Current Events in January 2011

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the nation's leading advocate for Internet access by blind Americans, today announced an agreement with Travelocity, one of the largest and most popular online travel agencies, to make travelocity.com more accessible to the blind.  

Under today's agreement, Travelocity agrees to make its home page and each initial Web page used on the site accessible by July 1, 2011. This includes searching for flights, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages, and more.

Travelocity says the pages needed to complete the bookings will become accessible to the blind soon after July 1 and plans to have the entire site fully accessible by March 30, 2012.  

"The Internet is a critical means of access to business, education, information, and entertainment in the twenty-first century, and the blind must have equal access if we are to be equal participants in society.  By making its popular online travel agency fully accessible to the blind, Travelocity is setting an example that should be followed by the entire online travel industry,” said Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the NFB.

Maurer said the NFB is pleased to have reached this agreement with Travelocity, and that they will continue to work until the blind have equal access to the full range of products and services available to the public through the Internet and other information technologies.

Nejib Ben-Khedher, CEO of Travelocity, said the company is committed to providing their customers the best service possible, so making the site accessible to everyone, including the blind is “of critical importance.”

“We thank the National Federation of the Blind for their assistance and look forward to continuing to work together to ensure that rapid progress is made in making the Travelocity Web site usable by everyone," said Ben-Khedher.

This development could mean some new job opportunities at travelocity.com.

According to the agreement, the site plans to hire an "accessibility coordinator" and an "accessibility committee" as it begins work on creating a program to enhance usability for blind customers.

Additionally, they said they will continue to work with officials of the National Federation of the Blind to ensure that their services remain accessible to the blind.

Travelocity will submit its Web site to the NFB Nonvisual Accessibility (NFB-NVA) Web Certification program, a rigorous procedure by which Web sites and applications that have made efforts to be accessible to the blind can be identified and recognized.  

The NFB-NVA Web Certification program continuously monitors participating sites to ensure that they remain compliant with certification criteria.  

If a site remains accessible, its certification is renewed on an annual or a version basis.  If accessibility issues arise, the National Federation of the Blind will work with the site developers to remedy them.

There are many reasons a job seeker should learn a foreign language. It immediately makes you more attractive to those industries that rely on bilingual capabilities as well as opening up employment possibilities in another country. Now there’s an even greater reason. There is a growing need world-wide for linguists and interpreters.

The multinational interpreting and translation company, Thebigword.com, plans to create up to 3,000 more jobs for linguists this year to meet a growing need.

In a press release, the translation company said governments use interpreters to save lives in healthcare, deliver justice, and police borders, among other vital services, so quality can’t be compromised.

The company’s expansion within the Interpreting industry is currently running at 20 percent per month in the U.S.  It is in part driven by American businesses limiting the effects of the recession by selling goods and services on a global market, and government organizations looking to work with companies that can help them lower costs without compromising service.

Worldwide, thebigword’s interpreting business, which provides interpreting from one language to another either face-to-face or over the telephone, is expected to grow by 150 percent during 2011. The fastest growing areas of business are in U.S. and the UK where increasingly cosmopolitan populations are driving the need for regional and national Governments to communicate in a range of languages.

As the number of non-English speakers seeking healthcare in the United States continues to grow, so does the need for medical interpreters who can serve as a liaison between patients and their doctors. The demand for medical interpreters increased even more when new standards went into effect this year requiring healthcare organizations to provide an interpreter to patients who speak limited English.

Federal laws have been on the books for years requiring medical institutions to provide interpreters to non-native speakers, but there has been little enforcement of the provisions until recently. Now the Joint Commission, which accredits and certifies more than 18,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States, has established new standards effective this year requiring hospitals to provide language interpreting and translation services.

Medical interpreters

The new provisions have further fueled the demand for medical interpreters, which were already in short supply. Even before the new standards were introduced, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted jobs for interpreters and translators would grow by 22 percent over the next decade, faster than the average for all other occupations.

Meanwhile a nationwide survey of 4,700 doctors, conducted by the nonprofit Center for Studying Health System Change, found that only 55.8 percent of practices with non-English speaking patients provide interpreting services, and 40 percent offer patient-education materials in languages other than English.

Medicaid currently reimburses the medical provider for the services of an interpreter. Depending on the state, a medical interpreter can make $25 to $50 an hour. In the private sector, they can command upwards of $100 an hour.

U.S. News and World Report named Interpreter as one of its top 50 careers for 2011. From pharmaceutical inserts and instruction manuals to textbook, translators are needed to rework documents in English or other languages. At courthouses around the country and conferences throughout the world, interpreters help people of different tongues communicate. While both interpreters and translators convert one language into another, interpreters work with the spoken word and translators the written word.

But U.S. News says that choosing this occupation means learning more than a foreign language. You also must thoroughly understand the subject you're communicating about. You'll relay not only words, but complicated concepts and ideas, as well as the cultural subtleties that accompany them.

Although prospects vary by language and topical specialty, employment of interpreters and translators is projected to increase 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Labor Department. Demand is being driven by an increasingly global economy, as well as an increasingly large population of non-English speakers in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a proposed rule to update the nutrition standards for meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

The new proposed meal requirements will raise standards for the first time in fifteen years and will make "critical changes" to school meals and help improve the health and nutrition of nearly 32 million kids that participate in school meal programs every school day.

