Airline On-Time Performance Improves in 2010

The Foundation for Fair Civil Justice has a little fun each year by conducting its Wacky Warning Labels Contest.

The contest is designed to both entertain and alarm the nation about "the lawsuit-happy culture and the lengths to which companies must go to avoid lawsuits," according to the Foundation.

Here are the winners of the 13th annual Wacky Warning Labels Contest, selected by the studio audience for "Stossel" on FOX Business Network:

-- This year's Grand Prize Winner is "Never operate your speakerphone while driving," a warning attached to the Jabra "Drive 'N' Talk" speakerphone for use with a mobile cell phone.

The label was submitted by Courtney Pike of Bay City, Michigan, who wins the $1,000 grand prize and a copy of Wacky Warning Labels Contest host Bob Dorigo Jones' bestselling book, "Remove Child Before Folding: 101 Stupidest, Silliest and Wackiest Warning Labels Ever."

-- The Second Prize Winner is "This product moves when used," a warning attached to a Razor motorized go-cart.

-- The Third Prize Winner is "Use of a headset that covers both ears will impair your ability to hear other sounds," a warning on the Plantronics Bluetooth full headset.

"Once a year, millions of people around the world get a collective laugh from our winners," said Bob Dorigo Jones, Senior Fellow at Foundation for Fair Civil Justice. "The truth is, this is no laughing matter. In fact, every family of four in America pays a 'litigation tax' of more than $9,000 a year on products and services we buy."

For more about the contest or the group's work, check out its website at www.foundationforfairciviljustice.org

You may not be aware of this, but Pennsylvania licenses and regulates many types of professionals, including accountants, barbers, car dealers, chiropractors, dentists, doctors, funeral directors, optometrists, pharmacists and others.

When they violate the terms of their licenses or otherwise break the law or mistreat customers, the state can issue fines, suspend licenses or revoke licenses.

From a press release issued by the state:

The Pennsylvania Department of State took disciplinary actions against 94 licensed or commissioned professionals from February through March 2009.

A comprehensive list of sanctions imposed by the 27 boards and commissions under the department's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs is available at the Department of State's Web site, www.dos.state.pa.us

New and archived disciplinary actions can be accessed by clicking on "Professional Licensure" under the "Areas of Interest," then selecting "Disciplinary Actions" from the left-hand side of the Bureau of Professional and Occupation Affairs page.

Each entry includes the name of the respondent, the license number (if any), the respondent's last known business address registered with the bureau, the sanction imposed, a brief description of the basis for the disciplinary or corrective measure and the effective date.

Anyone who suspects unlicensed activity by an individual or facility, or who has been a victim of unethical treatment, can file a complaint online or by calling the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs at 1-800-822-2113.

State Rep. Curt Schroder (R-Chester County) reminds residents that all contractors doing more than $5,000 of home improvement work annually must be registered with the state, effective July 1.

From a release issued by Schroder:

In an effort to provide residents with better information when choosing a contractor, details of the contactors' registration will be placed on contracts, promotional materials and business cards so that consumers may use the information to reference a statewide database of complaints.

Every year, thousands of Pennsylvanians file consumer complaints about home improvement contractors who take money and fail to perform satisfactory construction or repairs. These complaints typically increase during the spring, when homeowners are more likely to hire contractors to perform various projects.

There are several things consumers should look out for to protect themselves from disreputable or fraudulent home improvement contractors.

Unsolicited, traveling contractors who come to a home and point out specific problems should be met with caution. If they arrive in an unmarked truck or van and refuse to provide proof of insurance or references it is safe to say they are not reputable contractors.

Frequently, these scams begin with a claim to have just finished a job, and then offer a great deal on leftover material. They also employ high-pressure sales tactics like limited-time offers.

When hiring a contractor, homeowners should obtain a written contract that includes a start and finish date and a three-day right-to-cancel notice. Penalty clauses for late completion have also proven helpful in ensuring timely projects. Individuals should never sign a blank contract or hire a contractor that does not have a business card or local phone number and address. Also, final payments should be withheld until work is finished and homeowners are completely satisfied.

More information on the registration program and the complaints database is expected to be available in the near future as the attorney general's office continues with the program's implementation. For more information on consumer protection, or to file a complaint with the attorney general's office, visit Schroder's Web site at www.CurtSchroder.com