Current Events in September 2010

Cluley says the security company is seeing many of these messages, which he says are part of a clever clickjacking scheme. Clickjacking is a technique whereby hackers trick web users into revealing confidential information or take control of their computer when they click on seemingly harmless web pages.

If you click on the cheerleaders link it will take you to what appears to be a Facebook page. The page has text that declares the content you are about to access is "inappropriate for some users" as it "may contain shocking graphics, nudity or disrespect other individuals". The warning, which is designed to appear like an official Facebook message, asks you to confirm that you are 18 years old or older before you can proceed.

Setting the hook

Now that they have your attention, the scammers then ask you to press the numbers 1, 2 and 3 in a particular order to prove that you really are a human being. When you click on the buttons, however, you are being clickjacked.

You may think you are just pressing numbers in a particular sequence, but in fact your mouse clicks are invisibly confirming that you "Like" the "Cheerleaders gone wild" page, something that you may not want your friends and family to see, which gets communicated to other Facebook users via your newsfeed, Cluley writes in his blog.

It turns out you are also being clickjacked into liking pages called Funniest Videos On the Web" and "Free ringtones every day". But you may not realize this, Cluley says, unless you examine your profile carefully and check your list of "liked" pages.

Engrossed in the video

But you probably haven't noticed any of this, of course, because by now you are watching a YouTube video of a group of young cheerleaders up to antics which, quite frankly, I didn't find at all shocking and didn't involve any nudity. At least that was the case when I checked it out, Cluley said.

If you really wanted to see the video, you could have accessed it directly from YouTube. If you watched it through the bogus Facebook offering, you simply helped out a group of spammers who clickjacked you into helping pump up their page views. Cluley says if you were victimized, be sure to clean up your Facebook profile and remove references to the "Cheerleaders Gone Wild" and other pages.

You should always be wary of suspicious out-of-character posts made by your Facebook friends, Cluley said.

Identity thieves have launched a new scheme in recent weeks, allowing them to gain access to victims' accounts and order as much merchandise as they want. If the victims keep a credit card on file with Amazon, those illegal purchases can be billed to the victims.

The scam takes many forms but in one recent batch of spam emails, the subject line says "Verify Your New Email Address." Since most targets haven't changed their email address, naturally they are concerned enough to open and read the email.

The message directs the recipients to click on a link that takes them to what they believe to be a page on Amazon.com's site, but in reality is a page controlled by the scammers. They are directed to log in to their account and, if they do, the scammer records their user name and password.

Amazon.com is increasingly a popular vehicles for scammers and identity thieves because so many people all over the world have accounts. In another version of the scam, victims receive emails, made to look like they are from Amazon.com, with the subject line "Thank You For Your Order." It's objective is the same -- to steal your log in information.

"From time to time, you might receive e-mails that look like they come from Amazon.com, but they are, in fact, falsified," Amazon.com warns on its website. "Often these e-mails direct you to a Web site that looks similar to the Amazon.com Web site, where you might be asked to provide account information such as your e-mail address and password combination. Unfortunately, these false Web sites can steal your sensitive information; later, this information may be used to commit fraud."

The company says the schemes can not only steal account log-in information, but download dangerous virus and malware programs.

Dead giveaways

Amazon.com says it will never ask you for the following information in an e-mail communication:

• Your Social Security number or tax identification number

• Your credit card number, PIN number, or credit card security code (including "updates" to any of the above)

• Your mother's maiden name

• Your Amazon.com password

Amazon.com said it will not ask you to verify or confirm your Amazon.com account information by clicking on a link from an e-mail. It also said it does not send order confirmations or other unsolicited requests that require you to open attachments, nor do they permit their merchants to do so.

Also, be on the lookout for poor grammar or typographical errors. Some phishing e-mails are translated from other languages or are sent without being proofread, and as a result, contain bad grammar or typographical errors.

Take a closer look

Still not sure the email is from Amazon.com? Then check the return address.

While phishers often send forged e-mail to make it look like it came from Amazon.com, you can sometimes determine whether it's authentic by checking the return address. If the "from" line of the e-mail looks like "amazon-security@hotmail.com" or "amazon-fraud@msn.com," or contains the name of another Internet service provider, you can be sure it is a fraudulent e-mail.

Finally, check the Web site address. Genuine Amazon.com web sites are always hosted on the "amazon.com" domain--"http://www.amazon.com/" (or "https://www.amazon.com/.) Sometimes the link included in spoofed e-mails looks like a genuine Amazon.com address. You can check where it actually points to by hovering your mouse over the link -- the actual Web site where it points to will be shown in the status bar at the bottom of your browser window or as a pop-up.

"We never use a web address such as "http://security-amazon.com/" or an IP address followed by directories such as "http://123.456.789.123/amazon.com/," the company said.

Derrelle Janey was president of Your Money Access, LLC from 2003 to 2006. According to a 2007 complaint filed by the FTC and the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio and Vermont, the company processed unauthorized debits on behalf of deceptive telemarketers and Internet-based schemes that were violating the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule and state and federal consumer protection laws.

Banking system access

According to the complaint, the company played a critical role in helping many of its clients carry out these schemes by providing access to the banking system and the means to extract money from consumers' bank accounts. Between June 23, 2004, and March 31, 2006, Your Money Access processed more than $200 million in debits and attempted debits.

More than $69 million of the attempted debits were returned or rejected by consumers or their banks for various reasons, an indication that in many cases consumers had never authorized the charges. In many instances, the merchants either failed to deliver the promised products or services or sent consumers relatively worthless items.

Janey is a defendant in the complaint along with YMA, YMA Company, LLC, and Tarzenea Dixon, former CEO of YMA. He is the fourth and final defendant to reach a settlement with the FTC and attorneys general. Default judgments were previously reached against YMA and YMA Company. Dixon also reached a prior settlement.

Deceptive scheme

"These defendants were part of a scheme to deceive consumers and take their money," said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. "They processed charges that consumers often never authorized, and the products and services peddled by these telemarketers often turned out to be bogus."

YMA's clients -- telemarketers -- peddled government grant information, identity theft protection and prescription discount plans. Telemarketers placed cold calls offering consumers these products that were of questionable value and reliability, solicited their bank account information and passed on the information to the defendant to complete the debit. In many cases, consumers were not aware they had made a purchase until the charge showed up on their bank statement.

