The Consumerist

78-Year-Old Woman Forced To Leave House She & Her Husband Built In 1956

2012-05-16T20:00:00Z

]]> After the story of a 78-year-old grandmother being evicted from the home she and her husband built in 1956 hit the news, public outcry over the story has granted her a bit of a reprieve. The tricky part of all of this? Her daughter says her mental faculties are making it hard to figure out who exactly holds the mortgage.

The News Sentinel in Knoxville reports that after an earlier story ran about Mary Cate and her family's plight, the family said they've gotten an extension to stay a few weeks longer, until June 15. Mary Cate lives with her two teen grandchildren, who will be able to finish the school year, as well as her son, who is wheelchair-bound.

Mary Cate and her husband built the home in 1956 themselves, and until 2007, owned the home outright. She then took out a $60,000 mortgage on the house to make repairs, and fell behind on payments after undergoing open-heart surgery three years ago.

"Some of it was my fault," Mary Cate told the paper, saying she got confused after receiving information from two or three different people about the loan. "I kept sending payments, but it wasn't the same (mortgage) company. They kept changing. The people from Arkansas who have it now have never spoken to me whatsoever."

Her daughter said no one knew about the mortgage until recently.

"I didn't know (about the loan) and had no idea this had taken place until a month ago Thursday," she told the paper, adding that her mother's declining mental faculties have made figuring out things difficult. She tried, unsuccessfully, to withdraw her teacher's state retirement fund early and pay off the loan.

"Over time, they sold the loan out and I've had a hard time finding out about it," said her daughter. "I've felt like a little fish in a sea of bureaucrats."

An eviction specialist hired by a local realtor to handle the removal has said she won't handle the case.

"I'm not going to do it," she told the paper. "That woman is too old and fragile to be put out on the street and set on the curb. All I could think about was what if that was my grandmother in that situation? I know it's a job, but all money is not good money. It's morally wrong."

Mary Cate won't be headed to the curb -- her daughter said she, the two grandkids and her brother can move in to her home with her husband.

This isn't the first time we've seen elderly people pushed out of their homes, unfortunately: There was the 103-year-old woman and her 83-year-old daughter who were saved from eviction when police and movers refused to move her out; a 101-year-old woman evicted from her home in Detroit and an elderly woman forced to move out after a deed mix-up.

*Thanks for the tip, Gary!

Public responds to Strawberry Plains widow facing eviction; brief reprieve given on forced move [News Sentinel]

For Some Reason The Idea Of Cat Tongue Candy Is Less Than Appetizing

2012-05-16T19:00:00Z

]]> How about biting into a nice chocolatey piece of candy resembling a rough cat tongue suitable for licking up hair and dirt from a furry pelt? Yum? We're always amazed at what companies come up with that somehow made it first into the "Yes!" bin of ideas and then end up on store shelves. Cat Tongue candy, you might be the weirdest thing yet.

Shannon found herself face to face with Lenguas de Gato at a gift shop in the Los Cabos Aeropeurto in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She notes, "I did not try it or buy it. I was too repulsed by the idea of a chocolate cat tongue."

She also thought the kitty in the picture looked kind of sad, perhaps because "she was cursed with a chocolate tongue that these candy distributors stole from her."

We're sure her cocoa-dusted hairballs must be downright delicious.

UPDATE: Reader Niki writes in to encourage the idea of cat tongue candy gaining worldwide domination, saying: "As a native Austrian, I am quite familiar with them. They are a chocolate delicacy in Austria. They get their name from a French bisquit that is called "langue-de-chat."

Feel free to send pictures of any other odd foods you spy on store shelves to tips@consumerist.com. We wouldn't mind having something to take our minds off edible cat tongues.

Verizon To Kill Grandfathered Unlimited Data Plans

2012-05-16T18:39:54Z

]]> If you were one of the Verizon Wireless customers who was allowed to continue their unlimited data plans after the company switched to tiered pricing last summer, we have some bad news. The company says it will be eliminating grandfathered plans as it rolls out LTE service.

Speaking at the J.P. Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said customers currently enjoying unlimited 3G data access will have to switch to VZW's soon-to-launch data-share plan when they move to 4G LTE service.

Explained Shammo:

LTE is our anchor point for data share. So, as you come through an upgrade cycle and you upgrade in the future, you will have to go on to the data share plan. And moving away from, if you will, the unlimited world and moving everyone into a tiered structure data share plan.

