I don’t even watch hockey, I’m not a hockey fan. The man’s hockey game playing against Russians the other night was the only hockey game I watched in the past 4 years. Anyway, last night before I went to bed I watch the news about the Canadian women hockey team winning the gold medal at the Vancouver Olympic 2010. At first, I wasn’t sure what to think, I thought it was rude to be celebrating their victory drinking beer and smoking on ice in front of the fans, but when I realized there were no one in the seats. In fact, the Canadian women hockey team celebrated with beer and cigars 2 hours after the game was over.

Newton Home Comfort is part of Universal Energy and National Home Services. Now Universal Energy been acquired by Just Energy in July 2009.

Read about Just Energy, Universal Energy and National Home Services.

If someone wearing a uniform by Newton Home Comfort or one of their other energy companies show up at your front door unannounced. Be very careful, they are very sneaky trying to sell you something without telling you all the terms and conditions under their contract.

The WordCamp Toronto 2010 will be open at the Centennial College Student Centre on March 27 and 28. Here’s a map on Google map.

More information can be view here on the WordCamp Toronto’s website.

The price will be $35 CND for one person. So, I’ll be going there to check out what it is all about and maybe I can pick up something from it.

Here is the schedule for the 2 days event for The WordCamp Toronto 2010.

On February 25, 2010, CBS 2 investigative reporter Pam Zekman once again shined a spotlight on Just Energy, formerly known as U.S. Energy Savings Corp. CBS reported that the unregulated gas company that has sparked thousands of complaints to CUB may have changed its name, but it’s “playing some of the same deceptive games.” Watch the video here.

On February 24, 2010 a news article on CBS news on Just Energy salespeople charged with faking contracts, “The charges include criminal offences, such as fraudulent impersonation of a consumer, and violations of Alberta’s Fair Trading Act, including misleading a consumer. This isn’t the first time the company’s representatives have faced charges. A salesman was charged in October with two counts of making false statements to consumers, which is a violation of the Fair Trading Act.” Read the rest of the article here or read this article about Fraud alleged in energy contracts.

Here is another similar story in 2003, a company named Ontario Energy Savings Corp now operate as Just Energy was fined for forgeries. Read more here…

“This company (Just Energy) is engaged in the worst kind of consumer fraud, preying on people’s fears of rising natural gas bills and resorting to deception in order to boost sales.” said David Kolata, Citizens Utility Board’s Executive Director Read More…

Here’s a quote by Attorney General of Illinois.
“U.S. Energy (aka Just Energy) is purposely deceiving consumers,” Attorney General Madigan said. “Many of these families signed up for this program based on the false claim that they would save on their monthly utility bills. Instead, U.S. Energy (Just Energy) locked them into a contract that actually charged them more for natural gas.” Read more about the lawsuit here…

Here’s what bbb.org (Better Business Bureau) have about Just Energy, “Complainants allege they (Just Energy) were subject to misleading sales practices, such as unauthorized enrollment in the program offered, and/or misrepresentation of contract length, and/or guarantees of savings, and/or ability to cancel the contract after the initial three day period…” Reand more…

Here’s another quote on The Better Business Bureau’s website, “Other complaints allege that upon signing up with the company (Just Energy) on the premise of savings on gas, consumers’ bills did not decrease, but instead increased substantially.” Read more…

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has reached an agreement with U.S. Energy Savings Corp. (aka Just Energy) that will allow hundreds of Illinois consumers to terminate contracts and receive $1 million in restitution as a result of a lawsuit filed last year alleging that the alternative gas supplier sold fixed-rate gas contracts using misleading sales tactics that falsely promised significant consumer savings. Read More…

On December 13, 2005 The Better Business Bureau sent an advertising challenge to US Energy Savings Corporation (aka Just Energy), asking for the names and contact information of ten (I repeat 10 people) UESC consumers who enjoyed financial savings while enrolled in the company’s five year fixed-rate program. The company declined the Bureau’s request to provide such documentation, citing that doing so would be contrary to the company’s privacy policy. Read More…

“Overall, 98 percent of Illinois consumers who have signed up with U.S. Energy Savings (Now operate as Just Energy also operate in Canada as Ontario Energy Savings Corp, Alberta Energy Savings L.P, Energy Savings Group, Universal Energy Group Ltd., Universal Power, National Home Services, Newton Home Comfort) have lost money, with an average loss of $780 to date, CUB concludes.” Read it here, see the actual statistics done by The Citizens Utility Board here or read my post about it here.

