He writes:

Jay,

Thanks for alerting us to David’s discovery about Primo in “The Incredible Shrinking Water Bottle” post. First, we want to thank David for making the simple choice of choosing Primo over other bottled waters.

As your readers have pointed out, many beverage bottles alter when exposed to high heat. Because Primo bottles are made from a renewable plant-based natural plastic that is better for the environment that oil-based bottles, in some instances, exposure to high temperatures can alter the shape of the bottle. As with all beverages, we recommend storing Primo in a cool place. In addition, there should be no worry that any chemicals can leach into the Primo water. Rigorous testing indicates that regardless of temperature, there is no known leaking of chemicals from Primo’s natural, petroleum-free bottle to the water inside. Primo single-serve bottles are also 100% BPA free.

Thanks to your story, we will update the “frequently asked questions” section on our Web site at www.primowater.com to clarify these points.

Tim Ronan
Vice President Marketing and PR
Primo Water Corporation

Thanks for the clarification, Mr. Ronan. We also think that updating your FAQ is good idea.

PREVIOUSLY: The Incredible Shrinking Water Bottle

What is your idea for the most disgustingly delicious pizza?

Domino's Tests Limits Of What Humans Will Eat [The Onion]

According to CBS2's article,

"We saw a substantial drop in the price of crude oil, which it appears gas station owners were in a hurry to pass on to consumers," said Phil Flynn, Vice President an Senior Market Analyst at Alaron Trading.

"So often we hear gas prices rise like a rocket and drop like a feather, this time, they're starting to drop like a rock and that's a good thing," Flynn said.

That's partly because demand is down about 4 percent from where it usually is. Many people have put the brakes on driving this summer because it costs too much.

"We could see $3.70 in the city and if we get really lucky, maybe $3.50 by Labor Day," Flynn said.

Yes, there is a fine line between educated speculation and full on media whoring, but does Phil look like the kind of guy who would simply say what we all want to hear, just to get his name in the news? Ok, don't answer that.

Expert: Gas Prices Dropping Like A Rock [CBS2]

Editors,

I recently purchased a case of Primo bottled water. Like other products,
it's trying to a niche. Their spin is that the plastic in the bottle is
made from plants, not crude oil. Additionally, they claim the water tastes
just as good as the national brands. BUT the thing you aren't told is that
the bottle shrinks!

I left a bottle in my car while I was at work (I park in an open lot). When
I left work and got into my car, I noticed that the bottle was half its
original size. The bottle shrank after a few hours under the Houston sun.
Perhaps plastic made from corn by-products is not as durable as plastic
from petroleum. Whatever it is, I am concerned. If the bottle was full and
it shrank, it could have exploded from the pressure. Or it could have
gushed out as I was opening it. Because the plastic is so sensitive to 100
degree heat, it doesn't serve its purpose very well. And, this probably
means that toxins could be leaking out from the plastic.

Buyer beware!

I have enclosed a picture that compares the original bottle with the
shrunken version.

Thank you,

David

Degradable bottles seem like a good idea, we just don't want them degrading inside of our cars.

1. Herbs - While many herbs need sun, Land suggests growing parsley, which tolerates partial shade, and mint, which likes things a bit shadier. Land adds that in addition to being a wonderful fresh herb (don't forget to use those sweet stems!), giant flat leaf parsley also makes an excellent filler for flower arrangements.

2. Cherry Tomatoes - If you have a sunny spot, enough space for a whiskey barrel-sized container, and a 5-foot support, try planting an "indeterminate" cherry tomato plant. This plant will keep getting bigger all summer. Land points out you'll get a lot more yield for your space compared to a regular tomato plant.

5. Coral Bells - Land says these are beautiful even when they're not flowering. They're a great decorative option and they do best in partial shade. Land emphasized these would grow anywhere. "Even Alaska?," I asked. "Well," she answered, "parts of it."

Check out TheDailyGreen's article for the full list.

What are some of your favorite low-maintenance plants?

6 Plants That Will Grow (Almost) Anywhere [TheDailyGreen]
(Photos: Getty)

Consumer Report's article says,

The finding doesn't mean that Mexican jalapeños are the source—the pepper may not have been contaminated on the farm but somewhere else in the distribution chain. On the conference call announcing the discovery, the FDA identified the vegetable distribution plant as Agricola Zaragoza, Inc. of McAllen, TX. It’s a small operation, so it’s unlikely that this is the major source for all the problems. The peppers processed at the plant are being recalled.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that in addition to peppers, tomatillos are packed at this plant. Officials didn’t say where in the distribution chain this packing plant falls. Is it one step away from the field or many?

Still, it's a solid piece of evidence in an investigation that has confounded researchers—and consumers— for many months.

In the meantime, the government is warning consumers to avoid fresh jalapeños and products such as fresh salsa which contain jalapeños. Tomatoes currently on the market, are considered safe to eat.

The smokin' jalapeño: Salmonella strain discovered in pepper [Consumer Reports]
Salmonella found in a Mexican-grown jalapeño [MSNBC]
(Photo: Getty)

The Reader's Digest article says,

1. Above all else, be assertive. Dining out is no time to be a meek consumer, notes Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and coauthor of the book Restaurant Confidential. "You need to be an assertive consumer by asking for changes on the menu," he says. For instance, if an item is fried, ask for it grilled. If it comes with french fries, ask for a side of veggies instead. Ask for a smaller portion of the meat and a larger portion of the salad; for salad instead of coleslaw; baked potato instead of fried. "Just assume you can have the food prepared the way you want it," says Dr. Jacobson. "Very often, the restaurant will cooperate." Below, you'll find more specific requests.

2. Ask your waiter to "triple the vegetables, please." Often a side of vegetables in a restaurant is really like garnish — a carrot and a forkful of squash. When ordering, ask for three or four times the normal serving of veggies, and offer to pay extra. "I've never been charged," says dietitian Jeff Novick, R.D., director of nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Aventura, Florida. "And I've never been disappointed. I get full, not fat."

11. Do the fork dip. The best way to combine salad dressing with salad? Get your dressing on the side, in a small bowl. Dip your empty fork into the dressing, then skewer a forkful of salad. You'll be surprised at how this tastes just right, and how little dressing you'll use. Plus, your lettuce won't wilt and drown in a sea of oil.

13. Read between the lines. Any menu description that uses the words creamy, breaded, crisp, sauced, or stuffed is likely loaded with hidden fats — much of it saturated or even trans fats. Other "beware of" words include: buttery, sautéed, pan-fried, au gratin, Thermidor, Newburg, Parmesan, cheese sauce, scalloped, and au lait, à la mode, or au fromage (with milk, ice cream, or cheese).

16. Top a baked potato with veggies from the salad bar. Or ask if they have salsa — the ultimate potato topper, both in terms of flavor and health. Just avoid the butter and sour cream.

Check out the Reader's Digest article for the full list.

If the eating healthy thing is just not enough fun for you, just pretend this list called "20 Ways To Annoy Your Waiter," the list will work just as well for both.

Eat Smart When Dining Out: 20 Tips. [Reader's Digest] (Thanks to Mike!)
(Photo: Getty)

"Now, those who left their license at home or had it stolen have to answer a series of questions relayed to the screener by employees in TSA's operations center in Virginia, where employees have access to databases of public records, including those compiled by data giant Lexis Nexis," according to Wired.

