Green Bay Composer Kevin MacLeod scores movies, commercials and other creations and helps You Tubers with their videos, too, allowing use of other compositions he puts in the public sector. Glen Loyd's Blog will soon feature a video about Kevin, himself. Clicking the button above, you will hear six seconds of music entitled "Action Man" composed by Kevin, acknowledging Glen's early days in Green Bay as the Action Man consumer reporter.
Dec 31, 2009
Green Bay composer Kevin MacLeod scores movies, commercials, and videos for thousands of people around the world
Needled meat: E. coli-tainted beef infects 21 people in 16 states
Washington Post
Consumer advocates say mechanical tenderization poses contamination risks in meats that are served rare, such as steaks, because it can bring bacteria from the surface of meat to the center of the cut. A rare steak may be cooked enough so that bacteria on the surface are killed but those inside the meat survive.
Dec 30, 2009
Dec 28, 2009
Adding Fees and Fences on Media Sites
New York Times
“One of the problems is newspapers fired so many journalists and turned them loose to start so many blogs,” Mr. Mutter said. “They should have executed them. They wouldn’t have had competition. But they foolishly let them out alive.”
Dec 27, 2009
Dec 26, 2009
Away down the river,
A hundred miles or more,
Other little children
Shall bring my boats ashore.
Robert Louis Stevenson's poem reflects our fascination with rivers...their jeweled surfaces and tree-lined shores, interesting meanderings, and links to other people and places.
My son, Glennon, has a wonderful house overlooking the Rock River in Janesville, WI where I am getting to know a lot about the River. Here are seven videos I made in 2009 about the Rock River (If video stops, pause, which allows download to continue. When red line shows completion, video will play and replay without interruption):
Lincoln and the Rock River
The Rock River still flickered in Reagan's memory
Rock River and the Blackhawk War
Indians on the Rock River
Rock River Thresheree
Madison area lakes, rivers and streams flow into the Rock River. In fact, when it rains and snows in southern Wisconsin much of the water ends up in the Rock, a Mississippi tributary. In this final video: A record setting 3.63 inches of rain falling in Madison on Sept 21,2009 which eventually became the Rock River.
Dec 25, 2009
Resolution: Get a Deal on a Gym Membership
New York Times
This article gives good advice. But my advice is to know that too many people signing up for these memberships stop going and lose money. Try walking. It's free and its good exercise and if you stop you don't lose money
Dec 19, 2009
Skunk at the buffet
Charley, a buffet manager friend of mine, was a hero the other night to his fellow workers and to me. When a woman in her twenties came into the restaurant with two companions, Charley said to his boss, "I'll bet you she pulls the "hair in my food" scam. Sure enough, when the woman finished eating she began protesting about the hair and demanded her money back. Charley had remembered her pulling the same trick on several past occasions. She didn't get her money back and was told to get out of the restaurant. By the way, the food preparer has a crew cut.
Charley also told me about a man who calls all the restaurants in town claiming he had eaten there recently and found something in the food. The caller says he didn't want to embarrass the restaurant at the time by making a fuss. He's now asking for free meal. Many restaurant comply.
Dec 11, 2009
Be careful of door-to-door sellers
As I am sitting here working on this week's blog, when the door bell rings and a door-to-door meat salesperson with body piercing tells me it's my lucky day.
Be careful of these people because they often don't reveal price per pound and it is impossible to figure out what kind of a deal you are getting without that knowledge.
Often door-to-door meat salespeople describe their products as "restaurant quality" which really doesn't mean anything official about how good the meat is.
These salespeople can be very aggressive. Don't be afraid to shut the door on them or call the police if they get out of hand.
Dec 6, 2009
Dec 5, 2009
WalletPop on infomercial man:"Trudeau was definitely playing a con's game in the late 1980s, leading to criminal charges in 1990
WalletPop"Trudeau was definitely playing a con's game in the late 1980s, leading to criminal charges in 1990 for larceny (posing as someone else to cash $80,000 worth of worthless checks) and credit card fraud (for using a bunch of his customers' credit card numbers to ring up more than $120,000 in charges). He went to federal prison for two years and was released in August 1993."
