The series, which Reuters says has sold an estimated 450 million copies worldwide, is available on the author's Pottermore online store. That site is the only place you'll be able to buy ebooks and digital audio books, and only in English for now.
Oh, and they're still more expensive than buying a physical copy on Amazon. For example, a paperback of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is $6.71 on Amazon, and $7.99 on Pottermore. It's not just Harry Potter, either -- while e-readers are getting cheaper, e-book prices have been rising. That price discrepancy has led to the Justice Department investigating book publishers for reportedly scheming to keep prices high across the board.
The main Pottermore site has been delayed by months, and although the store is up and running, the rest of it won't be be functioning until early April. It's designed to lure in readers who want to explore even more of Harry Potter's world than what's in the books.
Back in July, when the e-book plan hit the news, Google also announced a partnership with Pottermore, wherein "Google Checkout will be the preferred third party payment platform for all purchases made on Pottermore.com."
Rowling originally didn't want Harry in digital format, but now it seems she's bowed to the inevitable march of technology and the whining of millions of fans.
]]>In an interview airing with Diane Sawyer on tonight's ABC World News, Bernanke says that although things are "stronger and more stable" than they were just a year ago, "We have a long way to go, a lot of work to do."
The big topic on many consumers' minds is the soaring price of gas, which now stands at a national average of $3.973/gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
"They're obviously a hardship for lots of people. It must be awfully frustrating to get a small raise at work and then have it all eaten by a higher cost of commuting," says Bernanke, who thinks the gas prices will cause a bit more inflation over the next few months. "But at this level we don't think yet that - particularly given the other good news we've seen in labor markets and so on - we don't think it's going to be anything that's going to stall the recovery."
But with a stalled housing market and unemployment still over 8%, Bernanke says it's "far too early to declare victory."
The chairman also says the Fed won't involve itself in election year politics.
"We're not paying any attention to election calendars or political debates," he tells Sawyer. "We're looking at the economy. We want to make the right decision. We want to do it without political pressure, and that's what we're going to do."
Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke on Economy: 'Far Too Early to Declare Victory' [ABC News]
]]>The Amarillo Globe News says the flight bound for Las Vegas from New York made an unexpected landing in the Texas panhandle after an episode with the captain. A passenger told the paper he emerged from the restroom "shouting, 'Iraq, al-Qaida, terrorism, we're all going down.'
"We heard the word `bomb,'" another passenger told CNN. "We didn't know exactly what was going on."
The crew reportedly kicked the pilot out of the cockpit, and he tried to use the intercom system, which had been disabled. When he attempted to get back into the cockpit, his code had changed. After he began pounding on the door, a former prison security guard "grabbed him by the neck and choked the captain until he collapsed."
He wasn't giving up the fight then, either -- he allegedly elbowed a flight attendant in the ribs during a struggle and broke through a zip tie that had been placed on his wrists. Passengers handed over their seat belts to restrain his arms behind him.
JetBlue Airways said in a statement that the captain had a "medical situation" and that the pilot in command of the aircraft elected to land in Amarillo about 10 a.m. There was an off-duty captain on the flight, who went to the cockpit deck to take over once on the ground, and the captain was taken to a medical facility.
And since we're living in a digital age, seems there's already a video from a passenger on the flight:
Passengers: Pilot screamed about threats from al-Qaida, bombs aboard jet [Amarillo Globe News]
]]>The first person Mike spoke with said they had no idea why it was rejected and submitted his appeal.
Then the image was rejected a second time.
"I spoke to someone after the second rejection that someone there said that there was a note in my file regarding the fact that they do not allow religious or anti-religious images," Mike tells Consumerist.
And yes, far down that list of possible reasons for rejecting a card, CapOne does list "Controversial subject matter such as political or religious statements and/or images."
But why, Mike asks, does the card-making interface on Capital One's own website have 34 photos in a category it labels "Spiritual" and which includes several options to put Christian and Jewish imagery on your card?
