It's such a logical answer.

Reader Tom Wishon contacted us with a very, very good guess as to why anyone would bother scraping, gouging or otherwise obscuring the hours of operation on Fells Point parking meter machines, which issue parking meter slips for your dashboard.

These meter machines are slowly replacing traditional parking meters around the city. Usually, the hours of enforcement are posted on a sticker inside the glass window of those old-school models, safe from tampering hands. But the hours are printed on stickers posted on the front of the new meter machines.

Wishon's hypothesis?

Continue reading "Watchdog: vandalized parking meter machines --- but why?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Watchdog
        

I'm wearing my Watchdog hat while sharing this Consumer Web Site of the Week: Baltimore Housing's list of active code violations.

On this site, you can search for code violations at specific city addresses, or find code violations within a specific neighborhood. Addresses with stepped-up code enforcement and court orders are listed there too.

From the Code Enforcement Legal section page, choose "case tracking" to see court orders and outcomes. 

Continue reading "Search Baltimore Housing violations & code enforcement" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week, Watchdog
        

Income-based student loan repayment plans are on the way to help some recent graduates make it through this tough employment season, according to Eileen Ambrose's column this week.

This will be good news for those who are "upside-down" in their student loan debt --- a term which usually refers to people who owe more on their home than the property is worth. I'm arbitrarily going to assign that term to folks who owe more in student loans than they earn in a year, unless we get some better suggestions in the comments below.

But an estimated 1 million people with federal loans whose debts exceed their annual pay could be eligible, particularly people with low-paid public service jobs.

Here's how it works: 

Continue reading "Income-based repayment for student loans: Consumer Sundays" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Student loans, Watchdog
        

Readers, Watchdog got a tip last week about a possible chemical spill in a creek outside of Bel Air in Harford County that had killed fish.

I called the Maryland Department of the Environment to see if they were investigating any complaints or reports and discovered that inspectors *did* check out a call about Bynum Run in Bel Air on Friday.

Analysis revealed a sweet answer:

Continue reading "What's in the water in Bel Air? " »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Watchdog
        

There's more to picking a target-date fund than knowing when you'd like to retire, advises Eileen Ambrose in her Sunday personal finance column.

Target-date retirement funds are meant to help people too busy to select their own investments. In a nutshell, most guidelines suggest putting your retirement money into more volatile options like stocks early on and then gradually moving into more conservative alternatives such as bonds as you get older.

With target-date funds, the fund managers make that shift automatically, so investors have fewer decisions to make.

However, Eileen points out that you still have to monitor where that money is going. Look at the prospectus to ensure the fund's investment strategy matches your own risk tolerance, whether you're pretty conservative or if you enjoy the thrill of the market's ups and downs.

Also, don't overlook the fees charged by these funds. Remember: there's a price for convenience, which is valuable. By investing in a target-date fund, you're paying for a fund manager's expertise.

Continue reading "Target-date funds & Lake Montebello restrooms: Consumer Sundays" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Investments, Personal finance, Retirement, Watchdog
        

Reader Mary Ellen Stepowany made my Friday afternoon when she called to say that the lights along the Harbor Promenade were finally lit after dark.

The waterfront path connecting Federal Hill and Canton is a popular destination for many people whether their usual mode of transportation is bike, stroller or their own two feet.

It's been more than two years since street lights were installed along Union Wharf, an undeveloped property, and more than a year since we first mentioned the unlit street light problem in Watchdog. It was determined that although the city's department of transportation built the path in this area (near where Wolfe Street and Thames streets deadend at the water) the developer Larry Silverstein needed to connect the lights to power.

And as we told you in Sunday's Watchdog update, transportation staff worked with the developer to locate the conduits and connect the lights. Stepowany, who can see the path from her home, saw workers at the lights early last week and spotted the lit fixtures later.

Elsewhere in the Sunday paper ...

Continue reading "Credit card reform and Harbor Promenade lights: Consumer Sunday" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Credit cards, Watchdog
        

Don't miss Sunday's Watchdog, where we fill you in on a water leak that has persisted for months without resolution, despite numerous reports by neighbors.

Remember, if you see a problem in Baltimore, call 311 first or submit a 311 report online. Then, hang on to that confirmation number --- it can be e-mailed to you!

Baltimore County residents can also use the online system or call 410.396.5352 to report problems with water service or water main leaks in their communities.

You can use that to check the status of the request in the future, or use it to reference the problem if, say, you decide to e-mail Watchdog about it.