"The United States is facing an obesity epidemic and the crisis of poor diets threatens the future of our children and our nation," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "With many children consuming as many as half their daily calories at school, strengthening nutritional standards is an important step in the Obama administration's effort to combat childhood obesity and improve the health and well-being of all our kids."

More nutritious

The proposed changes to school meal standards, which would add more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat milk to school meals, are based on recommendations released in October 2009 by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine (IOM) and presented in the report, School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children. Schools would also be required to limit the levels of saturated fat, sodium, calories, and trans fats in meals. A comparison of the proposed nutrition standards can be viewed here.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act gives schools and communities new tools to meet the challenge of providing more nutritious food including increasing school lunch reimbursements by six cents per meal, and increasing technical assistance.

Margo G. Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says the new standards "represent an enormous improvement over the status quo." In a statement on the CSPI Website, Wootan says "capping calories, limiting french fries, and reducing salt will all help America’s school children avoid unnecessary weight gain and diet-related diseases." And, she says, "Requiring school lunches to provide more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables will teach kids healthy eating habits that may last a lifetime."

Partnership

School meal programs are a partnership between USDA, State agencies and local schools, and USDA says it will work with schools and communities to help improve meals so that they are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

"Raising a healthier generation of kids will require hard work and commitment of a host of partners," said Vilsack. "We understand that these improved meal standards may present challenges for some school districts, but the new law provides important new resources, technical assistance and flexibility to help schools raise the bar for our kids."

According to government data, almost 32 percent of children 6 to 19 years of age are overweight or obese; the number of obese children in this age range has trebled in the last few decades. These children are more likely to have risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes.

Some 55 percent of Consumer Reports readers say they were likely to include saving more money on their list of New Year’s resolutions.

To help them do just that, the experts at Consumer Reports Money Adviser’s (CRMA) January issue offer the following tips:

Watch out for extra surcharges on rental cars

If you have a lead foot or aren’t careful about feeding parking meters, you might find unexpected surcharges on your next rental-car bill. Advantage, Avis, Budget, and Hertz bill rental-car customers’ credit cards a $30 administrative fee for violations including parking tickets, toll transgressions, and no-nos picked up by traffic cameras like running a red light.

Check if your product repair is free

Before you toss a broken item or call a local repair shop, contact the manufacturer. The item could be covered by a recall, technical service bulletin, or goodwill policy (which means a company decides to voluntarily help a customer). This could make you eligible for a free fix, replacement, or a discount on a part or new product.

When it comes time to call a repairman, weigh the pros and cons of using a manufacturer-authorized shop -- the shop might charge more than other places. If you purchased the item with a credit card, see if it automatically extends the manufacturer’s warranty.

Consider energy use when buying a TV

If you’re thinking of getting a new TV in the next couple of months, you might want to wait a bit. By law, all TVs manufactured after May 10, 2011, will have to display the familiar black and yellow Energy Guide labels found on refrigerators, air conditioners, and other appliances.

The labels will give shoppers an estimate of how much energy the TV uses and how it compares with sets of similar screen size, so you can factor electricity-bill savings into your price comparison. By July, websites that sell TVs will have to display the labels too.

Online travel deal bargains might be buried

Major travel sites sometimes make it difficult to find the lowest prices. If you search for a car rental on Expedia, for example, the initial sorting tool won’t allow you to see all the lowest-priced rentals first. You have to decide if you want to get quotes from the site’s “preferred vendors” or get them from other companies as well.

When you reach the second booking page, you can sort the list by the “car view price” to see all the offers. When CRMA searched Expedia for cars on several dates in 10 cities, the best deals were omitted from the initial listings most of the time.

Travel bundles can cost more

When you book a flight online you’re asked whether you’d like to add a hotel room or rental car for a package discount. But those deals aren’t always bargains. Take the time to price each component. Also check out DealBase.com, which does the math and lists good and bad bundled deals.

The assumption is that, if consumers have access to calorie and nutrition information on fast food menus, it will change their consumption habits. In the Seattle area, researchers say it hasn't. At least not yet.

As part of a comprehensive effort to stem the rise in obesity, King county, Washington,  which includes Seattle and environs, imposed a mandatory menu labeling regulation on all restaurant chains with 15 or more locations beginning in January 2009. Restaurants had to disclose calorie information at the point of purchase.

Researchers from Duke-National University of Singapore(NUS) Graduate Medical School and the public health department of Seattle & King County found, in the 13 months after the legislation went into effect, food-purchasing behavior at the Taco Time locations in King County was identical to that in Taco Time locations where menu boards remained unchanged.

The total number of sales and average calories per transaction were unaffected by the menu labeling.

Surprised by results

"Given the results of prior studies, we had expected the results to be small, but we were surprised that we could not detect even the slightest hint of changes in purchasing behavior as a result of the legislation," said lead author Eric Finkelstein, Ph.D., associate professor of health services at Duke-NUS. "The results suggest that mandatory menu labeling, unless combined with other interventions, may be unlikely to significantly influence the obesity epidemic."

Several other metropolitan areas have adopted similar calorie-posting requirements, including New York City. Eighty-two percent of those surveyed in New York City after its calorie-labeling rule went into effect said seeing calories on menus affected their choices, but no research has been published on the subject.

National guidelines coming

As part of health care reform, the federal government has plans for a nationwide launch of mandatory nutrition information at the point of purchase for fast-food chains with 20 or more outlets.

