Consumer News & Alerts

January 16, 2007

THEY WERE NOT AFRAID
It was nearly 40 years ago that your editor, newly-commissioned by a somewhat scurrilous New York magazine, drove through the night, hell-bent to get to Memphis, Tennessee, to write a feature-length article on the struggle of the Memphis sanitation workers who were striking for union recognition, a living wage and minimal health benefits. We slept on the floor at churches and union halls, got tear-gassed, beaten, thrown off buildings and otherwise sampled the city's attractions (no barbecue though). We got to know the strikers. They were family men -- hard-working, determined and, like any sensible person in similar circumstances, scared to death, just like the National Guardsmen we met.

The steely-eyed bosses who ran the city had fired the strikers the day they walked off the job and, weeks into the strike, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was planning to return to try once more to broker an agreement. No one wanted him to. The white bosses feared him, the sanitation workers thought he was too "Establishment" and the emerging radicals thought even worse. His supporters feared he would be killed.

We know how the story ends, of course. Or do we? Has it ended?

Oh sure, those in the middle class, whatever their ethnicity, are now treated equitably much of the time. But what about those of all races who make up the working poor? The life of Dr. King should indeed be celebrated, but so should the lives of all of those who marched, struck and went to jail with him and those who mount similar struggles today. The courage and restraint shown by struggling African-Americans in those days amazed me then and still does. Their days in hell continued long after the demonstrations ended and the press left town. As I heard so often in those days from the locals: "It's fine for you. You spend a few nights here, then go home to Chicago or New York and get cleaned up. We have to live here."

There are millions living among us today in Chicago, New York and everywhere else who would say the same. Do we recognize their struggle and sacrifices and work to help them? Dr. King showed us the way. Are we following it?

ZOMBIE COMPUTERS
Email inboxes are being clogged with what seems like a huge increase in unwanted spam messages. Consumers may wonder where all these messages could be coming from. In truth, they most likely are coming from other consumers' computers -- maybe even their own.

"Many computer users do not realize that hackers are using their machines to send bulk e-mails by the millions," said Lydia Parnes, Director of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission.

When a hacker hijacks a PC, it becomes what is known as a "zombie computer," meaning it operates at the will of the hacker, who assumes control by downloading a malicious code. How does this happen and what can you do to avoid it? Mark Huffman explains in this week's cover story -- Zombie Computers Clog the Web with Spam.

HIPPO CLONES
Last week's cover story on BlueHippo got a big response, not just from consumers who'd thrown good money after bad hoping to buy a computer or TV. We also heard from regulators, prosecutors and just plain folk alerting us to other, similarly damaging schemes. Summary: Do your own layaway. Save your money and pay cash.

WHAT GOES UP ...
Sometimes it just stays up. That's what seems to be happening to the price of gasoline. We all heard about "market forces" after Katrina, assorted Middle East dust-ups, pipeline problems, refinery restarts, etc. But, some ask, if that's what made prices go up and all that has gone away, why don't they come down? Good question, isn't it?

Toyota Agrees to Sludge Settlement In a potentially huge class action settlement, Toyota has agreed to compensate up to 3.5 million Toyota and Lexus owners whose engines were damaged or destroyed by oil sludge.

Not the Ultimate Transmission BMWs are fine driving machines all right, but as many owners are learning, the automatic transmission leaves a little to be desired. BMW's response might charitably be called the cold shoulder.

HOUSE PASSES MEDICARE RX BILL
As one of its first actions this term, the House of Representatives last week passed new legislation that would require the government to negotiate the price Medicare recipients pay for prescription drugs. Opponents say it won't work and will annoy the drug companies. But never fear: President Bush vows to veto the measure if it reaches his desk. The vote followed a study that found a "tremendous" disparity in the price seniors pay for drugs. As usual, those in the poorest areas paid much more than those in more affluent enclaves.

Congress was indeed busy last week, as Joe Enoch reports in his first Capitol Critters column, and likely to be busier yet this week.

PENTAGON, CIA EXAMINE AMERICANS' FINANCES
The New York Times reveals that "National Security Letters" are being used by the Pentagon and CIA to examine the banking and financial records of Americans. It's illegal for either of these agencies to spy on Americans but the White House defends the practice, saying it's essential to fighting terrorism.

Congress Takes On Data Security Congress may try to do something about the problem of corporations and government agencies being careless with personal data entrusted to their care. But critics say bills don't do enough to hold careless businesses and government agencies accountable.

OLD IS NEW, NEW IS OLD
Sometimes the telecommunications business is too absurd to think about. First, the big news was that, after spending billions to build the Cingular brand, AT&T was trashing the Cingular name in favor of -- what else -- AT&T, thus completing the ridiculous cycle that started when AT&T Wireless was bought by SBC and ... oh, never mind.

Then there was Steve Jobs' Apple iPhone, an all-in-one device that is a phone, MP3/video player and a couple of other things, all rolled into one. OK, that's amusing but it's hardly "magic," the term Jobs hung on it. The iPhone won't be on the market til June or so, at which point we'll find out if it's more reliable than the iPod, which in itself would be something of a magic trick. Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, all kinds of Jobless devices were on display at the Consumer Electronic Show.

CHEW MORE, WEIGH LESS
Here's a novel idea: British scientists have developed a chewing gum that they say could help you lose weight. See, the gum contains an appetite suppressant, so by chewing it you convience your brain your stomach is full. Back at home, meanwhile, the feds have expanded the "lean" label to include certain pizzas, burritos and other health food.

A new study, meanwhile, finds that dieting in the U.S. is at an all-time low, while another report finds that obesity surgery is at an all-time high Having given up on diet and exercise, we're just getting the fat cut off.

The prostate, gentlemen, does not seem to tolerate excessive weight and particularly weight gain in adulthood. A study finds that those who gain a lot of weight are more likely to die of prostate cancer. Not likely the obesity surgery would be much help in this instance.

In other health news ...

• "All Natural" Capri Sun Kraft Foods is accused of misleading consumers with advertising for its "fruit" drinks.

• USDA Proposes Lifting Mad Cow Ban On Canadian Beef No risk seen from Canadian beef, feds insist. Besides, the Canadians are a big trading partner.

• Simple Blood Test Might Warn Heart Attack & Stroke Victims Researchers link biomarker in the blood to increase risk of attack.

• Pacifiers May Reduce SIDS Risk But infants should be weaned from them by age two, dentists recommend.

SCAMS & OUTRAGES

• "Hit Man" Scam Email claims about "contracts" on your life aren't to be believed.

• Slippery Oil and Gas Deals Scamsters promise big profits but usually just take the money and run.

• Rental Property Online scammers send large check or money order and ask for "change."

• Express Consolidation Company misleads consumers about costs of its program, uses illegal telemarketing, feds charge.

• InterBill Company processed payments for PharmacyCard.com, among others.

• "Repeat Customers" "Reloading" targets those who've already lost money to a scam artist.

RECALLS

LOST DOG REPORT
A new study debunks the notion that cats can always find their way home. In one city in southwestern Ohio, researchers found that 71 percent of lost dogs were found, compared with just 53 percent of lost cats. More than a third of the recovered dogs were found by a call or visit to an animal shelter, and more than one in four were found because the animal wore a dog license or identification tag at the time of its disappearance.

Not answered was whether the AWOL cats wanted to be found.

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