Dec 2, 2009
Dec 1, 2009
Nov 29, 2009
Nov 28, 2009
Glen Loyd, the museum exhibit
Many generations of broadcasters are responsible for the great radio and TV stations we have in Wisconsin today
Green Bay's WLUK-TV built a new newsroom with a mural depicting the station's history
I've had the pleasure of knowing many of the people who have worked at WLUK-TV over the years. Today's staff puts a lot more news on the air than my generation did in 1971.
Music: Kevin MacLeod
Nov 27, 2009
Nov 24, 2009
Nov 23, 2009
Skype video demonstration for journalists
This is an interview I did over the Internet via Skype with a North Texas University sports psychologist about helping struggling players. It has nothing to do with consumer protection, but shows how a journalist can do a cross-country video now at no cost. A number of Universities will now provide their experts by Skype video conferencing.
Nov 22, 2009
Nov 21, 2009
Nov 20, 2009
Nov 14, 2009
Nov 13, 2009
Consumer complaints about Polaroid
Linda Alger purchased a Polaroid TV last November at the Chilton, Wisconsin, Wal-Mart. In May she says the screen turned black and the audio shut off. Because the store’s exchange period had elapsed, she sent it back for repair and alleges it was returned defective again. The State of Wisconsin sent an inquiry to Polaroid about the problem which Polaroid didn't respond to. Wisconsin has now sent the company a warning letter.
Linda is sending her set back again for repairs. “They will try to fix it again or give me a different TV,” she says. “I was told it would be a TV that someone else returned for repair. I have no other alternative and do not anticipate much results. I asked if they plan to try to fix my TV and send it to another unsatisfied customer. The lady said, ‘Maybe.’ You can understand why I am not satisfied with the warranty.”
Consumer Protection has a total of nine complaints about Polaroid. The Better Business Bureau has 627 complaints--284 relating to product quality and 102 about repair issues. The BBB rating for the Polaroid Corporation is "F." "Reasons for this F rating," says the BBB, "include failure to respond to 110 complaints filed against the business.
Nov 8, 2009
Nov 7, 2009
Nov 6, 2009
Nov 2, 2009
Oct 30, 2009
MoneyGram to Pay $18 Million to Settle FTC Charges That it Allowed its Money Transfer System To Be Used for Fraud
Federal Trade Commssion
Opinion by Glen Loyd: The stories above and below make me angry because so many consumers in Wisconsin get ripped off by out-of the-country criminals using wire services. This industry needs more regulation! Most rip-offs these days couldn't operate without wire companies.
Cyber Crooks Stole $40M From U.S. Small, Mid-Sized Firms
Washington Post
"When the mules pull the cash out of their accounts, they are instructed to wire it (minus a small commission) via services such as MoneyGram and Western Union, typically to organized criminal groups operating in countries like Moldova, Russia and Ukraine." Washington Post
Postpone retirement? No way!
Smart Money
It always amuses that in these you-can-have-it stories, they always seem to mention bolder investing. That doesn't always work, does it.
Oct 28, 2009
Oct 23, 2009
Oct 20, 2009
Oct 16, 2009
Exposers with their own questional offers
I monitor "scam" warnings on Twitter and have noticed that a lot of them conclude with questionable offers of their own! Be careful of any multi-level marketing offer, get-rich-quick businesses, mystery shopping jobs or miracle cures--even if the story starts off as an expose.
Oct 13, 2009
Oct 12, 2009
Oct 10, 2009
Glen's take-a-break video: Chubby the woodchuck
Why do I make these take-a-break videos? I have been listening to consumer complaints virtually every day since 1971 and they can burn you out. When I worked in TV newsrooms my phone was called the nutline and no one else would answer it. Most reporters and editors have their own nutlines to deal with. I've always tried to do one fun story a week to keep my spirits up.
Oct 6, 2009
Oct 5, 2009
Oct 3, 2009
Green Bay, Milwaukee, and Eau Cliare Consumer Protection offices closing
My heart goes out to all the dedicated Consumer Protection employees in Wisconsin regional Consumer Protection offices (Green Bay, Milwaukee,and Eau Claire) closing in December.
If you folks come to work in Madison, you'll find great coworkers in a great city. But as you know, not only will your lives be disrupted, journalists in your parts of the state will lose important contacts for stories to protect area consumers. And because journalists themselves are experiencing cuts, I feel that Wisconsin consumers are becoming more vulnerable.Contact Glen Loyd in Madison at 219 6955
Stanley Siegel goes around the world after his TV start in Green Bay
"Stanley Siegel On the Go" sample reel from stanley siegel on Vimeo.
