Ruth has relented

Rich Kontny_3

As I stated in e-mails to John, sometimes it does take anger to get positive results. I have done it and sometimes have taken it too far. While ticked off we sometimes can't let go.

Now that the dust has settled I see positive results in the form of more contactors and service providers aware of utilities unfair practices. Also Ruth Spencer will be a great deal more aware of generalizations!!!!

We do owe John thanks and if you think about it thanks to Ruth Spencer for bringing it very bluntly to our attention.

Watch those damn utilities who subsidize there service with revevues from fuel and electric sales!!!

R. Kontny

John R. Hall

Making amends

and printing a "clarification"

LINK

Paul Fredricks_3

Squeaky wheels get oil

> and printing a "clarification"

>

> _a

> href="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A

> ID=/20070110/NEWS05/701100360/1007/NEWS05"target="

> _blank"_LINK_/a_

Paul Fredricks_3

Squeaky wheels get oil

Roar like a lion John.

Good job!

Brad White_9

I suppose she could have

written that in the first place, but then would not have had a story.

She gives twits a bad name, IMHO.

Gene_3

SORRY

I see a new statement but I do not see any mention of her previous comments or an apology.

She apparently dos not care for Humble Pie.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Actually I didn't find her initial advice bad--it was the implication that many if not all contractors are crooks that bothered me. Given the state of the local economy in Detroit however her warnings may be closer to reality than we want to think...

Don't forget that some natural gas providers do provide some services either free or at greatly reduced rates. In the town where I grew up for instance you could set up an appointment to have natural gas burning appliances cleaned, inspected and adjusted--all at no cost. They would also respond to a "no heat" call and offer some limited (like thermocouple replacement) repairs at quite low rates. Of course that was back when gas came from a cooperative. They are now supplied by a big utility (same as mine) that offers far fewer services.

Steverino

But...

she didn't "unring the bell".

John R. Hall

Got the call

Both Ruth and her producer talked my ear off yesterday. Her producer was pretty cool but talking with Ruth was like talking to a pre-recorded message. In fact, she probably had a script in front of her. She said she wished she had worded the original statement differently and that more people should have edited it. Both agreed to use a new list of HVAC contractor sources I sent to them in case they needed some "real" opinions next time they aired a story about heating and cooling. I'll have more to say in a future column.

ScottMP

" Attorneys general nationwide say furnace repair fraud is a top consumer scam. "

This is Better ?????

Should have let her first comment die alone. This sounds worse. Don't trust contractors and get three estimates because you never know.. ARRrrggg.

Scott

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Brad White_9

Future Columns...

John, the old saying about not picking a fight with anyone that buys ink by the barrel meets with a group that buys electrons by the bushel...


This should be good.

John R. Hall

Up and ready

We've got a website ready to go soon, if no apologies or retractions are coming. It would be great if many people visited the site and put a link to it on their own sites -- that's all. With your help it will climb to the top of the Internet search engines when someone keys in the TV station search. I'll keep you posted.