Long-Running Mouse Infestation May Shut Down N.Y. Walmart

2012-05-25T15:30:00Z

Recent state inspections of a Monticello, N.Y. Walmart have the mundane violations you'd see in any food facility's inspection: dusty fans, lettuce cross-contamination, and coolers slightly warmer than they should be. Then there's all of the food and other merchandise they've had to throw out after it was "defiled by rodents." The state keeps coming back and reporting "thousands" of mouse droppings and evidence of rodents all over the store...and a few decaying corpses while they're at it. The reports of mice go back to September 2011.

Mouse feces, urine, and gnaw marks have appeared in many departments of the store, not just food. Sections with anywhere from a few to a thousand mouse droppings include: candy, soda, snack foods, canned soup, cereal, beer, dairy, cake decorating, bread, pet food, feminine hygiene, baby needs, and produce sections. Oh yeah, and a bird trapped in the store crapped on a pizza and some bread while an inspector was present.

The state Department of Agriculture and Markets has scheduled a hearing to determine whether the store's food processing permit should be taken away. If it is, another failed inspection could cause the state to shut down the store entirely.

Walmart, of course, is on it. "We take this matter very seriously," a spokeswoman told the Sullivan County Democrat. "We're committed to offering safe, quality food to our customers."

You can download the entire report here (PDF) if you're so inclined.

State finds violations at Thompson Walmart [Sullivan County Democrat] (Thanks for the tip, Jeanne!)

Since When Does Stainless Steel Rust?

2012-05-25T14:31:06Z

The point of stainless steel appliances, I always thought, is that they're all shiny and metallic and don't rust. The not rusting thing is kind of key. So he's disappointed to see a smattering of rust spots on the front of the stainless steel Kitchenaid dishwasher that he bought less than a year ago.

I purchased a kitchenaid stainless steel dishwasher 10 1/2 months ago and the front is rusting, they told me stainless steel doesn't rust... BUT its a cosmetic issue. A service tech even came out and said its a defect!!!
Meanwhile the house I purchased still has a 10+ year old stainless steel fridge by kitchenaid without a mark.

We wrote back and asked for pictures, and Michael sent these along.

These spots may not be the iron oxide rust that we normally think of, but they are gross. It would be better if they weren't there in the first place, but there are plenty of rescourse out there with cleaning tips: the stainless steel industry even has their own cleaning handbook. Neat.

Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds

2012-05-25T13:36:00Z

Here are nine of the best photos that readers added to The Consumerist Flickr Pool this week, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or just plain neatness.

(#2 - photographynatalia)

(#3 - MGChan)

(#4 - thoth1618)

(#5 - thoth1618)

(#6 - Elegant Delight Photography)

(#7 - ktorster)

(#8 - Scoboco)

(#9 - Juvenall)

Our Flickr Pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click "Join Group?" up on the top right, and start hitting "send to group" on your individual photos you want to add to the pool.

Add your shots to The Consumerist Flickr Pool, and perhaps they'll be featured in a future story, or even highlighted in a Friday Consumerist Flickr Pool Finds post. See previous winners of the Friday Consumerist Flickr Pool finds here.

19-Year-Old Lives In AOL Offices For 2 Months, No One Notices

2012-05-25T13:07:00Z

You know that co-worker who's always there when you come in in the morning and also when you leave at night? Maybe their work ethic isn't as amazing as you think. Maybe they don't even work there, and are squatting in the office as a free place to sleep, eat, work out, bathe, and work on launching their own tech startup.

He got in the building as part of an incubator program hosted at the AOL campus in Palo Alto, Calif. When the program ended, his badge kept working. So unlike his colleagues who headed back to college, he stuck around to work on launching his company, ClassConnect. Without a job or funding, he set out to live on less than $30 a month.

The secrets to office squatting, which you should NEVER EVER do:

Work more than 12 hours a day. Everyone around you will admire your work ethic.
Find a comfy couch that isn't visible from security guards' nightly rounds.
Get up early and spend the first part of your day at the gym. Blend in with all of the fitness-conscious people who come in early to work out.