Posted by Liz Kay at 3:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Watchdog
        

Meet Jim Wang. You've read the Columbia resident's comments here at Consuming Interests, and we've certainly cited Jim's blog bargaineering.com along with his peers in the personal finance blogging world, including J.D. Roth from Get Rich Slowly and Trent from The Simple Dollar.

Read Eileen Ambrose's Sunday column to find out how these personal finance bloggers shared their experiences getting themselves out of the red... and have earned some green in the process.

As for Watchdog ...

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Moneybloggers and storm inlet grates" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

Tons of people blog, but some people save you money while doing it.  

Eileen Ambrose talked with three personal finance bloggers who have cultivated an audience by sharing great advice about their own experiences digging out of debt. Now, they're helping others change their own financial outlook for the better --- and bringing in bucks while doing it.

Check out Eileen's Sunday column to find out how they corrected some big money mistakes.

As for Watchdog ...

Continue reading "Blogging for fun and profit & open storm drains: Consumer Sundays" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Personal finance, Watchdog
        

Some people may have seem to have the frugal gene, and don't need to nurture these instincts, according to Eileen Ambrose's column Sunday. But others can also learn to develop the habits of savers, her experts say.

Savers wouldn't waste money on bottled water or credit card fees but they also invest wisely, according to the column.

Sometimes outside forces can encourage saving, such as the grim economic news these days, which correlates with the personal saving rate increasing by 5 percent, Eileen said.

You know what else also helps?

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: developing frugal habits and reserved handicapped spaces" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Budgeting, Cheap/Frugal, Watchdog
        

Excellent Eileen tackles an intriguing topic on Sunday: why some people are savers despite modest incomes, while others can't save a penny even on healthy salaries.

I'm not sure whether nature or nurture has a bigger impact on developing a frugal philosophy. However, you often hear stories about how living through the Great Depression, when people had to quit high school because they couldn't afford the socks (check out episode 3). It made people appreciate what they had and taught them not to waste anything. They fixed broken things and reused everything before recycling was trendy.

Anyone believe the current economic climate will help people form frugal habits they will practice for a lifetime? Check out what Eileen thinks on Sunday.

And as for Watchdog, we see how long it takes for someone trying to be a good neighbor to succeed in his quest to remove a handicapped parking space that his family no longer needs.

This week we're ending on a public service announcement:

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: how do people develop frugal habits, and reserved handicapped spaces" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Cheap/Frugal, Personal finance, Shopping, Watchdog
        

The $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers and the new-car tax credit led to lots of questions from readers last week, so check out Eileen Ambrose's Sunday column this week for great answers to those and some other details of the stimulus bill passed last week.

The credit, she explains, is

" ... a revision of one passed last year that was worth 10 percent of the home's price --- not to exceed $7,500 --- on purchases from April 9 last year through June 30 this year.

The catch: The credit was really an interest-free loan that must be repaid over 15 years. The new and improved credit is worth up to $8,000 on purchases made this year through Nov. 30. You won't have to repay the credit as long as you don't sell the house within three years.

That "first-time homebuyer" label is a little loose, however ...

Continue reading "$8000 tax credit and property taxes: Consumer Sundays" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Taxes, Watchdog
        

If those nominated to lead our nation's highest offices can't even manage to pay their taxes, how can we lowly mortals escape fault?

Excellent Eileen's Sunday column about nanny taxes --- payroll, unemployment and other taxes paid for household workers, including gardeners, cooks, maids, childcare workers and others --- helps answer some of the complicated questions involved.

You'll also have to watch out for perks from anyone you have a business relationship with, making sure to report that as taxable income. That's what took down Tom Daschle.

Watchdog took a look at an out-of-order fire hydrant in Southwest Baltimore ...

Continue reading "Consumer Sunday: unpaid tax troubles and out-of-order hydrants" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Taxes, Watchdog
        

Unpaid taxes could really derail your cabinet nomination hearings, some recent perspective appointees for the Obama cabinet have found. 

First, it was Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner who admitted he was lax in paying the taxes he owed out of his paycheck from the International Monetary Fund. Then, former Sen. Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination for Health and Human Services secretary after it was discovered that he had at the last minute paid $140,000 in taxes on a car and driver a friend provided (why don't I have friends like these?!). And Nancy Killefer recognized she couldn't be in charge of ensuring government effficiency because she had failed to pay taxes for a worker in her household.

About 90 percent of Americans say you shouldn't cheat on your taxes, ever, so how can you avoid these pitfalls yourself just in case you get tapped for, I dunno, FEMA administrator? Read Eileen's column Sunday to find out how to ensure you pay the nanny tax.

Watchdog tackles a potentially hazardous situation ... 

