Current Events in September 2012

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined Aeroflot, a Russia-based carrier, for violating the department’s expanded airline passenger protection rules, which took effect in January. 

Aeroflot violated the rule on full-fare advertising and the rule requiring airlines to include a commitment in their customer service plans allowing consumers either to hold reservations at the quoted fare without payment, or cancel without penalty, for 24 hours after they book a flight. The airline was assessed a civil penalty of $60,000, and was ordered to cease and desist from further violations. 

“Airline passengers should be able to easily determine the full price for air transportation before they travel, and have the opportunity to either reserve a ticket without payment or cancel without penalty for 24 hours,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “DOT will continue to stand up for consumers and take enforcement action when these rules are violated.” 

Statement of costs 

DOT requires all advertisements that include airfares to state the entire price to be paid by the consumer. Prior to a rule that took effect Jan. 26, advertised fares were not required to include certain government-imposed taxes, as long as these additional charges were clearly disclosed in the ad. Under the new full-fare advertising rule, all government taxes and fees must be included in the advertised fare. The rule applies to both U.S. and foreign airlines as well as ticket agents. 

Airfare searches on Aeroflot’s Website after Jan. 26 returned separate listings of base fares for outbound and inbound legs that did not include additional government taxes and fees. The total fare to be charged, including taxes and fees, was ultimately disclosed at the bottom of Aeroflot’s website, but the carrier failed to advertise the entire price to be paid by the consumer when a fare was first stated. 

DOT requires carriers to include a commitment in their customer service plans allowing reservations to be held at the quoted fare without payment, or cancelled without penalty, for at least 24 hours after a reservation is made if the reservation is made one week or more before a flight’s departure. The customer service plan posted on Aeroflot’s Website between Jan. 24 and March 13 did not include this commitment.  

Can a franchise that is synonymous with the hamburger find success serving an all vegetarian fare? McDonald's is banking on it.

The U.S. fast food chain is opening two vegetarian stores in northern India, which draws many Hindu and Sikh pilgrims. The company already edits the menu of its Indian stores to account for religious sensitivities.

For example, it shuns beef and pork items that are a mainstay of its menu back home but might be offensive to Hindus and Muslims.

Instead of a Big Mac or a McRib, the new Indian restaurants will feature the McAloo Tikki burger, which really isn't a burger but a sandwich patty made from mashed potatoes. The Pizza McPuff is another new menu item, consisting of a vegetable and cheese pastry.

McDonald's operates more than 270 stores in India and most are similar to its others around the world, except that they don't serve beef or pork products. But you can get McDonald's staples like Chicken McNuggets or a fish sandwich.

While McDonald's is as American as apple pie to most U.S. consumers, the chain has increasingly become a global business in recent years. It now operates in 119 countries and serves 68 million people a day.

The new Indian vegetarian restaurants will be located in the cities of Katra and Amritsar.  

U.S. consumers flocked to new car showrooms last month, handing automakers a robust sales month. When all the sales were added up it was the best August since 2007, just before the start of the recession.

Among domestic companies Chrysler led the way. Its sales were up 14 percent over August 2011 while Ford recorded a sales increase of 13 percent. General Motors sales rose 10 percent during the month.

Big month for Chrysler

Chrysler Group reported U.S. sales of 148,472 units, with Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram Truck, and FIAT brands each recording year-over-year sales gains in August compared with the same month a year ago. The FIAT brand's 34 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand for the month. Not only was it the best August in five years, it marked Chrysler's 29th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains.

The company's bountiful August was driven in part by sales of the all-new Dodge Dart compact sedan. Dart sales were up 294 percent in August compared with the previous month of July, as the Belvidere, Ill., assembly plant continues to ramp up Dart production. The Dodge Journey set a sales record while the Dodge Avenger mid-size sedan and Dodge Challenger each set a sales record for the month of August.

The payoff

"Our hard work over the past few years is starting to pay some dividends in our sales growth, quality awards and profitability. Not to mention, an incredibly resilient U.S. new vehicle sales industry doesn't hurt either," said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Dodge Brand and Head of U.S. Sales.

Toyota continued to rack up impressive numbers in August, increasing sales by 46 percent over August 2011, when the company was still recovering from the effects of an earthquake and tsunami. Volkswagen sales rose 46 percent while Audi sales rose 13 percent.