Click here for my memoir describing Stanley's controversial time in Wisconsin While in Wisconsin, Stanley tested a lot of consumer products in a zany manner and actually drove a Volkswagon into a lake to see if it would float. It floated and Volkwagon bragged about it in a national advertising campaign. Stan lives in a hotel close to Beverly Hills, CA. and travels the world for his TV show, "On The Go With Stanley Siegel."
Glen's take-a-break video: Following Fisher Stream
Fisher Stream runs through Rockport Park in Janesville and empties into the Rock River. Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Sep 25, 2009
Take-a-break video: Hard rain
A record setting 3.63 inches of rain fell in Madison on Tuesday, Sept 21, from the morning until the mid-afternoon.The previous record for September was 3.4 inches on Sept.18, 1874
Sep 22, 2009
Sep 20, 2009
Take-a-break video: Sun shafts and moon beams
Springbrook Creek at Black Hawk Golf Course in Janesville just before flowing into the Rock River
Sep 19, 2009
Preventing Late Fees: Hurry Up and Credit My Account
If you’re sending money to a child in school or supporting a relative in some other way, you’ll spare yourself a lot of desperate phone calls if you can find a way to transfer money electronically into their account from your own linked account, say by listing yourself on the account with them.
New York Times
Sep 15, 2009
Sep 12, 2009
Sep 9, 2009
Sep 6, 2009
I'm sorry if you have been upset by some of the You Tube videos that pop up here when my videos are done playing!
When my videos finish on this page, I have no control over the videos that You Tube automatically links to because of similar key words. I have been embarrassed by some of them. And I just read an email from a dear friend who is upset with me because a stranger's video slandered someone she admires: "I am disappointed and shocked to think that you, a man whom I admired for your thoughtfulness, courage as a seeker of truth and justice, and many good works would engage in such low-life trashy shenanigans.... I can only hope that this is all some gross misunderstanding of purpose."
Roughly 2 million homeowners are stuck paying higher premiums for less-comprehensive coverage
Consumer Reports: "Roughly 2 million homeowners, particularly along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, are stuck paying higher premiums for less-comprehensive coverage with state-run, last-resort insurance pools."
Sep 2, 2009
Aug 30, 2009
Aug 29, 2009
Aug 23, 2009
Two centuries after Lincoln's birth the nation is still in formation. As the United States has grown and expanded, one cost of that growth has been a splintering of many parts of our society. Competing values, interests and beliefs have complicated Lincoln's goal to find unity in our diversity.
The Bicentennial commemoration of his life and legacy will be a bright beacon to compelting our nation's "unfinished work."
Aug 21, 2009
Aug 15, 2009
Pricing Out Car Repairs, Before the Repairs
New York Times
Remember to always get an estimate before getting major auto repair. In Wisconsin, car repair shops must call you with an estimate before starting the work--if you ask for an estimate. Check with consumer protection for complaints about the repair shop. Call 1-800-422-7128. You might also check court records.
Aug 8, 2009
CBS: "Buyer Beware: Web Supplement Scams"
CBS News
I have spoken to many Wisconsin consumers who have been caught in these so called "free" offers.
Aug 7, 2009
Aug 6, 2009
Aug 5, 2009
Aug 4, 2009
Online resource for WI journalists
Kidder Broadcast News Resource Center
Can you tape a telephone conversation? Can you lose an invasion of privacy lawsuit if you tell the truth? Need to know how to do a professional TV standup. Find out at this easy to understand resource.
Aug 2, 2009
Reverend Ike, Who Preached Riches, Dies at 74
New York Times
A lot of Wisconsin consumers told me they received mailings and prayer cloths (a little square of fabric) from Rev. Ike promising riches from lotteries if you would send him some cash. He's the only one I know that got rich.
Jul 30, 2009
Jul 25, 2009
Jul 24, 2009
Playful purple martins
I was walking across Lake Wingra Park in Madison this week when some purple martins flew close to me and circled playfully several times. When the rest flew off, one purple martin continued to circle me.
These birds depend almost 100 percent on people for housing and fly around us when walk because we stir up bugs for them to eat. Erecting houses for them, bird lovers have their very own flocks year after year.
