Johnson & Johnson’s 2010 continues to stink — literally — as the company announced yet another recall of its Tylenol painkiller over complaints of a musty/moldy odor. [More]
Government Policy
Toy Submarine Recalled After Doing Damage To Little Boys' Private Bits
By 10.18.10
Munchkin Inc. and the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled 34,000 of the pictured toy “Bathtub Subs” because they have been a little harsh on the most personal parts of some young lads. [More]
NJ Senators Call For FCC To Intervene In Cablevision/Fox Squabble
By 10.18.10
As Cablevision subscribers in the NYC and Philadelphia area go without access to their local Fox affilliates because of the protracted carriage fee fracas between the cable company and the broadcaster, the two U.S. Senators from the oft-maligned state of New Jersey have jointly penned a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski asking for the Commission to intervene. [More]
Justice Dept. Goes After Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Michigan
By 10.18.10
Crimefighters at the Justice Department put on their antitrust capes today, filing a lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The DOJ alleges the insurance company violated antitrust laws by asking hospitals to sign contracts that precluded other insurers from offering a better discount. [More]
ID An Unknown Pill
By 10.18.10
Ever find a pill in your medicine cabinet and forget what it is and how it got there? To the rescue comes Pillbox, a site that helps you identify unknown pills. Just select a few criteria, like shape, size, scoring and marking, and it tells you what kind of pill it is. Neat! [More]
Some Walmart, Kroger Store-Brand Peas & Mixed Vegetables Recalled Because You Are Not Supposed To Eat Glass
By 10.18.10
On Friday, the Pictsweet Company of Bells, TN, announced a recall of some of its products containing green peas — and sold under the store brands of Kroger and Walmart — after the company learned that some of the packages may contain glass fragments. [More]
Spa Factory Aromatherapy Kits Continue To Injure People 20 Months After Being Recalled
By 10.16.10
Last night, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission had to remind folks that it had announced a recall of more than 500,000 Spa Factory Aromatherapy Fountain & Bath Benefits Kits. The reason for the reminder: People are still getting injured when the unvented jar lids go POP! [More]
Bureaucrats Abuse Gov Databases, Snoop On Neighbors And Lindsay Lohan
By 10.15.10
Low-ranking government apparatchiks are wasting taxpayer dollars and violating our trust by exploiting their access to massive government databases to look up private information on their neighbors and ex-spouses, and “doc gawk” on celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, Matt Damon, James Taylor, and Tom Brady. [More]
GM Recalls 322,000 Chevy Impalas Over Seat Belt Screw-Up
By 10.15.10
Before you go crashing your Chevy Impala into something, you should know that the seat belts might not hold up to the impact; GM announced earlier today that it is recalling 322,409 2009-2010 Impalas because some front seat belt webbings may not have been properly secured to the lap belt anchor pretensioner mounted to the side of the seat nearest the door. [More]
Evenflo Recalls Maestro Car Seat After Failing Consumer Reports Test
By 10.15.10
After a crash test commissioned by our test-happy kin at Consumer Reports on the Evenflo Maestro Combination Booster Seat showed the product could experience a failure that could lead to severe injury for a child passenger, the company has announced a voluntary recall. [More]
455,000 Ryobi Drills Recalled For Potential Fire Hazard
By 10.14.10
Got a Ryobi drill in the garage? Might want to check the model number. The company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have announced a recall of nearly half a million Ryobi drills because of a potential fire hazard. [More]
Biggest Medicare Fraud Scam Ever Busted
By 10.14.10
Authorities busted a ring of reputed Armenian gangsters who they allege perpetrated the most ginormous Medicare fraud of all time, racking up $163 million in fake claims. [More]
Walmart Removes Lead-Tainted Toys From Shelves, But Only In California
By 10.13.10
Recent tests by the Center for Environmental Health found lead levels in excess of allowable amounts in toys and baby products sold at Walmart and Target. But while Target has agreed to stop selling the items at all its stores, Walmart has only agreed to pull the products in question from stores in California. [More]
Celeb Chef Mario Batali Sued Over Tips By Staff At Yet Another Restaurant
By 10.13.10
Back in July, pony-tailed celeb chef Mario Batali found himself the subject of a lawsuit filed by workers at five of his NYC area restaurants for allegedly withholding credit card tips from the staff. Absent from that litigation were employees at Batali’s flagship eatery Del Posto… until yesterday when 27 members of that restaurant’s staff sued, claiming they weren’t paid a legal wage. [More]
Fed Might Buy $500B In Treasuries
By 10.13.10
The Fed sent out signals that it could be making a major new move as soon, which experts think could take the form of buying back up to $500 billion in Treasury Bonds. They could decide as soon as their next meeting on November 2nd, which also happens to be Election Day. [More]
Why Won't My Town Let Me Worry About My Own Crap?
By 10.13.10
Terri writes that when the homes in her neighborhood were built more than 60 years ago, they were built with septic tanks instead of being part of a municipal sewer system. Instead of maintaining their own tanks, some residents want to be part of the sewer system, and the neighborhood is about to become one with the sewer system. Terri wonders: what can she do to stop this? She’d welcome input from any readers who have had similar experiences. [More]
FCC Doesn't Want You Spending Too Much On Your Mobile Plan
By 10.13.10
Last week, we asked you what annoyed you most about your mobile phone plan, and most of you picked “cost.” Now comes news that the Federal Communications Commission is going to review new proposals intended to keep you from spending more on your phone bill than you’d planned. [More]
PETA Ad Nixed By Airports & In-Flight Magazines
By 10.12.10
On the heels of Scottevest CEO Scott Jordan’s rant about Delta denying his ad in their in-flight literature comes news that PETA is having trouble finding airline magazines and airports that will run the ad seen here. [More]
