Current Events in June 2012

You may already know that marketers use cookies to track your web browsing habits and use that information to select what ads to show you but here's a new twist. A report in the Wall Street Journal says Orbitz, the travel booking site, looks at what kind of computer you are using before it offers you a choice of hotels.

If you are using a tablet or a Mac, the Journal reports it will show you more expensive rooms

The reason? Its research reportedly shows that Apple users spend, on average, $20 to $30 more for a room than those using a PC. Not leaving anything to chance the site just shows you the more expensive hotels, leaving the best deals for the more bargain-oriented PC users.

Commenting on the story on CNBC, stock maven Jim Cramer said he has noticed that most travel sites routinely make “paid” listings their first three or four offerings, meaning they are not necessarily the best deals. He said he usually scrolls deeper into the list to choose a hotel.

Common complaints

This would all sound pretty familiar to Kathie of Madison, Minn., who wrote to us not long ago about her experience with Orbitz.

It's not just Orbitz, though. Over the years a constant complaint to ConsumerAffairs about travel booking sites in general is inconsistency.

Regina, of Big Stone Gap, Va., said she used Expedia to make reservations at Fairfield Inn and Suites in Wyetheville, Va., and was charged $166.66 for a one-night stay.

“At check-in I noticed a couple in front of me was charged 106.00,” Regina wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. “I thought okay, maybe because we had our grandson. At checkout next day I was given a receipt for $126.65. That was $40.01 less than the rate from Expedia. I called them and asked for a refund or explanation. I was told that Expedia is not responsible, the rate is based on their agreement with the hotel. I am aware that Expedia must make money but $40.01 to make a reservation seems too much.”

Millions of consumers used third-party booking sites expecting the rate will always be cheaper, but as Regina discovered, that's not always the case. In addition, if plans change and you have to cancel your reservation you are usually out of luck.

In most cases, you are much better off making your reservation directly with the hotel. And just to be on the safe side, try not to use an Mac or iPad to do it.

Facebook has become notorious for making very basic changes to its system without bothering to tell anyone. The latest involves something many users consider pretty personal -- their email address.

Without the slightest notice to anyone, Facebook issued its users a new email address, one that combines their user id with a "@facebook.com" suffix, as in "you@facebook.com"

The change isn't really all that significant since Facebook didn't cancel or change anyone's existing email address. It simply added the new one to users' profiles. But it has infuriated privacy advocates and more than a few bloggers who have gotten onto it.

But not to worry, it's quite easy to change your email address back to whatever you want it to be. Just go to your Facebook profile, click on "About" or "Update Info" and edit your contact information. 

“This is Facebook’s sneaky way of trying to get people to use the Facebook email more often,” said Dave Awl, an Illinois resident who wrote “Facebook Me! A Guide to Socializing, Sharing, and Promoting on Facebook.”

“If Facebook is your main email, that increases the amount of time you spend on Facebook,” he told the Chicago Sun-Times. “The more time and the more page views spent, the more ads Facebook can sell.”

Awl suggested a link on Lifehacker that will walk you through the process.

If you have a Merrill Lynch account, you may be eligible to receive refunds, with interest, of some of the fees you've paid.

The brokerage firm has been fined $2.8 million for supervisory failures that resulted in overcharging customers $32 million in unwarranted fees, and for failing to provide certain required trade notices. Additionally, Merrill Lynch has agreed to pay $32 million in remediation -- plus interest -- to the affected customers.

“Investors must be able to trust that the fees charged by their securities firm are, in fact, correct. When this is not the case, investor confidence is threatened,” said Brad Bennett, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Executive Vice President and Chief of Enforcement.

Numerous infractions

FINRA found that from April 2003 to December 2011, Merrill Lynch failed to have an adequate supervisory system to ensure that customers in certain investment advisory programs were billed in accordance with contract and disclosure documents.

As a result, the firm overcharged nearly 95,000 customer accounts fees of more than $32 million. Merrill Lynch has since returned the unwarranted fees, with interest, to the affected customers.

The company also failed to provide timely trade confirmations to customers in certain advisory programs due to computer programming errors. As a result, from July 2006 to November 2010, Merrill Lynch failed to send customers trade confirmations for more than 10.6 million trades in over 230,000 customer accounts.

In addition, Merrill Lynch failed to properly identify whether it acted as an agent or principal on trade confirmations and account statements relating to at least 7.5 million mutual fund purchase transactions. At various times, the firm also failed to deliver certain proxy and voting materials, margin risk disclosure statements and business continuity plans.

In concluding this settlement, Merrill Lynch neither admitted nor denied the charges, but consented to the entry of FINRA's findings.