"However, it may be that detailed nutritional information is not the best way to convey the health content of fast foods," said coauthor Kiersten Strombotne of Duke-NUS. "For example, if you know a store offers diet and regular soda, does showing how many calories are in regular soda really offer any relevant information? Those who want a lower calorie drink already know to drink the diet soda."

Finkelstein said the lack of effects at Taco Time may be because the restaurant was already identifying the healthier options via "Healthy Highlights" logos on the menu board before the legislation went into effect.

"A simple logo identifying which foods are healthiest may be all it takes to convey that information to those consumers who wish to choose a healthier alternative," Finkelstein said. "The additional information appears not to have made a difference."

Finkelstein pointed out that the obesity epidemic continued to increase after the Nutrition Facts Panel was required nationally for pre-packaged foods. He suggested further studies be done to quantify which sources of information are most likely to encourage consumers to switch to healthier options.

Such information, however, would be too late for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to use because its regulations on fast-food menu labeling are due out by March 23, 2011, he said.

eBay has settled a class action lawsuit alleging that it overcharged consumers who sold items in the "parts and accessories" section of the eBay Motors website.

According to the suit, filed in April 2009, the site charges "two basic fees" -- one for listing an item, and one in the event of a "successful first bid." The suit, filed in federal court in California, where eBay is headquartered, alleged that eBay "consistently and uniformly" failed to inform consumers of a third fee, charged once the item is actually sold.

"Final value fee" According to the complaint, once a consumer successfully sells an item, he must pay eBay both a "final value fee" and a "transaction services fee." Unlike the transaction service fees and the "insertion fee" -- which is automatically charged when a consumer first lists an item for sale -- the final value fee is not listed anywhere on the eBay Motors fee schedule.

Adding insult to injury, the suit alleges that the final value fee adds up quickly, since it "is based upon a percentage of the closing value, if the item sells." Thus, as the sale price goes up, the fees "are expressly 'stacked' or 'layered' upon each other such that the total fee is cumulative of each layer of fees," according to the complaint.

The plaintiffs alleged that eBay's failure to mention the final value fee on its fee schedule was "deliberate and intentional," citing as evidence the fact that the schedule was regularly updated but the final value fee was never mentioned until October 2008.

Differing calculations

The plaintiffs alleged that, once eBay finally did publish the final value fee, it began calculating it "based upon a flat percentage rate applied to the entire sales price, rather than layered as in eBay.com Final Value Fees."

Additionally, according to the suit, "even after October 2008, eBay incorrectly ... calculated" the fees. An October 19, 2008 invoice charged lead plaintiff Alamo Autosports a "final value fee" of $19.41 on an item that sold for its fixed price of $199. According to the suit, "the successful listing fee should have been nine percent ... of $199.00, which is $17.91, meaning that eBay Motors overcharged Alamo by $1.50."

The plaintiffs said this discrepancy resulted from the fact that "eBay [used] a layered fee structure ... rather than the correct flat nine percent ... fee on the entire bid price."

According to the suit, while eBay's user agreement does state that "the eBay Motors Fee Schedule is subject to change," the website promises to first provide at least 14 days notice.

The settlement provides that eBay will pay out a total of $30 million to settle the suit. Class members will be paid an amount proportional to the total amount of final value fees they paid.

Many expectant mothers take so many precautions to not consume anything that could harm the babies they’re carrying.

They avoid alcohol and cigarette smoke, they talk to their doctor before taking any medication, and even cut back on the kinds of food they eat while pregnant, all in the hopes their newborns won’t be exposed to anything harmful while in the womb.

But a new University of California, San Francisco study reveals the bodies of virtually all pregnant women in the United States carry multiple chemicals, including some banned since the 1970s and others used in common products like non-stick cookware, processed foods and personal care products.

The study marks the first time that the number of chemicals to which pregnant women are exposed has been counted.

The researchers analyzed data for 268 pregnant women from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004, a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population.

They then analyzed data for 163 chemicals and detected, in 99 to 100 percent of pregnant women, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), phenols, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and perchlorate.

If those chemicals sound scary, it’s because they are.

PBDEs are compounds used as flame retardants now banned in many states including California. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane ( DDT) is an organochlorine pesticide banned in the United States in 1972.

Bisphenol A (BPA), which makes plastic hard and clear, and is found in epoxy resins that are used to line the inside of metal food and beverage cans, was identified in 96 percent of the women surveyed.

Prenatal exposure to BPA has been linked to adverse health outcomes, affecting brain development and increasing susceptibility to cancer later in life.

The study was not designed to identify direct connections to adverse health outcomes, but the findings do have the researchers worried.

"It was surprising and concerning to find so many chemicals in pregnant women without fully knowing the implications for pregnancy," said lead author Tracey Woodruff, PhD, MPH, director of the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment.

"Several of these chemicals in pregnant women were at the same concentrations that have been associated with negative effects in children from other studies. In addition, exposure to multiple chemicals that can increase the risk of the same adverse health outcome can have a greater impact than exposure to just one chemical," said Woodruff, who is also an associate professor in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences.

Exposure to chemicals during fetal development has been shown to increase the risk of adverse health consequences, including preterm birth and birth defects, childhood morbidity, and adult disease and mortality according to the research team.

In addition, chemicals can cross the placenta and enter the fetus, and in other studies, a number of chemicals measured in maternal urine and serum have been found in amniotic fluid, cord blood and meconium, they state.

So what can women do? Not much, except try to avoid coming into contact with the items known to contain unsafe chemicals.

Woodruff said their findings indicate several courses of action.

