Report Card
Kurtz, Josh
Wringing Ma Bell REVERSE THE CHARGES: HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR PHONE BILL by Samuel A. Simon and Joseph W. Waz Jr. Pantheon Books, 201 East Fiftieth Street, New York, NY 10022. $2.95. One of...
...Simon and Waz point to Wisconsin's Citizen's Utility Board as an example of what ratepayers can do...
...The authors studied 467 leading over-the-counter drugs, and determined that almost two-thirds contain ingredients of questionable safety or effectiveness...
...Americans spend more than $10 billion on over-the-counter drugs each year...
...Fifty cents...
...It'provides advice on purchasing and renting phones, comparisons of competitive long-distance and local systems, and hints to help detect hidden charges in your phone bill...
...Nukes Next Door MAKERS OF THE CRUISE AND PERSHING II: MISSILES BUILT IN YOUR BACK YARD by National Action/Research on the Military-Industrial Complex American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia PA 19102...
...Some names are familiar, such as Bendix and IBM...
...Just ask about them...
...have worked for the Telecommunications Research and Action Center, a nonprofit organization that promotes the interests of consumers in the electronic media, so they are well qualified to offer money-saving tips...
...But doing so could be a little easier after you read this book...
...But vigilance is a necessity for the individual as well: "When you talk to the phone company's service representative about what sort of equipment you should get, remember this: He or she wants to separate you from your money," the authors warn...
...This study looks imposing...
...By documenting the extent to which the military-industrial complex exists in our neighborhoods, the report gives us ammunition to turn the arms race around...
...The book, though short, is full of useful information...
...The authors recommend specific drugs to stay away from...
...Ronald Reagan and Caspar Weinberger aren't the only ones pushing the cruise and Pershing II missiles...
...there are more than 300 pages of charts and diagrams describing the drugs and their effectiveness— or lack thereof...
...Breathe Easier OVER THE COUNTER PILLS THAT DON'T WORK by Joel Kaufman, Linda Rabinowitz-Dagi, Joan Levin, Phyllis McCarthy, Sidney Wolfe, and Eve Bargmann Public Citizen Health Research Group, 2000 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036...
...There are usually cheaper alternatives to the phone company's suggested service...
...The report outlines the characteristics of these "quick trigger" missiles...
...Sites where the missiles are likely to be deployed are indicated by charts, and a list of implicated corporations is provided...
...Telephone rates may double or triple in the next few years, the authors say—unless people organize consumer groups to hold costs down...
...Where possible, the authors have noted which parts individual manufacturers provide, and the amounts of their weapons contracts...
...For those who would like to boycott or conduct civil disobedience against such companies, this list is invaluable...
...Anyone who's ever dealt with Ma Bell could use this book...
...Now they have a guide to spending their money more wisely, and staying healthier, too...
...One of life's great irritations is paying the monthly phone bill...
...Or check out the new competing companies, which may offer inexpensive local and long-distance options...
...Samuel Simon and Joseph Waz Jr...
...Included on the list are such popular items as Excedrin, Dristan Tablets, Preparation H, Robitussin Cough Syrup, Listerine mouthwash, and An-acin...
...The Pershing II has a relatively short range—about 1,000 miles—but a highly accurate targeting capability...
...The cruise, on the other hand, can fly much further and is so accurate it can land between two goalposts—scoring a deadly extra point...
...others are little known, such as Microcom, a small firm near Philadelphia that makes a "black box" for the cruise...
...This short fact sheet pinpoints the dozens of corporations that produce the weapons, ranging from huge conglomerates to small companies...
...Headache sufferers may not reach for a bottle of aspirin after perusing this important report...
...Most of the substances are being sold illegally because the Food and Drug Administration is not enforcing existing drug laws...
...Because there is evidence that such drugs have unsafe or worthless ingredients, they should be taken off the market, the authors declare...
...The authors also analyze the forthcoming divestiture of AT&T and its possible effects on consumers...
...It also discusses eight categories of common ailments, and offers potential remedies, some of which involve the use of drugs while others do not...
...Too often, consumers pay more than they should because aggressive salespeople hustle them...
Vol. 47 • July 1977 • No. 7