There are also categories like "Patriotic" and "Holidays" that likely contain images one could deem as political or religious.
"When I asked about the Spiritual section, the man responded that he didn't have access to the gallery so he couldn't comment on it," Mike tells Consumerist. "He also mentioned that the rules are handed down to them from VISA and Mastercard and that this latest appeal was final."
MSNBC says a report in the journal Pediatrics found that pharmacists would lie to girls seeking emergency contraception, but then proffer the correct information when a doctor called about obtaining the drug for a 17-year-old patient.
The study's lead author, Dr. Tracey Wilkinson, says she thinks once teens are told they can't get the medication, they won't call another pharmacy and will instead just give up. Proponents of products like Plan B think emergency contraception could help prevent half of all unplanned teen pregnancies.
The study sought to assess the availability of Plan B and others, which can be purchased by women (and men, for that matter) 17 and over without a prescription. Researchers posed as either teens or doctors, and called every pharmacy in five U.S. cities asking about emergency contraception.
When asked whether a pharmacy had the medication in stock, 80% of 943 said they did. If a researcher posing as a teen asked if she could get it, 19% were told no, not under any circumstances. Those acting as doctors were only told no 3% of the time.
Teen callers who were told they could get it asked: "My friends said there is an age rule [regarding access without a prescription] -- do you know what it is?" and pharmacy employees answered incorrectly 43% of the time. Teens spoke more often to lower level pharmacy employees, whereas doctors usuall got actual pharmacists on the phone.
The study's lead researcher says she hopes it will raise awareness about misinformation being provided to teens, saying, "This was disappointing. I hope this study will instigate some sort of change on all fronts, for teenagers, pharmacists, staff and also clinicians."
]]>That's ruffling the feathers of some network neutrality advocates, reports Ars Technica.
Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn said in an emailed statement that the new policy "raises questions not only of the justification for the caps but, more importantly, of the survival of an Open Internet."
Those worried about the Federal Communications Commission's network neutrality regulations being compromised fear broadband providers creating a "fast lane" for content providers like Comcast to use after paying a premium.
Comcast claims that Xbox "content is being delivered over our private IP network and not the public Internet," and acts like a set top box. As such, they say it doesn't affect net neutrality and shouldn't be held to data caps any more than their current video on demand service.
Public Knowledge says they're studying Comcast's new Xbox policy, and are still deciding whether or not to file a formal complaint with the FCC.
The Xbox itself is moving out of the arena of ordinary video game console, as the L.A. Times says the device is used more often now for streaming TV and movies or listening to music, than playing actual video games.
Microsoft says households now spend an average of 84 hours a month on the Xbox Live online service playing games, watching videos and listening to music, which is up 30% from a year ago. About half that time is spent on videos and music.
Net neutrality concerns raised about Comcast's Xbox on Demand service [Ars Technica]
Xbox now used more for online entertainment than online gaming [L.A. Times]
The bill, dubbed the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act, would require the FCC to provide detailed arguments, including cost-benefit analysis, when introducing new rules.
It would also limit what types of conditions the FCC could put on merging companies, an apparent reaction to some of the terms the regulators put on the merger between Comcast and NBC.
"The FCC is mandated by Congress to further the public interest, and this bill would make it harder for the Commission to carry out that mandate," says Parul P. Desai, Policy Counsel for Consumers Union. "This so-called 'reform' bill would actually do more harm than good. If this bill became law, it would hamstring the agency's ability to protect consumers and promote competition. As the FCC works to promote the public interest, any changes made to the agency should meet that same standard."
The bill's author is Congressman Greg Walden from Oregon, the chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
For what it's worth, the largest chunk of donations to Walden's elections campaigns has come from the National Association of Broadcasters. In fact, he is #2 on the list of politicians receiving contributions from the NAB.
