plus 4, Oaks Gold’s Gym Customers Shut Out - NBC Philadelphia

Oaks Gold’s Gym Customers Shut Out - NBC Philadelphia
Good News - Beloit Daily News
TrueDelta.com Offers New Stats On Great Cars Vs. Lemons - WWJ Newsradio 950
Top 20 Automotive Tips for Gonzo Repairs - Popular Mechanics
Robert D. ‘Bob’ Seiler - Muscatine Journal

Oaks Gold’s Gym Customers Shut Out - NBC Philadelphia

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 01:11 PM PST

{"comments":[{"body":"I cancelled my debit card through my bank. However, I think the story about fumes coming into the gym is "bull". There are reasons for which the gym closed that I believe is the real case, but they won't admit it.","createdAt":"2 Dec 2009 21:09:54 GMT","fromUserId":7918844,"isDefaultUserIconUploaded":false,"isDisabled":false,"isVisible":true,"messageId":1340026,"pathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","reviewed":true,"updatedAt":"13 Aug 2009 21:55:30 GMT","username":"anonymous_user"},{"body":"FYI- Kinetix does not own Gold's Gym members contracts yet. Do not let them fool you! I found this out by speaking with the general manager, Jim Tornetta, at Kinetix. He said that all they are doing is letting current Gold's Gym of Oaks members work out there for free right now, until they get things situated. Gold's still owns the contracts- do not let them tell you otherwise!! I just joined the gym a few weeks ago and paid in full on my debit card up front for 1 year membership so I did not have to give them my checking account info and I have a receipt to prove it. They said I will not be billed anything additional and that i was paid in full! When the gym closed this past weeekend, I contacted ABC financial just b/c I had a feeeling something was up. Well, I was put on a payment plan by someone at Gold's Gym and my first payment was set up for Dec- even though I already paid up front in full!! Do not trust them! They are scammers who do not care one bit about their customers and will lie right to your face. Also, if you signed a contract with them recently- you have the right to cancel your contract under the Health Club ACT- something Gold's left out of their contract. The ACT says that you may cancel your contract if the facility closes within 30 days of signing your contract! The pa district attorney's website lists this on there! I am filing a criminal complaint with the Upper Providence police department b/c this is theft by deception! I was told I was not going to be billed b/c i aready was paid and they went ahead and set me up on payment plan anyway! Just wanted to help everyone by giving a few pointers.","createdAt":"2 Dec 2009 20:33:06 GMT","fromUserId":7918844,"isDefaultUserIconUploaded":false,"isDisabled":false,"isVisible":true,"messageId":1339731,"pathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","reviewed":true,"updatedAt":"13 Aug 2009 21:55:30 GMT","username":"anonymous_user"},{"body":"Try this email: blepage@beaconfitness.com

I also suggest you either cancel the card used for auto debit and/or speak to your credit card company about stopping payments.

Good luck everyone!","createdAt":"2 Dec 2009 14:51:18 GMT","fromUserId":7918844,"isDefaultUserIconUploaded":false,"isDisabled":false,"isVisible":true,"messageId":1336927,"pathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","reviewed":true,"updatedAt":"13 Aug 2009 21:55:30 GMT","username":"anonymous_user"},{"body":"Refer to your membership contract for the specifics of how to cancel your membership. Remember to use Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested.

The company that operated the gym has a legal address as follows, and this is the address to which your cancelation letter needs to be sent.

Scone II, Inc t/a Gold's Gym of Oaks
422 Business Center
J1020 North Drive
Oaks, PA 19456

Although the business is closed, certified mail should be forwarded by the Post Office.
","createdAt":"2 Dec 2009 12:05:16 GMT","fromUserId":18506560,"isDefaultUserIconUploaded":false,"isDisabled":false,"isVisible":true,"messageId":1336161,"pathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","reviewed":true,"updatedAt":"2 Dec 2009 12:04:31 GMT","username":"MDWest"},{"body":"I am a member and received the email from Bob Lepage about 2 hours ago. The problem is the email does not suggest any way to cancel your membership. It actually states that I have to honor my contract with Kinetix.

I called Kinetix and they stated they are not legally honoring all memberships but offerring a free trial visit to see if the Oaks members would like to join.

I then called ABC Financial who is the company that charges its members. They stated they can not cancel my membership and that I have to call the originator (Gold's Gym). Coincidently i was just charged for the month of December and they stated they plan to charge me for January and so on. They asked that I call back in 3-5 days in the hopes that they may have more information on the matter.,

I then called Oaks Gym and of course received a voice message.

I then attempted to respond to the email the Bob Lepage had sent. I had received a Mailer Daemon indicating the address does not exist. This suggest he "spoofed" the address to prevent any communication on the matter.

