Skechers USA, Inc. has agreed to pay at least $40 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit over false claims about the health benefits of its Shape Up shoes. The settlement will be the largest ever in FTC history and follows a similar $25 million ruling against Reebok last September over its similarly rockered Toning shoes. Skechers has said that its shoes provide a passive muscle toning effect for wearers—claims that are not supported by legitimate research. "Skechers put it... Read More
Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol officials on Tuesday rescued an Arabian show horse named William three miles off the coast of California after he became spooked and ran into the ocean during a beach-side photo shoot. Ryan Kelly, a Harbor Patrol officer, led a search team that found William's head poking out of the water among sea birds. "It was a real needle-in-a-haystack kind of find,” Kelly said. Rescuers reined William in with a boat hook and slipped a harness under his saddle to keep him... Read More
Cyclist Roberto Ferrari took the 11th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday, notching his first Grand Tour win only days after a controversial crash with British rider Mark Cavendish. Ferrari gained unwelcome attention on stage three when an aggressive move sent Cavendish to the ground, prompting calls for Ferrari to be removed from the race. He was later relegated to last place after a race jury found him responsible for the accident. On Wednesday, he took a narrow spring win on the 158-mil... Read More
A hiker was hospitalized after being attacked and stung by 300 bees outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday. Albert Watson, 69, was hiking on Lone Mountain when a colony of bees swarmed without warning. Watson ran up the mountain, hoping that the wind might disperse them. Eventually the attack abated and Watson was able to locate other hikers, who called for help. A helicopter airlifted Watson to the nearest hospital. Experts say the bees in the Lone Mountain area are Africanized honey bees, a... Read More
Hawaii is preparing to become the country's first state to ban plastic bags at retail stores. Honolulu County passed an ordinance last week that will outlaw both non-biodegradable plastic bags and paper bags that are less than 40 percent recycled beginning in July 2015. Kauai and Maui already have bans in effect, and a ban in Hawaii County will begin in January 2013.
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