“First, additional research is needed to identify dominant sources of exposure to chemicals and how they influence our health, especially in reproduction. Second, while individuals can take actions in their everyday lives to protect themselves from toxins, significant, long-lasting change only will result from a systemic approach that includes proactive government policies," she said.

Co-authors of the study are Ami R. Zota and Jackie M. Schwartz of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, UCSF Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences.

The study findings were published in Environmental Health Perspectives on Jan. 14.

If you’re looking for a drink that can deliver good health, energy, or workout recovery, your first instinct might be to pick up a bottle of a popular sports drink or some “vitamin water.”  But you’re better off leaving those on the shelf.

A growing body of evidence points to old-school beverages -- tea, coffee and low-fat or even chocolate milk -- as the best elixirs for nutrition, health and workout recovery.

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific society, recommends these “retro” drinks for their long list of health benefits.

TEA

For hundreds of years, ancient cultures have relied on tea for medicinal purposes. Now modern science is figuring out why.

Tea is an antioxidant-rich beverage containing more polyphenols than many fruits and vegetables. Besides being rich in compounds that combat cell-damaging oxidative stress, tea has a chemical makeup that includes enzymes, carbohydrates, protein, and lipids.

Oxidative stress is a molecular imbalance that interferes with the body’s ability to detoxify harmful compounds leading to cellular damage and is associated with chronic health problems such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, dementia, and even cancer.

Packed with compounds that protect cells from oxidative stress, tea has emerged as a natural dietary aid to lower the risk of these ailments.

Research indicates that tea strengthens the body’s immune system, reduces buildup of plaque on arterial walls, and aids in the control and prevention of diabetes.

COFFEE

Like tea, coffee is packed with polyphenols, and it actually has a higher content of antioxidants than green or black tea and other beverages such as fruit and vegetables juices.

New research has suggested that coffee consumption can lower cardiovascular risks as well as lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 50 percent.

Coffee also appears to have a positive effect on neurological diseases with coffee consumption possibly reducing the risk of both Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

MILK

It is widely known that milk is an excellent source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D and it helps build teeth and bone mass during childhood and adolescence.

Recent research findings detail the benefits of whole, low-fat, and chocolate milk when it comes to overall nutrition, bone density, weight loss, muscle-building and more.

Other research indicates that when consumed after resistance training, both unflavored and chocolate-flavored versions of reduced-fat milk, improve muscle development, enhance strength, and increase fat loss.

Food Technology magazine is published by the Institute of Food Technologists. Read the full article here.

How do you teach your children about the value of money? Do you give them an allowance if they do all their chores or do well in school? My best friend in grade school used to get a quarter every time he got an “A” on his report card. He graduated as a valedictorian but he doesn’t have a clue about how to manage money.

This can be a touchy subject among parents who all seem to have their own answer. Meanwhile, our children are growing up and going to college and then coming home and moving back in because they can’t afford their own apartments.

So if it turns out we’re all wrong, what’s a parent to do? Fortunately, Kimberly Palmer, writing for U.S. News and World Report tracked down Lewis Mandell, a professor of finance for the University of Washington who recently studied more than 50 years of research into the subject of “allowance.”

And guess what he found out? Paying children an allowance can do more harm than good when it comes to their future financial literacy skills. According to Palmer Mandell discovered that kids who receive a regular, unconditional allowance tend to think far less about money in general. In fact, she adds, he learned that those children appear more likely to grow up to be "slackers," since they aren't learning to associate work with money.

Alisa T. Weinstein, author of Earn It, Learn It: Teach Your Child the Value of Money, Work, and Time Well Spent, says paying children for chores around the house can also lead to problems, because it teaches them that working for money isn't fun. She also warns that paying for good grades creates a similar problem: Instead of being driven by self-motivation, children learn to work hard just to earn the extra cash.

Palmer says that Mandell's review of decades of research revealed that children who have to ask their parents for money each time they need it, whether it's for clothes or lunch, tend to fare better with money later in life. She says perhaps that’s because they are forced to think about what money is being used for. And she quotes Mandell as saying "The kids who have to ask for the money have higher financial literacy than those who get allowances." .

According to Palmer, Mandell says parents should talk about family finances with their children when they pay an allowance. She quotes him as saying an "allowance can be used very constructively, but to use it constructively requires time, effort, and a degree of honesty on the part of the parent.  Most parents don't want to do it because they don't have much time."

Dan Henderson, founder of the financial education toy line Zillionz, is quoted by Palmer as saying, “consistency is one of the most important aspects of an allowance. Sticking with a regular schedule, whether it's weekly or monthly, lets children plan for and anticipate their ‘income,’ and also sends the message that it's important to uphold financial commitments.”

She says Henderson also recommends helping children learn what to do with their allowance by teaching them to dedicate a portion (30 percent) to spending, 30 percent to short-term savings for bigger purchases such as a bike, 30 percent to long-term savings such as college, and 10 percent to giving.

According to Palmer, that's a similar concept to the one promoted by Money Savvy Generation, a company co-founded by former financial services professional Susan Beacham. Palmer says she invented a piggy bank with four compartments: save, spend, donate, and invest—to teach kids how to budget. She quotes Beacham as saying, "You're teaching them to stop, pause, and reflect, and this is the first step toward teaching them to delay gratification."

As for how much to pay children and when to begin, Palmer says it depends on each family, as long as they agree on some general guidelines. She quotes Henderson as saying most three-year-olds will be interested in learning about money, and that interest deepens as they get older, so starting conversations and even a regular allowance early can be helpful.