If you have to fly without identification, memorize any old addresses, the date of your wedding anniversary and your children's addresses. The correct answer to questions like these may determine whether TSA lets you on your flight. Of course, you'd better hope that the answers that the TSA has are correct also.

One traveler who had her tax returns with her, says that TSA agents actually looked them over. TSA spokesman Christopher White said, "If a passenger has any type of documents, they can present them to assist in verifying identification. If she presented the officer with her tax return, we don't care how much money she makes—we just care about her identity."

We have already spoken to one reader who says that they were asked about their political party affiliation. Wired says,

The process of comparing answers to public records already caused a flare-up after one traveler was asked whether he was registered as a Democrat or a Republican, which TSA spokesman Christopher White called a "day one mistake," where a TSA employee looked at the available public records and asked a question off of the information in the files compiled by Lexis Nexis and others.

Are we to infer that this question is no longer being asked? Well, at least the answer isn't difficult to memorize. Certainly, some Consumerists have been through this process by now. What questions were you asked that weren't mentioned in this article?

Flying Without ID? Know What's in Your Files [Wired]
(Photo: Getty)

Hey Consumerist - I wanted to let you know about a scam that's going on right now, and is hitting many people, including myself.

A few weeks back, I saw a commercial for a product called the "Awesome Auger" on television. Normally, I would be reluctant to try products "As Seen on TV" because of their usually outrageous claims, but I had just had very good luck with the PedEgg (I would highly recommend it to anyone). I am an avid gardener, and figured that this would help, and at the low price of $19.99 plus $8.99 shipping and handling, it seemed like a really good deal and suggested my wife get me it for Father's Day. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly do my research on the company I was ordering from until after I placed the order, and ultimately, this turned into a disaster.

My wife, being the thoughtful person that she is, decided to order it for me. When my wife placed the order, you cannot even get into their site until you enter the credit card number for the order, which we both thought was unusual. She completed placing the order, and then called me and said that she thought it was very unusual that it doesn't give a total at the end for the order to even confirm the amount.

A few weeks passed, and finally we get a confirmation e-mail from the site - and now they are charging us for $56.80 instead of the $28.98 we thought we were being charged. Immediately upon receiving this notification, I was on the phone with the Awesome Auger company. I talked to an agent by the name of Amanda, a completely unfriendly woman who probably has to deal with call after call, who explained that the additional charge was for the shipping and handling on the "free" items, and that there was nothing she could do because "it says it somewhere on the site" (which as I said, we cannot even verify because you have to supply a credit card even before getting to this site). I asked to completely cancel my order, and she said that although the order hadn't been shipped yet it was sitting in their warehouse, so she couldn't completely cancel the order. I of course informed her of my rights as a consumer, and she informed me that once I did do a BBB complaint, and a chargeback THAT'S when they would be able to work with me. I asked for a manager, and was told that one was unavailable and that they would call me back.

I proceeded to call back immediately and try to get another rep. who possibly could help me a little more, and got Michael. Michael was much more friendly then Amanda but just as unhelpful, and even went as far to admit that he could understand how the website was "confusing", although he wouldn't straight out admit that it was misleading. He said he couldn't supply me with a full refund because the order has already been shipped (a contradiction of the phone call I had 5 minutes prior). I asked him for a shipping number, for which I looked it up and it shows on both FedEx and USPS that it hadn't been shipped (he said that both shipping companies handle the item). Michael forwarded me to Jill, the manager there, who told me that she would call me back after a few days.

During this time, I finally did the research that I should have done upfront, and found numerous sites (http://www.infomercialratings.com/product/awesome_auger_reviews for example) where people have ran into the same scam! Needless to say, I knew I wouldn't be seeing resolution. She did end up calling me back this morning, and refusing to offer any solution to the problem except me returning the items and paying for S&H. Jill even admitted to me that she had 4 other people to get back to with the same exact situation just this morning!

Consumerist, please do me a huge favor and make sure that your readers know to stay away from this scam, and anything that that shouting fool Billy Mays is advertising on TV.

One small update to the story - we've also discovered that this Awesome Auger company has also given our credit card information to one of their "partners." When this company called "Quality Resources" called us offering a $40 WalMart gift card, they indicated when they called that we made an online purchase with one of their "partners" - and the Awesome Auger is literally the only online purchase we have ever made with my wife's name and my cell phone number and they keep calling my phone asking for her.

Here's information on this company: http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-727-712-0382 , and they literally will not stop calling us after repeated attempts to be removed.

I beg you guys, please post this story so that no other consumers are going to go through this. I thank you guys in advance.

Thank you,

Patrick
Elyria, OH

We checked the link you provided and it seems you may have gotten off easy. One person writes about getting charged $90, and another one $146 because his zip code was far away.

We are certainly glad you had enough sense to use your credit card versus a debit card. Unless you have done so already, start your chargeback as soon as possible. Even if all the hidden numbers are tucked away somewhere on their sneaky website, credit card companies are usually pretty understanding about these types of scams.

So I think I figured out why I feel so dizzy and shaky and weak.

I'm allergic to corn and egg whites. The symptoms felt a lot like I feel when I have an allergic reaction, except my stomach wasn't upset. I thought back to all the stuff I ate over the weekend, and nothing was suspect. Everything was safe.

At first I thought it was a hangover and was just delayed in hitting me. But when I still felt bad last night, and then today, that's a lot more than a hangover.

Then I remembered, Saturday evening, I sprayed myself down with bug spray, and I accidentally breathed in a bunch of it. So I started looking up information on being poisoned by bug spray. I was looking to see if there can be a delayed reaction. There sure can. Since it had been 36 hours since I was exposed to it and I still hadn't felt better, I considered calling the poison control hotline.

But everything I read said to have the suspected product handy if possible when calling. Since I was at work, I decided to look it up online. I knew it was OFF! and I knew what the can looked like, so I headed over to their website. The first product I click on was it (emphasis mine):
OFF!® FamilyCare Insect Repellent I Smooth & Dry

Finally, a bug spray that doesn't feel like a bug spray! OFF!® Smooth & Dry has a unique cornstarch formula that dries on contact, leaving your skin feeling smooth & dry, unlike ordinary repellents. Feels good on… Keeps bugs OFF!® Repels mosquitoes, gnats, ticks, biting flies, chiggers and fleas.

* Aerosol (15% DEET)

Well, no wonder I feel like hell. I unintentionally filled my lungs with cornstarch. I'd bet it takes a lot longer to get something out of my lungs than it does my stomach.

I'm really careful about reading labels, but the only ingredient information the can had on it was the percentage of DEET. It didn't even have that lovely description that I pasted from their website above.

So I called it an early day from work today, intent on coming home and drugging myself up on Benadryl. But, my boss convinced me to call my doctor when I got home. I did, and I talked to a nurse who talked to the doctor and got back to me. She said to take 10mg of Lortadine (Claritin) 2x a day for the next few days. I'm assuming she said Lortadine because Benadryl will probably make the dizziness worse. It would definitely exaggerate the sleepiness.

So at least I haven't killed myself, and I hope this goes away soon. Although I'm really tempted to write a letter to the OFF! people...

