About 30,000 LG 830 “Spyder” cell phones, manufactured in Korea and imported by LG Electronics MobileComm USA Inc. of San Diego, Calif., are being recalled because they can have difficulty sustaining a connection or have poor voice quality on calls to emergency 911. The firm has received one report of... Read more →
This week, I had the opportunity to attend a free toxic toy testing in Seattle, Wash., sponsored by the Washington Toxics Coalition. Members of the coalition were invited to attend. Since my grandchildren live far away, I borrowed some toys from a friend who has a five-month-old grandchild. The tests... Read more →
One of the best consumer resources available for baby boomers is Checkbook magazine. It provides ratings of local businesses in seven areas of the country: Boston, Chicago, Delaware Valley, Puget Sound, San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C. The new Winter/Spring 2009 issue covers these topics: Supermarkets: Which stores... Read more →
The Academy Awards were disappointing to me this year. I was rooting for “Frost/Nixon” to win best picture. I didn’t appreciate the fact that “Slumdog Millionaire” won best picture and so many other awards. As I blogged earlier, I don’t think that movies that feature torture are anything to brag... Read more →
Drywall manufactured in China and installed in Florida is the subject of a class action lawsuit. The drywall may be emitting sulfuric odors, possibly exposing people to respiratory health problems, according to the article “Chinese Drywall a Threat to Homeowners?” on Consumer Affairs.com. The emissions can also corrode air conditioning... Read more →
At first it didn’t seem too worrisome. Products from the Peanut Corp. of America, a firm that has allegedly shopped products containing salmonella, were being recalled. News reports said the company only sold peanuts and peanut products to institutions such as nursing homes and hospitals. Now, however, the recall has... Read more →
What you don’t know about product safety could kill you. When I began writing for consumers in 1977, I was on the mailing list of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. I received a news release about a shop light that had killed people and was being recalled. I showed... Read more →
Meatless Monday, a group that encourages people to skip meat one day a week, encourages people to mark the end of Mardi Gras on Feb. 24 with less meat consumption. Mardi Gras – also known as Carnival or Fat Tuesday – has been a time to consume the last bits... Read more →
Yesterday The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide featured Part 1 of a two-part series on PETA Prime, a new vegetarian Web site for baby boomers. Here’s Part 2 with answers to questions from baby boomer Karen Taggart, spokeswoman for PETA Prime. Rita: There are many vegetarian Web sites. Why did... Read more →
When I wrote the post, “Becoming a Vegetarian,” I received a comment from Karen Taggart, spokesman for a new Web site called PETA Prime. PETA is an organization called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Taggart wrote the following comment on my blog: This is fantastic! We were recently... Read more →