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'McJob' offends McDonald's *
Yes, but do you want fries with that?
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* evalu8.org's Big Bomb Awards for 2008 -- the very WORST of 2007 *
"The customer is always right," went the old maxim. But I've long been wondering, when exactly did that catch-phrase get thrown out the window? When did the customer become not only always wrong, but apparently also an enormous pain in the butt? Read our Big Bomb awards to see which companies were extra-naughty in 2007.
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* Apartment for rent? Paris apartment rental scams exposed *
How honest consumers empower scam artists: Most on-the-level individuals can't help but harbour at least a few small fantasies about "What if I just got lucky, for once?" Unfortunately, small-time rip-off creeps take advantage of Honest Joes all too often!
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* Deleting your 'StumbleUpon' account *
At first, I thought "StumbleUpon" sounded like a pretty good idea. But then. . .
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* Paris apartment rental scams keep coming *
I knew we would have to be on our toes trying to rent a Paris apartment on the internet, but who could have imagined that 17 of the 18 responses we would receive in a three-week period would be complete fiction? And transparent fiction, at that!
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Ask the Bargain Shopper: The Squeaky Wheel DOES get the Grease; GoDaddy comes through in the end *
When all is said and done, the humble consumer rarely gets what he or she wants. But if you are persistent, and if you just know you are in the right, most smart online companies -- especially those that purport to embrace an "open" customer support policy -- will see it your way and give you what you want.
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Book copiers raided *
Bailiffs swooped on a Montreal photocopy business Wednesday and seized 2,200 illegally copied study guides and textbooks in one of the largest raids on copyright piracy in the country.
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Brin says Google compromised principles *
China deal "wasn't the right move," co-founder says.
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Cell phone users: No love lost between 'em *
Like the clichéd joke "I wouldn't belong to a club that would have someone like me as a member," cell phone users can't stand OTHER cell phone users' behaviour.
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Consumer problems with Capital One (Garber commentary) *
Forget this "hands in your pocket" business; it's a catchy tune, all right, but scams, problems, controversy, harassment and outright fraud are the hallmarks of Capital One's approach to consumer finance. It's a BOMB!
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Correction re Saran Wrap false rumour *
In 2002, SC Johnson became aware of an e-mail that was being widely circulated,
which warned consumers about the alleged dangers of using plastics in the microwave.
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Editorial: Bad Telephone Manners and what we can do about them *
The answer is clearly. . .speak up!
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Faulty Wiring: How developments in new communications adversely affect 'real' human interaction *
Are cellphones really necessary? In order to communicate more, are we really being heard less?
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February is Fraud Prevention Month *
Time to put a stop to online scams, spoofs, phishing and fraud,
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Feedback: captive audience exploitation *
One of our readers is convinced that music piped in to stores from radio stations is more than just annoying; he thinks that the ads included in radio programming -- and broadcast to unwilling customers -- should be made illegal. What do you think?
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Feedback: There oughta be a LAW! *
It seems that we have laws for everything but the stuff that can really get on our nerves. . .
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Fishing on the other side of the Pond: What to do when you are the victim of a faraway, non-paying business associate *
On the face of it, Tennessee resident Mort Walco looked like a stand-up guy, with a good reputation. When local businesswoman Deborah Faurot started to deal on Well Wishers' (Walco's company's) behalf, she had no hint of the trials and tribulations she would face just to get reimbursed for money she had spent on behalf of this apparent deadbeat!
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Garber Gastronomic: How to spot restaurants you REALLY don't want to patronize *
There are great restaurants in the Pacific Northwest and all over BC, and we try to tell you about as many as we can -- both the pros and the cons. But we can't be everywhere, so sometimes, it's important to know a few things about how to fend for yourself.
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Getting even is healthy, says author *
In his new book, Life's Little Annoyances, New York Times reporter Ian Urbina offers a compendium of the molehills we turn into mountains and our inventive strategies for coping with them.
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Giant-killers take on Rogers over billing and security policies *
Lawyer Susan Drummond and her husband Harry Gefen -- a technology journalist -- have become unwitting experts on how Canadian consumers can take on corporate giants.
