Most states have turned to privately-owned prisons in order to cut savings, but a report says that the prisons offer little savings to state governments, and in some cases end up costing taxpayers more than traditional systems. [More]
Government Policy
Verizon Sues FCC Over New Rules For Data Roaming
By 5.19.11
Last month, the Federal Communications Commission voted to enact new rules that require national wireless broadband providers like Verizon and AT&T to provide data roaming to other carriers “on commercially reasonable terms and conditions.” Not surprisingly, Big Red is against this idea and has thus filed a lawsuit against the FCC in an attempt to have the rules reversed. [More]
FDA: Diabetes Drug Avandia To Be Pulled From Retail Pharmacies In November
By 5.19.11
For several years, prescription diabetes medicine Avandia has been at the center of a debate about whether the medication’s heart attack risk was high enough to pull it from pharmacies. Now, nearly eight months after the FDA announced it would be introducing strict restrictions on its sale and use, the agency has finally gotten around to announcing the specifics of those restrictions. [More]
Lottery Winner Continues To Use Food Stamps
By 5.18.11
A Michigan man isn’t letting something a lottery windfall stop him from using government assistance to buy food. [More]
Consumers Union: Americans Deserve A Financial Watchdog Not A Big Bank Lapdog
By 5.18.11
As some members of the Congress and Senate continue to do their best to neuter the still-nascent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, our benevolent benefactors at Consumers Union are asking the folks on Capitol Hill to not put a muzzle on the CFPB. [More]
EEOC Sues Starbucks For Firing Dwarf
By 5.17.11
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, alleging that the coffee chain violated federal law when it fired a barista-in-training who is a dwarf. [More]
Senators Ask FTC To Investigate Possible Price Fixing By Oil Refiners
By 5.17.11
Even though the U.S. Attorney General has already begun an inter-agency investigation into the manipulation of oil prices, three senators have asked the Jon Leibowitz, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and Consumerist pal, to investigate possible price fixing by this country’s oil refiners. [More]
California To End Carpool Lane Benefit For Hybrid Owners
By 5.17.11
From 2005 through 2007, the state of California made a pretty tempting offer to get drivers behind the wheels of hybrid cars: Buy one and you’ll get a sticker that allows you to cruise in the carpool lane without having to have that annoying other passenger (or mannequin) next to you. It was like a VIP pass on the highway. But those halcyon days are about to end. [More]
Judge: Owners Of Recalled Toyotas Can Sue For Financial Loss
By 5.17.11
Plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit against Toyota over sudden unintended acceleration won a minor court battle on Monday when the judge in the case ruled that owners of the recalled vehicles can sue the car maker for economic loss because they may not have gotten what they paid for. [More]
Man Convicted Of Running $100 Million Ponzi Scheme Sentenced To 10 Years
By 5.17.11
A Connecticut man was convicted of tricking investors out of $30 million in a Ponzi scheme that involved a total of $100 million in cash exchanged in an elaborate ruse was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Once he gets out, he’ll have to pay $500 a month in restitution, although the actual figure will be based on what he can afford. [More]
Court Lets NFL Continue Lockout
By 5.17.11
After a couple early victories in court by players, the NFL has had its way in recent rulings involving its labor dispute. On Monday the league won a permanent stay of an injunction that forced the league to temporarily end its lockout. [More]
NY Attorney General Investigating Pre-Bust Hijinks At Bank Of America, Goldman Sachs & Morgan Stanley
By 5.17.11
Just when you think the beleaguered bankers of the world can finally stop dealing with pesky investigations into their roles in the recent financial ugliness (some would call it a global economic meltdown), some Columbo-like snoop has to say, “Just one more thing” and open up all new cans of worms. The latest can-opener is New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who has reportedly begun a broad investigation of Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. [More]
FCC Commissioner Turned Comcast Flunky Defends Herself
By 5.16.11
Last week, FCC commissioner Meredith Atwell Baker raised a lot of eyebrows when — only months after voting to approve the controversial merger of Comcast and NBC — she announced she would be jumping ship to become Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, NBCUniversal. The lame duck commissioner recently released a statement to defend herself against allegations of impropriety. [More]
Chuck E. Cheese's Accused Of Turning Kids Into Gamblers
By 5.16.11
According to a potential class action suit filed by a San Diego mom, kiddie-themed pizza chain Chuck E. Cheese’s is a gambling parlor disguised as a venue for innocent entertainment. [More]
You Get Free Birth Control In Maryland If You Happen To Be A Deer
By 5.16.11
Some frisky deer in Maryland now have the opportunity to get it on without concern of possible parenthood, thanks to a state directive to provide contraception to the animals in order to keep the population under control. [More]
FTC Complaint: Dropbox Misinformed Users About Security
By 5.16.11
According to a Federal Trade Commission complaint lodged against online storage service Dropbox, users were told they had more security than they actually did. [More]
Disney-Owned Studio Pays $3 Million For Violating Kid Gamers' Privacy
By 5.16.11
The Federal Trade Commission is not about to let anyone, even Disney, get all up in the U.S. Child Online Privacy Protection Act’s business without paying dearly for it. Playdom, a social games studio owned by Disney, is in trouble to the tune of $3 million for collecting kids ages and email addresses without requiring parental consent. [More]
House Committee Approves Legislation To Weaken Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
By 5.13.11
Because it would apparently really suck to have a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that could actually do anything to protect consumers, the House Financial Services Committee has given the thumbs-up to three pieces of legislation that would weaken the agency before its even born. [More]
