PlanetFeedback's ShopperCast

KABOOM

They're out in full force with signs that try to lure you in to their tent.  Fireworks 50% off.  Or Buy 1, Get 1 Free!  Singing Birds, Happy Flowers, Morning Glory sparklers, Smoking Snakes, Tanks, Bumblebees and lots of stuff you've never heard of.  They're seeming on every corner with their great big red, white and blue flags.

The Fourth of Juy is Friday ~ a short week for Wall Street and a short work-week for many of us.  We look forward to the free day, to the BBQ and to festivities and the opportunity to oooh and aahh at the sky rockets.

But don't forget to be safe ~ fireworks can be dangerous.

We like our readers to maintain possession of all their fingers and toes!

--Contributed by Deb

Now Coming To A Bank Near You: Assault and Battery

In a recent letter sent via PlanetFeedback, Karin M. describes how her husband (ill and receiving chemotherapy treatment) was assaulted by a lawns crew worker when he stopped to visit his local bank.  When he went into the bank to complain to the manager, his complaint fell on deaf ears. 

As readers can tell from the comments, not everyone automatically sided with the husband.  We were surprised by this reaction and hope it doesn't foretell a disturbing trend:  That we must run our errands in full body armor. 

We don't know which behavior most disturbs and disgusts us:  That of the lawn crew worker, who hit the husband in the stomach with a leaf blower, or that of the bank manager, who failed to treat his customer like a human being and contact the police and make sure that the husband didn't need medical care.

It seems almost remedial to point out how the manager could/should have handled this situation better. 

But what do we take away from this... what lesson do we learn?  That when something serious happens, if the business we're frequenting doesn't take our complaint seriously, it's time to take care of it ourselves:  The husband could have called the police himself to report the assault.  (Perhaps this would have gotten the attention of higher-ups at the bank.)  The husband can go to the media so the whole community finds out how he was allowed to be treated.  That the manager didn't step up to the plate and take responsibility for another human being who was threatened and harmed on his business's property is shameful.

Perhaps when we make our reasonable demands of the businesses that receive our money and our loyalty, and when we are vocal about the mistreatment we have received from a business, then the message will get through that allowing customers to be injured and then insulted on top of it will not be tolerated.  We will yank our business, spread the word to others (if this can happen to Karin's husband, it can happen to any of us), and give our money and our loyalty to businesses that deserve it and treat us with respect and care.

~Contributed by Angela~

Identity Theft Insurance: The Verdict Is In

The federal government estimates that each year at least 9 million Americans have their credit/debit card stolen and fraudulently used and more than 3.5 million Americans have their identities stolen.

Commercials on television for identity (ID) theft insurance got the better of us:  We dug further, 'cause that's what you pay us to do.

Among independent finance and consumer-oriented journalists, the general consensus is that ID theft insurance is a waste of money.  While it's cheap to purchase, the deductible often is high, even as high a $1,000 (the typical ID theft victim accrues about $1,200 in expenses such as phone calls, photocopying, etc.).  Also, in this day of cell phones with unlimited calling and no long-distance charges, coverage of phone bills probably doesn't help most people.  In addition, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, ID theft insurance "does not cover direct monetary losses incurred as a result of identity theft."  One expert noted that the costs associated with stolen credit cards usually are minimal or nothing at all, as the process of getting out of paying those bills is straightforward.

The problem lies with true ID theft -- where someone steals your identity and lives a life in your name.  ID theft insurance can't do anything about your ruined credit rating or even your criminal record (in extreme cases).

Furthermore, people who purchase this insurance likely are already being very cautious with their private data, which makes them less likely to have their identities stolen than the rest of us.

If you've been considering this insurance, heed our wisdom and spend your money elsewhere (like sending Godiva chocolates to our satellite offices).  Or, do your own research and make up your mind all on your own!  (But we'd still love some chocolate.)

Contributed by Angela.

Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

Just not at a Shell gas station.

