Victoria Consumer Critique

INDEX

2008-07-18T22:24:00.000-05:00

4/13/08 MISSION
4/13/08 FREE? Maybe Not
4/13/08 Pissed-Off Consumer
3/8/08 Co-op America
4/13/08 Contributors Wanted

5/13/08 AARP
5/11/08 Advertising
4/10/08 Astrazenca AZ & Me Prescription Savings Program
7/3/08 Auto One Warranty Service
3/7/08 CARFAX Vehicle History Report
4/16/08 Carmine and the Cochineal Bug
4/25/08 Cell Phones and Smoking
7/18/08 Citizens for Affordable Energy
4/8/08 Complaints Board.com
4/9/08 Concorde Collection
5/27/08 Consumer Cheats
3/19/08 DirecTV
3/19/08 Dish Network Satellite TV
3/4/08 Dollar General Store
3/31/08 Fuel Stops/Convenience Stores
4/9/08 Get A Phone - Cardinal communications
3/17/08 Heatsurge LLC
3/17/08 H-E-B groceries
6/1/08 Insurance Fraud
5/11/08 Internet Consumer
7/18/08 Kinoki Foot Pads
3/2/08 Master Eye Associates EyeMart
7/15/08 Mission Espiritu Santo
4/14/08 National Home Gardening Club
4/20/08 New US Dollars
4/29/08 Office Depot
7/15/08 Presidio La Bahia
4/10/08 Rapid Wash and Lube
3/2/08 Save A Lot Groceries
6/27/08 TempTouch
3/2/08 Texas State Optical (TSO)
7/18/08 T-Mobile $10.00 Home Phone
4/11/08 Toilet Paper
4/8/08 Tranceformation Works Self Hypnosis
3/7/08 Victoria Outpatient Clinic-VA
6/22/08 Victoria Public Library
4/4/08 Walgreens
3/16/08 World Reserve Monetary Exchange

Citizens for Affordable Energy

2008-07-18T21:20:00.003-05:00

Glenn Beck, HNN, and the former CEO of Shell oil, Jon Hofmeister, had a discussion about the non-profit Mr. Hofmeister is organizing called the the Citizens for Affordable Energy.

Alarm Bells, loud, loud, bells. The oil companies are NOT the consumers' friend, regardless of what they may try to sell us, oil products or public relations hype. So what is this Hofmeister guy up to?

He, Mr. Hofmeister, noted that the AARP is very strong and influential because of its millions of members supporting the cause. His, Mr. Hofmeister's, vision is to organize the CAE group into such a large, powerful voice for America.

The AARP is large. The AARP is powerful. The AARP is not as good a friend to the older crowd as they might have you believe. Check out the companies affiliated with, owned and/or under the control of the profit-making side of the AARP. If Mr. Hofmeister is seeking to build an AARP empire look-alike, Lord help us. That AARP behemoth sucks the blood from old people. They're particularly fond of blood that requires lots of medical visits.

My skepticism on high alert already, the final nail was driven home when, unasked or even alluded to by Mr. Beck (unless that question was edited out), Mr. Hofmeister humbly advised that he would be making "but a small stipend" for his leadership in this worthy cause.

This man is so rich, he sweats money, and he will be taking but a small stipend? What is his definition of small? The pox be upon your endeavor, Mr. Hofmeister.

Mr. T. Boone Pickens and his plans to wrest the country from the control of foreign oil barons and unfeeling, uncaring, unconcerned U.S. oil giants strike me as a lot more sincere and dedicated than you are. A LOT MORE.

Maybe not, but he appears to be putting his plan out for the world to see while you're formulating a plan for amassing an empire before dealing with, wink-wink, the detrimental effects of big oil on America.

Kinoki Foot Pads

2008-07-18T20:57:00.006-05:00

If I woke up, pulled a piece of material off the bottom of my foot, and it was a disgusting black color, well, I don't even want to think about that possibility. I try to leave the room whenever this commercial comes on. If you haven't seen it, hope you have a strong stomach.

Supposedly, this miracle material applied to each foot nightly pulls all that unhealthy toxin stuff out of your body and turns this pad a pukey color if it is doing its job and you're full of toxins. Please tell me you have not given into this hype.

I did a little research, very little, because there is very little reason to even entertain the idea of purchasing these items. To sum it up very quickly. Toxins go through the liver for disposition and the liver does not empty through the bottoms of your feet. That brings a thought to mind. How do the toxins depart the body if you're an amputee? Don't get bent. That is absolutely no aspersion on anyone with this condition.

Furthermore, I discovered these pads will turn the same disgusting black if you sprinkle distilled water on them. The pads, used pads, have been examined by scientific types and there has been no finding yet that any toxins departed the body via the soles of any one's foot. Sweat, moisture, pre-applied distilled water, whatever. It is not toxicities being removed through your feet that is contributing to or detracting from your overall physical health and wellness.

I have to laugh when the silly models remove the pads after a refreshing night's sleep and are overcome with such pleasure that a euphoric, angelic aura surrounds their entire person. Lights, action, bluff 'em.

There's not much more to say except what a bunch of malarkey. I was astounded to see that Walgreens had these silly things on display in their stores today. Come on, Walgreens. Your pharmacists, of all people, should know this is a trick to part your consumer from their diminishing, inflation affected dollars. If the witch doctor, snake oil salesman isn't evident here, someone is not looking very closely.

T-Mobile $10.00 Home Telephone

2008-07-18T19:16:00.006-05:00

T-Mobile to Launch $10 Home Phone Service

"Have you seen the ad on TV for $10.00 home telephone service," several have asked me. "No, I haven't," I replied, "But will keep my TV eyes peeled for this wonderful-sounding deal." I'll let them know my opinion after doing a little research. It is impossible to read the fine print at the bottom of any TV advertisement, so I needed to see exactly what disclaimers might have been lurking in the small print at the bottom of that TV screen.

"T-Mobile @Home® Service Gives Families Across the Country Freedom From Their Costly Land line Bills" (quoted from the T-mobile website)

Go to the T-Mobile website and read the rest of this hype if you want. You don't even have to read between the lines or be too intelligent to figure out YOU are NOT the one making out like a bandit on this less than great deal.

Here's the deal in a compact, easy to understand, nutshell:

Sign on to a 2-year contract for cell phone service with T-mobile, if you're not already a customer; if you don't have one, buy a computer; if you don't have broadband service, get it (if it's supported in your area yet, which it is not in mine); buy a piece of equipment, a router, available from, of course, T-Mobile, for the low price of $49.99, to connect all this together.

Take note of the disclaimer at the bottom of their website that the $10.00 monthly land line fee does not include any surcharges which might be tacked onto your bill, (for no reason other than telephone companies can get by with tacking extraneous charges onto your bill).

Do you know what all those surcharges and taxes and all at the bottom of your phone bill really are? They are not what they seem, believe me. The government sees very, very little of any of that surcharge. You would think it would be illegal to act like it's a government-required add-on when it's really nothing more than the government allowing them to charge the customers for everything the company can think to add as an extraneous charge.

Oh, almost forgot. You will, of course, need to have a touch tone phone to connect to your broad-band empowered computer with the newly attached T-Mobile router accessory, to receive and make calls on this nifty $10.00 Home Phone Plan available to you special people because you are the proud customer of a $39.99 or $49.99, as applicable, cell phone plan. What a deal! Huh?

I totally fail to see how this allows one to ditch their high phone bills and save money. What if I don't want a cell phone or already have a cell phone I'm happy with? See, they gotcha. Don't forget, you must contract on for a 2year $39.99 or greater single plan or $49.99 or greater family plan to get that nifty $10 (subject to taxes, surcharges, and change without notice) Home Phone Plan.

I'm not crazy about any of the home phone services because I do think they all deceive the customer or should I say, screw the customer, with the full blessing of our state and federal government entities. This tricky little deal, however, beats just about any other "too good to be true and it is" program available on the telephonic availability market for its total effort to hoodwink the consumer.

If you do take T-Mobile up on this Heckuva Deal, let us know after a couple of months if you really did save any money. We'd sure like to know if that "scarborough research report" of an average $65.00 per month land line phone cost, is bested by T-Mobile's $10 deal. The website does excuse any inaccuracies in that $65 estimate because the research may not be 100% scientific and valid, and all that stuff.

I am always ready to change my opinion if proven beyond a doubt that my position is wrong or a bit off base. In fact, it would be so refreshing to find a mega-giant corporation that really did have the little guy's welfare in mind for a change instead of the CEO's multi-million dollar pay package.

Presidio La Bahia

2008-07-15T22:24:00.003-05:00

Shortly after paying the $3.00 entrance fee, there's a room with a huge television where a reenactment of the Goliad massacre is played for visitors to the old fort. The $3.00 is money well spent to be able to walk through this magnificent piece of Texas history.

The O'Connor family gifted over $1 million to renovate this structure when it had fallen into grave disrepair. I for one am grateful they did this to preserve this phenomenol structure.

Although the Presidio does not offer as much visually as the Mission Espiritu Santo, it is still exciting to walk through the structure and get a sense of the history created here. There is a bench under the trees in the fort courtyard, and you can feel the soldiers in parade formation wearing uniforms that would have been unbearably hot in the Texas summer sun. The rifles which seem fairly small and manageable on the television or movie screen were actually quite large and heavy. These men had to have been made from some very stern stuff to withstand the hardships of military life during this period.

Walking up the stones to the guard station atop one of the fort's four corners brought to my mind the hundreds of footsteps that trudged up and down this particular path long before mine. I can almost believe it's possible late at night to catch a glimpse of a soldier walking his guard or hear the parade field sounds of soldiers and their drills for holding off attacks which might happen at any moment.

There is a grave marker between the chapel and guard turret. It appears to be the grave site of a woman, but there was nothing indicating who she might have been. There didn't appear to be any other graves or markers within the walls of the fort. The graveyard is several blocks further up the road past the fort. I was rather saddened to see that tall weeds had been allowed to take over the area within the stone grave border.

The chapel itself is still in use today. It is definitely very different in comparison to the chapel at the Mission Espiritu Santo. It's antiquity, religious aura, and splendid artifacts are all evident. The only concession to modernity was the printed material found at the door for the use of those attending Mass. This structure did have pews, which I guess was a concession to the not so tough knees of non Indians.

The Presidio was indeed interesting to visit, and I am glad to have done so, but I had a difficult time getting past the carnage that had occurred here. I felt very sad for all the poor souls sacrificed and the completely inhumane acts one man can levy against another.

The Ignacio Zaragoza birthplace is also located here. The building was locked however, even though a sign designated the door as the entrance. Presidio is very much a self guided tour. I was much happier with the knowledgeable, gracious employees at the Mission.

Mission Espiritu Santo

2008-07-15T21:18:00.003-05:00

The winding stone walkway takes you up a small hill and back into history. The stone walls and parts of the mission itself have suffered some vandalism and some borrowing by the city of Goliad to renovate some of their downtown buildings. We are so fortunate, however, that the historical preservationists realized the legacy that was being dismantled and stepped in to renovate and open the mission to the world.

The $3.00 admission is a small charge for the chance to walk through this fascinating structure, or actually several structures. Just when you think you've seen everything, something else catches your eye. The computer sitting just inside the entry door seemed almost inconceivably out of place. I had to chuckle at the thought of the Indians and missionaries co mingling with computers and the funny dressed people strutting up the hill to visit their habitat.

It was fascinating to listen to the extremely knowledgeable park employee. I asked if employees were trained in history of the mission and its people. He said it was mostly self learned because of his interest in the place. His knowledge added immeasureably to the visit. He also pointed out some things that gave one even more of a feel for the living society once housed within the stone walls.

The door designated for the dead was marked with a skull and crossbones cut into the stone. No one had noticed the etchings until he explained the meaning of this symbol. It was kind of the pre-modern times version of the mortuary. He vividly described living accommodations from the Indian chief, or majordomo, to the abode of the priest.

The ghosts of the many mission inhabitants were abundant in the chapel. I mentioned it was too bad the original pews had been removed to which our guide explained that there were actually never any pews in the chapel because the Indians knelt on the floor for services and prayer. Made my knees ache to visualize kneeling on that cold rough stone floor. The altar itself was phenomenol. Although somewhat modernized, one can still grasp the aura of that religious symbolism. It would take a hard core Atheist not to feel the devine vibrations in this place.

The mission grounds are immaculate, as are the buildings themselves. The residents who lived within these walls hundreds of years ago would be happy at the way their home has been refurbished and maintained. A smile and welcome was offered by all employees, both in the gift shop and outside the entrance to the park itself.

A visit well worth the trip to Goliad.

Auto One Warranty Specialists

2008-07-03T18:52:00.004-05:00

Received a postcard recently alerting me that my time for buying an extended warranty for my 1999 Ford Ranger was just about to expire. There was no company name, just an address and toll free number to call, hurry up and call, to extend my warranty protection. Hmmm. News Flash! The warranty ran out some time ago.

At least semi-monthly I get a letter or postcard warning me to get off my duff and buy that protection they're offering or it's going to get pretty darn costly when that motor, transmission, or other majorly expensive breakdown, causes me much anguish and my cry will be, "Oh, why, oh, why, did I not contact Auto One or Service Protection Program or one of a number of others ready, willing, and able to extend my warranty coverage?"

I had to call Auto One's toll free number to find out that they, Auto One, were the source of my postcard receipt. "To whom am I talking?" I asked the telephone answering person. "Auto One Warranty Service," I was pleasantly advised. "Who are you?" I inquired, knowing that the answers to my questions would probably be short and not very informative and quickly would become snotty reprisals for asking too many questions.

I can hear it in their undertone, "May your transmission and engine both go at once. Pox be upon you."

"Who are you?" I asked. "Just what the name says. We're a warranty protection program," is the response. "How did you get my name and the information that I have a Ford Ranger?" I asked. "That is public information." he was beginning to get a bit snippy. "If I can just get the customer code on your card, your VIN number, and mileage, we can get on with our conversation wherein I can divulge more of what we're about," he prompted.

"How much does this cost?" I asked. "I do not know until you give me your VIN number and mileage," he was quickly becoming irritated that I have disrupted his established script. "Well, give me a ballpark figure," I begged. "Hundreds of dollars, thousands of dollars, what? Where does the price range begin?"

We were playing a "you show me yours and I might show you mine," game. I was losing ground quickly. "I am not going to give you this information," I stated. "You have my name, address, make, model, and year vehicle, so why don't you have the VIN and a price quote ready?" "HUH!" "Has your integrity and honesty come into question in this business of auto warranty extentions?" He hung up on me.

So I had to get my answers elsewhere. the Better Business Bureau said they had a satisfactory rating, but this is of little use because it doesn't take much to get their "satisfactory" score. A business just has to have responded to consumer complaints.

You need to peruse the numbers and types of complaints to get an idea of their business worthiness. When a preponderance of complaints involve failure to return money because of unhappiness with their service, or failure to render service as alleged in their sales spiel, it is time to get nervous and run the other direction.

I did discover that some unhappy people had written their own reviews, and they were enlightening. The Seattle Times also ran a story on the potential "shadiness" of the Auto One Warranty specialists. I was astounded to learn there are approximately 100 of these extended warranty offerers in the St. Louis area alone. Auto One shows three different addresses for its offices in California. Their "Principal" is Tom Gotor, Collections Manager. Kind of scary to think you have to call their Collections Manager if you're unhappy with their service. Do you also picture a very large and intimidating behemoth of a man?

Furthermore, I uncovered that premiums would probably start at around $3,000 or $800 a year on their generous payment plan. From what I could find, one might be unhappy with their coverage when the time to "repair" your vehicle rolled around. Since there are rather large number of these warranty businesses around the country, however, the scheme must work on more than a few unsuspecting consumers.

The marketer I really get a laugh from is the letter (not a postcard like those cheap folks at Auto One) from the Service Protection Program of St. Louis, Missouri. Remember I already warned you about St. Louis. This business was desperately wanting to extend coverage for a vehicle which was, unfortunately, caught in the flood last July, and has not been road worthy since.

I was thinking about calling their principal contact, Monica Sims, but the BBB reported immediately following her name that the Entity (Monica Sims) is a "Fictitious Name". I do not jest. It actually says, "Fictitious Name".

Well, they'll just have to learn about the vehicle's unfortunate demise on their own. I did learn a new term, or perhaps an old term I never really grasped the meaning of until now. DATA MINING. There are actually people who do nothing but search records, and remember our Texas Public Safety office is quite generous with sharing its (ours actually) records. The Data Miners mine data peculiar to industries. Like the Auto Insurance folks would not be interested in mining for the names of kids or people without vehicles.

Can you picture a software program (of which there are many available) that is worming its way through all the information available on the internet and regurgitating that which a particular business desires on its return to home base? I don't feel after discovering this that the government's wanting to do warrantless electronic spying is as dangerous as this information rolling around in the hands of devious marketers. I think both ought to stay out of my business unless personally invited in.

There's lots more that could be said about these type businesses, most of which is negative, but let's just jump to the bottom line. Stay away from them. Do not respond. I beg you do not give them your vehicle's VIN. A wiser decision, if you indeed want extended warranty, would be to call your manufacturer and ask about their extended warranty program or suggestions for a legitimate program insurer. Operative word being "Legitimate."

EMPOWERED BY: CONSUMER AWARENESS

TempTouch

2008-06-27T15:22:00.006-05:00

Is it "too good to be true" or an absolute scam? People affected with diabetes appear to be particularly attractive targets for the marketing pros. Somebody out in "invention world" is forever designing the newest and best glucose monitor; you must buy toothpaste, food, socks, ad infintum specially designed for the diabetic; Liberty Medical will take all the worry away if you use their service for diabetic supplies.

This close attention to the treatment and comfort of a nasty condition always sounds so honest and sincere when a celebrity, medical specialist, or sympathy-garnering individual swears you will be so much better off with their product. You don't have much to worry about it if you're covered by Medicaid or Medicare, these purveyors of medical merchandise will assure you. Folks covered by these programs are extremely desireable targets for the diabetic supplies market.

This is not in and of itself a bad thing. What is bad is the extraordinarily high prices placed on these products. There is not one reason in the world, that I can uncover, for glucose testing strips to cost $1 plus for a single strip. Shoot, yea, they'll give you a free monitor. Whoopee! The test strips are the big-money draw. Of course, no body's testing strips fits anybody else's monitor should you happen to find testing strips on sale. Charging $6 for a tube of diabetic toothpaste? Name a necessity and price the "norma" as opposed to the "diabetic" version. Where's the consumer police patrol?

But I detour from the focus of my research. I saw an ad on TV for a "new" diagnostic tool that measures your foot temperature and alerts you to hot spots that may be indicative of diabetic ulcerations. I probably wouldn't have paid much attention, excepting the spokesperson reminded me more of someone who should be dressing anorexic fashion models or doing hair on a fashion runway. The exaggerated "Hey, I'm gay" lisping is nauseating to many of us.