"Everyone will be on data share," said Shammo. "A lot of our 3G base is on unlimited... [and] when they migrate off 3G they will have to go to data share."

This is precisely why we opposed the AT&T/T-Mobile merger and wireless consolidation in general. Consumers need to have options when companies decide to pull the rug out from under them. Now at the very least, people still have a small handful of national options.

Verizon will kill 'grandfathered' unlimited data plans, push users to data share [Fierce Wireless]

Verizon CFO says grandfathered unlimited plans on the way out
[Engadget]

Texas Farm Bureau Applauds Domino's For Keeping Pigs In Small Cages

2012-05-16T18:30:00Z

]]> Just how much room pigs need to root around and snuffle is a hotly debated topic. And while some fast food chains have moved to phase out confining gestation crates for pigs, Domino's recently decided to continue using the controversial devices -- and is receiving some love from the Texas Farm Bureau for doing so.

The Dallas Observer points out that the Texas Farm Bureau gave the pizza chain a hearty slap on the back after Domino's shareholders recently rejected a resolution suggested by the Humane Society of the United States for a ban on gestation crates.

Other large food chains, including Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's and Safeway have all announced plans to phase out the use of the small cages, which prevent sows from moving around.

The publications director for the Texas Farm Bureau, Mike Barnett, is pleased as punch with Domino's and its decision, posting a letter on the bureau's blog praising it for "showing some backbone to the animal rights activist group," while others "caved to their demands, fearing HSUS will stir public outcry and reprisal if they don't."

He adds that research and science should determine what animal welfare standards should be, instead of "animal rights activist groups" trying to end food-animal production.

Meanwhile, the HSUS has a different opinion. Its policy director Matthew Prescott says:

We're a nation of animal lovers. We care very much about how animals are treated and that doesn't stop on the farm. American farmers have a long history of innovation and the Texas Farm Bureau and Pork Producers Council refusal to address these issues really sells farmers short. I think farmers want to farm. They don't want to run a factory of widgets lined up in a row. They should take note of that and let farmers be farmers.

The Texas Farm Bureau Applauds Domino's Support For Gestation Crates, Orders a Pizza [Dallas Observer]

Judge Cites Steve Jobs' Own Words In Refusing Dismissal Of E-Book Suit

2012-05-16T18:00:00Z

]]> Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' words came back to haunt the electronics company today. Its attempt to have a judge dismiss charges of e-book price-fixing were refused, in part because of things Jobs said during his time with Apple.

Apple, along with the owners of MacMillan and Penguin, still face charges from the Justice Dept. that they conspired to institute so called "agency pricing," in which the publisher -- rather than the seller -- determines the final retail price of an e-book.

Agency pricing began when Apple got into the e-book business following the launch of the iPad. The idea was to make prices even across the board between Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers, which of course just meant higher prices for consumers.

In her ruling today, the judge Jobs' own statement to publishers that, under agency pricing, "the customer pays a little more, but that's what you want anyway."

Apple and the publishers have been arguing that agency pricing wasn't a deliberate attempt to hurt Amazon's market share but was about improving efficiencies of distribution.

The judge disagreed, writing that, "It has everything to do with coordinating a horizontal agreement among publishers to raise prices, and eliminating horizontal price competition among Apple's competitors at the retail level...

"With the fortuitous entry of Apple into the market for e-books, and the decision by Apple to join the price-fixing conspiracy, that horizontal conspiracy became a potent weapon for engineering a fundamental shift in an entire industry."

The DOJ has already agreed to settlements with three publishers -- HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette. In spite of the dismissal request, Apple has stated it is willing to stand trial on this issue.

NY judge: Apple statements damage lawsuit position [AP]

Delayed Air Canada Passengers Pass Time With Free In-Plane Concert

2012-05-16T17:30:00Z

]]> Being stuck on a delayed, crowded plane -- even for a short period of time -- can be an ordeal. But for Air Canada passengers waiting on the tarmac to take off for their flight to Bucharest, they were lucky (or perhaps unlucky, depending on your taste in music) to be traveling with members of the Lemon Bucket Orkestra.

Taking advantage of the 20-minute delay at Toronto Pearson International Airport, decided to break out their instruments and perform a brief, impromptu concert for their fellow passengers, some of whom seemed to really enjoy it; a few of whom looked like they would rather have been reading the in-flight safety guide in peace.