Under the settlement, Janey agreed never to participate in the processing of payments debited from consumer bank accounts or knowingly aid anyone who is violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The order imposed a $625,000 judgment against Janey, but due to his financial state he is required to pay only $15,000, which will go to the U.S. Treasury. The court suspended the remainder due to Janey's financial dire straits. The court can lift this suspension if it finds that Janey lied about his current financial situation.

In addition, 2009 saw the lowest fatality and injury rates ever recorded: 1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2009, versus 1.26 deaths for 2008.

Fatalities declined in all categories of vehicles including motorcycles, which saw fatalities fall by 850 from 2008, breaking an 11-year cycle of annual increases.

"At the Department of Transportation, we are laser-focused on our top priority: safety," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Today's announcement shows that America's roads are the safest they've ever been. But they must be safer. And we will not rest until they are."

The stats

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study based on 2006 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for those between the ages of three and 34.

In addition to the record-breaking drop in fatalities, the number of people injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2009 declined for a 10th straight year in a row -- falling an estimated 5.5 percent from 2008, according to NHTSA data.

Alcohol impaired driving fatalities declined by 7.4 percent in 2009 -- 10,839 compared with 11,711 reported in 2008. Overall, 33 states and Puerto Rico experienced a decline in the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2009 from 2008.

The numbers "reflect the tangible benefits of record seat belt use and strong anti-drunk driving enforcement campaigns," said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. "But we are still losing more than 30,000 lives a year on our highways, and about a third of these involve drunk driving. We will continue to work with our state partners to strictly enforce both seat belt use and anti-drunk driving laws across this nation, every day and every night."

From the data

Highlights of the latest Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and related NHTSA data include the following:

• 33,808 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2009, a 9.7 percent decline from 37,423 deaths reported in 2008, and the lowest number of deaths since 1950 (which had 33,186).

• An estimated 2.217 million people were injured in 2009, a 5.5 percent decline from 2.346 million in 2008.

• 30,797 fatal crashes occurred in 2009, down 9.9 percent from 34,172 in 2008. All crashes (fatal, injury and property damage only) were down by 5.3 percent in 2009 from a year ago.

• Forty-one states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico all had reductions in fatalities, led by Florida (with 422 fewer fatalities) and Texas (with 405 fewer fatalities).

Distracted Driving Summit

As part of the effort to reduce traffic fatalities, DOT Secretary LaHood is convening a National Distracted Driving Summit on Sept. 21 in Washington, D.C. The meeting is expected to bring together leading transportation officials, safety advocates, law enforcement, industry representatives, researchers and victims affected by distraction-related crashes to address challenges and identify opportunities for national anti-distracted driving efforts.

LaHood held a similar summit in the autumn of 2009 prompting a national conversation about texting and talking on cell phones while driving.

Publishers Clearing House, which operates sweepstakes promotions nationwide, has agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle deceptive marketing charges brought by 32 states and the District of Columbia. The company also agreed to alter its marketing materials.

The settlement modifies the terms of a prior, but similar judgment reached in 2001. After reviewing recent consumer complaints and PCH promotional materials, investigators determined that consumers could still be confused by the nature and language of some of the companys subsequent sweepstakes promotional mailings.

The company had been accused of suggesting that making purchases through Publishers Clearing House would improve the odds of winning a cash prize.

This company just doesnt get it, said Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell, So as often as we need to take legal action to protect our citizens, well do so.

In addition to Vermont, the states participating in the settlement include Oregon, Nevada, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Colorado, Florida, Alaska, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Arizona, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.

Stronger provisions

The new agreement contains stronger provisions to ensure that consumers are not further misled or confused by the companys sweepstakes promotions, including greatly increased consumer surveys to ensure that consumers understand that purchasing does not increase their chances of winning a sweepstakes prize.

I have been entering this contest for many months, Mary, of Albany, Ohio, said in one of more than 840 complaints to ConsumerAffairs.com last month. There's always a deadline for entering even though the contest does not end until Feb, 2012.It's just a scam to get you to buy.

This settlement will insure that Publishers Clearing House plays by the rules and does not exploit Oregonians, said Attorney General Kroger.

Under the terms of the settlement, Publishers Clearing House has agreed to:

• Change the language the company uses in its mailings that insinuated that the more consumers spend with Publishers Clearing House the more likely they are to win prizes;

• Not use some specific tactics, such as telling a recipient that his or her entry code has a key code for the winning entry;

• Cease using the tactic of sending a communication from the Board of Judges to indicate that the recipient is close to winning; and

• Hire an ombudsman to review the companys solicitations on a quarterly basis.

The settlement, terms of which were not disclosed, followed a stunning $131 million jury verdict for the plaintiffs -- the ninth largest verdict against a car manufacturer in U.S. history. The settlement, observers say, was likely an attempt by Ford to avoid an additional award of punitive damages, which could have increased the company's liability by tens of millions of additional dollars.

The suit was brought by the family of Brian Cole, a New York Met drafted in 1998. On March 31, 2001, Cole was en route from Mets training camp in Florida to his home in Mississippi when his Explorer rolled over, ejecting him from the car and killing him. His 17-year-old cousin Ryan walked away from the accident.

Tab Turner, the Cole family's attorney, said that Brian was wearing his seat belt, but that it malfunctioned when the car rolled over.

Long-running problem

The case was a fresh reminder of the Explorer's nearly decade-old travails. Beginning in 2000, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into the vehicle's unusually high incidence of fatalities -- over 100 people had died in accidents involving Explorers -- and was initially unsure whether the problem lay with the vehicles themselves or the Firestone tires with which they were equipped.

Firestone eventually got the lion's share of the blame; 3.85 million Firestone tires were recalled, and in 2002 NHTSA declined to open an investigation into the Explorer itself.

Since then, Ford and Firestone have faced hundreds of lawsuits resulting from accidents attributed to the Explorer's design and/or the tendency of the tread on certain Firestone models to separate.

Turner, who has specialized in Explorer rollover cases for ten years, said the jury "put zero percent of the fault on Brian Cole and 100 percent of the fault on Ford Motor Co. for a defective and unreasonably dangerous vehicle."

Ford denies liability

Despite the settlement, Ford remains adamant that the accident was a result of Cole's reckless driving, and continues to insist that he wasn't wearing his seat belt.

Ford spokeswoman Marcey Evans accused the court of denying Ford "a fair trial by excluding evidence that the jury should have heard and considered about Brian's driving and the speculative nature of plaintiffs' claims."