You should write a letter to the OFF! people, SC Johnson, specifically. It seems logical to assume that there is someone out there with a more severe allergy than yours, who is looking for a non-greasy way to get rid of mosquitos. We're not lawyers, but we're guessing that printing a label that mentions corn starch would be cheaper than say, settling a wrongful death lawsuit.

The AP article says,

Each side agreed to pay its own legal fees, and American recovered nothing from Google, according to an order signed by Judge John McBryde.

American was upset that when Google users entered search terms such as AAdvantage, the trademark name of its frequent-flier program, the results included Web sites that had no connection to American.

The airline said the results could confuse consumers and divert customers from its own Web site.

Google compared its policy to grocery stores that give shoppers a coupon for Minute Maid orange juice if they buy Tropicana, or magazines that publish a Ford ad on the page opposite from a story about Chevrolets.

"Of course they are seeking to 'hijack' or 'divert' consumers who have indicated an interest in their competitors' products," Google lawyers wrote in a motion seeking to dismiss the lawsuit. As long as the companies don't falsely identify a product or service, it's legal, they said.

The Internet company has settled similar cases brought by other U.S. companies, including those brought by insurer Geico and retailer American Blind & Wallpaper Factory Inc., but lost cases in France.

Because what Google is doing does not meet the legal definition of false advertising, they seem to be in the legal clear to associate whatever keywords they want to whomever they want. Do consumers want search results that are unrelated to our search terms? No, but we will undoubtedly continue to use Google anyway, since they are the virtual god of the Internet, and they know it.

American Airlines and Google settle lawsuit [AP]

The TimesOnline article says,

An investigation, whose report was issued yesterday, found that only 1,000 of UBS's 20,000 American clients with Swiss bank accounts had declared their accounts to the IRS.

UBS will not hand over identities of all 19,000 of these customers because, sources say, it does not follow that every undeclared account has broken US tax law. Instead it will identify only those it believes may have engaged in tax fraud, although that number is expected to run into thousands.

Since the U.S. economy is failing at a record rate, we can understand why the U.S. Government is digging behind this centuries-old couch for extra money.

UBS closes Swiss accounts of US clients [TimesOnline]
(Photo: Getty)

Go to this Myspace link and select track 4. Winners will be announced on July, 22nd.

The SunSentinel article says,

Bain said he told contest officials up front about his past experience with the fast-food chain. Being a finalist has brought his life with McDonald's full circle.

On Memorial Day 1994, Bain and two other young men were thinking of robbing a bank, when they decided at the last minute to hold up a Miami McDonald's instead.

No shots were fired during the robbery. But Bain, the youngest of the three defendants, was caught on the spot and later charged as an adult.

"The law at that time was very tough, especially in regard to juveniles," said state Rep. Maria Sachs, D- Delray Beach, who at the time was Bain's defense lawyer.

In prison, however, Bain channeled his energy into his music. His talent for stringing lyrics together won him numerous prizes in prison talent shows, he said.

We wish good luck to Bain, we guess? Perhaps there is some sort of full circle thing going on, because now he is trying to make McDonald's money instead of stealing from them.

McDonald's robber is finalist in jingle contest — for McDonald's [SunSentinel]

In its current state, Proposition 65 is a catch-all for huge list of substances which if used on any product in California, must comply with the required warning labels like the kind we see below on Bill's flashlight. Because of the way that Proposition 65 is written, the warning label must be used, even if only a minute amount of lead is present.

According to Dr. Subhuti Dharmananda,

The warning labels required by Proposition 65 do not present information about the safety or the risk of the products; the warning about lead does not specify the actual amount of lead that is present or whether any particular amount is harmful. The requirement for a warning label is triggered when the amount of a regulated substance in a product exceeds a certain regulatory level, which is very low in the case of lead. According to the way Proposition 65 is worded and with the limited data about effects of exposure to lead, the labeling must be done if the total daily lead intake exceeds just 0.5 micrograms (µg).

In fact, many contend that Proposition 65 is really just a nuisance which does little more than provide ammunition for private citizens to collect damages from companies that they don't like. Wikipedia says,

Labeling requirements conceded the reality that listing and classifying substances did not help the consumer if the contents of a purchase were unknown. At the same time, there were no other labeling requirements to support the proposition. Industry critics and corporate defense lawyers charge that Proposition 65 is "a clever and irritating mechanism used by litigious NGOs and others to publicly spank politically incorrect opponents ranging from the American gun industry to seafood retailers, etc." [4]

In addition, because the law allows private citizens to sue and collect damages from any business violating the law, there have been cases of lawyers and law firms using Proposition 65 to force monetary settlements out of California businesses.[5] The Attorney General's office has cited several instances of settlements where plaintiff attorneys received significant awards without providing for environmental benefit to the people of California, resulting in the requirement of the Attorney General's approval of pre-trial Proposition 65 settlements.[6]

Given the proposition's overly broad scope, even companies who aren't using hazardous materials, simply go ahead and post the warnings, perhaps, if only to say "don't sue us!" Wikipedia says,

Nearly all businesses in the state post similar notices on their premises, even when they are unaware of any listed chemicals being present. Warning signs are always posted at gas stations, hardware suppliers,[2] grocery stores, drug stores, and medical facilities.[3] Most government agencies,[4] parking garages, apartment complexes,[5] retail stores,[6] banks, and restaurants[7] also post warning signs because of the possibility of hazardous chemicals being present in everyday items, such as a car or a computer, or because tobacco smoke from a passerby might drift in through an open window. Some large businesses, such as utility companies, mail a Prop 65 notice to all customers each year to warn them of dangerous substances like natural gas[8] or the sand used in sandblasting.[9]

Warning labels that warn against any infinitesimal risk are essentially useless. The outbreak of warning labels spawned by Proposition 65 is so widespread that consumers are being conditioned to ignore them. Even if some of these labels are trying to warn us against a legitimate risk, we are likely to ignore them since these labels "cry wolf" more often than they protect us.

California Proposition 65 (1986) [Wiki]
Proposition 65 [OEHHA]
Frequently Asked Questions About Proposition 65 Lead Warning Labels [ITMOnline]

PCMag's article says,

In a statement on its website dated July 14, Wal-Mart says the "program provides an opportunity for us to understand more about what our customers need and expect in home installation and technology services, within a specific market."

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, describes the program as a small pilot.

"There are no plans at this time to expand the service outside of Dallas other than to 15 select stores," Wal-Mart states.

When we hear the words "Walmart" and "computer repair" together, it's difficult to be optimistic. We just hope that they excel in all aspects of technical support and not just porn-recovery.

Wal-Mart Computer Repairs - Solution Stations vs Geek Squads [TrendHunter]
Wal-Mart Using Dell to Provide 'Solution Stations' [PCMag]

According to DivineCaroline, "After a long week at the 9-to-5, few things sound better than a relaxing massage and a bubbly drink. Clearly, I’m not alone—there are spas popping up all over the world, each one’s sole purpose to cater to our every desire. Papaya-scented body scrub? No problem. A mani-pedi-Botox package? Standard these days. Bull semen in your hair? You betcha!" See some of our favorite disturbing spa treatments, inside...

9. The "Other" Face Lift
At the Phit spa in New York you can revitalize your vaginal muscle tone. Their treatment can "restore labial and vulvar contour to a plump firmness" by using lasers.