The average transaction for a new car was an estimated $30, 274, according to automotive website Truecar.com.

Small cars and big trucks

"Consumers' preferences concentrated on the two extreme ends of the segments in August: small cars and large trucks both enjoyed market share gains -- a trend that more or less resulted in a wash from the previous month," said Jesse Toprak, Vice President of Market Intelligence for TrueCar.com. "The increase in transaction prices compared to last year while lowering incentive spending shows the strengthening demand for new vehicles and a positive sign for the automakers' bottom line.

It may also be a positive sign for the economy. While economic activity remains sluggish, auto sales have remained strong for months. And lately even the housing market has been getting into the act. The most recent data show both sales volume and home values are rising.

Nowadays, using social networks and buying merchandise from online retail stores is as common as washing the dishes, and the more it becomes ingrained into our everyday lives, the more we get comfortable and maybe even complacent when it comes to guarding our personal information.

Throughout the years we've all heard millions of tips on how to protect our private data, and with all of those warnings, it's easy to be a little confused about just what's the most important safeguard.

So what's the first thing one should remember while losing themselves inside the vast world of the Internet?

“Don't click on links in email messages or open attachments purporting to come from retail or social networking sites as notifications. When you do, you might be taken to a fake site and prompted to type in personal account information, or infected with malware, said security researcher Cameron Camp in an interview with ConsumerAffairs.

“If you click on an attachment in a notification email, you may be unwittingly starting the process of infecting your computer. Instead, visit the website directly to make sure you're visiting the legitimate one, then interact with your account directly,” said Camp, a researcher at ESET, a company that deals in IT security.

What can be so tricky in today's digital world is the fact that hackers perpetually develop new ways to steal your information, so just as consumers protect themselves from one hacking scheme, a new and more advanced one follows.

Fake notifications

And just what do some of these new hacker tactics entail?

“Fake notification emails with malicious attachment payloads,” said Camp. “Leaving your mobile device unprotected (no password or other lock), paving the way for scammers to open it up and harvest information in a few easy steps, especially if they steal the device.”

Consumers should also not be “using Java when it really isn't needed, or isn't patched and up to date,” he added. “This can allow tricky malware in the back door, so to speak, and can allow disturbingly powerful tools and techniques to be used against you, regardless of the platform or operating system.”

Camp also says using the same password for all of your accounts is still one of the most common mistakes people make in their daily computer use.

“If one of your accounts becomes compromised by hacking or any other means, your others might soon follow in a cascading fashion, messing up a lot more of your life,” he said.

“Shopping at websites that aren't reputable, or connecting to shopping websites using unencrypted connections,” are also common errors people make, said Camp. “Instead, use https (encrypted), rather than http (unencrypted). Your browser should tell you when you are using an encrypted site by displaying a lock symbol.”

More risks

He also says that although there are more ways to guard your data nowadays, there are also a lot more ways for you to be scammed.

“While there may be some improvement in securing single pieces of your information, the average user interacts with hundreds more services directly, and many more third party services that share that information secondarily,” explained Camp.

“This mean there are now exponentially higher numbers of ways to scam you and/or get a very complete digital snapshot of your life, and they would all have to be secure which is unlikely,” he added.

Camp also says using only one method of protection to guard your information isn't good enough, and online users should install backup safety measures just in case the first level of protection is compromised.

“This is the argument that it's better to have one super-secure lock on a box and hope no one breaks it, because if they do then they get everything,” he says. “A better approach is to have a reasonable lock on the box, and also a reasonable lock on the door to the room, the front door to the house, and the gate.”

“Layering defenses in this manner creates a sufficiently high barrier that criminals will go elsewhere to look for easier targets,” said Camp.

Such as ...

And what are some of the software and other safeguards consumers should buy to protect their personal data?

“Find a method (other than post-it notes, don't laugh, that's extremely common) to keep track of your passwords, and make sure it's encrypted in case it falls into the wrong hands, says Camp. “Sometimes a browser has this feature, but search customer and security reviews before you choose.”

Also “have basic anti-malware software for your computer devices, both traditional PC's and mobile. Remember, users interact with their mobile devices in many of the same ways as they did on their PC and the same protections and scams are also both applicable too, especially in the future,” he said.