I was all ready to disbelieve any claim made by this faux lisper, but did the research just to prove my skepticism was justified. Hmmmmm. Lisping aside, there may be something to this product. Not this product, per se, but the concept.

I do think the web site is a bit shady in its claims (or really not fully explained claims). The FDA approval brag sounds good, huh? Not to get too excited, however. It is strictly routine. Such devices must receive 510(K) approval before proceeding to market. The web site expounds "Doctors: New Diagnostic Tool Available." This is like saying, "New Tooth Brushing Apparatus Available." Toothbrushes are nothing new, but "your" toothbrush may be new to the market. Follow me?

This is not a new concept. There are provisions in the FDA rules for actual "new" products, but the literature pertaining to TempTouch from the FDA does not allude to its being "new", but, actually, to its being another version of an already approved tool.

To quote from the FDA site: "510(K) requirement that device must be substantially equal to another legally U.S. marketed device. Substantial equivalence means the new device is at least as safe and effective as the predicate device."

The testing TempTouch people refer to was a comparison of their product to an already existing product known as "Omega Surface Temperature Scanner." Those Omega folks surely know their thermometers. They make them for virtually any field you can think of-industrial, chemical, biological, weather, automotive etc. I have never thought about all the uses for and different types of thermometers until I read the omega offerings.

TempTouch, Diabetica Solutions, Xilas Medical, Medgadget, Underwriters Laboratory (Responsible Third Party Office to whom the FDA addressed 510(K) approval notification.) All these company names surfaced in researching one product "TempTouch". I kept reading that they were distributors of medical devices, but could find no mention of what medical devices other than the "new" TempTouch they distributed. Had a slew of board members and management elite listed, too.

The literature also alludes to the VA and others funding clinical studies. Probably totally true. There are those who will tell us it is pretty easy to get a government grant for almost anything if the grant writer is good enough in presenting their case. Victoria College offers courses in successful grant writing, so there must be a pretty good market for effective grant writers. You know it can't be too hard to get a grant if someone desiring to study the sex lives of frogs or other equally stupid projects can get one.

Not casting any aspersions on the validity or non-validity of TempTouch. They just went to way too much trouble to sidestep the true truth. They didn't really lie, but did go out of their way to elaborate on issues making the potential buyer believe the product is an effective, don't be without it, device. Perhaps they're fairly certain no one will go to the bother of reading a laborious FDA approval process or a clinical study. It is indeed very uninteresting reading.

I did learn, however, that a "predicate" is not just part of a sentence structure. In the case of TempTouch, the Omega thermometer was the "Predicate" used to validate the operational validity of their product. In other words, tested in conjunction with the Omega thermometer, the Temptouch accurately measures temperatures (both "c" (centigrade) and "f" (Fahrenheit). It also passed the accuracy, variable voltage tests, and display limits tests as measured against the "Omega" predicate used for purposes of this comparison study.

I could find no evidence that the FDA attested to the effectiveness of the product as a true indicator of potential diabetic ulcerations that might result in amputation. All the bells and whistles trying to justify their product were really unnecessary for the most part. I reviewed medical information relevant to diabetic foot problems, and particularly those severe enough to result in amputation.

The TempTouch is a 9V battery-operated hand-held device that measures the surface temperature of skin. Bet you thought thermometers were limited to measuring temperatures within bodily orifices!!

Bottom line, however, is that the FDA tested the accuracy of mechanical operations of the device, not the validity of operation to screen for medical problems. I found it interesting that the researchers doing studies on its ability to detect medical problems used only diabetics for testing. I would think non-diabetics would be used as a control group in some fashion, particularly a non-diabetic group that had also had problems with foot ulcerations. Just a "lay person's" observations, with absolutely no medical knowledge on which to base my question.

Google is without a doubt one of the best research tools ever developed. It rarely ever fails to reveal volumes of information on any given subject.

An interesting article surfaced at woundresearch.com/article/210. In a long discussion of the assessment and treatment of wounds, it noted a variety of tools were used to assess wounds. The assessment included such things as: color, odor, pH, pain, and Temperature". So there is a possibility a temperature measurement device would be useful. There is really a variety, not a big one, but some variety, in temperature taking devices already available.

Here's the bottom line: I know several diabetics. None has ever had a doctor suggest a temperature device for monitoring foot heat variations. It is a little disturbing that one of the testimonials for TempTouch seems to suggest the device could be an alternative to a glucose monitor. If this were true, I'm sure many diabetics would rather wave a wand on their foot than stick a pin into their finger and draw blood. The trouble with testimonials is they seldom sound like the person testimonial-ing actually used the words ascribed to them.

This TempTouch might, or might not, be a useful tool for diabetics. At $99.95 plus S&H, it's not that expensive. If you have nothing better to do with a $100 bill, go for it. The website seems to indicate that Medicaid/Medicare/private insurance providers will "foot" the bill, but it's not real clear whether the company is seeking approval to bill for the device, or if approval has already been given by any of them.

Your kids or grand kids would probably have a good time with it if you tire of measuring the six spots (on each foot) with the potential to become hot spots. No foot would be safe when perched on an ottoman or recliner once a TempTouch wielding juvenile enters the room.

Before investing in the product, I would ask my medical professional for his/her opinion.

EMPOWERED BY: CONSUMER AWARENESS

Victoria Public Library

2008-06-22T20:17:00.004-05:00

One of the greatest assets in Victoria is its public library. I have lived in many towns both large and small, and a major first activity in a new town has been a visit to the local library. You can tell a lot about a community from its library.

Libraries are either Alive or Comatose. The very presence of people indicates the facility is not dead, but some have a living, breathing, exciting soul, while others just "are". Victoria Public Library is alive and well and full of excitement.

Something always seems to be happening at the library, and no age group is excluded from the many available activities. You won't find JUST a little children's reading circle for the summer program. Oh, no, not hardly. Bach for kids? That was an offering last week. Computers (child safe computers) readily available and a staff talented and eager to assist wherever needed. Crafts events. And on and on.

Computer classes for adults and teens on the fundamental computer operating skills are offered continually. One of the most popular with the older set, I understand, is a basic beginning computer how-to on surfing the net and generating e-mail. Many of us older folks were raised in a time when computers were monsters in refrigerated storehouses and the data control operators, a highly skilled position, fed them punch cards.

Can't reach the grand kids by phone? It's a 99.9% sure thing the kids will all check their e-mail. A subject line such as, "birthday gift" will grab their attention quickly, and prompt an immediate response.

I have borrowed numerous books through the VPL inter-library loan system, and reserved many best sellers. Can't remember an author's name or book title? The help desk staff will go to extraordinary lengths to identify the book you're seeking.

Genealogy? Audio books? Large Print books? I'm sure the VPL is lacking in some area, but I have yet to find it. Oh, did I mention you can access their database through the internet now? I often check the catalog before setting out to see if a particular book I want is available, and peruse events coming up. With the price of gas, it never hurts to pre-plan. There's a lot more offered on the web sites that I haven't yet explored.

You've got to respect a town that sets aside what must be a phenomenal amount of money for library maintenance and purchases. Let's not bypass the quarterly book sales that also generate revenue for the library. Next time you go, if you can spare it, give a little extra for that book you picked up. Your dollars will, without a doubt, be well spent. You might also want to thank the volunteers for their unselfish donation of time and expertise.

We can't leave this discussion without mentioning two very important issues. The outstanding staff can never be complimented enough. Whoever does the hiring is exceptionally talented in choosing able and professional and personable individuals. Only one exception to great service, a young lady who seemed to be suffering attitude problems, has ever occurred on my frequent visits. She may have mistakenly thought she was back in high school and needed to be way cool (show attitude) because of peer pressure.

Have you seen the recent facility renovation. It is a class act. Make a visit. Only thing missing is a big stone fireplace with a crackling fire (electric logs, of course) for fireside readings in the winter. What a complement to the stone-wrapped posts and warm, inviting feel generated by the new decor.

The Victoria Public Library is an undeniable asset to Victoria.

Insurance Fraud

2008-06-01T16:10:00.002-05:00

Please do not think this is going to be any defense of insurance companies. It is definitely not. The insurance industry is less than honest in my opinion and truly showed what they're about during the Katrina fiasco. When a paid celebrity comes on TV to espouse the virtues of a particular insurance purveyor, even a gecko celebrity, my admiration for either their work (the celebrity's work) or them personally (the celebrity personally) drops a flight or two.

Laws have been mandated which force you to carry insurance for your automobile, or those who care that such a law exists. We can all probably name a few, if not many, who buy insurance only long enough to purchase a new registration. I can't for the life of me figure out how they keep getting insurance, even if just for a month. Then there are those (usually attractive young, flirtatious ladies) who just happen to have a friend who is or was associated with the industry who can doctor up an insurance form to look valid even though it probably expired eons ago.

I know that insurance fraud does up the cost to an insurance industry, but, obviously, the lowly consumers complying with laws, are continuing to build big, beautifully landscaped offices. Kind of like the hospital industry claiming they're at the bankruptcy door because people don't pay their bills, yet they keep buying city streets, expensive (and I do mean expensive) furnishings for their luxuriously remodeled facilities, and the sense that a new medical lab or complex springs up in many vacant fields around town. Somebody must be paying their bills. Imagine what frivolous items they could purchase if everyone would pay their bill in full.

I stray from my intent here, however. Saw a boo-hoo article in the Victoria Advocate recently about an accident befalling a family. This particular family has made a substantial amount of money on insurance scams, most notably the one called "swoop and squat", and I'm almost gonna bet they have insurance to cover their latest mishap. Such a shame. I wandered between shaking my head at their continued audacity to anger that my rates are directly affected by these scoundrels. I will not be reporting my suspicions, however, for several reasons.

First, doesn't usually do any good. The cop or other party, insurance agent, whatever, tries to act interested sometimes, but you can smell their boredom with the whole situation.

Then you have the authority figure questioning your motives in reporting an infraction, and ultimately their thinly-veiled anger when you won't give your name and address because you know from experience the possibility that said authority will happen to mention or drop huge hints about who reported the offender. Some of the reported ones don't get mad, they get even.

Secondly, the matter of auto insurance could be easily improved if vehicles had to display insurance stickers along with their safety and registration proof. It would be a relatively small endeavor to print and distribute such decals by the insurance companies. Those who pay monthly get one each month. Don't talk crap about the cost. All of them charge some kind of administrative charge for everything else. Use that instead of putting it into their greedy pockets. Those who pay bi-annually get six stickers at one time; annually, 12 at one time. Just like the registration and safety decals, the month and year can be prominently displayed for anyone to see at a glance.

Thirdly, get the insurance companies out of bed with their regulators. What a scam job these companies did convincing the powers that be that poor people are more prone to accidents than the not-so-poor. Actually, doctors have the highest incident of automobile accidents, followed by other professionals, and pulling up the rear is, you guessed it, the not so well off. Doesn't matter that insurance companies are racially, sexually, or socially profiling a good part of the population. Several groups recognized this, and tried, in vain, to get the regulators to understand this injustice.

They can get by with it. The regulators probably don't buy their "hooey" that they deny or skyrocket costs to those least able to afford the "mandatory" coverage. But who will they rely on for the next election rounds if the wallets of the well-funded business giants dry up?

So I probably won't bother to report my suspicions, which are most likely 99% provable truth, because 1) nobody really wants to be bothered with investigating a petty few hundred or few thousand dollar claims and 2) my rates are going to go up whether or not these crimes are reduced, just so long as the law mandates and allows them to scalp the majority public.

It is bad enough we are forced through law to buy insurance, and there is absolutely no thought to assisting the poor with the expense, but the powers pamper and ignore the bad behavior demonstrated by the insurance industry as a whole. The thinking is probably that you just don't need a vehicle if you can't afford the gas, and insurance and upkeep and registration and inspections.... The oil companies aren't the only conglomerate ripping off the consumer.

Consumers Who Cheat

2008-05-27T15:23:00.003-05:00

Periodically, we'll see an add or news report on television advising us that shoplifters steal billions of dollars a year and force merchants to raise prices in turn. The latest, or latest to be exposed, crime is organized, or gang, shoplifting. This is also not new. Entire families have supported themselves by forming a ring of expert shoplifters within their familial units.

I must interrupt here with a thought that jumped into my mind while composing this. While the merchants are complaining about business losses from shoplifting, has anyone every tallied the business profits from household thievery? If someone breaks into my home and steals my coffee pot and stereo and other life essentials, do I not have to replace these expeditiously with new items? Does not the merchant benefit exponentially with the loss suffered the victims of personal property theft? Since the merchant world does not think in these terms, we won't explore this further at present.

I do not as a rule socialize with or study thieves or thievery, so a lot that occurs is not familiar to me. In my naivete, it never fails to surprise when a new scam (new to me) comes to my attention. While perusing the aisles at a local store, I was approached by a young man who radared in to my lack of knowledge on the scam. It went pretty much this way:

He approached me with a worried look of immediate need for something.
The story went that he, his wife, and kids were from San Antonio and headed back when they blew a tire, had to buy a new one, and had not enough money to purchase gas for the remainder of the trip
BUT
He did have a gift card for this particular store for $50 and would be much appreciative if I would purchase it from him for the bargain price of $40.
Being scam ignorant does not equate to lack of skepticism, however. He recognized my hesitation.
It is perfectly valid and has not been used, he assured me. My charitable side had still not kicked in, so he reluctantly offered to sell the valuable card for $30.
Perhaps he really did have the little lady and offspring in a vehicle impatient to get home.
He accompanied me to the front desk where personnel swiped the card and verified it was indeed a $50 gift card valid and all.
The desk clerk was acting a bit odd, or so I thought, but again assured me the card was good.
I removed a $20 and $10 bill and exchanged money for card. Perhaps my skepticism was misplaced and a need for gas money was valid.
The poor gas less, moneyless gentleman left the store looking a bit more cheerful than he entered it.
I turned back to the desk and asked the clerk to please be honest and explain her reluctant demeanor.
She related that this particular scam occurred way too often, but they were pretty much unable to counteract it. The gentleman had returned several items for refund, but had misplaced the receipt. That explained the odd change for the card was actually worth $50.26. She further explained that he had no receipt because, in all probability, the items had initially been shoplifted for eventual return for money.
Darn, I thought to myself. Beats the heck out of going to a pawn shop where the merchandise would not be at all as valuable as its initial price had been, even in brand new condition, which it was.
I felt really, really bad for having unknowingly aided and abetted the criminal, and tried to give the card to the clerk. She insisted she could not accept it and not to feel at all guilty because I had done nothing wrong.
I can promise I will never again fall into this scam. My eyes are wide open, but still in awe of the lengths some criminals will go to for that dishonest dime.

I have heard tales of disreputables who wheel TVs and other big ticket items past a checkout counter loaded on one of the store's own transports. Not once, not twice, but numerous times have the same people done the same thing in this and other stores. This is probably a bit more difficult now with the alarms at the door and anti-theft tags on merchandise. It is still done, however, to my understanding. Aluminum foil lined shopping bags? Lord, they think of everything to perfect their thievery and thwart the security.

Another "I'm hearing it, but don't believe what I'm hearing" moment:

The vacuum quit working.
He and she cleaned it thoroughly so it looked pretty much new, little used. They had actually had and used it for more than a year.
Took it back to the store of purchase. No receipt, no big insurmountable problem. If there's another of that kind we'll exchange it or replace with comparable merchandise. Sorry, no cash refunds. Exchanges only.
Merchant had the exact same, identical model on display and the exchange was happily transacted
Unscrupulous exchangers bragged to one who told another who told another until finally it got to me. You know how those repeat stories go. May or may not be as truthful as when initially related by the scam beneficiary.
Same scoundrels, different item at a later date.
DVD player died mid-movie.
DVD player (around two years old) cleaned to a shine.
More observant clerk (possibly) noted dust within the chamber where DVD was inserted. Not a nearly new device which failed to operate. No exchange. Sorry.
Scammers cleaned DVD better and checked scrupulously for dust or other tale tale sign of age.
Enticed a fellow "conscience deficient" buddy to attempt return and exchange ploy.
It worked this time. New DVD, few bucks to fellow friend-in-scam, and ta da. Movies tonight anyone?

I don't usually react because, in all honesty, law enforcement and store management, don't exhibit a great deal of concern about what they consider petty acts of dishonesty. This theft and bragging binge touched my pissed off button. Since I was going to that store anyway, why not see if they were aware of said scam. Don't know whether my relating of the process brought about any changes or actions, but I know I did the right thing. The price of my next vacuum or DVD player went up and will keep going up until the cost of thievery is brought under control.

I have no doubt there are lots more schemes that would boggle my mind. Between the oil companies thieves ripping us off and the shoplifting thieves escalating costs, we common consumers don't stand much of a chance of a level playing field.

INDEX

2008-05-19T16:47:00.003-05:00

4/13/08 MISSION
4/13/08 FREE? Maybe Not
4/13/08 Pissed-Off Consumer
3/8/08 Co-op America
4/13/08 Contributors Wanted

5/13/08 AARP
5/11/08 Advertising
4/10/08 Astrazenca AZ & Me Prescription Savings Program
3/7/08 CARFAX Vehicle History Report
4/16/08 Carmine and the Cochineal Bug
4/25/08 Cell Phones and Smoking
4/8/08 Complaints Board.com
4/9/08 Concorde Collection
5/27/08 Consumer Cheats
3/19/08 DirecTV
3/19/08 Dish Network Satellite TV
3/4/08 Dollar General Store
3/31/08 Fuel Stops/Convenience Stores
4/9/08 Get A Phone - Cardinal communications
3/17/08 Heatsurge LLC
3/17/08 H-E-B groceries
6/1/08 Insurance Fraud
5/11/08 Internet Consumer
3/2/08 Master Eye Associates EyeMart
4/14/08 National Home Gardening Club
4/20/08 New US Dollars
4/29/08 Office Depot
4/10/08 Rapid Wash and Lube
3/2/08 Save A Lot Groceries
6/27/08 TempTouch
3/2/08 Texas State Optical (TSO)
4/11/08 Toilet Paper
4/8/08 Tranceformation Works Self Hypnosis
3/7/08 Victoria Outpatient Clinic-VA
6/22/08 Victoria Public Library
4/4/08 Walgreens
3/16/08 World Reserve Monetary Exchange

AARP

2008-05-13T21:27:00.003-05:00

I subscribed (past tense) to AARP, which is not really geared solely toward the retired persons, but anybody 50 years or older. Many probably wish they could retire at 50, me included, but highly unlikely this is in reality. By subtracting around 10-15 years, the membership potential increases significantly. They're going to give us a taste of what it will be like when one really can retire. If you really retire with bunches of retirement money from sources other than social security.

The Social Security folks (congress) keep moving the bar to make that retirement further and further away from what it was. I'd need to check to be 100% sure, but believe I read that the retirement age will go to 70+ in the not very far future. Totally and thoroughly ridiculous!!! Especially when you realize what congress' gets in their retirement package and after only a few, very few years to qualify. Guess if you write the book, you can arrange the chapters however suits your fancy. Right, our esteemed congressional leaders????

