Issue Date: January 7, 2007
Vent your frustration
Had I known a while back of the many websites that let consumers rage against erring companies, I might have known not to waste time venting to a certain phone giant's customer service department. Instead, older, wiser and with a different phone carrier, I can only alert others.
My story is not awful enough for the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org), a powerful organization whose disapproval is to be feared by any company that makes false claims or swindles its customers. I wasn't swindled, so I looked to websites such as complaints.com, planetfeedback.com and complaintbook.com, which will forward consumer grievances big and small to transgressors and warn consumers about bad company behavior.
My3cents.com does not deal directly with any of the offending companies; it's simply a place for consumers to vent their frustrations. I e-mailed everyone I knew the link to my complaint (my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=8149) along with my new telephone number. Having done my duty to warn the world, I was now ready to let it go.
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3 ways to curb your vet bills
The cost of shots and spaying varies widely.
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Pets' medical bills often can be more costly than your own doctor visits. Here, veterinarian Louise Murray, director of medicine at the national ASPCA, tells how to reduce routine costs without skimping on care.
Use alternatives. Your local Humane Society or SPCA may provide discounted vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and some pet supply chains may offer discounted vaccinations, too. Nothing will keep pets healthier (and out of the vet's office) more than the proper vaccinations. Spaying and neutering prevent unwanted pregnancies and help avoid reproductive cancers and other costly-to-treat disorders.
Get only required vaccines. For a full list, go to aspca.org, click on "pet care," then "dog care" or "cat care." Some vaccines, like giardia for dogs and ringworm for cats, don't prevent infection and can mask the problem.
Buy meds elsewhere. You can save a bundle if you buy online at discount websites such as Petmed.com. Also, drugstores often will fill pet prescriptions and may charge as much as two-thirds less than a vet.
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Phony fish scare?
Don't let a mercury scare keep you from eating fish, says William Lands, Ph.D., formerly with the National Institutes of Health and a leading expert on the benefits of fish oil. He says virtually all fish, even those high in mercury, are safe.
"Mercury is toxic in the absence of selenium," Lands says, "but fish is loaded with selenium that neutralizes the danger." A new University of North Dakota study shows that common fish, including grouper, swordfish, tuna and salmon, have much more selenium than mercury. Even albacore tuna (high on the government's hit list) has 15 times more selenium than mercury, making it perfectly safe, in Lands' view.
Is there any fish Lands would avoid because of high mercury? No, except maybe the pilot whale, not seen in U.S. markets.
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Eager to check out Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon behind the wheel? The smart advice is to get your tickets and book your hotel room as soon as you can. The NASCAR Nextel Cup is a series of 36 grueling races held over a nine-month period in different venues. Competition for the best seats, nearby hotel rooms and affordable airfares to the host city can be fierce.
First-timers. Robert Tuchman, the president and CEO of TSE Sports & Entertainment, says newbies should begin with one race to see what NASCAR is all about. "Get a grandstand ticket, go a few days early, and soak in the entire atmosphere," he says.
Packages. Dozens of companies sell hotel and ticket packages, including Premiere Sports Travel. Its price for the March 9 to 11 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 in Las Vegas starts at $515 a person. That's for two nights at the Golden Nugget and a ticket for the races. The biggest events, such as the Feb. 18 Daytona 500, can come with big-time price tags. Sports Traveler has a three-night hotel package with a ticket for $1,480 a person.
To economize. One option is to fly into an alternate city, where the airfare often is better and lodging cheaper during a race week. And because NASCAR tracks offer an RV parking lot, you also can rent an RV and drive to the race. NASCAR's website offers last-minute hotel deals, and, as a last resort, you usually can find tickets on eBay.
Everett Potter is an award-winning travel writer in New York.
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