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by Fred C. Wilson III
June 1, 2013
“…there is a cleverness that increases bitterness.”
-Sirach 21:12-
Let the buyer beware ‘caveat emptor’ in Latin was originally applied to property laws. In our society this saying could be useful in any business transaction. When companies inject air bubbles in depilatory tubes and cheesecakes to increase volume and dilute the product but jack up prices to rake in more profits something is wrong. When franchise chicken orders are brown and crispy on the outside but green with rot on the inside something is seriously amiss. The government spends billions of taxpayer dollars to ‘study’ high sugar content in gallon sized soft drinks yet turn a blind eye towards food additives that’s making diabetics and genetic freaks out of school children. People are angry; consumer apathy guarantees buyers will only whine and moan but won’t lift a finger in alleviating bogus business practices. I recently spoke with two medical professionals at Stroger Hospital regarding the banning of ‘big sodas’ by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. Though the ban was later overturned by the New York Supreme Court here’s what they had to say:
“The Government is in direct violation of our Constitutional rights forcing consumers to cut down on the sugar content of soft drinks. As a health care professional I know that sugar is a high risk food. White sugar intake should be very limited. Cutting sugar intake in foods should be the prerogative of the individual not the government!”
-Name withheld- RN (Stroger Hospital)-
“It’s my body. I love sweet rolls, Coca Cola, and candy. If I want to drink sugary laden soft drinks or eat anything else that has high sugary content then that’s my decision and not some nosy government’s!”
-Name withheld-CNA (diabetes patient)-
Reader what about cellular telephone companies that erroneously charge you for unused minutes and which you pay for? This population be damned attitude fostered by our ‘leaders’ in business/government has sent American jobs overseas blaming unionism. In many cases soft drinks and mouth wash no matter what brands are manufactured by the same companies though priced and bottled differently. Beer and syrup used to have distinct aromas that invited people to purchase their products; beer like maple syrup no longer tempt the olfactory glands though with the growth of micro-breweries this is changing for the beer industry.
An educated and activist populace can work economic wonders. They can boycott fast food restaurants that use meats of dubious quality (See: ‘Fast Food Nation.’). Greedy companies are picking the pockets of the American shopper. Nothing short of a consumer revolution will turn this sorry situation around. We know what happens to lone revolutionaries consumer or otherwise. Ralph Nader was ignored and Al Gore had the presidency stolen from him. The Japanese have a proverb ‘the nail that sticks out gets hammered.’ Reader, I don’t have to refresh your memory by telling you stuff you already know. Ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things.
I’m a big fan of the late legendary George Carlin comedian par excellence. Though I hate his take on organized religion but then not many ex-Catholics leave the Faith quietly George being no exception, the man told it like it was. I appreciated him for it. Reader if you have time and strong stomach, and a thick skin I strongly urge you to view Mr. Carlin’s videos on societal issues. He says things your beloved writer can’t say due to space and language restrictions.
The U.S. Government offers their free Consumer Action Handbook with email updates. I ordered one about a week ago. The updates are already coming in. Use your search engine to order your free book. Everyday I get annoying robocalls. It’s illegal for telemarketers/bill collectors to harass people. The Federal Trade Commission says harassing companies are subject to hefty fines with a sizable payment to you. Reader, have your phone numbers registered with the Federal Trade Commission’s No Call list. I recently registered all personal phone numbers with the FTC. However the annoying phone calls are still coming in.
To counter the offending callers I’m keeping a call log. I write down the times, ring duration, dates of calls, and the telephone numbers of the offending callers. Next month I’ll send a letter with copies of all logged entries of the offending telemarketers to the Office of Policy and Coordination-Room 7117-Bureau of Competition-Attention: Bureau Chief-Federal Trade Commission-601 New Jersey Avenue NW-Washington, DC 20580. The FTC does have an email to report offending telemarketers but personal letters are best. Their number is: 1-888-382-1222. Try www.USA.Gov A-Z Index of consumer action groups for additional information.
The American court system works wonders if used correctly. The saying among legal professionals ‘any person who represents themselves has a fool for a client’ ain’t necessarily so. Older than the U.S. Constitution is your right to address grievances in court without the assistance of a pricy attorney. This practice is defined as pro se Latin meaning ‘for oneself.’ I’ve often used this method of legal defense and was very fortunate to have won all of my cases! Going pro se isn’t a cake walk; it takes work; collecting and filling out legal forms, visiting governmental offices, payment of various fees including hiring a Sherriff’s deputy to serve your court summons, and the actual court battle. Reader if pro se is your method of choice, please follow these guidelines: Address the presiding judge as “Your Honor,” never wear casual clothings, always act in a dignified manner almost as if you owned the place, and carry a brief/attaché case to appear dignified. In court looks and presentation are bedmates. Case in point:
There was this young man whose case was heard before mine who tried to represent a friend. He was practicing without a law license. Both judge and bailiff went totally off on this man! They tore in to him so badly that I felt sorry for the poor guy; not only that the clown had the audacity to have worn a Muslim woman’s face scarf and red fez with a bright gold tassel! After my ten wins it took the Internal Revenue Service to sever my winning streak though it took five months of mutual legal finagling to do it. I rallied back in a recent legal action a month ago! Reader never go down like a ‘wuss’ always come out swinging or go down fighting! If you don’t stand up for your rights as a free human being nobody will. You are the captain of your ship; don’t get torpedoed.
Should marijuana be legal? At the time of this writing the question of medical marijuana is currently going through the Illinois State legislature. Soon the issue will be decided in this state once and for all. ‘Dopers Holiday-Legalizing Marijuana’ for recreational/ medicinal uses will be discussed in the next edition of Philippine Adventures. We’ll attempt to answer that vital question plus discuss the possibility of early releases for those currently imprisoned on reefer charges. Illinois prisons are filled to overflowing with people with drug convictions. GOD be with you, drive carefully, love yourself, be good to others but don’t be no fool. Peace and all things good!