing seemed really, really nervous or something.  I wasn't surprised Lori made an offer though, she is the easiest to predict with that.  

  • Love 1
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Years ago I saw an article or blog post or something about someone who had made a few custom plush toys based on kids drawings, and I thought it seemed like a really neat gift if I knew any kids the right age. I wonder if this is related, or someone else with the same idea.

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The pacifier mom DID seem a bit terrified, then pissed when it looked like she wouldn't get a deal.  She was also very unlike other show moms in that she didn't blather about being an expert, didn't drag out her own infant to demonstrate and didn't make it sound like every other parent on the planet was an idiot for not being able to keep a pacifier in their kid's mouth.  Strange. 

  • Love 2
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The plush toy company "logo" was atrocious. WordArt on Windows Me.

I freely admit that I'm a cold-hearted person as I write the following. If you and your wife quit your jobs to start a beekeeping hive company, and you're so poor you can't afford health insurance*, maybe double up on the BIRTH CONTROL because babies are really fucking expensive. I'm completely on board with saving the bees, but I'm so bothered by the company owners not being able to pop a pill and use a condom.

*I have been extremely poor in my life (as recently as a year ago) and without health insurance many times.

Edited by bilgistic
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I was confused the pacifier lady got a deal because, unless I missed something, she blatantly lied and nobody called her on it that we saw? She opened with "I can't keep up with demand", which contrasted to the previous pitch, seemed like a smart opener. They criticize all the time about things like "what will you do with the money" and "tell me you have orders you can't fulfill" etc. So on the one hand, seemed a good idea to say, if it were true, but then later she was sitting on inventory I think they said? And couldn't get her price point down since she already had all those expensive units? So which was it? She can't keep up with demand or she's sitting on inventory? As soon as that point came up I expected everyone to be out and give her a thrashing for contradicting herself. I don't understand what they might have edited out that would make that not a lie.

I do think she was having a near-panic attack as she pitched based on her breath when she was talking.

Edited by theatremouse
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I freely admit that I'm a cold-hearted person as I write the following. If you and your wife quit your jobs to start a beekeeping hive company, and you're so poor you can't afford health insurance*, maybe double up on the BIRTH CONTROL because babies are really fucking expensive. I'm completely on board with saving the bees, but I'm so bothered by the company owners not being able to pop a pill and use a condom.

 

THIS SO MUCH. I couldn't stand him, because he was clearly planning on using his "But we're having a baby and struggling to make ends meet!"  sob story to get a deal. His wife being pregnant had nothing to do with his business. Dude, go sell "I deserve this because I made another human" on Chopped -- they are much more sympathetic there.

 

Other than that, I actually really liked this episode. I much prefer companies that are juuuust on the brink of being viable for a deal, rather than total joke products and homeruns, like an American Idol audition show. I learn a lot when the companies are just average, as opposed to aggressively bad. You know a show is well-produced when only one product gets a deal, and it's still an interesting and engaging show. More episodes like this, please!

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There's been at least one other website doing those custom plush toys for over 3 years now, and at a lower price point. I just looked at their site and they have a waiting list through June. If the guy on SS already has a 4-week wait time to get your toy, I'm not sure how he would cope with higher demand. It's the same thing that happened with the I Want to Draw a Cat for You guy. His wait times got longer and longer until he ultimately had to cease taking orders for several time periods. Mark was 100% correct-- unless the guy was using the money to somehow automate the process, it's gonna go down in flames.

Edited to add: The Budsies website is now saying there's a 9-week turnaround time for orders.

Edited by marny
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I don't understand many/most of the presenters on here, I truly don't. It's not like they're selling a car or house and pricing it higher knowing they'll eventually have to come down 10-20%. It's debatable whether pricing high is ever a valid strategy, but it absolutely isn't when it comes to valuing one's company. The parade of fools who march onto the show and offer a 5% or 10% stake make me want to stake them. Through the head.

 

Maybe viewers enjoy seeing the sharks cut people down to size over valuation, but I think the show should enforce a minimum starting point of 15%. Let's try to be realistic and also weed out the wienies who are only there as a promotional gimmick.

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I was thinking that cedar was used for the beehives because it stands up well against the elements? I'm hoping and praying that my tax dollars won't be spent on this guy and his wife who decided it was time to procreate, even though they had no money for a safety net.

