Inspections will not keep Americans safe from potentially dangerous foreign imports, according to a Presidential working group representing 12 federal agencies. The working group believes that the sheer number of products arriving at our ports – goods worth $2 trillion, last year – make the development and deployment of an inspection regime impossible. The alternative inspires little confidence.
Government Policy
Verizon Vs. Google: Verizon Wireless Sues The FCC Over "Open Network" Requirement
By 9.14.07
When Google lobbied successfully for the inclusion of an “open network” requirement in the upcoming wireless spectrum auction, it was seen as a coup for consumers. The open network clause would mean that consumers would be able to take their handsets and devices to the network of their choosing.
By 9.13.07
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Back to Basics IT400 Iced Tea Makers (fire), Harry and David Hearthside Soups, Southwestern Chicken Chili Mix (undeclared milk).
What To Do When Your Luggage Is Hopelessly Totally Completely Lost
By 9.13.07
Here at Consumerist we get a lot of complaints that go something like this:
FCC Takes Action To Prevent Cable Companies From Dropping Digital Broadcast Networks From Analog Cable
By 9.13.07
In 2009, broadcast channels are going to switch over to digital, freeing up a large swath of bandwidth that will be sold to the highest bidder. At that point, says the FCC, cable companies were going to drop broadcast networks from analog cable.
FCC Talks "A La Carte" Cable
By 9.13.07
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin thinks your cable bill is too high.
By 9.12.07
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Organic Pastures Dairy Company Grade A raw cream (Listeria monocytogenes), Great Wall Brand Chinese Wolfberry (undeclared sulfites), Cook’s Essentials Convection Ovens with Pull-Out Rotisserie and Deni Convection Ovens with Rotisserie (fire, electrical shock)
Design Flaws In Toys Cause Far More Injuries Than Lead
By 9.12.07
Lead isn’t what you need to watch out for with American toys—it’s design flaws and the policies of irresponsible toy companies, says E. Marla Felcher on Slate. One study “recently found that of all the toys recalled since 1988, 76 percent involved design flaws. Kids choked, were strangled, and were burned by toy makers’ design mistakes.”
The reason so many toys were recalled this summer is not that there weren’t enough regulations. It’s that toy makers were ignoring the regulations that are already on the books. And the new testing proposal won’t stop them from continuing to do so.
Deceptive Mortgage Advertising Language To Watch Out For
By 9.12.07
In an almost comical case of too little too late, the FTC wagged a big finger at deceptive mortgage ads Tuesday. Here’s some of the red-flag advertising language they warned consumers to watch out for:
Walmart Pulls Foot Burning FlipFlops
By 9.12.07
Walmart says it has pulled thousands of cheap sandals that had of customers complaining about painful, lingering rashes, WFTV in Florida reports.
Ameriquest Is Dead
By 9.10.07
Ameriquest, the lender the epitomized everything that was f*cked up about the subprime mortgage meltdown, is dead.
U.S. & China Meet To Discuss Product Safety
By 9.10.07
Today begins the Sino-US Consumer Product Safety Summit, “an effort to sooth the black eyes that China and the U.S. are sporting after months of revelations that China is sending tainted products to the U.S. and the federal government has been doing little about it,” writes Dennis Rockstroh on his San Jose Mercury News blog.
Disney, Toys 'R Us To Begin Random Testing Of Toys
By 9.10.07
Disney is a name a lot of parents trust, so it came as a surprise to many that toys and jewelry featuring Disney characters would be recalled for lead contamination. The jewelry seen here, for example, was recalled for lead contamination after being sold at mall outlets like The Limited, Too.
Man Attempts To Return Walmart Ammunition At 1300 Feet Per Second
By 9.10.07
It’s Walmart’s policy, clearly visible on their website and in their stores, that all sales of guns and ammunition are final. One San Diego man didn’t like that policy so he tried to return the ammunition in another way. By firing it in the Walmart parking lot.
McDonald's Worker Arrested For "Over Salting" Police Officer's Burger
By 9.10.07
No, “over salting” isn’t code for anything nasty. The 20-year-old McDonald’s worker literally spilled salt on the hamburger meat that was used to make a “Big ‘N Tasty” that was served to a Georgia police officer.
By 9.10.07
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Graco, Comfortsport, Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Safety 1st (check specific models, strap slippage), Shaw’s Fresh Ground Round Beef Patties (e.coli), Jensen’s Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion, PCC brand Smoked Salmon Spread (Listeria monocytogenes), Zencore Tabs (potentially harmful, undeclared ingredients).
Prevented From Calling Your Produce USDA Certified Organic By Federal Law? Call It "Artisan Naturals" Instead
By 9.8.07
Stemilt Growers can’t call its produce USDA Certified Organic until they grow without chemicals for three years, but that isn’t stopping them from branding their produce “Artisan Naturals” in the interim. The three year chemical-free transition period is marked by insect infestations, infertile soil, and poor crop quality, which conspire to ravage a farm’s profitability. Stemilt, one of the nation’s largest apple growers, is hoping that consumers will pay a price premium for “natural” produce, which will likely be confused for USDA certified organic produce.
The orchard is in its second year of transition to organic, but the fruit will be sold under Stemilt’s Artisan Naturals label, promoting its naturally farmed history.