4. Fish Reflexology
At Singapore's Sentosa spa you can enjoy the luxury of tiny Turkish spa fish eating the dead skin off your feet. Below you can see the fish in action.

3. Aberdeen Organic Bull Sperm Treatment
Hari's Salon in London offers a hair treatment that uses bull sperm which supposedly moisturizes, brightens and repairs your hair.

2. The Geisha Facial
The Shizuka Day Spa in New York uses a treatment that incorporates powdered and sanitized Nightingale droppings that contain natural enzymes which act as an exfoliant and a skin brightener.

1. Snake Massage
Israeli masseuse Ida Barak uses slithering snakes on your back which she believes has a calming effect and alleviates joint pain.

For the full list, check out DivineCaroline's article.

Ten Disturbing Spa Treatments [DivineCaroline]
(Photos: Getty)

"Step 1: Place a fraud alert on your credit files and monitor your credit reports regularly."
Contact at least one, but preferably, all three of the credit reporting companies and tell them to place a fraud alert on your credit report. Also provide a "victim's statement" asking them to notify you before making changes on current accounts or opening new accounts. You can reach the credit bureaus a few different ways:

Equifax : 1-800-525-6285; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian : 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion : 1-800-680-7289; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

There are also several other ways to get your credit report and a monitoring service.

"Step 2: Close the accounts that you know, or believe, are not opened by you or have been tampered."
Call each creditor and close any account that has been compromised by the identity thief. Request that the accounts be "closed by creditor's request," a simple "closed account" can reflect negatively on your credit report. Ask each creditor to send you the transaction records the identity thief made on your account. Creditors must provide this service, and do so at no charge.

If you encounter difficulty getting these records, send your requests by certified mail with return receipt requested so you have a document of when the creditor received your request.

"Step 3: File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ."
You can file a complaint with the FTC online by filling out an online complaint form or you can call them at the Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877- 438-4338; TTY: 1-866-653-4261. You can also notify them by sending a letter to Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.

"Step 4: Contact your local police or the police in that community where the identity theft took place and lodge a complaint."
Contact and inform your local police department about the crime and submit as much proof as you can. It is recommended to supply them with a copy of your FTC ID Complaint form, your cover letter and any other paperwork that support your claims of identity theft. Once you make sure the police report contains all the affected accounts, send it to all the applicable creditors.

"Step 5: Change all your account passwords."
If the identity theft involves your ATM or debit card, change their PINs. Add passwords to any account that doesn't have one and avoid obvious passwords.

5 Steps To Take If Your Identity Is Stolen [DebtConsolidationCare]
(Photo: Getty)

Maybe we're not the only ones that think some babies are creepy. For the creepy baby in your life, Cracked has assembled a list of 20 creepy baby products. The really creepy part is that all of these products are real and can be purchased online. Check out some of our favorites, inside...

Graphics and descriptions courtesy of Cracked.

20. Zaky Infant Pillow

18. Swimming Neck Ring

10. Metallica Lullabies

9. Manual Snot Sucker

8. Her First Heels

For the full list of 20 creepy baby items, check out Cracked's full article.

20 Baby Products Great For Traumatizing Infants [Cracked]

Please see attached photos. We recently went to a first birthday party, and received a thank-you card in the mail today. Unfortunately, the sender used a $0.41 stamp and did not write in their return address (see 'envelope.png'). As a result, our mail carrier took the time to fill out 'invoice.png'.

Let's do the math, shall we?

Entry level mail carrier salary is $40,000 per year. That's $769.23 per week, or $153.85 per day. Let's give them 10 hour days on average, and that's $15.38 per hour. 60 minutes in an hour, and that's $0.26 per minute. So assuming it only took one minute to stamp the envelope with the 'POSTAGE DUE' stamp, write in the number one, take out the 'carrier's statement' envelope, write in our address, our last name, his name, our town, and our zip code...he just cost the US Government $0.25. And that doesn't include the gas he burned idling at the top of my driveway.

And we thought that the paperboys who wanted their $2 were batshit crazy. However, if we literally interpret the postman's invoice (.01¢), you actually owe just one-one-hundredths of a penny. (The correct notation would have been $.01) Loyal Consumerists know that many people are confused about dollars and decimals.

1. ACCLIMATE. If you’re going to be gone longer than a couple of days, begin acclimating your body to the new time zone by altering your eating schedule three days before your plane takes off. If you’re heading west to San Diego from Boston, for example, three days before you leave, eat an hour earlier each day. Flying from San Diego back to Boston? Help reverse the acclimation and get back on home time by eating an hour later each day for three days.

5. HIT THE LINGUINE. Or any other carb-dense food at dinner on the night before your flight. Scientists have been arguing for some time about whether or not this decreases jet lag and increases your potential for normal sleep, but recent research on clock genes has uncovered subtle effects that indicate carbs boost your ability to sleep—particularly when you fly westward. No one’s quite figured out how they help, but they do know that carbs provide your brain with a source of tryptophan from which it can make the sleep-inducing neurotransmitter serotonin.

6. REFRIGERATE. If you’re flying during what would be night hours at your destination, try to get some sleep on the plane. Use earplugs to eliminate noise, an eyeshade to kill the light, and turn the air-conditioning valve on high. A third cue your body uses to set its internal clock is temperature. A lower temperature lowers your body’s core temperature and signals it’s time for sleep. A higher temperature raises your body’s core temperature and signals that it’s time to wake. To keep from getting too chilled, bring along one of those silk blanket-and-pillow sets that are sold through airline and online travel catalogs.

7. AVOID AIRLINE FOOD. A fourth cue your body uses to set its internal clock is food. Since airline food is served onboard according to the time at your home base, eating it can sabotage efforts to reset your clock to the time zone to which you’re traveling.

8. CONSIDER THE MEDICAL OPTION. Short-acting sleeping pills can help you sleep through an overnight flight. They can also help you sleep during the first couple of nights at your destination. That said, keep in mind that if a sleeping pill is taken just a little later than it should be on local time, it can exacerbate the effects of jet lag. Even worse, if the drug lasts longer than the flight, you’ll arrive drowsy at your destination—that’s not good if you have to drive or negotiate local transportation home.

Check out the Reader's Digest article for the full list.

In our experience, jet-lag remedies are like cold remedies in that everybody has a different one. What are some jet-lag remedies that you find to be effective?

15 Smart Ways to Beat Jet Lag [Reader's Digest]
(Photo: Getty)

On July 4, 2008, my guy and I decided some KFC extra crispy was in order, so we visited our local store. Now, every time we'd tried to order there in the past, there was always something wrong. Either they didn't have any extra crispy at all or they were out of biscuits— lack of preparation it seems to me. I convinced my guy that this time it would be error-free. I was so, so wrong.

After ordering our meal and driving to the window, we were informed that lo and behold, they were out of certain cuts of extra crispy (thighs and legs I think). But, the manager on duty was quick to supply extra pieces of original as compensation. Cool. At home we discovered there were no biscuits. We were both starving, but since we lived so close to the joint I thought we could just drive though with our receipt, get what we paid for, then go and eat.