Kennie G.'s complaint makes sense when you think about it.  He doesn't like store employees standing right outside the door to the Shell store smoking.  Whether for fear of igniting the gasoline vapors or because he doesn't want to walk through a cloud of smoke to pay for his purchases, it's certainly a valid complaint.  We can't stand reeking of cigarette smoke either. 

Combine that with the fact that this incident occurred in Ohio, which has a law on the books that people cannot smoke within 25 feet of an entrance to a building.  Of course, this law has no teeth as there are no penalties for violating this law, but it's still the law.

We used to smoke but quit 9 years ago.  So we're not insensitive to smoker's rights.  They should not have to quit smoking just because the smell of the smoke bothers someone, but they at least should be a little bit considerate on where they choose to do it.  Our right to not breathe in the smoke is equal in weight to their right to suck it in.

Plus we have to think common sense should come into play somewhere ~ smoking out front of gas station?  Within visual range of gas pumps?  With gasoline fumes in the air?

Can you say "kaboom"?  Duh.

--Contributed by Deb

Lonely No More

With a nod to the Beatles, money may not buy you love, but  pretty soon it can purchase you a reasonable facsimile thereof (and no, we're not talking about the kind of "love" you can rent by the hour).

Her name is EMA, which stands for Eternal Maiden Actualization and she's going to be hitting the shelves soon for about $175.  Simply put, she's a robot ~ but she is not without her wiles.  She sings, she dances, she kisses.  She's petite AND busty.  How about that, fellas, she's all (well, most) you need in a girlfriend and she comes with batteries. You can ignore her when you feel like it and she'll never nag you about staying out too late with the guys.

This has started us thinking ~ since Sega Toys is replacing us females with robots, shouldn't we, as women, have a robotic boyfriend?  He doesn't need sing, dance or kiss.  He does, however, need to open pickle jars, squash spiders and pick up his own dirty clothes off the floor. 

Or perhaps they could design a robotic parent.  We'd never need baby sitters again.  Just put the robot in "Mom" or "Dad" mode and go out for the evening.  RoboMom can make kids eat their vegetables and go to bed on time.  RoboDad can read bedtime stories.  How very familial.

The best possible use for this type of robot technology would be in the workplace.  If we don't feel like going to work, send the robot.  We're sure they can type and take dictation as well as any of us.  Plus you don't have to worry about them telling off your boss.  Go fishing, go to the beach, or just sleep in ~ you can do it all with a robotic version of yourself.

The possibilities are endless.  Ain't technology great?

--Contributed by Deb

Keep Your Monsters Clean

Are you a fan of "The Sims"?  It's creator has released a new game that was available for free download from EA Games.  It's called "Spore" and it has a creature creator in which users can create brand new creatures and share them ~ either on the Spore website or other sharing sites, such as YouTube.  Users can create their creatures and grow them from single celled stages to adulthood.

But not all people are using the creature creator to make cute little purple monsters.  Introducing "Sporn".  Yep, you read that right.  Some users are using the creature creator to make more... *ahem* anatomically correct creatures.   Like the one named "Boobalicious".  You can guess what this creature's prominent characteristics are, yes?

Is anyone surprised by this turn of events?  Certainly not us.  There will always be people out there who think penises are just the funniest thing to create. 

EA games isn't laughing.  Users who create creatures with objectionable content can expect to receive a warning letter from EA if they determine that any user's creation includes "strong vulgar language, crude or explicit sexual references".  The last thing they want on a family-friendly game is bathroom humor apparently.

The free trial is just a part of a game which will be fully released in two months.

--Contributed by Deb

Consumers Need To Be Their Own Best Advocates

A consumer recently wrote a letter complaining about her insurance company's misleading ads in a variety of forms, leading policy holders to believe they had roadside assistance.  She read the fine print on all of the documents and was pleased to come to the conclusion that she had this perk.  However, when the time came for roadside assistance, she was left high and dry.  It turns out, this perk was available only to policy holders with comprehensive/collision coverage.  Then why was she given information about this when she didn't have the appropriate coverage that entitled her to this service?

