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Posts Tagged “

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security

USPS Security Rule On 13-Ounce Packages Makes No Sense

Geoff's wife tried to mail a padded envelope full of love to his mom for Mother's Day, but the post office returned it to Geoff's house the next day with the above label, which says the item could not be delivered due to "heightened security requirements." That's all well and good, but what Geoff wants to know is, if this envelope is potentially dangerous, why would you bring it to the person named on the return address? More »

11:45 AM on Sun May 11 2008
By Chris Walters
6,356 views, 64 comments

Latest by n/a: USPS "security" regulations are truly baffling. At the Chamblee, Georgia, post office, we used to be able to drop our pre-paid packages at the counter without standing in the excruciatingly long lines. Then the clerks started encouraging us more »

health

Student Stripped Of Title, Suspended Over Contraband Candy Purchase

As some schools districts whore themselves out to corporate sponsors in a desperate attempt to raise funds (hey, we sympathize with them, but it's still whoring), others are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy against unwelcome intrusions. In New Haven, Connecticut, the school district banned candy sales in 2003 "as part of a districtwide school wellness policy," and when an 8th grade honors student was caught buying a bag of Skittles from a classmate two weeks ago, he was stripped of his title as class Vice President and suspended for a day. More »

4:03 PM on Wed Mar 12 2008
By Chris Walters
6,029 views, 83 comments

Latest by glycolized: BTW - I should mention that I think the punishment was a little too harsh, though I agree with the rule in general. Now it looks like the entire punishment has been rescinded (according to the update). more »

travel

A Big List Of Foods That You Can Bring Through Airport Security

The Transportation Security Administration is very clear on what types of foods you can and can not bring onto an airplane, but most people think that the "liquid" ban extends to cheeseburgers. Not so.

The TSA's only restrictions are that any food items brought through security must be either be whole, natural foods (like an orange), or be in placed in a container or otherwise wrapped up. All food must be x-rayed. More »

10:42 AM on Fri Dec 28 2007
By Meg Marco
6,272 views, 50 comments

media

FCC Says Comcast Can't Buy More Cable Companies, But Murdoch Can Own Everything

Today, in an attempt to anger fans of both regulation and deregulation, the FCC approved two new rules. The first one restricts cable companies to owning no more than 30% of a market; the second one "gives owners of newspapers more leeway to buy radio and television stations in the largest cities." One nice thing about the first rule is that Comcast can't buy any more cable companies. One bad thing about the second one is that it will likely mean that Rupert Murdoch will win "permanent waivers to control two television stations in New York, as well as The New York Post and The Wall Street Journal." More »

5:45 PM on Wed Dec 19 2007
By Chris Walters
1,055 views, 13 comments

Latest by nidolke: Anyone with a cd player in their car has no reason to ever listen to the radio again, ever. more »

sports

Californians Hoping Raiders Game Stays Blacked Out So They Can Watch Colts And Pats

Here's an odd situation. There are only two markets that will not be able to see the much-anticipated Colts/Pats game on Sunday, Houston and Cleveland—unless the Raiders manage to sell out their game and lift the NFL blackout. If they do, San Francisco will have to watch the Raiders. And they're not real happy about it. More »

2:53 PM on Thu Nov 1 2007
By Meg Marco
4,423 views, 35 comments

arbitrary standards

How Old Should Your Pilot Be?

What if you're 59 years old and you're not ready to retire? It's no big deal for most professions, but for airline pilots it means you're applying for a Canadian pilots license so you can fly with Air India, like Mike Ballard:

Ballard said he needs a Canadian license to land a job with Air India that would help offset the pension he lost during United's bankruptcy. While India allows pilots to fly until age 65, authorities there are balking at certifying U.S.-licensed pilots who are no longer eligible to fly for their home airlines.
More »

12:55 PM on Sat Sep 29 2007
By Meg Marco
1,264 views, 19 comments

Latest by mac-phisto: @JustIcedCoffee: who says it has anything to do w/ retirement? my uncle just retired as a captain for continental & he has plenty of money in the bank. doesn't change the fact that he loved to fly. he still does. the more »

polls

Should Alcoholic Beverages Have Nutrition Labels?

Our alcoholic uncle always swore that booze was healthy, and if the Treasury Department has its way, nutrition labels on alcoholic beverages may soon have people thinking he was right. A rule issued last week by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau would require all alcoholic beverages to sport a panel listing traditional information like serving size and alcohol content, along with data on calorie, carbohydrate, fat, and protein content. The alcoholic beverage industry vigorously supports the rule, but some advocacy organizations are concerned that the nutrition labels might imply that alcoholic beverages have some nutritional value. Tell us what you think of the proposed rule in our poll, after the jump. More »

7:17 PM on Sun Aug 5 2007
By Carey
16,735 views, 68 comments

Latest by n/a: My God! This is so beyond me!!! I can't believe how stupid american people can be... What would we do without our government telling us what is right and what is wrong?This is just so sad. If anybody has ever more »

news from the swamp

Department Of Education Busts Student Loan Party Once And For All

The Department of Education has issued new rules to keep financial aid officers on the straight and narrow. The rules were issued after students, loan companies, and colleges failed to agree on a compromise measure. The rules will ban several practices:
  • Colleges will be required to recommend at least three preferred loan companies to students;
  • Colleges will need to explain how and why they chose their preferred lenders;
  • Colleges can no longer accept computers or reimbursement for printed materials from loan companies at less than market rate;
  • Loan companies would be banned from giving gifts or cash to financial aid officers;
  • Loan companies cannot contribute to school-affiliated groups, like alumni associations.
    • More »

    12:52 PM on Sat Jun 2 2007
    By Carey
    787 views, 9 comments

    Latest by pestie: @jeffj-nj: "Straightened arrow? Heh... That's right up there with "all intensive purposes" from a couple weeks ago. For the record, I believe "on the straight and narrow" implies a metaphorical straight and narrow path. more »

    carnival

    Greed Floats: Carnival Cruise Line Bans Liquids

    Rather bring a case of Coca-Cola on board than pay $36 for a single can (or whatever they charge now-a-days). Well, too bad. If you're cruising with Carnival you may not bring liquids on board, even if they're non-alcoholic liquids. From Upgrade: Travel Better:
    The reason is economics, pure and simple. The cruise ships weren't selling as many drinks on board as they wanted.
    "Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said guests had been bringing on too many nonalcoholic beverages. "There had been some abuse of the previous policy which is why the new policy is more restrictive," he said."
    Other cruise lines don't seem to have any such policy. You'd think Carnival would be more worried about the drunk people who are always falling off the ships.—MEGHANN MARCO More »

    5:58 PM on Thu Mar 29 2007
    By Meg Marco
    3,201 views, 31 comments

    Latest by ThePlaz: I just came back from a carnival cruise (Valor) over spring break. (saw this article before leaving) They don't enforce most of the rules and we walked right on with liquids. And they don't check your portered bags. more »