Most people are worried about a seatmate that takes up more than their fair share of the seats, but on one Delta plane they should be more concerned about a far tinier co-passenger. CNN reports the FDA has sent Delta a warning letter (read it here) about mouse droppings “too numerous to count” onboard one of its planes. [More]
Food & Personal Care
White House: Docs Need Training Before Prescribing OxyContin & Other Painkillers
By 4.19.11
Too many doctors are writing unnecessary prescriptions for painkillers like OxyContin and fentanyl, says the White House. That’s why the administration is looking to push through legislation that would require training for physicians who wish to write prescriptions for these drugs. [More]
Lawsuit Questioning Beefiness Of Taco Bell Beef Dropped
By 4.19.11
The Alabama law firm that filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court against Taco Bell regarding the quality and contents of its ground beef–or “taco meat filling”–has voluntarily dropped the suit. The original lawsuit accused Taco Bell of serving ground beef in its “Mexican-inspired” meals that didn’t meet the USDA definition of “ground beef.” Even before the suit was dropped, Taco Bell was able to turn the suit into a marketing opportunity, describing the contents of that meat filling in detail, and taking out full-page ads thanking the plaintiffs. [More]
Johnson & Johnson's Prescription Drugs Stink Too: 57,000 Bottles Of Topamax Recalled
By 4.15.11
If you thought Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Labs division — the folks behind all of these recalled over-the-counter drugs — was the only branch of the company capable of creating stinky meds, you were wrong, as J&J has announced a recall of two lots of its prescription anitconvulsant Topamax for that now-classic “uncharacteristic odor.” [More]
Taco Bell Testing Shells Made From Nacho Cheese Doritos
By 4.12.11 — Updated: 5.16.13
Shut the front door and hand me a bib and some wet wipes to wipe the flavored dust from my trembling mouth! Word on the street is Taco Bell is taking a logical, tasty step in testing out nacho-flavored Doritos as shells. [More]
You Shall Not Question The Holy CVS Price Scanner
By 4.12.11
Aaron didn’t want to be a jerk, but he also didn’t want to pay $5.79 for a twelve-pack of Dr Pepper when the sign on the store shelf clearly said that it was $5.19. Instead of overriding the price and acknowledging the store’s own sign, the cashier entered a battle of obstinate wills, from which there emerged no clear victor. [More]
Sorry, Your 3-Month-Old Starbucks Mug Is Out Of Warranty
By 4.12.11
Mark has a warning: it’s fine if you want to hand over your money for a venti Java Chip Frappuccino, but don’t buy durable items at Starbucks if you expect them to be, well, durable. He bought a mug back in December, and the mug now has a defect that makes coffee drip on you while you drink. Not liking this feature, he contacted Starbucks and learned that their warranty on mugs lasts only 60 days. “I was shocked that Starbucks would only stand behind their products for 60 days,” Mark writes, “specifically because those same products come at a premium price and sold with overpriced coffee.” [More]
HFCS-Free Kosher Pepsi Now Available For Passover
By 4.11.11
Passover starts next week, which means that fans of non-HFCS colas can stock up on 2-liters of soda that eschew any sort of corn-based ingredients in favor of sugar. But while we’ve written about kosher Coke in year’s past this is the first year we’ve noticed that Pepsi is offering a Passover-ready drink. [More]
Burger King Combines Beef, Bacon & Chicken Into "Meat Monster"… But Only Sells It In Japan
By 4.11.11
What do you get when you take a cheeseburger, slap some bacon on it, pile on another hamburger patty, and then finish it all off with a chicken breast? In my home it would be called a “snack” but at Burger King, it’s now known as the “Meat Monster.” Unfortunately, this monster will only be attacking the hearts of burger buyers in Japan… for now. [More]
2nd Man Dies From Eating Salmonella Contaminated Pastries
By 4.11.11
A second man has died after eating pastries from the DeFusco’s bakery in Rhode Island, the result of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 66 and hospitalized 23, reports The Providence Journal. [More]
First Aid Prep Pads Recalled For Bacterial Infection
By 4.8.11
All lots of H&P Industries Povidine Iodine Prep Pads are being recalled for Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, which is associated with invasive meningitis. “Use of contaminated Povidine Prep Pads could lead to life-threatening infections,” said the FDA recall notice. If you have a first aid kid, you should check to see if any of these pads are in it and get rid of them. These pads can be identified by these names on their packages: [More]
Bearded Man Steals $658 Worth Of Razors, May Have Shaved Beard By Now
By 4.6.11
New Jersey’s Hunterdon County Democrat urges the public to watch out for a criminal on the loose. A tall, burly, bearded man shoplifted $658 worth of expensive razors from a Walgreens store. Police told the newspaper that the man “may or may not have a beard at this time.” [More]
Woman Buys Milk With Free Bonus Insects, Complains For Some Reason
By 4.6.11
American consumers are so ungrateful. An Indiana woman bought a gallon of Great Value house-brand milk at Walmart that included a delicious selection of flour bugs. She’s currently pregnant, so why didn’t she appreciate the extra protein? She declined the store’s offer of replacement milk, and wants a refund. [More]
Is A Footlong Sub Still A Footlong Sub With Only 6" Of Bread?
By 4.5.11
Ron has a problem that truly speaks to the dilemmas of our day. He wants to get a $5 footlong at Subway, but on a 6″ roll to save carbs and calories. The sandwich artists at his local Subway insist that this is not possible, and that he needs to pay more than the price of a $5 footlong because he is really ordering a six-inch sub with double meat. It’s an exquisite kind of fast-food logic where you pay more and get less. [More]
This Cigarette Ice Cream Truck Is Doing It Wrong
By 4.4.11
Pro tip: when you buy an old ice cream truck and turn it into a mobile cigarette dispensary, you should probably cover up all the old ads for Bombpops and Choco Tacos. Reader discounteggroll’s co-worker snapped this picture at a gas station on the NY-CT border in Greenwich, CT. (Perhaps the truck is parked on the CT side of the parking lot, to take advantage of CT’s lower cigarette tax?) If it doesn’t violate any regulations, like the Tobacco Control Act of 2009 which prohibits the sale, distribution, marketing and promotion of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to children under the age of 18, it’s in poor taste, even with the sign asking for ID. “One Big Vanilla ice cream sandwich, please.” “Sorry kid, we got Pall Malls.” [More]
Jennie-O Recalls 55,000 Pounds Of Turkey Burger Because Salmonella Isn't Very Good For You
By 4.4.11
Lots of people are always going on about how turkey burgers are healthier for you than beef, but that doesn’t appear to be the case for the nearly 55,000 pounds of raw turkey burger that Jennie-O has had to recall over worries about possible salmonella poisoning. [More]
E-Mail Breach Hits Best Buy, TiVo, Walgreens, Chase, Kroger, Many More
By 4.4.11
What first looked like a small e-mail list breach at New York & Company over the weekend was just the tip of the iceberg as multiple national retailers and banks found themselves the victim of the same data hackers. [More]
Pepsi To Meet Diet Cola Drinkers Halfway With 60-Calorie Pepsi Next
By 4.1.11
In the never-ending battle to find a drink that will please both the calorie-conscious and those who crave some sugar in their sodas, Pepsi is once again prepped to go the mid-calorie route with something called Pepsi Next. [More]
