UCAN

UCAN wants to know:  Were you sold a bundled package where any of the 3 services couldn't be provided by AT&T, Verizon or any other carrier?  For example, UCAN received a Verizon complaint where the company was unable to provide phone service because the customer was in an AT&T service area.  Because the customer signed up based on the promise of a printed advertisement, it didn't occur to him to ask if service was possible.  In this case, the customer was told that the TV part of the package had to be installed first.  The customer was then not able to cancel the DirecTV service without an early termination penalty. 

Without question, Don Bauder, a former editor and financial columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune is one of the most respected business reporters in Southern California. Today, The San Diego Reader has published his story "Spinrise," which exposes his former colleague, Robert A. Kittle, as a "pathetically fatuous" servant of San Diego's "overlords."  Pretty strong language, indeed!   What's more, says Bauder, Kittle's statements about UCAN and the Sunrise PowerLink are a "rank deception." Read all about it.

Recently I had to "choose" a broadband Internet provider. After having my "choices" narrowed down for me by a serious lack of competition ( I hear U-Verse is on its way some day), I went with my first, last, and only choice, Time Warner. Despite feeling trapped, the Time Warner customer service rep wooed me with promises of a new broadband paradigm, Roadrunner "turbo." For some reason this "15 Mbps down, 2 Mbps" up Internet was cheaper than the default 8 Mbps/ 1 Mbps option of yesteryear, so I pounced on the deal like a caged tiger given extra scraps of meat at dinner.

The moral of this story is to check the bandwidth you're getting from your broadband Internet provider.

National Dealers Warranty FINAL NOTICE scam letters are sent to unsuspecting consumers with Customer ID #s to make people believe they already have a 5-year. 100,000 mile extended warranty on their cars.  Victims are lead to believe that they are getting an employee discount price if they renew within 48 hours. 

Using a cell phone without hands-free equipment while driving is now unlawful. However, studies show that hands-free driving isn't necessarily any safer than having a cell phone glued to your ear, and that simply talking on any phone is as dangerous as driving drunk. Yet oddly, talking to a fellow passenger while driving or listening to the radio does not seem to be a significant cause of accidents. Why? Is it possible that driving poorly while talking on the phone is a function of age? More.

Older Americans are at-risk as gas and food prices rise and assets dwindle. MORE

California law prohibiting handheld cell phone usage takes effect July 1st. This blog explains the details, limitations, and exceptions to the law.

Today, Senator John McCain announced plans to open up more oil leases. The idea is simple: with an alleged 21 billion barrels in oil reserves on U.S. lands, we could easily replace the oil we get from the Middle East with oil from U.S. real estate. It's a great idea that sounds good on paper and is heartily endorsed by the oil lobbyist on John McCain's staff.  Too bad it won't work.

In six months the investment tax credits, meant to stimulate investment in solar energy, and the production tax credit, meant to encourage investment in wind energy, are set to expire unless congress makes them a priority and renews them. More.

A water supply alert was declared by the Metropolitan Water District's board of directors on Tuesday. Read more.