Everybody knows fireworks are dangerous but every year, thousands of injured consumers wind up in hospital emergency rooms with injuries that range from minor to fatal.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that 9,600 people were injured and at least four were killed by fireworks last year. 

More than half of these injuries were the result of unexpected ignition of the device or consumers not using fireworks as intended. Fireworks injuries most often resulted in burns to the hands and head, including the eyes, face, and ears. Sparklers, firecrackers, and aerial devices were associated with the most incidents.

In the fatal incidents, a 31-year-old male died of substantial head and chest trauma caused by an illegal aerial firework device, a 47-year-old male perished when an illegal 3-inch display firework device exploded in his face, a 41-year-old male was decapitated by an illegal firework device and a 51-year-old male died of severe head and face injuries caused by a homemade firework device,  the CPSC said.

"For thousands of consumers, last year's 4th of July celebration ended with a visit to the emergency room," said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. "CPSC wants you to understand the risks with legal and illegal fireworks, in order to prevent an injury, or worse, during this holiday."

Reports of faster-than-expected explosions and unpredictable flight paths of aerial devices have resulted in tragic consequences for some consumers.

Safety tips

Consumers who decide to purchase legal fireworks are urged to take these safety steps:

• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks. Parents may not realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees-hot enough to melt some metals.
• Always have an adult closely supervise fireworks activities if older children are allowed to handle devices.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

Lately the economic news has been filled with doom and gloom. Over the course of the winter, what appeared to be a promising recovery has slowed.

Across the Atlantic, Europe's economy is teetering on the brink as first Greece, and now Spain and Italy, are running out of money. In the U.S., tax rates are set to rise and government spending to fall at the end of the year, a situation Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke calls a “fiscal cliff” that is sure to plunge the U.S. economy into recession.

All seems dark, except that the beleaguered U.S. housing market, which got us into this mess in the first place with overinflated home prices, is now showing real signs of life.

The U.S. Commerce Department reports sales of new single-family homes rose in May at the strongest rate in the last two years. The last time sales were this good the government's tax credit for new home buyers was just about to end, attracting a crush of buyers seeking to take advantage of it.

The May numbers are almost startling. Sales were up 7.6 percent over April and 19.8 percent over May 2011.

Glut of homes has dried up

New home sales had all but dried up in the last three years because of the glut of unsold homes for sale and falling prices. Because of material and labor costs, newly constructed homes had a hard time competing with existing homes selling at steep discounts.

But in the new economy many homebuilders have found ways to deliver more house for sell money. A billboard on Interstate 40 in east Tennessee advertises new homes for $42 a square foot, significantly lower than during the bubble years.

The Commerce Department report also shows the supply of new homes for sale has been steadily shrinking, helping prices to begin rising again. Earlier this month the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported sales of existing homes fell slightly from April, mainly because there was such a big drop in the inventory of homes for sale. Like new home sales, existing home sales were up sharply year-over-year.

While the economy may indeed be softening, the real estate market appears to be getting back on its feet. And it's doing it without much help from the government or mortgage industry.

“The recovery is occurring despite excessively tight credit conditions and higher downpayment requirements, which are negating the impact of record high affordability conditions," said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist.  

The mood of the U.S. consumer continued to darken during June. 

The Conference Board says its Consumer Confidence Index®, which had declined in May, fell further in June and now stands at 62.0 (1985=100) -- down from 64.4 in May.

At the same time, the Expectations Index declined to 72.3 from 77.3. The Present Situation Index, however, increased to 46.6 from 44.9 last month. 

The monthly Consumer Confidence Survey®, based on a probability-design random sample, is conducted for The Conference Board by Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and analytics around what consumers buy and watch. The cutoff date for the preliminary results was June 14. 

The continuing slide 

"Consumer Confidence declined in June, the fourth consecutive moderate decline, said Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. “Consumers were somewhat more positive about current conditions, but slightly more pessimistic about the short-term outlook. 

“Income expectations, which had improved last month, declined in June,” she added. “If this trend continues, spending may be restrained in the short-term. The improvement in the Present Situation Index, coupled with a moderate softening in consumer expectations, suggests there will be little change in the pace of economic activity in the near-term." 

A mixed outlook 

Consumers' assessment of current conditions improved slightly in June. Those claiming business conditions are "good" increased to 14.9 percent from 13.6 percent, however, those saying business conditions are "bad" increased to 35.1 percent from 34.7 percent. 

Consumers’ appraisal of the job market was mixed. Those stating jobs are "hard to get" increased to 41.5 percent from 40.9 percent, while those claiming jobs are "plentiful" increased to 7.8 percent from 7.5 percent. 

Consumers have grown less upbeat about the short-term outlook. The percentage of consumers anticipating business conditions to improve over the next six months declined to 15.5 percent from 16.6 percent, while those expecting business conditions will worsen increased to 16.2 percent from 12.9 percent. 

