Entry bubble Free Consumer Action while Freed from TV

By: Jake | April 21, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Straight from the "strange but true" file, it's National TV-Turnoff week. That's right the Center for Screen-Time Awareness (CSTA) says April 21-27 everyone should turn off or even unplug their TV so they can "think, create and do."TV

The first thing you can "do" is order the free and newly published 2008 Consumer Action Handbook, or CAH, as we call it in the office. The CAH is an every day guide to being a smarter shopper. (You're smart already because you're ordering the CAH).

Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled programming or I guess missing or DVRing your regularly scheduled programming.

The CSTA has been hosting National TV-Turnoff Week since 1995 so people can take a hard look at the role of TV in their lives, especially in the lives of their children. They say that TV is a passive activity and if you or your children watch too much, it can cut into family time and lead to unhealthy habits and obesity.

They recommend while the TV is off you and your family spend time outdoors, read, play games or just have fun with each other. Their hope is that you make these activities a habit and you and your family spend less time watching TV in the future.

My TV will be off this week since I'm helping a friend get ready for his wedding (I don't think this will become a habit). Now turn off "The Hills" and get out there, but remember to order the CAH before you go.

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Entry bubble Kicked Out!

By: Colleen | March 12, 2008 | Category: General

While out of town over the weekend I received a most disturbing phone call from my roommate. In the elevator of our apartmentapartment building building she overheard two other girls talking about how they were being forced to move out due to renovations that would occur shortly. Nervous, my roommate went to the leasing office where they gave her some run-around story about our building being completely re-done and that we'll need to move out sometime in the next three months. This is more than a little sketchy seeing as we signed a lease that runs through August.

We immediately got out our copy of the rental agreement to see what it said about early termination of the lease by both the tenant and the rental agency. What we found was a lot of legal jargon neither of us quite understood. Luckily for us, my sister is an attorney and she offered to take a professional look at our situation.

In the meantime, before I become homeless, I decided to consult the Consumer Action Handbook for advice. Here I found out that each state has its own tenant rights, laws, and protections. For a state-by-state directory visit http://www.hud.gov/local.

The reality of the whole deal is I'm going to have to do something I hate more than seeing the Red Sox win the World Series - move.

I must say, I've been kicked out of far better. Has anyone been caught in a similar situation? Any advice?

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