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 ›
AT&T’s attack on low-income Lifeline program with AB 1407 (2-year bill)
AB 1407 grossly favors telecom industry giants and allows them to place a stranglehold on low-income Californians, at the growing expense of ratepayers. Simultaneously, it guts the current LifeLine program, rendering it less available, less reliable, and less affordable for those it serves. 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 ›
Smartphone theft a “national epidemic”?
by Editor, National Consumers League
According to the FCC, in San Francisco, about half of all robberies involved mobile phones and nationwide one in every three robberies involve a stolen cell phone. In total, 1.6 million Americans had a handheld device stolen last year. The San Francisco District Attorney has called smartphone theft “a national epidemic.” Read More ›
6 home appliances most likely to self-immolate
by Laura Northrup, Consumerist
Kitchen appliances make our lives more convenient and our meals more delicious, but they’re also dangerous. Ordinary appliances start tens of thousands of fires in United States homes every year. Here are the top six most common causes of kitchen appliance fires. Read More ›
Big California corporations parking $262 billion offshore
by Dan Walters, Sacramento Bee
A dozen of California’s largest corporations are holding nearly $262 billion in foreign earnings in offshore subsidiaries to shield the money from American taxation. California’s Apple was listed as having has the most offshore holdings of any American corporation at $82.66 billion. Read More ›
Manufacturers deceive consumers with “organic” product names
by Brit'ny Hawkins, Environmental Working Group
Manufacturers use the term “organic” in their product names to mislead consumers about the sources of the ingredients. The FDA does not define or regulate the term “organic” as it applies to cosmetics, body care or personal care products. Read More ›
Apple, Walmart, McDonald’s: Who’s the biggest wage stiffer?
by Paul Buchheit, Nation of Change
Apple, Walmart and McDonald’s are among the largest corporate employers and profit-makers in the U.S., with a total of 2.6 million employees worldwide and combined 2012 pre-tax profits of more than $88 billion. All three companies pay the majority of their employees low wages, poverty-level wages. Read More ›
Hounded by debt collectors? Knowing one’s rights key to dealing with collection agency tactics
by Associated Press, Washington Post
Debt collection can be an unpleasant business, but it’s a big one. The industry generates $12.2 billion in revenue for the roughly 4,500 firms chasing down borrowers who owe money on credit cards, auto loans and other accounts, according to figures from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Read More ›
California officials call JPMorgan settlement ‘vindication’ for electricity charges
by Dale Kasler, Sacramento Bee
Calling it a “vindication for California ratepayers,” the managers of the state’s electricity grid today hailed a $410 million settlement between federal regulators and investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co., and a return of $124 million in profits to California. Read More ›
How the post office sells your address update to anyone who pays (and the little-known loophole to opt out)
by Adam Tanner, Forbes
It’s all there in the fine print when you sign up for a change of address: “We do not disclose your personal information to anyone, except in accordance with the Privacy Act.” Then it lists a number of exceptions including “to mailers, if already in possession of your name and old mailing address, as an address correction service.” Read More ›