Consumer Information


Last Update: 07/19/09

Find The Cheapest Gas

Alternative Energy Updates
Car Purchase
Chain Letters, Virus Hoaxes & Spam
Charitable Organizations
Consumer Resource Links

DO Not Call Fed/State anti telemarketing registration

Electric & Gas Utilities
Home Electric Use Meters
Housing Violations
Moving Companies

Movie Reviews

NY City Consumer FAQ's

Phone Service Plans
US Postal Service FAQ's

Privacy
Product Safety - children
Public Bathrooms

Netiquette
New York State Education Dept
Quality Of Life
Renovation & Construction
Restaurant Inspection

Viruses/ Virus Hoaxes

Visit The Village Green



NY CITY CONSUMER FAQ's


New York City Consumer FAQ's
www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.22ad48c5a86471
aee846f0b001c789a0/



FIND THE CHEAPEST GAS


New York City Gas prices
A finder by neighborhoods.
www.newyorkgasprices.com/

Gas Buddy
Comprised of 170 gas price information web sites that help consumers find low gasoline prices. Bu zipcode...
www.gasbuddy.com/

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY UPDATES


Automobiles

Drive Your Car On 100% Used Vegetable Oil
Greasecar vegetable Fuel Systems allow mechanically injected diesel vehicles to run on straight, filtered vegetable oil. Vegetable oil as fuel is a cleaner, safer and less expensive alternative to petroleum based fuel. It can be locally produced, even grown in your own back yard!
www.greasecar.com


BEFORE YOU RENOVATE


Skilled Trades Licensees
Look up the status of licenses and insurance for all NYC skilled tradespersons (plumbers, contractors, elevator repair, etc.)
www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dob/html/bis.html


Need to deal with the city before you build or renovate? There's more at SmallTown Brooklyn's Town Hall Home Improvement Section



CAR PURCHASE

Ever listen to National Public Radio's "Car Talk?"
Check out Tom & Ray Magliozzi, otherwise know as "Click & Clack, the Tappet Brothers at:

www.cartalk.cars.com


To shop for a new or used car, check out their other site at:

www.cars.com

CHAIN LETTERS, VIRUS HOAXES & SPAM

Health Fraud Hoaxes
Quackwatch -Your Guide to Health Fraud, Quackery, and Intelligent Decisions www.quackwatch.com

Internet Virus Hoaxes
Yes, there truly exists the Iraq war Hoax -f rom the people who produce McAfee Virus Scanning tools. There are a lot of viruses out there. But some aren't really out there at all. Virus hoaxes are more than mere annoyances, as they may lead some users to routinely ignore all virus warning messages, leaving them vulnerable to a genuine, destructive virus. Next time you receive an urgent virus warning message, be sure to check the list of known virus hoaxes.
http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp

Internet Hoax information

From the people who produce the Norton AntiVirus software Symantec Security Response uncovers hoaxes on a regular basis. These hoaxes usually arrive in the form of an email. Please disregard the hoax emails - they contain bogus warnings usually intent only on frightening or misleading users. The best course of action is to merely delete these hoax emails. Please refer to this page whenever you receive what appears to be a bogus message regarding a new virus, or promotion that sounds too good to be true. www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

Urban Legends, from About.com

Current Netlore Internet hoaxes, email rumors and urban legends.
http://urbanlegends.about.com/

Fight Spam on the Internet!

You have probably seen an increase in the amount of "junk mail" which shows up in your email box, or on your favorite newsgroup. The activities of a small number of people are becoming a bigger problem for the Internet. We have been actively engaged in fighting spam for years. Since we presented this site to the public in 1996, we have been pleased to be referenced as one of the best anti-spam sites on the net. Help fight spam to keep the Internet useful for everyone. Take advantage of the information we've gathered below to make your own experience on the Internet better.
http://spam.abuse.net

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS

NY Attorney General's Charities Web Site
The Attorney General's Charities Bureau is responsible for supervising charitable organizations to insure that donors and beneficiaries of those charities are protected from unscrupulous practices in the solicitation and management of charitable assets.
www.oag.state.ny.us/charities/charities.html

Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance
Investigate before you donate. The Alliance is a merger of the National Charities Information Bureau and the Council of Better Business Bureaus' Foundation and its Philanthropic Advisory Service.
www.give.org/