And did I miss something about the sneaker guys because why were they wearing kilts? I'll go out on a limb and suggest that the guy (I'm a lawyer! I'm a lawyer!...as if that's a plus?) from Africa wasn't Scottish.  Also, those memory foam inserts?  I believe Dr. Scholl's already has that covered.  

A baby who wants its pacifier wouldn't have the dexterity to grab the pacifier until s/he was also old enough to find a "clipped on" one. I had my kids decades ago and often wonder how I managed to raise them without all these ridiculous bells and whistles. What a waste of money.  But then again, I wasn't busy chatting on my iPhone or checking out my FaceBook or Twitter accounts so I actually had the time to pick up the pacifier when my sons dropped it.

The stuffed animal guy was there for free advertising, in my opinion.

Edited by Auntie Anxiety
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I was thinking that cedar was used for the beehives because it stands up well against the elements? I'm hoping and praying that my tax dollars won't be spent on this guy and his wife who decided it was time to procreate, even though they had no money for a safety net.

Yes, it's durable, and it is resistant to other insects and mold that can infest hives.

 

Cedar is made into clothes chests and closets because it has natural pest control. Did anyone think to ask if it affects bees?

That's a good question. Apparently, most woods are fine, with the possible exception of black walnut.

 

Both of these bits of information from here:

 

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-choose-lumber-for-your-beehive.html

 

There are some flaky people who get into beekeeping. I remember reading a review of a type of beehive that allowed honey extraction without removing the frames. No idea whether it worked or not, but the reviewer objected it to it because they felt it would be bad for the "morale" of the hive.

 

ETA: On Pullypals, maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm not thrilled about the safety of a "toy" that has a long cord inside it. 

Edited by Latverian Diplomat
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Years ago I saw an article or blog post or something about someone who had made a few custom plush toys based on kids drawings, and I thought it seemed like a really neat gift if I knew any kids the right age. I wonder if this is related, or someone else with the same idea.

If it's the one I'm thinking of of, those were brilliant! I remember looking through her site and crying from laughing. She did one that some kid drew of a fart. It was hilarious #

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ETA: On Pullypals, maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm not thrilled about the safety of a "toy" that has a long cord inside it. 

 

I had a similar reaction. It looks like an accident waiting to happen.

I really thought the beekeeper guy should be starting a Kickstarter page instead.  Maybe also the sneaker duo.  Of course they probably wouldn't raise the same money as they would working with a shark, but it might be progress of a sort?

  • Love 1
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When I read the episode synopsis I rolled my eyes when it got to the part about paci's. I tend to hate most parenting products they give air time and find most of them to be a waste of money, novelty, etc. I actually kind of liked this product. She stated that most of her money had gone into safety testing, which was my first concern. There are however lots of toys on the market with a "string inside" already, most that you Velcro to a stroller or car seat and the child can pull its "tail" and it will retract back up, slowly. I thought the $20.00 price tag was reasonable.

My baby (who is now two) was a nightmare infant. Never slept, cried all the time, ate constantly. I would frequently take long car trips with my two kids to visit my parents across state and the baby would constantly knock his paci out of his mouth and wail until I could retrieve it which meant pulling over to fish it out or doing the blind, arm reach back thing. Finally I started stock pilling my drivers side so I could get another one in his mouth ASAP. We kicked the pack habit before his first birthday but I could see getting Pullypals to use in the car for sure.

Everything else was kinda meh...... I know we need bees but I hate those suckers and they always congregate where I do so I'm constantly jumping up and running around swatting the air like a crazy person. I've made if 30 years without a bee sting so I'm kind of terrified to get one.

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Did the pacifier lady mention having a child? Because the more nervous she got, flailing her hands around, I didn't see a wedding ring so that might be why she wasn't blathering about being a mom and an expert on everything baby.

I have a friend who's gotten into beekeeping and has several hives in her backyard. Much to the delight of her neighbors who enjoy the pollination of their garden plants, etc. However, that guy was just grating on my last good nerve so I didn't listen to a lot of what he said once he got past how he and his wife had given up their lives for this venture.

The stuffed animal guy came across as arrogant. I didn't like him. Therefore I'd never buy one of his stuffed toys.