Photo courtesy of Purple Martin Conservation Association purple http://www.purplemartin.org/main/info.php
Jul 20, 2009
Eagle eye on Wisconsin's Rock River
This new wildlife video documents that bald eagles rule the beautiful Rock River which drains much of Wisconsin and Illinois before becoming part of the Mississippi.
Two amateur photographers contributing to the video have been on the meandering, tree-lined river almost daily in recent weeks and have seen eagles every time between Janesville and Beloit.
Other large birds--blue herons--reminded the photographers of flying creatures in Jurassic Park.
Although it’s the national symbol and honored in the Wisconsin Capitol, the bald eagle came close to extinction from hunting and the pesticide DDT.
Photographer Glennon Loyd lives on Riverview Drive in Janesville and says he has been seeing eagles year round for the past few years.
He was canvassing the river with his friend Lynn Brunsell when Janesville city sirens warned of a possible tornado. She photographed the storm’s beautiful red clouds over the river in the video.
The photographers shot other raptors on the river, too. Baby red tailed hawks nested on a soaring man-made platform erected by Alliant’s Rock River plant to attract rarer cousins called osprey.
Jul 17, 2009
4 H youngsters and the Trinity Irish Dancers made the Dane Co Fair fun for me
The pig in the rain photo won a first prize for a 4 H member
Jul 14, 2009
This week I ran into David Maraniss (above) of the Washington Post while walking on Monroe St. in Madison. He lives in my neighborhood and writes best selling books now:
When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi
First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton,
They Marched Into Sunlight – War and Peace, Vietnam and America, October 1967 Clemente – The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero.
I had just finished "They Marched Into Sunlight" and told him how much I enjoyed it. His latest work is "Rome 1960, the olympics that changed the world."
David is a big league writer and has traveled the world, but has come back home to enjoy Wisconsin with the rest of us.
Jul 11, 2009
You don't know how many times consumers have complained to me about accepting a free meal and landing in debt
This week, I observed salespeople working on elderly couples in a restaurant, pressuring them to buy a questionable but very expensive product.
The couples sat there taking it because they were having a $7 lunch on the salespeople. Politeness and a sense of obligation made them sitting ducks. Many consumers regret paying thousands of dollars for things like timeshares after being offered something for free.
A consumer told me that at a previous free lunch she told the salesman she was not interested and was leaving. She alleges she was instructed that she couldn't leave until she had listened to the long sales pitch.
My advice: Don't accept free meals unless you are truly interested in a product. Never ever sign a contract at the restaurant. Wait until you have had time to think things over away from the pressuring salesperson.If you are a nice agreeable person like many folks I have met and can't withstand high pressure, never accept a free meal from a salesperson.
Oh, you say you can handle high pressure, won't sign anything, and like to get things for free.
That's what a lot of people think and end up in debt. And even if you gobble the free meal and get out fast, the salespeople will probably say something to you to give you indigestion for the rest of the day. They don't like people who walk away.
Maybe it won't bother you, but it will most likely bother your spouse.
Jul 10, 2009
Jul 3, 2009
Jul 2, 2009
Jun 28, 2009
Folks having fun by Lake Wingra in Madison
Music by Green Bay composer Kevin MacLeod/photos by Glen Loyd
Jun 25, 2009
Jun 24, 2009
Jun 23, 2009
Jun 21, 2009
Jun 20, 2009
Jun 17, 2009
Jun 16, 2009
Jun 9, 2009
Jun 6, 2009
May 31, 2009
May 29, 2009
May 24, 2009
In this interview, WISC-TV Morning show anchor Rob Starbuck does a pretty fair impression of me. Every TV station where I've worked had news people who mimiced me for laughs. These impressionists started off behind my back and then confronted me with my own voice to make it even more funny for the newsroom. I didn't know what to make of it. Now my 7-year-old granddaughter is doing it. And my wife just confessed that she and my son impersonate me it when I'm not around.
Am I really that goofy?
May 22, 2009
May 18, 2009
May 16, 2009
The Cheapest Person I Know (Mark Twain would call these stretchers)
WalletPop
"My uncle was so cheap [that] before [he went] to bed he removed the battery of his watch and put it back in the morning to save the life of the battery."
Next: Borrowed Gifts
May 15, 2009
May 12, 2009
May 11, 2009
May 9, 2009
May 2, 2009
Apr 30, 2009
Apr 28, 2009
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