Remember Thomas Bender? He was the Wendy’s employee in West Virginia who garnished a police officer’s sandwich with a ball of pubic hair earlier this year. He’s just been sentenced to 6 months in prison and 2 years probation.
Quality & Safety
Woman Sprayed With Pesticide Can't Get List Of Chemicals Because They're A Trade Secret
By 6.2.09
A North Carolina woman out walking her dog last month was sprayed in the face with a gypsy moth pesticide, and subsequently developed “a severe rash and other flu-like symptoms, breathing complications, and nausea for several days.” Unfortunately, her doctor can’t treat her properly because the company that makes the spray won’t tell him what’s in it.
TGI Friday's Learns That Serving Decomposed Snake Heads Is Bad For Business
By 6.1.09
Back at the beginning of May, Consumerist broke the story of a man who discovered a decomposing snake head in his side order of broccoli at TGI Friday’s. We even had charming pictures. The next week, Albany, NY-area news media reported that the snake wasn’t steamed with the broccoli, but the restaurant and police still don’t know who the herp perp could be. What they do know is that the notoriety from the snake incident has hurt business.
Congressional Heavyweights Unveil Food Safety Measure
By 5.31.09
The Food and Drug Administration might actually be able to protect us from dangerous food if Congress passes a bill recently circulated by six powerful members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The draft legislation would finally empower the FDA to quarantine suspect foods and slap violators with both civil fines and criminal charges.
Recall Roundup
By 5.29.09
Umbrellas, toy beach chairs, swingsets, and mysteriously collapsing benches. What do they have in common? All of them have been recalled for various reasons in the last month.
By 5.29.09
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Nord Stepping Down As CPSC Chair. Nancy Nord, the acting chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, will step down from that position on June 1, handing the lame duck throne to fellow commissioner Thomas Moore. Nord plans to remain a commissioner until her term ends in 2012. Moore will remain acting chair until the Senate confirms a new commissioner to that seat. Confirmation hearings for Inez Moore Tenenbaum, President Obama’s pick for that role, have not yet been scheduled. [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Food Advertising Reality Check: Pizza And Burger Edition
By 5.27.09
This doesn’t quite qualify as “unacceptable food.” More like “food that doesn’t look quite like depicted in the ads.” We bring disappointing photographs of a frozen pizza from fancy-pants grocer Whole Foods, and a humble cheeseburger from Jack in the Box.
Samsung Recalling Some Jitterbug Cell Phones; Potential Failure To Connect To 911
By 5.26.09
Samsung and the CPSC are recalling some “Jitterbug” cell phones because the pay-as-you-go phones, which come with a “Live Nurse” option and are marketed to older Americans, might not be able to reach 911 when in a no-service area.
Airline Mechanics Who Can't Read English Are The Guys Reading The Manuals On How To Fix Your Plane
By 5.26.09
Other than drunken pilots, excessive baggage charges, lengthy delays, terrible customer service, and pathetic, expensive food, why wouldn’t you choose to travel by air? Well, how about airplane mechanics who don’t understand enough English to follow basic repair instructions?
Drunk American Airlines Pilot Arrested Before Transatlantic Flight
By 5.23.09
London police arrested an American Airlines pilot twenty minutes before he was scheduled to fly 204 passengers from London to Chicago. 57-year-old Captain Joseph Crites was four-times over the legal alcohol limit and reeking of booze when he tried to enter his Boeing 777’s cockpit.
Will CVS Ever Pull Expired Medicine, Baby Formula From Their Shelves?
By 5.23.09
CVS stores across the nation regularly stock expired medicine, milk, and baby formula, according to a damning union report. This isn’t the first time CVS has been caught stocking dangerous goods. Last year, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo threatened a suit after his office caught the pharmacy selling goods over a year past their expiration dates. CVS claims that, despite investing over $160 million in a “perpetual inventory management” system, it’s nearly impossible to keep expired items off the shelf because they simply have too much stuff.
The FDA Isn't Yet Sure How To Make Our Food Safer But Lots Of Cash Might Help
By 5.23.09
The FDA is set to receive $3.2 billion next year but they don’t yet have a plan to make our food any safer. That doesn’t sit well with Congressional appropriator Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who at a recent hearing told Acting FDA Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein: “A lot sounds to me like buzzwords from a past administration.”
The Extra Fiber In Quaker Natural Granola: Chunks Of Wood
By 5.23.09
James’ seven-year-old daughter was happily noshing on her Quaker Natural Granola when she came across this chunk of wood. Quaker was quick to send James a coupon so he could buy more woody granola from Costco, but then offered a refund when reminded that the bulk warehouse doesn’t accept manufacturer’s coupons.
Consumerist And Consumer Reports Will Crap All Over Your Holiday Weekend
By 5.22.09
It’s Memorial Day weekend, the weather is looking nice, and people are leaving work early to hit the pool, fire up the grill, play golf, or enjoy our national pastime. We’re doing none of those things, so we thought we’d ruin it for everyone else.
By 5.21.09
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Ground Beef Recall The USDA says Valley Meats LLC, of Coal Valley, Ill., is recalling approximately 95,898 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli. You can check out the labels here (PDF) and the recall notice here. [USDA]
HP Calls About Pants Burnin' Laptop
By 5.21.09
HP called Consumerist about our inquiry about Jillian’s sparking and flaming HP dv2845se laptop adapter that she says burned a hole in her pants and caused a welt on her leg. Jillian had also alleged that HP customer service, regular and escalated, was both unresponsive and rude. HP told us….
Use Free Trade To Promote Food Safety
By 5.20.09
National Journal has an interesting article about the intersection of free trade and globalization with increased food safety abroad and at home. Rather than reject shipments of Chinese fish for being raised in disgusting environments, the US should require trading partners to set and enforce their own strict food safety standards and use globalization as a way to promote better standards worldwide, instead of a race to the bottom.