At any other establishment, we could have done just that, but this guy was unprofessional and irrational and would not give us the biscuits. At no time did he ever concede that his crew could have made a mistake. He insisted they "remembered" our order and had given us the biscuits. He was rude and tried to make sarcastic comments like, "Your chicken's getting cold." What does that even mean?! Of course I would rather be at home eating it, you jerk. He told us we could have other people at home that we're trying to get biscuits for and that we would be surprised at how many people come through there looking for freebies. Proper customer service does not include telling irate customers they are wrong, simply because others are liars. Besides, the way we were treated those people were most likely telling the truth! Anyway, we refused to leave without what we paid for, he ignored us, customers were leaving the drive thru, we were yelling, "We want our biscuits"— it was ridiculous, man.

Finally, after at least twenty minutes, he shoved the biscuits at us saying, "Here. This is just so you'll get the fuck outta here."

I was livid. And my question to you is: What sort of chain-of-command exists in franchises? Are the owners the end of the line? This manager was the owner's son, so I'm thinking there's really no punitive action there. What kind of supervision do these franchises have, or can they just operate in whichever neglectful manner they please?

I would appreciate some help with this, Consumerist, because this was unacceptable, and I just want someone with authority to help them understand that.
Thank you.

If you can directly contact the owner, that would be a good first step, but there's no telling if he would blindly support his son or be extra-tough with him. Occasionally, we've noticed that when some customers go up the chain-of-command at food joints, there is sometimes a person who actually seems to care a little. If this happens, consider yourself lucky. You can also fill out a customer comment on KFC's website here. Additionally, they list their "Customer Satisfaction Number"—perhaps, it should be the customer dissatisfaction number: 1-800-225-5532. Good luck!

(Photo: kevindean)

He consumed 1 teaspoon measured in a medicine cup which in its concentrated state contained 20 times the prescribed dose (100mg) and within hours, his organs began to fail and had to be placed on a ventilator.

The KSLTV article says,

Laurie Scott said, "This shouldn't have happened. It was needless. It was senseless and it's changed lives forever, not just Jessie, but there are other people who love him and his future."

Laurie trusted what she gave her son, what had been filled, was correct.

"I always ask questions. I've always medicated him his whole life. I'm the caregiver and it makes it extremely difficult," she said.

After 16 days in ICU, Jessie moved to intermediate care for another four days, then to HealthSouth for intensive therapy.

Wal-Mart Corporation issued the following statement to KSL News: "This is a very sad situation. Our thoughts are with this young man and his family."

There was a dramatic turn of events this weekend. For the first time, Jessie spoke, though the words are limited and intermittent. We will continue following his story in the weeks and months to come.

What makes this even more infuriating is that pharmacists receive extensive specialized training to prevent these exact types of situations. We are supposed to be able to trust that the medication the pharmacy prepares won't kill us, or worse. We are, however, shocked that Walmart seems to actually be acknowledging the error—they usually deny everything until the point of absurdity. Our thoughts are with the Scott family, we hope that Jessie gets better soon.

Teen in coma after wrong dose of medication [KSLTV] (Thanks to Seth!)

The article says,

A KFC spokesman, Rick Maynard, said KFC is committed to the highest levels of food safety.

"Our franchisee does not agree with the court's verdict, and they are looking at their legal options," Maynard said Monday.

The suit also alleged that Andrew, his wife and their children were victims of an employee scheme that targeted police officers.

"Employees maintained 'special servings' of food reserved for ... officers," the lawsuit said. "The 'special servings' had been urinated in or spit in by KFC/Taco Bell employees."

The employee accused of urinating and spitting in the Andrew family's food, Casey Diedrich, pleaded guilty last year to violating the Nebraska Pure Food Act and fined $100, according to court records. The prosecution was for the same incident described in the lawsuit.

A company spokesman said last year that Diedrich eventually was fired for missing work but not for any of the incidents the lawsuit cited.

What's even more shocking than the food contamination itself is that the management did nothing to prevent the family from consuming the tainted food. We can understand how the concept of CYA (cover your ass) may have been a factor, but when information has been brought to your attention that directly impacts the safety of your customers, as a restaurant manager, the only reasonable action is prevent anyone from consuming that food. Now, I'm starting to wonder about all the times that KFC has left me feeling nauseous—I better not.

Neb. cop, family win $40K over urine-tainted food [AP]
(Photo:Scott Ableman)

2. There are almost never any sick days in the restaurant business. A busboy with a kid to support isn't going to stay home and miss out on $100 because he's got strep throat. And these are the people handling your food.

3. When customers' dissatisfaction devolves into personal attacks, adulterating food or drink is a convenient way for servers to exact covert vengeance. Waiters can and do spit in people's food.

4. Never say "I'm friends with the owner." Restaurant owners don't have friends. This marks you as a clueless poseur the moment you walk in the door.

13. Never, ever come in 15 minutes before closing time. The cooks are tired and will cook your dinner right away. So while you're chitchatting over salads, your entrées will be languishing under the heat lamp while the dishwasher is spraying industrial-strength, carcinogenic cleaning solvents in their immediate vicinity.

Check out Readers Digest's article for the full list.

We can think of no better time to abide by the Golden Rule then when eating at a restaurant. On two occasions, I actually exited a restaurant before the food was served because I felt that I had displeased the staff and feared their retribution. After reading these confessions, I think my instincts were dead-on.

13 Things Your Waiter Won't Tell You [Reader's Digest]
(Photo: Getty)

In order to use the new service, users will need to be an Xbox Gold-level member which costs $50 a year. Naturally, they will also need a Netflix membership, but it has to be above the base $4.99 membership level.

The article says,

Confirming another pervasive rumor, the software upgrade will let users create avatars (which look a heck of a lot like Miis on the Nintendo Wii) and invite their friends to a “Live Party.” The Netflix partnership means that users can also invite their friends to watch movies with them too — something that has a few attendees here pretty excited.

“I like the idea of being able to be in a game, talking with friends and someone will say something like ‘I’ve never seen Office Space.’ And thinking that I could go, stop the game and make that person watch ‘Office Space’ with me,” says Edie Sellers, contributor to podcast site GameHounds.

Netflix has been like a pure virginal daughter to us at The Consumerist. We feel as if Microsoft, the biggest slimeball in town, is whisking away our daughter for a wild trip to Vegas where we know she will ultimately be deflowered. Their union fills us with worry and a sense of dread which emanates from the pit of our stomach. Don't you hurt our daughter, Microsoft, or we'll f'ng kill you.

Microsoft partners with Netflix on Xbox Live [MSNBC]
(Photo: Getty)

The misconceptions:

"You can wash it all off"
Sometimes the contamination is within. With veggies like raw bean, alfalfa, clover or radish sprouts, it is possible that the seeds have been contaminated.

"Local means safe"
According to the scientific director of the Food Safety Network at KSU, "It's more important to ask whether a farm is located near a high concentration of wildlife, what type of fertilizer is used, what water source is used and how often it is tested and what hygiene practices were used during the harvesting, storage and transportation processes."

"Fruits and vegetables are safer than meat products"
Because fruits and vegetables are often uncooked, anything they into contact with could contaminate them.

"A meat thermometer isn't necessary"
Instead of guessing, experts recommend a meat thermometer to be sure.

"Cooking kills everything"
You knew that proper cooking protects you against botulism and mad cow disease, right? Wrong, it doesn't.

"Food left out is harmless"
According to the USDA, foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and casseroles should be discarded if left at room temperature for more than two hours. If it's 90 degrees or hotter, then one hour.

