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      AN INVESTIGATIVE NEWS SERIES
    ON THE STANDARDS AND PRACTICES   
    OF THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
       
         START WITH TRUTH


  V 1.2  April 2009
SERVER LOGS REVEAL BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU HAD NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN READ bbbRoundup.com

This is a small sample of Better Business Bureau visits to bbbRoundup on March 19th, 2009.  They show the activity immediately after Steve Cox distributed his internal memo on how to deal with bbbRoundup.com at 10:54 AM EST, March 19th, 2009.  The server statistics below are set to PST, so 10:54 AM EST would show up as 7:54 AM PST or roughly one hour before the following activity begins.  All activity displayed on this page took place in a four-and-a-half hour period on March 19th, 2009.  Sometime later that night, the LA BBB changed its grades for Disneyland and the Los Angeles Times.

 3/19 9:04:24 AM
 Maumelle, Arkansas, US 		  swbell.net
 66.138.107.33 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:05:58 AM
 Austin, Texas, US 		  swbell.net
 70.129.204.147 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:08:32 AM
 Placentia, California, US 		  telepacific.net
 65.60.97.138 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:13:01 AM
 Wilmington, Delaware, US 		  cavtel.net
 76.160.33.82 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:13:37 AM
 Woodland Park, Colorado, US 		  72.54.107.82   Bookmark or direct   1 
Mountain States Better Business Bureau 

 3/19 9:18:38 AM
 Brooklyn, Maryland, US 		  comcastbusine...
 74.95.87.149 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BBB of Maryland

 3/19 9:18:47 AM
 Placentia, California, US 		  telepacific.net
 65.60.97.138 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:19:48 AM
 Ridgeland, Mississippi, US 		  72.243.84.42   Bookmark or direct   1 
Better Business Bureau of Mississippi 

 3/19 9:22:56 AM
 Arlington, Virginia, US 		  qwest.net
 65.118.47.130 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
COUNCIL OF BETTER BUSINES BURE 

 3/19 9:24:02 AM
 Knoxville, Tennessee, US 		  bellsouth.net
 70.147.134.245 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:24:59 AM
 Placentia, California, US 		  telepacific.net
 65.60.97.138 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:32:10 AM
 Port Neches, Texas, US 		  swbell.net
 208.191.93.113 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:32:40 AM
 Arlington, Virginia, US 		  qwest.net
 65.118.47.185 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
COUNCIL OF BETTER BUSINES BURE 

 3/19 9:38:51 AM
 West Harrison, New York, US 		  xo.net
 67.111.183.130 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
Council of Better Business Bureaus 

 3/19 9:48:32 AM
 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US 		  hcapstrategie...
 67.39.58.242 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:50:36 AM
 Pleasant Grove, Alabama, US 		  bellsouth.net
 68.157.231.13 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 9:53:24 AM
 Woodland Park, Colorado, US 		  72.54.107.82   Bookmark or direct   1 
Mountain States Better Business Bureau 

 3/19 9:57:01 AM
 Charlotte, North Carolina, US 		  newsouth.net
 66.147.82.11 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
Better Business Bureau Charlotte 

 3/19 10:01:14 AM
 New York, US 		  208.49.124.217   Bookmark or direct   1 
3035.BBBNY 

 3/19 10:05:32 AM
 Dublin, Ohio, US 		  rr.com
 24.123.138.66 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 10:06:52 AM
 Nashville, Tennessee, US 		  xo.net
 66.88.100.71 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
Better Business Bureau TN 

 3/19 10:14:33 AM
 San Antonio, Texas, US 		  swbell.net
 66.142.82.73 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 10:16:04 AM
 New York, US 		  208.49.124.217   Bookmark or direct   1 
3035.BBBNY 

 3/19 10:25:05 AM
 Placentia, California, US 		  telepacific.net
 65.60.97.138 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 10:44:15 AM
 New York, US 		  208.49.124.217   Bookmark or direct   1 
3035.BBBNY 

 3/19 10:50:18 AM
 New York, US 		  208.49.124.217   Bookmark or direct   1 
3035.BBBNY 

 3/19 10:56:41 AM
 San Diego, California, US 		  74.8.143.211   Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF SAN DIEGO 

 3/19 11:00:37 AM
 Denver, Colorado, US 		  69.2.245.130   Bookmark or direct   1 
Denver Boulder Better Business (Cherokee) 

 3/19 11:07:49 AM
 Placentia, California, US 		  telepacific.net
 65.60.97.138 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 11:16:53 AM
 Washington, District of Columbia, US 		  covad.net
 68.167.107.250 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
Council of Better Business Bueraus 

 3/19 11:21:23 AM
 Bat Cave, North Carolina, US 		  bellsouth.net
 74.246.245.22 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 11:41:02 AM
 Miami, Florida, US 		  63.139.138.234   Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 12:19:51 PM
 Toledo, Ohio, US 		  webersterling...
 72.240.41.254 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 12:27:00 PM
 Austin, Texas, US 		  swbell.net
 70.129.204.147 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 12:27:35 PM
 Charlotte, North Carolina, US 		  newsouth.net
 66.147.82.11 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
Better Business Bureau Charlotte 

 3/19 1:02:25 PM
 Toledo, Ohio, US 		  webersterling...
 72.240.41.254 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 1:34:01 PM
 Miami, Florida, US 		  63.139.138.234   Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 

 3/19 1:38:21 PM
 Longview, Texas, US 		  swbell.net
 70.250.30.182 		  Bookmark or direct   1 
BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU 



Editor's note:  Neither I or this website have a problem with the Better Business Bureau.  Indeed, there is a need for a consumer advocacy group that the public can turn to, and in most cases, the Better Business Bureau fulfills this role adequately.  What we do have a problem with is the BBB's "A-F" grading system.  It is demonstratively biased, based on hearsay, weighted in favor of dues paying members and offers no recourse when the BBB makes an error.  It is obvious the Better Business Bureau does not now, nor ever will have, the resources to fully investigate the four million businesses in their database, much less grade them with any sense of accuracy.  It's an impossible job, and to think otherwise is a mistake that the BBB should acknowledge so they can get back to their reason for existence--protecting the consumer.  There's an old saying, "who will watch the watchers" and it applies here as the BBB has set themselves up to be above the law.  We are simply here to help the Better Business Bureau do a better job so that they may properly serve the consumer, the business community and themselves.
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