Of course, this wouldn't work as well at companies that don't provide amenities like a gym and a laundromat to employees.

After he was thrown out, he continued to crash on friends' couches. But not on AOL's.

Meet the tireless entrepreneur who squatted at AOL [CNET]

Actual Paying Yahoo Customer Takes His Business Elsewhere

2012-05-25T12:06:26Z

If Yahoo were going to pay attention to any of their customers, you'd think it would be Israel. He's been using their services since 1995. He's a paying customer. He's even a shareholder in the company. But recent cutbacks mean the closing of the Concierge desk that would normally help people like Israel. Now that he's having unexplained problems with his e-mail account, he's taking his pixels and leaving for Google.

I have been a paying Yahoo customer and shareholder for more than a decade. For the past 10+ days I have been trying, in vain, to get a problem with my Yahoo email account resolved. Emails from one domain are not delivered to my account - nobody gets an error message - they just don't show up.
NEVER have I been more mistreated, frustrated, and jerked around by a company I do business with. Yahoo's lack of response and complete ineptitude is worse than anything I've ever experienced with Dell - and that's a pretty high bar for lack of respect for a customer.

In the past ten days, I have been,

Asked to fill out forms only to be told they are the wrong forms.

Had close to a dozen circular conversations with email help reps who repeatedly send canned responses and don't read previous messages.

Had many chats what end with "we don't know anything, but you will hear from our team "soon."

Yesterday - for the first time in 10 days - I was told by a chat agent that my case would be escalated and I could expect a response in 24 hours.

Today, the chat agent says he knows nothing of the status of my case, and to expect an email "soon."

In years past, Yahoo Concierge saved me from mis-treatment like this. With that desk closed, and no other option to talk with people of skill/power/compassion, I am forced to move my accounts to Google. I hate Google, but you have given me no choice.

It saddens me to see Yahoo treat customers this way. I don't expect Google to be much better, but at least my email will work.

Good luck with the future of the company. It's not clear to me what that is, or what the organization values.

T-Mobile: Sorry You Lost Your Job And Had To Move, Here's Your $500 ETF Bill

2012-05-24T16:35:00Z

Walter's wife was laid off from her position in Chicago, needed a job. She found one in a different Midwestern city: Omaha. She doesn't seem to have any complaints about Omaha, except for the thing where she has next to no cell phone service. This still isn't enough to get her out of her contract with T-Mobile, and she's on the hook for her entire early termination fee, plus her whole non-prorated last month of service.

My wife lost her job at the end of 2011 when her former employer was acquired in a buyout. After two months of seeking a job, she found an opportunity out of state in Nebraska. While staying in Chicago would have been ideal, we decided that it would be best for her to take the job as it was a good opportunity and she didn't want to risk being unemployed for an unknown period of time. We do have a toddler and they don't come cheap!
So after moving to Omaha, NE in February 2012 to start her new job (and while I work on selling our condo), one of the first things she noticed, other than the corn fields, was that her cell phone was unusable. In Chicago, T-Mobile has fairly good service, but in Omaha, it is (ALMOST) non-existent. What signal she could get was very weak, whether at work or at home. In fact, if you go onto the T-Mobile website and use the store locator, you will notice that there aren't any T-Mobile stores within a 100 miles of Omaha (it could be more than 100 miles, but that's the maximum radius). The only retail presence is through a 3rd party, such a Wal-Mart or Best Buy. In essence, T-Mobile doesn't even exist in Omaha, NE.

She called T-Mobile to voice her concerns (thank god for her home phone that is VOIP). She told them about her job situation, how she was unemployed and moved to Omaha for work. She told them that she is paying $80 a month for useless phone. Her moving to Omaha from Chicago was not an attempt to terminate her contract; it was an attempt to become gainfully employed again. All of this fell on deaf ears. After escalating her call, in the end, all we got was a "sorry about your luck" letter in the mail and a bill for $500. Not only did they charge the full Early Termination Fee (rather than scaled to months remaining on the contract), they also charged a month of service, even though she ended up porting her phone number to AT&T, which has service in Omaha.