I want to rename the organization the N - Double A - RP (NAARP), National Association for the Advancement of Really-Tired People. The Chicken Littles have been shouting since the 60's that social security's sky is falling. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Given the government's track record on predicting the future, I'd side with common folk who hope it's still there when they can finally retire.

Unless you live under a rock, most people over the age of 40 know what AARP is, or what the AARP people tell you it is on their many and myriad advertisements. I'm going to tell you what it is not:

It is not an organization for those who do not by choice, or do not by lack of funds, travel. All those nifty discounts for hotels/motels, cruises, attraction entrance fees, et. al. are useless to all but the affluent who travel extensively (because they can afford to pay full price, but will take a discount if it's offered). Furthermore, if you're old enough or look old enough, most businesses that give a discount will give you a discount with or without your official AARP membership card. Most times the discount you get is the same with or sans AARP ID.
The really amplified goody with AARP is their outstanding insurance programs that can offer so much to their members (the old folks) for so little monetary layout. BUNK! Yes, if you are well heeled, you probably can save considerably on insurance programs through AARP. But you must also be in excellent health if considering the bodily insurance coverage.
The auto insurance just requires perfect credit and the full monty insurance coverage. Their fabulous ad that "nobody can be turned down for health insurance" is such a great come-on. LIARS!!! They turned me down and sent back a check for $1, which was the first month's promotional premium. I had not sent them a dollar because I knew, contrary to their assertions, that they would turn me down because of a pre-existing health problem. They CAN turn you down!!! I just don't want their lousy dollar. Here, Mr. Insurance Liar, take back your dollar.
Those nifty low insurance rates are available, for real, if you're a 60 year old in a 35-year old body. If you're not, expect to pay at least triple that low-low advertised rate. You will They do indeed have insurance coverage even for us sickos. You're just not going to get it cheaper even if you are a card-carrying member of the AARP.
I wrote to AARP and told them their advertisement for no-possibility-of-being-turned-down rhetoric is a big fat lie. My concerns were never addressed by return mail, phone call, or e-mail. Boo Hoo.
With my one-year membership, I recall getting one of their wonderful, enlightening magazines. ONE. So I paid $12.50 for one lousy magazine.
Did you know the AARP works diligently for Seniors rights in congress? They do, just ask them. Apparently, their pleas and concerns fall upon the same deaf ears as most U.S. citizens encounter. There is absolutely not one reason in the world that a deal could not have been developed better than the garbage congress came up with and our dear Prez was ecstatically happy to see approved. You could almost see him cry when the possibility he would be turned down seemed to loom on the horizon.
Somebody got a sweeheart deal, but it surely was not the senior citizens. They (congress and the prez) left a big bunch of "black" donut holes for the less-than-rich and elderly to fall through. Shame on you overpaid opportunists.
Some of the pharmaceutical companies do more to help out the economically stressed than our government does. (See my comments on AstraZeneca) WalMart - Think or say what you want about WalMart, but I will surely champion their $4 prescription program. Also think the idea for in-store health clinics is a nifty good idea. Yes, yes, I know, others followed in WalMart's footsteps with reduced prescription programs. Bet they wouldn't have if WM hadn't started the parade off.
WalMart for Congress!!!

AARP. They send me a plea for renewal of my membership at least once a month. Got another today. Bet that costs a bunch of money. Lot more than my little $12.50 donation. I won't say anything further about these folks. They just really make me skeptical that anything they offer can be a good thing for most of us.

Internet Consumer

2008-05-11T16:06:00.003-05:00

There's not much I buy today, especially electronics, that I don't first check out thoroughly on the internet. Way too much trouble, some people tell me. I find it a lot more trouble and aggravation to find out I made a bad choice or could have gotten the same thing much cheaper through another source.

My friend had his eye on a $250 plus tax item. The merchant, unfortunately, was evasive, or maybe just not very knowledgeable, on particulars about the item. So we opted to check the internet first for more information and perhaps a better buy. The merchant seemed right in the same ballpark on price, but we did find out a lot more about the item itself and its reliability.

I do a lot of checking on the purchasing worthiness of things, but usually shy away from internet ordering because you never know who the actual merchant is, and if you will or will not get the item once your money is sent. He had just about decided to go make the purchase with the local retailer when I suggested we also look at eBay. We did, and are delighted to report success.

E-bay has changed a lot since it first began. Actually, since my last experience with them about two years ago. We found the exact same item, new sealed in the box (the ad said), for $140 less than the local merchant's price. Whooppee! It appears to be the same machine up to and including the color. He also knows it's on the way because the merchant e-mailed a UPS tracking number which shows something (the ordered item, hopefully) has been shipped.

I like eBay because there is a procedure for reporting deception or bad consumer experiences, and the knowledge that something will come of your concerns. You may not get your money back, but your gripe isn't floating around somewhere in China with people who could not care less what you think about them or their product. If they'll sell you poison toothpaste and lead-based toys, their conscience is not on full volume anyway.

I have ordered a few other times from the internet, and been rewarded with good quality for my money. My research may not always turn up an unscrupulous seller, but so far it has done me right.

Advertising

2008-05-11T15:18:00.004-05:00

Page after page of glossy bright advertisements will go in the garbage today. Can't use them for compost. Recycling newspapers is a good environmental gesture, but with the gas prices, it is just not practical for the everyday working man to drop off a bundle of newspaper often. Leave it stacked around and it's a great place for mice and bugs to burrow into and reproduce. I hate mice, rats, and bugs worse than I like being as green as possible in disposing of waste.

I may be the only person who lets this bother them, but here it is, nonetheless. Everyone of those pretty ads cost the consumer bunches of money. In order to pay for the ads, the merchants must charge enough money to cover this expense. Sears" and Penney's advertising budget must be phenomenol.

In years past, advertising might have been a great thing because it got people into their stores. Plus, there were often really legitimate sales going on.

In looking at ads today, however, I seldom see any variety in advertised sales. It's the same stuff week in and week out. Anyone who doesn't pretty much know which store carries which items and which items go on sale during which week don't do a lot of shopping. It's like picking up an HEB ad and saying to yourself, "Hmmm, grapes are in season. They're likely on sale this week." Open the ad and, yep, there they are. "Oh, look, honey, here's salad dressing 2 for $4.00. And it's the everyday low price."

"Dear Stupid Consumer...." This is the heading I visualize every time I see such an advertising ripoff. "You will notice all our items have gone up at least 5 cents and many much more than that this past week alone. But look, here's these pretty glossy advertisements we let you pay for, Dear Stupid Consumer. We must raise the prices if you expect to see these wonderful ads every other day in the Victoria Advocate."

Know what I'd like to see? One little blurp in the black and white pages of the VA something like Dick's or Victoria Produce does every Wednesday, but even smaller than that. One or two come on specials and a big ALL-CAPS invite:

PLEASE VISIT OUR STORE AND SEE THE MANY WONDERFUL ITEMS ON SALE AND CHEAP AT THE EVER DAY LOW PRICES.

Just think of all the good stuff you could do with that millions of dollars advertising expense:

1) Cut the customer some slack and reduce prices for a change.
2) Maintain employees instead of laying them off.
3) Give your employees a raise and benefits instead of crying you can't afford it.

I for one am sick and tired of the government and purported financial experts telling me how to save by cutting back and reducing expenses. I could also save if you, Mr. Retailer, would quit screwing us with your unwanted, unnecessary advertising expenses, and giving my money to everything you consider a charity just to get your name in the paper and a pat on the back for being "such a good community supporter."

An unanticipataed plus would be less garbage going to the landfills and less chemical inks and papers polluting the environment.

Thank you, Mr. Retailer, for listening to your customers for a change.

Office Depot

2008-04-29T17:28:00.004-05:00

I like Office Depot. I like to roam around and examine all the new technology, most of which is way beyond my level of understanding. Every time I think there could not possibly be another color post-it to be made, there it is. Another pen superior to the roller ball-impossible. But there it is. Office furniture, home office furniture, ranging in price from cheap to very NOT cheap. Office services from business cards to making copies of the divorce papers before sending them back to the spouse's lawyer.

I just like the experience of revisiting Office Depot from time to time to catch up. That you will get an Office Depot circular in your Sunday newspaper is as reliable a given as the Best Buy, Sears, and JC Penney ads.

There is just one vivid annoyance to me with the whole Office Depot way of doing business. That's their REBATE romance. I do not understand the purpose of rebates. Just give me the sale price. All I can think is that they are fairly certain a good number of people will not bother with the rebate debacle which leaves them with a much bigger profit in the end.

There's much advertised merchandise that you have to submit at least one and often multiple rebate claims to get their best price. I don't mind it so much that I'll pass up a bargain if that is the requirement to save money. What I do mind is when my rebate never shows up, or one of my rebates fails to make the trip from their door to mine.

My last computer came with three rebate claims to to be made before enjoying the great price for this new equipment. Within the next few days after purchase of the computer, I completed two of the rebate forms, and puzzled over the third. It was identical to one of the others. I took it back to the Office Depot and the clerk did not understand my dilemma. The manager further failed to connect with the problem.

I finally got the ad out, asked for a calculator, and showed that I was $150 short of receiving all the rebates due me, and all I had left was a twin to one of the other forms. He kept insisting I was mistaken. There was only $200 in rebates, not $350. Even though the ad said $350 in rebates, the ad was mistaken. I finally thought I had made my point when he said to mail in the identical form to another address and I would get the rest of the rebate. I did so, even though skeptical of his directions.

Within 6-8 weeks I got my $50 and $150 rebates. I enquired about the last $150 and was ensured it would be in my greedy little hands soon. It has now been well over a year and I am still waiting for the rebate. I think I've been had. I still go to Office Depot because I do like the convenience of knowing what I need will be there in all likelihood.

I am not sure my next piece of equipment will come from them though, especially if it requires rebating. Why can't these companies just give us the discount and they can apply for their rebates back from the manufacturer? It sure would simplify my life.

Cell Phones and Smoking

2008-04-25T20:06:00.004-05:00

WARNING: Second hand cell phone exposure may be hazardous to your health.

The owner of a certain local tobacco outlet said in what I thought was purely jest, "Cell Phones are more dangerous than smoking". Certainly, he could not be serious. But he cited a report that said that very thing. No, it was not written by a tobacco mogul.

I remained somewhat unconvinced until, indeed, I confirmed there was such an article written by Mark Huffman for the ConsumerAffairs.com website, dated March 31, 2008 entitled: "Researcher: Cell Phones 'More Dangerous Than Smoking"".

If you have time, read it. There are some interesting facts and assertions that cell phone use is a health hazard, other than the hazard created by users driving while talking. Seems a British health researcher has dredged up what had become a basically ignored issue and assures us we should be taking these warnings seriously. The most recent information I could find prior to this article was from 2005. The cell phone producers seem to be just wanting the issue to go away, much as the tobacco companies prayed the same prayer for many years.

According to Mr. Huffman's article, Dr. Khurana asserts that, "cell phone uses could cause health issues much greater than asbestos and smoking". Khurana, a neurosurgeon says he finds mounting evidence of a link between cell phone use and brain tumors.

Before proceeding, let me point out that I neither smoke nor do I use the cell phone or any phone to excess. I find telephones of any type an annoyance.

BUT

Being forever concerned about the health and welfare of our public servants (PSs), my thoughts turned to the folks in government offices who may be doing themselves grievous harm, diminishing their ability to work and potential for subsequent increased health costs. The personal safety of those PSs, and the increased cost to taxpayers for health care for same PSs is of concern to many of their customers (as well as concerned taxpayers). As with smokers and other nefarious wrong-doers, sometimes we just need to protect people from themselves.

I know cell phones can be a very real annoyance in the hands of some folks. We have many of us been subjected to the city or state personnel putting their customers on hold while they answer their personal cell phone. I had an interview with an employee of the state workforce team, interrupted a number of times because the cell phone lying atop the young man's carry-all took priority over me and my business. I'm sure the supervisors had a difficult time telling him to put work before his job because, well, he's just so darn cute. Plus the supervisors are not personally paying his salary.

Not only is this rude even when dealing with low-life job seekers and any who associate with them, but it has come to my attention there is a potential health hazard which over time can affect every taxpayer who will be paying more for the cell-phone junky employee's health care.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Conducting city or state business can be an adventure in personal cell phone interruptus. Sit and seethe all you want. How long did you say you wish to wait for that permit to be issued? Their power trumps your annoyance level.

If he or she can build a case for any cell-phone induced health problems being related to the job in that they would not have been using their cell phone if only the supervisors had insisted they stop using personal cell phones on the government clock, then you have a potential for massive worker's compensation claims. Forbid to even think about those who had company furnished cell phones. "You, Mr. Employer, did not prevent me from harming myself. Therefore, you are legally and financially culpable." "OMG, how ridiculous" you say? Don't be too sure.

Here's part of the debate currently being debated: Cell phones can cause:

Headaches• Pressure or tingling in the head• Ear aches• Eye problems including distortion of vision• Memory loss• Fatigue• Brain tumors• DNA alteration or damage

Lymphoma in rats and changes in the brains electrical activity.

I kid you not.

The drama seems to be unfolding much as the tobacco controversy played out over many years. The health conscience of American, "cigarettes are dangerous to the smoker and anyone in the same area." The tobacco cheerleaders, "You have no pure scientific evidence that second-hand smoke is dangerous to non-smokers." And so it went, "Yes, we do." "No, you don't." The courts and one outstandingly-brave whistle blower, finally put that baby to rest by declaring the "Yes, it does," won the battle.

I did a little research into this phenomena and learned much more than I really cared about. Scary thought is that the FCC and FDA are involved. Straight from their operating books:

"The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) each regulate wireless telephones. FCC ensures that all wireless phones sold in the United States follow safety guidelines that limit radio frequency (RF) energy. FDA monitors the health effects of wireless telephones. Each agency has the authority to take action if a wireless phone produces hazardous levels of RF energy.

I am not at all reassured by their telling me the FCC and FDA are monitoring health effects of wireless telephones that my health concerns are being addressed. Need I say more?

FDA derives its authority to regulate wireless telephones from the Radiation Control provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (originally enacted as the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968). [http://www.blogger.com/cdrh/comp/eprc.html].
FCC derives its authority to regulate wireless telephones from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 [http://www.fcc.gov/telecom.html].
Do wireless phones pose a health hazard?

I'm not surprised, but still laughing over this bit of governmental jargon:

"The available scientific evidence does not show that any health problems are associated with using wireless phones. There is no proof, however, that wireless phones are absolutely safe.

You have to read those two sentences several times to get the fact that they have said nothing.

To continue: "Wireless phones emit low levels of radio frequency energy (RF) in the microwave range while being used. They also emit very low levels of RF when in the stand-by mode. Whereas high levels of RF can produce health effects (by heating tissue), exposure to low level RF that does not produce heating effects causes no known adverse health effects. Many studies of low level RF exposures have not found any biological effects. Some studies have suggested that some biological effects may occur, but such findings have not been confirmed by additional research. "

http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety on the Internet. This Web page allows consumers to find information about the specific absorption rate (SAR) of cellular telephones produced and marketed within the last 1 to 2 years. The SAR corresponds to the relative amount of RF energy absorbed into the head of a cellular telephone user. Consumers can access this information using the phone’s FCC ID number, which is usually located on the case of the phone.

Cellular telephones can interfere with pacemakers , implanted defibrillators, and hearing aids. However, standards have been established that will allow manufacturers to ensure that cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators are safe from cellular telephone RF (2)."

Cell makers are required to publish their SAR ratings. Of course, none are above the allowed 1.6 SAR level limit. Motorola V195s is highest at 1.6 exactly. In fact, Motorola has eight of the 10 highest SAR levels reported. Here's my question. If you're in a room with five cell phone users, are you at five times the exposure of harmful rays? Or does the phone actually have to be up to your ear to be affected?

Not to fear, however. A number of companies have surged to the front in answer to this need for safe cell phones. For a nominal fee they will set you up with a cell-phone attachment that filters out those nasty SAR's. Do these work? All the literature I read, except for those cell-phone-rays-eliminators promoting themselves, say these are schemes to part the consumer from his dollars. Guess I can take a quote from the FDA/FCC answer to this question:

"There no evidence to show they DON'T help the situation. There's no evidence to show they DON'T NOT help the situation." Sounds like a perfect political response to me.

So, remember. The next time you feel compelled to admonish a smoker for smoking, please be courteous enough to not be holding a cell phone to your ear.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

New US Dollars

2008-04-20T16:55:00.000-05:00

How many are out in TV/Magazine/Internet Land pushing the presidential coins? It is absolutely no wonder that the US Mint has no more of the first four presidential coins for sale. Speculators bought them up quickly if their advertisements are any indication. The Mint limits per person sales of new coins for a short time. Once this limit is raised and, apparently, unlimited amounts can be purchased, the money pushers go crazy (the speculators). There appears much money is to be made from the U.S. Mints new coins.

Wonder if the US Mint would tell many how many of these coins are actually sold to these speculators? That would be quite interesting since they seem to have an unlimited supply. Who can resist their sales pitch:

INTRODUCING THE FIRST AND ONLY PRESIDENTIAL COIN SERIES IN U.S. HISTORY.

This makes sense, almost. It is the first in a series, and to date the only in the series to have been minted.

Then we have the ads that tell us:

These coins will never again be minted. They will (possibly) be worth thousands of times their original value in the years ahead.

No, the coins minted in 2007 and dated 2007 will probably never be minted again, unless, that is, 2007 happens to return. The dyes have been retired and will never again be used. That also is true because 2007 has come and gone. I pretty sure a 2007 coin can't be minted in 2008.

They're not telling a falsehood. They are just very hopeful that you will not realize a little common sense will tell you their ads are a bunch of come on to part you from your money. According to their TV ad, you need only call 1-800-come2me, sucker, and reserve your sets immediately.

The "reserve your sets" could cost you big. Once you give them your Visa, MC, whatever card number, you could play hell getting them out of your pocket in the future short of cancelling the card or changing your bank account if it's a debit card.

I'm not saying newusdollar does these scurrilous things. Who knows who they even are? Their Website wants you to fork over your credit card information, even giving you specific directions on how to find your CVV/PIN number and expiration date.

Here's my line of thinking. Why would someone give their financial information to an advertisement that has no address, nothing beyond a 1-800 number, and no actual company name? If they lose, never receive, or ignore your request for refund, which assure you 100% guaranteed, how do you call them to complain? Who do you write to? How much would you wager that the people answering the phone are not actually the company's people, but a processing service?

Did you catch the last of the advertisement? Only $29.95 to reserve your sets and $19.95 per set shipping/handling. OUCH! Costs almost as much to ship/handle as the set itself.

