December 2007
Selling it
Military mix-up
This door-knocker offer says, "Show your pride for our Armed Services." Just don't be picky about which service you support. As a Maryland reader points out, the knocker identified as "Army design" has the Navy design; "Navy" is Air Force, and "Air Force" is Army. The Marines design is correct.
This door-knocker offer says, "Show your pride for our Armed Services." Just don't be picky about which service you support. As a Maryland reader points out, the knocker identified as "Army design" has the Navy design; "Navy" is Air Force, and "Air Force" is Army. The Marines design is correct.
Stainer or stain remover?
"This Crest is specially formulated to help prevent staining," the label says. Yet the active ingredient, stannous fluoride, "may produce surface staining of the teeth."
"Questions?" the box asks. You bet. We called the number provided, which has a recorded explanation: "Current FDA regulations require that products containing stannous fluoride be labeled about staining potential." It goes on to say that Crest Pro-Health has a "unique whitening ingredient" to remove stains.
"This Crest is specially formulated to help prevent staining," the label says. Yet the active ingredient, stannous fluoride, "may produce surface staining of the teeth."
"Questions?" the box asks. You bet. We called the number provided, which has a recorded explanation: "Current FDA regulations require that products containing stannous fluoride be labeled about staining potential." It goes on to say that Crest Pro-Health has a "unique whitening ingredient" to remove stains.
Nips are nipped
Three readers and candy fans noticed that a box of Nips shrank from 5.5 ounces to 4 ounces, but that the price they paid was the same for new and old. What really galled them was the addition of the boxed blurb.
Three readers and candy fans noticed that a box of Nips shrank from 5.5 ounces to 4 ounces, but that the price they paid was the same for new and old. What really galled them was the addition of the boxed blurb.
What a blastoff
Our quick scan of a document entitled "Civil Air Patrol Intro to Space: Placing a Satellite in Orbit" leads to the conclusion that it requires a tad more thrust than could be mustered by this toy rocket, which goes "200 feet into the sky."
Our quick scan of a document entitled "Civil Air Patrol Intro to Space: Placing a Satellite in Orbit" leads to the conclusion that it requires a tad more thrust than could be mustered by this toy rocket, which goes "200 feet into the sky."
Hissy fit indeed
"When my Grandpa bought me a Big Fat Hissee Fit Gummy Snake" for $3.50, writes a budding consumer reporter named Emory, "I noticed that the label says that it is 36 inches long." Then our enterprising correspondent saw the barely readable word below ("almost"), and measured the purchased candy and other gummy snakes in the store. They were 31 to 33 1/3 inches long. "My gummy snake was 31 ½ inches long," Emory points out. "That means I was tricked out of [almost] 45 cents."
"When my Grandpa bought me a Big Fat Hissee Fit Gummy Snake" for $3.50, writes a budding consumer reporter named Emory, "I noticed that the label says that it is 36 inches long." Then our enterprising correspondent saw the barely readable word below ("almost"), and measured the purchased candy and other gummy snakes in the store. They were 31 to 33 1/3 inches long. "My gummy snake was 31 ½ inches long," Emory points out. "That means I was tricked out of [almost] 45 cents."
'Nuff said