For a company that praises itself for its customer service, I found that their stance on this is indefensible. Their position on this boils down to if you are taking a job out of the area, make sure to check the service levels in your new home town because even if we don't have any cell phone towers there or even sell phones there at all, you are on the hook for your whole ETF and then some.

After numerous calls to T-Mobile, they are still standing their ground on this, and before this goes to collections and ruins my wife's credit, we wanted to reach out to your site for advice, as well as to warn others that might be in a similar job situation.

At Carl's Jr., A Cheeseburger Made Of Ice Cream

2012-05-24T15:35:58Z

Not to be outdone by the Choco Taco, the fast food geniuses at Carl's Jr. are testing a new product that busts right through the line between dinner and dessert: the Ice Cream Brrrger. It is exactly what it sounds like. A chocolate ice cream "patty" inside a sugar cookie bun, with red, yellow, and green icing meant to simulate cheese, ketchup, and lettuce.

For now, the $1.99 treat is available only at two locations in the cradle of fast-food culture, southern California. But is it edible? The Orange County Register's Nancy Luna tried it and weighs in:

Just got back from trying one of the Ice Cream Brrrger sandwiches. Not bad. I wasn't a fan of the chocolate ice cream, but the real winner was the soft and chewy sugar cookies. Did I taste a hint of almond?

Reader Chris, who alerted us to the existence of this tasty monstrosity, also lives in Orange County and sent along his own review:

Surprisingly its one of the most delicious fast food deserts ive tried. It is Extremely sweet (The icing + those sugar cookies almost put me in a coma). For added fun I tried it with a crisscut fry on top... not the same effect as the ol' fries in the Wendys frosty. Heres hoping the rest of the country gets to experience this unholy creation!

The Brrrger has 340 calories. For now, the rest of the country will just have to stick with imported Every Burger cookies for our dessert burger needs.

Carl's Jr. ice cream burger [Orange County Register]

Bought A Groupon, An iPhone 4, Or Coconut Water? These Class Actions Are For You

2012-05-24T14:36:18Z

Have you bought coconut water, pinot noir, a Samsung TV, or an iPhone 4? If you purchased any of these products, plus a whole bunch more, you may be eligible to file a claim in one of these recently settled class action lawsuits. Proof of purchase isn't always required, but lying is bad consumer karma.

Groupon customers whose vouchers expired and had to be used all in one transaction, allegedly in violation of state and federal laws governing gift certificates. Anyone who bought a Groupon between November 1, 2008 and December 1, 2011 may be eligible. You may be allowed to redeem expired Groupon vouchers, or get a refund for those that expired. Deadline not yet set.

Wells Fargo mortgage customers whose home equity lines of credit were allegedly suspended between January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2011. $150 cash per customer; claim must be postmarked by June 25, 2012.

Discover Card customers enrolled in or billed for payment protection plans or a credit score tracker (with or without their consent) can receive up to $60. Deadline June 6, 2012.

Bottles of Farallon, Red Bicyclette, Redwood Creek, Rex Goliath, Talus, Turning Leaf, and Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi French wines may have been sold as pinot noir, but that's not what they contained. The French suppliers who mislabeled cheaper red wines have been convicted, because that's serious business in France. If you bought any of the named wines, bottled from 2005 to 2008, you can receive $3.50 per bottle. If you can produce proof of purchase, you can get a full refund. The deadline is today, so get a move on.

iPhone 4 buyers can get $15 or a free bumper case as part of the ongoing fallout from that phone's antenna design flaw.

Vita Coco coconut water: apparently "mega-hydration" is not a thing, and the makers of Vita Coco have been accused of misrepresenting the health benefits of their product. Customers can receive $25 cash or $36 in product vouchers.

JP Morgan Chase mortgage customers whose mobile phones were robocalled without their consent are eligible for up to $500 cash, depending on how many times they were called June 16, 2006 and June 15, 2011.

Blue Sky Sodas were marketed as being made in Santa Fe, but weren't even made in New Mexico. Gasp! Purchasers can get up to $6 without proof of purchase, and $100 with it.