The Frugal Toad offers these steps to jolt you into hyper-saving mode:
* Sell stuff. If you own a big-ticket luxury item -- say, an all-terrain vehicle, golf clubs or pool table you hardly use -- consider selling them off to raise some quick funds. An initial boost in funding tends to make it easier to add on to the pile.
* Get liquid. If you've got money tied up in investments, think about pulling out what you can to free up some cash. If you've got a broker, talk about the tax implications to make sure you're timing and implementing your transactions so you're not hit with unnecessary taxes and fees.
* Beg. It can be humiliating to approach parents or other loved ones for a loan or gift, but a lot of people do it. To avoid hard feelings, nail down an agreement in writing about how you'll use and repay the funds.
Saving Money for a Home Down Payment [The Frugal Toad]
]]>The FTC went after RockYou following the Dec. 2009 breach because the company had misled users by touting the security of users' information. It also charged RockYou with violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting information from approximately 179,000 children.
If approved, the settlement would bar RockYou from making deceptive claims regarding privacy and data security and require the company to implement a data security program and submit to 20 years of security audits.
RockYou must also delete information collected from children under age 13 and pay a $250,000 civil penalty for its alleged COPPA violations:
* not spelling out its collection, use and disclosure policy for children's information;
* not obtaining verifiable parental consent before collecting children's personal information;
* not maintaining reasonable procedures, such as encryption to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personal information collected from children.
Before we get all ecstatic over the gist of the research, it's important to note that the findings in the study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, don't tell people to go off and gorge on a mountain of candy bars or stick their faces in a fountain of liquid chocolate. Rather, reports the Wall Street Journal, it says that those who eat chocolate more frequently tend to be thinner than those who consume it less often.
Researchers spoke to around 1,000 adults about how often they ate the treat, and found that those who ate chocolate more often didn't necessarily eat fewer calories than others, or even exercise more. They often ingested more calories than those who avoided chocolate.
However, researchers point out that it's not about eating chocolate as a way to lose weight. The study shows a possible link between how many times chocolate is eaten in a week, rather than how much overall, and weight. Those who ate a small amount five days a week had a lower BMI than those who didn't, even if they consumed more total calories and didn't exercise more.
"Our findings appear to add to a body of information suggesting that the composition of calories, not just the number of them, matters for determining their ultimate impact on weight," say the study's lead researcher, Dr. Beatrice Golomb.
In order to really find out if eating chocolate has a positive impact on weight, Dr. Golomb says they'd have to conduct a study comparing chocolate eaters to non-chocolate eaters.
I volunteer as tribute! Err, participant.
A Chocolate a Day to Get Slimmer? [Wall Street Journal]
]]>CBS NY reports that more than 200 such thefts occur every day at the airport, with much of it apparently happening after travelers hand off their bags to airline and airport personnel.
"The belly of the airplane has become like a flea market for airport employees. They go in there and go through all the luggage unencumbered, unchecked," one lawyer tells CBS.
"What we're seeing out there is that really anything that isn't nailed down is being stolen and for that matter I would caution, some day, if there weren't tires missing from an aircraft," says a former NYPD detective.
The lawyer alleges that the thieves are often able to get away with the crimes because stolen bags will just be written off as lost luggage by the airlines.
"The airlines don't want to report these thefts because it's bad for business," he says. "Fares go up clearly because of this. It's a cost of doing business. They pay out and they hide the fact that these items are stolen."
The Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, which operates JFK, tells CBS that it's going to install more cameras around the airport.
Exclusive: The Stunning JFK Airport Baggage Scandal; 200 Thefts Per Day [CBS NY]
]]>In an open letter (via Computer World) posted on Monday, Blumenthal and Schumer ask the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice to speak up regarding personal privacy and how employers use social networks to learn about candidates for employment.
"Employers have no right to ask job applicants for their house keys or to read their diaries," Schumer said in a statement. "Why should they be able to ask them for their Facebook passwords and gain unwarranted access to a trove of private information about what we like, what messages we send to people, or who we are friends with?"