Stop and think. If they do not give you an option of using a credit card, check, or money order, be leery, be very leery of doing business with them. These people are advertising on at least nine different TV stations, so you know they have got to be making money. Their website is actually very amateurish with little, very little, information. They show no offerings beyond the three (the site says "3" although four coins were minted in 2007) presidential coins. Are they new? Is this all they have to offer? Are there other "sides to their coin" company we don't know about?

Until I know exactly who they are, where they are physically located, a phone number other than the order toll-free one, and who's responsible for responding to any guarantees, my money stays with me. I think I'd like to know as well what country they're actually operating from? For all we know from their business info, they could be sitting in an igloo in Antarctica.

Why do they want my "billing Information" if they already have my credit card numbers? When it's all said and done, they know a whole lot more about me than I know about them. this seems a bit unfair.

Billing Information
First Name*
Last Name*
Address*
Address 2 (Apt#, Suite, Floor, etc)
City*
State*
Zip*
Email*
Phone*

Check box if you are Shipping to a different Address.
Shipping Information
First Name*
Last Name*
Address*
Address 2 (Apt#, Suite, Floor, etc)
City*
State*
Zip*

Their website ends with a qualifying statement, least you be confused about who they are:

"PCS is a private agency not affiliated with the U.S. Mint or any government agency."

I Googled PCS and found
PCS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
PCS may refer to:. In medicine:. Post-concussion syndrome...
Personal computer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A desktop computer is an independent personal computer (PC'sresults from en.wikipedia.org »
What is PCS? - a definition from Whatis.com - see also: personal ...
PCS (personal communications services) is a wireless phone service somewhat similar to cellular telephone service but emphasizing personal service Local theatre offers play and special event listings, ticket and contact information, as well as directions and map.www.pcs.org/ - 26k - PCS - Professional Clubmakers Society
The Professional CLUBMAKERS' Society is the only Independent International Association dedicated to providing information on the art of fitting, ...www.proclubmakers.org/ - 10k -

pcs inmate calling

Sounds like an interesting site.

permanent change of station

A military term.

I hear the Miami CSI theme song coming over me, "Who are you? Whoooo, whoooo?"

Love that song.

Who are you newuscoins (PCS agency)?

Carmine and the Cochineal Bug

2008-04-16T21:33:00.008-05:00

What would you say if I told you there's bugs in the foods you eat? No, I don't mean the obscure bug found in your can of vegetables or the weevils in flour if it's left on the shelf too long. Nor the stray roach or ants that attack an opened package. No this is a bug that is put into your food intentionally, on purpose.

The Cochineal is a bug, an insect, a parasite that thrives on cactus found predominantly in Mexico and South America. See the moldy looking stuff on the cacti pictured above? Beneath that substance lies colonies of parasites about 1/5" long. The bug is related to aphids, scale insects and mealy bugs. One pound of dye represents about 70,000 insect bodies.

The bug was imported to Mexico from Europe originally. It seems to have found a desirable home on the prickly pear cactus.

The pigment is actually a deterrent against predatory insects. You'll be happy to know it can also be used as an organic ant-repellent.

Gentlemen will be glad to learn only the female has the bright red guts desired for dyes. The dried and squashed up bug is then known as "Carmine", and is used in dying artificial flowers, paint, cosmetics, crimson ink, and FOOD additives.

OK. I have a question here. How can you tell in a bug 1/5" long which is male and which is female? Furthermore, do you knock off all the males and keep only the females, or are they all ground up together?

Mother nature has such a sense of humor. The cardinal male is the bright red, pretty one. The female is the more homely slightly red one. Then the Cochineal bug.....

Cakes, cookies, drinks, jam, jelly, ice cream, sausages, pies, dried fish, yogurt, cider, maraschino cherries and tomato products have all been or still are beholding to the Cochineal bug for their bright red coloring. Also chewing gum, pills and cough drops. Do you think the old T-Berry gum contained Cochineal? Eeeew! I also heard that Ruby Red grapefruit juice has....I love that stuff, but will be checking the label next go round to see which red dye they're using. It's also known as Natural Red #4. There are some who claim those delicious strawberry muffin mixes don't contain any, but are made pretty with Cochineal Carmine.

Some people are severely allergic to carmine and can even suffer anaphylactic shock. The literature says this is caused by the processing and not actually by the Carmine acid itself. NOTE: That's a big WHO CARES how it gets to be an allergen? Vegetarians, vegans and some religious groups with dietary restrictions would be averse to ingesting carmine enhanced food products.

The FDA, however, sees no reason to put any warnings on food labels for those allergic to this product or opposed to eating this product because it is bug guts. The words "Carmine" or "Cochineal" may be listed as an ingredient, but how many of us know what that is? It may be just listed as a natural food color additive.

A request by the Center for Science in the Public Interest entitled "FDA Urged to Improve Labeling of or Ban Carmine Food Coloring". They asked that carmine be treated basically as warnings for peanut based foods or cross-contaminated possibilities are currently done. The FDA refused to consider a label requirement for warning carmine could result in anaphylactic shock in the allergy-prone and that the dye is derived from insects.

I am not a vegan; my religion does not demand kosher; my yuck! instinct does completely advise me to watch out in the future for anything pink, red, or purple. I don't pick aphids off my flowers or mealy bugs off my vegetables and cook them up in a food recipe. I never ate worms or bugs as a kid, and don't like somebody putting bugs in my food and not telling me.

That just doesn't seem like fair play to me.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

National Home Gardening Club

2008-04-14T20:50:00.003-05:00

Gardening is one of my passions. Although not an expert and I'll probably never grow a 25 lb tomato, I still like making the effort. When I got an advertisement from the National Home Gardening Club and a one year subscription offer for just $12.00, I thought "why not". The two free gardening gifts were an enticement that sealed the decision.

I sent in a check for the subscription and received back my first issue and one of the free gifts. The magazine was a bit of a disappointment since it did a lot more advertising than giving advice and showing beautiful pictures. My free transplanter was good quality, very nice. So I didn't feel too cheated yet.

Shortly after receipt of the mag and gift, I got a book, hardbound, offering jewels of gardening wisdom. I had not ordered the book, nor had there been any mention of this being a Reader's Digest type deal, excepting that RD asks if you want to try their books before sending same. I had not yet received my second free gift.

Thirty days (approximately) later I got a reminder bill that I had not yet sent my payment for the book. I e-mailed customer service that I had not ordered the book and my second free gift had yet to arrive. Sixty days later I got a bit harsher demand for payment. I sent a bit harsher retort back by e-mail, stating that I would gladly send their unasked-for book back when I got my second "free" gift.

In the meantime I had gotten one more issue of the magazine, which was again disappointing. A few days later I got a demand letter for payment on the book they had graciously sent expecting I would be prompt in paying for same. I sent back the request for payment with a note that their failure to send My second free gift was a grave disappointment to me. Since I did not receive my gift, I would be glad to accept the book as a substitute gift, free of charge.

I got no further bills. I did get a bunch of follow up letters Wowing Me with their offer to make me a lifetime member for only a couple of hundred dollars, and would also get the privilege of discounted gardening tools and expert advice, and the chance to win any number of prizes in their constant giveaways.

Both their magazine and newsletter via internet were huge disappointments, so I opted not to become a lifetime member.

I know the purchase of any magazine or other media publication comes with advertising. No problem. They're not making a great deal of money just off subscriptions or store sells, I realize. Lately, though, I feel as if consumers are paying for all advertising and very little content.

Quite honestly, the Victoria Advocate's Thursday gardening section is a lot more informative than the National Home Gardening Club. I'd rather give them my money and be informed than give money to a publication using sneaky tactics to sell their goods.

Empowered By: Consumer Awareness

Contributors Wanted

2008-04-13T19:59:00.004-05:00

Everyone has the potential to be a consumer advocate. The more who speak up, the better informed the consumer community becomes. People also perceive business practices differently. What one experiences may just be a fluke of the moment. It may tick you off then and there, but is not an ongoing offense.

With input from others, the consumer can decide if an experience was truly because of poor management, customer service failures, bad business practices, etc.

If you think you would like to be a contributing resource, let us know.

Thanks,

FREE? Maybe Not.

2008-04-13T19:57:00.001-05:00

Free-Maybe Not
Recently AT&T Mobility negotiated an agreement with the Florida attorney general office to reimburse Florida consumers for what they (the consumers) had erroneously thought was a "free" service or product, such as ringtones. These Freebies are offered through third party businesses who pay a fee to AT&T for running their promos. AT&T has also agreed to be alert with third party providers who may be using deceptive ways when advertising their wares on AT&T equipment.

Remember the days past when "900" numbers and horoscopes and other enticing offers started out with the FREE-FREE-FREE heading? The first few minutes were indeed free, but every minute afterward could prove very expensive. Then there were the responses to FREE stuff that resulted in your later discovery that you agreed to a subscription or followup products, which often proved quite costly.

The scary thing today is that check marking that little box beside "User Agreement" is the same as your signing your signature to a contract. I have yet to meet anyone who has read every line of that "Agreement", which spirals on for pages. Even electronic tax filing no longer requires followup signed forms. A series of numbers and "I agree to's" constitute your electronic signature. Perfectly valid and perfectly legal.

I think we've all seen the FREE Ringtones come-ons when we access the internet or cell phone. Then there's the banner flashing a free computer, free cell phone, cruise to the Bahamas, or dinner at Red Lobster just for taking a short survey. At the end of the survey, you discover you have to buy at least 2-3 of the survey advertisers' products to qualify for the FREE-bies.

The really aggravating FREE stuff fooler is "call 1-800-SCREWME" to receive this fantastic and FREE stuff. The fine print in their ad prompts that a $4.95 handling charge and postage must be paid, but the product itself is free. The real kicker is when the SCREWME voice insists you must give them a credit card number to which the $4.95 can be billed. "I'll send you check or money order for $4.95," I offer. "No, that is not consistent with our policy," answers the voice to whom I am talking. "Do people really give you their credit card number on a promise you won't add any other charge to it or commit them to a lifetime of paying for followup goods?" Sometimes they try to gently explain to stupid me that there is nothing underhanded going on; sometimes they get huffy and let me know posthaste that they resent my questioning their integrity; sometimes they just hang up on me.

I don't have a lot of sympathy for people who get scammed on Get Rich Quick schemes. The newscasters gush sincere sounding warnings that the elderly and infirm are being targeted for scams developed to relieve them of their life savings and leave nothing in return. Here's my opinion on the matter. If these people have a quantity of money and/or property in their old age, enough sense to save up for future needs, then they should have enough sense to know a fool and his money are soon parted. If it's too good to be true, consider it's a lie until proven otherwise.

That ugly side of humanity, Greed, can make many mentally defective for the moment. Personally, I would be embarrassed to have a young newscaster on local TV telling the world that I was hoodwinked because of a moment's lapse in judgement brought on by greed. If you detected and thwarted the scammer, good on you. Tell the world. We all love to see the good guys win. Happens way to seldom.

Watch out for the FREE anything. There is most likely a liar on the other end of the advertisement who has no qualms about lightening your money supply. If you have to put a 41 cent stamp into a 2 cent envelope to receive a FREE something offer, then it is not FREE. Cheap, maybe, but not free.

Pissed-Off Consumer.com

2008-04-13T19:53:00.001-05:00

Pissed-Off Consumer

This site intrigues me. Call it paranoia or, extreme skepticism but I skim advertisements looking for the clues as to its validity or, as I like to call it, "Scam Score". The Scam Score is not easily deciphered by many readers. I can say this because these companies would not stay in business and certainly would not be publishing full-page ads if the rewards weren't tremendous.

With this in mind, I mentally digest every web site that looks like a Buyer Beware alert system.

There's even a comments section In Pissed Off, which ranges from delightful or inspiring to just downright mean, depending on which complaint you're reading.

Pissed Consumer definitely appears to be a no holds barred, lay it all out consumer advocate and a valuable tool in the Buyer Beware research everyone should be doing.

cheap on charging my account without answering phone
Pissed Consumer - 03-26-2008

Check it out. You won't be disappointed and quite likely will be enlightened on some of the advertisements we see every Sunday or as full-page ads during the week. Keep in mind the motto of the fraud/thief agents, "It's only against the law if I get caught."

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

Mission: Victoria Consumer Critique

2008-04-13T19:50:00.001-05:00

Where are we going with this?

There are no limits at this point. The good, the bad and any in betweens are all fair game.

Shabby treatment at that restaurant? Tell it.
Deception in that advertising. Expose it.
Better price for that item elsewhere. Reveal it.
Continuous good service. Let it be known.
No time to read all that fine print. Maybe someone else did.
Just wondering about the why of something. Here it is.

The game plan:To do what the local media can't easily do. Tell it like it really is. They depend on advertising revenue for support. No negative overtones intended here. It's only business smart not to bite the hand that feeds you.

Think of this as a consumer paparazzi or maybe

The perpetual mystery customer.
Consumer Robin Hood

And there are more of us daily.

Expose bad business practices.
Take names and numbers and speak out loudly about injustices.

Two important points to be made:

It may not be illegal, but it can still be unethical. Just because Exxon can screw you with impunity, that doesn't mean everybody can.
Some businesses still have to compete for customers.We can make a difference in the way Victoria businesses and even national or international businesses treat consumers.

It doesn't take much to bring a Pole Cat out of the woods. Someone just needs to do it.

Toilet Paper

2008-04-11T20:31:00.015-05:00

Toilet paper. We need it. It's not a nice-to-have; it's a not-nice-if-you-don't-have situation.

Some need it every day; some not so often. Any who have ever in their life been subjected to the outdoor facilities can appreciate the perils of not having toilet paper. The Sears-Roebuck catalogue (or emergency supplies as it was sometimes known) was not an entirely satisfactory substitute.

In delicate society, the elitist, you probably are more familiar with the term "bath tissue". We don't stand on formality here. It is what it is. I don't mind paying for toilet paper. It is one of life's little necessities that just should not cause one to worry overmuch. Unless you run out of it.

What I do mind is that toilet paper packaging has to be scrutinized carefully. One should be able to buy at least this one thing without reading four different brands to see which is giving the best for my money. If the package says I'm getting four rolls, I assume I am getting four standard sized, or double sized if so labeled, rolls of toilet paper. Not So.

Let me explain.

For these many years I had no reason to believe all toilet paper products are not created equal. Then I found out, to my complete bewilderment, that this was a false conclusion. They are not only unequal, they are downright lopsided in their size and pricing reality.

I'm usually patient in a checkout line. Being impatient just promotes one of those time when the customer in front of you needs a price check, finds a split in that package of meat, or the plastic card is acting defective. Sometimes I scrutinize the magazines, sometimes the candy, and sometimes read the packaging on my purchases. I actually found myself reading beneath the huge "Soft, oh, so Soft" hyperbole on every toilet paper package. There is a huge difference between generic or store brand toilet paper, industrial toilet paper (that will never be guilty absorbency), and the quality brands. Many times I find that generic or store brand is just as good as major brands, but this does not apply to toilet paper. Name does make a difference.

Everyone needs toilet paper. Some every day, some not so often, some several times a day. I had a boss that I suspect really needed it several times a day. I knew he was full of something....besides just himself.

On perusing the little print under the "bigger", "better", packaging ad, I discovered a most amazing thing. The square feet and sheet count is recorded for each package of each brand. On my next TP buying trip, I compared the SF and SC on the four major brands. Shock! They are not the same. One double rolls offering, for example, six=12, package might have 225 square feet and 200 sheets per roll; another six=12, might have 150 square feet and 300 sheets per roll.

Prices are also radically different, my investigation revealed. The package with more square feet was @$2.00 less than one brand and @$1.00 less than another. Toilet paper made for kids also warranted comparison to the others. Any kid of mine can just use adult paper. I refuse to pay more for something cute that's going to be flushed down the toilet.

Sadly, this phenomena is not limited to toilet paper. I have found eggs, jar sizes of the same product, and other items to be equally as screwy priced. I made an inquiry about eggs one time, posing the question management re why eggs in the one dozen size carton were cheaper per egg than eggs in the 18-egg carton? Same brand, same size eggs, same all the way around, except for pricing.

The store manager called me after this inquiry and explained that this happens sometimes when stores run specials. A smaller and larger version of the same thing could be at odds because of this. He went into other possible reasons, but my ears had tuned him out by then. The eggs had definitely not been on sale. Happily, a few weeks later having an egg purchase on my shopping list, I noted that the 18-carton size was exactly the same price per egg as was the 12-carton size.

That was a small, but satisfying, moment. Somebody in mass Pricing Land adjusted price to reflect a more realistic cost for the product.

Whatever happened to the days when things were cheaper in larger packaging, or buying in multiples? Remember when it was 1/$1.29; 2/$2.00? It seems to have just disappeared with no explanation whatsoever. Do they really think the consumer is not smart enough to figure out that 2/$2.00 is a really an insult to most consumers' intelligence? Most of us learned our multiplication tables in the third grade. Division gives the same results as multiplication. It's a dollar each way.

Astrazenca AZ & Me Prescription Savings Program

2008-04-10T21:30:00.006-05:00

There is a lot of negative to be said for pharmaceutical companies. This is a negative that our government must share, however. They can't do what the government won't allow them to do. Canadian pharmaceuticals are radically cheaper than American. This says to me that there is a disparity here between being an insurance deprived American and a Canadian.

Our government had the perfect opportunity to negotiate better prices for Medicare recipients, but chose to give preference to the mega pharmaceutical dynasties. The VA negotiates prescription prices and availability and seems to be quite successful at doing so. For some inexplicable reason, however, our esteemed leaders in the White House and Congress chose not to help out the older Americans by setting up a similar program for them. Shame on you our esteemed leaders.

Businesses such as WalMart and AZ&Me Prescription Savings(TM) program for people without insurance have stepped in to fill a deep void. Don't think for a minute they don't have a profit mentality. There would be no point to staying in business, even if one could, if there were no profit motive. No matter how much you want to thoroughly detest the money making giants, however, they do some good things once in a while that go far toward helping the less fortunate.

The AZ&M program helps people to get some of the more expensive, but necessary for quality life, drugs. Crestor is one of these that have helped many people equalize their cholesterol when the body can't quite handle the entire matter. There's no big, long, invasive inquisition. If one has a need for financial assistance with which their program can help, they do.

Calling their customer service line has been a surprisingly good experience. I have it from one of the recipients of their philanthropy that the customer service reps, first of all, speak clear English or Spanish, as needed. They help understand what you need to send them to become qualified and how the program will work.

After qualification and prescription from your physician, the medication is mailed in a 90-day supply and a form is enclosed to help report any changes or questions.

Bravo and a big thank you to AZ&Me Prescription Savings program for people without insurance. Whatever your reasons, you help a lot of people and are much appreciated.

Rapid Wash and Lube

2008-04-10T20:39:00.005-05:00

302 Mockingbird Lane

I like convenient and quick and no appointment needed. Some might contend their dealership or personal mechanic does a better, more reliable job. That may be, but not in my experience. Took my car to Mac Haik Ford because the engine light was telling me to "check engine". So I took it to Mac Hail Ford to have them do a professional engine check. The service manager said it was signaling time for a tuneup.

