This year’s deadline for filing federal taxes is April 17th, giving slackers two extra days to finish their returns. State taxes may still be due on April 16th.
Government Policy
Target Bikes Recalled For "Frame Failure"
By 3.29.07
If something is going to fail on our bike, the frame isn’t our first choice. The CSPC has issued a recall of two bikes, sold exclusively at Target for about $100. Triax PK7 and Vertical PK7 Bicycles have a frame that can crack “while in use, causing the rider to lose control and suffer injuries from a fall or collision.”
How To Contact Menu Foods Executives, Makers Of Rat-Poisoned Pet Food
By 3.29.07
If you would like to let Menu Foods know what you think about them selling pet food laced with rat poison, here’s their executive contact info:
Onion Farm Sues Taco Bell For Besmirching The Good Name Of Their Onions
By 3.27.07
Taco Bell’s former green onion supplier is suing Taco Bell for libel after the taco giant incorrectly linked green onions to the e. coli scare that sickened more than 70 people last year.
Get Missing W-2s By Siccing IRS On Your Employer
By 3.27.07
We finally wrested our W-2 from our previous employer’s hands and all it took was the threat of an IRS fine.
Fen-Phen Lawyers Run Off With $126 Million of $200 Million Settlement
By 3.27.07
W. L. Carter knew there was something fishy going on when he went to his lawyers’ office a few years ago to pick up his settlement check for the heart damage he had sustained from taking the diet drug combination fen-phen.
"All-Parties" Release Absolves Home Depot, Manufacturer, and Contractor From Shoddy Door Installation
By 3.26.07
Another painful reminder that you should read what you sign before you sign it, and don’t let yourself be rushed.
The RIAA Wants To Interrogate Your 10 Year-Old
By 3.26.07
Tanya Andersen, a 42 year-old mother on disability accused of downloading “gangster rap”, doesn’t want the RIAA to interrogate her 10 year-old. The RIAA says the 10 year-old is a material witness. Tanya’s motion to the court argues:
“Emphasizing whether they can subject this young girl to distress, plaintiffs ignore whether they should. The should aspect of this evaluation is easy: Mrs. Andersen and her daughter should not be subjected to any more abuse in this litigation whatsoever.”
Tanya’s motion goes on to say that the plaintiffs know she is not the kazaa user who downloaded and shared music files, and that “a 5 minute Google search is all that was necessary to establish this and avoid the stress and damages to Ms. Andersen and her daughter.”—MEGHANN MARCO
Fake AT&T Workers Steal From Unsuspecting Customers
By 3.26.07
According to Lt. Thomas Stacho of the Cleveland Police Department, three men claiming to work for the phone company knocked on the door of an an elderly couple living in an apartment on Payne Avenue.
FTC Cracks Down on Monthly Maintenance Fees on Gift Cards
By 3.26.07
Retailers love gift cards. They get your money up front, so they can earn interest on your “deposit.” Cards bring customers into the store, where they often spend more than gift card value. Other consumers will forget they have the card, and the retailer keeps the money without selling anything. Nice margins!
Cingular, Sprint, And Qwest Block Access To Free Conference Call Services
By 3.26.07
Cingular blocked access to free conference call providers; Sprint and Qwest found Cingular’s chutzpah inspiring, and followed suit. At issue is a charge Iowa-based companies pass along to national carriers.
The 712 area code used by these services allow the local carriers to charge a number of subsidies to those carrying the incoming calls due to the location of the tiny, rural exchange. These fees are split between the local exchange and the “free” conference call company, which allows them to make a pretty penny. The fees for these calls made into 712 are higher than those charged by other exchanges, and AT&T/Cingular has in fact filed a lawsuit against these Iowa-based telcos for what Cingular claims are violation of a number of laws and FCC decisions.
Reader Mike asked Cingular to explain their action. Their response, inside…
FAFSA4caster To Help High School Juniors Predict Aid Package
By 3.26.07
The Department of Education has unveiled FAFSA4caster, an online tool to help high school juniors predict their eligibility for college aid. The tool was developed in response to the Commission on the Future of Higher Education’s calls for a faster, more streamlined college aid application process.
Beware The Vanishing Hybrid Tax Credit
By 3.24.07
Consumer Reports cautions that buyers of popular hybrid vehicles may soon be ineligible to claim the Alternative Motor Vehicle tax credit. The credit sunsets when a manufacturer sells more than 60,000 qualifying vehicles, a figure Toyota has already reached.
The credit has already begun to phase out for Toyota and Lexus hybrids purchased after September 30, 2006, and others will follow suit as they reach the sales volume target. The 2006 Prius’ tax break, for instance, dropped in half to $1,575 if it was purchased after that date, and it will split again to $788 between April and the end of September, 2007. After that, the Prius rebate disappears altogether.
The IRS provides a list of models certified for credit. Available only to those not subject to the alternative minimum tax, the credit can be worth up to $3,150 for vehicles purchased after 2005. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
Walmart's Ailing Recall System
By 3.24.07
Walmart watcher “Behind the Counter” has identified the weakness in the retailer’s notoriously ineffective recall system. [More]
100,000 "Slingrider" Baby Carriers Recalled
By 3.23.07
100,000 infant carriers made by Infantino are being recalled because a defective plastic piece can cause your baby to slide out and hit the ground.
Woman Buys $1,000 In Tainted Pet Food At Walmart
By 3.23.07
A woman said she was so worried about reports of tainted pet food she spent more than $1,000 buying all the product she could find at her local Wal-Mart. Margaret Trask said she filled a shopping cart full of canned pet food made by Canadian company Menu Foods at the Beaufort Wal-Mart after hearing about the recall Friday.
FCC Won't Legalize Cellphones In-Flight After All
By 3.22.07
Wave goodbye to your nightmares of hearing people jabbering on cellphones in flight!