Weinstein says that as soon as a child is past the toddler stage, they recognize that it costs money to pay for things, which can be as early as four. That probably a good time to start. According to Palmer, Weinstein and Henderson along with many other financial experts recommend paying $1 for every year old the child is and pay them on a monthly or weekly basis.

Countless fast food chains have started posting the nutritional information for the items they sell in an effort to keep consumers aware of how many calories or fat is in their Biggie Fries or their Nachos Bell Grande.

But surprising (or perhaps not-so-surprising) findings from the purchasing habits of King County, Washington taco fans found the posted nutritional information had almost no effect on how many calories they bought and consumed.

As part of a comprehensive effort to curb the rise in obesity, King County, Washington, (which includes Seattle), imposed a mandatory menu labeling regulation on all restaurant chains with 15 or more locations beginning in January, 2009.

Restaurants had to disclose calorie information at the point of purchase.

Researchers from Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Graduate Medical School and the public health department of Seattle & King County found, in the 13 months after the legislation went into effect, food-purchasing behavior at the Taco Time locations in King County was identical to that in Taco Time locations where menu boards remained unchanged.

The total number of sales and average calories per transaction were unaffected by the menu labeling.

"Given the results of prior studies, we had expected the results to be small, but we were surprised that we could not detect even the slightest hint of changes in purchasing behavior as a result of the legislation," said lead author Eric Finkelstein, Ph.D., associate professor of health services at Duke-NUS.

Finkelstein said the results of the study suggest mandatory menu labeling may be unlikely to significantly influence the obesity epidemic, unless it‘s combined with other interventions.

As part of health care reform, the federal government has plans for a nationwide launch of mandatory nutrition information at the point of purchase for fast-food chains with 20 or more outlets.

"However, it may be that detailed nutritional information is not the best way to convey the health content of fast foods," said study co-author Kiersten Strombotne of Duke-NUS.

"For example, if you know a store offers diet and regular soda, does showing how many calories are in regular soda really offer any relevant information? Those who want a lower calorie drink already know to drink the diet soda."

Finkelstein said that the lack of effects at Taco Time may be because the restaurant was already identifying the healthier options via "Healthy Highlights" logos on the menu board before the legislation went into effect.

"A simple logo identifying which foods are healthiest may be all it takes to convey that information to those consumers who wish to choose a healthier alternative," Finkelstein said. "The additional information appears not to have made a difference."

Finkelstein pointed out the obesity epidemic continued to increase after the Nutrition Facts Panel was required nationally for pre-packaged foods. He suggested that further studies should be done to quantify which sources of information are most likely to encourage consumers to switch to healthier options.

However, Finkelstein points out such information would be too late for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to use because its regulations on fast-food menu labeling are due out by March 23, 2011.

Obesity is plaguing America’s children with a multitude of health problems -- now there’s a new risk to be added to the list: shorter life expectancy. For the first time in history, the next generation will not live longer, or even as long, as their parents.

“Diseases such as Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions and joint deterioration - what were once considered ‘adult’ diseases - are regularly being diagnosed in children, due to the prevalence of obesity,” said Jessica Bartfield, MD, internal medicine and medical weight-loss specialist at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of the Loyola University Health System.

Bartfield is also part of Gottlieb’s medically supervised weight-loss program involving physicians, nutritionists, exercise physiologists and behavioralists.

“What is particularly tragic is that studies have suggested that obesity in children today may contribute to a 2-5 year decline in their life expectancy, shorter than that of their parents, due to obesity related diseases that are largely preventable,” said Bartfield.

The causes for childhood obesity, she said, are “multifactorial, including environment and culture.”  Genetics and parental weight status also plays a role.

“If one parent is obese, a child has a 50 percent likelihood of being obese, and if both parents are obese, that skyrockets to 80 percent likelihood,” said Bartfield.

Research by the Center for Disease Control found that 80 percent of obese children between the ages of 10 to 15 continue to be obese at age 25. Furthermore, the earlier obesity develops in children, the more severe it tends to be as an adult.

In addition to health implications, there are psychological and social damages as well.

“In addition to decreasing years of life, obesity decreases the quality of life through social ostracism, bullying, social isolation, and poor self-esteem which can lead to poor performance in school, in jobs and in life,” said Bartfield.

What to do

Here are the top five ways we can reverse the obesity trend among children:

1.  Parents take charge. “Focus on getting the family healthy, not putting someone on a diet,” said Bartfield. “Monitor and take accountability for what the family is eating. Plan meals, set limits and take the team approach.”

2.  Involve the Kids. “As a family, create a weekly meal plan, look up calorie counts, make a grocery list, read product labels, choose fresh rather than packaged and get everyone’s participation,” said Bartfield. “Everyone has to get on board to be successful.”

3.  Add fresh fruits and vegetables. Bartfield recommends replacing applesauce for oil in baked goods, adding carrots, broccoli and kale to soups and omelets, and cutting up fresh fruit as a side dish -- even if it means including moderate amounts of low-calorie whipped topping or low-calorie salad dressing to make the fruit or vegetable more appealing.

4.  Cut liquid calories. “Soda, flavored and full fat milk, fruit punches and fruit-flavored beverages are loaded in sugar and empty calories,” Bartfield said. “Substitute 2 percent for whole milk, or skim for 2 percent, and try adding water, seltzer or club soda to juices to cut calories.”