I made an appointment and he indicated he could have me in and out in a few hours. I left the car and went home anticipating a late afternoon call. The shuttle service was great. Four pm came, 5:00, 5:45. I finally called and asked for an update. Sorry to tell me but my brakes needed extensive work as well. My $200 estimate quickly became $450, and the car would be ready tomorrow.

Tomorrow, 5:00, 5:30, 6:00. No call. My call resulted in a disappointing they did not have a part in stock and would have to order it in. I couldn't get the car because the brakes were not in a braking position. I didn't, well, that's not entirely correct, I was a little put out, but these things happen. Right? I told him to go ahead and do an oil change and tire rotation, which I didn't think should take a long time.

Next day. No part yet. Next day. Part in. Should have it done by late afternoon. Mechanic got sidetracked but would soon be on my car again. I called again late afternoon the following day. Yep, it was ready. I could pick it up anytime before closing. To get my car out of their hands cost me over $800, pretty far above the original estimate. He was very sorry, but there were more problems than they had anticipated. I suggested they needed some mechanics who could size up the entire problem at once rather than piece it into a variety of surprise fix-it needs.

I hate people who act like they're so sorry I was inconvenienced, but you know they could not care less, and certainly does not enter their minds to do a bill adjustment to reflect their sorriness. Ah, for the good old days. We came to the understanding that he was no more sorry for my inconvenience than he had been for the customer upset when I first brought the car in because his vehicle had been kept for days and cost bunches more than projected. What are you going to do? You're kind of a captive audience. Good independent mechanics charging fair prices are become more and more rare and are booked well into the future.

Oh, they forgot to do the oil change and tire rotation, so my $800+ did not include those items. So you see there is no superiority in using a high-priced dealership services as opposed to fast-food type quick oil change/lube business.

The problem I encounter with Rapid Wash and Lube is you have to watch and question. The guys are young and when you get more than one young person in a spot, they tend to get sidetracked. Sometimes they also feel shortcuts are not going to matter much in the long run. but they do.

Young people are great as a rule, but not yet matured to giving full attention to their jobs at times. With the attention on saving gas, I had seen pointers for conserving. One of these was proper tire inflation. I had paid for the service and he was handing me my receipt when I asked, "What was my tire pressure?" I had not seen it on my initial scan of the receipt. "Oh," he said, "I didn't do that. Let me do that real quick." My receipt definitely said it had been done and showed a reading at proper inflation psi.

You just have to be a little more vigilant in ensuring the right things have been accomplished. That I can handle a lot easier than older people giving me the run around and unsatisfactory service, plus forgetting altogether to fulfill a request. It can't have been because they didn't want a little more money, so it had to be lack of organization and customer attention skills.

You also want to ask that they double check to be sure all your caps and filters and screws have been properly secured. I've learned to double check this double check.

All in all, though, I am satisfied with my rapid lube experience and love the car wash at the end.

Get A Phone

2008-04-09T20:55:00.009-05:00

"Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how expensive it is to be poor."

--James Baldwin
Get a phone, but beware of getting a phone from these folks.

Get a Phone is a prepaid land line service. I like prepaid. It simplifies life ways. Many prepaid services have even come to realize that you don't have to gouge a customer to do business. Even those having other choices would use prepaid if the prices were comparable to billing after use.

One report tells it like it is when they describe how the company caters to the "credit challenged". That's the phrase they use.

We all know someone or are one who is credit challenged. As the economy goes further down the toilet, more and more of us are going to become credit challenged. It's fairly safe to say, no one wakes up and says it's a good day to be fired, or chosen for a RIF (reduction in force), or find out the company is moving to India or China.

Companies don't ask if anyone will be anticipating becoming "credit challenged" if they choose to pull your job out from under you. (If you know a company that does worry about your after-employment bill paying ability, let us know). No one expects to still be job hunting a year after losing their employment. It does happen, regardless.

The one thing you can be assured is that some scum bucket out there will be ready to jump on your economic decline and squeeze all the bucks they can out of your already diminishing income. The "credit challenged" are fair game. Look at the insurance companies, and their lame excuse that the "credit challenged" have more accidents than the credit worthy; therefore, they are justified in refusing insurance or raising rates exponentially (their definition of exponentially). Actually, studies have found that doctors have the highest rates of accidents, yet are rarely chastised or dropped summarily by the big insurance companies.

But I digress. Get a Phone advertises many places and the deals, as advertised, sound pretty darn good. Get a Phone doesn't play fair, however. You won't find a lot of info by just checking with the BBB or Get a Phone's website, which is pretty pitiful. You might even think it was just a small company trying to make a little money in the shadow of the gargantuan AT&T. You would be wrong.

Let me relate an unfortunate experience with these folks catering to the credit-challenged or just plain poor.

The woman is on disability income, but she budgets very well, making the money go a long way. She saw an ad for Get a Phone in the local grocers, read the info in the brochure, and bought a connection card from the grocer's specially-set-up-for-this-business counter. Only $29.99 for the first six months and then only $19.99 per month after that period.

She discovered a couple of months after this that she was eligible for the Texas assistance program which gives a discount to disabled folks and reimburses the phone company from a special fund-the Life Line Program. She called Get a Phone, and they readily put her on the plan after she produced proof of disability. This reduced her bill by $10.00 a month. Keep in mind, the merchant is reimbursed by Texas state for this reduced rate. She looked forward to that 7th month when the rate would drop to $9.99.

The seventh month she got her bill and it was still $19.99. Maybe it just took a while for the bookkeeping to catch up, so she waited a couple more months. Nothing reduced. She called Get a Phone. Nope, no way, no how, don't even ask again. You got all the discount you're getting lady. Your rate is $19.99, and if you don't like it, you know what to do. She asked to be given their corporate office's phone number and address. She was promptly advised they had no parent company. They were it, nobody else connected. Liar, liar, pants on fire! What's a red bird, the state bird of Indiana called? Yes, that would be CARDINAL and Communications, as in telephone devices and services.

Cardinal is a huge telecommunications and real estate conglomerate.

A Complaint was filed with the Texas Utility Commission. Three times. Never got an answer back. She filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Get a Phone stuck to their decision. BBB said they maintained they were in the right. A legal service for the disadvantaged out of Houston had no success either. Get a phone told them to Get a Lost, too. The legal services suggested the only alternative left is to file a small claims court case. Were she to do so, she would probably win a judgement, but whether or not the Get a Phone people ever paid any judgement is pretty clear. No way, no how. Small Claims really has no teeth to force payment, and after a while one just gets tired of the fight.

Get a Phone added a $1.25 "Wholesale cost increase", and that was just the final insult. Their policy is: Stick that screw in, twist until they scream, and then ignore their screams. AT&T did gain a new customer, however . She is now paying less for phone service complete with caller ID, call forwarding, and all the other bells and whistles, where all she got with Get a Phone was basic call out, call in with a whole bunch of negative attitude.

Another mystery to ponder. In comparing Get a Phone bills with AT&T bills, a big question did appear. You know all those extraneous charges tacked on by the government, fed and state? The ones that raise your bill 33% or more over the basic service fee? Here's a side by side comparison of a recent GaP and AT&T bill:
FCC authorized line charge-$8.50 (GaP); $5.68 AT&T
Total surcharges-$11.32 (GaP); $8.40 AT&T
It seems, for some reason, that Get a Phone is collecting more revenue for the government types than AT&T.

I have not researched this discrepancy, but may in the future just for fun. Are they too, the government, in the racket of gouging the poorer segments of society. Other negative experience stories are out there about the Get a Phone tactics to relieve you of more money. There is poetic justice, even if it's just a good laugh. Cardinal Com lost their standing on the stock market charts because their auditing firm quit. Cardinal could not afford to pay them. They were, therefore, unable to provide a financial statement required to keep their standing with the stock standards.

Oh, no, don't tell me Cardinal has become "credit challenged." I can't seem to muster any sympathy for their plight, much as I tried (followed with a good laugh). Hmmm, wonder if Allstate would insure them?

Bottom Line. These are not nice people to do business with.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

Concorde Collection

2008-04-09T20:28:00.003-05:00

It's a Serenity Dove Ring and looks quite beautiful in the picture. I like serenity. I appreciate serenity. The Serenity Prayer is a favorite of mine:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

courage to change the things I can,

and wisdom to know the difference.

The ad in the Sunday paper coupon section said to mail no money now, but send name and address so bill could be sent when ring is ready for shipment. So I did. A week or so later I got the later saying my ring was ready for shipping as soon as they received my money. Satisfaction was guaranteed for 60 days. I almost bit.

Before sending my funds to Concorde Collections, I did some research to see where my money might be going, and if there was a better than average chance I might suffer disappointment. There was. I found very, very little information about this company. Other than the PO Box, city and state, I could find nothing else on them. The BBB showed two complaints, one resolved and one to which the company did not respond. No phone number, affiliated companies, street address, nothing.

This is where I came across a couple of seriously pissed off consumers. Sending money and not getting the merchandise is worse than sending money and getting crap back in return. My money will be staying with me on this one. Maybe I'll take my government stimulus check and have one made to resemble the one pictured.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

Complaints Board.com

2008-04-08T19:30:00.006-05:00

Always on the lookout for resources consumers can use to research company credibility and customer experiences, I came across this website. I am somewhat surprised I had not found it before now. It is quite extensive, and the beauty of it is nothing seems to have been edited in or out.

The grievances are of every type imaginable and complete with the bad grammar, spelling, colorful language, of the originator. The frustration and anger comes through quite clearly in the letters. You can sense that each person is like most of us in that they have no recourse when a company won't respond to letters/e-mails, won't answer the phones, won't make their product or service right, won't honor promised refund guarantees.

Also told with all the sadness it entails are the stories of bank accounts and credit cards being more or less kidnapped by the persistent peddler of goods who really wanted to get into your money funds in the first place. By the time you get him out of your pocket, you've lost a lot in most cases. Even ones you would consider highly reputable get into your stuff and steal at least one more payment before you get them out. I have had AOL (America on Line), People PC ( whom I have not seen any advertising from in a while), and Yahoo!

I suppose I was fortunate it has just been three greedy ones. Under no circumstances do I order anything over the internet or through the mail that I can't send a check or money order for, and get the product. Once the company gets the check, they can do an immediate bank withdrawal. AT&T does it, as do many others. If I don't have a near location I can visit and speak with a human to resolve problems, we don't do credit card or debit card business.

Complaintsboard.com site is doing the public a huge favor by alerting others to these scoundrels posing as consumer friendly businesses. This offers some measure of revenge, or payback, if you will, to the bilked consumer.

So many businesses today are totally in the shadows, particularly on the internet. A street address, telephone number, even country of origin, are big mysteries wrapped in deceptive practices.

The Better Business Bureau is a good resource and some of the companies have actual complaint letters published on this site. Most do not, however, and complaints are categorized into slots such as billing problem, service problem, refund problem, etc.

This site gets down to the dirty deeds of businesses. I like the way the site describes itself as a "sounding board" for the aggrieved and any gripe a business may have is with that author, not them. They're simply a venue for venting wrath and anger and, hopefully, enlightening someone else before they too fall into the trap of these disreputable sorts.

Out of curiosity, I looked up a couple of companies I profiled here, and was pleased to note my critique was pretty well accurate from comparison with their complaint board.

Highly recommend this as a consumer empowerment resource.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

Transformation Works-Self Hynosis

2008-04-08T18:07:00.005-05:00

A business can have a terrible product or collect money from the unaware and never deliver. Yet people continue buying and keeping them in business because it's a big, big world with multitudes of us gullibles wanting to believe that everybody is basically good. Any successful business will tell you, however, that 99% of success is marketing, marketing, marketing. If deception or poor customer service/product works for them, they have no moral issues with the tactics used. We see it every day.

Tranceformation Works
Tucson, Arizona

Tranceformation Works might work for someone. Not for me. According to the testimonials on their website, everybody was ecstatically happy with the results from these inspirational CDs. I found no testimonials on the site today, however. A 5-star rating is noted beside each product, and that‘s that. Testimonials are often cherry-picked for favorable outcomes, so no great loss.

I saw the program touted as wonderfully successful in a magazine and remembered years ago having had good experiences with inspirational audios. Used to be able to find them easily, but that seems to have changed. Some worked well for me; some didn’t. Covey’s “7-Habits of Highly Successful…“series was pretty good. Some saw as Buddha of the business world. There were audios for self-hypnosis, combatting depression, smoking, weight control, making friends and influencing people. No subject was left untouched.

There are more audios than ever today, but the self help ones are all like Dr. Phil solves every problem you have in one hour, or some Dr. Phil/Oprah Winfrey lookalike. I was looking for what seemed to have disappeared from the shelves.

Then I saw the mag lauding Dr. Steven Gurgevich, PhD, Tucson, Arizona, and thought, “ah, ha”. Found you. You can find “O”, Good Housekeeping, Family this and that, as well as tabloids at the grocery checkout counters. Other than the tabloids, many of the mags are fairly reliable when recommending a product or service or spreading gossip.

Therefore, I took a $25.95 chance and ordered a set of inspirational Cds from the good Dr. Gurgevich.

The cutesy name "Trance" formation Works didn’t slow my enthusiasm down, though I am not usually drawn to anything resembling. My e-mail had daily requests from Joy Gurgevich to give feedback on their Cds. I didn’t want to be negative about her husband without giving him a fair trial. For 30 days I listened to the program;30 days of pure hell.

Let me admit here that I'm a short fuse when it comes to grammar and adults talking to adults as if they're addressing a bunch of first graders or full-grown idiots. I can only describe the audio as Captain Kangaroo reads to the kiddies in a raspy high-pitched monotone, which kids may like, but most adults finds annoying and condescending.

Remember how in mob movies, the gangster's bimbo talks baby talk and coos a lot. Well, transfer that to an @60 year old man's raspy, high pitched voice. It's a kind of a whiney Barney Fife sound-alike. Every time I heard an "ah..., that's right, uh-huh...(dragged out for four syllables)," or other juvenile phrases repeated over and over, I wanted to stuff him into Mr. Roger's neighborhood closet and throw the sweater over his head to muffle the sound. NEVERTHELESS, I DID TRY HARD before packing up the audios for good and putting them into the box for a future yard sale. Maybe I can foist them off on some bimbo cooing over a stuffed panda bear.

Finally, I responded that the material could not possibly suck more if it tried. My review did not make it onto their web site. Surprised? Not really. I did get an e-mail back from the Mrs. Dr. Gergevich, who I assume screens the website responses.

She wanted to know which set I got, and what they could do to make it right. I kind of had to wonder how she could not know what set I got. Correlate name and address to receipts, and there you got it, Joy. What could they do to make it right, she cooed. Do you know how hard it is to coo in an e-mail? Maybe that was Dr. Gurgevich bleed-over.

Give me back my money was my first thought. She did offer to send the expanded version of the material which included a book, which she said, was far superior to the one I had gotten. I did eventually reveal that I found her husband’s speaking voice unsuited for this type endeavor. I am a connoisseur of audio books and know a nice reading voice when I hear one. His is NOT. Adding to my dissatisfaction was his speaking as if to an audience of adolescents. She said she would not be offended with any response. I think she was offended.

By return e-mail she said she was going to send the expanded version for me to try. Perhaps that would impress me a little more. It came with a book, too. Not sure how that made it more right, except that I could find a pleasant, adult reading voice to translate the book for me. I never received this follow-up offer. Perhaps I was supposed to send money to cover the extra $50 or whatever for the upgrade.

A few months after this transpired, I saw on the front of the same magazine at the checkout counter a blurp about self-hypnosis success stories. I scanned the magazine and, yep, sure enough. It was again the good Dr. Gurgevich, in all his boringness, and glowing testimonials to the success of his outstanding Cds.

I e-mailed the magazine, and asked how much they got paid for pushing this juvenile offering on the public, because I can’t believe all the women they interview are of sub-intelligent mentality. Unbelievably (not really), I got no reply back from the magazine.

If I buy something and am dissatisfied, barring any deception or dishonesty at work, I eat the cost of my mistake. When a supposedly reputable magazine writes a glowing report about a product which challenges my intelligence and maturity, I get pissed. This magazine gives itself a big pat on the back for being advertisement free. Yeah, right!

Walgreens

2008-04-04T23:58:00.008-05:00

Walgreens can be a fun place to browse if you have the time. Just about any novelty item you see advertised on TV will eventually wind up in a Walgreens store.

Those nifty produce bags being advertised now. The ones that keep bananas from becoming mush in 2-3 days time; lettuce from browning prematurely; cucumbers and peppers fresh as they were on day 1 for seven days or longer. I was really tempted to order some off the TV infomercial, but there's always this nagging little voice cautioning against using bank cards on the internet or phone. So I was just delighted when I saw these bags in Walgreens. Ten for $6.99+tax. The TV ad is buy 10 get 10 free for 9.95+shipping and handling. The extra $1.00 or two I might have spent is worth the peace of mind not having to put my bankcard into the virtual universe.

Anyway. The bags are great. Bananas do not last nine days, as advertised, but I think that's because it's difficult to get really green bananas lately. They are lasting five to seven days, however. I'm pleased with this purchase, particularly in view of the tremendous leaps in price produce has taken these past few months. I further like the fact that I'm not wasting plastic wrap or storage bags which I put the vegetables and fruits in before refrigerating.

Walgreens coupons found most of the time in the Sunday paper are often quite valuable. Of course, most of the stuff is overpriced to begin with, but using the coupon usually brings the price down to less than you might spend at another store. A coupon for Splenda sweetner brought the price for 100 packets or a 9.7 oz. bag for cooking down to $2.99. The price at local grocers was around $4.00.

There's the added bonus that you're able to use a manufacturer's coupon and their in store coupon together for greater savings. Remember, HEB won't let you do that. Either use theirs or the manufacturer's coupon, not both together. I got several tubes of AquaFresh toothpaste (really good stuff I might add) for 25 cents per tube and one for 0 (zero) cents after using manufacturer's and Walgreens coupon.

A good friend of mine lost part of his hearing in his early 20's and has to wear a hearing aid. I had no idea how expensive it is to buy batteries for these devices, and they don't last very long either. Depending on which brand you buy, they can cost over $1.00 per battery. That is a big expense. Walgreens often runs coupons or specials on hearing aid batteries and he really stocks up when these go on sale. Apparently, so do a lot of other people because their supply seems to deplete quickly. They will, unlike others who have quit doing so, give rainchecks on many of their out of stock sale items. Kudos to you Walgreens.

The store has a deal now where you build up store dollars when buying specified products. I've seen this promotional in their circular, but haven't tried it yet. Sounds like a good thing, however. I like it a lot better than the mail in rebates, which they also have. My success has been about 50/50 with this. Sometimes I get my rebate; sometimes I don't.