Owners of certain Samsung TVs can receive $450-$650 due to allegedly defective capacitors in the sets.

Thanks to our friends at Top Class Actions for sorting through and compiling all of this information. You can also check out suits still in the investigation phase and get in touch with an attorney if you were affected.

5 Ways To Save Money By Spending Money

2012-05-24T13:40:13Z

It seems counter-intuitive, but frugality doesn't always necessarily mean clutching your wallet with a vise grip and refusing to spend on non-essentials. Sometimes spending a little more doesn't just make your life easier: it can save you money in the long run.

CNBC detailed ten ways that you can actually save money (or earn more in the long run) by spending. You'll have to click through to see the rest, but here are five that we like.

Hiring help. If you earn more than a dog walker or housecleaner would, it might be worth your time to spend more time at the office and leave mundane tasks to pros.
Invest in good quality career wear. Looking crisp and professional is good for your career, which of course is good for your finances.
How do your business cards look? If your employer doesn't provide them or if you're self-employed, professional-looking cards could help you get more work.
Refinance your mortgage. If you own a house, consider refinancing - some legwork now can lead to huge interest savings.
Don't skimp on fun. Buying the very worst seats at an event or the cheapest travel or accommodations on vacation can be a false economy that leads to inconveniences and annoyed family members.

10 Ways to Save Money by Spending More [CNBC]

Law Dropout Debilitated By Asperger Syndrome Gets $339,361 In Student Loans Forgiven

2012-05-24T13:08:00Z

College debt is one of the few debts that can't be discharged in bankruptcy, unless you have a really, really good reason. You pretty much have to be dead or have a debilitating disability that keeps you from working. So it caught the attention of the National Law Journal when a Maryland woman in her 60s had $339,361 in college debt discharged in bankruptcy court earlier this month.

Her journey into educational borrowing began after receiving her high school diploma at age 39. She started, but did not complete, law school beginning in 1992. Later, she eventually earned a master's degree from a local university, and a PhD from an unaccredited online school. But none of this meant that she was employable, and she couldn't even get through her own bankruptcy trial in 2010 without shutting down in fear.

The story here isn't that a borrower got her student loans discharged in bankruptcy due to disability. It's that borrowers were happy to lend more than three hundred grand to a student rather closer to retirement than to typical high school graduation, who is too disabled to find relevant employment and had no real chance of paying that amount back.

Asperger Syndrome prompts court to forgive former law student's debt [National Law Journal]

Papa John's Really, Really Cares That They Gave Me Wrong Pizza Crust

2012-05-24T12:00:00Z

The complaint behind this story was not, at its core, a serious consumer problem. Chris ordered a pizza that was missing a few toppings and on the wrong type of crust. What's notable is that the regional management of Papa John's treated it like it was. Well, eventually. After the local store manager insisted that the error was Chris's fault, he fired off a quick complaint on the website. And that's when corporate solicitousness and free pizzas rained down upon him. Not literally. That would be kind of scary.

Papa Johns messed up my order, nothing big, but they missed some toppings and I got the wrong type of crust. I called my local store to complain and see what could be done. I didn't need a whole new pizza, and I would have been happy if I just got some toppings slapped on my already made pizza. The manager at Papa Johns told me that they fulfilled the order they received, blaming me for the mistakes, and refused to correct the order or even give me an apology for the errant pizza.
I was very disappointed with the interaction as I've always had great relationships with PJs in the past. I went on their website to complain about the situation and to voice my distress over the poor way the manager handled my call. Within two hours, I received a phone call from the branch manager, apologizing for my experience and offering me three coupons to redeem for free pizzas in the future. Thirty minutes later the district manager of all [large Midwestern city] Papa Johns' called me to ensure that the first manager had reached out to me and wanted to confirm that I felt I was treated well. I was blown away by their promptness and humility. Fantastic Customer Service.

