Yesterday T.J. Maxx announced that third-quarter earnings surged ahead 47% as the company attracted great-recession-weary shoppers to its stores. Oh, and there might have been a “hostage” situation in one of its Florida stores.
Government Policy
Federal Judge Rules Against Scrappy Mac Clone Manufacturer Psystar
By 11.18.09
Sorry, Mac OS lovers who don’t love the price tags on Apple hardware. Apple has emerged victorious in their copyright lawsuit against Mac clone manufacturer Psystar. U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup ruled that Psystar is violating Apple’s copyright as well as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by selling computers with a modified version of OS X pre-installed.
Verizon's Response To AT&T's Lawsuit: "The Truth Hurts"
By 11.18.09
Awhile back AT&T sued Verizon over their “There’s a Map For That” advertisements, claiming that the maps were misleading because the empty areas on the maps represented different things. Now Verizon has responded to the lawsuit with some fightin’ words.
IRS Scares 14,700 Americans Into Disclosing Secret Offshore Bank Accounts
By 11.17.09
The IRS announced today that 14,700 Americans disclosed their secret off-shore accounts — ensuring “billions of dollars in new tax collections” says Bloomberg.
Oyster Lovers To FDA: Kindly STFU And Leave Our Deadly Snack Alone
By 11.16.09
Eating raw oysters from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico can and does kill people. Not a lot of people. But it does kill people. The FDA recently was forced to back off from a plan to ban these oysters pending more research into how to keep them from killing said people. Apparently, oyster lovers are a motivated bunch.
15 Years In Prison After Cutting The Line At Walmart?
By 11.16.09
Here’s a strange story from southeast Missouri. Three years ago a college student was waiting in line at Walmart. Her cousin was waiting in another line that was moving faster. The college student, now a teacher who lives in Louisiana, joined her cousin in the “faster” line. This apparently started a confrontation with other customers (and eventually the police) that may cause the woman to spend 15 years in prison.
Identity Thieves Victimize Hancock Customers In Several States
By 11.16.09
News reports are coming in from several states detailing a debit card identity theft scheme in which thieves steal debit card info and pin numbers, then withdraw money from customers’ accounts.
When Traveling, Beware The Snow Globe Terrorist Menace
By 11.15.09
Beware the snow globe menace! The TSA has decreed that since they can’t determine how much liquid is in a snow globe, passengers are not allowed to bring them in their carry-on luggage on planes.
Rubber And Steel Fragments Found Inside Medication
By 11.14.09
The FDA has sent a warning to biotech company Genzyme after particles of rubber, steel, and fibers were found in vials of five of their injectable medications. The contamination occurred during the manufacturing process, and the FDA is concerned because doctors could be, y’know, injecting garbage fragments into their patients.
FDA: Convince Us That Caffeinated Alcoholic Beverages Are Safe And Legal
By 11.13.09
The FDA says that companies have 30 days to convince them that caffeinated alcoholic beverages are safe and legal, because they don’t seem to remember approving them.
Get A Refund If You Took Vytorin Or Zetia
By 11.13.09
If you or someone you know were prescribed the high cholesterol drugs Zetia or Vytorin and paid full price or a co-pay, you may be eligible for a refund as part of a recent class-action lawsuit. Manufacturers Merck and Schering-Plough are accused of violating consumer protection laws. While both drugs were marketed as superior to other, cheaper statins on the market, more recent studies showed that the drugs weren’t significantly more effective than the older drugs, and could have more harmful side effects.
Burger King Restaurants Angry Over $1 Burger Promo, File Lawsuit
By 11.13.09
I’ve been wondering how some fast food chains can sell $1 cheeseburgers and still make a profit. Apparently they can’t, which is why a group that represents about 80% of the restaurant’s franchisees have sued the company over the promotion.
Store Theft In The US Jumped 8.8% Last Year
By 11.13.09
Maybe this is why stores seem to be getting more and more aggressive about shoplifting: CNN says that retail theft in the US jumped 8.8% over the past year, versus only 1.5% in the prior year. But you may be surprised (only if you’ve never worked retail) to see where most of the theft occurs.
Middle Class Shoplifting To Keep Up Appearances
By 11.12.09
Shoplifting is up 20% in the UK as choice cuts of meat, fresh fish and fancy cheeses are increasingly getting stolen, mostly by middle-class women from boutique food emporiums and convenience stores
FTC Files Contempt Charge Against BlueHippo For Continuing To Rip Off Customers
By 11.12.09
Today the FTC lodged a contempt charge against scammy no-credit-needed electronics seller BlueHippo, saying that the company hasn’t honored its prior agreement to stop scamming customers. BlueHippo agreed to pay back $3.5 million nearly two years ago to reimburse customers who never received the computers they pre-paid for, but the FTC says since then the company has sucked another $15 million out of customers.
Stroller Company Maclaren Knew About Amputation Risk 5 Years Ago
By 11.12.09
The British company Maclaren knew that its recently recalled strollers could potentially lop off a tot’s fingertips over five years ago, reports the New York Post, but it didn’t bother to alert the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Selling Expired Products: CVS To Pay $875,000 Settlement
By 11.12.09
The NY AG’s office says that CVS will pay an $875,000 settlement to end legal action against them over the sale of “expired products – including over-the-counter drugs, baby formula, milk, and eggs – at stores across New York State.”