I have yet to meet one associate who is anything but pleasant. I often marvel that these employees can be so pleasant. They do an awful lot of customer service and are excellent good will ambassadors for what I consider pretty stingy wages. Maybe one of these days the Big Boys (the ones getting paid the 7-figure, 8 figure and some even 9 figure salaries) will acknowledge that there is no business without the talent on the front lines, and reward them accordingly. But I won't hold my breath.

I used to get prescriptions filled at Walgreens, but in all honesty WalMart beats them all to pieces in the pricing arena. If you have great insurance that leaves you with little or no co-pay, then Walgreens is your place just for the good service by conscientious people. Even if I have a question about an over-the-counter item, they're always ready to help and extremely knowledgeable.

The stores are generally clean and well organized, and for sure their restrooms are a whole lot cleaner than either WalMart's or HEB's restrooms. In fact, Lowe's and Home Depot's restrooms are a lot cleaner than WalMart's or HEB's.

For everyday shopping, Walgreens can be a big pricey. With their coupons and convenience of small items like milk or bread nearer to the front than back of the store, I'll pay a little more for this convenience. Walgreens is a great run in and back out quick store.

Outside of the high-priced mall stores, where else can you get personal service at the makeup and fragrances aisle? You're kind of on your own at WalMart and Target. Good job, Walgreen's.

The photoshop is just about anything anyone could want. From pictures of the kiddies transferred to DVD to all supplies from cameras to batteries for the cameras. I have never been disappointed with the results. Price wise, in about the same arena as any of the other stores that process and sell photographic stuff.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

Fuel Stops/Convenience Stores

2008-03-31T21:04:00.009-05:00

Not the consumer's best friend. Places your kids should not be allowed.

Could anything be more aptly named? The term "Convenience" has come to mean a small store "conveniently carrying a large stock of man's unhealthy and expensive addictions".

One can always tell when a convenience store is straight ahead. That would be the building under the monster sign standing tall on the horizon shouting out the current "price gouge" in effect at the fuel pumps.

Convenience stores are a virtual storehouse, a huge storehouse, of contradictions.

TOBACCO KILLS - DON'T SMOKE OR CHEW - IF YOU DO, QUIT NOW!!!
The State of Texas imposed a new tax last year adding $1.00 to each pack of cigarettes. The purpose of said tax was supposedly to encourage people to quit smoking because it's bad for one's health and costs the public bunches of dollars to deal with subsequent medical problems. The state reported they have collected unprecedented and unexpected bunches of new tax money because it seems not many were discouraged by prices, at least not enough to quit smoking. The state did not sound too concerned while counting the mega-profitable new tax proceeds.

It is a well known fact that it is easier to levy a sin tax than it is to tax giant corporations, such as big oil who make record profits at the expense of the American consumer.

Every front counter in every convenience store is laden with smoking products-American Sin #1. Above the counter, behind the counter, on the counter can be found cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, novelty lighters, promos for smoking materials. Get a hat, lighter, coupons, BO GO, anything an advertising campaign can think up to entice one to buy their brand of smoking materials. Kind of a grown up version of the surprise in the cracker jack's or cereal box. "Buy me and get a reward".

Why is there no sense of outrage that this lethal product is given the place of honor above, behind and on the counter where every customer, whether 10 years old or 21+ must go to check out their soda, candy bar, hot dog, beer, or cigarettes? I know human vices are the bread and butter of a convenience store's existence, but I do resent the double message being sent to kids. How do you tell them with any validity to not smoke when it just looks so darn enticing at the checkout?

If it's such a public hazard, why are convenience stores not as regulated as any bar or other den of iniquity prospering from the vices and addictions of people?

I don't smoke now, but did for years, quitting only when I had to. Smokers (adult smokers)don't bother me, so long as the smoke's not going up my nose. There is no residual nagging need to start smoking again, and I would never tell you to quit, as some so sanctimoniously do. Reformed smokers are the worst of the worst. Even I can't stand them.

Most stores put their Playboy and like magazines out of sight from children and easily offended adults. Why are deadly tobacco products given a place of honor? I'd rather see my kid stealing a look at Playboy than stealing a cigarette behind the garage because the displays in stores make it look so darn sexy and cool.

Anyone sending their kid into a convenience store is giving him/her a first hand look at the fact that adults, especially adult law makers, talk out both sides of their mouth. Hopefully, they don't discover that the federal government still subsidizes tobacco production.

Make Your Own Slideshow | More Slideshows

BEER - GET ONE FOR THE ROAD
FROSTY CHILLED IN ICE COOLER - CONVENIENTLY LOCATED NEAR CHECKOUT
I like a cold beer on a hot day. Nothing wrong with that as a rule, in the right place, at the right time, and not to excess.

Some endeavor to identify the top talent among the various brews. In the right place, at the right time, and in the right amount, beer is one of the good guys. Wine and beer have both been proven to have health benefits.

Here's the problem. The behavior of businesses who pedal the product in a most indiscriminate manner. Occupying a large, if not the total, back wall of a convenience store is a quantity of sizes and brands of beer, and to a lesser extent wine coolers. Lots of signs large, small, some lighted, some not, directing one to the beer vault.

At the front near checkout is often found a large tub full of sparkling ice and icy-cold single beers. If you want more than one, like maybe to take home before enjoying, you have to go to the back where multiple packs are kept. Some of the single cans are definitely super sized offerings. A brown paper bag perfectly fitted to the single serving is available at checkout.

Anyone who thinks the purchaser does not imbibe from this can of cooled refreshment between the store and home would probably be wrong. Many are not at all discreet in popping open that can, taking a long swig from the opening in that brown paper bag, putting the truck into move mode and heading toward the house. I can only think that that is the purpose of the single cans of beer enticingly displayed near the front of the store. It elevates beer sales and makes for satisfied customers.

Why can't bars put that single serve ice filled cooler at their door for on the go customers?

Once again we are confronted with the fact that children are subjected to a potential vice. Adults tell them it's bad and illegal to drink and drive. What they see contradicts what they're told. Kids have enough problems without adults contributing to their confusion. Kids are, furthermore, a lot smarter than adults give them credit for.

Then there is the fact that some adults who are most tempted by the ready to drink refreshment that they should not indulge in. AA did not evolve and remain in business for so many years because a bunch of folks just want to get together for an evening of fun story telling about their binges.

Many states do not allow bars to serve customers a drink to go, whether a cocktail or beer. Yet the convenience store has "ready to go singles" all chilled and set at the door. Am I the only one seeing a contradiction here, as well as a temptation which many don't seem to be able to resist?

HEALTH AND THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC
Look at all that fried food in the warming case below the huge menu for more fried food and sharing the same opposite end of the front counter laden with the tobacco products directly in front of the iced beer cooler. Then there's the well stocked snack/special beverages counter with sweet, sweet coffees, fountain drinks, icy fruit drinks, hot dogs, and all the condiments. Grab a mega ounces sugary drink for the significant other, a bag of chips, a candy bar for you, a snack cake for the SO, while waiting for your deep fried combo meal.

Request your favorite brand cigarettes, get a tin of chew because you can't smoke on the job, grab a beer to refresh you until you get home and can be comfortable while indulging in the rest of the goodies.

Recent reports have obesity listed as one of the major causes of health problems and death, right up there with smoking. Many of the ingredients used in the products loosely called food, have been long suspected, if not proven, to cause cancers. There are politicians squealing for a tax added to junk food, fast food outlets, and more. Schools have pretty much been shamed or ordered into removing soda and vending machines and junk food from the lunch menu.

Send the son/daughter into a convenience store where he/she can view firsthand all that which the news media is condemning and schools are ridding themselves of. Is that batch of chicken nuggets fried in canola oil?

Wonder what's on TV tonight?

BOTTOM LINE
Does anyone else think we need a law restricting anyone under 21 from entering a convenience store? Everything one should not eat, drink, or smoke is found in abundance in this retail establishment. Almost exclusively these are storehouses and vendors for that which one should not smoke or eat, and should drink in moderation and certainly not while driving.

Short of "Don't play in traffic, children," is there a more potentially harmful environment?

They cater to most every human addiction, up to and including the

AMERICAN ADDICTION TO OIL!!!

Thanks to Anuj Agarval for directing me to these great slide shows.

DirecTV

2008-03-19T20:32:00.002-05:00

Directv
DIRECTV - Wow! Where to begin. The Better Business Bureau reports thousands of complaints, 15,321 in the past 36 months. Multi-million dollar settlements for infractions of various rules. Refer to the BBB web site for more info http://www.bbb.org/.

First, let's get housekeeping out of the way. KAVU reception sucks. If you're trying to live an antennae only life, keep in mind, that blur, fuzz, static is not caused by your eyesight or hearing. It's typical KAVU TV. More about KAVU later.

I read, re-read, and re-re-read the advertisements for DirectTV in the Sunday Victoria Advocate insert section, which is, boringly, the same ad week to week with very few, if any changes. More I read, more confused I get. The type at bottom of the page is so tiny, I hit the headache aids after a short time.

One of the problems mentioned in the BBB company report was "tiny type difficult to read." No joke! Here's a discourse on some, but by no means all, of the problems encountered with DirectTV. Caveat Emptor - Buyer Beware - if considering business with this company..1) The big picture of a TV in their ad shows more than 20 well-known channels, You might think you get these channels and $29.99 is a pretty decent price. Read the fine print. No, wait. There is no fine print on this particular issue. It's only after calling the toll free number or studying their website that you learn $29.99 will only buy you 45 really, really crappy channels. Most channels I've never heard of, and the ones I know are...well, you know - Crappy.

I also find that there are "NO local channels available in Victoria." I can, however, get a $3.00 (or $4.00 depending on which rep you talk to at the toll free number) discount because of this nonavailability of local television. OH! YEAH! I mentioned the crappy KAVU reception (sorry to overuse "crappy", but it just seems to fit). Well, for $1.50 per channel, I can get access to ABC, NBC, Fox, etc. Etc. Do the math with me. $3.00 credit, or maybe $4.00, because there is no local availability. $1.50 per channel to have NBC, ABC, etc. piped in from elsewhere, New York, California, Chicago, wherever. So to get the four channels available locally, I can pay $6.00 extra per month; add CBS and PBS, we're up to $9 more per month. But I only get a $3.00, or maybe $4.00, credit. Are you with me so far? There is one positive. The channels would maybe come in clearly 24/7)

Free, Free. That word is used liberally in Directv advertisement. FREE Professional Installation. No Equipment to Buy. No startup costs. READ THE FINE PRINT. FREE will cost you $19.95. This was adamantly explained as being different from No Equipment-No Startup. The "19.95 is for delivery of the equipment to my address so it can be installed-FREE Professional Installation it's true. That free installation does not mean the installer brings the stuff with him. That will cost an extra $19.95 to have the stuff ready for him to install.Custom installation is another $19.95. I can't quite understand why my neighbor's installation was custom, and according to the rep, screwing the receiver to a pole and running the wire was "professional and FREE." The neighbor questioned DTV on this and hung up more confused than before, but he was talked into the super duper upgrade for only $10.00 more per month.

Pause here for a moment, if you will. The entire time I tried to question the true FREEness of the Freebies, and exactly what my bill total might look like, the representative kept interrupting and asking for my name, address, social security number, and what date I would like installation. Oh, and that credit card number, with date of expiration, please. "Wait, wait, wait!" I exclaimed. "I haven't said I want service yet." "Oh, that's alright," Shane explained cheerfully, "You can just call and cancel if you decide you don't want service." "I have a better idea," I interjected. "I will call you when I decide if I want service and we'll set up a date then." The friendliness was quickly deteriorating within Shane's vocal chords.

I fared no better on another day with Wendy on some follow up questions.
31 movie channels FREE for 3 months. Sounds good, huh? Hold up there for a minute before jumping onto the FREE train. Some of the BUYER BEWARE cars ain't firmly attached. I won't dispute the 31 movie channels, but here's the rub. Well, here's a bunch of rubs all rolled into one. I asked two recipients of recent installation if I could see their service agreements and bills. You don't get a full explanation of what you've actually purchased until you get your first bill. It's in the tiny print. Or, you can go to their office and read it, or they refer you to this info at www.directv.com/legal. Otherwise, wait for your first bill;It says so in the fine print.

I went through the thick stack of papers and bills my one acquaintance had received, and I think I'm due a finder's fee. Directv already screwed them enough, though, so I'll do this free gratis. Within the customer info folder I found a voucher which noted it must be returned before the holder could get his $10 per month for 12 months fee reduction that he was told was a FREE prize for signing up. He asked why they didn't just go ahead and put the deduction on the bill? I surmised this: Do you realize how many customers don't read all this thick brochure of paperwork, and that's $120 per year per customer who doesn't read and return the voucher. I suspect millions of dollars pour into Directv's coffers via those who don't or can't read all the fine print. How about you, my astute readers? I know It's Not Illegal, but it sure is stinky business.

How many people do you imagine don't read all the pages and those who do read them don't understand what they're reading? I estimate a whole lot of folks pour their money into this deceptive practice money pit. I also suggested he might want to call them pretty quickly and follow with a note to cancel his 31 movie channels before the three months is up. It says in the contract fine print that "anyone who doesn't specifically cancel will see the charge for movie channels on their 4th month's bill." I felt badly for the guy. He said he was an auto mechanic before retiring, not a "freaking lawyer." "That's what they count on," I answered.

Another older lady asked if I would check her paperwork for oversights or questionable charges. Sure enough, she was being charged $16.00 too much AND for services she didn't order. She was paying for DVR and HD service and doesn't own either a DVR or HD TV, and didn't get the FREE DVR as advertised. It does say in the fine print that you get a free DVR (which you have to give back when you discontinue service), but to get the free DVR you have to sign up for the DVR service. GOT THAT? They hope you didn't. The company did adjust her bill after she called. Let's see. $16.00 a month for 12 months is $192.00. Multiply this by all the people who don't or can't read and understand their bills. She couldn't find her nifty packet of legalese. So I don't know if she got that special $10 reduction with return of coupon deal. I hope she remembers to look.

There are other matters such as strong arming customers to purchase the $5.99 per month insurance in case God sends lightening down to destroy their satellite dish. The customer will pay a minimum $85 service call, plus hourly charges, plus cost of replacement equipment, if that $5.99 insurance is not purchased. It also insures a repair technician will be there within 24 hours if you have a problem with your service. I guess, otherwise you might wait 24 days.

Dish Network, a Directv competitor, doesn't have a lot of little bitty print and asterisks for what is NOT included in their FREE deals. This is distinctly in their favor right off the bat. I won't get too excited yet, however. I'll be looking closely at them shortly. Both Directv and Dish claim to be #1 in customer service. Directv's fine print explains how this is possible. I still don't get it. Two #1's? Who's #2. All the rest?

Does anyone besides me smell POLE CAT in the air? I'll stick with my crappy KAVU antennae for now. That fine print disclaimer; prices subject to change without notice at any time; and all the other disclaimers scare me.

These observations have been made based on oral and written representation by Directv. Should anyone have experience, good or bad, share with all of us, please. The more testimonials, the better the consumer protection achieved. The power of words is indeed a great and wonderful power.

The Better Business Bureau report invites reviews by customers and a star rating system. Five stars = really good service; One star = really ugly service. Directv got a One Star. There is no zero star rating. I kind of suspect that might have been used often.

One star would give them a what? 20% satisfaction rate. Wonder where ACSI got 67%? Hey, did somebody weight the system more than a +/- 3% margin of error. Like 47%.

BOTTOM LINE: Buyer Be Very Aware of this company.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness
Labels: advertising, Directv, fine print, high pressure sales

Dish Network Satellite TV

2008-03-19T16:55:00.006-05:00

Update March 27, 2008: As you can no doubt tell, I have found Dish Network far superior to Directv. While not praising them as better than good because of the numerous consumer complaints to the BBB, they are by far the better of the two major satellite offerings.

I put their advertising side by side and compared each website's content. Although a laborious job, I finished and was content that I had made the right choice in selection of satellite systems. Having done this, of course, I came across just today, a ready-made side by side comparison done by Dish Network. They may be tooting their own horn, but my comparison shows pretty much the same as their showing.

Bravo to Dish for daring a side by side comparison.

Dish Network Satellite TV has three lines of fine print in its advertising. Directv has 14 lines. That fact would have sold me if nothing else did. I scoured the web sites of both Dish and Direct looking for discrepancies and indications of inadequate explanations for various items. They are basically the same as far as their offerings, inclusions and exclusions.

Dish has a much more user friendly website than does Direct. It's orderly and easier to find answers to questions. What a pleasant surprise to find they even offer a service they call "Live Chat Customer Support". I tried this and had the answer back to my question in very short order.

Dish programs start at $19.99; Direct starts at $29.99 for basically the same programs. The lowest priced offers are somewhat irritating to me because there are around 17 versions of the Home Shopping Network and it seems rather an anomaly to have to pay for commercials.

There are approximately 31 Trinity Broadcast Network offshoots. Bunches of kiddie shows, even one called "Kids Tunes". I haven't yet watched the "Big Joe Polka Show", but I am familiar with "Ralph Emery". Several more channels offer our government at work programs viewed from various spins, such as the C-Span version, the legislature itself in session, Fox's take on the news, the NASA Video File and an offering of true detective type shows and 7,000 animal facts you may not have already known. Two Hallmark channels and, of course, weather channel flesh out the listings. Really crappy offering, but the channels are super clear.

The very similar, if not identical, Directv version of basic programming will cost you $10.00 more, or $29.99. Of course, both companies know the majority will not be happy with basic programming, and can be sure of selling at a minimum their upgrade to 100+ channels. The cost of upgraded programming runs pretty consistently near the same price for these packages. Directv has an $86.99 package that has every one of their available bells and whistles. Dish's top notch program is $94.98. This does include multiple Sirius Radio offerings.l

Did you know Sirius Radio has an Elvis Presley station? Well, I did not know that. Still not going to put out $94.98 a month for the deluxe, super everything package.

Considering the really crappy reception potential with KAVU-TV and the changeover to all digital TV next February, even the $19.99 package is a deal when compared to one's mental health when fighting an antennae to attempt even a half hour of decent picture reception.

I'm sure there are those who feel Direct is superior to Dish, and that's OK by me. My opinion is that Dish would be the lesser of two..... There are really only two operating satellite TV companies in the US. Your choices are about as limited as choosing a competing oil company to supply your automobile gasoline needs.

This little item I found kind of laughable: They're both #1 in customer satisfaction when compared to cable companies according to the ASCI customer satisfaction index. Lines 1 and 2 of the fine print at the bottom of Direct's advertisement explains that Dish and Direct are tied for the #1 position among the largest US cable and satellite TV providers. There are only two US satellite companies, as noted above - Directv and Dish Network.