Consumers' outlook for the labor market was mixed. Those anticipating more jobs in the months ahead declined to 14.1 percent from 15.4 percent, while those expecting fewer jobs also declined to 20.6 percent from 21.5 percent. The proportion of consumers expecting an increase in their incomes declined to 14.8 percent from 15.7 percent.

Consumers Union is calling on the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) today to protect vulnerable seniors from reverse mortgage abuses.  

The policy and advocacy division of Consumer Reports is renewing its call for stricter oversight of reverse mortgages just as the industry launches a public relations campaign to repair its image and the CFPB prepares to hold a field hearing on the topic on tomorrow (June 27) in Tampa.   

"Reverse mortgages should only be used as a last resort because they can carry huge costs that can quickly drain a homeowners equity," said Norma Garcia, senior attorney and manager of Consumers Union's financial services program.  "The reverse mortgage industry insists that it can police itself but it's clear we need common sense oversight by the CFPB to protect seniors."  

Reverse mortgages enable borrowers who are 62 or older to obtain income through cash payment or lines of credit by tapping the equity in their home. The reverse mortgage loan becomes due when the borrower dies, leaves the home for 12 consecutive months or more or fails to maintain the property or pay homeowners insurance or property taxes.  Borrowers must pay a loan origination fee, closing costs, and compounding interests on the loan principal, which can be significant. 

Consumers Union's December 2010 report on reverse mortgages documented a number of concerns that underscore the need for stronger oversight by the CFPB.  The report was co-written by California Advocates for Nursing Home reform and the Council On Aging Silicon Valley. 

Growing concerns 

The report highlighted how borrowers can be duped by misleading marketing claims and that required counseling provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was inadequate.  It also noted that seniors are sometimes targeted with aggressive cross promotion of other financial products like long term care insurance or annuities that may not be suitable for them.  

Finally, the report cited recent HUD statistics finding that an increasing number of borrowers had defaulted because they were unable to pay their property taxes or homeowner insurance premiums as required.  

Recommended steps 

Consumers Union called on the CFPB to take a number of steps to protect seniors, including:

• Ensure loans are suitable for borrowers:  Lenders and brokers should be required to consider whether the loans put borrowers at risk of losing their homes, if the borrower understands the complex nature of the contract, and if there are more viable alternatives available to the borrower.
• Establish a fiduciary responsibility for the loan:  Lenders and brokers must be required to act in the best interests of the borrower and should be held liable for violating this fiduciary duty.
• Outlaw deceptive marketing:  All reverse mortgages should be required to include information to help borrowers determine whether the loans are suitable for them.
• Adopt stronger prohibitions on cross promotions:  Prohibitions against cross promotions of other financial products by lenders and brokers should extend to non-HECM loans.  Insurance agents and brokers should be held liable for selling an annuity when it is purchased with reverse mortgage funds.
• Strengthen the quality and content of counseling:   HUD counselors should be required to hold an in-person session with prospective borrowers to determine whether a reverse mortgage is suitable for the borrower.  The counselor should deny a counseling certificate to the borrower if the loan is not in the best interest of the senior.
• Protect non-borrowing spouses and tenants:  Spouses and tenants whose names are not on the reverse mortgage loan should be notified about their limited rights to remain in the home after the borrower dies or permanently moves out of the home.

There are a lot of companies and law firms that say they can settle your credit card debt, but can they really? The consumers were hear from say these services are costly and many are not very effective.

Hyun, of LaHabra, Calif., said he made a mistake when he hired a debt-settlement law firm to reduce his credit card balance.

“I lost my time and my credit score,” Hyun wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post.

A couple of years ago Hyun hired a firm to settle his debt and ended up paying around $8,000. After the payment, Hyun said he was told it would cost even more.

“It was a 30-month program I believed to be $250, never mention about I have to pay more other than the 30 months of $250 and before that time everything will be done,” he wrote. “In addition to losing that much money, I also realize waiting that much times to pay off each creditor, other cards will increase in balance of late fees and non payment such.

Do it yourself

So Hyun said he ended up calling the credit card companies himself.

“The whole process with the law group took me three years or more, but it could be done in less than a year working with the creditor directly,” Hyun said. “What angered me the most is, like myself and others who are in this situation, I was so desperate and they took a advantage of that.”

While consumers shouldn't fall for every slick promise of credit card debt settlement, they should also understand that it might not be that easy to settle their credit card debt the way Hyun did it. After all, there are a lot of people in his situation.

Debt settlement experts say credit card companies are still willing to make accommodations with their distressed customers, but you have to have a good reason why you are unable to pay off your debt. Debt settlement is mostly reserved these days for consumers in an extreme hardship situation.

