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consumerist.com rss archive / September-08-2007
Subprime Meltdown: Countrywide Financial announced that it will ...
Countrywide Financial announced that it will fire 10,000-12,000 employees responsible for approving and underwriting mortgages.
Defects: 11th Walmart Flipflop Checmical Burning Case Reported
The story of the burnt foot from flip-flops confirmed my Fear that I had suffered a Chemical Burnt from a Black Flip Flop, bought at Walmarts too. Unfortunately three doctors have not yet identified why I suddenly developed dried, Cracked skin under my booth feet and on the sides. I long suspected the Flip Flops threw one away in 2005 and bought a Fresh one (for the Beach) thinking that I might have developed a "Fungus."When it got worse the dermatologist said that it was definitely not a fungus...He prescribed gave me a very expensive cream for dry skin and said the Dry skin might be hereditary. My general practitioner sent me to get a pedicure and the podiatrist treated the cuts himself with Bettamine and E45, and in May the Chemist suggested A&D. That's quite a lot of follow-up and the cuts still continue with a Blackened area and around the skin gets dried again and again and then splits-showing deep lacerations. They close then split again. I continued to suspect that...
News From The Swamp: Introducing The Most Impressive Cell Phone Bill Of The 110th Congress
Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) recently announced plans to introduce our wet dream of a cellphone bill. The bill realizes our wildest legislative fantasies: a world where cellphone companies stop inventing official-sounding fees and levying harsh ETFs, and instead allow their customers to take unlocked phones to the company with the best reception according to precise coverage maps provided free of charge.The Cell Phone Empowerment Act of 2007 would improve the lives of cellphone users by attacking a smorgasbord of the industry's most eggregious practices:Early Termination Fees: FCC regulations would require companies to prorate ETFs, with the penalty for escaping a 2-year contract cut in half at the end of the first year.Service Maps: Cellphone companies would be required to provide detailed maps showing call quality down to the street level. The maps would be augmented by data on dropped calls and coverage gaps collected and publicized by the FCC.Fee...
Hotels: Marriott Ruined My Wedding Night!
"I got married over Labor Day weekend in North Chicago, Illinois. We did a lot of advance legwork to set up a hotel for our guests that was close to the venue and convenient. Our wedding venue recommended the Marriott Courtyard in Waukegan/Gurnee. It was more expensive then the other hotels in the area and a bit further away, but they offered something irresistible-- a free shuttle to and from the wedding venue for all of our guests staying there. Since we had been contemplating hiring vans to shuttle our guests around so no one would drive drunk, this was a no-brainer. Plus, the Marriott has a good brand name and we felt confident things would go smoothly.I phoned the sales office and spoke to a lovely, competent sounding woman who told me that yes, the Marriott would provide shuttles to and from the wedding, and not only that, would set up a private meeting room for our "recovery brunch" the next day. She said the Marriott had a brunch buffet (with waffles!) from 9-12, and...
Complaints: Man Fights IKEA Customer Service Over Defective LILLBERG Couch, Loses
A week after we moved and put the new covers on, our IKEA LILLBERG sofa broke. Right in half. The main support beam gave out right at the dovetail joint, and even split a board in the process. We were devastated, but figured that we'd be able to wrangle something out of it. Standard customer service would replace the couch, right?My fiance and I purchased a sofa from IKEA in August of 2006 for our new apartment in Bloomington, IN. We purchased it from the Bolingbrook, IL store because it was near her parents house, where she was staying until the move. It's a wood frame model with separate cushions, almost like a futon, but we appreciated it's minimalistic design and size - long and deep. The cushions also had removable covers, which was a feature that we liked. Fast forward to a year later, after we decide to move across town to a rental house. There's no way we can get the couch out of the door and we're afraid of damaging it, so I take it apart using the instructions...
Complaints: Man Fights IKEA Customer Service Over Defective LILLBERG Couch , Loses
A week after we moved and put the new covers on, our IKEA LILLBERG sofa broke. Right in half. The main support beam gave out right at the dovetail joint, and even split a board in the process. We were devastated, but figured that we'd be able to wrangle something out of it. Standard customer service would replace the couch, right?My fiance and I purchased a sofa from IKEA in August of 2006 for our new apartment in Bloomington, IN. We purchased it from the Bolingbrook, IL store because it was near her parents house, where she was staying until the move. It's a wood frame model with separate cushions, almost like a futon, but we appreciated it's minimalistic design and size - long and deep. The cushions also had removable covers, which was a feature that we liked. Fast forward to a year later, after we decide to move across town to a rental house. There's no way we can get the couch out of the door and we're afraid of damaging it, so I take it apart using the instructions...
Defects: 11th Walmart Flipflop Checmical Burning Case
The story of the burnt foot from flip-flops confirmed my Fear that I had suffered a Chemical Burnt from a Black Flip Flop, bought at Walmarts too. Unfortunately three doctors have not yet identified why I suddenly developed dried, Cracked skin under my booth feet and on the sides. I long suspected the Flip Flops threw one away in 2005 and bought a Fresh one (for the Beach) thinking that I might have developed a "Fungus."When it got worse the dermatologist said that it was definitely not a fungus...He prescribed gave me a very expensive cream for dry skin and said the Dry skin might be hereditary. My general practitioner sent me to get a pedicure and the podiatrist treated the cuts himself with Bettamine and E45, and in May the Chemist suggested A&D. That's quite a lot of follow-up and the cuts still continue with a Blackened area and around the skin gets dried again and again and then splits-showing deep lacerations. They close then split again. I continued to suspect that...
