William wrote to us this weekend to point out how little Microsoft does to fight phishing attacks on their hugely popular Xbox LIVE network. It’s unfortunate they don’t take this sort of crime more seriously, since so many kids—who by all rights should have less experience with phishing—are on Xbox LIVE. Below is what two different Xbox CSRs told William when he contacted them to complain about phishing attacks.
Government Policy
Non-Recalled Toyotas Could Still Have Dangerous Floor Mats
Just because your specific Toyota wasn’t among the 3.8 million recalled last week doesn’t mean you’re safe.
Browns Fan Sues Because Madden Game Shows His Iconic Mask
Cleveland Browns fanatic John “Big Dawg” Thompson, famous for wearing an intimidating bulldog mask in Cleveland’s rowdy Dawg Pound section, is suing Electronic Arts for using his likeness in the Madden NFL 10 video game, several video game blogs are reporting..
Woman Arrested For Keeping Rented Movies 10 Years Past Due Date
A woman in Iowa was arrested last week for the theft of three video tapes from a local video store. She rented them in May of 1998, and a charge was filed against her in September of that same year after she repeatedly neglected to return them.
FTC Says Bloggers Can't Hide Endorsement Deals
For the first time since 1980, the FTC has updated its rules about endorsements and testimonials, and they’ve added blogging to the books. Now bloggers who don’t disclose that they’ve been somehow compensated—either with cash or with free services or products—can be fined up to $11,000.
Pizza Hut Manager Attacks Old Man
A 27-year-old Pizza Hut manager in Winnipeg, Manitoba, went bonkers last Friday and dragged a 76-year-old customer to the ground over a payment dispute. The manager was arrested, and the customer returned the next afternoon to dine, because he is afraid of nothing.
11 Things Banned By Walmart
From a practical standpoint — our Walmart overlords decided what we can and can’t have. MentalFloss has put together a list of 11 things they did not approve of — or were forced to remove because others did not approve.
Why E. Coli Still Makes Its Way Into Your Meat Supply
Before you bite into that juicy hamburger, you might want to better understand how the meat industry creates, tests (or doesn’t test), then distributes ground beef. A detailed investigation by Michael Moss at the New York Times proves eating it is “still a gamble. Neither the system meant to make the meat safe, nor the meat itself, is what consumers have been led to believe.”
Amazon Clarifies When It Will Remove Kindle Books
As part of a settlement with the customer who sued Amazon over the 1984 fiasco this past summer, Amazon has clarified under what circumstances it can delete your books. Notably, Amazon is not saying that it will never again delete books, which keeps the Kindle in the “do not buy” list for consumers who want unequivocal ownership of the items they purchase. In fact, despite the muted praise Amazon is receiving for doing this, the best we can say about the clarification is that it’s about time, but that it still doesn’t address the fundamental ownership issues raised by the Kindle licensing system.
Target Must Pay $600,000 To Settle Lead Paint Charges
Looks like the CPSC can afford donuts tomorrow for their office: Target has agreed to pay $600,000 for selling toys with too much lead on them from May 2006 to August 2007, reports Reuters. The fine “resolves allegations” over the issue, so now Target can focus on what it does best, which is act crazy.
"So Sue Me, Jackass!" Provides Random Legal Advice In Humor Book Format
Here’s a new book that focuses on those random questions people always have about how the law pertains to everyday activities. You know, things like starting your own online porn site, burying a pet, or selling your ex-boyfriend’s things on eBay.
Internet Speeds Are Lower Than Advertised 50-80% Of The Time
Anyone who reads the fine print when signing up for Internet access knows that the speeds advertised are “best case” scenarios, or more cynically that they’re total fabrications meant to lure in customers. Now the FCC, as part of its larger study of how to expand broadband access, has reported that “actual broadband speeds lag advertised speeds by as much as 50% to 80%.”
Toyota Recalls 3.8 Mil Cars For Stuck Gas Pedal Danger
Toyota is recalling 3.8 million cars and warning owners of certain late-model cars to immediately remove their driver’s side floor mat to avoid accelerators getting stuck. The affected Toyota and Lexus models are:
Consumer Columnist Sues Paper, Says Advertiser Criticism Squelched
Consumer watchdog George Gombossy this morning filed a 1st Amendment lawsuit against his former employer, Tribune-owned Hartford Courant. There’s some gangbusters stuff in the filing, like the part where he says the new owners told him to “be nice” to one of their key advertisers:
Chicago Impounds Your Car As Part Of "Investigation," Holds It Hostage
A class action lawsuit has been filed against the City of Chicago on behalf of people whose cars were impounded as part of a police investigation — and then charged outrageous fees to get their vehicles back. The lawsuit covers 15,000 people whose cars were impounded by the city over a five year period.
Infamous Domino's Where Gross-Out Video Was Recorded Closes Doors
Remember that Domino’s Pizza, the one in North Carolina where Kristy and Michael recorded themselves doing gross things to the food? The Charlotte Observer has reported that the location has gone out of business, at least for now—”closed signs have been placed in the windows and the phone has been disconnected.”