Category Archives: Consumer activism

Is it just my imagination, or does the selection at the Allston Stop & Shop really suck compared to the nearby Shaw’s?

November 22, 2009 Store Manager Stop & Shop 60 Everett Street Allston, MA 02134 Dear Sir or Madam, I like your store for several reasons: it is the closest supermarket to my house; I like the “Scan It!” system; and you give five cents back for reused bags. Unfortunately, these positives only go so far,… Read More »

Bye bye Chase!

Recall my recent letter to Chase, which ended: As I see it, you have three options for what to do now: You can throw my letter in the trash. Result: I close my Chase account and get a new card from someone else. You can send me a useless, boilerplate response that does not address… Read More »

How to lower your phone + internet cost from $80 per month to $50 per month: buy your own cable modem and kick Comcast to the curb

Comcast was charging me $95 per month for internet and phone service.  That was too much. I got them to lower it to $75 per month, but I had to pay extra for all non-local and long-distance calls.  That was still too much. They raised the equipment charge for my cable modem from $3 to… Read More »

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB): Lying, unrepentant spammers

My wife and I have supported literally hundreds of charitable organizations over the years.  I donate on-line whenever possible, which means that many of these organizations have my email address.  The vast majority of them are smart and reputable enough not to send me bulk email I didn’t agree to receive, or at worst to… Read More »

Comcast sneaks in back-door rate increase by increasing “equipment charge”

UPDATE: If you would like to help me call attention to this, Comcast’s most recent attempt to cheat its customers, please Digg this article. In a classic Gotcha Capitalism strategy, Comcast in Boston has just informed their VoIP and Internet customers that they are raising their monthly rate by $2 without actually admitting they’re doing… Read More »