Pregnant Consumerist reader Mary was recently going through the security checkpoint at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. When she realized that she would be going through a full-body scanner, she told the screeners she wanted to exercise her right to a pat-down — even if it meant experiencing the TSA’s new, icky “enhanced” pat-down. But instead of the screeners doing as she requested, Mary claims they proceeded to bully her into the scanner. [More]
Government Policy
Black & Decker Recalls 192,000 Orbit Sanders Over Unintentional Flying Objects
By 9.9.10
Earlier today, Black & Decker and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of 192,000 Black & Decker Random Orbit Sanders after several reports that the plastic disc that holds the sandpaper to the sander can fly off and hurt the hell out of you or anyone around you. [More]
Man Sues Whole Foods Over Exploding Green Tea
By 9.9.10
Some people drink tea to put a little spark into their day, but a Nashville man got explosions instead. He’s suing Starbucks and Whole Foods after bottles of Tazo green tea exploded twice in his possession. One time the bottle shattered in his hand, and another it blew up in his shopping cart. On one of the occasions, shards of glass damaged tendons in his hand that required two surgeries. [More]
FDA Warns Canada Dry, Lipton Against Making Health Claims On Green Tea Drinks
By 9.8.10
Canada Dry and Lipton have been yellow-carded by referees at at Food and Drug Administration, who have warned the beverage makers of making unauthorized nutrient claims on their green tea drinks. [More]
Which States Have The Worst Smoker's Breath?
By 9.8.10
In spite of all the ads with coroners squeezing fat out of a smoker’s diseased heart and all the taxes levied on tobacco products, the percentage of adults who smoke on a regular basis has held steady at just over 20% for the last five years, says a new report from the Centers for Disease Control. But that percentage can vary wildly depending on location, education, race and gender. [More]
Airport Body Scanners May Replace Your Naked Body With A Generic Avatar, Eventually
By 9.8.10
Bloomberg reports that one of the big companies behind airport full-body scanners has released a software update that replaces your misshapen nakedness with a generically proportioned, nondescript avatar. The software then indicates on the avatar where you should be searched. [More]
Restaurant Owner Admits To Hiring Undocumented Workers, Pleads 'Not Guilty' To Doing So
By 9.8.10
Along with hotels, the food preparation industry may be the sector that relies the most on undocumented workers. A White House crackdown on employers of such workers has been in effect since April of last year is putting increased pressure and heightened consequences — including tighter scrutiny increased fines — for business owners who take the risk of hiring such workers. A San Diego restaurant owner is going all in to fight the regulation. He has been indicted by a federal grand jury for hiring illegal immigrants, but has entered a not guilty plea and kept the workers in question on the staff. [More]
Your Saggy Pants Are Not Welcome In Dublin, Georgia
By 9.7.10
Even though other municipalities have tried — and failed — to enact laws regulating the bagginess and sagginess of their citizens’ trousers, the mayor of Dublin, GA, is moving forward with his plan to sign an ordinance that would fine violators up to $200 for low-riding pants. [More]
Minnesota County Doesn't Want Employees To Even Have Option Of Watching Hotel Porn
By 9.7.10
The notion of business travelers being forbidden from purchasing X-rated pay-per-view isn’t anything new. The erotic offerings are — so we hear — more expensive than other titles and very few employers want to foot the bill for them. But Winona County, MN, doesn’t just want to tell municipal employees not to order hotel porn; they don’t even want them staying at hotels that offer smutty selections. [More]
The Craziest Homeowners Association Bylaws
By 9.7.10
Deep inside, most homeowners despise their homeowners associations for their arbitrary rules and uncanny ability to send out nasty letters for the tiniest violations. [More]
Would You Pay $25 For The Right To Speed?
By 9.6.10
Maybe someday you’ll slam your foot on the gas pedal to see how fast that Ford Ranger can really go and you’ll catch the sirens in your rear-view mirror, only to wave off the patrol car and resume going way too fast just for the fun of it. [More]
Hartz Dog Treats Recalled Over Salmonella
By 9.6.10
Don’t reward your dog a Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treat from a bag stamped with lot code BZ0969101E, says the FDA, unless you want a potentially confused dog. Hartz says salmonella has been found in at least one bag from that lot, so it’s recalling nearly 75,000 bags. So far no one has reported any sick pets, but if you have questions you can call Hartz at 1-800-275-1414. [More]
Court Rejects Lawsuit Against Ladies Nights
By 9.6.10
Last week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a New York lawyer’s claims that “ladies nights” at bars were unconstitutional because they forced men to pay more. The lawyer says he’s going to appeal to the Supreme Court, but he admitted to the New York Daily News that the odds the court will agree to hear his case are “about the same as some pretty young lady paying my way on a date.” [More]
Strings Attached: Charities Comcast Donated To Send FCC Pro-Merger Letters
By 9.3.10
There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Comcast has donated over $1.8 billion to local charities and now that its merger with NBC is on the table, it’s time to call in the chits. Charities that received contributions from Comcast are pouring out their epistolary support for the merger, and they appear to be less than spontaneous. [More]
Business Credit Cards Not Protected By CARD Act
By 9.3.10
Sorry, small businesses, the much ballyhooed protections of the CARD Act do not cover your credit cards. Only consumer credit cards get safeguarded against the most punitive of the old interest rate and fee policies. No wonder credit card solicitations to small business owners have increased 256%, vs 29% for consumer credit cards – they’re more profitable now. [More]
The Continent's Most Notorious Speed Traps
By 9.3.10
Some cities have garnered a reputation for employing guerrilla methods to snag speeding motorists. Speed traps help keep drivers honest. But more importantly for the municipalities, they keep the money flowing. [More]
$230,000 Ferraris Recalled For Being So Hot They Could Burst Into Flames
By 9.2.10
The Ferrari 458 Italia is a hot car. Too hot. So hot that at least 5 of them have burst into flames because of a design flaw, leading the Italian luxury car maker to recall more than 1,200 Italias, each worth around $230,000. [More]
DC Comics Goes Batty, Fights BBQ Restaurant Over Trademark
By 9.2.10
Had the owner’s of BATS BBQ in Rock Hill, SC, not attempted to file a trademark application for their logo (see image to the left), they probably wouldn’t have drawn the attention of lawyers for DC Comics, who say the bat icon used in the logo is a little too similar to one of the many Batman logos they have already trademarked. [More]