This is clearly a scam in the making. I am contacting the Attorney General. ","createdAt":"2 Dec 2009 00:15:47 GMT","fromUserId":18492676,"isDefaultUserIconUploaded":false,"isDisabled":false,"isVisible":true,"messageId":1334593,"pathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","reviewed":true,"updatedAt":"1 Dec 2009 23:45:30 GMT","username":"DaveWilson"},{"body":"I am a member and just received the email from Bob Lepage about an hour ago. The email stated the following:
1.) He was forced to close their doors on 11/30/2009.
2.) To abide by the PA Health Club Act they have found a gym with 10 miles of the club: Kinetix
3.) Effective immediately my membership is with Kinetix
4.) Kinetix is required to honor my membership
5.) I am obligated to honer my contract with kinetix

The email had NO reference of how to close the account.

I then called Kinetix. They stated they just started receiving calls and they are not legally honoring all membership but offering a free session. I stated I do not want to be charged anything. Kinetix stated they have no plans to charge.

I then attempting to call the Oaks Gym but only received a voice message.

I then called ABC Financial who charges the membership dues. They stated they were not aware of the issue and can NOT cancel my membership.

Coincidently ABC Financial has just submitted a charge for the month of December and plan to charge me in January as well. They stated they do not hangle cancellations and I have to call back in 3-5 business days to see if they have more info.

I then decided to reply to the email that Bob Lepage had sent. I received an auto response indicating the email address does not exist.

I suspect I'm going to be scammed and will have a very difficult time trying to cancel this membership.","createdAt":"1 Dec 2009 23:53:18 GMT","fromUserId":18492676,"isDefaultUserIconUploaded":false,"isDisabled":false,"isVisible":true,"messageId":1334516,"pathToPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg","reviewed":true,"updatedAt":"1 Dec 2009 23:45:30 GMT","username":"DaveWilson"}],"media":{"isPublicTaggingAllowed":false,"uploadToAkamai":"","categories":"","pathToMedia":"396494_78263342","adminTags":"cid_78263342,ct_article,sid_396494,sid_397219,sid_397239,sid_525832,sid_525842,sid_526027","uploadedByPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg?t=1248875781749","views":208,"uploadedByName":"nbc_editor","isAdultContent":false,"updatedAt":"2 Dec 2009 22:25:06 GMT","country":"","pathToPreview48X48":"user/defaultExternalmedia_48x48_D.jpg","inappropriateFlagCount":0,"isRatedByMe":"F","tags":"bored,furious,intrigued,laughing,sad,thrilled","originalFileFormat":"","isFavorite":"F","userId":7918858,"name":"Oaks Gold?s Gym Customers Shutout","description":"The owner of Gold?s Gym in Oaks said a safety hazard forced him to close their doors to thousands of customers.","createdAt":"1 Dec 2009 22:45:03 GMT","isVisible":true,"postalCode":"","title":"Oaks Gold?s Gym Customers Shutout","isPublicCommentingAllowed":true,"stateOrProvinceName":"","author":"","reviewed":true,"updatedBy":7918844,"city":"","pathToPreview":"","type":"externalMedia","uploadToLimelight":"","votes":0,"averageRating":0},"payload_type":"json","status":"1","error":""}

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Good News - Beloit Daily News

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 01:25 PM PST

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TrueDelta.com Offers New Stats On Great Cars Vs. Lemons - WWJ Newsradio 950

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 12:14 PM PST

The West Bloomfield Township-based automotive quality data firm TrueDelta.com is out with a new update and two new statistics of interest to would-be car buyers.

In addition to TrueDelta's normal update, which includes early data on several 2010 models, owner Michael Karesh has added statistics on the odds of getting a problem-free car and the odds of getting a lemon -- defined as a car that requires three or more repair trips in a year.

Karesh said traditional sources of car reliability information have never answered these questions. They've only provided vague dot ratings that indicate how a car compares to the average for all cars. Even TrueDelta, which has been providing car models' average repair frequencies, and not just dots, has not been directly answering car buyers' real questions. Instead, car buyers have had to infer their odds of getting a lemon from the average repair frequency.

With the latest update to TrueDelta's Car Reliability Survey results, released today, this will no longer be necessary. This update includes two new statistics: "Nada-odds" and "Lemon-odds." From a car model's Nada-odds, car buyers can learn how many cars out of a hundred required no repairs at all -- nada -- in the past year. And from its Lemon-odds they can learn how many out of a hundred had to go to the repair shop three or more times in the past year.

"The odds of getting a problem-free car are higher than many people suspect, while the odds of getting a lemon are much lower," Karesh said. "After seeing plenty of black dots, and hearing anecdotal horror stories, people just know there are a lot of bad cars out there. But we're finding that the reality is otherwise."

Many of the 2007, 2008, and 2009 models included in these results had a three-in-four chance -- or better -- of requiring no repairs in the past year.

"This is why for every car that gets hit with a 'worse than average' reliability rating you can find plenty of owners who have had no problems," notes Karesh.

And the Lemon-odds? With many fairly new cars your chances of a lemon are under one in 100, and under one-in-20 is the norm. Only with the least reliable cars are your odds worse than one-in-10.