Telephony: Verizon Spins Causing Electrical Fire During FiOs Install Into Sales Pitch
When will Verizon wonks learn that it's in incredibly bad taste to insert a sales pitch in the middle of your apology for yet another FiOs technician causing yet annother electrical fire at a customer's home?The good news is that Wilen loves his FiOS service...now that it is up and working. As a friend wrote to me earlier, "If he had this sort of problem when it was installed, and still likes FiOS this much, it must be a great service!"Never, it seems, never.FiOS Smokes [Verizon Policy Blog via Network World]
Utilities: New York Regulators Approve Unprecedented ConEd Rate Hike
Staffers at the New York State Public Service Commission have signed off on ConEd's plan to impose the largest rate hike in the company's history. ConEd asked for $1.2 billion, but PSC staffers think the utility is entitled to only $618 million. New Yorkers already pay some of the highest electricity bills in the nation."This is all part of the sham that goes on with every rate hike request," said Assemblyman Michael N. Gianaris, a Queens Democrat who sits on the Assembly's power committee and who has criticized the utility for its response to the 2006 power failure in his borough. "Con Edison asks for more than it expects to get," he said. "The P.S.C. rides in on its white horse and takes credit for slashing the request. But the end result is still what Con Edison wanted all along."ConEd's original proposal would have raised the average residential customer's bill by 17%. The PSC's recommendation will probably result in a hike of 10%-12%, though the exact figure is not yet...
Complaints: Man Fights IKEA Customer Service Over Broken LILLBERG Couch , Loses
A week after we moved and put the new covers on, our IKEA LILLBERG sofa broke. Right in half. The main support beam gave out right at the dovetail joint, and even split a board in the process. We were devastated, but figured that we'd be able to wrangle something out of it. Standard customer service would replace the couch, right?My fiance and I purchased a sofa from IKEA in August of 2006 for our new apartment in Bloomington, IN. We purchased it from the Bolingbrook, IL store because it was near her parents house, where she was staying until the move. It's a wood frame model with separate cushions, almost like a futon, but we appreciated it's minimalistic design and size - long and deep. The cushions also had removable covers, which was a feature that we liked. Fast forward to a year later, after we decide to move across town to a rental house. There's no way we can get the couch out of the door and we're afraid of damaging it, so I take it apart using the instructions...
Stemilt Growers: Prevented From Calling Your Produce USDA Certified Organic By Federal Law? Call It "Artisan Naturals" Instead
Stemilt Growers can't call its produce USDA Certified Organic until they grow without chemicals for three years, but that isn't stopping them from branding their produce "Artisan Naturals" in the interim. The three year chemical-free transition period is marked by insect infestations, infertile soil, and poor crop quality, which conspire to ravage a farm's profitability. Stemilt, one of the nation's largest apple growers, is hoping that consumers will pay a price premium for "natural" produce, which will likely be confused for USDA certified organic produce.The orchard is in its second year of transition to organic, but the fruit will be sold under Stemilt's Artisan Naturals label, promoting its naturally farmed history."On produce, food safety is an expectation, and I think the organic sector has higher expectations and we understand that, but we think for naturally farmed products, the first expectation is flavor," said Roger Pepperl, Stemilt director of marketing. "We get...
Photos: There's Always Apparently Not Enough Room For Jell-O Pudding Pops Nutritional Information
"I was out shopping the other day when a box of Popsicle brand Jell-O Pudding Pops caught my eye. My local supermarket doesn't carry them, so I thought I'd pick up a box as a treat. When going to open the box at home, I noticed a very suspicious location for the perforated tear-away opening strip."Rather than use the mostly-blank side of the box for this strip, they printed the perforations straight through the nutritional info. You can still read the daily percentages afterwards, but once the box is opened, all the calories and fat measurements get torn off.You can always read this data before opening the box, but it just seems like an unnecessarily sneaky trick for an already not-so-good-for-you dessert, especially with that blank space available on the opposite end of the box.The suggestion to place nutritional information on the tear-off strip should have caused a chuckle at a product design meeting before being dismissed as patently absurd. Just as Reader Stephen recommends,...
Subprime Meltdown: Facing Foreclosure? Take A Deep Breath And Don't Panic
The ongoing subprime meltdown will claim its next victims in October, when adjustable rate mortgages worth over $50 billion reset, but homeowners facing foreclosure can keep a roof over their head by following a few common-sense tips. Above all, don't panic, and don't ignore the problem - instead, try the following:Reason With Your Lender: Ask and ye shall receive. Explain your situation, and ask for a lower or fixed rate, or more time to pay off the mortgage. As the subprime market implodes, lenders are trying harder than ever to retain paying customers.Call A Counselor: Counselors can help delay foreclosure - sometimes for up to a year - but only if you give them ample time to negotiate with lenders.Lawyer Up: As a last resort, a lawyer can help you file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which forces lenders to negotiate a payment plan. Lawyers can also help borrowers who had little chance of repaying truly outrageous loans sue the lender for violations of the Truth in Lending Act....
Photos: There's Apparently Not Enough Room For Jell-O Pudding Pops Nutritional Information
I was out shopping the other day when a box of Popsicle brand Jell-O Pudding Pops caught my eye. My local supermarket doesn't carry them, so I thought I'd pick up a box as a treat. When going to open the box at home, I noticed a very suspicious location for the perforated tear-away opening strip.Rather than use the mostly-blank side of the box for this strip, they printed the perforations straight through the nutritional info. You can still read the daily percentages afterwards, but once the box is opened, all the calories and fat measurements get torn off.You can always read this data before opening the box, but it just seems like an unnecessarily sneaky trick for an already not-so-good-for-you dessert, especially with that blank space available on the opposite end of the box.The suggestion to place nutritional information on the tear-off strip should have caused a chuckle at a product design meeting before being dismissed as patently absurd. Just as Reader Stephen recommends,...