Louisiana seven-year-old Sydney Hotard fixed her broken playground by writing a well-crafted letter to her Parish President. Hotard was concerned that the plastic slide needed to be “more slippery” and that a nearby exposed electrical panel might be “dangerus.” Upon receiving the letter, Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet was so charmed that he ordered municipal workers to immediately fix the playground.
consumer advocacy
Boston Consumer Columnist Says Goodbye
By 12.26.07
Bruce Mohl, the “Consumer Beat” columnist at the Boston Globe, is leaving after 12 years of writing about consumer complaints and issues. His column this past Monday recaps some of the most consistent topics he’s covered, and a quick glance confirms that some things never change—insurance rates, uneven consumer advocacy at the state level, funeral price gouging, privacy and identity theft are all things he touches on in his last column.
California's Ban On Phthalates May Spread To Other States
By 10.16.07
Yesterday’s legal action in California against Apple over its use of phthalates may be the opening shot in a nation-wide battle between consumer advocates, health agencies, state and federal entities, and manufacturers of everything from teething rings to consumer electronics to sex toys. Although the ban (which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2009) is limited to California, “lawmakers in Texas, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, Maine, Connecticut and New York are expected to introduce similar legislation in the coming months, according to environmental and breast cancer groups that sponsored the California measure.”
Store-bought Meats Dosed to Look Red
By 2.22.06
The newer the redder, brown is an elderly hue, which of these steaks looks fresher to you?