I'm not a big fan of memory foam in shoes after trying the expensive Sketchers and having them hurt my feet. Plain old everyday Reeboks or Asics work better for me. I might try those lightweight shoes if the price comes down. I don't know why they were wearing kilts, as men who wear kilts don't wear athletic shoes.

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So, I know super lightweight shoes are all the rage right now, and I'll admit to not being a podiatrist or running scientist or anything remotely like that, but when they were showing how flexible it is and twisting it and bending it all over the place like someone wringing out a paper towel in a paper towel commercial...that didn't strike me as a good thing?

A while back I tore my meniscus and when I was doing PT afterward, one of the first things the physical therapist did was watch me walk, and ask me to take off my sneakers to examine them. Asked me how old they were (a few months) and then bent them in half with zero effort, basically, like these guys in their demo, and then told me those shoes were shot and to get a new pair. Now, maybe that person was just well-intentioned but totally wrong, but since then I've sort of had this idea that if you can do that to your shoes that easily, they're totally worn out. Maybe there was extra context that just wasn't explained to me, like specifically running shoes, and when you're running that flexibility is a good thing, but for normal day-to-day walking and someone recovering from injury, shoes with more stability are better. Maybe there's no catch-all answer for sneakers, depending on what you're using them for?

Still that actually circles back to, I think Daymond's question? Which was are they a running shoe or a fashion shoe? Because the pitch made it seem like the design, in terms of engineering, was basically the same for all their shoes, but the design, in terms of look/fashion/non-functional aspects were different: ie colors, licensed logos blah blah blah. So if that super lightweight flexibility is good for running, but they're also using it for their fashion-only shoes, then that's not really a plus? I mean I'm totally up for someone building a better mousetrap, but I'm also used to all these shoe companies coming up with bullshit marketing as to what gimmick makes their shoe better, so who knows who to believe if anyone actually has built a better mousetrap/shoe. Unless you buy/wear them and then decide based on your own comfort, which can take a ton of comparison to discern any difference between them.

  • Love 1
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I would have liked to hear more about the hives. How long they survive the elements, why cedar, etc. This hive collapse that we read about is fairly concerning. I didn't care for Lori's quick dismissal of the product just cuz she doesn't like honey. There more to bees than honey production.

  • Love 2
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Regarding the bees, I'm surprised no one had a connection to set this business up around the country near farms where bees are badly needed. That is the approach the guy should have taken, not selling them to you and me. Like how the TeePee guy wanted to sell his water containment system to large farming operations.

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I didn't care for Lori's quick dismissal of the product just cuz she doesn't like honey. There more to bees than honey production.

"It doesn't immediately affect my small worldview at this very moment, and my non-honey-containing food is catered to me on 24-karat plates, so because of that, I'm out." [Painful looking screwy smirk]
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No that I think this makes her reasoning for not wanting to be involved any better, but I got the impression she's allergic to bees and/or honey from an earlier episode. So when she said she didn't like honey, I think that was sort of her shortcut answer. Presumably if she thought she could profit from it, I'd think she'd invest anyway, although she seems to have a consistent spiel of if it's not a product she could use herself, she tends not to invest, so maybe that really was enough to put her off.

Colony collapse is serious business though. If he's really about helping the planet and not just trying to make money, it might've made more sense to be a non-profit that also sells the fancy designed hives, but tries to educate, etc whatever. But going in for Sharks, the point is to make money, which this venture may or may not do.

  • Love 1
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Years ago I saw an article or blog post or something about someone who had made a few custom plush toys based on kids drawings, and I thought it seemed like a really neat gift if I knew any kids the right age. I wonder if this is related, or someone else with the same idea.

I think one of the sharks mentioned that there were other companies that did the same thing and there was nothing unique about the business.

Regarding the bees, I'm surprised no one had a connection to set this business up around the country near farms where bees are badly needed. That is the approach the guy should have taken, not selling them to you and me. Like how the TeePee guy wanted to sell his water containment system to large farming operations.

Kevin mentioned his family would have bee hives in apple orchards. Kevin's issue was scaling it if I am recalling what he said. Daymond said he would be a customer.

 

 

There are some flaky people who get into beekeeping.

Some of those people are actually allergic to bee stings making going out to the beehives a near death experience each time or get aroused from being stung. 

