More exploding phones and tackling telemarketers: The Marketplace cheat sheet
Miss something this week? Don’t panic. CBC’s Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need.
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Galaxy of problems
It has not been a good week for Samsung (again).
It’s not just the exploding phones. Samsung had to recall three million washing machines because the appliance’s top can come off. (Micah Martin/YouTube)
The tech giant
recalled about three million washing machines in the U.S. and Canada because the appliance’s top can come off.
And there are reports that another model of Samsung Galaxy smartphone, the J5, can explode.
The Bay’s new robots
The Hudson’s Bay Company began in the era of the fur trade, but now wants to take on the big players in e-commerce, like Amazon. At the heart of the new plan, a $60-million high-tech warehouse, complete with robots.
Eye owe you
Emily Laprise, 12, lost a significant portion of vision in her left eye after a hard hit by a soccer ball detached her retina and ripped a hole in the retinal lining. (Nancy Desrosiers )
Emily Laprise hurt her eye pretty badly playing soccer. But the insurance company saw it differently: The company said she didn’t hurt her eye badly enough to pay out the claim. When the story came out, social media commenters weren’t pleased, and Industrial Alliance agreed to pay.
Taking on telemarketing
Do you need your ducts cleaned? The CRTC is giving phone companies 90 days to figure out how to help their customers block those damned telemarketing calls. The regulator launched the Do Not Call list in 2008, but the calls didn’t stop. But they will definitely probably stop now. Right?
Plus: Ugly produce and sperm regulations
B.C.’s Amanda Slater is using blemished foods to make soup. (CLatimer)
So, no, Toronto real estate investors don’t think they’re driving up the market, “just quietly benefiting from it.” Your bank may be overcharging you on service fees (but would you even know?)
One B.C. soup maker is finding a yummy use for produce that’s “too ugly” to sell. A fertility doctor in Ottawa is accused of using his own sperm, so maybe it’s time to talk about better regulations for fertility clinics.
On the show: The new celebrity sell
From waist trainers to hair vitamins, fat-burning tummy tea wraps, and even pharmaceuticals, the Kardashian family has a long list of products they claim to love on social media. But are they letting people into their lives with these seemingly authentic testimonials, or are they just cashing in?
Ever wondered why a dating site thinks you are compatible with someone? Has an algorithm found the love of your life or matched you with a real dud (or both?).
Marketplace is looking for people to talk to for a story, whether you’re in domestic bliss or still looking for love. Reach out to their research team at [email protected].