Check out the video below and decide for yourself whether this is something airlines should encourage:

[via BlogTO.com]

Thanks to Chris for the tip!

Walmart Customer Goes In For Oil Change, Drives Away With 'Satanic Symbols' On Car

2012-05-16T17:15:00Z

]]> This could be the auto service equivalent of rude receipt messages. A woman in Texas says that a recent trip to Walmart for an oil change resulted in devilish markings being left behind on the underside of her vehicle.

The woman says that during her last visit to Walmart, a helpful employee pointed out to here that someone has written "666," followed by what appears to be an upside-down crucifix and a pentagram, in sealant.

"Who does that? Being the Satanic symbols, it puts a bad omen. I mean, what if it's a curse?" the customer asked CBS Dallas-Fort Worth.

The employee figured that it had likely happened during the woman's previous oil change, as the sealant used is the exact same color as that used at Walmart.

"He had an attitude," the customer says about the Walmart worker who she believes is responsible for the writing. "Very sassy. By the time it was all said and done, I spent about three hours at that Walmart just for an oil change."

A Walmart rep tells CBS:

We've looked into the matter. And although we've been unable to confirm the details, we never want our customers to have an unpleasant experience. And we've reached out to the customer and will continue to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, the customer says she will take Walmart up on its offer to have the marking scraped off.

Safeway Suspends Employee After He Stopped A Man From Hitting Pregnant Girlfriend

2012-05-16T17:00:00Z

]]> We've gotten multiple tips from readers expressing disgust at Safeway, after an employee in California was suspended without pay for intervening in a domestic assault situation inside the store. The police called the worker a hero for stopping a man from hitting his pregnant girlfriend.

CBS 5 in San Francisco says Ryan, a meat clerk at a Safeway in the Monterey area, was going about his job when he saw a man beating his girlfriend, who is six months pregnant.

"Every few seconds he would turn around and push her and then he actually kicked her," Ryan said. "I told him to calm down and he was just irate."

He added that the man refused to stop, so he jumped in to break it up.

"I saw no one was intervening in the situation and I just became afraid for her safety and also other customers' safety," he said. "The guy was out of control and pretty much lost it in there."

The chief of police said if the employee hadn't done what he did, things could've been worse for the victim. Despite that, Ryan was suspended without pay from Safeway for violating company policy.

"We understand about policy, but at some point someone has to do something. And in my mind, in this case Ryan did the right thing," said the police chief.

Ryan has no income and his wife is five months pregnant, but he doesn't regret what he did.

"How many people have been injured, murdered, whatever in front of everyone because everyone looks the other way and no one wants to get involved?" he said.

A manager at a Safeway store in San Francisco told the news station that employees are supposed to contact store security or a manager if they see a conflict inside the store.

*Thanks to all our tipsters!

Monterey County Safeway Worker Suspended After Stopping Assault [CBS 5 San Francisco]

AT&T Upgrades DSL Customer To U-Verse, Slower Internet, Static

2012-05-16T16:32:58Z

]]> Cameron moved recently, but not all that far away. Just to another apartment within the same building. Not so bad. He's been an AT&T DSL customer for six years, but the Death Star wants to wean customers off DSL and get them onto U-Verse. Cameron was told that he couldn't be reconnected to DSL down the hall, so he upgraded to U-Verse. Only the upgrade is more of a downgrade. To lower Internet speeds and static on the phone line.

For the past 6 years, I have been getting my DSL and home phone service through AT&T. Both services have been extremely reliable, and the DSL's 6 Mbps max speed has suited my needs. Recently, I decided to move into a larger apartment in my building. I ended up renting the unit right next door, meaning my entire move was approximately 15 feet down the hall. Sounds like it should be an easy move, right? Well, leave it to AT&T to screw things up.
Upon calling AT&T to schedule the move of my services, the rep told me that AT&T no longer offered DSL in my area and that I need to upgrade to their "fancy" U-Verse service. I was a little hesitant to pull the trigger, but they assured me I could retain my current 6 Mbps speed and explained how future upgrades to the U-Verse network would give me the option to increase my speed up to 24 Mbps. They also offered to waive the $100 charge for the new modem/router, so I decided to go for it.