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Did the pacifier lady mention having a child? Because the more nervous she got, flailing her hands around, I didn't see a wedding ring so that might be why she wasn't blathering about being a mom and an expert on everything baby.

 

Yes her kid was the whole reason she came up with the idea. 

 

I had a similar reaction. It looks like an accident waiting to happen.

I really thought the beekeeper guy should be starting a Kickstarter page instead.  Maybe also the sneaker duo.  Of course they probably wouldn't raise the same money as they would working with a shark, but it might be progress of a sort?

I think he said he did do a kickstarter. The problem was he didn't have the money to keep up with the demand he was already having. A kickstarter would just increase demand. 

 

As for the shoes. Too soft shoes can be a problem for certain occupations and wouldn't be able to be worn on those jobs. I wear sneakers that have a steel toe, and a concrete base and are rated against electric shock. Also they are leather and only cost 120 dollars and will last 10-20 years. They don't hurt my feet after I broke them in for a week and wore the right socks. You people having problem with your shoes go to an old style shoe shop like a Red Winds and have an employee fit you. They can even on a certain number of models custom fit the shoe to you if you have medical issues. 

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A baby who wants its pacifier wouldn't have the dexterity to grab the pacifier until s/he was also old enough to find a "clipped on" one. I had my kids decades ago and often wonder how I managed to raise them without all these ridiculous bells and whistles. What a waste of money.  But then again, I wasn't busy chatting on my iPhone or checking out my FaceBook or Twitter accounts so I actually had the time to pick up the pacifier when my sons dropped it.

 

Plus, if a baby is old enough to see the pacifier hanging, grab it, and put it into his mouth, then he is likely to want to grab the one that is hanging while he is still sucking on the other one.  And when he grabs the hanging one and pulls it, he will pull the one he is sucking on out.  And they baby will just keep switching back and forth. 

 

And if I am wrong and this Pacifiers on a Pulley thingie is actually a good, and safe, thing, then why not tie two pacifiers together with a string then attach the string to the car seat handle with one of those clip-on rings (turning the ring into a pulley).   

  • Love 1
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I don't understand many/most of the presenters on here, I truly don't. It's not like they're selling a car or house and pricing it higher knowing they'll eventually have to come down 10-20%. It's debatable whether pricing high is ever a valid strategy, but it absolutely isn't when it comes to valuing one's company. The parade of fools who march onto the show and offer a 5% or 10% stake make me want to stake them. Through the head.

 

Maybe viewers enjoy seeing the sharks cut people down to size over valuation, but I think the show should enforce a minimum starting point of 15%. Let's try to be realistic and also weed out the wienies who are only there as a promotional gimmick.

 

I asked the same question while I was viewing the show.  The percentages are far too low and dollar amounts are far too high.  (I can't remember past episodes as well, but I just don't remember the asks being so out of whack.)  Most of the dollar amounts (which can't change) are more than 100% of what the company is even worth.  It really hinders adequate negotiation.  I like the idea of a minimum starting point.  Or at least more presenters with realistic expectations.

 

And I don't enjoy watching the sharks go off on based on poor valuations.

 

 

For some reason, I can't post below my lowest quote comment so this comment is for the quote below:

I was wondering why someone would be so far away from a small child that they couldn't just get the paci.  I guess in the car is one time but on a daily basis, it seems to be a poor solution to a non-problem.  It slightly annoyed me that Lori made an offer though I guess she can turn this around like all of the other crappy products she sells.  Not that I dislike Lori.  I just don't find interest in most of the products she invests in.

 

A baby who wants its pacifier wouldn't have the dexterity to grab the pacifier until s/he was also old enough to find a "clipped on" one. I had my kids decades ago and often wonder how I managed to raise them without all these ridiculous bells and whistles. What a waste of money.  But then again, I wasn't busy chatting on my iPhone or checking out my FaceBook or Twitter accounts so I actually had the time to pick up the pacifier when my sons dropped it.

Edited by AyeshaTheGreat
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I couldn't understand how the $300 cedar beehives were better than the "regular" ones that cost around $70 complete. Hives come in all sorts of configurations and a DIY can put one together for less than $70. Plus the bee guy didn't talk about the accessories needed for bee keeping (clothing, smoker, extractor) or where to get the bees and how to keep them properly. Honey bees will build hives and produce honey in walls of old houses so it's not like they are attracted to cedar luxury hives. I found his presentation confusing and lacking. No deal from me!

