| Volume 60 Number 9 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Is any of your property subject to a recall? To learn what product recalls have been ordered by the government, check out the following website: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Click here for more.
Fact Check: The AT&T and T-Mobile Merger
AT&T insists the the T-Mobile purchase will be good for consumers. Contrary to traditional economic theory, even some experts think new company efficiencies will translate to consumer savings. Still skeptical? You probably should be. In most industries, elimination of the competition usually doesn't translation to lower prices. As a result, the United States has antitrust laws to protect consumers and promote market competition. So, what is true? What is fiction? How will this merger really affect consumers? Click here for more.
Anniversary: Examining Health Care Reform
On March 23, 2010 President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. On the one year anniversary, most people still don't know what the law actually includes. Take some time to review some key provisions of the law, understand which provisions have already been implemented, and what benefits to expect in the future. Medicare recipients, young adults, low income adults, and the unemployed should all pay special attention to the law. For a good synopsis of the Affordable Care Act, Click here for more.
Social Networking & Anonymity
Facebook requires its members to use their real names. Through its numerous deals, Facebook allows users to log-in to other sites using a Facebook account. Users can visit the other sites to access content and interact. However, by using the Facebook log-in feature, users no longer experience the comfort associated with "anonymous" internet usage and interaction. Christopher Poole of 4chan.org is on a quest to bring back anonymity on the internet, claiming "anonymity is authenticity." Would you interact differently? Click here for more.
Your Money
Which lender has the better loan? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
A law firm could not establish a “bona fide error” defense. The Ninth Circuit affirmed a $311,000 jury verdict against a law firm that sued on a time-barred debt. The firm sued to collect a $3,800 balance on a credit card account that the bank had written off as a bad debt in 2000. The plaintiff sued the firm for attempting to collect a time-barred debt in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The court concluded that the firm wasn’t protected by the Act’s “bona fide error” defense because the firm’s procedures were inadequate for the purpose of identifying time-barred cases. Click here for more.