Last year the Department of Energy, which co-administers the Energy Star certification program with the EPA, admitted that it allows many companies to certify their goods themselves. That was somewhat worrying, but nothing like what happened earlier this year when government auditors successfully got ludicrously power-hungry designs approved for the Energy Star label. The EPA and Energy Department have responded by announcing a new, stricter certification process. [More]
Government Policy
Toyota Recalls 600,000 Sienna Minivans
By 4.17.10
Because 8 million recalled vehicles worldwide was apparently not enough for Toyota, the car giant has gone and recalled 600,000 of their Sienna minivans because of possible rust damage to the cable holding the spare tire. [More]
CPSC To Create New Searchable Database For Consumer Complaints
By 4.16.10
The Consumer Products Safety Commission has voted to create a new database of consumer complaints that will allow consumers to “see complaints of injuries or potential harm that are filed to the commission by consumers, safety groups, health care professionals and others,”
says the Chicago Tribune. Previously this information only became public after it led to a recall. [More]
SEC Charges Goldman Sachs With Fraud
By 4.16.10
The SEC today announced civil fraud charges against Goldman Sachs and VP Fabrice Tourre. The chargea allege that Goldman ripped off investors by allowing a client who bet against the housing market to pick the mortgage securities being sold to other investors who were also investing in the housing market. [More]
BBB Wants To Tear Your Personal Papers Apart Tomorrow
By 4.16.10
The Better Business Bureau says tomorrow is Secure Your ID Day, which means 55 BBB locations around the country will provide free shredding services. You can frustrate identity thieves who planned on digging through your trash to find out your secret info by putting your files through the shredder. [More]
Why Did Toyota Wait 6 Weeks To Recall Venzas In The U.S.?
By 4.16.10
While we in the U.S. have become accustomed to getting things before the rest of the world, that doesn’t seem to hold true for Toyota recalls. Documents show that the car maker issued a recall for their Venza vehicle in December, but decided to wait six weeks to make the same decision stateside. [More]
Postmaster: USPS "On Brink Of Financial Insolvency"
By 4.15.10
Postmaster General John Potter appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to make his case for scrapping service on Saturdays, and what he had to say about the USPS wasn’t exactly rainbows and sunshine. [More]
NY State Worker Takes Friday Off For 17 Years Before Getting Caught
By 4.15.10
The New York Post says that a state worker in charge of running a corrections department food facility took Fridays off… for 17 years. Now they’re going after him for $230,000 worth of Friday pay, as well as other “ill-gotten” gains. [More]
"Help, Equifax Won't Give Me My Credit Report!"
By 4.14.10
A reader just had his credit limit lowered on a credit card due to some bad credit history that he says isn’t his. He’d like to see what’s going on with his credit report, but Equifax says he’ll have to pay for the privilege, because they have no record of any inquiries in the past 60 days. The reader asks, “Has this happened to anyone else, where a credit card company waited over 60 days to notify them of credit limit reductions? Also, does this violate the FCRA?” [More]
Tips For Those Filing Their Taxes At The Buzzer
By 4.14.10
If you’re going all Duke-Butler with your income taxes this year, Kiplinger’s Mary Beth Franklin has some tips you might find helpful. Here they are, posted with permission: [More]
Do You Trust Gas Stations To Self-Inspect Their Pumps?
By 4.14.10
Pennsylvania is considering privatizing its Bureau of Weights and Measures to save money, reports CBS affiliate KDKA. This would mean gas stations would be responsible for making sure their pumps gave out the right amount of gas, and supermarkets would take over the certification for their deli scales. A consumer advocate calls this a “fox in the henhouse situation” that would make cheating far too easy. [More]
Towing Company Sues Student Over Facebook Page
By 4.13.10
T&J Towing of Kalamazoo, MI wants to send a message to anyone in the town who feels like complaining about the company online. They’ve filed a $750,000 defamation lawsuit against a Western Michigan University student for starting a Facebook page about them. [More]
Report: Lack Of Limits, Oversight, Lets Tainted Meat Out Into Market
By 4.13.10
A new report issued by the Dept. of Agriculture’s Office of the Inspector General says that tainted meat is making its way to your dinner plate because of a combination of inter-departmental squabbling and a lack of general oversight by the regulatory agencies involved. [More]
North Face Reaches Settlement With South Butt
By 4.13.10
Clothier North Face has reached an out-of-court settlement with parody vestment maker “South Butt.” Once again, comedy wins! [More]
New Documents Shed Light On Lethal Last Days Of WaMu
By 4.13.10
Remember in Sept. 2008, when Washington Mutual went from being the sixth-largest bank in the U.S. to the biggest bank failure in U.S. history? Well, newly released documents show just how reckless and money-grubbing WaMu was in its final months — and how some employees were reaping huge rewards as the bank sunk into the quicksand. [More]
Sheriff's Deputy Uses Stun Gun On 30 High Schoolers At Job Fair
By 4.12.10
Maybe this is the real reason job fairs are being cancelled: A sheriff’s deputy in Colorado has been suspended after using his taser on 30 high school students at a job fair last week. And it wasn’t a case of overzealous policing; the students volunteered! [More]
Go Economy! Americans Broke Food Stamps Record In January
By 4.12.10
The L.A. Times reports Americans’ love of eating and immense poverty have combined to help our people set a new record for food stamp consumption in a month. [More]
That Negative eBay Comment Could Get You Sued
A Florida man is being sued for $15,000 for leaving a negative comment on a transaction to buy a $44 clock, breaking his perfect rating, NBC 2 of Florida reports: [More]