"Brian Cole had been driving over 80 mph when he drifted off road for unknown reasons, suddenly turned his steering wheel 295 degrees, lost control, and caused the vehicle to roll over more than three times," Evans said. "He was not wearing his safety belt and died after being ejected from the vehicle. His passenger, who was properly belted, walked away from the accident."

Earlier settlement

Interestingly, though, in January Ford settled another lawsuit alleging failure of an Explorer seatbelt during a crash. In that case, plaintiff Lynn Wheeler was riding in the center rear seat of an Explorer when the car was rear-ended, allegedly causing the latch to malfunction. The seat collapsed on top of Wheeler, who was thrown into the center console and paralyzed from the neck down.

Wheeler's attorneys said Ford knew the center rear lap belt was defective, but put off fixing it in the interest of saving money. That case, too, was settled after the jury handed down a verdict but before it decided on possible punitive damages.

In 21 head-to-head taste matchups, national brands won seven times, the store brand came out on top in three instances, and the remainder resulted in ties.

"The study reaffirms that store brands are worth a try," said Tod Marks, senior projects editor for CR. "For a family that spends $100 a week on groceries, the savings could add up to more than $1,500 a year."

Consumer Reports' price study evaluated five supermarket chains and compared store-and name-brand prices for 30 everyday items at five chains, collecting a total of 283 price quotes. The magazine found the average savings with store brands was 30 percent, but shoppers saved as much as 52 percent on some items.

Store-brand stigma

Although the savings are significant, some shoppers are still reluctant to try store-brand products, according to a Consumer Reports nationally-represented survey. The top reasons for those who don't buy store brands are: "I prefer name brands," "The name brand tastes better," and "I don't know if store brands are as high in quality." Respondents 18 to 39 years old were particularly likely to question the quality of store brands.

Still, 84 percent of Americans purchased store brands in the past year, and 93 percent of store-brand shoppers said they would keep buying as many store brands after the economy recovers. Nationwide, store brands accounted for almost one of four products sold in supermarkets and a record $55.5 billion in sales last year.

Consumer Reports found nutrition similar for most of the tested products, despite the perception among 17 percent of survey respondents who said that "name-brand foods are more nutritious." The most notable differences: Mott's applesauce has more sugar than Publix, Ore-Ida fries have more sodium than Jewel, and Kellogg's Froot Loops have 3 grams of fiber vs. 1 gram in Stop & Shop Fruit Swirls.

Exceptions

Shoppers are devoted to certain categories as well. Though they'll purchase store-brand paper goods and plastics, at least half of respondents rarely or never buy store-brand wine, pet food, soda, or soup. But CR's trained testers found that when it came to products like soup, the name brand didn't always reign:

• Chicken soup: Food Lion's (36 cents per serving) Lotsa' Noodles soup beat out Campbell's Chicken Noodle (41 cents per serving) for having a little more intense flavor. Campbell's had oily broth, with fatty pieces of chicken.

• Orange juice: Publix Premium won over Tropicana for having a bit less of a cooked flavor with slightly less bitter taste.

• Hot dogs: America's Choice (A&P, $2.64 per package) beef hot dogs trumped Oscar Mayer ($3.65 per package) for their juicy and flavorful franks.

Name brands trump

Name brands did win in seven of the categories, including mayonnaise, mozzarella cheese, and frozen French fries, but the majority of the matchups found that the store brand and name brand were of similar quality. A tie doesn't mean the taste was identical. Two products may be equally fresh and flavorful, with ingredients of similar quality, but taste dissimilar because the recipe or seasonings differ. Some products that tied include:

• Ketchup: Heinz ($2.76 per bottle) is spicier, while Target's Market Pantry ($1.174 per bottle) brand is more tomatoey.

• Peanut butter: Tasters detected more deeply roasted nuts in Skippy (19 cents per serving), while Albertsons (15 cents per serving) has a hint of molasses flavor.

• Potato chips: Both Lays (29 cents per serving) and Walmart's Great Value (15 cents per serving) have a nice balance of real potato flavor, fat, and saltiness.

Significant Savings

National brands are generally pricier than store brands, not so much because of what's in the package but because of the cost of developing the product and turning it into a household name.

There's no reason store brands shouldn't hold their own, according to CR, since some companies manufacture both, including Sara Lee, Reynolds, 4C, McCormick, Feit, Manischewitz, Joy Cone, Stonewall Kitchen, and Royal Oak. Plus, most grocers offer a money-back guarantee if their products can't meet the consumer's expectations. (National brands stand behind their products too, of course).

Despite the savings, the price advantage may be narrowing. In recent years, some national-brand makers have lowered prices and stepped up promotional activities.

Most belt-positioning boosters, though, don't offer consistently good fit in all vehicles. This is the bottom line in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) third round of booster evaluations.

Researchers assessed the safety belt fit of 72 boosters, assigning the best ones the top ratings of BEST BET or GOOD BET because they position belts correctly on average booster-age kids in most vehicles. The worst performers are ones the Institute doesn't recommend because they do a poor job of fitting belts. A good booster routes the lap belt across a child's upper thighs and positions the shoulder belt at midshoulder.

IIHS doesn't conduct vehicle crash tests to evaluate boosters because boosters don't do the restraining in a crash. It's the fit of the belt that's important.

"For the first time top-rated boosters outnumber ones the Institute doesn't recommend," says Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research. "Now more than ever manufacturers are paying attention to belt fit, and it's showing up in our ratings."

Twenty-one boosters are BEST BET models, and seven earn GOOD BET (see list below). Another eight aren't recommended at all. This represents a market shift. Last year only nine seats out of 60 the Institute evaluated earned BEST BET.

Even though poor performers make up a smaller percentage of boosters evaluated this year, 36 fall in the middle because they don't consistently fit belts well on most kids in most cars, minivans, and SUVs. Most of these are backless boosters with good lap belt scores but not good shoulder belt scores.

"Unlike the top performers, consumers can't assume boosters in the in-between group will work in every family vehicle. Some may be fine, but parents still need to try them out to see if the lap and shoulder belts fit their kids correctly," McCartt says. Obvious red flags are lap belts that ride up on the tummy and shoulder belts that either fall off the shoulder or rub against a child's neck. McCartt advises parents to keep looking until they find a booster that fits.