GuideStar
The National Database Of Non-Profit Organizations
www.guidestar.org/

CONSUMER RESOURCE LINKS

The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)
A New York State's largest consumer, environmental and government reform organization. We are a nonpartisan, not-for-profit group established to effect policy reforms while training students and other New Yorkers to be advocates. Since 1973, NYPIRG has played the key role in fighting for more than 120 public interest laws and executive orders .
www.nypirg.org/


Beter Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York

257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
phone: (212) 533-6200
fax: (212) 477-4912
web site: www.newyork.bbb.org

You can file a complaint online
www.bbb.org/bbbcompla1984ints/Welcome.asp



ELECTRIC & NATURAL GAS UTILITIES


NYPIRG’s Fuel Buyers Group

The New York Public Interest Research Group offers Wind Power and discounts on Natural Gas. They use group buying power to bring you big savings on your energy costs. With more than 14,000 members and over 20 years’ experience, we negotiate with full-service companies for heating oil prices averaging 10-35 cents per gallon below retail. In some areas, we offer the additional protection of a price cap.
www.nypirg.org/fbgz

Home Electric Use Meters
Chances are your TV is still using electricity when you turn it off or the cable box it's attached to. ant to know how much. Check out the handheld home use electric flow meters. Want to play Super Dad with your five year old's Science Project?Electronic Education Devices
www.doubleed.com

Energy Star
Energy Star is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.
www.energystar.gov
1/15/03

The New York State Public Service Commission has decreed that electric and natural gas providers can now compete for your business. While both Consolidated Edison and Brooklyn Union Gas will continue to provide direct delivery of your electric and gas, you may wish to investigate your energy options. The following link will lead you to a list of alternate Energy Service Companies (ESCO's) are ready to do business in our neighborhood:
Be warned that your savings are capped by Public Law.
www3.dps.state.ny.us/e/esco6.nsf/

Con Edison Solutions
A Green Alternative

If you're seriously energy-conscious, check out the Con Edison Solutions www.conedsolutions.com/residential/greenpowermain.asp because they offer a 'green' package that has 1/2 of its energy sources from hydro/wind power. The rate is only slightly higher than their regular rate.

888-320-8991 to change your service (have your con ed account no). $25 credit for enrolling and rates are lower than if you're not using an alternate energy service.

For additional informationNew York State Public Service Commission:
Phone - 1 888 275 7721
Web Info: www.dps.state.ny.us

National Grid
(natural gas):
Phone: 718 643 4050
Web Info: www.keyspanenergy.com

Con Ed (electricity)
Phone: 1 800 780 2884
Web Info:www.coned.com


MOVIE REVIEWS

ScreenIt
The most detailed movie reviews available anywhere. Quick and easy guides to finding the movies that you want to see. Judgment-free content summaries, scene-by-scene details, plot summaries, artistic reviews, and more. You decide what is right for your family and loved ones.
www.screenit.com

MOVING COMPANIES

Moving Companies

Federal Consumer Information on Interstate Moves
www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsrhome.htm

NETIQUETTE


On-Line Netiquette
Common courtesy, social graces and socially acceptable behavior. All are used in a civilized society where humans interact with one another. Cyberspace is not any different. How you will be perceived, the type of human being that you are or for that matter are not, your credibility and your levels of professionalism and ethics will be judged by how you communicate with others online.
www.OnLineNetiquette.com

NYC HOUSING VIOLATIONS

Housing Maintenance Code Violations

Dept. Housing Preservation & Development site which among other things, allows one to look up violations of privately owned houses: which might include insufficient heat, lead paints and water leaks.
www.nyc.gov/had

NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPT

Office of The Professions
The Office of the Professions provides a number of services to protect the public and the integrity of the professions, including: Licensure and Registration, Professional Discipline, Public and Professional Education and Information. Since 1891, the Board of Regents and the New York State Education Department have overseen the preparation, licensure, and practice of the professions. Currently, the Office of the Professions regulates thirty-eight professions defined in Title VIII of the Education Law.
(518) 474-3817
e-mail: op4info@mail.nysed.gov.

A Consumer's Bill of Rights

www.op.nysed.gov/rights.htm

Verification of License or Certification
www.op.nysed.gov/opsearches.htm

QUALITY OF LIFE

Gotham Gazette
Colorful, refreshing views related to the creation of public policy.
www.gothamgazette.com


Straphangers Campaign

A project of the New York Public Interest Research Group related to quality of life on NYC public transportation
www.straphangers.org/


PHONE CALLING PLANS


Creedo...
Alternative Green Home Phone Plan...