For more delicious factoids, check out 8 Common Foodborne Illnesses And Their Symptoms.

In Depth: Top Food-Safety Misconceptions [Forbes]
(Photo: Meggito)

The article says,

Even though he knew the child was autistic, he said he did ask the Martins to leave.

Gail says she feels like Chief Rushton should have been more understanding about what was going on with her autistic daughter.

"We can't just lock them up, they have every right to be out in public like everyone else," Gail said.

Now Gail hopes her story will bring more awareness about autism.

Gail said, "I wasn't embarrassed of Alyssa's behavior, I was embarrassed of the way it was handled." Chief Rushton did not make a statement but did say that he thought Alyssa was being extremely loud and bothering other customers.

Since then, Rushton has agreed to go through training with the South Carolina Autism Society "to help him better understand the condition." Also, the Martins plan to meet with the police commissioner at City Hall.

Obviously, nobody wants to hear a screaming child while they are dining out, but has society become so intolerant that when a child cries we should expect the police to order them out of the building?

Family ordered to leave restaurant because of crying child [WIS10]
(Photo: Getty)

Hey, it’s Ashlee again. You can add to that story that the insurance company for Wal-mart has just called me to say they are not doing anything about it because I took it to a mechanic first, instead of going to Wal-mart… because this process “tampered with evidence.” Don’t you think any normal person would take a sick vehicle to the closest mechanic to try and get help?

Also, Wal-mart sent an older gentleman with a ponytail, and an unprofessional demeanor to the GMC dealership (where the car is supposed to be getting fixed) to assess the damage. He said he found no oil anywhere, no problems, and the engine ran great when he turned the car on. So I called the manager at the GMC dealership who immediately went out to look at the car himself…. He found “oil everywhere” and he heard severe “rod-knocking” when the engine was running, which he says is a sign of a serious engine problem. He seemed appalled at this, too—just as much as I was! Wal-mart killed my car, then denied it, and now I am hiring a lawyer. I have plenty of picture evidence, and plenty of witness accounts. And as for the condescending insurance rep that snickered at me over the phone when we asked for my date of birth, this is not the last time you will hear from this little 22 year old.

They won't pay because you decided to take your damaged Saturn to a non-Walmart mechanic? That is typical insurance company bullshit. What do you think would have happened if you had taken it to a Walmart mechanic? They would have denied everything and blamed it on something else—it's simply a catch-22. It sounds like you are handling the situation correctly so far. Make sure you gather and record every bit of information you can, doing so will provide your lawyer with the proper ammunition to fight your case. Hang in there, Ashlee and keep us updated.

PREVIOUSLY: Walmart's Botched Oil Change Destroys Your Engine

Long time reader; first time submitter. Going for greenlight! ;D

We ordered a pair of keyboard covers 'condoms' for one of our CNC machine PCs. The CNC has a habit of throwing aluminum strips around and getting stuck in the keyboard at the workstation next to it.

While Dell made with fast shipping from Texas in 2 days, they made the glaring mistake of excessively overpackaging the 2 items that weigh less than a few grams.

It bothers me to think of how many other items could have been shipped via Plane/UPS truck. With gas and the economy the way it is now, this is really over the top and quite unnecessary.

Edit: Items were 14.99 per - The shipping cost $16.00?!

Bravo Dell

Sixxtwo

The stupid shipping gang triumphs once again! Is there no stopping this wasteful bunch? Will common sense ever catch up to the stupid shipping gang? Stay tuned for more exciting episodes.

Stupid Shipping Gang: New Dell Version 7-10-08 [Consumerist Forums]

I needed an oil change. After all, I had driven across the country from Georgia to Colorado. Walmart seemed to be an obvious choice, be it that I was unfamiliar with the area, and a familiar name would just be easy and reliable—or so I thought.

Last Saturday I made a decision I would soon regret... I got my oil changed by "oil technicians" and Wally-World. Driving no more than a mile or two each day after that I noticed no problem and was relieved to have the oil changed and taken care of for the time being. Thursday afternoon Courtney and I were excited to be let out of work early, so we packed up the vehicle and hit the road toward Denver for the holiday weekend. No more than 30 minutes into the trip Courtney heard a strange noise and made me listen for it. It didn't sound normal so we pulled over as soon as the road permitted. Having just gotten the oil changed it was my first thought to check the dipstick. Empty. Nothing. A glance under the car lent a horrifying view of a filthy bottom covered in leaking oil and a smoking drive-train closer to the rear.

My next thought was to get On-Star. Push the button. Nothing. Empty rings into oblivion, then the automated operator informs me that she is unable to connect to On-Star. A lone biker-man stopped, and confirmed what we had already gathered... which was that we were pretty much out of luck. Then another car stopped, leant us a few drops of oil that was left in a bottle he had in his trunk. They advised us to coast back down the mountain and try to get back to Paonia, where we had come from. We made it back, barely. Coasted into the only mechanic in town. Bob the mechanic then informed me that the oil cap was put back on improperly when the oil was changed, causing the o-ring seal to bust and the oil to simultaneously leak out, leaving the engine to run metal on metal and in turn ruin my engine. $4000 was his initial estimate, and that was just a courtesy as he is not actually equipped to replace entire ENGINES!

Keep in mind that I own a 2006 Saturn Vue, which only has 54,000 on it. No prior mechanical problems to speak of, until Walmart's "technicians" got their hands on it. Currently trying to work with Walmart and their insurance company to see if they will pay for the replacement of my engine, parts & labor, the cost a rental car (since the GMC dealership told me it would take about 2 weeks for repair)... and I want quarts of oil for LIFE! Final estimate from GMC was $5,875!

BOOOOOOO Walmart for sure this time!! Don't get your oil changed there, go to a REAL mechanic! Just do not shop there, period.

We would like to see Walmart take responsibility for the botched job. Our thinking is that if they can't even do the retail store thing right, what chance to they have on a car with hundreds of moving parts? You would have actually been better off if Walmart didn't change your oil at all and just lied about it.

Wal-mart Automotive Center = DEATH & DESTRUCTION! [Ashlee's Blog]

• Reader Mizmoose is too big for a single airline seat. It had never been a problem until he found himself being berated by Northwest Airlines. Is Southwest's policy any better? (Hint: YES!)
• Sam's Club sold Acidreign's wife gasoline adulterated with water. But Sam's Club stepped up, admitted responsibility, and took care of the problem the right way.
• Looking for a great price on some nifty gadgets and a mop bucket? Check out a few photos from Sharper Image's liquidation.
• Do delicious recipes appeal to your taste? Look no further than the forum's "Recipe Swap" thread.
• Forums moderator Brian gets his hands on the iPhone Software 2.0 Update, check out his review.

[consumeristforums.com] (Thanks to Brian!)

10. Watermelon
You can't buy a whole watermelon for a buck, but a serving is only 20 cents or so and it has good amounts of Vitamin C, potassium and lycopene.

9. Broccoli
Is low in calories and price. It also a good source of vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber.