Still, credit card companies increasingly say they would prefer to deal with the consumer directly and not a third-party who is going to take a cut.

Time is money

The sooner you contact the credit card company about negotiating the settlement, the better. Late fees and interest will quickly increase the balances. Be ready for a full and frank discussion of your income and finances.

Asking a credit card company for a settlement will not negatively affect your credit score. However, if you are successful in reaching a settlement, keep in mind your credit score will take a hit. But for many people still struggling against a crushing debt load, it may well be worth it.

Under an agreement with California's attorney general, Facebook has agreed strengthen privacy controls for consumers who use online applications on their smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices.

The agreement extends the reach of California’s privacy protections beyond mobile apps to include social apps in Facebook’s App Center, used by millions of consumers worldwide. The agreement is designed to increase compliance with California law requiring apps that collect personal information to have a privacy policy.

Informed choices

“Consumers deserve to be able to make informed choices aboutmhow much personal information they want to share with others when using social apps,” said California Attorney General Kamala Harris. “We are delighted that Facebook has joined Amazon, Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard,Microsoft, and Research in Motion to provide consumers with greater control and information about how their personal data is used.  We need to protect privacy while we foster innovation.”

Harris released a letter from Facebook Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan announcing the company's decision to adhere to the agreement.

“As you know, the Joint Statement’s principles embodied essential protections for Californians and others who use mobile apps by encouraging companies that provide mobile app markets to give developers the ability to provide a link to their privacy policies and to display those links along with other app details,” Egan wrote. “As we built the App Center, we were guided by the principles contained in the Joint Statement.”

11 year effort

Harris began her efforts on behalf of the privacy principals back in 2001. The Act requires operators of commercial web sites and online services, including mobile and social apps, who collect personally identifiable information about Californians to conspicuously post a privacy policy. The posting of a privacy policy promotes transparency and provides consumers with more informed control over their personal information.

The agreement recognizes the Facebook App Center’s role as a clearinghouse for a variety of social apps, Harris said.

California law requires all operators of commercial web sites and online services, including mobile and social apps, who collect personally identifiable information about Californians to conspicuously post a privacy policy.

“We are very pleased that Facebook has incorporated the Principles into the design of the App Center and that Facebook requires, as a condition of participating in the App Center, that developers submit a link to a privacy policy,” Harris said. “We are also pleased to see that Facebook is prominently displaying the link to an app’s privacy policy in the App Center, and is implementing a means to report and remediate privacy issues.”

Past issues

As it rapidly grew over the past few years, Facebook has faced some privacy-related lawsuits. In 2010 the company was sued over changes made to Facebook's privacy settings in late 2009, when the company changed the default setting for scores of user information to public.

As a result, users' names, photos, and friend lists all became available for everyone to see, even if the user had previously specified that only her friends could view it. In order to make the information private again, the user had to affirmatively go in and change the settings back. 

The company also settled Federal Trade Commission charges last year that it wrongly divulged users private information.

There are tons of laundry detergents on the market. From Tide to All, from Cheer to Arm & Hammer, it's easy to get all of these products confused, and to  really know which one works best.

Many consumers use the most prominent TV ad to determine which detergent they will purchase, or they'll select a brand because their mom used it regularly, and it was always in their household while growing up.

It's safe to assume that most people don't conduct detergent tests in their home to see which one works best, or even mentally document how good a soap is after a load is completed.

In our effort to examine both new and already established products, ConsumerAffairs informally tested the laundry detergent named "Country Save," that the company claims is far superior to bigger and more established brands.

According to the Country Save company, the detergent has no chemicals or hidden ingredients, is biodegradable, and it's dye- and fragrance-free.

The company also says not much soap is needed for an entire load, and the special mixture allows for a small amount of detergent to go along way. It also says huge loads will be flawlessly cleaned with no left-over soap residue, which is all we can ask of a laundry detergent, right?  

We didn't find a lot of jibber-jabber about Country Save in a scan of social media but the 390 postings we found over the last year were largely positive and tended to support the view the company's claims.

Our computerized sentiment analysis found no negative emotions expressed by consumers posting to social media, as shown in this graph: 

Laundry day

Luckily it was laundry day in my household, and the perfect time to see how this obscure, but 35-year old brand really performed. Especially compared to my usual brands of detergent, which tend to shift back and fourth between Tide and Gain.

On the back of the 2.0 package I used, it said the small amount was enough to do "one large load in a top load machine, or two loads in a front load machine". It's always nice when a product says a little can go a long way. That means consumers can possibly get more bang for their hard-earned buck.

I have a top load washer, so I used the tiny packet to do one load. When pouring the powdered detergent into the machine, I said to myself  'If this small amount of soap successfully cleans my huge load of laundry, I'll be pretty impressed'. With both Tide and Gain,  I usually have to fill its big plastic scoopers to get a large load all-the-way-clean.

