Uber has already been accused of using a software tool dubbed “Greyball” to avoid sidestep law enforcement officers in cities where the service wasn’t yet authorized to operate. A new investigation has concluded that Greyball was also being used in at least one city to evade detection by more than a dozen local government officials. [More]
oregon
What To Do When Your Car Has Been Coated In Hagfish Slime
By 7.14.17
The Pacific hagfish is also known as the slime eel, even though it is not, in fact, an eel. These ancient and mysterious creatures were recently spilled across a highway in Oregon in a multi-car crash, creating a traffic hazard and multiple slime-coated vehicles. What should you do in such a situation, and where was someone going with a truck full of slime-emitting sea creatures? [More]
If Coolest Doesn’t Fulfill Pledges, Backers Get $20 Each And No Frozen Margaritas
By 6.29.17
Earlier this week, the company behind the hottest semi-failed Kickstarter campaign of 2014, the Coolest, announced that it has settled with the attorney general in its home state of Oregon. Now the details of that settlement are out, and we’ve learned that the worst-case scenario is that backers will each receive $20 if the company fails to deliver. [More]
Coolest Has To Ship 20,000 Rewards To Kickstarter Backers By 2020
By 6.27.17
The Coolest was the hottest Kickstarter campaign of 2014, but a substantial number of people who paid at least $165 plus shipping for the party device still don’t have their coolers. Now a case filed against the company by Oregon’s Department of Justice has been resolved, and the company has three more years to ship out remaining backer rewards. [More]
Congratulations, Oregon: You Can Now Harvest Some Roadkill For Food
By 6.22.17
Get the shovel ready and the recipe cards out, Oregonians, because your state has just made it legal to for you to salvage roadkill and eat it. [More]
Vineyards Now Pairing Wine And Weed With New Marijuana Crops
By 5.25.17
What pairs nicely with a fine Oregon Pinot Noir? I have no idea, but now that recreational marijuana is legal in that state — and will soon be in neighboring California, as well — vineyard owners are taking advantage of the burgeoning market by adding pot plants to their fields. [More]
Communities Push For Investigation Into Comcast’s ‘Broadcast TV’ & ‘Regional Sports’ Fees
By 4.20.17
Comcast is already being sued over its “Broadcast TV” and “Regional Sports” surcharges, with customers alleging that the cable company uses these fees to illegally raise rates. Now, several local regulators are calling on their state attorney general to investigate Comcast over these dubious add-on charges. [More]
Oregon Lawmakers Trying To Prevent Marijuana Shops From Selling Customer Info
By 4.11.17 — Updated: 4.12.17
If you live in a state with legalized recreational marijuana and take advantage of your right to shop at your local pot shop, that retailer might know things about you that you’d rather keep private. That’s why Oregon may soon make it against the law for marijuana retailers to collect or sell their customers’ information. [More]
Governors Ask Attorney General To Leave Their Legal Marijuana Alone
By 4.4.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
While federal lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are pushing for legislation to reform marijuana laws, the executive branch of the government has given every indication of a coming crackdown on recreational marijuana, even in states where it’s now legal. The governors of the first four states to legalize pot are now asking the White House to respect their states’ voters and not return weed to the dark ages. [More]
The Beer Industry Is Taking A Hit Because Of Legal Marijuana
By 12.6.16
When it comes time to kick back on the couch and get your buzz on, a new study says consumers in states with legal marijuana may be reaching for the bong instead of a beer. [More]
3 Things To Know About Running A Multi-State Legal Marijuana Business
By 11.10.16
This week brought legalized recreational marijuana to a number of new states, including California and Nevada. With non-medical adult use of pot already legal in Washington and Oregon, this creates a geographically contiguous bloc of four states where marijuana and THC-infused products could be sold. Any enterprising pot entrepreneur would drool over the idea of being able to produce, ship, and sell to all of these people but creating a legal, multi-state weed empire is not easy. [More]
5-Hour Energy Loses One Deceptive Advertising Case; Wins Another
By 10.10.16
More than two years ago, the attorneys general for Washington and Oregon each filed separate (but very similar) deceptive advertising claims against the makers of the popular 5-Hour Energy drinks, alleging that the ads misled consumers into believing that doctors recommend the product, and that the combination of ingredients provides some sort of benefit that is superior to just drinking coffee. In the last few days, judges in both those cases came to very different decisions. [More]
Oregon Department Of Justice Announces Investigation Of Coolest
By 9.30.16
Back in 2014, the Coolest was a Kickstarter hit that drew even more backers as it appeared on national TV. It crushed records as well as crushing ice in its built-in blender. Yet over two years later, all of the original backers still don’t have their coolers, even as the Coolest is available in brick-and-mortar retail stores and on Amazon. Now the Oregon Department of Justice is investigating the company behind the Coolest, which is based in Portland. [More]
6 Necessary Steps When Oregon Pot Sellers Pay Taxes With Cash
By 4.20.16
As we’ve discussed in the past, even in states where recreational marijuana is now legal, businesses are still figuring out how the heck to handle their financial obligations like banking and paying taxes, as the drug remains a Schedule I controlled substance in the eyes of the federal government. Oregon has now figured out a safe way for weed dealers to pay the taxes they owe the state, and the process sounds like something out of a movie. [More]
Home Depot Customer Sues For $250K Over $28 Late Fee
By 10.19.15
Earlier this year, Home Depot charged an Oregon customer a $28 late fee for allegedly missing a payment on his store line of credit. The subsequent dispute over that fee resulted in more fees, a 100-point drop in the customer’s credit score and now a $250,000 lawsuit against the retailer. [More]
Comcast Tests Program That Proactively Calls Customers To Fix Problems
By 10.13.15
At times it can be difficult to schedule a service call with a cable/phone/internet provider when you notice an issue. So, it’s no wonder Consumerist reader Jack was suspicious of a voicemail he received last week from a someone claiming to be a Comcast employee notifying him that the company had detected poor signals reaching his equipment and offering to send a tech to investigate the issue. [More]
Marijuana Sales Legal In Oregon Today, But Not Available Statewide
By 10.1.15
As of this morning, Oregon became the latest state to allow the legal sale of marijuana for recreational use. But some shoppers in the state will have to go pretty far out of their way to do their pot purchasing. [More]
Comcast Customers In Oregon Get To Experience Hopefully Improved Customer Service
By 9.21.15
A year ago this week, following a disastrous few months of very public customer service humiliations, Comcast promoted Charlie Herrin to be the Vice President, Making Company Look Less Awful (Note: This may not be his official title). The company subsequently promised that customer service “will be our best product,” resulting in more than a few snickers from Comcast subscribers. Now it’s time to see if these leadership changes and vague boasts are going to get results. [More]