Institute engineers assess boosters using a crash test dummy representing an average-size six-year-old. They measure how three-point lap and shoulder belts fit the dummy in each of the boosters under four conditions spanning the range of belt configurations in a wide variety of vehicle types. A booster's overall rating is based on the range of scores for each measurement.

Why fit matters

No federal standard dictates how a booster should position belts. The government's dynamic tests of crash performance don't measure what boosters are meant to do, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) only ranks boosters by how easy they are to use. Manufacturers crash test boosters, but these simulations don't tell parents how boosters will fit kids in their cars. Every state and the District of Columbia has a child restraint law, but they differ when it comes to booster-age kids. In 27 states and DC, the laws cover kids until age eight, with exceptions for kids who are big for their ages.

The Institute in 2008 began evaluating boosters to help make selecting appropriate ones less of a guessing game. Since then some manufacturers have adopted the IIHS test protocol and booster seat fixture to help evaluate belt fit on the new boosters they're designing.

Britax Child Safety Inc. is one. The North Carolina-based company has one BEST BET (Britax Frontier 85) and one GOOD BET (Britax Parkway SG) this year.

Belts do the main job of keeping kids in boosters safe in crashes, but belts along with vehicle seats are designed for adults, not children, so it's important for boosters to lift kids into position for lap/shoulder belts to provide proper restraint. Children 4-8 who ride in boosters are 45 percent less likely to sustain injuries in crashes than children restrained by belts alone.

Wider variety of seats

New this year to the BEST BET ranks are seats by Chicco, Cybex, Graco, Harmony, and The First Years. These manufacturers join Britax, Clek, Combi, Dorel, Evenflo, and Recaro, which had BEST BET boosters in Institute evaluations last year and have models in the latest round.

"Parents looking for top-rated seats now have more choices that include several affordable picks," McCartt says. "Consumers don't have to spend much money on a booster to get good all-around belt fit. In fact, shoppers can find several BEST BET boosters for $50 or less through online retailers."

Forty-nine boosters are carryovers from the Institute's 2009 ratings because they still are in production. These include 7 BEST BET models, 5 GOOD BET boosters, and 6 that aren't recommended.

Harmony improves

It's clear that some manufacturers are taking the ratings to heart. Harmony Juvenile Products has five BEST BET boosters, more than any other manufacturer. One of them, the Harmony Secure Comfort Deluxe backless, wasn't recommended last year. The company modified it to eliminate the earlier problem with lap belt fit.

Dorel Juvenile Group has five seats that rate either BEST BET or GOOD BET, including the new Safety 1st Boost Air Protect. The firm sells seats under the names Cosco, Dorel, Eddie Bauer, Maxi-Cosi, Safeguard, and Safety 1st. Dorel also makes 4 boosters the Institute doesn't recommend, down from 7 in the prior round of evaluations.

What to do

What should parents do if a booster they already have isn't one the Institute recommends using? McCartt advises parents in this situation to take note of how the safety belts in their vehicle fit their child next time they're in the car.

"If the booster isn't doing a good job -- if the lap belt is up on your son or daughter's tummy or if the shoulder belt is falling off your child's shoulder -- then find a replacement booster seat as soon as practical, but you'll probably want to keep using the old one until then," McCartt says.

Booster evaluation results

BEST BETS

• Britax Frontier 85 (combination highback)

• Chicco Keyfit Strada (dual highback)

• Clek Oobr (dual highback)

• Cosco Juvenile Pronto (dual highback)

• Cybex Solution X-Fix (highback)

• Eddie Bauer Auto Booster (dual highback)

• Evenflo Big Kid Amp (backless)

• Evenflo Maestro (combination highback)

• Graco TurboBooster Crawford (dual highback)

• Harmony Baby Armor (dual highback)

• Harmony Dreamtime (dual backless)

• Harmony Dreamtime (dual highback)

• Harmony Secure Comfort Deluxe (backless)

• Harmony Youth Booster Seat (backless)

• Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR (dual highback)

• Recaro ProBOOSTER (highback)

• Recaro ProSPORT (combination highback)

• Recaro Vivo (highback)

• Recaro Young Sport (combination highback)

• Safety 1st Boost Air Protect (dual highback)

• The First Years Pathway B570 (highback)

GOOD BETS

• Britax Parkway SG (dual highback)

• Combi Kobuk Air Thru (dual backless)

• Combi Kobuk Air Thru (dual highback)

• Evenflo Symphony 65 (3-in-1 highback)

• Graco TurboBooster Sachi (dual highback)

• Graco TurboBooster Wander (dual highback)

• Maxi-Cosi Rodi (dual highback)

NOT RECOMMENDED

• Eddie Bauer Deluxe (combination highback)

• Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1 (highback)

• Evenflo Express (combination highback)

• Evenflo Generations 65 (combination highback)

• Evenflo Sightseer (highback)

• Harmony Baby Armor (dual backless)

• Safety 1st All-in-One (3-in-1 highback)

• Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite (3-in-1 highback)

By Jon Hood
ConsumerAffairs.com

September 8, 2010
Non-stick cookware might be easier to use than the polished pots and pans the professionals use, but its Teflon coating has long given consumers pause. The chemicals found in the coating have already been linked to cancer, birth defects, and behavioral problems.

Now a new study suggests that those chemicals may also raise children's cholesterol levels.

The study, being published in the September issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found that children with higher levels of certain chemicals in their bloodstream had higher levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol -- the kind you don't want.

The study specifically zeroed in on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), both of which are essential materials in non-stick cookware. The study, which examined over 12,000 children in the mid-Ohio river valley in 2005 and 2006, compared subjects with the highest PFOA levels to those with the lowest. The first groups' total cholesterol levels were 4.6 points higher, and their LDL levels were 3.8 points higher.

The study, authored by Stephanie Frisbee of the West Virginia University School of Medicine, noted that there is no definitive proof that the chemicals actually cause cholesterol levels to rise, but she called it a matter worth additional research.

Latest negative findings

The study is hardly the first to show potentially negative effects from PFOA. A suspected carcinogen, PFOA has been shown to cause liver cancer in rodents and rainbow trout, and has been linked to birth defects and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

PFOA and PFOS are also prevalent in humans' bloodstreams. An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study found that the substances are present in the bloodstreams of over 90 percent of Americans. In 2008, researchers found traces of the substances in human breast milk, with levels high enough to elicit a warning that milk should be considered as an additional source of PFCs [perfluorinated compounds] when determining a child's total exposure.