What were the results?

The best way to test a detergent, or any other product for that matter, is to judge it by its claims. So after I pulled the clothes from the dryer, I gave it the sniff test to determine if I smelled any annoying perfumes or fragrances, since the company said there were no added ingredients.

Did it have a clean and fresh smell? Yes. The clothes did smell clean, but not in that chemically induced way that products like Gain or Tide do. The finished clothes had a scentless smell, which many people prefer, while others like their clothes to have a perfumey aroma. If you prefer the later, Country Save may not be for you.

Second company claim: Did the small amount of detergent used successfully clean the big load I washed. Yes, it did. No left-over stains, no left-over soap residue, and each article of clothing was cleaned in equal proportion. So far two for two.

I forgot to add a bit of detergent to the collar of one of my soiled button-up shirts, but the collar still came out clean. The opposite happens with Tide and Gain. If soap isn't directly applied to the collar, a small bit of dirt will still be left over.

Country Save was also pretty gentle with my colors (I didn't wash any whites), and didn't fade any of the brights. Many detergents are harsh on jeans for example, as it will fade its blue color a bit upon each wash. No noticeable color changes were seen, although one would have to use the product several times in a row to see if this remains true.

The average consumer doesn't really require that much from a laundry detergent. If it cleans your clothes properly, doesn't have an annoying scent, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg, most would say it's a pretty good product.

So, as far as those requirements go, Country Save passed when it came to clothes cleanliness, and only needing a small amount of detergent for a large load.

Other claims

But its other claims, like being gentle on sensitive skin can only be determined after extended use. 

The good thing however, is there was nothing that jumped out at me that said, this product is inferior to others on the market. But, there was also nothing that seemed to say the product was far superior, except for its more-bang-for-your-buck-appeal.

But in these cash-strapped times, when families are trying to maximize their dollars, more bang for you buck may be enough for you to test out Country Save. It's only in selected stores but is available at Amazon and other online outlets.

Real estate is all about location. So, apparently, is health care.

The Hospital Safety Score is an organization that ranks hospitals in the U.S., assigning each A, B, C, D, or F letter grade reflecting how safe hospitals are for patients in a number of care-related fields. It found that the hospitals with the highest grades tended to be concentrated in a handful of states. So, in fact, did the hospitals with the lowest grades.

Highest grades

The best hospitals, according to the group, are found in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia, Delaware, Minnesota and California. Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont have the largest percentage of "A" hospitals in the U.S.

The states with the lowest numbers of “A” hospitals include New York; Washington, D.C.; Connecticut; Wisconsin; West Virginia; Oklahoma; Arkansas; Oregon; Missouri and Rhode Island. Unscored hospitals include all hospitals from the state of Maryland which the federal government excludes from required public reporting at the national level.

Hospitals are scored using publicly available data on patient injuries, medical and medication errors, and infections.

Where the focus is on safety

"More than 400 people die every day from hospital errors such as medication mix-ups, accidents and infections," said Leah Binder, president and CEO, The Leapfrog Group, the independent nonprofit group that created the Hospital Safety Score. "Ultimately, we want all hospitals to get 'A's.' But it is interesting to see that hospitals in some parts of the country seem to be particularly focused on safety. We encourage the people who live in states that fared worse in the Hospital Safety Score to have a conversation with their doctors about the quality of care."

States that scored highest on the list tend to have highly-acclaimed teaching hospitals within their boundaries, which may raise the overall quality of care.

You can see where your state ranks here.

So do statins work as well for women as they do for men? That question has lingered for the 20 years or so that the cholesterol-lowering drugs have been popular. A new study sheds some light on the issue.

A meta-analysis published June 25 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication, finds that statins "appear to be associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men and women, but do not appear to be associated with reduced all-cause mortality or stroke in women."

Some of the previous uncertainty arises because most of the clinical trials on the drugs have predominantly enrolled men. There have been conflicting results on the benefits of statins for women with cardiovascular disease compared with men in secondary cardiovascular disease prevention, according to the study background.

Jose Gutierrez, M.D., M.P.H., of Columbia University Medical Center, New York, and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of 11 clinical trials (a total of 43,191 participants) to examine whether statin therapy was more effective than placebo in preventing recurrence of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in men and women.

Researchers also sought to determine the sex-specific effect of statins on the risk of recurrent cardiac and cerebrovascular events.

“In our results, statin therapy reduced the recurrence rate of any type of cardiovascular event, all-cause mortality, coronary death, any MI [myocardial infarction or heart attack], cardiac intervention, and any stroke type. The stratification by sex showed no statistically significant risk reduction for women taking statins compared with women taking placebo for the reduction of all-cause mortality and any type of stroke,” the authors comment.

