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The Consumerist Comments Code

It's time to start applying stricter standards to the wild and woolly world of Consumerist comments. 1) Commenters will have to try harder with that first audition comment to get approved. 2) Hired a new comments moderator. Her name is Roz. 3) Drafted a code of behavior for the comments, posted inside. Read it and let us know what you think, we can still make tweaks, at moderator@consumerist.com.

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By Ben Popken
11,661 views

Wal-Mart

Man Bitten By Rattlesnake At Wal-Mart

The AP reports that a man was bitten by a snake inside the garden center at Wal-Mart in Pembroke Pines, FL. The unidentified 42-year-old man was taken to the hospital and received antivenin for the pygmy rattler bite. Fortunately, these bites are rarely fatal. This is not the first time that a pygmy rattler has attacked a Wal-Mart customer.

Man bitten by snake in garden center [AP] (Thanks to Lee!)

9:23 PM on Sun Jul 6 2008
By Jay Slatkin
2,062 views, 24 comments

Customer service

JetBlue Can't Decide If They Charged An Unaccompanied Minor Fee

JetBlue promised Catie's husband in March that the $798 fare charged to fly his children from Austin to Boston included the unaccompanied minor fee. But when Catie recently called to verify the reservation, she was told that her children wouldn't be allowed to board unless she paid an extra $200. More »

8:08 PM on Sun Jul 6 2008
By Carey
2,614 views, 6 comments

unacceptable food

This Partially Filled Half-Gallon Of Milk Is Reasonably Priced

Pretend you're a manager at Ralph's and you notice two-inches of milk missing from one of your half-gallon milk containers. What do you do? More »

6:35 PM on Sun Jul 6 2008
By Carey
5,976 views, 31 comments

Latest by thelushie: @Smashville: I think we are conditioned to think that half empty equals half consumed. So even if the seal is intact, it will probably still gross some people out. @RetailGuy83: If they ban you, I willl miss you. *sniffle* (You can more »

Unemployment

The 20 Best And Worst Cities For Unemployment Benefits

Losing a job is bad enough, but your unemployment benefits can vary wildly depending on where you live. The L.A. Times compared unemployment benefits to the cost of living and picked the twenty best and worst cities to be unemployed. More »

4:15 PM on Sun Jul 6 2008
By Carey
5,774 views, 53 comments

Life Insurance

Spherion Corp. Steals $426,000 From Widow

Thomas Amschwand knew he was dying and did everything in his power to make sure his wife would be able to collect his $426,000 life insurance policy. Yet when the 30-year-old succumbed to heart cancer, his employer, Spherion, a temporary staffing company, told his widow Melissa that she would receive nothing. More »

1:30 PM on Sun Jul 6 2008
By Carey
9,718 views, 51 comments

Someone Think Of The Children

Brooks Brothers Thanks Three-Week Old Infant For Requesting Their Catalogue. What?

Reader Jillian thought she was keeping an eye on her three-week-old son, Benjamin, but apparently, he managed to sneak away and sign up for a Brooks Brothers catalog. As Jillian explains, "either I have a very preppie prodigy on my hands, or his name is already on a mailing list." More »

11:30 AM on Sun Jul 6 2008
By Carey
3,688 views, 31 comments

Latest by magic8ball: As other commenters have mentioned, the hospital is not allowed to give out or sell patient information. However, if the OP signed up for any free stuff while in the hospital, the information she used to sign up is fair more »

American Airlines

American Refunds Canceled Plane Ticket, Keeps $15 Checked Baggage Fee

American refunded Josh's airfare after canceling his flight to New York, but not his $15 checked baggage fee. Though the fee is listed in their system, American won't issue a refund unless Josh sends a formal request letter along with his baggage claim receipt to Tulsa, Oklahoma. More »

10:15 AM on Sun Jul 6 2008
By Carey
4,195 views, 17 comments

Bad Consumer

Meet The Man Who Faked Heart Attacks To Escape Dinner Bills And Cab Fares

Police arrested Robert Farnham for "habitual criminality" and "fraud on a restaurant" after his doctor reported him for faking heart attacks to avoid paying bills. The Wisconsin resident, who has been caught pulling the same routine five times this year, most recently keeled over in Applebees to avoid paying $22.66 for a "steak, salad, mashed potatoes, a soda, a strawberry smoothie and a brownie." More »

