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Where Did You Come From, Where Did You Go (March 2008)

This article was written by Flexo in Administration. 2 comments.

At the end of every month, I take a look at the source of visitors to Consumerism Commentary, and in March, there were a lot of readers. Don’t forget to stay up-to-date by subscribing to the RSS feed, which will inform everyone of new articles here. Consider, for example, adding Consumerism Commentary to My Yahoo. Thanks to the following websites and blogs, not including RSS readers and social media websites, who sent the most readers this way during the month of March, with their movement on the list from February:

Here are the top 10 visited articles from the past month, including the last few days of February. This only counts web visitors to each page; I don’t have any way of knowing how many people have read these articles via RSS. Only articles published within the last month are included. The Economic Stimulus Tax Rebate Calculator was still by far the most visited article, but that article was from January.

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How to Get Money Back From Airborne

This article was written by Flexo in Consumer. 8 comments.

I mentioned yesterday that the makers of Airborne are being sued for $23.3 million for false advertising. This is a class-action lawsuit, so some of that $23.3 million will go back to customers who purchased the product and failed to see cold relief.

If you purchased an Airborne product between May 1, 2001 and November 29, 2007, you qualify to file a claim to your portion of the settlement. To file the claim, complete this form online or mail in your information. You will receive a refund for the product you purchased. You may receive a refund smaller than the full purchase price if the total claims exceed $23.3 million.

Even if you didn’t save a proof of purchase, you can still claim refunds for as many as six purchases above and beyond the claims for any purchases for which you do have proof.

As a purchaser of Airborne, you would also have the option of excluding yourself from or objecting to the settlement. If you need more information, the Airborne Settlement Information and Claim Filing Website has it.

The online form to request your rebate must be submitted by midnight, September 15. If you send your form through the mail, it must be postmarked by September 15.

Click here to start saving with ING DIRECT!

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Airborne to Pay $23.3 Million for False Advertising

This article was written by Flexo in Consumer. 18 comments.

Last winter, I had more than my normal share of sick days. This year, I’ve managed to stay healthier (knock on wood), but during my series of colds in 2006-07, I received many recommendations at work for Airborne, a product designed by a teacher. The concept didn’t make much sense to me. Yes, teachers, particularly elementary school teachers, have increased exposure to germs through their students, but most teachers aren’t trained in nutrition and medicine.

The product contains 100% of the daily recommended value of Vitamins A and E, and 1667% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C. Prolonged excess Vitamin C intake will result in that nutrient simply being expelled through waste, and it’s likely that serious health risks can result. Airborne mixes these vitamins with some herbal extracts.

Taking Airborne didn’t have any measurable effect on my condition, and it turns out, the initial clinical trial for the product wasn’t much of a scientific experiment like one would expect for a drug-like product. Airborne claimed to “boost your immune system to help your body combat germs” and instructed users to “take it at the first sign of a cold symptom or before entering crowded, potentially germ-infested environments.”

As I would have expected, there is no proof that Airborne assists the health of an individual beyond the effect of a placebo. Airborne has been sued for false advertising. Today, the company has agreed to settle the lawsuit and pay $23.3 million.

Update: Here’s how to receive your portion of the class action settlement if you’re a qualifying customer.

Airborne Agrees to Pay $23.3 Million to Settle Lawsuit Over False Advertising of its “Miracle Cold Buster”
Nutrition Fact Sheet: Vitamin C

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Strong Hurricane Season Approaching

This article was written by Flexo in Uncategorized. 4 comments.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting a very active hurricane season (June 1 through November 30) this year. The organization is encouraging people living in the affected areas to begin preparations.

For the 2006 north Atlantic hurricane season, NOAA is predicting 13 to 16 named storms, with eight to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which four to six could become “major” hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.

For comparison, 2005′s hurricane season included 28 storms, including 15 hurricanes, seven of which were considered “major.”

Here are some tips for dealing with hurricanes, from About.com. These tips are for advance season preparation: Read the full article →

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