"The horror stories are real, just a lot less common than many people think," Karesh said.

The updated results, covering owner experiences through September 30, 2009, include additional 2010 models. The redesigned Toyota Prius and Mazda3 have required very few repairs so far, while the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe has been about average.

Owners of over 54,000 cars have joined TrueDelta.com to share information on reliability, real-world fuel economy, and their reasons for buying a particular car. Enthusiastic support from car owner forums, including PriusChat.com, Mazdas, and GenesisOwners.com, helped make the above results possible. In return for their participation, car owners receive full access to TrueDelta.com, for free.

Car owners can view the latest survey results and become involved at TrueDelta.com. Journalists interested in keeping up with TrueDelta's updates are encouraged to request a media account.

More at www.truedelta.com/car-reliability.php or www.truedelta.com/odds0909.php.

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Top 20 Automotive Tips for Gonzo Repairs - Popular Mechanics

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 10:05 AM PST

Matt Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft, came up with this: "Chase oil leaks by cleaning the engine, and spraying a generous coating of foot powder in the area of the leak. Run the engine for a minute or two, and any fresh oil will soak into the white powder, leaving a noticeable stain."

Demolishing a room for a home improvement project is a lot easier with a tool commonly found in the shed: a square-nose shovel. It removes just about anything that a thin blade can get under. The handle provides plenty of leverage to pull up carpeting, tacks and all. If the blade is even a little bit sharp, old vinyl floor tile or linoleum lifts from the adhesive. Peel old quarter-round, wainscoting and crown molding off the walls and ceiling. Even crumbly old roof shingles—nails and all—peel up easily. Drywall doesn't have a chance. Best yet, you've already got a shovel handy for cleaning up after the demo is done.

Kicked and hammered the wheel of your car, but it still won't pop off the hub? Run the lugs back on and leave them two threads shy of tight, then lower your ride to the ground. Drive the car around the block while you simultaneously stab the brakes and shake the steering wheel. The wheel and tire assembly will pop loose. Next, wire-brush the hub/wheel mating surface to clean up any corrosion; use antiseize compound to prevent a recurrence.

Free your lawnmower deck of dried grass by idling it for 5 minutes or so while spraying water under the blade. No more putty-knife scraping.

Have you ever struggled to fill a transmission on a transfer case or other hard-to-reach reservoir? Since space is so tight, funnels are useless. Try this: Fill a quart zip-lock freezer bag with lube, and cut a quarter-inch off one corner. You've just made the automotive equivalent of a pastry bag, used for decorating cakes. Now you can squeeze lube up or over into the fill hole from almost any angle.

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Robert D. ‘Bob’ Seiler - Muscatine Journal

Posted: 02 Dec 2009 10:41 AM PST

Service: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services. Visitation: 4-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, funeral home. Burial: Island Cemetery. Online condolences: www.lewisfuneralhomes.com.

MUSCATINE, Iowa — Robert D. "Bob" Seiler, 66, Muscatine, passed away Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, at Genesis Medical Center East Campus, Davenport.

Casketbearers will be Jeff Kokemuller, Jason Sells, Mike Schmelzer, Gary Anson, Wade Ashby and Ron Hein. Honorary casketbearers will be Willy Beckman, Dillon Williams, Carter Williams, Jagre Williams, Pat Hopewell and Kenny Lange.

Following the interment a time of food and fellowship will be held at the Fruitland Community Center.

A memorial fund has been established at the funeral home in his name.

Mr. Seiler was born Nov. 8, 1943, in Muscatine, the son of Clifford and Ethel (Hinkley) Seiler. He married Teresa Walker June 7, 1964, in Muscatine.

He was owner and operator of Seiler's Auto Repair in Muscatine for many years.

He enjoyed watching each and every grandchild grow each day. He was very proud of each and every one of them.

He enjoyed spending time with Jennifer taking her to Adventureland each summer and escorting her to the Sugarplum Ball. He loved working on Dillon's car and truck after he blew them up, going down mud roads and tearing out several transmissions. His words to Dillon were "what the heck did you do now" He spent many days and nights listening to Carter play the piano saying, "just play that song one more time." He also spent many hours helping him with his math. He loved planting gardens with Jagre, waiting for the produce to be ready to eat and also loved starting his motorcycle for him to ride around the yard. Then there was Zoey, he just kept saying "she's gonna be a tuff little gal, that's for sure."

He also enjoyed drinking coffee with friends down at the shop.

He will be deeply missed by his wife, Teresa of Muscatine; a daughter, Cristine Williams and husband, Jeffrey of Muscatine; four grandchildren, Jennifer Liles and husband, Trent, and Dillon, Carter and Jagre Williams; a great-granddaughter, Zoey Liles; three sisters, Bonnie Smith, Nancy Plowman and husband, Dave and Pam Littrel, all of Muscatine.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Bill Seiler and a sister, Beverly Hull.

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