There is a profound difference between spooky-scary and scary-scary, a lesson that Home Depot is currently learning the hard way after offering a Peeping Tom Halloween decoration that hits way too close to home for some. [More]
do not want
How Much Does The Cable Industry Hate Two FCC Proposals? $22M And Counting
By 6.13.16
The FCC has been surprisingly busy over the last couple of years, taking lots of action on phone, TV, and internet issues that plague consumers. And while their many proposals have definite fans out there in the world… the big cable companies we all love to hate are decidedly not among them. [More]
Amazon Won’t Say If Employee Added Unrequested Dildo To Customer’s Cart
By 1.6.16
In the world of customer service, there are usually a few, easily predictable responses from companies that we encounter: either an issue gets resolved to the satisfaction of the customer, whether quickly or with a bit of effort, or it doesn’t. But one Amazon customer found himself in wholly unfamiliar territory after providing negative feedback, when, he claims, an employee of the e-commerce giant put an unrequested 10-inch dildo in his shopping basket. [More]
Florida Officials Warning Swimmers Of Flesh-Eating Bacteria Responsible For 2 Deaths This Year
By 6.15.15
Beach season is a welcome time of the year for swimmers and sunbathers, but along with the warm weather comes warm water, and a potential health hazard: Florida health officials are issuing their yearly warning to swimmers (and diners) about the dangers of a flesh-eating bacteria that’s caused two deaths already this year. [More]
Cardinals Fans Would Rather Not Eat Cotton Candy That’s Been On The Bathroom Floor
By 9.19.14
Perhaps officials at Busch Stadium in St. Louis need to look into not only a place for a lady to hang her purse in the bathroom stall (if they don’t already have hooks), but some kind of appropriate resting place for food vendors to set down their wares when nature calls. Because seeing bags of cotton candy on a dirty bathroom floor with some toilet paper is just… well, it’s seeing food on the floor of a public restroom. It’s gross. [More]
Gulf Coast Health Officials Warning Swimmers After Flesh-Eating Bacteria Kills 10, Hospitalizes 32
By 7.30.14
It’s not only brain-eating amoebas swimmers in warm waters have to worry about: Health officials in Florida are warning swimmers in the Gulf Coast about a flesh-eating bacteria in that ocean that so far has killed 10 people and hospitalized 32. [More]
We’re Filing Creepy Clown Motel Under “Things That That Should Stay In Nightmares”
By 6.17.14
If the richest person in the world walked up to me right now (Scrooge McDuck, he’s still in the lead, right?) and offered me my very own pool of money to swim in on the one condition that I stay at the Clown Motel overnight, well, my moneyswimming suit would stay firmly in its wrappings. Because if there’s one thing capable of turning even the most grown-up grown-up into a puddle of quivering, horrified mush, it’s clowns and the dark*. [More]
Brain-Eating Amoeba Found In Louisiana Drinking Water Supply
By 9.13.13
Yet another reason to avoid getting fresh water up your nose — even if you aren’t at a water park: Louisiana health officials have confirmed that tests conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that a local parish has brain-eating amoebae in its drinking water. [More]
A Rodent In Sheep’s Clothing? China Cracks Down On Crime Ring Selling Rat As Mutton
By 5.3.13
We thought our European brethren had it bad with the horsemeat brouhaha, but over in China, the meat scandal bar has been raised: Police have made 904 arrests as part of a crackdown on a crime ring that was allegedly selling rats and other small mammals as mutton. Cue intense shudder. [More]
File New Trend Of Blood Facial Under “Terrifying Things Humans Do To Stay Young”
By 3.13.13
It seems like celebrities can convince their fans that basically anything is cool these days. To wit: a terrifying sounding beauty treatment called a “blood facial,” which involves taking blood from elsewhere in your body, separating out platelets and having them injected into your face. We’ll pass this time and just deal with getting old. [CBS Miami] [More]
Toaster Bacon & 3 Other Failed Food Ideas You Couldn’t Pay Us To Try
By 2.26.13
Normally when anyone mentions the word bacon, our ears and tummies perk up like it’s meat Christmas. But cooking bacon in a toaster with some kind of foil and absorbent pad situation? No thank you, not for a kazillion dollars. Throughout food history there have inevitably been food flops, and Reddi-Bacon is just one of those destined to go down as a bona fide grody idea. [More]
So You’ve Managed To Escape The Flu, Congrats! Here’s A Norovirus Fresh From Australia
By 1.24.13
The flu? That is so last week (although probably it’s still actually very this week)! The new illness set to sweep the nation is fresh off the boat and/or plane from Australia, and it sounds like a nasty bit of work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today that a new strain of the vomiting disease norovirus has landed on our shores and is making its awful way through the nation. [More]
KFC Franchise Exec On Rotten Chicken Allegations: We Had Some Expired Meat But I'm Not Saying We Cooked It
By 9.12.12
Back in April we reported on a lawsuit brought by a KFC manager in Oregon alleging that he was fired by a franchisee for refusing to serve rotten chicken, and instead throwing it out past its expiration date. In another case involving former employees crying foul fowl, Texas health officials found no evidence that chicken past its “kill date” was served to customers, even if the franchise’s owner says such expired meat has been on the premises. [More]
Kotex Was Totally Going To Get Around To Destroying Tainted Tampons But Someone Stole Them First
By 9.5.12
Kotex’s parent company Kimberly-Clark is totally willing to own up when one of its products is less than perfect. That’s why the company said it had intended to destroy a batch of tainted Kotex Natural Balance Tampons, which could contain unhealthy levels of bacteria and “metallic particles” that aren’t so good for you. But some odd villian thwarted that plan by swiping the tainted tampons and selling them to the public despite their unworthiness. [More]
When Have You Made The Mistake Of Buying Something Just Because It’s Popular?
By 6.12.12
As readers of Consumerist, we’re sure many of you are fairly rigorous when researching a purchase — checking out reviews and ratings, asking your pals, and getting the general idea of what you’re buying before you spend money on it. But no one is perfect, and sometimes a blind buy can lead to a pretty hilarious result. [More]
You Might Have To Pay Taxes On That Canceled Credit Card Debt
By 3.6.12
That credit card debt you had was canceled or forgiven — yay! But you might have to pay the Internal Revenue Service taxes on it anyway, so — boo. You’ll find out you owe money when a 1099-C tax form comes in the mail from your lender, and probably not before then. [More]
I Don't Want This Random Government-Subsidized Cell Phone
By 6.3.10
There are programs that provide government-subsidized cell phones to low-income people. This is all very useful and lovely…unless you’re Laurin, who is stuck with a subsidized phone that no one in her household ordered, and the company doesn’t seem to want back. [More]
