Let’s be honest: Most of us gave up on the idea of new year’s resolutions a long time ago, and few people who make resolutions stick to them. However, that didn’t stop the folks at Taco Bell from rolling out a list of “commitments” for the future of the fast food chain. [More]
Quality & Safety
Taco Bell Says It’s Ditching Extra-Large Sodas, Will Cut Down On Preservatives “Where Possible”
By 1.5.17
I Reported A Gas Leak To My Utility Company; They Took My Meter Away
By 1.4.17
Winter is no longer coming; it’s arrived and it’s quite cold in many parts of the country, including Philadelphia, where Norma, her husband, and their two small kids — as well as the family pets — currently don’t have heat. Not because they didn’t pay their bills, or because they are masochists, but because they reported a possible gas leak to their local utility company. [More]
9Lives, EverPet, Special Kitty Canned Cat Food Recalled For Low Thiamine Levels
By 1.4.17
When you buy commercially-prepared food for your cat, it’s because you trust a company that sells pet food to make meals that are nutritious for our feline friends. Some canned cat food from the brands 9Lives, EverPet, and Special Kitty fell short, being deficient in a vitamin that’s essential to cats, and have been recalled. [More]
Lawsuit Claims Drunk Lyft Driver Caused Serious Car Crash
By 1.3.17
Having someone else drive when you’ve had a few too many alcoholic beverages is always important — but what if the person you hire to drive you is the one who’s drunk? Two Lyft passengers in California say their trip ended with a terrifying crash because their driver was intoxicated. [More]
Video Of Dresser Falling On Toddler A Reminder To Always Secure Furniture
By 1.3.17
Each year, dozens of American children die after an un-secured piece of furniture falls on them. You’d like to think it won’t happen to you, but video captured by one family in Utah shows just how important it is to secure topple-prone dressers and other items to prevent them from creating a potentially deadly situation.
[More]
United Airlines Investigating How Baggage Handler Became Locked In Cargo Hold For 90-Minute Flight
By 1.3.17
Emergency crews met a United Airlines flight from Charlotte immediately after it landed at D.C.’s Dulles International Airport over the weekend when it was discovered that a baggage handler had become locked inside the cargo hold. [More]
Another Year That Shouldn’t Have Been: 64 Times Companies & Employees Embarrassed Themselves In 2016
By 12.30.16
Just like last year (and, honestly, every year), 2016 was rife with stories about companies and their employees treating customers badly, going too far with bad jokes on social media, and then issuing semi-apologies while making claims about “taking it seriously,” or sometimes “very seriously.” [More]
Honda Recalls 650K Minivans Over Concerns About Second-Row Seats
By 12.29.16
If you’re ever in a car crash, you don’t want your seat sliding around in its tracks. Which is why Honda is recalling nearly 650,000 minivans with second-row seats that can come unlocked and move around after a collision. [More]
Parents Of Child Killed By Distracted Driver Sue Apple For Not Blocking FaceTime While Driving
By 12.29.16
On Christmas Eve 2014, a driver distracted by using FaceTime on his iPhone crashed into another vehicle on I-35 in Texas, killing the 5-year-old girl in the back seat. The child’s parents and her older sister — all also injured in the collision — are now suing Apple, alleging that the company was negligent in not deploying safeguards that would restrict the use of FaceTime while driving. [More]
Hatchimals, This Holiday’s Hot Toy, Leaves Many Parents Disappointed
By 12.28.16
If you have a child of a certain age — or you just keep up with the latest trends — then you’ve probably heard of Hatchimals. The interactive toy was amongst the hottest, in-demand products this holiday season. But for some who were able to score the coveted plaything it left a lot to be desired. [More]
Samsung Galaxy S7 Owners Say Camera Glass Shatters Unexpectedly
By 12.28.16
When you purchase a brand-new smartphone you don’t expect to wake up days later to a broken camera lens. Yet, that’s exactly what Consumerist reader Sean says happened to his new Samsung Galaxy S7, and he’s apparently not alone, as Samsung’s own forums are filled with similar stories. [More]
Uber Passenger: Driver Stranded Her Halfway Through 150-Mile Trip Home From Hospital
By 12.28.16
An Arizona woman says she was left stranded at a gas station in the desert on Christmas when her Uber driver decided he didn’t want to continue the second half of the 150-mile trip. [More]
Malls Try To Impose Order, Prevent More Christmas Break Brawls
By 12.28.16
On Dec. 26 at malls across the country, what appears to be a very loosely coordinated series of brawls and mass hysteria broke out in malls, mostly beginning in the food courts and spiraling outward. Mall operators would really prefer if this didn’t happen again for the rest of the holiday season. Or ever. [More]
More Snacks And Desserts Recalled Due To Potentially-Contaminated Milk Powder
By 12.27.16 — Updated: 1.10.17
Whenever you want to think about how complicated our food supply chains are, just look at all of the items that end up recalled across the country when one basic ingredient is potentially contaminated and recalled. Milk powder from one dairy co-op in Virginia has caused product recalls at stores ranging from Aldi to Williams-Sonoma. [More]
Braking Failures In Older Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan Vehicles Under Investigation
By 12.27.16
When driving in certain weather situations — like a snowstorm or when it’s raining — it’s important to leave enough room between you and other vehicles to lessen the chance of an accident. But that space may not be enough when it comes to nearly 475,000 Ford and Mercury vehicles now under investigation for brake failure. [More]
To Quell Safety Concerns, American Airlines Execs Try On Controversial Flight Attendant Uniforms
By 12.27.16
In a move that screams, “See? These uniforms are totally safe!” several American Airlines executives have started wearing the new wool outfits that have led to thousands of complaints from flight attendants who say the clothing is giving them hives and rashes. [More]
Following Richard Marx Heroics, Airline Eases Restrictions On Using Tasers On Unruly Passengers
By 12.27.16
A week after singer Richard Marx criticized Korean Air crew members as being “ill-equipped” to deal with unruly passengers after he helped subdue a fellow traveler on a flight from Vietnam to South Korea, the carrier says it will better train employees and allow them to use stun guns to manage in-flight disturbances. [More]