FDA Still Not Sure Why Chinese Jerky Made 1,000 Dogs Sick

2012-05-23T16:36:00Z

Pet owners think that we're doing our pets a favor by purchasing treats for them that are just pure dried meat: no flour, no soy, no additives, just meat. But these treats may not be as healthy as they seem. Many dog owners claim that these treats have made their pets ill with problems ranging from diarrhea to kidney failure, and many animals have died. The Food and Drug Administration continues to investigate, even sending inspectors to the production facilities in China, but can't determine what causes the illnesses.

The treat makers, which include pet food industry big names like Nestle Purina and Del Monte, won't admit fault, but have given money to some pet owners if they drop their complaints.

"Following the evaluation, the veterinarian consultant concluded the symptoms experienced by the pet were not related to consuming Milo's Kitchen chicken jerky treats," a Purina representative told MSNBC.

Nearly 1,000 dogs now sick from jerky treats, FDA reports say [MSNBC]
State of denial: pet food industry veterinarian downplays toxic treats role in poisoning dogs [Poisoned Pets]

PREVIOUSLY:
Illness In Dogs Traced To Chinese Chicken Jerky

These Men Died For Your 3G Signal (And A Paycheck)

2012-05-23T15:30:00Z

In the last few years of the aughts, while many of us privileged jerks were whining about how our iPhones kept dropping calls, and the national mobile network couldn't handle the call volume generated by our data-slorping smartphones, a hidden army of workers were there for us, risking their lives so that we could download podcasts on the bus. These dudes (they're all dudes) scale towers to fix and upgrade equipment, working for subcontractors and receiving relatively low pay of $10-$11 per hour. And some of them fall and die.

PBS's Frontline and Nonprofit investigative journalism outfit ProPublica aired/published their extensive investigation into safety practices in the industry. Injuries and deaths in this line of work aren't pinned to the telecoms, but on the subcontractors they hire as needed. That's not necessarily a problem, but the shoddy safety practices of some subcontractors are.

Members of the public can also interview a former cell tower worker and current safety advocate via Reddit. He will be answering questions this morning, probably as soon as he figures out how Reddit works.

Watch The Death of Jay Guilford on PBS. See more from FRONTLINE.

In Race For Better Cell Service, Men Who Climb Towers Pay With Their Lives [ProPublica]
Cell Tower Deaths [Frontline]
I am a former cell tower worker who risked my life for your cell signal [Reddit]

The Case Of The Newegg Investigation, The Missing Refund, And The Vanishing Unlocked Phone

2012-05-23T14:37:19Z

Brian was really excited to open up and play with his new toy, an unlocked phone that he ordered on sale from Newegg. But the box arrived on his doorstep and.... no phone. The bluetooth headset that he had ordered was there, but not the phone. He grew impatient with Newegg's investigation when the missing phone wasn't his fault, and managed to get their customer service to do the right thing and get the phone into his hand, at the sale price. Only neither of their promised refunds--of the original purchase price, and of the difference between the original price and what Brian paid for the replacement phone--have come through.

A few weeks ago I ordered a new unlocked cell phone and blue-tooth headset from Newegg. I saw it had been delivered online and came home from work eager to play with my new toy.
I ripped open the box to find... the headset. I check online and there is only one tracking number. Somewhat disappointed, I check with their customer service via chat. They tell me there is only one number, and it should be in the box. The box sure didn't look like it had been opened, and the amount of packing material makes something as large as a cell phone box being missing doubtful. I think they misspacked the box, but they quiz me on the condition of the box anyway.

Newegg offers that after a investigation that they can send out a replacement unit, but between the investigation and quoted shipping I'm looking at two weeks of waiting. I ask them to send another immediately and they can deal with the investigation. Newegg tells me they can only do this by refunding me that order and having me place a new order. However the phone is no longer on sale.

After quite of bit of arguing with them, they eventually agree to honor the original price by crediting me the difference once I email them that it has been received. The new phone arrives uneventfully, the email is sent, and I get a promise of a refund.
As of today, the deadline for both refunds has passed. I'm out $550. I feel like I've given Newegg a chance to make this right and they are dragging their heels. I'd like to avoid a charge back as I would really like to maintain a positive relationship with them.

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