Fewer women studied

However, the authors observe that the results of their meta-analysis “underscore” the low rate of women being enrolled in cardiovascular prevention clinical trials. 

“Women represented only a fifth of the studied sample, limiting the strength of our conclusions. In our results, the benefit associated with statin administration in women did not reach statistical significance compared with placebo in at least two outcomes, all-causes mortality and any stroke type. The reason for this difference is uncertain. One possibility is that the small sample size of women limits the power of the study,” the authors note.

So should women be using statins?

The authors conclude “this meta-analysis supports the use of statins in women for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events.”

You're at the beach, slathered in sunscreen. Your 5-month-old baby is there, too. Should you put sunscreen on her? Says Dr. Cheryl Sachs, M.D., a pediatrician at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): not usually. 

"The best approach is to keep infants under 6 months out of the sun," says Sachs, "and to avoid exposure to the sun in the hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when ultraviolet (UV) rays are most intense."

Sunscreens are recommended for children and adults.

The difference 

For one thing, a baby’s skin is much thinner than that of adults, and it absorbs the active, chemical ingredients in sunscreen more easily, Sachs explains. For another, infants have a high surface-area to body-weight ratio compared to older children and adults. Both these factors mean that an infant's exposure to the chemicals in sunscreens is much greater, increasing the risk of allergic reaction or inflammation.

The best protection is to keep your baby in the shade, if possible, Sachs says. If there's no natural shade, create your own with an umbrella or the canopy of the stroller.

If there's no way to keep an infant out of the sun, you can apply a small amount of sunscreen -- with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 -- to small areas such as the cheeks and back of the hands. Sachs suggests testing your baby's sensitivity to sunscreen by first trying a small amount on the inner wrist.

Cover Up

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests dressing infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck to prevent sunburn.

Tight weaves are better than loose. Keep in mind that while baseball caps are cute, they don't shade the neck and ears -- sensitive areas for a baby.

Heat challenges

Younger infants also don't sweat like we do. Sweat naturally cools the rest of us down when we're hot, but babies haven't yet fully developed that built-in heating-and-cooling system. So you want to make sure your baby doesn't get overheated.

In the heat, babies are also at greater risk of becoming dehydrated. To make sure they're adequately hydrated, Sachs recommends offering them their usual feeding of breast milk or formula. The water content in both will help keep them well hydrated. A small of amount water in between these feedings is also okay.

Sun safety tips

Here are some things to keep in mind this summer when outside with infants:

• Keep your baby in the shade as much as possible. If you do use a small amount of sunscreen on your baby, don't assume the child is well protected.

• Make sure your child wears clothing that covers and protects sensitive skin. Use common sense; if you hold the fabric against your hand and it's so sheer that you can see through it, it probably doesn't offer enough protection.

• Make sure your baby wears a hat that provides sufficient shade at all times.

• Watch your baby carefully to make sure he or she doesn't show warning signs of sunburn or dehydration. These include fussiness, redness and excessive crying.

• Hydrate! Give your baby formula, breast milk, or a small amount of water between feedings if you're out in the sun for more than a few minutes. Don't forget to use a cooler to store the liquids.

• Take note of how much your baby is urinating. If it's less than usual, it may be a sign of dehydration, and that more fluids are needed until the flow is back to normal.

• Avoid sunscreens containing the insect repellant DEET on infants, particularly on their hands. Young children may lick their hands or put them in their mouths. According to AAP, DEET should not be used on infants less than 2 months old.

• If you do notice your baby is becoming sunburned, get out of the sun right away and apply cold compresses to the affected areas.

If you live in even a small city you likely have plenty of options for connecting to the Internet. But if you live in a rural area, your choices can be extremely limited. Not only that, each of the choices has its drawbacks.

As a basic option, there is dial-up service. Your computer connects to the Internet through a built-in modem and a telephone line. The connection speed is extremely slow, meaning all but the simplest web pages will take forever to load.

And good luck finding simple web pages. These days the Internet is designed for broadband access, with most pages containing large amounts of data. Forget about playing rich media like video.

The choices

So if you've decided you need a broadband connection, your choices are limited to satellite, mobile broadband through your cellphone provider, or a local wireless network, if one exists in your area.

Very few homes in rural areas have cable TV access because few cable providers find it profitable to go to the expense to install digital-capable cable to serve them. At the same time some telephone companies serving rural counties do not have digital equipment in these locations that can provide DSL service. At some point they may upgrade their equipment but they won't until they deem it to be profitable. And who knows when that might be.