5.  Prioritize breakfast and keep meals consistent. According to Bartfield, eating within the first hour of waking up powers the brain and jump-starts the metabolism for the rest of the day and choosing protein and fiber in breakfast foods boosts endurance. Establish set meal times, and calories per meal, and stick to them, with defined healthy options for snacking.

Another key to helping children lose weight is to have healthy expectations.

“In overweight children with medical complications or obese children, strive for a one-pound individual weight loss per month,” said Bartfield, who uses guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Bartfield also encourages parents to focus on weight maintenance for overweight kids without medical complications since, as they grow in height, their Body Mass Index (BMI) will decrease on its own.

Bartfield practices medicine in Chicago, a city whose youth population has increased in obesity.

“Most recently, data from 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health found Illinois to have the 4th highest rate of child obesity in the nation -- 1 out of every 5 children is obese. In particular, our children entering schools in Chicago (age 3-7) have about double the rate of obesity as the national average of similar aged kids,” said Bartfield.

As smartphones get cheaper and more cell phone carriers begin to offer highly-coveted versions, Experian is warning all smartphone owners to practice safety and common sense when it comes to protecting their identity online.

According to Experian, smartphone users may be risking the security of their identity if they store sensitive information on their phones and use unsecure Wi-Fi networks to get online. This is according to new research by ProtectMyID, Experian's identity-protection service.  

According to this latest research:

• Nearly two thirds (65%) of smartphone users send and store e-mails on their phones -- even if these include sensitive information such as receipts and credit card details from shopping online.
• More than half (53%) of smartphone users access social networking sites from their phones. This could easily reveal key pieces of information like names, dates of birth and other details commonly used as passwords for online banking and other accounts, such as first school or place of birth.
• Nearly one third (29%) of smartphone users take advantage of public Wi-Fi hotspots, which are popping up more and more in coffee shops, airports, libraries and other places people gather. These hotspots are insecure and highly vulnerable to electronic eavesdroppers.
• Of these, one in five (19%) say they conduct online banking while using public Wi-Fi, risking their accounts, PINs and passwords.

According to CIFAS, the UK’s fraud prevention service, mobile phone identity fraud rose by three quarters (74%) in the first half of 2010, but more than half of the smartphone users who took part in the Protect My ID survey were completely unaware of the problem.

"The personal information on an average smartphone is like gold dust to an ID thief and many of us could be putting this on a plate by using public Wi-Fi networks," said Peter Turner, Managing Director of Experian Interactive.

Turner said criminals can use this information to masquerade as the phone's owner, drain his or her accounts, run up debts in their victim's name and even open new accounts.

"Often, the first people know about it is when they receive a demand for payment for services they haven't used or for an account they have never heard of. We've certainly seen cases where criminals have changed the address of the smartphone, ordered new handsets and run up huge bills," said Turner.
And while the survey was conducted in the UK, that doesn’t mean the US is any safer for smartphone users.

The Washington. D.C.-area news blog TDBreported last month on the rise in iPhone robberies in our nation's capital -- some phones being snatched right out of their owners' hands in broad daylight -- and how users have almost no recourse except to buy a new phone.

Similar stories have been cropping up all over the US and the world, making it crucial to keep sensitive information off smartphones as much as possible.

If there was an Oscar for best credit card of the year, the PenFed Platinum Visa Card would be among the nominees, according to CardRatings.com.

The credit card rating website recently released what it considers to be the worst and best credit cards of 2010.

The editors of the credit card comparison site said that among the worst were those cards with high rates, high fees and little disclosure while those rated the best “bucked a trend toward fewer rewards and higher fees” while offering “ value, service, and convenience.”

Among the cards cited for the editors’ worst credit Cards of 2010 were a new First Premier MasterCard that had a whopping 79.99 percent A.P.R. It was cited for having the highest interest rate. Also among the worst was that short-lived pre-paid debit card endorsed by the Kardashians which they said was also the most hated card.

As for the best in the cash-back category editors said the PenFed Visa Platinum Cashback Rewards Card and the Fidelity Investment Rewards American Express Card were at the top. In the airline and travel credit card category, the PenFed Premium Travel Rewards American Express Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card were rated the best.

The Simmons Visa Platinum and the PenFed Promise Visa Card, meanwhile, were cited as the best low-interest rate cards and the Citi Platinum Select MasterCard and the Discover More Card were cited for being the best low-introductory rate credit cards. CardRatings.com, meanwhile, cited the Chase Sapphire Card and Zync from American Express for being the best reward point credit cards.

Every year, CardRatings.com publishes its Editor’s Choice Awards for best and worst credit cards. This year, the Consumer’s Choice Awards make their debut.

Best cards

The best credit cards of 2010 by category, as rated by consumers, are:

Best Cash Back Credit Card: Blue Cash from American Express

Best Airline Credit Card: Blue Sky from American Express

Best Reward Points Credit Card: Chase Sapphire Card

Best Value Credit Card: USAA World MasterCard

Best Customer Service: American Express   

Worst cards

Curtis Arnold, founder of CardRatings.com said that despite the fact that most credit cards have become much more attractive in the past several months, there have been a few credit card offers that have not followed suit and are in fact what some consumer advocates would label as downright rip-offs. Avoid these cards like the plague and, if you do, you will be glad you did in 2011.

