While you might think that an especially boozy cocktail sounds like a fun idea, it could actually prove very dangerous if you aren’t aware your gin is almost twice as strong as it’s meant to be. In an effort to prevent from happening, Canadian regulators are recalling a Bombay Sapphire Gin that contains 77% alcohol by volume instead of the stated 40%. [More]
Quality & Safety
Canada Recalling Bombay Sapphire Gin That Contains Dangerous Amount Of Alcohol
By 5.4.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
FTC: No Evidence That Herbal Products Alleviate Opiate Withdrawal
By 5.4.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Given the pain, nausea, intestinal distress, craving, and other unpleasantness involved in opiate withdrawal, it’s understandable that people might be tempted to put their faith in an herbal supplement that promises to alleviate these problems. However, the Federal Trade Commission says the marketers of one such product had no science to back up their claims. [More]
Family Of Child Killed In Waterslide Incident To Receive $20M
By 5.4.17
Nine months after a 10-year-old boy died on the “world’s largest waterslide” at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, the youngster’s family has reached a nearly $20 million settlement with the company. [More]
400,000 Handheld Massagers Recalled After 15 Users Report Being Burned
By 5.2.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
A bit of heat usually feels nice when getting a massage; burns and shocks from exposed electrical wires, not so much. Just ask the 15 people (so far) who have complained about being burned by HoMedics hand massagers. [More]
Antique Shaving Brushes Could Come With Free Vintage Anthrax
By 5.2.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
We know you can’t wait to rush home from the flea market to bust out that newly acquired antique shaving brush, and put it to use getting rid of your wintry fur. But before you lather up with your historically accurate brush, be aware that there’s a chance it may be carrying some era-appropriate anthrax. [More]
After Deadly Fire, Government Warns Against Using LayZ Board Hoverboards
By 5.2.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Two months after a charging “hoverboard” scooter sparked a tragic fire in Pennsylvania that claimed the lives of two young girls, federal safety regulators are warning consumers to stop using LayZ Board hoverboards. [More]
Why Is Subaru Telling Me To Keep People Out Of The Passenger Seat For The Next Year?
By 5.1.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
For the better part of two years, carmakers have been notifying owners of vehicle included in the massive shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags recall. Given the sheer volume of and airbags involved, it’s understandable that not all repairs can be done right away, but some drivers are finding out that they may not only have to wait a year for the fix, they shouldn’t have anyone else in the front seat with them during that time. [More]
82,000 Osprey Baby Carriers Recalled After Reports Of Children Falling Through Leg Holes
By 4.28.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Strapping on a baby carrier and toting around your child can make things a lot easier for a busy parent or caregiver. But before you hit the hiking trail, you might want to make sure your carrier isn’t one of the Osprey backpacks being recalled following reports of children falling out. [More]
Toyota Recalls 228,000 Trucks Over Concerns About Loss Of Control
By 4.27.17
Toyota is recalling 228,000 late model Toyota trucks over concerns that a leak may cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. [More]
New Home Depot Data Leak Exposes Gap In Consumer Privacy Protection
By 4.27.17 — Updated: 4.28.17
Recently, Consumerist received an anonymous tip pointing to an internet address that hosted digital images of bathtubs, garage doors, kitchen countertops, contractors at work on various projects, and customers picking out and paying for products in a home-center store. The site also hosted 13 Excel spreadsheets of customer records, including the full names, phone numbers, mailing addresses and email addresses of approximately 8,000 people, as well as other information chronicling the apparent installation complaints of each customer. [More]
Southwest CEO Says Airline Will Stop Overbooking Flights
By 4.27.17
Overbooking is a common practice in the airline industry, where carriers generally prefer the possibility of paying out vouchers or refunds to bumped passengers over leaving the ground with empty seats that could have been filled. But after a recent United Airlines incident pushed overbooking into the spotlight, airlines are rethinking the practice. United and Delta have raised their maximum payouts to bumped passengers, and this morning Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said his airline will soon stop overbooking. [More]
Wegmans Hash Browns Also Recalled For Possible Golf Ball Bits
By 4.27.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Golf balls and potatoes are both round, dimpled, and typically found on the ground. That’s about all they have in common, though, so the recall of hash browns produced by McCain Foods and sold under supermarkets’ private labels that may contain diced golf balls is still an interesting agricultural mystery. Now another retailer, northeastern chain Wegmans, has recalled its store brand hash browns. [More]
FDA Warns 14 Companies For Selling Unproven Cancer ‘Cures’
By 4.26.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Treating cancer can be a painful, drawn-out process, and there’s no guarantee of a cure. Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill that can get rid of cancer, or prevent it from occurring in the first place. That hasn’t stopped a number of companies from making unproven promises about products they claim will remedy everything from AIDS to diabetes.
[More]
UPDATED: Consumer Reports Restores Some Points To Tesla Ratings After Return Of Automatic Braking
By 4.26.17 — Updated: 5.23.17
UPDATE: Now that Tesla has remotely activated the automatic emergency braking feature on newer Model S and X vehicles, Consumer Reports has restored some of the points it had taken away after the disappearance of AEB. However, the two Tesla models are not getting all the points back since this AEB currently only works at speeds of up to 28 mph, a significantly lower limit than what Tesla had previously offered. For instance, the AEB in earlier iterations of the Model S functioned at speeds of up to 90 mph. [More]
FDA Issues New Warning On Giving Kids Codeine Or Tramadol
By 4.25.17
The Food and Drug Administration warned that cough and pain medications containing codeine or tramadol should not be given to children after reports that the drugs caused life-threatening breathing problems. [More]
LuLaRoe Offering Refunds To Everyone Who Bought ‘Defective’ Leggings Since Jan. 2016
By 4.25.17
In the wake of a lawsuit claiming that its products are defective and it won’t give refunds, multi-level clothing retailer LuLaRoe has announced a massive refund program for customers who are dissatisfied with their new clothes. [More]
7 Things We Learned From New ‘Frontline’ About State Of The Seafood Industry
By 4.25.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
While a growing number of Americans are paying close attention to traditional livestock — demanding more organic meat, cage-free eggs, and grass-fed beef — not as much attention has been paid to the massive global market for seafood, and the ethical, financial, and environmental impact it has. [More]
Hyundai Will Review TV Ad Featuring Profoundly Irresponsible Driver
By 4.25.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Hyundai has decided to give some additional thought to a new ad for the Sonata where the driver gleefully tests the car’s semi-autonomous safety features by behaving like a reckless buffoon. [More]