Now this is the point in my story where I could go on for pages and pages about the technical issues with the service, the hours wasted on the phone with technical support, and the time spent waiting at home for 4 separate visits from AT&T technicians, but I will spare you that grief. In short, my phone line has an abnormal amount of static in it, which makes talking on the phone a pain in the butt and causes the modem to regularly drop the internet connection. This has been going on for 3 months now and I have contacted AT&T at least 12 times. Finally, in my last communication with Tier 2 tech support, I was informed that the static in my line (and subsequent internet problems) were being caused by my 6 Mbps connection. You see, in order to qualify for a 6 Mbps speed, my building would have to be within 6400ft of the service box in the area...my building is 8084ft from that box. The only fix for this? Lowering my internet speed to 3 Mbps.

The Tier 2 rep suggested I call the retention department and have them switch my service back to DSL if I want to keep my 6 Mbps speed (DSL is not subject to distance/speed issues that U-Verse is). I called, and wouldn't you know it, AT&T has "removed all of the DSL nodes from my area" (whatever that means). My only remedy...lower the speed to 3 Mbps. Being the generous company they are, AT&T did offer to lower my monthly rate a whole $2 a month for the inconvenience. Thanks AT&T! It's great to see that in a market as tiny as Los Angeles, you can offer your customers a service that was top-of-the-line back in 2002.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to enjoying my slower downloads, medium quality Netflix streaming, and sporadic X-Box Live connectivity.

P.S. - Since downgrading my service, my internet connection has stabilized...but I still have static in the home phone line (**le sigh**).

Size Matters To Apple: New iPhones Will Reportedly Have Larger Screens

2012-05-16T16:15:00Z

]]> Hey, iPhoners, remember when you scoffed at your friend's Android and what you called its "ginormous screen" while lovingly cradling your tiny, precious iPhone? Looks like people really do want bigger screens on their smartphones, as a new report says Apple is preparing to build four-inch screens for its next-generation iPhone.

The Wall Street Journal cites sources familiar with the situation who say Apple has already placed orders for the new displays from its suppliers in Asia.

The new screens will measure four inches from corner to corner, which would be about a 30% increase in viewing area. The 3.5-inch screen has been used by Apple since the iPhone's introduction in 2007, but the pressure to compete with companies like Samsung and its new Galaxy S III phone with a 4.8-inch screen seems to be a factor in this screen stretching.

Early production of the screens has reportedly begun, and production orders from Apple could arrive as early as June. That would allow for manufacturing to begin on the phones in August, which then means you could have your hot little hands on the newest gadgetry in the fall. Be still, all those beating hearts.

Apple declined to comment on the buzz, which of course makes it all even buzzier.

Apple Moves Toward Larger iPhone Screens [Wall Street Journal]

Chiropractor Who Gave Skechers Such A Great Quote Is Also Married To A Skechers Staffer

2012-05-16T16:00:00Z

]]> As we mentioned earlier today, among the many pieces of evidence in the FTC's $40 million settlement with Skechers over deceptive advertising for the shoe maker's toning sneakers is one claim about a supposed "independent" clinical study undertaken by a chiropractor -- who may not have been totally unbiased in his research.

In ads for the shoes, a Dr. Steve Gautreau of California is quoted as saying:

After performing a six week clinical trial testing the benefits of SKECHERS Shape-ups, I am confident in recommending them to patients to increase their low back endurance and improve gluteal strength. Patients also benefited from weight loss and improved body composition.

But the FTC says that maybe Skechers should have gotten that quote from a different doctor, one that isn't married to someone who works for the company:

The FTC alleges that this study did not produce the results claimed in the ad, that Skechers failed to disclose that Dr. Gautreau is married to a Skechers marketing executive, and that Skechers paid Dr. Gautreau to conduct the study.

Today's Skechers settlement is the second such settlement reached in just the last year. Back in September, Reebok was hit for a $25 million bill on similar allegations, though we don't recall any charges of familial bias in that case.

Virgin Atlantic To Allow Some In-Air Mobile Phone Calls

2012-05-16T15:45:00Z

]]> If you are fan of the relatively chatter-free ambiance of the airplane cabin, this will probably not come as good news. On the other hand, if you're someone who finds the whole "no cell phone calls from the plane" thing tiresome, this may brighten your day a bit.

Virgin Atlantic became the latest passenger airline to allow in-flight cellphone calls, after it announced that passengers on some flights from London to New York will have the option of using their wireless devices while up in the air.

But there are so many restrictions on cost, carrier and number of passengers that you need not fear having to spend your flight listening to one half of an endless phone call about what jerks the guys in the London office are and how people in the UK drive on the wrong side of the road.