Continue reading "Consumer Sunday: unpaid tax troubles and out-of-order hydrants" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 5:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Taxes, Watchdog
        

Tax tips abound in Excellent Eileen's column this week, where she rattles off eight ways to beef up your tax return depending on your situation. First-time homebuyer? Collecting unemployment? Lost money in the stock market? You need to check out her column.

She brings up an important reminder if you didn't receive the maximum tax rebate in 2008. Your situation may have changed --- perhaps you earned more money, for example --- so you should check to see whether you qualify this time around.

Watchdog tackles an all-too-common problem this week:

Continue reading "Taxes and unlit lights: Yes, it's Consumer Sunday again" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Taxes, Watchdog
        

There may be thousands of Baltimore residents in a situation similar to the one Schuyler Denham was in.

As we described in this week's Watchdog, Denham had received an environmental citation in October and wanted to contest it, so he requested a hearing before Baltimore's Environmental Control Board. 

Unfortunately, he never received information with a hearing date, although he continued to receive notices about the unpaid fine. 

If you, too, had requested a hearing but have not received one ...

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: request for a hearing goes unanswered" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Watchdog
        

I don't know you all have missed Excellent Eileen Ambrose as much as we have here in the newsroom, but she's been out of the office for a few days.

She did leave behind some wonderful tips for The Sun's Riding out the Recession feature, including finding stocks that are actually producing dividends in the economic downturn and how to maximize coupon savings to tide us over until she gets back.

Watchdog is particularly exciting this week, if you've been on the receiving end of an environmental citation from a Baltimore inspector recently.

Don't want to give too much away, but please check out the piece Sunday.

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Watchdog
        

Boy, my inbox --- and Watchdog's --- has been flooded with comments from people all over the Baltimore area with complaints about Comcast cable wires installed through their lawns, driveways and even across roadways.

It even made it to Consumerist, where commenters reminded me that there remains yet another forum for customers and non-customers affected by the practices of Comcast and other cable services to voice their opinion.

Each county and Baltimore city maintains franchise contract with the cable providers that deliver services within their boundaries and so have some limited oversight over them. If you've tried calling Comcast and have not gotten through, perhaps it's time to file a complaint with the franchisee.

Here's the contact information for Baltimore city and the five surrounding counties:

Continue reading "Complaints about your cable service? Tell your local government, too." »

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Complaints, Watchdog
        

This week's Watchdog offered an opportunity to test Comcast's customer service.

Now, Watchdog focuses on solving problems in your neighborhood --- street lights out, faded crosswalks, abandoned vehicles. Generally the folks who can solve those problems are city, state or county departments and agencies.

Occasionally, however, an issue in a neighborhood prompts us to contact private companies such as BGE or Comcast or CSX, and so I used this week's situation as an opportunity to test the response to the We_can_help@cable.comcast.com e-mail address that we told you about last year.

Stay tuned to discover how the reader fared when sharing her plight.

(photo: Elizabeth Malby/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Watchdog
        

Eileen's Sunday column highlights some of the financial lessons we've learned (or been forced to learn) in 2008.

The events of the year really reinforces why financial gurus advise maintaining an emergency fund for unexpected expenses, investing only long-term money in the stock market (nothing you'd need within five years) and to expect risk in all investments --- even real estate.

Some of these concepts might not have been as clear during the boom years, but 2008 definitely put things in perspective.

There are still some questions that remain unanswered in this week's Watchdog, however ...

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: 2008's financial lessons and lights out at the Harbor Promenade" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Credit cards, Retirement, Watchdog
        

If you've taken some time to review your financial picture this week and found not-too-pleasant results, you might want to take a look at Eileen's Sunday column, full of reassuring words about the economy from investment professionals across the country.

The comfort sometimes takes the form of a history lesson, or quotations from wise people --- and smart investors --- but also, there's some tough talk about expectations and realities as we go forward. 

And Sunday's Watchdog, about a traffic signal in East Baltimore that's been holding up drivers near the Baltimore County line, reveals an unfortunate reality about this feature in our paper: 

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: comforting words about the financial markets and traffic signals tying up traffic" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Investments, Watchdog
        

Well, I hope Eileen's column reassured you about what benefits bankrupt or belly-up businesses must pay --- traditional pensions are protected, as are 401(k) plans.

However, there is plenty that isn't guaranteed, like health insurance, and life insurance. So it's worth it to factor that potential uncertainty into your financial plan --- and your emergency fund.

This week's Watchdog sought out the reason why northbound Aisquith Street between Baltimore and Fayette streets has been closed for months. 

It turns out ... 

