Cid-knee

Community Alert: Beware of Price Gouging

In response to the fires in Southern California, authorities have issued warnings against price gouging, which is illegal during declared emergencies. California law prohibits businesses from raising prices of goods and services by more than 10% during such times. These protections extend to housing costs, including hotel and motel rates and rental housing prices. Violations can result in fines up to $10,000 or one year in jail, or both.

If you encounter any suspected price gouging, please file a complaint. These measures aim to protect consumers from exploitative pricing practices during the ongoing crisis.

Resources:

CalOES - Price Gouging https://www.caloes.ca.gov/office-of-the-director/policy-administration/legal-affairs/price-gouging/

OAG - FAQS on Price Gouging https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/pricegougingduringdisasters

OAG - AG Bonta Issues Consumer Alert on Price Gouging https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-issues-consumer-alert-price-gouging-following-state-13

LA County Consumer & Business Affairs - Palisades, Eaton Fires Should Report Suspected Price Gouging https://dcba.lacounty.gov/newsroom/during-emergency-report-suspected-price-gouging/

If you become the victim of price gouging, you have options to file a complaint:

Call 311

Office of the Attorney General - (800) 952-5225

Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs - (800) 593-8222

instead ask:

is it SINCERE

was it CATHARTIC

was it FUN TO MAKE

is it MADE BY ME

“It’s funny,” I told Flewin. “We have an old Nintendo Game Boy floating around the house, and Tetris is the only game we own. My wife will sometimes dig it out to play on airplanes and long car rides. She’s weirdly good at it. She can get 500 or 600 lines, no problem.”

What Flewin said next I will never forget.

“Oh, my!”

The husband was writing an article on classic video game records, was surprised to find out that holding the Tetris record is a bit of a big deal, and mentions how good his wife is at it.

The guy he’s talking to mentions that the record is 327, way lower than his wifes usual scores of 500-600.

They travel to a tournament, and she goes to do her attempt. Just after she beats 327, and is climbing higher, a judge brings up to the husband that the specific version she’s playing actually has a different record of 545.

The protagonist has just won the world famous sword fighting competition in the big, rich capital and is talking to his mentor, and says something about being the best swordsman in the world. The mentor frowns and tells him that no, he isn't. He is the best swordsman out of the people that could afford to show up to this tournament. There could be a mercenary way out in the mountains, patrolling a snow encrusted fort's walls that could kick his ass and there was no way to know until he was already losing to the guy.