Those findings, while perhaps alarming, are not surprising in light of the fact that up to 70 percent of cookware in the U.S. has a non-stick coating. PFOA is also found in stain-resistant carpeting, microwave popcorn bags, and grease-resistant food containers like pizza boxes and french fry containers.

In 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a global stewardship program encouraging companies to voluntarily reduce PFOA levels by 95 percent by 2010 and to eliminate them completely by 2015.

A major class action lawsuit involving non-stick cookware was dismissed last year by a federal judge in Iowa. The judge ruled that the lawsuit, which alleged that housewares company DuPont knew for over 20 years that its non-stick cookware could make consumers sick, concerned individual issues that couldn't be properly tried as a class action.

Over the next 15 months, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators will team up with state and local partners to visit about 600 egg producers -- those with 50,000 or more laying hens -- to determine if their facilities are in compliance with an egg safety rule that went into effect in July.

Michael Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, says the rule sets safety standards designed to prevent outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis like the one that has led to the recall of more than 500 million eggs.

"We think that the industry's compliance with this rule will significantly reduce the risk of (Salmonella Enteritidis) infections and outbreaks in the future," Taylor said during a conference call with reporters.

New rules

Since the egg safety rule went into effect on July 9, FDA officials have been moving forward with plans aimed at ensuring the safety of the nation's egg supply. Now, facilities with 50,000 or more laying hens must implement controls to prevent contamination, including: refrigeration of eggs within 36 hours of laying, ensuring chicks are from uninfected flocks, and testing hen houses for Salmonella Enteriditis.

Under the rule, egg producers are legally responsible for implementing measures that will prevent egg contamination.

Taylor says the rule came too late to prevent the current outbreak, "but we think it is going to be a powerful tool for preventing outbreaks like this in the future."

Since Aug. 12 when the inspections first began, FDA investigators have observed and documented conditions at facilities operated by the two Iowa companies at the center of the egg recall -- Hillandale Farms of Iowa and Wright County Egg.

David Elder, FDA's director of regional operations, says inspectors found "significant objectionable" conditions at poultry houses, including live and dead flies that were "too numerous to count," live rodents, maggots, and structural damage that allowed animals to enter poultry houses. He says inspections over the next 15 months and beyond will ensure egg producers are meeting FDA standards under the new rule.

Examine your eggs

FDA officials are warning consumers not to use eggs from the lots that are being recalled. Here's what to look for when examining the eggs in your refrigerator:

• Plant numbers. The four-digit plant number can be found on the short side of the carton. The numbers are preceded by the letter P.

• Julian date. Eggs are packaged with the Julian date on the short side of the carton. It appears after the plant number. The Julian date tells what day of the year the eggs were packaged without the month, so Jan. 1 is 001, and Dec. 31 is 365, except in leap years.

Eggs affected by the recall were shipped between early April through mid-August to grocery distribution sites, retail grocery stores, food wholesalers, distribution centers, and food service companies nationwide.

Although the companies have identified dozens of brand names under which the eggs were sold, other brands are unknown. Some eggs were sold individually and repackaged under names that may not be on the companies' distribution lists.

If you have some of the recalled eggs or you're not sure who the producer was, throw them away or return them to the retailer for a refund.

The study also looked at foods sold in school stores, snack bars and other related sales that compete with USDA lunch program offerings and found that these pose the same health and diet risks in school-aged children.

"The foods that children are exposed to early on in life influence the pattern for their eating habits as adults," said lead study author Madhuri Kakarala, M.D., Ph.D., clinical lecturer of internal medicine at the U-M Medical School.

Previous studies assessing the nutritional value of school lunches and the impact they have on children's overall health have found similar results, but this study is the first to look specifically at competitive foods and beverages -- those sold at snack bars or vending machines, rather than through the USDA lunch program.

At the same time, the USDA lunch program may have problems of its own. A USDA study released last month found that children who eat school lunches that are part of the federal government's National School Lunch Program are more likely to become overweight.

In the U-M study, researchers analyzed data from 2,309 children in grades one through 12 from schools across the country. Interviewers administered questionnaires to obtain 24-hour food intake data on a given school day. Second-day food intake data was obtained from a group of students to account for day-to-day usual intakes.

Loaded with vending machines

Among those surveyed, 22 percent of school children consumed competitive or vended food items in a school day. Usage was highest in high school, where 88 percent of schools had vending machines, versus 52 percent of middle schools and 16 percent of elementary schools. Competitive food and beverage consumers had significantly higher sugar intakes and lower dietary fiber, vitamin B levels and iron intakes than non-consumers.

Soft drinks accounted for more than two-thirds of beverages offered in school vending machines and stores. Desserts and fried snacks were the most commonly consumed vended items among elementary school children and beverages other than milk and fruit juice were the most commonly consumed items among middle and high school students. Other frequently consumed vended foods included candy, snack chips, crackers, cookies, cakes and ice cream.

The results did not show a significant difference in students' consumption of these items based on family income or race and ethnicity.

Findings of this study appear in the September issue of the Journal of School Health.

Detrimental to children's diet

"Consumption of vended foods and beverages currently offered in U.S. schools is detrimental to children's diet quality," Kakarala said. "Childhood obesity, resulting from poor dietary choices, such as those found in this study, greatly increases the risk for many chronic diseases. A healthy school food environment can reduce these dietary risks."

Based on their findings, the study authors recommend school administrators design guidelines restricting vended and competitive foods and beverages to those that are rich with nutrients and not energy-dense. Additionally, school food service personnel can prepare point-of-service materials and displays to promote more healthful foods such as fresh fruit, yogurt, low-fat milk, juice and sandwiches.

"Targeted nutrition education to promote the importance of healthful snacks is further stressed by the Child Nutrition Act -- the major federal legislation that determines school food policy and resources," Kakarala said. "These and other types of school-enforced policies can be very helpful for children in making smarter eating choices throughout the school day."

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sued a California-based light bulb manufacturer and its principals to stop them from misleading consumers by exaggerating the light output and life expectancy of its LED bulbs.

The agency filed a complaint charging that since 2008, Lights of America, Inc. has overstated the light output and life expectancy of its LED bulbs on packages and in brochures. The agency also charges that Lights of America misled consumers about how the brightness of its LED bulbs compares to traditional incandescent lights.

Manufacturers have recently begun selling LED bulbs for household use because they are a higher-efficiency, longer-lasting alternative to incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs. Although the initial price tag may be higher, well-designed and manufactured LED bulbs save on energy costs and last much longer than other types of light bulbs.