Creedo is the only phone company that donates 1% of your charges to support causes like peace, human rights and the environment ($5 million will be donated this year!). They claim that their rates are competitive with those of the major carriers and their call quality is exactly the same. It doesn't cost anything extra to donate part of you charges to nonprofits like Doctors Without Borders, Planned Parenthood and Friends of the Earth each month. All you have to do is talk on the phone!
www.workingforchange.com/services/form.cfm?
EmailOfferID=15673&FormID=RJ-184-ONL-1


Wish you could figure out which calling plans were the best?
The following websites will either enlighten or confuse you more!

Non-profit Telecommunications Research & Action Center

www.trac.org

Compare different plans.

www.getconnected.com
www.letstalk.com

Ominous name: www.abelltolls.com



PRIVACY

Who wants to know about you?


An automatic service you probably don't want...
.If you go to www.google.com and type in your phone number (separated by hyphens, including area code) and click on Google Search, guess what?

If your phone number is listed it will show your name and address and give you two map options: Yahoo and MapQuest.  See how accurate the map is to your home. Any person wishing to discover the physical location of a phone number, be it a home or business address, could use this feature to locate a physical street address, and receive directions on how to get there from anywhere in the country. In the age of the internet communication we all know the dangers of this--for adults and our children!

Google has made available an option that will allow anyone to REMOVE their telephone number from the database that is linked to the mapping feature. You will first need to check if your number is listed in this manner by attempting a search - entering your full telephone number separated by dashes (e. g., 404-524-5811). If the number appears in the mapping database, an icon resembling a telephone will appear next to the first or second entry on the results page. Clicking on this icon will take you to a page containing a description of the service, and a link to request your number be removed from the database.
Be safe!

Electronic Privacy Information Center:
www.epic.org/

Privacy Leadership Initiative
The PLI believes that consumers must be able to choose how their personal information is used to better meet their everyday needs. Find some simple tips to keep your information private, both online and off. We also have a variety of tools and resources to help businesses become more knowledgeable about good privacy practices. The PLI is working hard to help build trust between consumers and businesses so that everyone www.understandingprivacy.org/

PRODUCT SAFETY


Consumer Product Safety Commission
Includes current toy recall list....
www.cpsc.gov

Ride on the Safe Side
Dedicated to providing accurate, up-to-date information about child safety seats.

www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/sesa-ndx.htm



PUBLIC BATHROOMS

Here's your opportunity to do your public duty!

The Bathroom Diaries is compiling a list of great public bathrooms around the globe - and so far there's only one listing for Brooklyn - the Downtown Marriot. Come on, Brooklyn, we've got to do better! No, not the Gowanus Canal....
So make your submission...www.thebathroomdiaries.com

RESTAURANT INSPECTION INFO

Restaurant Inspection Information

NYC Dept of Health
Find restaurant inspection results online
http://ibihost1.com/nycdoh/web/html/rii.pl


SICK OF TELEMARKETING?


National Do Not Call Registry
The National Do Not Call Registry is open for business, putting consumers in charge of the telemarketing calls they get at home. The Federal government created the national registry to make it easier and more efficient for you to stop getting telemarketing calls you don’t want. The Registry has accepted personal cell phone and home phone number registrations since it opened for consumer registrations in June 2003. There is no deadline to register a home or cell phone number on the Register. Once registered, your request does NOT expire!
www.answerconnect.com/articles/the-national-do-not-call-registry

Or call toll-free from the number you wish to register:
1-888-382-1222
(TTY 1-866-290-4236)
Registration is free.

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12/12/04
Wireless Telemarketers and your cell phone

Below is BOGUS Information via e-mail. See Urban Legends:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_cell_phone_directory.htm


"In a few weeks, cell phone numbers  are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive  sales calls on cell phones. Call this number (NY state & National List Combined) from your cell phone  888-382-1222.  It is the national Do Not Call list.  It blocks your  number for 5 years." Again this is bogus information

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Sick of Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers??
In accordance with the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can be removed from credit card mailing lists by making a toll-free call.
The National Waste Prevention Coalition states that stopping these mailings can really make a difference. If 500,000 people took advantage of the law, more than 12 million fewer pieces of mail would be sent in one year alone. Save a forest; call any one of the following numbers to be removed: 1-8NO-CALL-NY
1-866-622-5569



US POSTAL SERVICE FAQ's

US Postal Service - FAQ's
www.usps.com/common/contact_us
(800) ASK-USPS

Visit The Village Green?

Brooklyn is the world's largest SmallTown
www.SmallTownBrooklyn.com is its website