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: benefits from bankrupt businesses and details about detours" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Healthcare, Retirement, Watchdog
        

So, hypothetically speaking, you work for a business that has recently declared bankruptcy or otherwise goes kaput.

Unfortunately, given the downward trajectory of our markets lately, this is a reality that affects more and more people every day.

Read Eileen's column Sunday to learn the fate of your 401 (k), pension and other accounts that are tied up with the company's messy finances.

And over in Watchdog ...

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: what happens to your 401 (k) and pension if your employer goes bankrupt?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Economy, Personal finance, Retirement, Watchdog
        

Avalon had the right idea when he or she posted a comment last week about cleaning storm drains: 

"I clean the drains in front of my own house. I also do it in front of the houses of my neighbors. I don't want my neighborhood looking blighted. I don't expect the city to clean it up and I'd probably die waiting for them to cite my neighbors for not keeping the area cleared."

According to the Baltimore's department of public works, residents are responsible for keeping trash from washing down storm drains. And apparently, as highlighted in this week's Watchdog, trash in Baltimore includes bottles, cans, candy wrappers ... and crime scene tape.

By the way, did you see Eileen's column this week about more rewarding sources of unclaimed cash than the space under your sofa cushions? 

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: unclaimed cash and clogged storm drains" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Watchdog
        

We've told you before that pennies add up to dollars, and with that mantra in mind you might go out of your way to pick up the coins passed over in less lean times. Have you broken the piggy bank, gone through the couch cushions or re-checked old coat pockets or purses for nickels and dimes?

Then you'd be surprised to hear about thousands of dollars of unclaimed money that Excellent Eileen has written about in her Sunday column. Be sure to check it out.

As for Watchdog, well ...

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: unclaimed cash and clogged storm drains" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Budgeting, Odds & Ends, Watchdog
        

So did you check out Excellent Eileen's column Sunday about Prosper.com, a peer-to-peer lending site that, under SEC scrutiny, has ceased making loans amid concerns that they've essentially been selling unregulated investments?

As Eileen explained:

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: peer-to-peer lending and dead trees" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Consumer protection, Loans, Watchdog
        

If you want to keep your friends, don't lend them money --- at least, not money you need or are expecting to get back.

It's bad news, okay? Say you go out for drinks with friend who forgets wallet and you're like, no worries, I got this. But then if s/he doesn't pick up the tab next time ... it's not worth getting heated. Just don't do it again.

When it comes to big-ticket items like money for cars or trips together, however, forget it. It's definitely not worth the hassle, the heartache, the stress. You don't want to be in that position.

But what if there was a way to avoid all that bad feeling? The concept of peer-to-peer lending --- where regular folks like you and me fund loans to people who need it, and get paid back with interest --- sounds fascinating. Here's a way to earn money with your money and to help out a neighbor (one with Internet access and an entrepreneurial spirit), PLUS a system to manage the payments.

However, as Excellent Eileen will point out in her column this Sunday, peer-to-peer lending has hit an obstacle --- regulators. The biggest company, Prosper.com, has been sidelined while it gets regulatory approval. 

Prosper.com has already promised (in principle, anyway) to give $1 million to 20 states where it has been accused of selling unregistered securities.

Check out Eileen's piece to find out what impact regulation might have on the industry.

So what else are you doing this weekend if you're not bankrolling your friends --- perhaps putting up a Christmas tree, or a holiday bush?

Instead, in this week's Watchdog, a woman in Ridgely's Delight is arguing that a tree should come down ...

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Peer-to-peer lending and not-so-festive trees" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Loans, Watchdog
        

Well kids, here goes my last Consumer Sundays post. I just handed in my paperwork at HR, got my boxes packed and am wrapping things up now on this here blog.

Tune in Sunday to find out why Eileen says, in her personal finance column, it's OK to embrace your inner tightwad in these hard economic times.

Liz's Watchdog column tackles a bus that doesn't stop at an unmarked bus stop in Canton.

And me? Well, just for giggles, I looked up the oldest article written by me that I could find in the Sun's archives. Here it is, a story that ran on 3B of the old Maryland section, when I was an intern in 1991:

Catrice Green, a student at Rosemont Elementary School, thought it was just great being a part of a stripe in the American flag."I feel like I am a star," said Shanee Monroe, a senior at City College and president of the student council who was one of the flag's stars. "To be any part of this celebration for the flag is a lifelong experience."

 

    An estimated 3,400 elementary and high school students agreed yesterday that being a part of a human flag was exciting, fun and quite a privilege.