We checked out Liberty Mutual's website, which states "With every policy, we provide emergency roadside assistance.  24 hours a day, 7 days a week, have peace of mind that you will get the help you need- whenever and wherever you may be in the United States and Canada."  Further down, however, is information about additional Towing and Labor Coverage. 

We understand how the letter writer feels misled.  She read all the fine print, made a reasonable assumption, and ended up being wrong.  Anyone could make the same mistake.  This is a lesson for all insurance purchasers:  Ask pointed questions ("What exactly do I get with 'Roadside Assistance'?"  "If I have Roadside Assistance, then what is this other thing called 'Towing and Labor Coverage,' and what is the difference between the two?").  Press your agent for the information you need prior to signing the paperwork and paying the bill.

And in the end, what did it cost Liberty Mutual?  Perhaps quite a bit.  The letter writer states, "I have since cancelled my policy. The person I spoke to when I called to cancel my policy was much more understanding about the situation and said that this is a common problem."

And now everyone who reads the letter will have formed their own opinions of this insurancy company -- opinions that most likely are not positive. 

--Contributed by Angela

Build a Better Doggy Daycare...

...and the world may beat a path to your door.  We pet owners often go through a lot of angst over our pets when we have to find accommodations for them when we go out of town.  Friends aren't always available, kennels can be difficult to find or trust -- our only interaction with a dog kennel is when we drop our dog off before a trip.  That doesn't leave much room or time for an accurate assessment of the kennel's atmosphere or the experience of the employees. 

Some Petsmarts are now offering kenneling services.  We think this could be an ideal situation:  As shoppers, we can make our judgments about our local Petsmart just by our interaction with the employees, knowing whether the store is well managed or whether it's a neglected location, etc.  Making a decision to kennel one's dog could be easier when one has had positive experiences with the employees and management. 

Petsmart is wise to make this move.  It'll be interesting to see if it works out for them in the long-run. 

Flour Power

It was bound to happen; we knew it would and were watching for it.  Just like the letters that claimed some company or another ruined Mother's Day for Mom, a letter appeared claiming UPS ruined Dad's Father's Day by not delivering his gifts on time. 

While we have no issue with this particular complaint and, in fact, agree that UPS should allow people come pick up their packages on Saturdays and/or deliver them the day they're supposed to, we're constantly amazed how people throw around words like "ruined" over consumer issues.  It's not the end of the world, people.

Apparently until its our own ox being gored.

We just learned that the mill that makes White Lily flour is moving from Knoxville, Tennessee to somewhere in the Midwest.  A staple of Southern cooks renowned for their biscuits and pie crusts, White Lily flour is lighter and whiter than all-purpose flour.  It makes our baking lighter and fluffier because it uses a different type of wheat that has a higher protein base than other flours.

We'll skip you the science lesson, but anyone that's had one of our apple dumplings knows that a good flour begets a good crust, which is as essential as the apple!

Cake flour isn't going to cut it and a friend recommended King Arthur Flour, but that's *sniff* a Northern product. 

We don't know what we're going to use if White Lily changes but some Southern cooks are already noticing a difference in the denseness and weight of their cooking.  In this case, we think the word "ruined" might really apply.

--Contributed by Deb

Has It Really Gotten This Bad?

We are facing higher gas prices and higher food prices, but there is one thing that seems to not only have weathered the storm, but also come out better than before.  Tell me ShopperCast Team what could this possibly be?  Spam!  No not the annoying e-mails in your in box, but the edible form (the latter is a matter of opinion we suppose). 

There are all kinds of varieties available, original, Hawaiian, Bacon, etc.  You can eat it on a sandwich or fry it up in a pan, but why would you want to?  Times are tough, hopefully we will not be thinking of Spam as a delicacy, but sadly it may come to that.  Next time you are in the grocery store and experiencing stroke like symptoms because of the prices, maybe you can make your way over to the spam aisle buy a few cans and get your creative juices flowing, or you could just do like us, Peanut butter and Jelly!

--Contributed by Renee