A woman who worked at a Verizon store at the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, NY is accused of stealing the identities of more than 25 customers and using their personal information to obtain credit cards.
Government Policy
See All CPSC Toy Recalls On One Page
By 10.25.07
So the CPSC is always recalling all sorts of crap, like the surprising candles which could lead to fire, or the snowboards which could lead to falling, but as a concerned parent, all you care about is the toys. The freakin’ toys. The ones with the lead and the chokey parts. Well, even though their website coder probably doubles as the meatloaf server at lunchtime, they’ve got a catchall page that is your go-to spot for all the toy hazard related recalls. Just memorize the simple URL: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html.
How Topps Hamburger Overproduced Themselves Out Of Business
By 10.24.07
The demand for frozen hamburger patties is overwhelming! Shoppers just can’t get enough of cheap frozen hamburgers.
Popular Consumer Version Of Taser Is Selling Like Electrified Hotcakes
By 10.24.07
We are clearly a nation that treasures the concept of safety, because Taser International, Inc. reported a 150% increase in sales from last year that’s due almost entirely to its redesigned consumer model, which now looks more like an electric shaver instead of a gun and comes in pink, blue, silver, or black. The company plans to start airing an infomercial later this year, so look for that on those late nights in December when all the Christmas programming has got you down.
By 10.24.07
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Home Automation 64 Zone Wireless Receivers (failure to receive security signal), Toyota Siennas (faulty door lock).
By 10.24.07
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If you’re doing holiday shopping online but want to know where your toys are made before you buy them, check out the list at FatBrainToys. They don’t sell things like Bratz or Hot Wheels, but if you’re in the market for unique (sometimes even “educational”) toys, it’s a good place to start. [FatBrainToys.com]
By 10.23.07
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Game Pieces Sold with “Cars” Backpacks (choking), Reynolds Bicycle Forks (falling), previously repaired Cybex Treadmills (fire), 2006 Line X-Fly and Line Pro Ski Boards (falling).
Man Files Defamation Lawsuit After Being Accused Of Shoplifting By Home Depot
By 10.23.07
A man who purchased a lawn tractor at the Edwardsville, IL Home Depot went back inside to buy some more stuff while employees loaded his tractor onto his truck.
FTC Vows Not To Expire Numbers From The Do Not Call List
By 10.23.07
The FTC will vow in Congressional testimony today not to purge numbers on the Do Not Call List while Congress considers making registrations permanent. Do Not Call registrations currently last for five years, and are set to start expiring in April 2008 despite the list’s broad popularity: 92% of Americans have heard of the list, 76% have added their number, and 92% claim to receive fewer calls marketing calls. Lydia Parnes, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, appearing before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection will hail the list for ‘restoring the sanctity of the American dinner hour.’
CPSC Says Consumer Lead Testing Kits Are A Complete Waste Of Time
By 10.22.07
The CPSC has announced the results of a special investigation into the effectiveness of home lead testing kits. The verdict? Don’t waste your time.
TSA Asks Passengers In San Diego To Smuggle Fake Bombs On Planes
By 10.22.07
Turns out there’s a hidden gem in that 2006 TSA report that was recently leaked to USA Today (and previously written about here)—among the various stats and figures is the following statement: “At San Diego International Airport, tests are run by passengers whom local TSA managers ask to carry a fake bomb, said screener Cris Soulia, an official in a screeners union.”
The $400,000 Wedding Florist Lawsuit: Dirty Vases and Brown, Wilted Flowers
By 10.22.07
We briefly mentioned a lawsuit in which a bride (who happens to be a lawyer) was suing her florist for $400,000 after she was disappointed with the wedding flowers she paid $30,000 for.
Renew Your Passports Now, Because 2008 Could Be Worse
By 10.22.07
Despite all the much-publicized delays with passport applications this year, the government has announced that they’ll still be unprepared for the onslaught of applications come 2008, so if you know you’ll need a new/renewed passport you should apply now during the slow season. In January, the land and sea portion of the new passport law goes into effect, requiring everyone who travels to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean to show proof of citizenship.
Tomato Juice Spill Causes Massive Delays At LaGuardia
By 10.22.07
Lines the length of city blocks filled New York’s LaGuardia airport Saturday morning after a careless worker spilled tomato juice onto one of the five x-ray machines in the American Airlines terminal. A TSA spokesman cast the tomato juice’s victory over the machines as a failure of science, saying: “That’s the risk you take when you deal with technology.” Passengers were understandably pissed.
When CBS 2 HD told one woman the reason for the delays, she asked if we were “kidding,” but it was no joke. The Transportation Safety Administration confirmed the spill knocked out one of the five units that screen thousands of passengers here each day.
Walmart Recalls "Realistic Animals" Tainted With Lead
By 10.21.07
A plague of lead has stricken Walmart’s stock of “realistic animals”. Affected animals include farm animals, jungle animals, and even the feared dinosaur. The animals are currently trapped in chinsy cellophane bags clad shut by a brandless cardboard strip that proudly boasts: 88 Cents!
“Wal-Mart said independent testing revealed excessive levels of lead in the base material, not the surface coating.”
Organic Principles, Regulations Ignored By Nation's Largest Organic Dairy
By 10.21.07
Consumers in twenty-seven states are suing Aurora Dairy, the nation’s largest organic dairy for selling milk that failed to meet basic organic standards. The suit is bolstered by findings from USDA inspectors, who found that between December 2003 and April 2007, Aurora: “labeled and represented milk as organically produced, when such milk was not produced and handled in accordance with the National Organic Program regulations.”
Russia Bans Import Of U.S. Chicken, Pork
By 10.20.07
Russia has banned the import of chicken and pork from 30 U.S. facilities in the wake of a midsummer audit. Russia has not disclosed what, if anything, the audits uncovered, according to a concerned spokesman from the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council.
All of the banned poultry plants were major suppliers of U.S. poultry to Russia and are some of the most efficient facilities in the country, the export council said.
By 10.20.07
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Emboldened by the easy victories of other telecoms, AT&T has directed its squad of time traveling super-lawyers to sue Vonage for patent infringement. [NYT]