The worst credit cards of 2010, as rated by CardRatings.com, are:

Highest Interest Rate: First Premier MasterCard

Most Hated: Kardashian Kard

Least Disclosure: Best Buy Reward Zone MasterCard

Most Expensive Way to Rebuild Credit: Applied Bank Unsecured Visa Gold Card

Haven't done your taxes yet? You're in luck. The Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) Free File tax preparation service became operational today.

If your adjusted gross income (AGI) is $58,000 or less, you're eligible to use this free, online service. The IRS says 70 percent of taxpayers have an AGI of $58,000 or less.

The Free File Alliance, a coalition of industry-leading tax software companies that partnered with the IRS, has announced the launch of the 2011 IRS Free File program. Since its inception in 2003, IRS Free File has offered low-to-moderate income taxpayers free access to leading commercial tax preparation software. There is no charge for using this service.

"IRS Free File returns this year to proudly give 98 million Americans free access to the industry's best tax preparation software," said Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance. "We are committed to making taxes simple, fast and free by offering step-by-step help that takes guesswork out of the process. More than 30 million people have already taken advantage of IRS Free File, and our goal this year is to serve each and every taxpayer making $58,000 or less."

Choose a software

To begin, taxpayers may visit the IRS website, and click on the "Free File" icon. Users will find a list of Free File Alliance member companies and may either choose the one that fits their needs or utilize the "help me find a company" tool.

After selecting a company, taxpayers will be transferred to the company's website to prepare, complete and electronically file their federal income tax returns. Three of the 19 participating software companies also offer services in Spanish.

VITA

This year, the Free File Alliance has also partnered with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), a service for low-to-moderate income taxpayers. Thanks to the new partnership, Free File Alliance member software will be available on self-assist kiosks at VITA sites in 29 states across the country.

VITA's partnership with the Free File Alliance will extend its reach and help the IRS provide expanded free tax prep services to more taxpayers who need additional assistance.

"Free File Alliance member companies have continually worked with the IRS to strengthen IRS Free File and ensure that it remains both accurate and secure," said Hugo. "Through the new VITA partnership, the Free File Alliance will be able to help the IRS serve more taxpayers than ever before."

Tracking your refund

Once you've filed your return using Free File, you can track the status of your refund online.

According to the IRS, you can generally get information about your refund 72 hours after IRS acknowledges receipt of your e-filed return, or three to four weeks after mailing a paper return. As you can see, it pays to file electronically.

You'll need to provide the following information from your tax return:

• Your Social Security Number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)

• Your Filing Status

• The exact whole dollar amount of your refund

The recent report that foreclosure filings hit a record high 2.9 million last year might lead you to believe that the worst is over. Especially since the monthly foreclosure totals began to fall late in the year.

But that might be a misreading of the data, analysts say. Foreclosure actions fell late in the year, in large part, because banks slammed on the brakes in the wake of the robo-signing scandal. The pace could pick up again in 2011 -- with a vengeance.

RealtyTrac, the private firm that tracks and markets foreclosures, predicts buyers will have plenty of opportunities to snap up bargain-priced foreclosures in the coming year. The reason?

A large number of foreclosed homes, owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and HUD, are headed to market. Not only are the prices low, but the owners are also throwing in incentives, like preferred financing.

Where the action is

"The cherished account right now is Fannie and Freddie," said Tom Moon, a Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac approved broker with Pacific Moon Real Estate in Orange County, Calif. "Any broker would like to have Fannie and Freddie because they seem to have the most properties right now."

Fannie and Freddie properties tend to be lower-priced, entry-level housing that, when it goes up for sale in a foreclosure, is priced even lower. RealtyTrac notes that, in the hard-hit housing market of Orange County, Calif., that's what is attracting the bulk of active buyers.

Second quarter reports from Fannie and Freddie show the two government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) are acquiring real estate owned (REO) properties through foreclosure at a significantly faster pace than overall growth in REO activity based on RealtyTrac data.

114 percent increase

Fannie Mae took ownership of 68,838 REO properties in the second quarter of 2010 -- an increase of 114 percent from the second quarter of 2009 -- and Freddie Mac took ownership of 34,662 -- a 58 percent increase from the previous year.

That compares with a 38 percent in REO activity during the same timeframe, according to RealtyTrac.

Then there's HUD, which acquired more than 23,000 foreclosed properties through sour FHA loans. The result, analysts say, is a large inventory of homes with a very motivated seller -- the U.S. Government or a GSE.

If the foreclosure tsunami hasn't yet peaked, it could mean another tough year for those trying to sell a home, but even better selection of bargains for buyers.

A group of Filipino workers in British Columbia, Canada, is suing Denny’s, claiming the restaurant has cut their hours, ignored contractual overtime requirements and reversed its promise to pay for their airfare home.

The suit is being brought on behalf of over 50 immigrant workers who began working for Denny’s in December 2006, under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Under the TFWP, Canada hires “thousands of foreign workers to fill immediate skills and labour shortages,” according to the Website for the country’s Human Resources and Skills Development department. The site describes the program’s goal as “ensur[ing] that the employment of foreign workers supports economic growth and helps create more opportunities for all Canadians.”

Herminia Vergara Dominguez, one of the plaintiffs, was promised at least 40 hours of work per week, with time-and-a-half for any additional hours worked, according to the suit. But, Dominguez says, Denny’s reneged on those promises once she began working.

Dominguez also claims Denny’s promised to pay her airfare between Canada and the Phillipines, but failed to live up to that promise as well.