Significantly less light

The FTC alleges that in many instances, Lights of Americas LED bulbs produced significantly less light, as measured in lumens, than the company claimed in its promotional materials.

For example, one bulb was promoted as producing 90 lumens of light output, but Lights of Americas own tests showed it produced only 43 lumens.

Also, in many cases, Lights of America deceptively compared the brightness of its LED light bulbs with incandescent bulbs, the FTC alleges. For example, the firm claimed that one of its LED lantern bulbs could replace a 40-watt incandescent bulb. However, while the typical 40-watt incandescent bulb produces about 400 lumens, the Lights of America LED bulb produced only 74 lumens.

Moreover, the FTC complaint states that in many instances, Lights of Americas LED bulbs would not last as long as the companys promotional materials said they would. In one case, for example, the firm said that one of its LED recessed bulbs would last 30,000 hours. Independent tests, however, showed that the bulb would not last as long as claimed because it lost 80 percent of its light output after only 1,000 hours.

In filing the complaint, the FTC is seeking a permanent injunction to stop the defendants allegedly illegal conduct, as well as monetary redress for consumers who bought the deceptively labeled products.

According to The New York Times, Amazon has only been able to persuade manufacturers to make easier-to-open packages for about 600 of the millions of products Amazon sells. Traditional retailers like products in large cases and multiple layers of plastic because its believed to deter theft. Amazon says someone ordering online shouldn't have to deal with the frustration required to get access to their purchase.

Amazon rolled out its campaign against 'wrap rage' two years ago as a growing number of consumers questioned why products have to come sealed in impenetrable plastic. Amazon responded by launching what it called "Frustration-Free Packaging," a new initiative designed to make it easier for customers to liberate products from their packages.

"I think we've all experienced the frustration that sometimes occurs when you try to get a new toy or electronics product out of its package," Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, said at the time. "It will take many years, but our vision is to offer our entire catalog of products in Frustration-Free Packaging."

Clamshells and wire ties

Amazon focused first on two kinds of items: those enclosed in hard plastic cases known as "clamshells" and those secured with plastic-coated wire ties, commonly used in toy packaging.

Frustration-Free Packaging got an early boost when 19 best-selling products from leading manufacturers including Fisher-Price, Mattel, Microsoft and electronics manufacturer Transcend, signed onto the program.

In addition to making packages easier to open, Amazon said a major goal of the Frustration-Free Packaging initiative is to be more environmentally friendly by using less packaging material.

But after initial interest, the program has been slow to catch on with other manufacturers. Now, Amazon says it plans to step up the pressure.

One way the company plans to do that is by harnessing the power of consumers. The retailer has begun collecting angry consumer feedback about impossible to open packages and delivering it directly to the manufacturers. Amazon points out that Frustration-Free products have -- on average -- a 73 percent reduction in negative feedback when consumers post product reviews on the site.

The New Jersey-based pet products company over the weekend voluntarily pulled one lot of its Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs off store shelves, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.

The recall is limited to the eight-ounce bags of the beef treats that have the lot code BZ0969101E and the UPC number of 32700-11519.

Hartz imported the treats from Brazilian supplier Bertin S.A. According to the FDA, Bertin tested the products before shipping them to the United States and did not detect any signs of the bacterium that can cause food poisoning.

Random sample testing by the FDA, however, uncovered the presence of salmonella in the dog treats, the federal agency said.

No ill effects

Hartz is "aggressively investigating the source of the problem," the FDA said. Although the company has not received any reports of illnesses -- in dogs or humans -- linked to the treats, it is pulling the products from all retail stores and distribution centers, the FDA said.

The agency warned that pet owners can become infected if they handle any salmonella-tainted products, especially if they don't wash their hands after touching them.

Salmonella cause serious infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems, the FDA said. Symptoms of salmonella infections in dogs and humans include fever, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea. People or dogs experiencing those symptoms should immediately seek medical attention, the FDA said.

The agency also warned that infected -- but otherwise healthy -- pets can spread salmonella to other animals or people.

Dog owners who have any of the recalled treats should immediately throw them away, the FDA said. For more information about this action or how to obtain a refund, pet owners can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414.

So far, it's one of the fastest-growing scams of 2010. The scammer has obtained the Social Security number or other sensitive information about the victim and claims the victim owes a debt of some kind. Better pay up immediately, they are told, or risk losing their jobs, getting arrested, or both.

Officials at FDIC, which has nothing to do with consumer debt in the first place, report getting numerous reports of suspicious telephone calls where the caller claims to represent the FDIC and is calling regarding the collection of an outstanding debt. Why the scammers choose the little known federal agency is not clear, though FDIC has crept into the public consciousness lately by handling a large number of bank closings over the last two years.

"The caller attempts to authenticate the claim by providing sensitive personal information, such as name, Social Security number, and date of birth, supposedly taken from the loan application," the agency said in a statement. "The recipient is then strongly urged to make a payment over the phone to 'avoid a lawsuit and possible arrest.' In some instances, the caller is said to sound aggressive and threatening."

Just hang up

These suspicious telephone calls, of course, are fraudulent. FDIC says recipients should consider them an attempt to steal money or collect personal identifying information. The FDIC said it generally does not initiate unsolicited telephone calls to consumers and is not involved with the collection of debts on behalf of operating lenders and financial institutions.

If a caller demonstrates that he or she has the recipient's sensitive personal information, such as Social Security number, date of birth, and bank account numbers, the recipient may be the victim of identity theft and should review his or her credit reports for signs of possible fraud.

The individual should also consider placing a "fraud alert" on his or her credit reports. This can be done by contacting one of the three consumer reporting companies listed below. Only one of the three companies needs to be contacted. That company is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of the report.

Contacting the credit reporting agencies

• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, California 92834-6790

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; ; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, Georgia 30374-0241

• Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); P.O. Box 9554, Allen, Texas 75013

Did you hear that Congress passed a law in July making it easier for you to pay your credit card company less than you owe?

Well forget it, because it never happened. It's just the latest misinformation and outright falsehoods swirling around the debt settlement industry that continues to do a banner business in a miserable economy.

At least two press releases posted online in the last two months, by the same individual, proclaim the good news that the Credit Card Debt Settlement Act of 2010 makes credit card debt settlement a much more viable alternative.

