Maybe the T-Mobile lawsuit has scared AT&T a bit, because they’ve announced that they’re changing their early termination policy: they will now prorate termination fees instead of charging a flat fee. They’re also removing the policy that required existing customers to extend a current agreement or sign up for a new one when changing their level of service. No word on when these changes will go into effect, but there’s nothing on their website yet.
Government Policy
This Huffy Bike Will Injure You
By 10.16.07
If you own this Huffy bike, you should be aware that at any moment “the bicycle crank can unexpectedly come off, causing the rider to lose control, fall and suffer serious injuries.”
Congress Asks FCC To Accurately Count U.S. Broadband Homes
By 10.16.07
Congress has added its voice to the growing number of critics who have noted that the FCC is misreporting broadband penetration in the U.S. According to eWeek, last Wednesday a House subcommittee “approved legislation to change the Federal Communications Commission’s methodology for determining deployment.” The FCC currently counts a single home in a zip code as representative of the full zip code—so one home having broadband access is considered the same as every home in that area having broadband access. By doing this, they inflate the number of homes with broadband access and present a picture of increased “natural” competition in the market, which is then used by telecoms and lobbyists to argue against policy decisions that don’t favor existing corporations.
By 10.16.07
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Yamaha Snowmobiles 2007 Model Year PZ50 (injury, death), Oro Disc Brakes on bikes (loss of braking), 2007 Huffy “Howler” and “Highland” Bicycles (crank falling off, loss of control), Lochmead Farms Country Fresh Chocolate Premium Ice Cream (undeclared almonds), Arko Veal Co Beef Patties Mix (E. coli), J & B Meats Corporation Inc various meats (E. coli).
By 10.16.07
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Verizon may have admitted it gives out customer info without warrants, but AT&T and Qwest both refused to give Congress any information on their participation in the government’s wire-tapping activities, saying they needed permission from Bush administration first. [Reuters]
By 10.16.07
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The Center for Environmental Health is taking legal action against Apple, because “the levels of phthalates (a group of chemical compounds… that increase flexibility) in the iPhone are in violation of California law.” They say if the company doesn’t agree to recall current iPhones, they will file suit. [Wired]
U.S. Marshals Seize Supplements Illegally Marketed As Treatments For Various Diseases
By 10.16.07
U.S. Marshals have seized approximately $71,000 in shipments of supplements that were being illegally marketed as treatments for a variety of diseases, including diabetes, anemia, and hypertension.
USDA Food Inspector Calls Job "Just A Joke"
By 10.15.07
An article in the Chicago Tribune takes yet another look at our broken food safety system, declaring that a USDA Food Inspector’s job is now less about inspecting meat and more about inspecting paperwork.
After the Jack in the Box case, the USDA required each meat plant to adopt a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan. The plans let companies design their own food safety measures, usually around the need to process beef quickly.
Supreme Court Rejects Appeal In Best Buy, Microsoft Racketeering Lawsuit
By 10.15.07
The Supreme Court has rejected Microsoft and Best Buy’s appeal in the MSN racketeering lawsuit, says the Wall Street Journal, thus “ending a bid by the two companies to stop a class-action lawsuit over a joint marketing campaign for MSN Internet Access service.”
Judge Rules That $19 Coupon Isn't Fair Compensation In Sharper Image Air Purifier Case
By 10.15.07
A judge rejected a settlement that would have granted a $19 Sharper Image coupon to consumers who purchased the Ionic Breeze… and $1.8 million in fees to the lawyers.
Medtronic Stops Selling Faulty Defibrillators
By 10.15.07
Medtronic is “recalling” its latest heart defibrillator models because of faulty wiring, which could lead to either it not working when you most need it, or it shocking you randomly in the heart with painful electric jolts. “The company is urging all of the roughly 235,000 patients with the lead, known as the Sprint Fidelis, to see their doctors to make sure it has not developed a fracture that can make the device misread heart-rhythm data.”
13,000 People Are Getting A Surprise Audit!
By 10.14.07
13,000 lucky Americans will soon receive letters from the IRS explaining that they’ve been selected for a random audit. The hapless participants are rounded up as part of the IRS’ National Research Program, which seeks to explain why the Treasury receives $300 billion less than we Americans collectively owe. A random audit is nothing to fear unless you are a tax cheating yutz.
IRS Struggles To Give Away $8 Billion
By 10.13.07
Free money! Free money! We shouted, begged, implored you to take the free money that was rightfully yours, but no, you would have none of it. The free money was too good for you. Too much effort, you said, to fill out a simple line on your tax return to celebrate phone ownership and our victory in the Spanish-American War. And now, $8 billion beautiful bucks lie cluttering our treasury, taking up valuable space needed for Social Security IOUs.
Winne-The-Pooh Playsets Are Contaminated With Lead, Not Honey
By 10.12.07
Winnie-the-Pooh is the latest character to fall victim to the lead toy contamination epidemic, according to the CPSC, which recalled the playsets yesterday.
RC2 Sues Munchkin, Inc For "Sippy Cup" Patent Infringement
By 10.12.07
RC2, whom you probably know as the company that makes the lead-tainted Thomas & Friends toys, has filed a lawsuit against rival Munchkin, INC for allegedly infringing on a spill-proof sippy cup patent.
By 10.12.07
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“Jeff Gordon” Mini Helmets (lead), Kipp Brothers Bendable Dinosaur Toys (lead), Cracker Barrel Princess Magnetic Travel Art Set Lap Desks (lead), Disney™ Deluxe Winnie-the-Pooh 23-Piece Play Sets (lead), J.C. Penney Deluxe Wood Art Sets (lead), J.C. Penney Breyer 2006 Stirrup Ornaments (lead), Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Country Wheat Rolls (actually potato rolls, with undeclared milk allergen), Aliki Chicken Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo Made with White Chicken (Listeria), J.C. Penney “Alyssa” Shag Rugs (fire), Ross Stores Turtle Sprinklers (laceration), Collections Etc. Inc. Double Hammocks (falling), Alltrade Tools Recalls Power Tool Batteries (burn and laceration), Fisher Controls International, Gas Regulators (leaks).
60% Of Lipsticks Contain Lead
By 10.12.07
Well, this explains a lot about children’s beauty pageants: the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 brand-name lipsticks, including brands like Cover Girl, L’Oreal, and Christian Dior, and are reporting that “61 percent had detectable lead levels of 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm).” One-third of the lipsticks tested had levels higher than 0.1 ppm, the FDA’s safety limit for lead in candy.