8. Garbanzo Beans
They are high in fiber as well as iron, folate and manganese.

7. Bananas
They are high in potassium and contain about 3 grams of fiber in a single banana.

6. Nuts
A good source of essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and protein. Most nuts, except for pecans and macadamias, are low in cost

5. Apples
A good source of pectin and Vitamin C.

4. Potatoes
Eaten with the skin, potatoes contain a half day's worth of Vitamin C and have a decent amount of potassium.

3. Kale
This is a dark, leafy green and has a healthy amount of Vitamin C, carotenoids, and calcium.

2. Eggs
You can get a half-dozen eggs for about $1. They are a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin.

1. Oats
Oats are high in fiber and carbohydrates. A dollar can buy you over a week's worth of oats which you can eat with fruit or bake into cookies.

What are some of your favorite inexpensive health foods?

The 20 Healthiest Foods for Under $1 [DivineCaroline]
(Photo: Getty)

The article says,

“It was like somebody decided ‘we’re going to send stuff to her, and she’ll pay for it,” [her son] Teddy Vail said.

Over five years, anywhere from 6 to 10 different agencies have asked his mother to pay for the unsolicited datebook, Teddy Vail said.

Vail said he must have explained the situation to collection agencies 30 times.

“They listen patiently. Then they say, ‘Well, can we work something out here to get this paid for?’ It’s like they’re not really listening. All they want is the money.” Teddy Vail said the amount the credit card company claims is owed has risen to about $130.

He paid $200 in fees just to file the lawsuit, he said.

“Yes, she could have paid for it a long time ago. But that’s not my ma. I know it sounds frivolous, but you’d have to be here, getting phone call after phone call after phone call, for five years. There’s a principal involved —- feeling like we’re being extorted and strong armed by these collection agencies,” he said.

Most people would just roll over and pay the money, but that's probably what Sears is banking on. Being harassed by debt collectors for five years is no way to live, especially for something you never ordered. We hope Margaret's lawsuit sends a message to shady companies that make a practice of pilfering our nickels and dimes.

Mansfield 80-year-old fights Sears with lawsuit over $6 datebook [Mansfield News Journal] (Thanks to Rachel!)

Huey writes:

In preparation for our family reunion

On June 21, 2008, the Tsao family was ready to board on the Carnival Glory at Port Canaveral, FL for our family reunion. The traveling party included: Fred Tsao (Grandfather), Alex Tsao(father), Huey Tsao (mother, 26 weeks pregnant at the time of voyage), and two very enthusiastic daughters (Elise 5 yrs. old, Natalie 3 yrs. old) We were ready to meet up with Byron Tsao (brother in law) and Tetsuko (sister in law) who were flying in from Nicaragua to meet us at the next port. All members of the Tsao party flew in from out of town: Virginia, California, and Nicaruaga.

Mommy Tsao (aka Huey Tsao) was prepared with the doctor's note declaring it was safe to travel and to confirm the gestational period of 26 weeks. According to the pregnancy policy from their "Welcome Aboard: Things to Know Before You Sail" document (which was sent along with their boarding passes) "Guests who are 27 weeks or more into their pregnancy at the time of the voyage will not be permitted to sail because of the risk of premature labor," (page 10.) Since we were at 26 weeks at the time of sailing, we thought we were within the Carnival pregnancy policy.

Denied at the terminal (misinformed by Carnival Cruise)

It was not until after we were given our boarding cards (Ship & Sail room card) that another Carnival agent, Patricia Lyons approached us to ask about my pregnancy. She asked how far along I was. I responded that I was within the "safe" 26 week travel period and handed her my doctor's note stating that I was at "26 weeks gestation without any complications permitted to go on cruise to leave on 6/21/08"

Ms. Lyons said that according to the Carnival website, their NEW policy was revised from 27 weeks to 24 since January 1 2008. She proceeded to talk with her supervisor, Kathy Bianchi, who reiterated to us that their policies have changed.

When we asked for written proof of this new policy, they were unable to show us any documentation of the new policy. When we asked to speak to the manager at the port, Ms. Lyons said that Ms. Bianchi was the highest authority—the supervisor at the terminal.

Ms. Bianchi claimed to have made a call to their corporate office in Miami to clarify their new policy. According to Ms Bianchi, "You have an obligation to check our website in case we change our policy. We cannot let you board the ship."

Carnival Unwilling to accommodate our requests (to document their decision)

We again asked for Carnival to show us this new policy in writing. However, Ms Bianchi they said they did not have the new policy in written form available, and that we should check online. Obviously, we thought that was unreasonable given that we were at the check-in counter and did not have any access to the Internet.

We asked to speak with the authority in Miami that Ms Bianchi allegedly spoke to. Again, that reasonable request was denied.

We asked for Carnival to document this incident so we can refer it to their corporate office. Again we were denied: Ms. Lyons said "I am not allowed to do that." Ms. Lyons only handed me a card with the Carnival Reservations Administration Research Department contact information and stated that she will be writing up an internal report regarding this decision.

I asked if I could have a copy of this internal report, and Ms. Lyons said "I am not able to do that."

I finally asked for a refund, they said that I needed to call the Miami office to settle that with their corporate office.

In short, Carnival changed their policy on pregnancy, but neglected to state the change in the Welcome Aboard document. If Carnival even sent an addendum to notify of this change policy, we would have made alternative arrangements such as booking an earlier cruise comply with the new policy.

Instead, they tell us we should have checked their website, a typically arrogant corporate remark. Then they refuse to show us the new policy in writing. They would not allow us to talk to their corporate office (to whom they allegedly talked to) to confirm the policy. Any they would not document this incident in any way for us. We cannot even prove they denied boarding.

When it became clear they would not let me board, I insisted that the family go on without me because I was concerned that the entire family would lose the tickets if they did not board. I stayed with Mike and Alison Lee, who were our good friends in Orlando.

Two days later, I was interviewed by Mary Nguyen of WFTV (ABC affiliate in Orlando) regarding this experience. CNN picked up the story, and we suspect the resulting bad publicity caused Carnival's PR department to issue a cruise credit to me.

It was Carnival's negligence in sending the incorrect outdated policy that lead to me getting literally stranded at the dock. I felt the cruise credit was the least they could do. (Also, they did not even include the fuel surcharge and the port taxes in the cruise credit, which we already paid but never used.) Considering their extremely unhelpful attitudes and the fact that the family reunion was ruined for everyone in the group, I believe it would be more appropriate for Carnival to issue cash refunds for everyone in the group.

We agree that Carnival should have done more to inform you of their policy change. Since you had a clean bill of health from you doctor, it would have been nice if they had made an exception for you, but they are not required to do so. Considering the rest of your family already took their cruise, we think that asking for a cash refund for the entire family is unrealistic. However, if you focus on trying to get a cash refund for just yourself, you may get better results.

Graphic courtesy of Style.com:
Check out the full list at Style.com

Hotlist:Hamburgers [Style.com]

1. "Be your own salesperson"
Robyn Eckerd from Kelley Blue Book says that owners usually get a better price for their vehicle when they sell it on their own instead of trading it in to a dealership. In fact, the market is so bad for SUVs that some dealerships won't even accept them as trade-ins.

2. "Price it right"
When you set your price, check out its current value on Kelley Blue Book's web site. Also, take a look at a site like AutoTrader.com to get a feel of a common asking price. Keep in mind that the prices in AutoTrader might be high since there are many who are content to set a high price and wait, since they don't need to sell quickly.

3. "Advertise online"
AutoTrader.com says 61% of used-car buyers start searching online. Some other sites you could use are Carsdirect.com, Cars.com or eBay Motors.

