To all the parents whose kids ask for birthday parties at Chuck E. Cheese’s, you now have another good reason to tell them no — it could be hazardous to your health. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the fun-time restaurant chain have announced a recall of two pieces of plastic junk sold there. [More]
Government Policy
NY Times: Changing HFCS To 'Corn Sugar' Is A Good Idea
By 9.16.10
As we reported earlier this week, The Corn Refiner’s Association has filed a petition with the FDA to get permission to refer to High Fructose Corn Syrup simply as Corn Sugar on food labels. This morning, the editors of the New York Times penned an editorial about the name change — and they’re all for it. [More]
IHOP Sues IHOP Over IHOP Trademark
By 9.15.10
It’s a battle of biblical proportions as one IHOP — better known as the International House of Pancakes — fights another IHOP — the International House of Prayer — over the use of those four famous letters. [More]
Warren To Snag CFPA Directorship?
By 9.15.10
Elizabeth Warren is a lock for CFPA director, a White House aide tells Slate. [More]
The George Lucas Death Star Tries To Obliterate My Startup
By 9.14.10
Matt says George Lucas’ lawyers are sending Storm Troopers after him for using the word “droid” in the title of his startup, Addroid. He has precious few days to coordinate his Rebel Alliance defense and sent out a hologram (OK, an email) saying “Help me, Consumerists. You’re my only hope!” [More]
Law Enforcement Group: Legalize Pot So Cops Have Time To Fight Real Crime
By 9.14.10
In November, California voters will have their say on Proposition 19, which would make it legal to grow, possess and use up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use. And as that decision day draws near, a group of law enforcement insiders has come out in support of the proposition, saying it would free up the police to focus its efforts on more serious crimes. [More]
Global Regulators Back New Bank Rules To Avert Future Meltdowns
By 9.13.10
Banks must triple the amount of cash they keep on reserve under a new set of guidelines backed by a global group of regulators this Sunday. With a more generous than expected deadline for the rules to take effect, financial stocks perked up on the news. [More]
Keep Your Small Dog Info To Yourself; The Person Calling You Doesn't Need To Know
By 9.13.10
Here’s a weird possible scam going around. Our reader Chris writes, “Every day for the past week, I’ve been getting an automated call that asks me, ‘This is Survey 2010. Do you have a small dog?'” [More]
Homeland Security Wants To Look Deep Into Your Eyes… To Scan Them For Their Records
By 9.13.10
Screw fingerprints. That’s so 2009. That’s the attitude the Homeland Security Dept. is taking in Mexico, where it will be testing out a new iris-scanning technology that it claims is faster than old-fashioned fingerprinting. [More]
Guy Hassled For Refusing To Answer Custom Cops' Questions Responds To 700 Of Yours
By 9.13.10
The American traveler who wouldn’t answer the questions of the passport control officer upon re-entry to these shores beyond the legally required minimum has posted a 10-point response to the over seven-hundred comments his story received. Long-story short: “The only absolute and unqualified right of citizenship is to residence within the territorial boundaries of the United States; a citizen cannot be either deported or denied reentry.” U.S. v. Valentine. [More]
Florida City Fines People For Parking Car In Driveway Without Plate
By 9.13.10
If you own a junk car without plates, it’s a good idea to keep it hidden away, especially if you live in North Port, Fla., which tends to stick violators for thousands of dollars in fees. [More]
Burglary Ring Scoped Facebook Statuses For Targets
By 9.13.10
Even though your friends may be bored with your copious Facebook posts, there is a certain group that is very interested in your lame airport terminal observations and vacation photos. That group would be thieves. [More]
Guy Won't Answer Customs Cops' Questions Because He Doesn't Have To. Hilarity Ensues.
By 9.10.10
If you love our recurring posts about people who won’t comply with stores demanding to see their receipts, you’ll go Lady GaGa over the American citizen who refuses to answer customs cops’ questions beyond the legally required bare minimum. [More]
DMV Doesn't Tell Me I Owe Money, Charges $80 In Late Fees
By 9.10.10
Mark writes in with a nightmarish tale of government bureaucracy costing him ever-expanding late fees by failing to inform him he owed money, then making him wait several weeks to set up a meeting and apply to appeal. [More]
USDA Knew Of Poor Sanitation At Egg Facility Months Before Recall
By 9.10.10
Unless you’ve been only been paying attention to the 24/7 Big Brother live feeds this summer, you’ve probably heard about that tiny little recall of 380 million eggs because of potential salmonella poisoning. Now the Wall Street Journal reports that USDA graders noticed problems at the source facility earlier this year but opted to wait until FDA inspectors figured things out for themselves in August. [More]
FDA Fuming Over E-Cigarettes
By 9.10.10
It’s been a busy week of letter-writing for the FDA. First, they sent out miffed missives to Canada Dry and Lipton over their questionable claims about their green tea drinks. Now the regulators are going after five manufacturers of electronic cigarettes for what the FDA alleges are illegal marketing tactics. [More]
Zero Witnesses Back Slater's Story
By 9.9.10
Authorities have interviewed every single passenger that was on Steven Slater’s last flight, and not a single one says events went down the way he’s been describing them, according to a Port Authority police official. [More]