Before patting them on the back for a job well done, you might want to consider that their (both companies') satisfaction percentage is 67% out of a possible 100%. The IRS has a 65% satisfaction rate for their combined e-file and paper filing operations. The US Mint has an 87% satisfaction. Kind of changes the picture when you realize they compare almost identically percentage-wise with the IRS.

Anyone really bored and just wanting to do a little consumer research might find the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) website worth perusing. It helps understand how surveys are conducted, by whom and for whom, and the types of company surveys done. Did you know Kohl's is #2 in customer satisfaction for 2007?

Well, I thought it was an interesting bit of trivia.

Dish Network does offer something that Direct does not, and which I found very enticing. As mentioned before, receiving a bill and having to search it line by line in case there are any questionable charges is no fun. It should be done, however, because you can lose a lot of money by not being aware of invalid charges on your bills. Anything I can prepay is one less thing I have to be surprised about at the end of the month. Dish offers prepaid satellite TV, and I find it the best bargain of all.

For $99.99 + tax, you can purchase the dish and receiver, complete with installation video and books and a really nice remote control. Another $50 bought an installation kit and two years equipment insurance.

We could have had a professional installer put the dish up, but decided to give it a try first. It took a lot longer, without question, than a professional might have taken. It was a proud moment when I heard the long and loud scream from the receiver indicating the satellite signal was bouncing into the dish. Downloading the software was a snap.

Here's the deal on prepaid. You purchase a card, resembling a gift card, from Radio Shack, Walgreen's, or a number of other retailers. The website has a listing of retailers carrying the cards. You can also purchase time on the internet, but it does cost a little more to do it this way.

Then you call an 800 number from the receipt, read the pin # to customer service rep, tell him/her which package you want, and presto. Let the download begin. There's an on-screen monitor that tells you how many day's service you have purchased and begins a countdown. I got the basic package to start and get 60 days service for $40.00. Unlike pre-paid phones, there is no elaborate mark-up. Amazing, huh?

If you want to add movie channels, you can do that too with prepaid cards.

I just knew there had to be a catch somewhere. It just seemed all too easy. So far I haven't found it. The catch, that is.

Now if the prepaid phone services could get their act together and quit gouging people, I'd be ecstatically happy to do business with them. More about that band of scam artists later.

I'd give Dish Network a 90% satisfaction rate so far. They'd get more, but one of the techs I called for help tried to sell me regular service, and insisted I'd be much happier with a monthly bill rather than mess with that inconvenience of going to the store and purchasing a prepaid card. The tech was in India, however, and does not grasp maybe that I'd spend about the same amount of time dealing with a monthly bill, or longer if I had to scrutinize every line item. I must admit I was rude and hung up on him mid-sentence.

I was not happy to see that Dish has had 11,010 complaints against them in the past three years, and the past year has seen an escalation in complaints. I only know one person who has Dish Network and has had it for years. They report no problems with billing, and only with reception when the wind is blowing hard or it really raining.

Anyone who has had experience, good or bad, feel free to share.

Enough said. Andy of Mayberry is about to start.

H-E-B

2008-03-17T20:37:00.008-05:00

Beneath the H-E-B logo on their website is "Here Every thing's Better". Cute. Aside from the cute, as websites go, this is an exceptional creation. Anyone who lives to cook and cooks to live and who believes the only important room in the house is the kitchen, you have to peruse this site. I dislike shopping for groceries, the kitchen is not my best friend, and if I don't already know how to cook it, chances are I don't want to learn.

I have to admit though that I did peek at the section labeled "Mealtime". Behind it you will find:

Recipes - Recipe Box
Shopping List - Cooking Tips
Food Dictionary - Meal Planner

and a whole lot more. The pharmacy will give you a run through of anything pharmacological, up to and including Pet Insurance. Pet Insurance? Oh, yeah, I heard about this new phenomena. If you're a pet person, it might not be a bad deal to look into.

You can peruse their weekly specials, specialized services such as photography and floral, and other such things. There's HeBuddy for kids with an abundance of games and good information. Job opportunities, supplier requirements are all there. A lot of work went into this site and, it definitely shows.

In case you forgot it, I DO NOT enjoy grocery shopping. It is just one of those necessary evils. Were I rich, that would definitely be a job to outsource. I do, however, love a bargain and absent a purchasing agent for this task, I avidly clip coupons. This gives rise to one of my few complaints with H-E-B. Their coupon rules.

You have probably heard about these people who spend $1 or less for a whole cart full of groceries by clipping coupons and shopping bargains. This is not, alas, a possibility with H-E-B. If they have an in-store coupon for an item, they do not honor any manufacturer's coupons for same items. Store management said it is just the policy, and my e-mail to corporate remains unanswered. Why, I insist, will you not accept the manufacturer's coupon as well? It is reimbursed to you? No, no way, no how. You can use one or the other, not both.

This does not make me at all happy, particularly since Walgreen's has absolutely no problem with the concept. I have saved tons of money using both a Walgreen's coupon and a manufacturer's coupon.

Until H-E-B sees the error of their ways, Yeah, to Walgreen's. Boo, H-E-B.

For the most part, cashiers at the Rio Grande store are excellent representatives for outstanding customer service. They have sold me more than one buy-one, get-one BOGO item at the checkout. I should never have to buy shampoo again. I have encountered an attitude deficient cashier or so but they are the exception, not the rule.

The produce variety, display, and quality is far superior to Wal-Mart. Only once have I gotten bad produce (pre-bagged produce). Wal-Mart is not very conscientious about the freshness of their bagged produce and at times their loose stuff looks a little closer to the trash bin than the display bin.

Advertising circulars for H-E-B have gone almost wholly everything except food sales. Last week's ads were 2 1/2 pages of food and 4 1/2 pages of other than foods. I do not care for this. Every picture of pretty outdoor furnishings and cutesy kiddy toys cost you and me, the consumers, big money. The price of producing these full color spreads is phenomenal. I know. H-E-B is not the only guilty party, and is actually far less guilty of advertising overkill than say Sears or JC Penney's or Target to name just a very few.

The point to be made here, however, is that I can live without most of what Sears, Target, Kohl's, Academy, and Best Buy have to offer. When I go there I expect to pay ridiculous prices because of their excessive and wasteful overhead. My grocery store, though, is a different matter. It is not a matter of desire for the merchandise they sell so much as food being a necessity.

Yes, they all advertise, even Dick's has an ad each Wednesday in the Victoria Advocate. Wal-Mart and Save A Lot advertise also, but none to the degree or fanciness that H-E-B does. I would ask what their annual advertising expenses are, but it would probably make me seriously ill to visualize all that money going into the trash can each time they distribute another colorful circular.

Cha ching..ing..ing

I have not and will not do so unless dragged unwillingly, be perusing the aisles of the H-E-B Plus on Navarro. Major dedicated shoppers ooh and aah over the offerings at this gargantuan big box store. I'll take their word for it. When I reap my fortune, I'll have my personal buyer video the experience for me to view at my leisure.

Heatsurge LLC

2008-03-17T00:07:00.003-05:00

Big beautiful, full page ads, like the ones for World Reserve Monetary Exchange (see previous article), are showing up in your local newspaper and the Sunday magazine. The ads would have you believing your heat bill would drop to almost nonexistent just by purchasing this $500+ heating unit. For a short, short time, however, this unit can be had for $298. The heater itself is FREE, FREE, FREE!

Interestingly, I found in researching this company that they share an address with the World Reserve Monetary Exchange, 3939 Everhard Road, Canton, OH 44720. One can surmise a number of things from this:

The WRME and Heatsurge LLC are one and the same company
The WRME and Heatsurge LLC share building space
The WRME, Heatsurge LLC and Universal Media Syndicate are kissing cousins
Caveat Emptor-Buyer Beware

I find myself a little concerned with the advertising for this little heating unit. It is indeed little. The magazine/newspaper ads don't give the precise dimensions, but their web site does:

31.875w x 25.5H x 11.875D, and weighs 57 lbs

The weight would indicate a pretty solid chunk of wood and heavy duty heater. Whether or not it's $500+ dollars worth of heavy, I'd have to think a long time about that. Looking at the pictures of the heater/mantle, I thought the unit looked a bit small next to the child pushing it. Sometimes, however, really big things come in small packages.

Whether or not it lives up to the hype on its heating efficiency. I would be averse to putting the question to the test, unless I just happened to have an extra $298 lying around doing nothing. Remember the heater's free for only 48 hours per the advertisement, so it would now cost you $547 for the unit via the internet.

I am just a bit uncomfortable with the display of all the Amish folks tooling and polishing the solid oak mantles. The internet ad expounds on the fact that Holmes County, Ohio is home to the largest Amish population in the world. This fact was verified from the Holmes County web site. I was amazed at the plethora of Amish-made articles for sale on the web. Quilts, furniture of all types and descriptions, and on and on. The Amish are, indeed, wonderful craftspeople, so it is not all bad to find their wares for sale via the internet.

Here's my problem with the whole thing. The internet is accessible through computer-type instruments, which utilize electricity (even the batteries have to be charged electrically). The Amish shun modern day conveniences such as electricity. I have to wonder how they are arranging to advertise web-wise given their restrictions on modern devices. Won't spend too much time pondering that question, however.

My first reaction to seeing the huge photo of Amish folk in the advertisement, was surprise. Having traveled extensively and having relatives/friends in Ohio and Pennsylvania and Indiana, which are home to large Amish populations, I learned a little about them. They make some of the best brooms, jellies, breads, salt water taffy, quilts, and many other items. A friend brought back some salt water taffy last month on a visit to Pennsylvania. OH, MY, GOODNESS, Good, it was.

But I detoured here. The website for Heatsurge LLC explains the mystery of Amish being pictured in their advertisements. It's OK sometimes. That is a new one on me. They do not allow pictures to be made as these are akin to graven images and strictly biblical forbidden. Even their children's dolls have no facial features. No eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, anything. Again the graven image belief.

I once met a man who would let you take a picture of him and his horse drawn buggy for $5.00. His true Amish-ness was questionable to me. Economics overruled his inhibitions, I guess. With little exception, however, the Amish are a truly honest, trustworthy, peace-loving group of people.

I truly believe that is the reason the Amish craftspeople picture is displayed so prominently in their advertising. Since most of the world thinks of Amish as synonymous with honest, who could possibly think there was any deception possible in this unbelievable offer.

That the mantles are Amish-made I would not question. That the Amish put their seal of approval on their being pictured in advertising or touted as endorsing the heaters is questionable.

Before sending them $547 or waiting for the next offer of $298, free heater, advertisement to arise again, I'd think about the feasibility of purchasing this item. Money-back guarantee doesn't make me trust anyone any better or further. The World Reserve Monetary Exchange also offers a money-back clause, but there are some mighty unhappy customers still trying to get their money back.

World Reserve Monetary Exchange

2008-03-16T22:24:00.013-05:00

Update March 27, 2008
Further research into The World Reserve Monetary Exchange revealed that the WRME, Universal Media Syndicate (UMS), Patent Health, and Heatsurge LLC, plus others are all one in the same company, run under the leadership of President Rodney Napier.

Universal Media Syndicate writes the glowing articles on the various enterprises, which have amassed a fortune, in no way a small fortune, for the variously named, yet still the same, companies. Who can possibly think there is anything but honesty in abundance with a company using little old ladies searching their quarters for a treasure or the Amish working vigorously to provide you with a beautiful mantle for your electric heater?

They just make the deals look so darned attractive, don't they? FREE! FREE! FREE! It is far, far from FREE. You can bet on this. I am astounded that some 50 states attorneys general or federal consumer protection office has not come down on this company for deceptive advertising. For sure the Better Business Bureau knows the name.

Here's the deal. Buy their holders, covers, display cases, whatever, and you get the coins, bills, etc. for FREE! Don't forget to add the cost of shipping and handling to that FREE deal. This can sometimes be equal to or more than the $28 required to get the FREE merchandise.

The advertising is pretty smooth. The smoothest con artist in the world would indeed be impressed. Oh, wait, these people may be the smoothest con artists in the world.

To begin with we have the enticing pictures of all that money and the come hither notice that the money can only increase in value and become worth thousands of times its original value. They warn there is no guarantee of this, but make it sound like a 99% sure thing. The article lauding the company's making such a deal available, usually covers at least one whole page of your local paper, or two pages if done in the Sunday magazine. The article is written by a, one would think bonafide reporter, writing for a the very professional sounding "Universal Media Syndicate"(UMS) news outlet. Sounds pretty authentic and reputable, huh?

At least one California newspaper has refused to accept further advertising from them after a reporter did an investigation and didn't like what he was seeing.

Currency 'up for grabs' ad on Better Business radar
By Joe Goldeen
Record Staff Writer
March 06, 2007 6:00 AM
STOCKTON - A newspaper ad appearing nationwide touting surplus U.S. currency "up for grabs" is a "bogus" attempt to separate consumers from their own money, according to one state's top law enforcement official.

Mr. Golden minces no words when reporting on the possibility of a scam being perpetrated here.

The March 13th Victoria Advocate advertising article was credited to a D.L. Cottrell with UMS. The two-pager in the Sunday Parade was not credited to any particular author, just UMS. Perhaps a collaboration?

Can you even begin to imagine the cost of this massive advertising. I tried to estimate using ad rates for various publications. We're talking anywhere from around $1,000 to $10,000 or more each time it runs and in each newspaper and/or magazine.

Calculation of how many coins/bills would have to be sold to pay the advertising charges alone is mind-boggling. Oh, sorry. The collector-edition money itself is FREE. It's the containers that you have to buy. How stupid of me.

Refer to "Is it really free" article.

What is so very sad about this situation is that the same, the very same currency, can be had at a much more reasonable price, and even comes in display cases and holders, from the US Mint. Check out their web site or visit a coin dealership. They can get you all the pretty, fancy display cases and probably the uncirculated dough for a much better price. From the beginner coin collector to the seasoned numismatist, the US Mint has much to interest. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing also offers some pretty nifty stuff.

I'm not going to be a test case and actually order from the Reserve to prove my point, but in reading the experiences of some who have done business with this World Reserve...., it is not a pretty picture. It would appear that some, maybe not all, giving them access to a credit card number or debit card have a very difficult time getting them out of their pocket once they're in it. Short of canceling credit cards and bank accounts, they're akin to leaches and have to be literally ripped off, sometimes causing great pain. It's either rid yourself of them or suffer the financial consequences.

The calls to their company representatives can be almost painful. It is definite hard sales tactics the whole way. Before you know what happened, you have committed to thousands of dollars worth of merchandise to be purchased over a long period of time. One or more articles per month for the next umpteenth years at only $28 or more each + postage and handling, of course. I saw one advertisement (not WRE) that said up front that the postage and handling was the same as the price of the article. I don't know about you but I have yet to see the display case fancy enough for me to shell out that much money.

I read and reread the massive amount of information in this advertising and am still confused by a couple of things which just don't seem true. The opening sentence screams that this is it - no more of "these" presidential coins will ever be minted again "by law". Well, that is true. "These first four 2007 coins will not ever be rerun. Because this is 2008. There will be, however, four more coins run in 2008 beginning with the 5th President of the United States, and four will be issued this year, and each year thereafter until all 43, 44, or 45 presidential profiles are run.

"Required to mint....with a new president appearing every 90 days"? Sounds like you'd better speed up that dialing finger and get in on this deal, huh? Well, actually, you can get on the subscription plan with the U.S. Mint and they'll send you the coins as they are minted, complete with a case and history, including the Vice President, First Lady, and state of origin collectibles.

The following comes directly from the U.S. Mint website:

The United States Mint is honoring our Nation’s Presidents, in the order that they served, by issuing $1 circulating coins with their images on the obverse. Each Chief Executive is featured in an individual card holding the proof version of the Presidential $1 Coin honoring his presidency. These pocket-sized cards are perfect for introducing a young person to the hobby or for the experienced numismatist to begin a new collection.
An image of the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe, appears on the obverse of this proof coin and the reverse features a striking rendition of the Statue of Liberty. This coin also features edge-incused inscriptions of the year, “E Pluribus Unum,” “In God We Trust,” and the mint mark.
The size, weight and metal composition of the Presidential $1 Coins are identical to that of the Sacagawea Golden Dollar. Each coin is mounted in an individual protective, rotatable blister; edge incused inscriptions on the coins are fully visible.

The World Reserve ad specifically says the edges of their coins are clearly visible, where no other display can say the same. Not according to the Mint's description of the Presidential dollars they distribute.

A good rule to always remember when looking at any advertisements that consume an entire page or two, are very fancifully done, virtually scream that you have to respond before it's too late, and show up often pedaling a new coin or bill or limited edition something. RUN, don't WALK from any contact with this harbinger of bankruptcy potential. YOUR bankruptcy that is.

It may be a legal scam, but it is still a scam designed to separate you from your hard-earned money. Deal with the Mint if you want first edition coins, never circulated money. At least you can call and solicit your congressperson to help if you feel you're being conned by a government agency.

Check out my review on Fireless Flame HEAT SURGE miracle heaters. You may be surprised at the connection between them and the World Reserve folks.

Co-op America

2008-03-08T19:11:00.006-06:00

Co-op America. I just stumbled onto this yesterday while, of all things, looking for information on toothpaste. It is my belief that anyone with a health condition gets seriously screwed monetarily by anyone who can think up a way to seriously screw this particular consumer base. Diabetics pay a lot for being cursed with this condition, both physically and monetarily. More about that later.

When I Googled Colgate-Palmolive after reviewing the Proctor & Gamble (Crest) site after reviewing the Diabetic toothpaste sites to understand why a tube of Crest or CP toothpaste can cost as little as $2.00 and a tube of diabetic costs around $6.00. Why do test strips cost over $1 apiece? What makes this so much more expensive, other than the ability to screw around with an afflicted group of people who are at a disadvantage to begin with.

I haven't finished reviewing this phenomena, the over-inflated pricing of health care products, but did review this Co-op America site, http://www.cooperamerica.org/. This is a virtual plethora of just about any information you might want on many of the major retailers, as well as their suppliers. It even shows how much the CEO, Chief Executive Officer, of a company makes salary-wise. Did you know the CEO of Dillard's, yes, the shopping mall's usual occupant, between Sears and JC Penney's, makes around $87,000 a week? That's the equivalent of about six people's annual salary making $7.00 per hour at a full time job.

Following is an exact quote from the Co-op's web site. I could not think of anyway to paraphrase it better than they have presented it on their home page. It's just about everything a consumer could want to know and a consumer concerned about environmental or social issues should know:

Quote: "About Responsible Shopper
Responsible Shopper reports on global research and campaign information regarding the impact of major corporations on human rights, social justice, environmental sustainability and more.
The purpose of Responsible Shopper is to alert consumers and investors to problems with companies that they may shop with or invest in, and encourage individuals to use their economic clout to demand greater corporate responsibility.
We draw on information from conventional media as well as reports and campaign briefs from a host of nongovernmental organizations around the world. We also encourage people to shift their purchasing and investing to the most responsible companies though the Go Green feature of Responsible Shopper."

