Everything’s bigger in Texas. Even data breaches. As many as 3.5 million residents of the state found their personal data has been set free in a gaffe by the state government. [More]
Government Policy
Appeals Court Denies Twins' Case Against Facebook
By 4.12.11
An epilogue to the film The Social Network took place in a U.S. appeals court, with twin Harvard classmates of Facebook CEO/president Mark Zuckerberg — who accused him of ripping them off — being forced to stick with their 2008 settlement of $65 million. [More]
11 Legal Ways To Pay No Taxes. No Bunker Required.
By 4.11.11
It’s tax time, so you’re probably wondering, man, do I really have to give the government so much of my money? If you’re rich, the answer is no! Step 1: Be a millionaire. Step 2: Hire a flashy accountant. Step 3: Have them use one of these 11 completely legal ways the wealthy use to avoid paying taxes. One of them, which Bloomberg Businessweek calls “The Friendly Partner,” allows for a property to be sold without any capital-gains tax at all. [More]
3,900 School Buses Recalled For Fire Risk
By 4.11.11
The wheels on the bus go round and round. The starter cables on the bus rub against the power steering hose, rub rub rub. 3,900 Bluebird school buses have been recalled for a defect that could result in a fire. The affect buses are model year 2004 through 2006, made from June 26, 2003, through December 9, 2004. Recall notices will start to go out to owners May 11, but if they don’t feel like waiting they can call the NHTSA hotline at 1-888-327-4236. [More]
The Credit Score Experian Is Selling You Isn't The One Lenders Consider
By 4.11.11
If you’ve ever turned on a TV, you’ve seen those dudes singing about getting your credit score and making it seem like a good thing to do. Which it is, really, important to know that kind of thing. But a a new lawsuit filed against Experian, a super huge credit bureau, says that the company is intentionally misleading consumers about their scores. [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]
Johnson & Johnson Settles With SEC & DOJ For $70 Million For Bribing Doctors Overseas, Paying Kickbacks To Iraq
By 4.8.11
Johnson & Johnson may have been eliminated from the Worst Company In America tournament, but the company’s craptastic year continues, as J&J has settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Dept. of Justice over allegations that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by illegally bribing doctors in Europe and paying kickbacks to Iraq… At least it wasn’t another product recall. [More]
Chase Will Reinstate Debit Card Rewards If Fee Overhaul Is Delayed
By 4.7.11
Chase has pledged to reinstate debit card rewards programs if the cap on fees it collects from merchants per debit transaction, scheduled to go into effect July 21st, is delayed. [More]
2nd Air Traffic Controller Could Be Fired For Snoozing On The Job
By 4.7.11
The second air traffic controller in a month could lose his job for catching some z’s up in the tower. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt told Congress that the controller was “found intentionally sleeping.” What defines “intentional sleeping?” He had cushions and a blanket, meaning he brought materials to work with him to help him sleep. [More]
Surprise! BP Would Rather Pay A Few Million In Fines Than Billions
By 4.7.11
Oh, silly BP! Of course you want to be fined by the day and not by the millions and millions of gallons of oil you spilled into the Gulf of Mexico! The big bad oil guys have asked the U.S. government to levy their fines for the April 20, 2010 oil spilled based on the days the Deepwater Horizon rig spewed black stuff into the water, not how many barrels of crude oil it gushed. [More]
Police Pepper Spray Unruly 8 Year Old At School
By 4.7.11
Someday kids in Lakewood, Colo. will become crotchety old men who complain about how kids have it easy, saying “Why, in my day, police used to come and pepper spray second graders if they got out of line.” [More]
Check Out Your Airline's Safety Records Online Before You Fly
By 4.6.11
Are you tired of waiting for those scary headlines to hit detailing safety failures to find out about an airline’s safety records? For those spooked by Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-300 forced to make an emergency landing when a hole torn open in its fuselage mid-flight, there are a few things you can do to check things out before booking and boarding. [More]
Former Employee Sues ShamWow Guy, Alleging He Wanted Her To Be "Love Slave"
By 4.6.11
A woman who used to work for Vince Shlomi, the pitchman made famous in ads for the ShamWow and the SlapChop, has sued him, accusing him of civil battery and causing emotional distress, claiming he wanted her as his “love slave.” [More]
How Does A $25 Traffic Ticket Become A $911 Ticket?
By 4.5.11
When you receive a parking or traffic ticket, don’t forget about it. In this time of widespread budget crisis at all levels of government, they’re apparently not messing around. Brent received a ticket from a California Highway Patrol officer for not changing the address on his driver’s license. He made the change, but forgot to send the ticket back. In just a few months, his $25 fine somehow turned into a $911 fine. Wait, what? [More]
Federal Grand Jury Investigates App Makers Over Privacy Issues
By 4.5.11
Pandora and other app makers received subpoenas related to a criminal federal investigation in which prosecutors are looking into claims that smartphone apps violate users’ privacy by illegally collecting and transmitting info. [More]
Pro Football Player Accused Of Stealing Beer From Casino Deli
By 4.5.11
No matter how tough things may be for out-of-work pro football players, it’s doubtful they’re hard up enough for cash that they have to resort to swiping beer. [More]
Report: FTC Considering Giving Google A Good Probing
By 4.5.11
Less than a week after Google reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over its Google Buzz privacy debacle comes a report that the FTC is ready to probe the internet giant once more, this time over antitrust concerns regarding its search engine. [More]
FAA Calls For Mandatory Inspection Of Older Boeing 737s
By 4.5.11
Following this past weekend’s incident in which a Southwest Airlines jet suddenly got a sunroof when a hole opened up in the plane’s fuselage and the subsequent finding of problematic cracking on at least three other Southwest jets, the FAA is set to require inspections of around 175 older Boeing 737s. [More]
