Category Archives: Uncategorized
Apple and the NSA: Violating American citizens’ privacy
From what has come to light about the NSA’s PRISM program and Apple’s involvement in violating privacy and other constitutional rights of American citizens, it is quite clear that the company is not like its commercial image about rebellion against conformity and “Big Brother.” Read More ›
California housing affordability declines as home prices rise
by Alejandro Lazo, Los Angeles Times
Rising home prices in the Bay Area and other coastal markets made buying a home unaffordable for a big chunk of the state’s population last quarter, data show.
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Your medical records are for sale
by Jordan Robertson, Bloomberg Business Week
As hospitals shift to digital medical records, administrators promise patients better care and shorter waits. They often neglect to mention that they share files with state health agencies, which in turn sell the information to private data-mining companies. Read More ›
Poverty-level wages for Apple store workers
Apple was recently named one of the largest wage-stiffing corporations in the world when it comes to rewarding profitability, paying the majority of their employees poverty-level wages. Read More ›
Google tells court you cannot expect privacy when sending messages to Gmail
by John Simpson, Consumer Watchdog
In a stunning admission contained in a brief filed recently in federal court, lawyers for Google said people should not expect privacy when they send messages to a Gmail account. People who care about their email correspondents’ privacy should not use the Internet giant’s service. Read More ›
Apple ‘least green’ tech company
Apple came in at the bottom of the most comprehensive “green” group of technology companies in 2011 because of its heavy reliance on “dirty data” centers in its supply chain. Read More ›
Overdraft protection may allow more money for thieves
by Joe Ducey, ABC15.com
While it protects you from bouncing a check, it can also protect a thief who has your card number. It allows them to take repeated amounts of money as your account is replenished with money from your savings account. Read More ›
California college students relieved after Obama signs loan bill
by Megan Messerly, San Francisco Chronicle
News that President Obama signed a bill into law to restore lower interest rates for student loans was met with relief by many undergraduate students in California. The new legislation links student loan interest rates to the financial market. Read More ›
Apple: Using secret police as company patent enforcers
Plain-clothed officers accompanied Apple security to Calderón’s home in the San Francisco area. The officers stood outside while Apple employees were permitted to scour his residence, car, and computer files for evidence of the lost iPhone – but found none. Read More ›
Growing opposition to AT&T’s attack on LifeLine program
by Randy Shaw, California Progress Report
The California State Legislature is moving toward passing AB 1407, an AT &T backed measure that would devastate the state’s LifeLine phone program…What troubles the CPUC, and should anger all Californians, is AT&T’s effort to use AB 1407 to effectively destroy state regulation of the LifeLine program. Read More ›
Publishers: Proposal to punish Apple hurts us instead
by Chris Morran, The Consumerist
Apple was found to have colluded with publishers to fix e-book prices and the DOJ suggested Apple cancel its pricing arrangement with publishers. But publishers claim that this ultimately hurts the content providers and not the retailer. Read More ›
How to save money on gas: Real tips and persistent myths
by Laura Northrup, The Consumerist
Small changes to how you drive, such as slowing down, warming up your engine, and driving smoothly and consistently will maximize your fuel efficiency. Read More ›
California reveals insurance firms to participate in health exchange
by Jeremy B. White, Sacramento Bee
Covered California, the insurance exchange created under the new federal health care law, announced a list of insurance firms that have signed contracts to sell health plans on the exchange. Read More ›