 

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Thanks and Goodbye" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Complaints, Consumer protection, Consumer safety, Odds & Ends, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

While I was out running errands over the weekend, I stopped by a Marshall's and the line at the layaway counter was full of people, who had their arms and carts full of merchandise. The store in Towson was packed because there was a 25 percent sale on already marked down prices.

At first, it made me think that maybe retailers won't be hurt as badly from the long-suffering economy as everyone is predicting. But then, I thought, if big sales are already being offered before Black Friday then how much money will retailers really make if they keep slashing prices to lure customers into stores?

I don't know the answer to that. But I do know I was heartened to see so many people taking advantage of the layaway plan since I do think it's the most useful tool out there right now for people trying to avoid racking up more debt, but who still want to be able to buy nice things for the holidays. 

Put some money down, make some payments over the few weeks until it's paid off and then take your goodies home with you worry-free. That's awesome. 

You know what else is awesome? Liz alerting the Department of Transportation's Adrienne Barnes to the dangerous crosswalk at Pratt and Eutaw streets. DOT will repaint those lines so drivers will see there is, indeed, a crosswalk there where they are supposed to let pedestrians have the right of way. DOT will also re-examine the timing of the lights to make sure impatient drivers aren't blowing through red lights because the green light is too short.

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Layaway, Crosswalks and Year-End Tax Planning" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Economy, Holiday shopping, Taxes, Watchdog
        

Good morning everyone. How was your weekend?

I spent most of it watching football. My team won so it was a good day. Plus, I got to see that great game between the Steelers and the Chargers. How crazy was the last play with the lateral throws that ended up in a interception and touchdown that wasn't? Final score: Steelers 11, Chargers 10.

I can't remember who told me this, but it's supposed to be the first time there has ever been a final score of 10-11 in NFL history. Whether that's true or not, it was still a cool game.

Speaking of football, I sure hope you spent some time with the paper on Sunday catching up on consumer news. What did you think of Patricia Wynn's plight after she won 102.7 Jack FM's Ultimate SuperBowl Contest? Would you have been as patient? Did you wonder what either of these companies were thinking?

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Jack FM, dormant trees and open mutual funds" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Investments, Watchdog
        

Is it live or is it Memorex? Do you remember those commercials? Are they still on anymore? And if they're not, is that a sign of my age?

Anyhoo, that catchphrase popped into my head when Liz told me she's writing about lots and lots of dead-looking, unplanted trees in Druid Hill Park for Watchdog this weekend. Find out for sure if they're alive or if they're dead on Sunday, and why they're lying all over the park.

I'm going to tell you the sorry tale of Patricia Wynn and the oh-so-fabulous Ultimate SuperBowl Contest prize she won from 102.7 Jack FM earlier this year.

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Dying trees, Winning for Losing and Mutual Funds" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Investments, Watchdog
        

A jolly good morning to everyone out there!

We know the Obamas are set to visit the White House today. Think they'll talk about taxes at all? Eileen gave us a primer yesterday on what we can expect for our taxes and investments under an Obama administration.

How many people plan on selling investments to avoid higher taxes later? Do you think he'll be forced to raise taxes during the recession?

I'm still wondering what Acer was thinking when it figured putting a customer through eight repairs on a high-end laptop was OK? And then replacing the bad laptop with a just-as-bad refurb... only to completely blow Aaron Shepard off when all he asked for was a refund of the money he spent shipping his laptop back multiple times for repair.

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Bad laptops, Barriers and Barack Obama's tax plans" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Computers, Economy, Investments, Taxes, Watchdog
        

HMIF! Holy Moly It's Friday! Whew. Finally. Happy Friday people!

Now that the elections are over, the whole country is waiting to see what happens next. I keep telling Eileen to use her Magic 8 Ball to guide us, but she says it keeps saying, "Ask Again Later."

So for her Sunday personal finance column, Eileen's just going to rely on experts to tell you what investors can expect under a Barack Obama presidency.

Remember that dude who drove his SUV into the Inner Harbor last week?

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Barriers, Computer Lemon Laws and Investing under Barack" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Computers, Investments, Watchdog
        

Happy Monday, everyone. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of candy already. I was visiting my Mom's and they had all of 9 trick or treaters so they were letting the kids grab handfuls from the candy bowl.

(ahem) I might have snuck a couple Junior Mints and M&Ms into my purse.

Anyhow, so did anyone going to the Waverly Farmer's Market notice how long that light is at Barclay Street? Well, thanks to Liz, the Department of Transportation has a fix set for the end of this month that will make those long car lines leaving the market go away faster. I feel like I need to go around the city and write down all the traffic signals that make me crazy because they're either way too long or way too short. 

There's one near Hopkins Hospital that is an accident waiting to happen since people run the left turn signal ALL the time. 