4. "Provide plenty of details"
Autotrader.com recommends at least 25 pictures which should include shots of your SUV's cargo space, fold-down seats as well as your odometer and any scratches or dings.

5. "Build credibility"
Spend $25 and get a Carfax Vehicle History Report which says if a vehicle has been in an accident or flood. You could also pay about $150 for an independent mechanic to inspect the car. A clean bill of health makes a great selling point.

Finally, don't get so focused on high gas prices that you are willing to unload the SUV at any price. Try to get enough for your SUV to cover any outstanding loans and to cover the price of your new car. If that's not possible, it may be more sensible to keep the SUV and try to use it more efficiently.

5 Ways to Unload a Gas-Guzzling SUV [SmartMoney]
(Photo: Getty)

Third-party debt collectors are regulated by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) which is overseen by the FTC. Here are few practices which are prohibited under the law:

Harassment
Debt collectors cannot make threats of violence against consumers or publish lists of those who don't pay their debt. They may contact you in person, by mail, or by fax but can only call you between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. unless you have agreed to alternate hours. They are also not allowed to use obscene language or call repeatedly (i.e. several times a day).

False statements
Debt collectors cannot misrepresent themselves. They cannot not falsely imply that they are attorneys, government agencies or that they work for a credit bureau. They cannot say that papers being sent you are legal forms if they are not, or say that they are not legal forms if they are.

Unfair practices
Debt collectors may not collect an amount greater than your debt, unless your state law permits it. They cannot use deception to make you accept collect calls or pay for telegrams. They also cannot threaten to take your property or contact you by postcard.

Linda Sherry of Consumer Action recommends that if a debt collector contacts you, the first thing you should do is ask for proof of the debt which should consist of a paper document with your signature stating that you applied for the debt. Also, be aware that some debts have a statute of limitations which could be from 3 to 15 years. Check your state's laws to see if your debt is still collectible because once you pay a portion of the debt the clock resets again.

You can stop a debt collector from contacting you if you submit a written request to them. Once they receive the letter, they cannot contact you again except to tell you there will be no more contact. Additionally, if you have an attorney presiding over your debt, they must contact the attorney instead of you.

Just because you are in debt, doesn't mean that debt collectors have the right to harass you or operate outside of the law. If you feel that a debt collector has violated the law, you can file a complaint with your state's Attorney General office and the Federal Trade Commission.

Debt collectors on the rampage [CNN]

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act [FCC]
(Photo: Getty)

The article says,

[Linda Hawkins] hopes that Ruby Tuesday accepts responsibility and does whatever is necessary to see that this doesn't happen again," said Chicago attorney Joseph Leonardi, speaking on behalf of the Hawkins family.

Hawkins, 35, collapsed and went into anaphylactic shock Thursday night soon after consuming the shellfish at the Ruby Tuesday on Tara Boulevard, according to an autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The welder and aspiring rapper was rushed to Southern Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead a half hour later.

Investigators have suggested a mix-up in the dinner order, but won't file any criminal charges.

"He had ordered the Chicken Fresco and the Chicken Oscar was brought out by mistake," said GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) spokesman John Bankhead.

Ruby Tuesday said its own review revealed no such error.

"Our investigation of this incident, which includes interviews with the server and manager on duty and the collection of their written notes of what occurred, clearly indicates that the guest ordered Chicken Oscar, a dish that contains crab meat," Rick Johnson, a spokesman for the company, said in a statement sent to the AJC on Tuesday.

"The server's order pad and the ticket to the kitchen also verify the accuracy of the order."

The two dishes, restaurant officials point out, differ significantly in appearance. Chicken Fresco is topped with a tomato slice and chopped green herbs, while Chicken Oscar has crab meat and asparagus spears.

"She [the server] is very clear that he repeated more than one time that Chicken Oscar was his choice," said Johnson, whose company has more than 25 metro Atlanta locations. "We don't believe there was any confusion on her part. Had he been confused . . . when the dish was brought to the table it would be been clearly visible to him that it had crab meat on it."

Virginia Hawkins said in a phone interview from her Momence, Ill., home that her brother was allergic to shellfish since childhood. She said he moved from Illinois to metro Atlanta to pursue a rap music career.

Are we to believe that this man with an acute shellfish allergy since childhood failed to read the description of the entree or simply ordered the wrong entree by mistake? And that this also slipped by his wife who was with him? Why would Rodney have repeated his order "more than once?" That implies that the order was spoken at least 3 times which seems a bit unusual. Of course, maybe the RT representative meant to say the order was said more than once, not repeated. We're not saying that Ruby Tuesday's version is impossible, just improbable. But we don't like to speculate, we leave that to the commenters.

PREVIOUSLY: Wrong Order Kills Customer At Ruby Tuesday

Wife: Man who died didn't order crab dish [AJC] (Thanks to Sunny!)

The article says,

Emergency personnel arrived at Ruby Tuesday around 9:45 p.m., and Hawkins was pronounced dead at Southern Regional Hospital less than 30 minutes later.

No charges will be filed, Bankhead said. A call to the Lovejoy Ruby Tuesday was referred to company headquarters. Attempts at reaching a spokesperson were unsuccessful.

Anaphylaxis occurs when a trigger activates immune cells, which then release large amounts of multiple substances, including histamine, into the bloodstream, according to UpToDate.com, an online community for physicians.

It's estimated anywhere from 500 to 1,000 people die annually from severe anaphylaxis.

Call us crazy, but we think people deserve the right to get the food that they ordered and not have to worry about dying when the restaurant gets it wrong. Our condolences to the victim.

Wrong dish blamed in Hampton man's death [AJC] (Thanks to fmfats!)

Barcelona - Is pretty safe in the tourist areas. Be aware of overly-friendly people who try to hug you or distract you, since these are techniques commonly used by pick-pocketers.

Cancun - Street vendors often sell jewelry that they claim is real silver and costs around $20. The fake silver will often turn yellow or lose its sheen within a few weeks.

Las Vegas - If your cab ride from the airport to the strip takes longer than 20 minutes, you may be a victim of the "long haul." Police advise that anyone who feels they have been taken advantage of by cab drivers should file a complaint at taxi.state.nv.us.

London - Scotland Yard recommends taking the city's old-school black cabs which are licensed by the city instead of the "mini-cabs." According to recent data, 10 women a month are assaulted in mini-cabs.

Montreal - Theft of electronics out of vehicles is a big problem in Montreal, so much so that there is a $30 fine if you don't lock your car door. Police advise to keep any laptops, GPS units, etc. in your trunk.

New Orleans - The article says, " A common scam in the French Quarter goes something like this: A man approaches you and says, "Bet you $5 that I can tell you where you got your shoes!" Whether you accept the bet or not, he adds, "On your feet on Bourbon Street," and demands the money. Authorities say some people pay up just to avoid a confrontation. If a stranger tries to entice you into a bet, police officer Shereese Harper suggests you keep walking and don't say a word —responding encourages the scam artist to harass you."

Orlando - Beware of multi-day theme-park tickets from the shops on International Drive near Universal Studios or outside Disney World or in the city of Kissimmee. These shops often procure old tickets that have a few days left on them and sell them to you. Parks prohibit the resale of passes and will turn you away if they think you have one.

Check out the full article for more tips.

Tips to avoid being victimized on vacation [CNN]