Government Policy

Pottery Barn to Target: You Stole Our Stockings

By 12.19.06
    “Williams-Sonoma, which operates Pottery Barn and other chains, claims in a federal lawsuit filed last week that a quilted Christmas stocking sold at Target stores contains “every distinctive element of Pottery Barn Christmas stockings,” right down to the snowflakes and blue sky.

Williams-Sonoma isn’t the first to sue Target over copyright infringement. “Lucky Brand Dungarees, which sells $100-plus jeans worn by the likes of Salma Hayek and Sandra Bullock, filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York, accusing Target of copying its distinctive floral design jeans and its rear-pocket stitching.” It seems like Target is taking their knock-off aesthetic a bit too far. They’d better get back to partnering with designers and stay away from ripping them off, lest lawsuits drive up prices.—MEGHANN MARCO

Sabotage! AT&T Claims Time-Warner is Cutting Their Cables

Sabotage! AT&T Claims Time-Warner is Cutting Their Cables

By 12.19.06

“AT&T filed a lawsuit Dec. 8 in a district court in Bexar County, Texas, against Time Warner Cable’s San Antonio division, alleging that the cable operator engaged in “a methodical invasion of facilities owned, operated and controlled by AT&T Texas” while installing voice service at apartments and other multiple-dwelling units in and around the city. In its lawsuit against Time Warner Cable in San Antonio, AT&T alleges that: “Cable technicians trespassed on AT&T facilities and cut or disconnected wires in network interface devices.”

FCC Keeps Cellular Outage Reports Secret

By consumerist.com 12.19.06

Wouldn’t it be nice to definitively know which cellphone network had the fewest outages?

Eli Lilly Promoted Drug For Unapproved Use

Eli Lilly Promoted Drug For Unapproved Use

By consumerist.com 12.18.06

Drugmaker Eli Lilly pushed physicians to prescribe Zyprexa, a drug for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, to patients having neither condition, NYT reports.

Don’t Forget To Declare Bribes On Your Taxes

Don’t Forget To Declare Bribes On Your Taxes

By consumerist.com 12.15.06

When filling out the “other income” section on your taxes this year, there’s a few things you might forget to declare. Like your income from selling drugs. AllFinancialMatters spotted this while cruising the this years IRS FAQ.

Why Are There Taxes On Frequent Flyer Miles?

Why Are There Taxes On Frequent Flyer Miles?

By consumerist.com 12.14.06

Why are “free” frequent flyer miles taxed, asks Katie.

Dangerous Amounts of Lead Found in Capitol Hill Gift Shop Trinkets

By 12.13.06

If you thought visiting Washington could be bad for your health, you’re right. Seven products, including bracelets, pendants and a souvenir spoon, were removed from the shelves of four gift shops in response to preliminary lead test results requested by Sen.Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.

FTC Wags Finger At Word-Of-Mouth Marketing

FTC Wags Finger At Word-Of-Mouth Marketing

By consumerist.com 12.13.06

Companies using so-called “word of mouth marketing” must disclose who’s paying the shill’s bills, the FTC said Monday.

Man Sues Dell And Wins… By Serving Court Papers To The Mall Kiosk

Man Sues Dell And Wins… By Serving Court Papers To The Mall Kiosk

By Ben Popken 12.13.06

A NJ man successfully sued Dell in small claims court using a unique approach. He had the court papers delivered to a Dell kiosk in the local mall. [More]

Florida Sues AOL And Wins

By consumerist.com 12.12.06

The Florida Attorney General successfully sued America Online for their abusive customer billing practices. The State’s Attorney office received over 1,000 consumer complaints about cancellation requests being ignored, erroneous charges and unauthorized account reactivations.

Air Rifles Recalled: You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out

Air Rifles Recalled: You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out

By 12.8.06

Just in time for Christmas, there’s a recall on air rifles. Not on a Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time, of course…

HP to Pay $14.5 Million in Deal on Spying Case

By 12.8.06

The attorney general alleges that company officials passed on information to private investigators — who in turn passed it to other private investigators — that allowed the personal phone records of several board members and journalists to be viewed. The investigators used a form of subterfuge, called pretexting, to obtain the private phone records by pretending to be someone else.

Get Ready For Tax Time With 3 Folders

Get Ready For Tax Time With 3 Folders

By consumerist.com 12.7.06

AllFinancialMatters has a suggestion for preparing for taxtime year round, something easy and low-energy you can do on a regular basis. Get three folders and label them Income, Expense, and Credits. File records accordingly. Ding!

Man Sues Verizons And Wins

By consumerist.com 12.6.06

A customer successfully sued Verizon after they double-billed him, ruined his credit, lied about not receiving his letters, and refused to fix their mistake.

IRS Axes Displaying Loan Pitches Alongside Tax Refunds

By consumerist.com 12.6.06

The IRS will no longer include pitches for high interest refund loans alongside its e-tax filing service.

Men in Walmart Smocks Steal $300,000 in Cash

By 12.4.06
    “Police are hunting for some big time thieves this morning in Philadelphia. Two armed men robbed a Northeast Philadelphia Wal-Mart Sunday morning. It happened shortly after 2 a.m. at the store on Roosevelt Boulevard. The suspects were wearing Walmart smocks. They made their way into the store, forced a manager into a safe and duct taped another employee before fleeing with about $300,000 in cash. No one was injured.”

Driver’s License Data Stolen in PA

Driver’s License Data Stolen in PA

By 12.1.06

If you’re one of 11,000 people from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, you might be at risk of ID theft after a driver’s license facility computer was stolen Tuesday. The computer contained photos, addresses and in about half the cases SSNs. The thieves also stole equipment for making driver’s licenses. Whoops. —MEGHANN MARCO

Kraft: Fake Guacamole Lawsuit

By 11.30.06

If Kraft could make peanut butter with no peanuts in it, you can bet they would. The LA TImes is reporting that a California woman is suing Kraft because their “Guacamole” doesn’t have enough avocado.

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