The Federal Communications Commission just approved Chairman Kevin Martin’s plan to shred 32-year-old rules that block media conglomerates from controlling both a newspaper and a broadcast station in the same market. The spectacled Chairman won on 3-2 party line vote, having failed to lure either Democratic commissioner with last-minute changes that will prevent the Commission from approving mergers in small media outlets that host profitable papers.
Government Policy
Family Sues Racist Debt Collector For $854,389.81, Wins
By 12.18.07
Lazy, fat, inbred, black, pathetic, stupid, liar, thief, nigger. Those are some of the defamatory words Merchants Retail Credit Association (MRCA) used on Dolores Madduxes’ family when they tried to collect on a debt Dolores Maddux, who is dead, owed CitiFinancial. For these violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Madduxes sued MRCA and won $854,389.81. Even delinquent debtors have rights and it’s important to know them and call an attorney if they’re being violated.
By 12.18.07
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Recalls: Gorilla Full Body Safety Harnesses (falling), Specialized Bicycle Helmets (not safe enough), Queso Fresco Cheese (listeria), Barrilito candy syrup (lead), Snapps Ferry Packing Ground Beef (E.Coli).
Meat Industry Discovers Consumers' Trust Has Eroded
By 12.18.07
The meat and poultry industries have learned that if you poison your customers enough times, they’ll eventually start losing trust in you—although, oddly, they won’t change their purchasing habits. That’s the takeaway from a study carried out by Meatingplace.com (snicker) and “its sister publication POULTRY” (ha ha WHERE’S CHRIS HANSON). However, no description of the study is provided other than that Zoomerang.com was used, so we’re not sure if the results are at all meaningful. We’re just glad the meat industry is starting to notice something’s wrong.
Vonage Sued For Infringing 12 More Patents
By 12.18.07
Will Vonage’s troubles ever cease? They’re now being sued by Nortel for infringing not one, not two, not three—but twelve patents.
By 12.17.07
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Whole Foods is recalling its 365 Organic Everyday Value™ Swiss Milk Chocolate Bars with Rice Crisps, 3-ounce size, with a Best If Used By date of 11/21/07, because the batch may contain undeclared hazelnuts, walnuts, and pecans. [FDA]
Some Gift Cards Sorta Friendlier, Thanks To FTC
By 12.17.07
Gift cards have fewer hidden fees and expiration dates this holiday season, thanks to FTC action, reports the Washington Post. A survey by the Montgomery County’s Office of Consumer Protection found that about 80% of the 22 retail examined had no fees or expiration dates, could be replaced if lost or stolen and had scratch-off PINS for security.
Why Do Ticketmaster Events Sell Out Instantly?
By 12.16.07
Ticketmaster is suing RMG Technologies for selling lecherous software that instantly sucks up tickets to everyone’s favorite concerts and sporting events. Groups like RMG are the reason tickets sell out just minutes after going on sale, only to mysteriously reappear at outrageously marked up prices on ticket resale sites like StubHub.
22 Children Died Toy-Related Deaths In 2006
By 12.16.07
Toy injuries were responsible for 22 deaths and 220,500 emergency room visits in 2006, according to a report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The report looked at injuries affecting children under 15 and found that most deaths were caused by asphyxiation or collisions associated with riding toys, scooters, toy pegs, and rubber balls.
Confessions Of An Airline Executive
By 12.15.07
Threatening to complain to the media or the Department of Transportations is the single best way to reach an airline’s executive customer service team, according to an anonymous airline executive. The jaded executive also shared his dour insights on the availability and effectiveness of short-term sales.
AutoZone Recalls 140,000 Booster Cables
By 12.15.07
AutoZone is recalling 140,000 faulty Valucraft booster cables because the clamps were assembled incorrectly, “resulting in reverse polarity and causing an electrical shock and explosion hazard,” according to the CPSC. The official statement says that “AutoZone has received reports of four incidents of reverse polarity that resulted in minor property damage.”
Toyota Recalling 15,600 2007 Tundra Pickup Trucks
By 12.14.07
Toyota has announced that it is recalling 15,600 Tundra 2007 Tundra four-wheel-drive pickup trucks because “a rear propeller shaft may separate at the joint.”
By 12.14.07
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FTC head said she won’t recuse herself from the review of Google’s acquisition of the DoubleClick online advertising firm, despite petitions by some consumer groups alleging conflict of interest. [AP]
Comcast Sues The NFL For Breach Of Contract
By 12.14.07
Comcast has sued the NFL for breach of contract alleging that the league is breaking its contract with Comcast by encouraging the cable giant’s customers to switch to other providers.
Only 3 Of 26 Items Turned In To NYC Transit Workers Made It To The Lost & Found
By 12.14.07
“Obviously, the results are disturbing,” said the inspector general, Barry L. Kluger. He added that the investigation was not meant “as a sting operation” and that it was not possible to know if the missing items were stolen by transit employees or simply “wound up in the bottom of a drawer or in a wastebasket.”
By 12.14.07
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The CEO of Toys “R” Us tells the AP that all this testing of toys by advocacy groups is frustrating: “We’ve had many, many cases where we have taken the products and retested them and found them to be totally safe.” Stupid advocacy groups! The toy store will protect us! [Associated Press]
Consumer Groups Ask FTC Head To Recuse Herself
By 12.13.07
Two consumer groups have asked Deborah Platt Majoras, the chair of the FTC, to recuse herself from the antitrust review of Google’s purchase of Doubleclick. Majoras is married to a partner at Jones Day law firm, which represents Doubleclick.
Walmart, Target, Costco, Wild Oats Sued For Selling Fake Organic Milk
By 12.13.07
The Aurora Dairy controversy has spread to the retailers, as lawsuits seeking class-action status have be filed alleging “that Costco Wholesale Corp., Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp., Safeway Inc. and Wild Oats Markets Inc. sold Aurora’s milk under their own in-house brand names.”