Satellite Internet service is provided by HughesNet, WildBlue, StarBand and SkyWay. One of the biggest problems with satellite Internet service is latency. Latency is the delay between requesting data and the receipt of a response. This is no one's fault, it's simply physics. It takes time for the signal to travel from your computer to the satellite, which is way out there in space. Even when actual data download speeds are fast, the latency issue makes satellite Internet feel very sluggish. 

Variable speeds

But latency isn't the only drawback to satellite services. 

“We were thinking if we paid $70 a month, we should be able to use all we want; that is not the way it works with HughesNet,” Susan, of Luthersville, Ga., wrote in a ConsumeAffairs post. “I would like to get a smart TV, but I don't have Internet service smart enough to let me use it. I could never use streaming Netflix with HughesNet. Netflix is cheap enough, but HughesNet would cost me a fortune.”

Gertrude, of Newport, Tenn., is a WildBlue customer who says the service isn't fast enough to play a game.

“Also they said that you have to monitor your usage or they will slow down your Internet,” Gertrude wrote. “I am a student and I need to download some large files for school. But when I called them today, they told me that I was not able to download them because I have used the Internet too much.”

Government subsidies

As part of the federal government's stimulus program, millions of dollars were allocated to subsidize development of rural broadband services. But much of the money was spent for satellite services, not for building out wired services.

For rural consumers who have good reception to a cellphone tower, mobile broadband can provide an alternative. The service is basically the same that consumers use to access the Internet with their smartphones. While 3G speed is about the same as the very lowest DSL speeds, 4G speed, which will eventually cover rural areas, is much faster.

But consumers using mobile broadband for everyday Internet access must carefully monitor their usage. No carrier offers unlimited data service. They are all measured, meaning consumers must stay within their usage plan each month or pay an overage fee.

Undercover investigators posing as disabled consumers found it extremely difficult to get a seat on Eastern Coach, a bus company serving New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington D.C.

According to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, most were told by ticket agents that Eastern had no buses that were wheelchair accessible. Schneiderman said that was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and he sued.

The two sides have now settled and Schneiderman says all future requests for accommodation will be handled in accordance with the law.

“Without equal access to transportation, people with disabilities across our state are unable to work, visit loved ones, address medical needs, or enjoy full independent living,” Schneiderman said. “This agreement helps pave the way for people with disabilities to access affordable intercity transportation and puts other companies on notice that violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act will not be tolerated."

Affordable transporttion

Bus transportation has become more important for all consumers in recent years as increased air and rail transit fares have led individuals to rely more heavily on intercity bus service, especially between large metropolitan areas. It's a special hardship for disabled consumers, Schneiderman says, calling for a greater degree of vigilance to enforce compliance with the ADA.

In 2011, the Attorney General launched an undercover investigation into whether Eastern Coach provided accessible transportation to individuals with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs. Schneiderman says the investigation revealed that Eastern Coach ticket agents advised customers that it did not have accessible buses and that it could not accommodate individuals who use wheelchairs.

The investigation also revealed that customers who purchased tickets through third-party websites faced significant barriers when attempting to notify Eastern Coach that they needed an accessible bus.

The settlement requires Eastern Coach to create new policies consistent with its obligations under the ADA, provide training to all employees about the requirements of the ADA, and pay costs to the State of New York. Schneiderman said Eastern Coach cooperated with his office and showed willingness to adopt new policies and properly train its employees.

The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.  

Federal regulators today issued joint guidance to address mortgage servicer practices that may pose risks to homeowners who are serving in the military.

It's intended to address mortgage servicer practices that pose risks to homeowners serving in the military and to ensure compliance with applicable consumer laws and regulations.

The guidance pertains to risks related to military homeowners who have informed the servicer that they have received Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders, which occur when service members are ordered to relocate to a new duty station or base. Roughly one-third of active-duty service members receive PCS orders each year.

For military homeowners, PCS orders to move to a new duty station present unique challenges. Although the orders are non-negotiable and operate under short, strict timelines, military homeowners with PCS orders remain obligated to honor their financial obligations, including their mortgages.

If their homes have declined in value, they may be unable to sell the home and obtain sufficient funds to pay off the mortgage debt and may continue to be obligated to make monthly payments after relocating to the new duty station.

Regulators issuing the guidance included the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The new guidance can be found at http://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/2012/nr-occ-2012-93a.pdf

More than 32,000 bogus cell phones and other electronics were seized and three people were arrested as federal agents broke up a counterfeit trafficking ring.

Arrested following an extensive investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) were Qiang Chen, 44, and Ye Zhang, 43, both of Syosset, N.Y.

They were conducting business as AMAX International Group Inc. Robert Eisenberg, 28, of Manhattan was also arrested. He conducted business as Cellular Wholesale USA Inc.