The short answer is NO, over 98% will not save money according to statistics on the Citizens Utility Board’s website. The Citizens Utility Board represent the interests of residential utility customers across the state of Illinois. I believe Citizens Utility Board in Illinois is similar to Ontario Energy Board.

“Overall, 98 percent of Illinois consumers who have signed up with U.S. Energy Savings (Now operated as Just Energy also operate in Canada as Ontario Energy Savings Corp, Alberta Energy Savings L.P, Energy Savings Group, Universal Energy Group Ltd., Universal Power, National Home Services, Newton Home Comfort) have lost money, with an average loss of $780 to date, CUB concludes.” Read it here.

Here’s the actual statistics dating back to 2004-2009 on how much money people lost while paying for their fix gas rate with an energy company called Just Energy, formerly U.S. Energy Savings Corp. People who sign long term contract for fix gas rate lost anywhere from $10 USD to more than $3000 USD with Just Energy 1 -5 years fix rate gas contract. See the full report here.

There is something called TwintonMSN, it allow any of you Twitters addict to write all your tweets through MSN Messenger. This can be time saving because you don’t have to go the Twitter’s website at twitter.com to write your twits.

Citizens Utility Board’s Executive Director David Kolata claimed that, “This company (Just Energy JE-UN) is engaged in the worst kind of consumer fraud, preying on people’s fears of rising natural gas bills and resorting to deception in order to boost sales.” Read More

Here’s what wikipedia.org (the world’s biggest and the world’s most trusted website) wrote about Just Energy Income Fund (aka Just Energy JE-UN). “Complainants allege they were subject to misleading sales practices, such as unauthorized enrollment in the program offered, and/or misrepresentation of contract length, and/or guarantees of savings, and/or ability to cancel the contract after the initial three day period.” Read more..

On March 3, 2008, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Citizen Action/Illinois, and AARP have publicly announced that the three organizations have filed a joint complaint against US Energy Savings (aka Just Energy JE-UN). Read More

I just ran into this job posting over at craigslist.ca earlier today. It was posted on 2009-11-01, seem to me National Home Services and Just Energy are hurting in the public relations department and require someone with skills in “Marketing/PR”. They claim to be a “Multi Billion Dollar Industry Leader”, Billion? Ok, first lies, and yes it is true they are leader in scamming, defrauding and deceptions.

If Just Energy and National Home Services are a multi billion dollar company. Why the heck are they posting their job posting on craigslist.ca? A MULTI billion dollar company? Wouldn’t THEY be able to pay $800 dollars a month to list their job posts on a more reputably sites like Monster.ca or Workopolis.com? What a joke.

National Occupational Classification Matrix fof further descriptions of occupations go www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/

First Microsoft offered free computer security suites with Security Essentials and now Microsoft is planning to release a version of Microsoft Office 2010 for FREE. The last company that is handing out free software to the general public would be Microsoft and so I thought. Before you get too excited about the free Microsoft Office 2010, you must read the fine print.

Microsoft Starter Office 2010

• The actual name will be called Starter Office 2010, it will be preinstalled with all new computers and laptops by companies partner with Microsoft.
• The free Starter Office 2010 will have advertisements. This will keep the product free.
• Less functions than the original paid version of Office 2010. At the moment it is unknown exactly which functions the free version will leave out.
• The Microsoft Starter Office 2010 will have no PowerPoint and no One Note. It will only contain Word and Excel.