“Have a firewall on your primary network you use. This doesn't have to cost many thousands of dollars, just try to enable the defenses on the unit you have. Many modern home routers have surprisingly sophisticated defenses, like intrusion detection/prevention (IDS/IPS) — if you enable them,” Camp said.

An old trick is to release unfavorable news on a Friday afternoon, hoping it gets lost over the weekend. Microsoft went that one better, emailing some of its customers Saturday, Sept. 1, to tell them about its new Microsoft Services Agreement, which goes into effect Oct. 19 and covers such things as Office.com, Windows Mail, MSN, Bing and so forth.

What's different about it?  

"We have modified the agreement to make it easier to read and understand, including using a question and answer format that we believe makes the terms much clearer," Microsoft gushed in an email that was quickly copied by hackers who sent out identical versions with links to malicious pages that could infect their Windows computers with harmful software.

If you get one of the emails, don't click on any of the links. 

Oh, and by the way, Microsoft added, "We have added a binding arbitration clause and class action waiver that affects how disputes with Microsoft will be resolved in the United States."

In plain English, the binding arbitration clause says that if you have a beef with Microsoft, you can't sue the company. Nor can you join or institute any class action suits against the company. All you can do is submit to binding arbitration, which pretty ensures you will spend a lot of time, travel to an inconvenient location at your expense, and get nothing out of it.

This is not totally unexpected, by the way. Microsoft announced its intentions in a blog posting just before the Memorial Day weekend and is now getting around to telling consumers about it.

Go elsewhere

But don't get us wrong. Just because it's called "binding arbitration" doesn't mean you're bound to accept it. After all, no one is forcing you to use Microsoft services.

As the Microsoft email cheerily puts it, "If you continue to use our services after October 19th, you agree to the terms of the new agreement or, of course you can cancel your service at any time."

Take it or leave it, in other words.

Microsoft seems pretty confident consumers won't actually vote with their feet, and probably with some justification. When we wrote about this in July, readers responded with comments suggesting that Microsoft customers abandon Microsoft and switch to Apple.

This isn't much of an option. Most consumers aren't in a position to dump their existing computer and pony up $1,100 or so for a new Apple machine.  A much better option, which has never quite caught on in the U.S., is to switch to open-source Linux, the rock-solid system that powers the Internet and many industrial-grade systems.

Ubuntu is an excellent Linux operating system designed for consumers who are not technically minded. It is completely free, easy to install and includes a full suite of programs -- Firefox Web browser, Thunderbird email client, Open Office word processor, spreadsheet, etc.

Perhaps the trouble with Ubuntu and other outstanding Linux systems is that they sound too good to be true? 

Bringing up the rear

Microsoft, of course, is not alone and, as usual, is not even out in front. Companies have been falling over themselves to unilaterally rewrite their contracts even since an infamous 2011 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the AT&T v. Concepcion case handed corporations the right to simply remove, demolish, diminish and destroy consumers' rights simply by inserting a few sentences in their contracts. 

Not everyone thinks this is a great idea. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D, Conn.) has called the clause "highly objectionable" and has said that Microsoft seems to be "following Sony’s tack and attempting to prevent preemptively any liability in case it experiences a security breach.”

“Microsoft is refusing to allow consumers to opt-out of the new clause in their terms of service,” Blumenthal added in a blog posting late last year. “This blatant corporate strong-arming indicates that Microsoft is trying to force its customers to waive their right to hold Microsoft accountable for any future injuries they sustain.”

Big retailers are hoping layaway plans create a feeding frenzy for the upcoming holiday shopping season. Toys“R”Us today said it will waive the upfront service fee for all layaway orders created in its stores now through October 31.

Walmart unveiled its plan last week and today backtracked from the $15 fee it had originally announced. Bombarded with complaints, Walmart has backed off and reduced the fee to $5. 

Offering a free, no-minimum-purchase layaway program early in the season allows customers to take full advantage of the flexible payment terms provided by layaway and give themselves until December 16 to pick up their orders, Toys"R"Us said.

Toys"R"Us also said it is offering special savings this week for customers who want to get a head start on their holiday shopping. 

Most toys in Toys“R”Us stores and most items at Babies“R”Us stores nationwide are eligible for layaway. Layaway, which is available in Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores year-round, will be available after October 31, but a $5 service fee will apply.