He added that it's even more important when looking for a job, since the employers have all the power in the situation.
"Before this disturbing practice becomes widespread, we must have an immediate investigation into whether the practice violates federal law. I'm confident the investigation will show it does. Facebook agrees, and I'm sure most Americans agree, that employers have no business asking for your Facebook password," he said.
Last week Facebook posted a statement on the controversial practice, telling users they would take action against any employers who abused the social network, and reiterated that you should never have to share your password.
"As a user, you shouldn't be forced to share your private information and communications just to get a job."
They also said they'd pursue legal action if necessary.
Senators seek probe of employers seeking Facebook info [Computer World]
]]>For many years, Walmart has been the knee-jerk, go-to brand name to throw out when one needs to reference a big, bad retailer. And though the company continues to have an unmatched influence on not just the way Americans shop, but also on how other stores handle everything from pricing to packaging to logistics, readers still react with a slightly annoyed shrug.
Just look at how Walmart has squeaked through the first two rounds, winning by less than 20% over the fizzling combo of Sears and Kmart and barely eking out over GameStop, in spite of the disparity in the two stores' sizes.
And then there's PayPal, which most customers only use to make online purchases. Yet, despite the fact that the service often represents a relatively small portion of consumers' transactions, those that use PayPal don't seem to be to pleased about it.
So perhaps it's not surprising that it beat a bottom-rated regional cable company by a wide margin, but for PayPal to take nearly 73% of the vote in its matchup against Capital One demonstrates the anger this company seems to foster in its customers.
We could keep talking about these two companies until we're blue in the face, but it's probably better if we just suck it up and vote.
(Voting on this poll has now closed. Thanks to everyone who voted! Check back March 29 to see who made it through to the semifinals)
As we mentioned when announcing the Round 3 contenders, we want to add some suspense to the remaining contests so the results will stay hidden until we post the four victors on the morning of March 29. So be sure to check back Thursday morning to see if your least-favorite made the cut.
If you like competing for free stuff, there's a sweepstakes on the Consumerist Facebook page that lets you pick who you think will win the Golden Poo. The prize packages includes the usual T-shirts and coffee mugs, but also our own Laura Northrup will knit you a little something nice. Go HERE for details.
This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2012 series. The companies competing for this honor were chosen by you, the readers. See the entire WCIA 2012 bracket and schedule of match-ups HERE.
]]>20 And Engaged offers some help to make it easier to part with things you may not need:
* Part ways with heirlooms. Maybe that big, unwieldly hutch in the kitchen reminds you of Grandma. Dab your toes in the possibility of living without it by putting it in storage or hiding it in the garage. If you don't miss its presence, consider that a green light to unload it.
* Take an inventory of your closet. It's tough to get rid of old blankets and clothing. Dig out the dark recesses of your closet and only keep the things you've used in recent years and can imagine using again.
* Ditch the filing cabinet. It's easy to succumb to the urge to hoard documents, but you can free up some space by scanning old tax returns, contracts and other important papers, then shredding the originals.
7 Smart Ways to Free Yourself from Your Stuff [20 And Engaged]
]]>PlantingMoneySeeds identifies a few ways restaurants try to pull fast ones on you. Wait staff are trained to aim for the upsell, coaxing you into appetizers, drinks and desserts. Menus are also designed to direct your eyes to the more expensive items, sometimes marked with "special" or "new."
Even a detail as seemingly inconsequential as straw size can be geared to suck you dry. Alcoholic drinks are sometimes served with wider straws to get you to slurp down your expensive drinks quicker. Refillable soft drinks, meanwhile, can sport smaller straws that make you take longer to finish each glass. That's also a reason servers will often bring you new ice-filled cups of soda rather than refilling your glass with a pitcher.
4 Tricks Restaurants Use to Make More Money [PlantingMoneySeeds]
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