Attorney: Denny’s didn’t honor its “end of the deal”

In a press release, Christopher Foy, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, said, “These workers were encouraged to come to Canada with a set of promises that have never been met -- they have done their part but the Defendants have not lived up to their end of the deal.”

“[The plaintiffs are] put in a highly vulnerable position vis-a-vis their employers,” attorney Charles Gordon told newspaper, The Province. “Many hope to become permanent residents but are afraid of making any waves that may jeopardize that.”

Reached by Straight, a Vancouver newspaper, Denny’s Canada marketing director Brent Armstrong said that the plaintiffs’ “claims have no merit. That is the extent of our quote.”

“We have always adhered to the employment standards guidelines and continue to be strong supporters of workplace ethics,” Armstrong told the Province.

The suit requests compensatory damages, as well as $9 million in punitive damages for the restaurant chain’s ““outrageous and malicious conduct.”

Danger to a brittle reputation

The suit, dealing with immigrant workers, threatens to dredge up memories of Denny’s unsavory past. In 1994, the restaurant settled a $54 million brought by thousands of African-Americans who said the chain had refused them service or otherwise discriminated against them.

In the wake of the settlement, Denny’s created a racial sensitivity program and implemented a program to attract minority managers and franchisees. In a stunning turnaround, in 2001 Fortun Magazine named Denny’s the “Best Company for Minorities.”

One of the best ways to increase the value of your home is to remodel and upgrade your kitchen. But depending on what you do, this can get pricey. If you’re on a tight budget, but still want to remodel your kitchen there are ways to you can get a luxury upgrade while living on a fast-food budget.

Here are six tips that will help you get more than your money’s worth:

1. One of the most dramatic ways to update the kitchen is to add new cabinets. However, if you’ve been blessed with solid wood boxes, frames and doors, you should reface rather than replace them. This option allows the original cabinets to stay in the home but adds a fresh new look.

2. Granite countertops will give your kitchen a look of luxury. When kitchen remodeling on a budget, this look can be achieved by purchasing a granite overlay. These are stone shells that are placed over the existing countertop. People can also look into alternative, more creative options, such as recycled glass tile countertops.

3. One of the finest flooring choices for a kitchen remodeling is marble, but who can afford that? A less expensive option is to install ceramic tile. There is a wide variety of choices available to complement any design ideas. In the past laminate was easy to look down upon, but today there are higher-quality options available that should not be ignored. 

4. While stainless steel appliances are beautiful, they tend to be expensive. A more cost-effective alternative is stainless steel finish appliances. These offer the same look, level of quality and protection but are much cheaper.

5. Lighting is often overlooked by people remodeling their kitchen but is always admired by guests when a beautiful choice is installed. There are countless lighting options available. Remodelers should not be afraid to be bold and creative when choosing their light fixtures. These can be the centerpiece of the room. With all the options available, it is hard not to find a stunning piece at a low-cost price by shopping around.

6. And finally, add a backsplash. This may seem like a simple item, but it really completes a kitchen. These not only protect the walls but they also can add a lot of pizzazz to a room. There are many choices available, such as colorful ceramic or glass tiles that can be placed in creative patterns.

These budget-minded suggestions come from KitchenRemodeling.net, which is a website that connects homeowners with professional contractors who are ready to complete their kitchen remodeling projects. Or, to really save money, you can do it yourself.

Kellogg has agreed to pay $5 million to settle a claim that it made false and misleading claims about the immunity provided to children by its Rice Krispies cereal.

The agreement puts to rest a six-month saga that began when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took issue with a claim, stamped on Rice Krispies boxes, that the cereal “helps support your child’s immunity” with “25 percent Daily Value of Antioxidants and Nutrients -- Vitamins A, B, C, and E.” The packaging also bragged that the cereal “has been improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that your family needs to help them stay healthy.”

“We expect more from a great American company than making dubious claims -- not once, but twice -- that its cereals improve children's health,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said at the time. “Next time, Kellogg needs to stop and think twice about the claims it's making before rolling out a new ad campaign, so parents can make the best choices for their children.”

Among other things, the company claimed that vitamins A, B, C, and E, all found in Rice Krispies, are proven to help fortify the immune system.

Settlement follows earlier agreement

After the FTC’s warning, Kellogg agreed to change its advertising for Rice Krispies. Specifically, the company agreed to expand a previous settlement reached after the FTC scolded Kellogg for claiming that Frosted Mini Wheats cereal is “clinically shown to improve kids' attentiveness by nearly 20 percent.”

Under the order, Kellogg was prohibited from making claims about the benefits to cognitive health, process, or function provided by any cereal or other morning or snack food, unless the claims were true and could be substantiated.

Under the latest agreement, Kellogg has agreed to pay between $5 and $15 to affected consumers, with a maximum total of $2.5 million. The company will also donate $2.5 million worth of Kellogg products to a charity. The settlement follows a similar one concerning the Mini Wheats snafu. In that agreement, reached in November, Kellogg agreed to pay up to $2.75 million to affected consumers, with an additional $5.5 million to charity.

Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at NYU, told USA Today that while “these nutrients are involved in immunity ... I can't think of a nutrient that isn't involved in the immune system.”

Cheerios targeted as well

Kellogg isn’t the only cereal manufacturer facing scrutiny over dubious health-related claims. A 2009 class action took issue with competitor General Mills’s claim that Cheerios can help lower cholesterol. That suit followed a statement from the FDA finding that General Mills’s statement constituted a “serious violation[] of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.”