First, the service will only be available on Virgin's A330 Airbus planes, though the airline will begin retrofitting its Boeing 747s too.

Second, only people with service from O2 or Vodafone will have access to the wireless service. So your AT&T device won't be of use.

Then there's the cost. At $1.20/minute, you'd better have something important to say to the person on the other end of the phone.

Finally, only six passengers at a time can access the service, so even if they opened it up to all major carriers and brought down the price, you still won't have an entire plane calling home to mom.

"The service is intended for use in exceptional situations, when passengers need to send an SMS, make a quick call, or access an e-mail on a BlackBerry," the company said in a statement.

Virgin Atlantic launches in-flight cell use [Cnet]

Skechers To Pay $40 Million In Refunds Because Putting On Shoes Is Not A Workout

2012-05-16T15:15:01Z

]]> News flash: you can't work out by not working out. As we predicted in November, the Federal Trade Commission has settled with shoemaker Skechers over claims that their rounded-bottom Shape-Up shoes helped wearers to tone their lower-body muscles and lose weight. These claims were all over ads and promotional material for the shoes, including an ad that aired during the 2011 Super Bowl.

Shape-Ups ads featured the endorsement of an "independent" chiropractor who claimed to have conducted a study that proved the superior health benefits of wearing Shape-Ups compared to regular old flat-bottomed sneakers. According to the FTC, there were a few problems with this claim: first, the studies didn't prove what the good doctor claimed, he just happens to be the spouse of a Skechers marketing executive, and the company paid for that not-so-independent study.

Here's a sample ad provided during the FTC press conference on the settlement today:

In the future, Skechers can't make claims about any of the following in their athletic shoe ads unless they're backed up with actual research:

claims about strengthening;

claims about weight loss; and

claims about any other health or fitness-related benefits from toning shoes, including claims regarding caloric expenditure, calorie burn, blood circulation, aerobic conditioning, muscle tone, and muscle activation

Did you buy these shoes? You can check out the info and even file for a refund at the FTC's site for the settlement.

PREVIOUSLY:
Skechers Prepping For Possible FTC Settlement Over Shape-Up Ads

Shareholders Sue JPMorgan & CEO Jamie Dimon Over $2 Billion Loss

2012-05-16T15:00:00Z

]]> Late last night, two separate lawsuits were filed against JPMorgan Chase & Co and its Chief Operating Officer, Jamie Dimon, accusing the bank and its management of excessive risk that led to trading losses of at least $2 billion.

A spokesman for the bank declined to comment on the lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, says Reuters.

Meanwhile yesterday, at the bank's annual meeting, Dimon also faced JPMorgan's shareholders directly for the the first time since the news of the loss broke last week, reports the Associated Press (via ABC News).

He offered a quick, blunt apology, saying the trading loss "should never have happened." He reportedly spoke about the loss for about four minutes, and two more talking about the company's accomplishments throughout the last year.

Of the trade, a bet on credit derivatives, Dimon said, "This should never have happened. I can't justify it. Unfortunately, these mistakes are self-inflicted." He also later told reporters: "The buck always stops with me."

Dimon won a non-binding shareholder endorsement of his pay package from last year, around $23 million, with most of the ballots cast in the weeks before the loss was revealed.

Shareholders sue JPMorgan Chase over trading loss [Reuters]
Subdued Dimon Is Confronted Over $2B Trading Loss [Associated Press]

Massachusetts Creates Fake Scam Websites To Warn People Of Real Scam Websites

2012-05-16T14:45:00Z

]]> Make a ton of money working from home! Lose weight by taking some fruit extract pills! Clear your debt today, guaranteed! Most of us know to give a wide berth to websites making promises like these. But the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation has decided the best way to educate the consumers is for the state to create its own slate of bogus sites that look eerily like real scam sites.

The repository for these pages, at topmassachusettsdeals.com, itself sounds a bit like something scammy. But that's where you can find pages for products and services like Flabkiller, Envelope Elf, and ModExperts.

Clicking on any of the links on these bogus scam pages will take readers to a page providing more information on how to identify and avoid similar ruses.

"The Internet allows cyber criminals to get into your living room without even being in the country," said Barbara Anthony, Undersecretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. "Every year consumers lose millions and millions of dollars to cyber-crooks in addition to something more important than money - their personal identity."