Editor's note: to see a slideshow, summarizing Michael's first effort at televised psychotherapy, click here.

UCAN's Executive Director, Michael Shames, was recently drafted to appear on the Dr. Phil show to help Dr. Phil explain to Mona Shaw why beating the heck out of Comcast's switching equipment and computers with a hammer is not an effective way to resolve a complaint with a large utility.

Mrs. Shaw is a 75-year-old grandmother whose patience was stretched to the breaking point after she switched her landline phone service to a bundled service with Comcast. Shaw achieved near hero status after she was arrested for personally venting her anger on Comcast's office equipment.

Mona is not alone - there is even a Website by the name of "ComcastMustDie," but if you live in San Diego, there is a solution: You can invoke the protection of the UCAN Fraud Squad.

UCAN started the Fraud Squad in 1998, with a special utility dispute hotline for San Diego residents. If you are a UCAN member, you don't need to resort to violence. Just file your complaint and let us do the dirty work. We are also trained to offer dispute resolution advice and complaint referrals for hundreds of the most common consumer gripes.

So the next time you feel like smashing up an SDG&E meter, destroying and AT&T phone line, or perhaps using miltary hardware on your cable company, remember, there is a better way: Join UCAN and let us do it for you.