Edited by saber5055
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I have been interested in beehives for a few years and thought it would be nice to hear about it on ST.  He didn't answer crap about it.  I went to their website and it was even more confusing.  I think it is a hobby or lifestyle that takes a lot of work.  I live on a ranch in East Texas and it seems like too much work even for a rancher.  I'm out!

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The bee thing bothered me too. Someone who doesn't know what they are doing could kill the bees, which is the opposite of protecting them as marketed.

I live in the heart of CA agriculture and there are people who have beehives and move them around as each crop flowers to help pollinate. One person with a designer hive is not going to do anything to help, it's not nearly enough volume.

I think it's a wonderful hobby but the average person does not need to go into this on a whim.

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I couldn't understand how the $300 cedar beehives were better than the "regular" ones that cost around $70 complete. Hives come in all sorts of configurations and a DIY can put one together for less than $70. Plus the bee guy didn't talk about the accessories needed for bee keeping (clothing, smoker, extractor) or where to get the bees and how to keep them properly. Honey bees will build hives and produce honey in walls of old houses so it's not like they are attracted to cedar luxury hives. I found his presentation confusing and lacking. No deal from me!

Actually the sharks asked where one would get the bees. The guy said they sell them. 

 

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-choose-lumber-for-your-beehive.htmlCedar is apparently one of the best woods and if you do a search there are several companies that sell bee hives in cedar and they cost the same as beethinking hives.

 

You may want to look again at those 70 dollar hives. Most complete hives even from pine are about 150 or more complete and assembled. Unassembled ones may be 70 for a one layer hive but you have to drill and then glue them together as well as paint to protect against weather elements.. 

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I posted that as a reference to how the man on the show could have raised money on his own.... but I think he was more interested in the attention the show might bring him. However, helping bees to populate is still a very important thing we as humans can do to help our food supply. :)

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I posted that as a reference to how the man on the show could have raised money on his own.... but I think he was more interested in the attention the show might bring him. However, helping bees to populate is still a very important thing we as humans can do to help our food supply. :)

Actually I think he did say they did do a kickstarter. The issue was he needed to do funds for production. Another kickstarter would have increased the number of hives he would need to build hence would actually cost him money. He needs the money to fill the orders he has currently and lower costs. 

Edited by nobodyyoucare
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I would have liked to hear more about the hives. How long they survive the elements, why cedar, etc. This hive collapse that we read about is fairly concerning. I didn't care for Lori's quick dismissal of the product just cuz she doesn't like honey. There more to bees than honey production.

Every time Lori says shit like this she comes across as totally stupid. Especially when you look at the kind of stuff she does invest in. Some googling tells me she doesn't have kids, yet she invested in the pacifier thing. How is that not the same? Just say you don't like the business or you don't think it will make you money, like everyone else does, and move on.

 

Also speaking of the pacifier thing, as soon as the lady started talking about left-brain and right-brain she totally lost me. I am no doctor but my understanding is that the whole idea that the left side of your brain specifically controls certain things and the right side controls others, is basically a little more than an urban legend.

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Every time Lori says shit like this she comes across as totally stupid. Especially when you look at the kind of stuff she does invest in. Some googling tells me she doesn't have kids, yet she invested in the pacifier thing. How is that not the same? Just say you don't like the business or you don't think it will make you money, like everyone else does, and move on.

This is one major reason why I can't stand her.

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Every time Lori says shit like this she comes across as totally stupid. Especially when you look at the kind of stuff she does invest in. Some googling tells me she doesn't have kids, yet she invested in the pacifier thing. How is that not the same? Just say you don't like the business or you don't think it will make you money, like everyone else does, and move on.

 

Also speaking of the pacifier thing, as soon as the lady started talking about left-brain and right-brain she totally lost me. I am no doctor but my understanding is that the whole idea that the left side of your brain specifically controls certain things and the right side controls others, is basically a little more than an urban legend.

Actually certain cognitive functions are indeed largely determined by either the left or right hemisphere of the brain, a lot of pop psychology around brain handiness is complete utter nonsense and been debunked. No one however is a left or right brain person unless they had one hemisphere removed. 

 

http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/a/left-brain-right-brain.htm 

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