Twitter has found itself in the Federal Trade Commission’s cross hairs once again, this time over its treatment of companies that develop applications for the service. In March, Twitter settled with the FTC following an investigation of privacy violation allegations. [More]
Government Policy
Parking Ticket Gets Paid, 35 Years Late
By 7.1.11
If you found a 35-year-old unpaid parking ticket pressed in a book that you bought in a garage sale, what would you do? An 89-year-old Michigan man who found such a ticket decided that it was his civic duty to mail the $1 ticket back with payment to Orlando, Florida, where it was issued in November of 1975. [More]
Man Boards Flight Using Someone Else's Expired Boarding Pass
By 6.30.11
Last week, a Nigerian man was able to board a Virgin America flight from NYC to L.A. without presenting valid ID and a boarding pass that not only didn’t belong to him, but was for a flight from the previous day. [More]
Seattle Residents Have Canceled 225,000 Yellow Pages In Only Two Months
By 6.30.11
Even though the Seattle city council announced it would be creating an opt-out registry for residents who don’t want the Yellow Pages delivered anymore last October, the registry didn’t go live until May. But in the short period of time since that launch, the response has been overwhelming. [More]
Your Baby's Crib Probably Fails Tough New Safety Rules
By 6.30.11
Does your crib pass the new strict safety rules that went into effect Tuesday? Most likely not. “Newly required safety tests are so stringent that few cribs in American homes — even those that have escaped recall after recall — are sturdy enough to pass them,” reports the Los Angeles Times. “As a result, federal regulators recommend that families that can afford to do so buy new cribs and destroy their old ones.” Here’s what you need to know. [More]
$1 Billion In Unwanted Dollar Coins Lurk In Government Bunkers
By 6.30.11
It’s cost taxpayers an unnecessary $300 million so far, and won’t end until 2016. It’s wildly unpopular with the American public, even though it saves the government money in the long run. It’s taking up comical amounts of space in secure federal government vaults. What is it? The United States Mint’s series of dollar coins featuring the faces of all 44 presidents. Congress meant well when authorizing the program in 2005, but failed to realize that the American public thinks that dollar coins are an icky Canadian affectation. One billion of the coins are currently in hibernation, and at least a billion more coins will be minted but destined for storage. [More]
FTC Crackdown Does Little To Curb Ads For Fake News Sites
By 6.29.11
Even though the Federal Trade Commission recently appeared to be coming down hard on “news” sites shilling for things like acai juice, it looks like those sites are not only still around, but links to them are popping up on major, legitimate news sites. [More]
Post Videos Of Your Pot Garden, Wind Up In Prison
By 6.29.11
If you happen to be proud of your involvement in a pot growing operation, it’s probably best to resist the urge to brag about your accomplishments on YouTube. A Southern California man led investigators to his alleged criminal enterprises by posting videos of his pot-growing setup. [More]
Toyota/Lexus Recall 82,000 SUVs Over Possible Faulty Wiring
By 6.29.11
The folks at Toyota have sounded the recall horn, summoning back a total of 82,200 Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h vehicles over concern about faulty wiring which could result in an inoperable vehicle. [More]
FCC Stays Neutral On State Of U.S. Wireless Competition
By 6.28.11
Is there enough competition among the wireless service companies in the U.S.? The Federal Communications Commission’s annual report on the matter, released yesterday, didn’t definitively answer that question. And its neutral stance is causing many to wonder how the regulatory agency will rule on the pending merger of AT&T and T-Mobile. [More]
Some Endocet Recalled For Having Double The Acetaminophen
By 6.28.11
Bottles of the pain-killing drug Endocet are being recalled because they erroneously contain 650 mg of acetaminophen while their label says 325 mg. While no injuries have been reported, consuming more acetaminophen than prescribed can lead to liver toxicity. [More]
Marijuana In Drug Case Vanishes From FedEx Truck
By 6.28.11
Authorities say marijuana that was meant to be used as evidence in a Long Island drug case and was shipped via FedEx disappeared during shipment. Someone apparently opened the box, removed the contents, then resealed the package. [More]
TSA: We Didn't Force 95-Year-Old Woman To Remove Diaper
By 6.28.11
Transportation Security Administration agents were accused of making a 95-year-old woman take off her diaper before a flight from Florida to Michigan, but the TSA now says it has investigated the incident and found that its agents did no such thing. [More]
Get $15 In Rice Krispies Cereal Class Action
By 6.27.11
You don’t have to show a proof of purchase to claim $15 in a class action lawsuit against Kellogg. Just be someone who bought Kellog’s Rice Krispies or Cocoa Krispies between June 1, 2009 and March, 1 2010. [More]
Supreme Court Does Something That Makes Sense, Strikes Down Law Banning Sale Of Violent Games To Kids
By 6.27.11
So far this session, the Supreme Court has basically guaranteed a future filled with mandatory binding arbitration, said it’s completely cool for drug companies to data mine prescription records and blocked a mammoth class-action suit against Walmart. So they were due to do something that made sense. [More]
Cable Boxes Slurp More Electricity Than Refrigerators
By 6.27.11 — Updated: 12.6.12
The biggest energy hog in your house is probably sitting right under your TV. That little ol’ set-top box could be using up more electricity in your house than your refrigerator or central air conditioning, according to a new study by the Natural Resources Defense Council. [More]
Feds To Use Mystery Shoppers To Investigate State Of Health Care
By 6.27.11
Looks like our research-relishing relatives at Consumer Reports aren’t the only ones using mystery shoppers to help with their investigations. A new report says the federal government is bringing on a team of undercover operatives to see how hard it is just to get an appointment with a doctor. [More]
Lawsuit Accuses Home Depot Of Violating Buy American Act
By 6.27.11
Home Depot is taking legal heat for possibly violating the Buy American Act of 1933, which requires that materials used to build public construction products come from the U.S. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the company due to accusations that it purchases products from China and other foreign countries, and offers those products to government agencies online. [More]