But I'm going to save my traffic light rant for another time. I don't want to start our Monday ranting... unless you feel like ranting?

Besides, I can't get to uppity since I have a confession to make about Social Security Number requests. I have to tell you that as much as I rail against companies that demand your SSN during a transactiion, I caved recently when I tried to renew my Verizon Wireless contract. The guy at Best Buy said he couldn't sign me up without it and I was pressed for time so instead of standing my ground and saying, "NO," I asked him if I could type it in myself... I hang my head in shame. 

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Green says go, Social Security Numbers and Open Enrollment" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Credit cards, Healthcare, Identity theft, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

Just a taste of what you'll have to look forward to this weekend....

Find out which traffic signal in town was driving people nuts at a local farmer's market in Liz's Watchdog column.

Find out in my Consuming Interests column how American Express drove me nuts when I called them to help with a customer's complaint about a request for his Social Security Number.

Find out what Eileen says you can expect in open enrollment this month so healthcare surprises don't drive you nuts this year.

Tune in Sundays!

 (www.freefoto.com)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Credit cards, Healthcare, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

I do love Fridays... almost as much as I love the end of Thursdays. Why? Because getting through Thursdays (which is deadline day for the print part of my column) is like defusing a ticking time bomb. I never know if I'm going to finish the job or if I'm going to explode into bits before it gets done.

So the end of the day Thursday is euphoric.

Anyhoo, all the wind-up is just to prepare you for Consumer Sunday! Here's a question I have for you: If the needle on a gas gauge points to the letter "F" and no one is around to see it, does it mean the gas tank is full?

For the answer, tune in to Consuming Interests, the column, on Sunday.

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Noxious Gas Policies and Teaching Kids about Finances" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Personal finance, Rent, Watchdog
        

Did anyone notice that there was a running theme in the Consumer Sunday columns this past weekend? All the issues we covered called for patience and calm heads to get through trying times or problems. 

An unreliable street light in Roland Park was finally shining all night long in Liz's Watchdog column after what residents said was a long wait. After more than a year locked in dispute, a homeowner and a paving company decided to put the past in the past and try resolving their issues again without getting the state involved.

Eileen advised parents to stop wringing your hands over your 401K plans for a minute and take a good look at those 529 college savings plans you started for that college bound kid in your house. The stock market is likely putting a hurt on those 529s, too, but as Eileen told you, you can move that money to a different investment plan or you can put new contributions in a more conservative plan going forward. Has anyone already started doing this or are you going to?

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Calm heads prevail in hard economic times" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Complaints, Economy, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

Happy Friday, people! This week just felt like it was never going to end, huh? We've had lots to do, though, preparing columns and stories for you dear readers this weekend. We've also been busy hammering away here on the blog. Did you check out our redesigned blog with our happy little family of four? Groovy, yes?

First up on Sunday... If you're still feeling a little dizzy and sick to your stomach over the stock market roller coaster ride we've been riding, what better time, then, to hear some sage words of reassurance? Americans living through the Great Depression had Franklin Roosevelt and his Fireside Chats to get them through the Great Depression. Read some of the words that calmed a nation in Money & Life on Sunday.

Eileen doesn't just stop there. She also tells you how the downturn in the stock market has hit college savings plans. Find out what you should do if your balance is down and your child is heaed to school in a year or two. 

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Calming a nation, stock market, traffic lights and contractors" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Consumer protection, Economy, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

And you thought there was nothing for you in that $700 billion rescue package... That was pretty useful information that Eileen told you about, wasn't it? There's mortgage debt forgiveness, a higher income amount for the alternative minimum tax, and two education tax breaks just to name a few to help out every day people cope in these tough times. 

If you missed it, check out Eileen's personal finance column for the other tidbits available to taxpayers in the rescue plan. 

Did you catch Liz's updates for prior Watchdog queries? She found the owner of that SUV that residents of the Park Circle neighborhood thought was abandoned. The clocktower in Govans is one step closer to telling the right time. Liz got the MTA to finally put up that bus shelter in Northeast Baltimore that Edna Moore Bedford wanted to rest in while she waited. Sadly, Ms. Bedford passed on July 25, ten days after Liz's initial column ran. Thanks to Ms. Beford, though, her fellow seniors will have a place to sit under shelter while they wait for the bus.

And finally, I know I can't be the only person getting these e-mail scams offering me money from the likes of people in Tanzania, Nigeria and even officials from the "IRS."

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Tax credits, Money scams & Watchdog updates" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Scams, Taxes, Watchdog
        

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: Free money, the Fed bailout and you, Watchdog updates" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Consumer protection, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

Happy Monday dear readers.

