In February, a woman says she took her husband to a strip club in Maryland to celebrate. But when they got to the door, they were told that she would have to pay double her husband’s $10 cover charge. Now that woman has slapped the bar with a $200,000 discrimination suit. [More]
Government Policy
Appeals Court: Boeing Allowed To Fire Whistleblowers
By 5.4.11
In a ruling that’s sure to scuttle the urges of would-be whistleblowers who seek to expose wrongdoing by employers, an appeals court has allowed Boeing to fire two employees who leaked documents to the press that made the company look bad. [More]
Judge Rules IP Addresses Aren't People, Blocking Subpoenas
By 5.4.11
In a decision that could have long-term implications for cybercrime prosecution, a U.S. District judge ruled that IP addresses do not directly represent people, and thus aren’t fair criteria for copyright holders to subpoena individuals. [More]
Your Rented Computer Could Be Spying On You
By 5.3.11
According to a recently filed lawsuit, a big rental chain installs physical hardware and software into its rented computers, capturing the keystrokes, screenshots, and even webcam images of unsuspecting customers. The only way to disable it is by waving an electronic “wand” over the device. The spyware was revealed when a store manager for the chain showed up at renter’s house to try to repossess the laptop and showed the renter a picture of him taken by the webcam, unbeknownst to him, by the leased laptop. [More]
Feds Gave $220 Million In Bailout Bucks To Two Morgan Stanley Wives For Some Reason
By 5.3.11
Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi – the guy who famously referred to Goldman Sachs as “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money” – has an interesting expose of how the wives of two Morgan Stanley hot shots, though they had no previous financial experience, set up their own investing initiative and got $220 million in bailout funds. [More]
Washington Already Considering Ways To Ruin Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
By 5.3.11
The still nascent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is already on its way to becoming the latest victim in Washington’s efforts to make sure American consumers have their voice taken away. Tomorrow, the House Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit is scheduled to consider a number of bills that, if passed, would undermine the CFPB’s ability to protect consumers. [More]
Social Security Phases Out Paper Checks
By 5.3.11
Planning to save $1 billion over the next decade by eliminating the costs of printing, handling and sending paper checks, the U.S. Department of the Treasury will require all new Social Security applicants to set up direct deposit. Those who have always received Social Security checks will be able to continue doing so until March 2013, when the organization will eliminate paper checks entirely. [More]
LAPD Falls For Internet Hoax, Sends Out Misguided Alert About UPS Deliveries
By 5.2.11
Internet hoaxes are capable of tricking not only your grandma, but also the Los Angeles Police Department. An 8-year-old yarn about terrorists — dressed as UPS workers thanks to uniforms bought on eBay — who could deliver explosives disguised as packages spurred the force to send out an alert to residents. An unidentified state law enforcement agency passed the info to the police department. [More]
NHTSA Looking Into 865,000 GM SUVs Over Screwy Fuel Gauges
By 4.29.11
Given the price of gas these days, it really helps to have an accurate fuel gauge on your vehicle. It certainly doesn’t help to have a gauge that gives inaccurate or completely random readings. But enough GM drivers have complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about this problem for the agency to open an investigation. [More]
Advertisers Fire Back At Government Over Proposed Food Marketing Guidelines
By 4.29.11
Yesterday we wrote about the proposed guidelines put forth by a federal interagency working group regarding the marketing of food to children. The “principles” asked for food companies to market products with healthier ingredients and gave suggested limits on things like fat and sodium. The ad industry is less-than-pleased by the news. [More]
DEA Will Be Happy To Take Your Old Drugs Off Your Hands This Saturday
By 4.29.11
Last September’s first-ever National Take-Back Day, in which the DEA and other law enforcement agencies operate stations for people with old prescription drugs to dispose of them safely, was apparently enough of a success that the agency decided to not even wait a full year to try it again. That’s right, it’s time to bust out your National Take-Back Day decorations, along with your old Vicodin, Oxycontin and Cipro! [More]
Former Miss USA Says She Was "Molested" By TSA Employee
By 4.29.11
An devastated former Miss USA crown holder fights back tears as she describes an overly touchy-feely pat-down by a TSA agent at the Dallas airport. She says she feels “molested” because the female agent touched her vagina four times. [More]
Government Proposes New Guidelines For Marketing Food To Kids
By 4.28.11
Earlier today, an interagency working group consisting of folks from the Federal Trade Commission, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, and the Dept. of Agriculture, issued a set of “proposed voluntary principles” it hopes the food industry will ultimately adopt in its marketing to the youth of America. [More]
Checking Account Disclosure Documents Are Longer Than Romeo & Juliet, Contain Less Teen Sex
By 4.28.11
We recently wrote about the PIRG study showing how fewer than 40% of banks were willing to clearly disclose checking account fee schedules. Now a new report from the Pew Charitable Trust demonstrates just how far banks are willing to go to make it difficult for consumers to know what they are getting with their checking accounts. [More]
Do Not Pretend Your Waitress's Bosom Is A Credit Card Reader
By 4.28.11
Just in case you were wondering, it’s not cool to paw at a waitress and slide a credit card in her bra. Such actions are what a Washington Redskins lineman stands accused of, according to court papers filed Wednesday. [More]
Virginia Tech Appeals Federal Fines From 2007 Shooting
By 4.28.11
After the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings that left 32 dead, the U.S. Department of Education fined the school $55,000 in March for failing to notify students and campus personnel about the danger in a timely manner. [More]
AT&T: Mandatory Binding Arbitration Actually Benefits The Consumer
By 4.27.11
Earlier today, the Supreme Court ruled that it’s okay for companies to effectively preempt class-action lawsuits by putting mandatory binding arbitration clauses into their contracts with consumers. To most of us, that looks like a slap in the face to the American consumer, but the folks at AT&T want us all to know that the Supreme Court decision is actually going to benefit us all. [More]
Recall Roundup: Fire In The Fish Tank Edition
By 4.27.11
While it makes sense, it’s a little strange at first glance to read that an aquarium heater is being recalled for a fire hazard. Isn’t it underwater? Not the parts that could potentially catch fire. But they’re not the only thing catching on fire: on with the recall roundup! [More]