10:10 PM on Sat Jul 5 2008
By Carey
8,907 views, 64 comments

Sprint

Don't Maintain A Negative Balance With Sprint Or They Will Disconnect Your Service

Sprint disconnected Bill's service for "exceeding his account spending limit," even though his account had a -$50 balance and he was signed up for Sprint's Simply Everything unlimited plan. Sprint quickly reactivated Bill's phone after he pointed this out, but warned that his service "will probably shut back off in a couple of days." More »

7:15 PM on Sat Jul 5 2008
By Carey
9,317 views, 44 comments

Le Petit Fromage

Not Even Mini Babybel Cheese Can Escape The Grocery Shrink Ray

Violating every conceivable standard of decency, the Grocery Shrink Ray has unleashed a heartless attack on baby cheese. Mini Babybels, those adorably pudgy wax-encrusted cheese cylinders, were once allowed to grow until they reached 132 grams. Now, the Babybel's are a stunted 120 grams. More »

4:00 PM on Sat Jul 5 2008
By Carey
2,716 views, 27 comments

Latest by Triterion: Man, BabyBell is already insanely expensive for a tiny little chunk of delicious cheese, but there are alternatives that taste just as good, they just don't come in those handy little baby packages... more »

Groceries

15 Easy Ways To Save Money At The Supermarket

Saving money at the supermarket has never been more important or difficult thanks to the tag team threat of inflation and the Grocery Shrink Ray. Get Rich Slowly published 15 money-saving tips to help you hold onto your hard-earned cash. More »

1:30 PM on Sat Jul 5 2008
By Carey
12,906 views, 76 comments

Laptops

Travelers Leave 12,000 Laptops In Airports Every Week

Absentminded travelers flummoxed by airport security leave 12,000 laptops in airports every single week. Only 30% are ever recovered. More »

10:45 AM on Sat Jul 5 2008
By Carey
7,956 views, 42 comments

Hypocrites

Procter & Gamble: Pringles Are Not Potato Chips

Seeking to evade a 17.5% sales tax, lawyers for Procter & Gamble successfully argued that Pringles aren't actually potato chips. Even though all Pringles containers are clearly marked "Potato Crisps," Procter & Gamble's lawyers argued that "Pringles don't look like a chip, don't feel like a chip, and don't taste like a chip." More »

9:15 AM on Sat Jul 5 2008
By Carey
12,821 views, 89 comments

4th of july

Video: Fireworks Are Fun Until They Blow Up In Your Pants

Enjoy yourselves out there this 4th, folks, but do remember to be careful with those fireworks, as seen in this edited version of the CPSC fireworks safety video set to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. It's funny when mannequins blow up. Your hands, jeans, or the desk in front of your face, not so much. More »

12:26 PM on Fri Jul 4 2008
By Ben Popken
7,760 views, 46 comments

In Brief

Gas-Mileage Savings Calculator Shows True Cost Of Trading Your Guzzler For A Sipper

FROM JALOPNIK.COM: As much as it may hurt to have to fill up your car every month (or week), the price of gas still isn't high enough to make trading in for a hybrid a reasonable solution for most, a reality punctuated by the Gas-Mileage Savings Calculator from Edmunds. More »

9:30 AM on Fri Jul 4 2008
By Matt Hardigree
16,145 views, 64 comments

curves

Curves Leaves Working Computer Full Of Personal Information In An Office Dumpster

Reader Adam writes in to let us know his relative found a working Dell computer in the dumpster at his office complex. It appeared to be in functional condition, so he took it home. Sure enough, it took only a bit of tweaking before it was back to working order—as a Curves Fitness employee and customer information smorgasbord. More »

10:25 PM on Thu Jul 3 2008
By Alex Chasick
10,509 views, 51 comments

Latest by consumedchick: this ids a huge deal. But, the reaction of management is what gets me. They must be so stupid. They are lucky this guy even called. This could d have been a huge thing for this franchise. idiots more »

Spherion Corp. Steals $426,000 From Widow

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