How many of you out there realized there is a difference between using your credit card and debit card at gas stations, hotels and car rental agencies?

Better yet, do you think I was too tough on the Zulichs? Every parent wants to help their children, though, right? Do you think Elizabeth could have eventually resolved this on her own or do you think it was only resolved because of Dad?

Are you like me? Worried that too many people aren't financially literate?

With today's financial crisis and move toward tightening credit policies, being financially illiterate could really hurt you.  As Eileen told you in her Sunday column, the current credit crunch isn't just affecting auto loans and mortgages, it's also affecting credit cards now, too.

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: credit cards and abandoned cars" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Complaints, Credit cards, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

If I told you I'm working on a story about young love, debit card rules, a beach getaway, enormous security holds and an angry Papa Bear, would you want to hear more?

If the answer is yes, please check out my Consuming Interests column on Sunday.

La Liz tells you the story behind the abandoned SUV that was found with its front fender wrapped around a tree on a grassy median in Park Circle two months ago. If you were wondering about it, too, check out her Watchdog column on Sunday.

Are you breathing a sigh of relief now that the House has passed the financial rescue plan? We're not out of the woods yet.

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: beach getaways, credit and abandoned SUVs" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

What's a lifelong Yankees fan to do when he doesn't live in the New York viewing area? Thomas Morton signed up for MLB.TV to watch his hometown team a year ago and loved catching the games online. Then MLB.TV upgraded software to stream standard definition TV quality games and Morton's old computer couldn't keep up.

Months of phone calls and letters didn't solve his problem so he contacted the paper. We called MLB.TV on his behalf and within a couple days, MLB techs got Morton back up and running.

My question to you is would this problem have been resolved without the paper getting involved? Morton did everything he was supposed to, but still got no resolution. When the paper got involved, MLB went above and beyond the call of duty to help Morton out. I applaud them for the great effort (it took more than three hours on the phone, talking him through each and every step). But I can't help but wonder if Morton would have gotten satisfaction without us.

What do you think?

Continue reading "Consumer Sundays: MLB.TV complaint and city sewer project" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Complaints, Computers, Watchdog
        

We know the regular baseball season is over, but find out in my Consuming Interests column on Sunday whether Major League Baseball's MLB-TV hit a dinger or struck out when I tossed them a customer complaint about his inability to watch his beloved Yankees online.

La Liz is tackling what seems to be a never-ending construction project in the Tuscany-Canterbury neighborhood in her Watchdog column this Sunday. Residents wondering if there is a finish date in sight will be well-served by checking out what Liz found out.

Good news, too, Excellent Eileen will return next week. We hope she's had an enjoyable rest because we've missed her 'round here.

(AFP/Getty Images)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Complaints, Computers, Technology, Watchdog
        

Read my Consuming Interests column on Sunday to find out how a complaint about a cell phone led us to discover a Bermuda Triangle of Lost Calls right here in Maryland.

A perfect teaser to end a wacky week, yes?

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (27)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Complaints, Watchdog
        

Hola, my cheeky little monkeys.

So what did you think of our Consumer Sunday triple play? 

For those who missed it, Lovely Liz alerted the city to the missing guardrails on a Fort Avenue bridge leading to Fort McHenry. The city is warning pedestrians and joggers to be careful along that Locust Point area until they can fix it this week. Please do since no one wants anyone to accidentally fall over 40 feet on to the train tracks below.

You should, if you haven't already, find out how much Excellent Eileen says Michael Phelps can spend each year without stressing his budget. (I'll give you a hint: it's way more than what your three consumer bloggers here make in a year.) Do you think you could invest Michael Phelp's money better than the experts she talked to?

As for my column on protecting your personal and financial accounts after a breakup, do you side with Chantel, the Ex or Sprint in this case? Are you prepared to deal with a messy breakup or would you be stuck in the same boat?

Love it, Hate it? Tell us what you think. Got a problem? Share it here. Think we're wrong, wrong wrong? Rant about it here. Just so you know, in our redesign, we will likely republish some blog comments in the paper so we really do want to hear from you. That means that while we encourage all thought and opinions, we are asking everyone to to try your best to be civil, courteous and free of foul language.

Oh yes, the Powers That Be (PTB from now on) are also adding this commenting policy to all the blogs: "All comments must be approved by the blog author. Please do not resubmit comments if they do not immediately appear. You are not required to use your full name when posting, but you should use a real e-mail address. Comments may be republished in print, but we will not publish your e-mail address."