But what exactly is the Credit Card Debt Settlement Act of 2010?

There is no such law, Frank Dorman, spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission, told ConsumerAffairs.com.

What about the radio commercial that claims a provision of the new CARD Act, which took effect earlier this year and ends many abusive credit card company practices, gives you the right to settle your credit card debt?

Not in there, Dorman said.

Making up news

The inaccurate press releases are published on Atomic5 and i-Newswire by FreeDebtSettlementAdvice.com, where you are invited to enter your name, address, phone number and email to get free debt help. The Columbus, Ohio address listed on the news release does not exist.

What does exist is a recent crackdown on the credit card debt settlement industry by the FTC. It may be that action that some in the debt settlement business hope to misrepresent to the public.

Starting on October 27, 2010, for-profit companies that sell debt relief services over the telephone may no longer charge a fee before they settle or reduce a customers credit card or other unsecured debt.

Three other Telemarketing Sales Rule provisions to take effect on September 27, 2010, will:

• require debt relief companies to make specific disclosures to consumers;

• prohibit them from making misrepresentations;

• and extend the Telemarketing Sales Rule to cover calls consumers make to these firms in response to debt relief advertising.

The rule is not being made to make it easier for consumers to settle their credit card debt, but to make it harder for them to get ripped off by companies promising they can help.

This rule will stop companies who offer consumers false promises of reducing credit card debts by half or more in exchange for large, up-front fees, said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. Too many of these companies pick the last dollar out of consumers pockets and far from leaving them better off, push them deeper into debt, even bankruptcy.

In the meantime, consumers should take information from debt settlement advertisements and "news" releases with a large grain of salt.

With kids across America heading back-to-school, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Home Safety Council (HSC), a Pool Safely campaign partner, are releasing a snapshot on drowning incidents for the 2010 summer swimming season.

On average, more than 200 children younger than 15 drown in pools or spas between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This year, unfortunately, appears to have been no different.

The 2010 Pool Safely Summer Snapshot on Pool Safety in the United States indicates that at least 172 children younger than 15 have drowned since Memorial Day weekend, according to news reports collected nationwide. In addition, there have been more than 180 non-fatal incidents involving children in pools and spas, according to media accounts.

2010 Summer Snapshot

The more than 350 child drownings and non-fatal incidents since Memorial Day Weekend include:

• California 27 drownings; 15 non-fatal incidents;

• Florida 14 drownings; 19 non-fatal incidents;

• Arizona 9 drownings; 21 non-fatal incidents,

• Texas 12 drownings; 17 non-fatal incidents; and

• Ohio 10 drownings; 11 non-fatal incidents.

Staying safe

"Back to school does not mean the end of the swimming season. Many children in warm weather states have fun in the water all year," said Inez Tenenbaum, CPSC Chairman. "Far too many families have been impacted by child drownings this summer."

"Families with above or in-ground pools and spas must be vigilant about pool supervision, especially when there are children present," said Meri-K Appy, president of the non-profit Home Safety Council. "When a pool or spa is a part of your day-to-day life, it's easy to take for granted that your family members are following pool safety rules. Always have an adult actively watching whenever children are in or near the water."

In addition, Appy reminds families that the safest pools have four-sided fencing that blocks direct access from the home. Fences should have self-closing and self-latching gates.

Additional safety steps include pool alarms on doors leading from the home to the pool area, heavy-duty pool covers, as well as anti-entrapment safety drain covers.

According to Tenenbaum and Appy, being prepared means taking some steps such as having rescue equipment and a cordless phone poolside in case of emergency, and being trained means knowing how to do CPR and ensuring that children know how to swim.

This summer, the Pool Safely campaign released a series of public service announcements that remind the American public how to stay safe in and around pools and spas. The campaign also debuted a kids safety education program that includes an educational video and online activity to help parents teach children about danger spots in and around pools and spas.

McDonald's may have served billions of burgers, but according to a recent survey of 28,000 Consumer Reports'subscribers, they fall at the bottom of the list among fast-food restaurants. Among the standouts were In-N-Out Burger and Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

"In this case, the bigger-name burger wasn't better" said Tod Marks, Senior Project Editor for CR. "The Five Guys patty was more flavorful, juicy and meaty tasting."

The magazine recently polled 28,000 online subscribers and asked them to rate the burgers they had eaten on their last visit on a scale of 1 to 10 -- from least delicious burger ever eaten to most. Eighteen fast-food restaurants across the country were rated.

Although other popular fast-food chains such as Wendy's and Burger King fared better than McDonald's, they scored far worse than the highest-rated chains. Other fast-food frontrunners noted for their delicious burgers included Fuddruckers, Burgerville and Back Yard Burgers.

On-scene ratings

In addition to conducting the survey, Consumer Reports sent a reporter to make an informal comparison of the fare at Five Guys and McDonald's (he couldn't get his hands on an In-N-Out Burger).

Five Guys basic burger of two 3.3-ounce griddled patties on a lightly browned sesame seed bun was bigger and beefier came with a $5 price tag and offered 15 free toppings choices. McDonald's $1-burger -- a 3.5 ounce patty with pickle slices, bits of raw onion, and a dab of ketchup and mustard on a lightly browned bun -- tasted mild and more greasy than beefy with the major flavor coming from the toppings, in the opinion of the CR reporter.

Attitude

It isn't just the quality of the food that can have an effect on the consumer. Corrine of Spring Hill, FL, tells ConsumerAffairs.com of an interesting incident involving a local McDonald's.

"I waited in line in their lobby for about a minute and a-half and was very impressed with their speed of service. I placed my order and got it all in about thirty seconds. The crewmember was very polite and I didn't have any complaints what-so-ever. I was shocked, I thought I would offer some compliments, and I asked the crewmember if I could speak to a manager." Then, she says, things started to go downhill.

"The manager comes up to me and says, 'What?' -- but with the tone as if I were a piece of scum. I told her that her employee was polite and that I was very impressed with the store and the manager said, 'Yep and I suppose you want something for free, don't you?' "

The result, says Corrine, "I bypass this McDonald's now because several times after this happened, I will come in and hear the manager say, 'Here comes that *****' or she'll say something snide."

As the warm summer sun fades into the cooler days of fall, lawns and their caretakers -- that's you -- will face the chore of getting ready for winter and, not too long after that, preparing for spring.

In much of the country, lawn care is almost a year-round task, which puts a strain not only on the homeowner but also the lawn mowers and other tools essential to maintaining a healthy and attractive lawn.