Chen is charged with five counts of trademark counterfeiting in the second degree. Zhang is charged with two counts and Eisenberg with one. Each defendant faces up to four years in prison if convicted. The charges could be upgraded to trademark counterfeiting in the first degree depending on the ultimate number of counterfeit items and their retail value.

Substandard product

"The defendants in this case allegedly sought to profit by providing the public with a substandard product. They also robbed manufacturers of their intellectual property, and robbed consumers of quality they come to expect and demand, said James T. Hayes Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New York.

"These scam artists knew that these phones were junk, knew that they were illegal and knew that they were duping their customers, and the only thing they cared about was how much cash they could stuff in their pockets," said Kathleen Rice, Nassau County district attorney.

The investigation

The investigation began last January when CBP officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) performing a random inspection of a shipment of cellular phones from China grew suspicious that the phones were not authentic due to their appearance and because they were shipped loose in cardboard boxes with no packaging.

HSI special agents removed several phones from the shipment and sent them to the respective companies according to their labeling -- such as Motorola or HTC -- for testing. Analysis by the real manufacturers revealed that these phones were counterfeit, with numerous inconsistencies in the phones' designs, inferior technology and parts used in their construction.

HSI special agents enlisted the assistance of the Nassau County District Attorney's Office in March, and allowed the shipment to reach its intended recipient, but flagged both the sender and recipient. Eight more pallets of counterfeit cell phones were sent via China Air to the same recipients between January and June 2012.

HSI and NCPD officers tracked the phones from the airport to two warehouses in Plainview, N.Y., and Hicksville, N.Y 

Search warrants were executed at the warehouses, as well as on a shipment at JFK, resulting in the seizure of more than 32,000 cell phones with a retail value of more than $2 million. Forty counterfeit Apple iPads and various accessories -- along with $539,710 in currency -- was also seized.

The recipients would re-package and sell the counterfeit phones online or through legitimate cell phone wholesalers who were likely unaware they were receiving counterfeit goods.

Business records will be analyzed by law enforcement to determine what companies were duped by the counterfeit phones. Those companies will be contacted and warned to investigate their inventory for potential counterfeit products.

David Schary, a family health researcher at Oregon State University, was disturbed by what he was seeing. In a study on children and physical activity -- all of the children ages two to four were sitting more than several hours a day.

Leading a team of fellow researchers, Schary set out to determine what role parents played in their children's increasingly sedentary lifestyle. What they found is that parents exert quite a bit in influence, more so than the growing availability of high-tech diversions that can keep kids glued to video screens for hours at a time.

In two studies for the journal Early Child Development and Care devoted to “Parental Influences of Childhood Obesity,” OSU researchers examined how parenting style – whether a strict but loving parent or a less-involved and more permissive parent – was associated with sedentary behavior.

30 minutes a day

Overall, they found that children who had “neglectful” parents, or ones who weren’t home often and self-reported spending less time with their kids, were getting 30 minutes more screen time on an average each week day.

“Across all parenting styles, we saw anywhere from four to five hours a day of sedentary activity,” Schary said. “This is waking hours not including naps or feeding. Some parents counted quiet play – sitting and coloring, working on a puzzle, etc. – as a positive activity, but this is an age where movement is essential.”

In the study, parents were grouped into four commonly used scientific categories – authoritative (high warmth and control), authoritarian (controlling, less warm), permissive (warm, low control), and neglectful (low control and warmth).

All the children in the sample of 200 families spent too much time sitting – typically four to five hours a day. But the study found that parents in the more neglectful category had children who were spending up to 30 additional minutes a day watching television, playing a video game or being engaged in some other form of “screen time.”

It adds up

“A half an hour each day may not seem like much, but add that up over a week, then a month, and then a year and you have a big impact,” Schary said. “One child may be getting up to four hours more active play every week, and this sets the stage for the rest of their life.”

Pressures of work might keep parents from participating as much as they would like during the week, but maybe they make up for it on the weekend. Actually, just the opposite happens. Sedentary time increased nearly one hour each weekend day in the neglectful category.

Bradley Cardinal, a professor of social psychology of physical activity at OSU, co-authored both papers with Schary. Cardinal said sedentary behavior goes against the natural tendencies of most preschool-age children.

“Toddlers and preschool-age children are spontaneous movers, so it is natural for them to have bursts of activity many minutes per hour,” he said. “Early life movement is imperative for establishing healthy, active lifestyle patterns, self-awareness, social acceptance, and even brain and cognitive development.”

In a separate study, Schary and Cardinal looked at the same group of participants and asked about ways parent support and promote active play. They found that parents who actively played with their kids had the most impact, but parents who did anything to encourage or promote active play made a difference.

The researches say parents need to maintain and increase that level of support, calling it a common sense way to prevent childhood obesity.