Unless Congress acts quickly, unemployment benefits will stop cold for 2 million Americans who have been jobless for 99 weeks. Benefits have already been extended well past normal lengths, but if no other extension comes, the loss of income will make the holidays sting that much harder for people unable to find work for nearly two years. [More]
Government Policy
The Johnson & Johnson Recall Wheel Lands On Mylanta
By 12.1.10
Because it has apparently already recalled every possible product made by its McNeil Labs division, Johnson & Johnson has moved over to its Merck products for its latest recall. This time, J&J has issued a recall on 12 Mylanta liquid products and one Alternagel product for trace amounts of alcohol that weren’t properly labeled on the packaging. [More]
Government May Use Tech To Stop Cell Phone Use In Cars
By 12.1.10
People are so insistent on driving while using their cell phones that only death in a car accident will stop them from doing so. Spurred by the prevalence of fatal accidents caused by distracted drivers — 5,500 last year — the government is mulling over the concept of using technology to force drivers to put down their phones. [More]
FTC Proposes "Do Not Track" Option For Web Browsing
By 12.1.10
Wary of surfing the web because you don’t want any of your information or browsing habits being shared with the world? The folks at the Federal Trade Commission apparently understand your concerns and have proposed new regulations that would let users decide which sites and advertisers can track their online behavior. [More]
Parody: TSA's New List of Banned Carryon Items
By 12.1.10
The holidays are here so that means it’s time for the TSA to release a new list of items that you think would bring holiday cheer but actually need to be banned to protect national security. UCBComedy’s The Brig parodies TSA policies in this new sketch that is probably more disturbing (warning: blood n’ candy canes) than uproarious. [More]
The 'Cable Constrictor' Hits The Streets To Warn People About Comcast/NBC Deal
By 11.30.10
As we told you earlier today, our brethren at Consumers Union have launched a public awareness campaign to alert consumers about the risks of the proposed sale of NBC Universal to Comcast. And as part of this campaign, CU’s Cable Constrictor moving billboard wended its way around Capitol Hill this morning. [More]
650,000 Prius Hybrids Need Water Pumps Fixed
By 11.30.10
Toyota is going to pay to fix the water pumps on 2004-2007 Prius hybrids starting in December. The pumps can glitch, causing the car to overheat and lose power. [More]
Senate Passes Food Safety Bill That Would Increase FDA Authority
By 11.30.10
Earlier today, the Senate passed its version of a new food safety bill that would increase the authority of the Food & Drug Administration in making recalls and inspecting food processing facilities. The intent behind the bill is to proactively prevent outbreaks of tainted food instead of just dealing with the negative health and economic after effects. [More]
Comcast Charges Toll For Netflix Delivery
By 11.30.10
The largest broadband backbone provider in the world says Comcast has set up a tollbooth, charging it a fee to deliver Netflix content to Comcast customers. “This action by Comcast threatens the open Internet and is a clear abuse of the dominant control that Comcast exerts in broadband access,” said Level 3 in a statement. [More]
Wisconsin Woman Arrested For Gun Threat In Toys R Us Black Friday Line
By 11.30.10
Not only did hardcore shoppers have to brave chilling temperatures when they waited in line at a Wisconsin Toys R Us Thursday night for a Black Friday sale, they had to face a woman who cut in line and made threats of going to get a gun. [More]
Consumers Union Asks You To Say No To Comcast/NBC Deal
By 11.30.10
With the clock still ticking on the proposed purchase of NBC Universal by Comcast, our benevolent benefactors at Consumers Union has launched a new website and advertising campaign to step up its efforts to alert the public to the perils of the deal. [More]
Is Today The Last Day To Eat Your Thanksgiving Leftovers?
By 11.29.10
Surely most have you have finished picking the carcass of your Thanksgiving turkey of all things edible. But for those of you who still have some bird meat sitting in your fridge — today is the deadline for eating them without putting yourself at risk. [More]
"Pure Chocolate" Does Not Exist, EU Court Rules
By 11.29.10
There’s no such thing as “pure chocolate,” says a European Union high court, and the phrase cannot appear on the front of candy packages. [More]
Fox Sues Screenwriter With Script Database For $15M
By 11.29.10
Instead of messing with Wolverine, smarmy Marvel anti-hero Deadpool has his sights set on a Long Island screenwriter. He’s called upon his bosses at 20th Century Fox to sue the writer for $15 million because she posted Fox screenplays, including an early copy of the script from his upcoming movie, the New York Post reports. [More]
Opt-Out Protest Field Reports, With Bikinis
By 11.24.10
An opt-out protestor wore a bikini through security. [NBC Los Angeles]
A male college student did the same in a Speedo with “SCREW BIG SIS” markered on his back. TSA said he wasn’t detained as he was not a threat. [JonAndEric]
Two protestors at the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix AZ held up signs mentioning “pornoscans,” drawing both “sidelong glances” and “words of support.” [AP]
Half a dozen protestors at Tampa airport talk about tyranny. [TBO]
Overall, checkpoints are running smoothly with no major delays. “Most travelers seemed more interested in getting to their destinations than in making a political statement.” [NYT]
Thought They Couldn't Recall Any More Tylenol? You Were Wrong
By 11.24.10
In an apparent effort to make Tylenol products a rare commodity, Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Laboratories division has issued a recall on 9 million bottles of its Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom liquid beverages medicines for trace amounts of alcohol not mentioned on the label. [More]
E. Coli Tainted Cheese Isn't Only Sold At Costco
By 11.24.10
A couple weeks back we told you about some Gouda cheese sold at Costco that had been recalled after being linked to an outbreak of E. Coli. And then last week, it was the same thing, just with gorgonzola. Now the company that produced the Gouda cheese has recalled all of their cheeses, regardless of where they were sold. [More]
Are You Participating In "Opt-Out" Day?
By 11.24.10
The day is finally here. No, not the day before Thanksgiving. Something far more important than spending time with your family, National Opt-Out Day. People who are doing it plan to, when asked to step through the body imaging machine, opt-out and get the enhanced pat-down instead. Are you gonna do it, or do you think it’s stupid – or worse? Take our poll! [More]