Here are a few tips and suggestions to help keep everything -- your back included -- in working order.

Walk-behind mowers

Storage

The most important step in insuring the longevity of your walk-behind mower is to store it in a dry place. Bori Kim, an employee of Park Oaks Mower Service in Thousand Oaks, CA, insists, 9 out 10 complaints I receive are from moisture build up within the carburetor or gasoline tank. High moisture levels will plug up the mower, requiring a trip to the shop to get things running again. In order to save an unnecessary repair bill, Bori suggests a simple fix -- store the mower and gas in a dry area and there shouldnt be any problems.

Blades

Albert Garcia, an employee of Home Depot in Camarillo, CA, offers a few tips for the maintenance of your walk-behind mowers blades. He suggests using a broom to brush down the blades after use in order to minimize rust build up as well as wear and tear. Albert also recommends periodically checking the mower blade and bolts for any abnormalities.

If the mower looks asymmetrical or unbalanced, its a good idea to take it in for either a sharpening or even a repair if necessary.

Air filter

The air filter in your lawn mower should be serviced regularly. Saedi, an employee of the Do-It Center in Agoura Hills, CA, recommends that, with casual usage, cleaning the air filter every three months is necessary for keeping the mower engine running properly. Another tip: cleaning the mower body after use can reduce the intake of debris into the air filter.

Engine oil

Park Oaks Mower Service advises draining and replacing the engine oil every three months. An easy way to time this is at the beginning of each season, or at the same time you service your air filter.

Spark plugs

Spark plugs should be replaced after every 100 or so hours of operation, according to Bori Kim. Ask your local lawn mower service center for help with your particular model or consult the instructions that came with it if you are unsure how to do this.

Wheel size

Changing the wheels on your particular brand of mower may not be an option, but Albert explains that he receives less complaints regarding mowers with bigger wheels, which keep the mower body higher off the ground and farther from debris.

Fuel type

Make sure you are using the correct type of fuel if you have a gas-powered lawn mower. Do not put two-cycle gas into a four-cycle engine for example, or the gas may ruin the spark plug.

Maintenance kits

Home Depot sells a range of maintenance kits that include air filters and spark plugs, enabling lawn mower owners to do virtually all the general upkeep required to keep their mower running in top shape for years to come. Albert suggests a lawn mower repair kit to all his customers.

Recommendation

Park Oaks Mower Services recommends the Honda line. The mowers are well-designed, reliable, and user-friendly. Furthermore, Bori insists he sees the least amount of Honda mowers in for repair.

General Tips for Buyers

Fall is a good time to buy a new mower because most stores are moving them out to make way for winter merchandise. But, whatever the time of year, its important to consider a few extra factors that may affect longevity before buying a new lawn mower.

Degree of usage

In terms of scale, a walk-behind lawn mower can, according to Park Oaks Mower Services, comfortably service around an acre of land. If you have a 2 or 3-acre parcel, it may be a better choice to purchase a ride-on mower, otherwise it could be physically taxing to both you and your mower.

Remote starters

Remotely started mowers are becoming increasingly popular, but the added complexity means more difficult repairs. Albert Garcia praises the novelty of the new technology, but insists, remote starters are still relatively new, and it may be a safer bet to stick with pull or button starts until they work out all the kinks.

Electric vs. Gas Powered

This is a matter of both personal choice and, if using a corded electric, property layout. Gas powered mowers are more powerful and portable, but significantly louder to use and more expensive to maintain, Saedi explains. He believes that electric mowers may be more appropriate for a residential user with easy access to an electrical outlet, while gas is reserved for larger or commercial-scale mowing.

Environmental considerations

The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a new emission control program that will effect lawn mowers and weed-whackers. This new law will come into effect next year, potentially impacting the brand lines.

Protection plan

If you are in a particularly wet or humid area, purchasing a protection plan on your mower may be a good way to ensure your lawn stays groomed for years to come. Home Depot offers a plan on all of its lawn mower product lines.

Weed whackers

As a general guideline, the same rules apply to maintaining your weed-whacker as your mower, minus blade maintenance. One quick tip: Albert Garcia recommends making sure you are aware of how to rewind the line before you purchase a new weed-whacker.

Ride-On Mowers

For users who have opted for a ride-on mower, Cal Coast Machinerys sales representative John JT Tarascio offers a few pointers:

Preventive maintenance

JT affirms the best way to make your ride-on mower last is to follow the maintenance guidelines. From his experiences, the number one cause of failures is from poor oil and air filter maintenance. He suggests checking the air filter and fluid levels more rather than less to insure the best possible performance out of your machine.

Parts

Cal Coast Machinery deals with John Deere tractors and mowers, and JT recommends only using the companys parts on John Deere mowers. His mantra regarding repairs is quality over the cheapest stuff out there.

Fuel

Using the recommended fuel grade will keep you mower running as smoothly as possible.

Grease

The idlers on the mower deck are greasable, explains JT. Keeping those bearings well greased is an important step for giving your mower a longer life span. Any sealed bearings on the mower do not need to be greased, and should have a ten or more year lifespan.

Keeping the deck level

Ensuring an even cut is essential for any lawn mower. In order to maintain an even level for the mower deck, manual adjustments will occasionally be required. JT explains, the deck should remain level as long as you dont hit anything significant, like a curb for example. If you do need to change the mower deck level, there are (on the John Deere models) threaded rods on each side which allow for easy adjustment.

Recommendation

JT recommends John Deeres X series. The X series is a commercial/residential line that is geared slightly more towards the commercial end. It features thicker steel and a more solid front axel than the LA (formerly L) line, as well as the Kawasaki engine. This added comfort and convenience starts at around $4,000 compared to the LA lines $2400, but JT thinks the price is well worth it.

These tips should help keep your mower running in top shape for years to come, meaning your lawn will be looking its best no matter what Nature throws its way.

But be forewarned -- not everyone shares JT's high evaluation of John Deere equipment.

"We bought our first (and last) Deere 4 years ago. We mow once a week during the summer and have logged 175 hours on the 1700 machine. The transmission is shot. Upon internet investigation, this seems to be a common and costly problem. What a disappointment," said Bob of St. Charles, Mo., one of more than 300 John Deere owners who've submitted complaints to ConsumerAffairs.com.

Nearly every other brand gets the same -- or worse -- treatment, though Honda comes out better than most.