They have a substantial library of reports on everything from Agribusiness to Personal Care Products (are you opposed to animal testing, potential carcinogenic ingredients, environmentally irresponsible waste disposal) to Big Box Retailers, Gas/Oil giants, to Toys/Games.

Their programs include "Living Green", "Sweatshops", "Fair Trade". The Co-op also gives alternatives to supporting socially irresponsible companies. Do you want to know how a company stacks up in the human resources/customer treatment arena? Read the review on Dillard's. I would have never thought of some of the things they've been sued over and charged with.

The site also includes strategies for socially and environmentally responsible investing. Remembers years ago when consumers boycotted companies doing business with and investing in African-based operations. Apartheid was a big thing, and still should be on every one's social conscience.

Whether or not you care about being environmentally responsible or could not care less that a company may support sweat shops, discriminatory activities, whatever, think about this. For every lawsuit a company has to settle monetarily, there must be an adjustment upward to the selling price of their merchandise. The big-time corporate attorneys, court fees, settlement costs, and on do not come cheap. The next time you wonder why that dress cost $299, check out the company's profile. You're probably paying $25.00 for the dress itself from design to manufacture, and $274 for expenses related to keeping the store in business, financially and legally.

Dillard's has to sell 291 of those $299 dress to pay the CEO's salary for one week alone.

Business practices affect the price of everything we, as consumers, purchase - EVERYTHING.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

CARFAX Vehicle History Report

2008-03-07T13:47:00.005-06:00

Never, NOT EVER, should you shop for a used vehicle without doing a history check. No matter if it's a vehicle you're considering from a dealership or an individual, it is so important to check it out in every respect. One can look for dings, dents, breaks. Check the oil, listen to the motor, do the test drive. All very crucial things to do without a doubt. Possibly the most important search, however, is the Vehicle History Report.

Before even talking about a deal, get the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) for the vehicle. The title, registration and vehicle itself should all have the VIN. Might not even be a bad idea to be sure all the numbers are the same from vehicle to title to registration. Do a computer search (Carfax is only one of several, but the best I have found) for any information about the vehicle.

A phenomenon I have seen several times is someone selling a vehicle which is not in their name. Supposedly, they bought it from someone, but never licensed it. This is not a good thing. Call the licensing office and ask what happens when the seller has not transferred the title to his/her name. It is not a nice answer, and one that will wind up costing you more in time, aggravation, and possibly money. Your money when you can't find the guy who sold it to you or the guy who "sold" it to him.

It's also a rewarding idea to notify the licensing agency when you sell a vehicle. If the buyer does not retitle and reregister it, you may be legally responsible for accidents or otherwise. There is a form you can complete with the state to advise of your selling the auto.

If the owner/dealership tries to discourage your doing the research, run, don't walk away from any deal with them. You can always say, "No thank you," but it is extremely difficult to say, "take it back; it sucks," after the fact. The owner/dealer may try to wheedle with, "the car/truck may not be here by the time you do all this RESEARCH," said with a warning tone. I like to use the standard, "If it's gone, then I wasn't meant to own it anyway. so I'll take my chances."

It is really best to do a little preliminary research on the vehicle itself before doing a VIN search. Get the book value (poor, good, and excellent conditions). There will also be different pricing depending on whether a dealership or private owner. Don't wish you had done the check. Go ahead and do it before venturing out to test drive the car.

Let me relate an experience to demonstrate the importance of this searching. I saw a used car that looked like a really good deal. Called and checked to be sure it was still there. It was. Fired up the internet and did a quick CARFAX check. Jotted down prices for poor, good, and excellent conditions. Checked estimated MPG (miles per gallon); safety testing; performance evaluations; customer reviews. This is all available on the internet. You may have to search various sites, but it is there someplace.

It's going to cost you to get a total vehicle history report. There's a one time deal; one price for 30 days of service; another price for months of service. I got the 30 days so I could check out any car that caught my interest. Prevented me from making several bad mistakes, too.

Here's some of what you can get from a report, plus a lot more:

Title check - Salvage? - Flooded? - Lemon? - Rebuilt? -Major Accident? - Stolen? - Leased? - Rental? - Taxi/police? - Fleet?
There is also a service record, to a limit. this is only as good as the reports made by mechanics, individuals, dealerships, etc. Mack Haik Ford/Hyundai does submit service records. Took my vehicle in for a tune up/oil change. Looked up the record just for kicks. There it was. Good for you, Mack Haik. Not all dealerships do this. Shame on them.

If you don't want to or can't afford to spend the bucks for the complete history check, ask for one at a dealership if you're really interested in the vehicle. Also ask for a valuation of the vehicle from the pricing experts, i.e. Kelly, Carfax. This is also a good way to know if the salesperson is being totally up front with you, all used car salesmen jokes aside.

I asked for book price for a car I was considering and vehicle history report. The salesperson came back with this. Most, if not all, dealerships subscribe to Carfax or a similar service. If they want to charge you to look it up, it's better to give them a few dollars for added assurance. This, to me, is not good business practice, but I'm not a used car salesman. And dollars are getting harder to come by.

The salesman presented me with the book price, and I laughed. He was puzzled and then upset when I told him the car did not quite make the "excellent" condition standard. There were some minor flaws, but enough to make it more the "good" condition than "excellent". The book price also included a couple of extras, like cruise control, am/fm/cd, sunroof, mileage, and on. This car was missing some of the features which would make it an "excellent" and "best price" buy. The car was "good" at best.

I summarily advised that he had exaggerated book, to which he responded, "Well, no used car is gong to be excellent." "Well, then why did you present me with the "excellent" book price?" I thought, but did not say. Anyway, you get the point.

I can not say with enough emphasis. Check it out before you drive it out. You will never regret having done so. Plus, it's really kind of nice to see where the vehicle has been and then plan for where it will be going.

One word of note: Rental vehicles are not necessarily a bad buy. Most rental agencies maintain their vehicles at a high level and check each thoroughly as it comes back from a customer. I've had two and both were higher mileage, but reliable and had all those nice extras you find in a rental car. Prices were acceptable, after some fact-backed (CARFAX backed) negotiation, that is.

Empowered By: Consumer Awareness

Victoria Outpatient Clinic-VA

2008-03-07T10:56:00.001-06:00

So many negatives abound in consumer critique of anything federal government operated. The sad fact is a number of the negatives are true. The public is particularly alert with the disheartening number of military personnel returning from overseas with physical and mental difficulties.

Front page headlines highlight the despicable condition of VA facilities elsewhere in the country. Veterans are waiting far too long too often for health care and monetary help. They may be due disability benefits with no question. The sad part is that these warriors are being made to wait inordinate amounts of time for relief. Totally unacceptable.

If you have any doubt that I can be an outspoken critic when something is not right, please reread my previous articles. Something is wrong, it is wrong. There is no gray area when someone is being given less than perfect service for their money or efforts. Soldiers in a combat situation have given their best efforts with unequal compensation monetarily. Soldiers do what they do because of a sense of responsibility and love for their country. Thank God for all of us.

I saw a sweatshirt this past fall that tells the whole story:

HOME OF THE FREE BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE

We are indeed fortunate that these men and women are proud of their country every day, not just for the "first time in their life". Yes, I am quoting an unfortunate statement made by a current political contender's immediate family.

That said, back to the Victoria Outpatient Clinic. This is such a well-run machine one feels compelled to check the entrance door again to be sure it is indeed a U.S. Government facility. The personnel operating this location are the highest of professionals. Not one patient have I seen treated with less than full respect and heartfelt empathy.

There's a camaraderie here, of course. The commonality among the patients is obvious. The skill and courtesies of the staff reflect the inherent pride of the military. The organizational skills of this clinic are phenomenal. Any private medical facility could take note and be better for it.

Imagine if you will the following scenario. Many basic health matters are routine-annual tests or checkups such as mammography, blood work, physchological, etc. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, potassium deficient, osteoarthritic, any number of things, an outstanding computer system tracks your health situation. A notice is sent through the mail that you're due testing or followup care.

Should you need a prescription refilled, the process could not be smoother. Either call the toll free number, read your Rx numbers to the automated answering server, and voila, your prescription(s) are mailed within 10 days. The VA website www.myhealthevet.gov is outstanding. Not only can you conduct business, the site is a virtual gateway to any health issue you may want to research or deal with. The entire site is an ongoing work in progress, but imagine if you will being able to access your personal health care records, history of medication, ask questions and receive answers via the contacts portal.

Check out the Wal*Mart website Prescriptions Refill section. This is an example of how the VA system works, but not nearly as all-encompassing and health-ful as myhealthevet.

I could go on indefinitely about the merits of the VA-Victoria Outpatient Clinic, but I won't. Most of us won't have an opportunity to watch this splendid environment at work. I would have no apprehension about suggesting any physician, clinic, or hospital would do well to imitate this organizational system.

Dollar General Store

2008-03-04T13:26:00.014-06:00

What has happened to my Dollar General Store. I thought it was my imagination, but others have noted this as well. Their prices have escalated at an incredible rate. Maybe not as fast as gas prices, but once they started increasing, the prices of many items were the same as or higher than those of other stores locally.

The DG does, of course, offer a lot of novelty items. It can still be interesting to browse if you have extra time. You could run across something that you can't live without. Be alert on the paper products. Used to be you could rely on Dollar General having the best price for toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, and so forth. Not true any longer, I'm afraid.

They do offer refrigerated items now, and I find this quite handy sometimes. If all I need is milk and eggs, I've run into Dollar General and quickly acquired these necessaries. Their refrigerated items have always been fresh and comparably priced to the bigger stores.

I miss the days of dashing into the grocery for just a couple of items. Now there is no such thing as dashing into a grocery. I am made to walk all the way to the back for common basics like eggs, butter, orange juice. I really miss the HEB's old store where you had a quick checkout at the door for those buying just a few small items and in a hurry.

The customer service at the Dollar General remains top rate even if their pricing has gotten out of hand. I've only had one bad experience, well more aggravating than bad, at the store fronting the Wal*Mart lot. The young girl had a case of "I'll wait on you when I'm through flirting with the young man behind the counter with me." I asked if there was a chance I might get waited on within the hour. Her attitude reflected how rude she found my request to be. Haven't seen her there in a while though. Possibly she wasn't treating just me as an annoyance to her immediate agenda.

All in all, for the pitiful salary they're paid, DG employees are pleasant, helpful, and professional. Maybe that was the young lady's problem. She felt her service was commensurate with the salary she was paid.

Save A Lot Groceries

2008-03-02T20:59:00.004-06:00

Save A Lot Groceries
Laurent Street

Some have had instant nose tilted upwards attacks when mentioning the Save a Lot store on Laurent. I suppose their social class deters them from hobnobbing with the poorer folks. That's OK. More room in the aisles for we who appreciate a bargain and quality at the same time.

I used to be snooty about my buying preferences. If the label did not display a nationally known, respected brand, it certainly did not share space in my grocery cart. The introduction into refined society of "generic" food products caused many a heart to flutter. As prices escalated, however, and the "generics" didn't seem to have killed too many people, attitudes changed. Some of us were still too "cool" to be seen with off-brand anythings, but we were sneaking them into the house, believe me. We often see them referred to now as the "store brand". Ooh, how much more refined.

The variety of items available at Save a Lot is certainly not in league with HEB or WalMart, but it serves the purposes for most of my needs. They don't have a big selection of meats, but any I have purchased have been good. Their canned foods leave nothing to be desired. Just as good to me and mine as Del Monte or Libby.

Again the frozen section doesn't offer a big selection, but is satisfactory for most needs and definitely easier on the budget than some other stores I could mention. But won't.

Products other than food have held some pleasant surprises for me. I absolutely adore my Swiffer picker upper. But have you priced the refills for this thing? PRICEY. Well, I found the little cloths, damp and dry for just $1.00 per pack. Work just as well, and makes me giggle every time I think of money saved.

Ultra Glo Bleach Alternative Premium Dish Liquid is better than most Palmolive dish detergents and almost as pleasing as Dawn, my favorite in the past. One huge bonus to me. Are you sitting down? The back label says, "Product of USA". Yeah!!!!! Plenty of suds, cuts the grease, lasts through a bunch of dishes, smells good, and made in the USA. Now beat that, if you can.

One area I miss and depend on HEB or WalMart for is the fat free cheeses, dressings, sugar free products, etc. WalMart also has some of the best store brand yogurt I've ever tasted, and at a good price.

Hold on to your chair. I ran in one day during a downpour outside (not in the store itself). Of course, my umbrella was at home. Right by the door was a stand with umbrellas. Hold on - They were $1.00. That is correct - one dollar. That was months ago, and I'm still using it. I know. The rainfall hasn't exactly qualified us for rain forest status yet, but still....

Lastly, the customer service is unexcelled. From the manager to every cashier (or is it sales associate?) polite, helpful, and upbeat rules. You are absolutely not going to believe this one: My purchase was $20.10. I had the $20, but was short the 10 cents. Had it in the car, however, or could have pulled out the plastic. No, uh uh. The cashier from two registers away took a dime out of her pocket and sent it over after the other two searched and found no change in their pockets. Wouldn't let me repay her either when I came back in.

On the whole you can save money at Save a Lot, but there are items that are priced the same, and some priced higher than it's local counterparts. This is the exception rather than the rule, however.

I absolutely hate shopping, especially for groceries, but I do love this store when I must venture into the shopping jungle.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

Master Eye Associates

2008-03-02T17:31:00.005-06:00

Master Eye Associates
Victoria Mall

The huge ad for EyeMasters in Sunday papers has a little notation at the bottom alerting the potential customer that an "independent doctor of optometry is located next door".

After some diligent research the name of the DO surfaced and is "Master Eye Associates". Furthermore, they appear to operate a chain of "independent DO offices next to EyeMasters" in many locations throughout Texas. Their web site will tell you about all the wonderful things they do and their excellent attention to customer service.

Call me silly, but customer service to me means NOT alluding to something and then telling me it's not included in the exam special. Specifically, a recent ad for EyeMasters included about a 1/2 page devoted to Master Eye Associates (otherwise known as the independent doctor of optometry next to EyeMasters). Why do those two names sound suspiciously too similar to be sheer coincidence?

Oh, back to the coupon debacle. Directly above a nifty coupon for $49 EYE EXAM is a little blurp stating:

Eye Exam Includes Testing Of:

Distance Vision
Near Vision
Muscle Balance
Eye Coordination
Glaucoma
Cataracts
Potential eye health problems

Silly me. I mistakenly thought the $49 coupon included the complete listing for an Eye Exam appearing directly above it. Nope. The glaucoma exam is not included, and the price jumps upward for this service. Whether or not the other listed eye exam tests are included in the $49 price, I didn't even bother to ask. I had already heard enough to begin feeling the creepy crawl of deception.

I admit I got a little upset over this. The receptionist, as well as an "independent doctor of optometry", I suppose, who stuck his head out the door let me know forthwith that they did not do the ads or coupons. It was out of their hands. They didn't really know who did it, but they knew for sure it wasn't them.

Now maybe some don't consider this deceptive, but I am convinced there is a little backtracking on the honesty factor when a coupon appears right below a list of "Eye Exam" inclusions. Well, my consumer sense of fair play led me to search and search and then search some more until I found a web site for Master Eye Associates. I shipped a customer reply concern to their customer service people relating that my Consumer Feelings had been hurt.

As you may guess, quite correctly, I got no return response.

There is probably no connection, but for the past three weeks the EyeMasters ad has only included the little blurp that "an independent doctor of optometry" can be found next door. NO Coupon and NO list of what an eye exam includes. Think of the money they saved last week. The ad was only one page instead of the usual two.

Bravo! I'd rather be told nothing than to believe the written word to be true and it's not. Oh, darn, forgot about that little star (*) advising that some restrictions apply. Makes it all legal, even if it's not ethical.

Empowered by: Consumer Awareness

Texas State Optical (TSO)

2008-03-02T10:02:00.000-06:00

Texas State Optical
505 E. Mockingbird
Victoria, Texas

Frustration can quickly set in when trying to find reliable, honest service with such a commercially aggressive business environment. There is definitely no shortage of optical service and sales in Victoria. Sears, WalMart, JCPenney, EyeMasters, EyeMart, ad infintum. The difference is what they offer for how much, and is there an inkling of deception in some of their advertising.

Item of interest: WalMart is the highest priced eye exam of the five around the Victoria Mall and their prescriptions are comparable to and sometimes higher than the other four.

We'll talk about one of the good guys first. TSO gets five stars right up front for their pleasant and helpful staff. Unlike some optical businesses in town, their attitude seems to reflect that they are there to help you, not that they will tolerate you (if they must).

The Sunday coupons that allude to great service at fantastic prices even without the coupon can be seriously misleading. "Restrictions apply" is really the rule, rather than the exception. It is a likely possibility that you won't find out until after the exam that your nifty money-saving coupon is worthless. You just don't have the eyes that fall into the "covered by coupon" arena. That pesky really bad eyesight thing apparently is more bothersome than the not so bad or perfect eyesight. Oh, that astigmatism is gonna cost you even more. Bifocals? Trifocals? Cha-ching. The $49 eye exam quickly becomes the $149++ money sucking vacuum.

Definitely ask exactly what the restrictions are and what the exam cost actually covers before putting your eyes to the machine. Remember they're measuring your visual acuity and hoping your mental acuity is left at home. Just because the list of what constitutes a normal eye exam is right above the coupon, don't expect the coupon price to cover all the normal eye exam points.

We have become a society of despondent victims. The majority, particularly those without insurance and in the bottom half of the economic range, feel they're going to get screwed no matter who they choose to do business with. Usually they're right. This is possible because people are giving up and going away without even a hint of questioning the screwing they just took. That's why when someone dares to point out discrepancies or hidden agendas, the personnel get really PO'd. Be a good little customer and go with the flow. Sad state of affairs.

After encountering the coupon scams, I decided to start calling ahead and asking just what exactly their services covered for the charges. By no means did my survey cover all or even a majority of the optical businesses in Victoria, but it did cover the more commercialized.

Texas State Optical came out by far the winner in the Consumer Friendly critique. For $59.00 their exam covered the gamut of expected areas from visual acuity to dilation and checks for eye health, as well as corrective needs. I had to ask twice if $59.00 really covered everything. Yes, I was assured twice. No surprises after completion of the exam. $59.00+ the cost of corrective equipment (glasses or contacts) which they have available in their on-site lab. Absolutely no pressure to buy from their lab, however. Your choice to either take the prescription and go elsewhere or let them provide this service, too.

Two of my friends went to TSO and we were all so pleasantly surprised that they got exactly what was described. One of them, according to the doctor, had so little change in prescription since his last exam that he needed new glasses only if he wanted a different frame or lenses. The other got her glasses within a week and said her experience with the staff at TSO and her attractive new eyewear were outstanding.

Thanks to TSO for treating customers the way every business should, with respect and fairness.