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Google Blog Good; Katrina rip-offs bad *
Alexa.com's Geoffrey Mack shares some thought on Blogs and Disaster Vultures. . .
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Hungry Herbie's Drive In (Garber review) *
Either the place has changed hands recently, or they have simply given up all pretence of creating anything resembling food, but the burgers we had there today were absolutely appalling!
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Internet self-CPR advice won't help *
Experts dismiss circulating e-mail that tells people to cough vigorously until help arrives if they suffer a heart attack alone.
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Newest scam offers to 'Unlock 1000+ TV Channels on your PC' *
A little research reveals that this is a scam, supplying you some TV downloads, but not actual thousand-channel TV access.
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PrePaid Legal *
Never fear legal bills again. PrePaid Legal covers you. . .affordably.
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SofaSoGood? SofaBed NOT so Good! *
A disgruntled consumer does the right thing: She spreads the word on a creepy salesman who treated her rudely and tried to rip her off! It's a BOMB!
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Supreme Court decision puts watchdogs on high alert *
A Supreme Court of Canada decision favouring a retired Quebec schoolteacher in her 14-year battle against a now-disbarred Montreal lawyer and a Quebec bar association the court accused of "gross carelessness" and "serious negligence" has sent a chill through the corridors of the provincial law societies that police the conduct of lawyers.
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Talking Pictures: Bring Me the Head of Famous Players! *
John Keyes points a finger at the Real Culprits in today's Low Box Office Scores; he thinks a lack of respect for the audience is why movie-going is at an all-time low.
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There Ought'a be a LAW: Perfume Pollution *
One of the few perks of managing a large regional portal is that -- despite the slavish requirements of constantly editing, writing and updating content -- one gets the opportunity to take a deep breath and deliver a personal diatribe against something important, or even something rather trivial.
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Unhappy Skies: Westjet Routes from Hamilton Feedback *
Your article with the comment that WestJet offers a low fare of $166 from Hamilton to Montreal is now irrelevant.
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Unwanted Telephone Marketing Calls *
Telemarketers seem to sense just when you sat down to dinner. Why do they call at that time? Because they are likely to catch you in, that's why.
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Virtual Assistants -- part three: A Test Case *
In which we pursue a local consumer communication problem with IKEA Canada. . .
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Virtual Assistants -- part two: What DIVAs mean to consumers *
Was that you saying: "Yikes!"? Virtual Assistants from the CONSUMER'S perspective.
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Wal-Mart charged with racketeering *
Workers recently arrested in federal raids filed a racketeering lawsuit accusing Wal-Mart of conspiring with contractors in a criminal enterprise that violated the civil rights and wage protections of immigrants who cleaned its stores.
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Whole Foods U.S. caves into IFAW seafood ban -- but Canadian stores stay strong and free *
Happy Canada Day: The International Fund for Animal Welfare continues to promote a ban on Canadian products, including misleading ads in U.S. newspapers. How does a Canadian react? Can you say 'BOYCOTT?'
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Your online life is even LESS private than you thought *
AOL is once again in hot water regarding its online consumers' rights policies.
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Secondary Sites:
* e-mail Scams Glossary *
Here are some terms that might help you understand the hacking-cracking-spoofing-phishing nonsense. . .
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Arresting (and understanding the nature of) viruses and e-mail scams *
Have you ever wondered why you get spam, hoaxes and phishing e-mails? Have you ever replied to a series of porn e-mails by requesting that they remove you from their list (a sure-fire way to be CONFIRMED as a working e-mail address)?
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Copyright litigation is threatening innovation *
As unlikely as it sounds, the most important issue in new technology has become copyright law.
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Poll shows huge support for GMO labelling *
An overwhelming majority of Canadians thinks that the government has provided insufficient information about genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food and believes that all foods containing GMOs should be labelled as such.
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Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam *
recently made the mistake of taking a week's holiday: On my return, I found more than 350 new messages in my e-mail box. Of these, about 50 were legitimate pieces of business correspondence, of which perhaps 20 were of some use or interest to me...
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Yes, but who's monitoring the MONITORS? *
The world of consumers is increasingly being invaded by monitoring devices -- can implants in humans be far behind?
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