We also won't share your address with anyone else unless we receive authorization from you to do so (some of you who complained about Comcast are familiar with this. But for those who don't know, Comcast and other companies read the blog, asks to get in touch with an unhappy customers, I reach out to unhappy customers to see if you want to hear from Comcast, you say yes, I pass it on. If you say no, I tell Comcast no can do. It's that easy.)

So there you have it. Our first Consumer Sunday in the redesign launch. Questions, Comments, Applause (or er... the opposite of applause if need be... what is that boos?)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Complaints, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

Folks, I'm wearing my Watchdog hat as I tell you about today's Consumer Web site of the Week.

If you're reading this blog post, you probably have access to the Internet.

And if you can access the Internet, you can use it to report the non-emergency problems you see in your neighborhood to Baltimore city and Baltimore County government. 

You may have tried calling the city's 311 service request system, but did you know you can also go to baltimore.customerservicerequest.org to report potholes and broken street lights, or request animal control or inspections of abandoned property? 

The service --- also reached by going to www.baltimorecity.gov and clicking "311 online" in the left menu bar --- has been available since 2003, according to a Baltimore Sun story.

The best part, in my opinion, is that if you enter an e-mail address, the system mails you the confirmation number. You can use it on the same page to check the status of your request in the future.  

Folks who live in Baltimore County, you've got some options too.

Continue reading "Report your municipal complaints online" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week, Watchdog
        

  (photo: Kathryn Whitney)

Today's Watchdog update is a mystery.

At least two years ago, a motorboat half-sank in the harbor, right off Thames Street. There it's remained, even after the redevelopment of a walking path and promenade between the Inner Harbor and Canton, even after The Sun wrote a story about it last May, and even after new Canton residents like Barbara Fisher Steinke called city officials to report it.

As she said in an interview, "We see it out of our living room window," Steinke said. "It's not really what I had in mind in terms of a beautiful view."

The Baltimore Police Department's Marine Unit is responsible for abandoned vessels --- searching out the owner and getting them to move their old craft --- but police spokesmen could not update The Sun on the status of this case by yesterday.

But this kind of sight was much more common in the Inner Harbor at one point, according the Sun story last May: 

Continue reading "Watchdog: the mystery of the sinking boat" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Watchdog
        

The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to a jury by your peers, but in Baltimore most people summoned didn't appear.

Some can't make it and can't get through to reschedule, like the two folks in my Watchdog this week. Others like reader Banjobenne have never been called: 

"While we are on the subject of jury duty my wife has been subpoenaed eight times in her life, reported to serve five times, seated as required twice. I have never been subpoenaed.

I was given a license to drive some 46 years ago, voted in every election except maybe while I was in the Nam. Never been convicted of a crime, never even charged or arrested. I say the jury selection system is broke, has been for a long time.

I suggest an informal poll of all your readers how many are qualified, never been subpoenaed?"

Readers, anyone else in the same situation?  

During my conversation with Nancy Dennis, jury commissioner, she said she wanted to ensure that "encourage citizen participation in jury service" by enhancing customer service and encouraging those who have been summoned to appear.

That being said ...

Continue reading "A jury of your peers?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Watchdog
        

Do you know when you are allowed to park on this street? Some Baltimore parking enforcement officers don't.

At least one Watchdog reader, Regina Minniss, has gotten two tickets while in fact legally parked on the 100 block of E. Hamburg Street in Federal Hill.

The area is one of eight communities that surround Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium where neighborhood associations have requested special rules to protect the rights of residents to park on their own streets, even on game days.

According to the Department of Transportation, which oversees parking enforcement, the rules posted in red are only in effect when there is an event at the stadiums.

Minniss parked her car at 8 p.m. on a Monday night in October, well after the end of the baseball season. But when she contested the ticket in court, the officer gave an incorrect explanation to the judge --- that during stadium events non-residents get towed, but on non-game days, the red portion remains in effect.

The judge accepted that (incorrect)  interpretation but knocked down Minniss's fine to $10 because he, too, agreed the sign was confusing.

 Now the incident has prompted changes at the Department of Transportation and the Parking Authority.

(Andre Chung/Baltimore Sun)

Continue reading "Signs of confusion" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Watchdog
        

I pay attention to pedestrian signals. I don't know how I managed to make it to adulthood without acquiring some important life skills, like knowing when it's safe to cross the street.

Watchdog reader Bob Lambert pays attention, too, and noted these non-functioning pedestrian signals at Saratoga and Pratt streets, requiring him and other walkers to dash across the intersection with little warning when the traffic lights change. Watchdog got on the case, calling Baltimore's Department of Transportation ... 

Continue reading "Too chicken to cross" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Watchdog