“Providing our customers flexible payment terms, without requiring an upfront service fee, is our most attractive layaway offer yet,” said Troy Rice, Executive Vice President, Stores and Services, Toys“R”Us, U.S. “We continue to look for ways to help our customers stretch their budgets, and by taking advantage of this free layaway option, they can make a series of small payments over time, as they begin to think about what might be on their children’s holiday wish lists.”

Toys“R”Us introduced layaway in its stores in 2009 for “big gift” items such as bikes, swing sets, dollhouses, play kitchens and more, and since that time has added new categories, like video game hardware and tablet computers, to the assortment of products eligible for this pay-over-time option. In 2011, layaway was expanded to include all playthings at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide.

A 20% down payment is required for layaway, and after October 31, there will be a $5 service fee for layaway orders. Payments may be made at any time at the store where the order was placed in the form of cash, check, credit card, debit card or gift card, but 50% of the total price of the order must be paid within 45 days and the order must be paid in full and picked up by December 16. 

In the event a customer cancels his or her order, there is a $10 charge, however, there are some state-specific exceptions regarding this fee. Please see Toysrus.com/Layaway for full program details.

A new study finds that consumers can markedly reduce their intake of pesticide residues and their exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria by choosing organic produce and meat.

Researchers at Stanford University reviewed a massive body of scientific studies on the much-debated issue. They analyzed more than 230 field studies and 17 human studies conducted in the United States and Europe to compare pesticide residues, antibiotic resistance and vitamin and nutrient levels in organic and conventionally produced foods. The study, published Monday (Sept. 3), is available online at the website of The Annals of Internal Medicine.

“The study confirms the message that EWG and scores of public health experts have been sending for years, that consumers who eat organic fruits and vegetables can significantly reduce pesticide concentrations in their bodies,” Sonya Lunder, senior analyst at Environmental Working Group, said.

“This is a particularly important finding for expectant mothers and kids, because the risks of dietary exposures to synthetic pesticides, especially organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, are greatest during pregnancy and childhood, when the brain and nervous system are most vulnerable. These are two groups that should really avoid eating foods with high levels of pesticide residues,” Lunder said.

Based on its review of the available research, the Stanford team also concluded that conventionally raised meat harbors more antibiotic resistant bacteria. It found that consumers of non-organic chicken or pork are 33 percent more likely to ingest three or more strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria than those who eat organic meat.

“What jumped out at us in this study is that conventionally-raised meat treated heavily with antibiotics is much more likely to carry drug-resistant bacteria than meat produced on organic farms,” said EWG Senior Analyst Kari Hamerschlag, who focuses on organic and conventional agriculture. “Antibiotics, which are banned in organic production, promote the development of resistant super-bugs that are a serious risk to human health.”

Nutritional content

The researchers did not find “significant” or “robust” differences in nutritional content between organic and conventional foods. But Charles Benbrook, a professor of agriculture at Washington State University and former chief scientist at The Organic Center who reviewed the Stanford study and most of the underlying literature, had this to say in response:

"This study draws a markedly different conclusion than I do about the nutritional benefits of organic crops. Several well-designed US studies show that organic crops have higher concentrations of antioxidants and vitamins than conventional crops. For crops like apples, strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, milk, carrots, and grains organic produce has 10 to 30 percent higher levels of several nutrients, including vitamin C, antioxidants and phenolic acids in most studies."

The Stanford study also contradicts the findings of what many consider the most definitive analysis in the scientific literature of the nutrient content of organic versus conventional food.

In that 2011 study, a team led by Dr. Kirsten Brandt of the Human Nutrition Research Center of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom analyzed most of the same research and concluded that organic crops had approximately 12 to 16 percent more nutrients than conventional crops.

About 1 in 3 American adults -- 67 million of us -- have high blood presure but more than half of us don't have it under control, a new report finds.

“We have to roll up our sleeves and make blood pressure control a priority every day, with every patient, at every doctor’s visit,” said Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  “With increased focus and collaboration among patients, health care providers and health care systems, we can help 10 million Americans’ blood pressure come into control in the next five years.”

Major risk factor

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the first and fourth leading causes of death in the United States, leading to nearly 1,000 deaths a day.

High blood pressure is defined as blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90 mm- Hg.  High blood pressure’s direct health care cost is almost $131 billion annually.

Pharmacists, nurses, dietitians, and community health workers can support doctors in identifying and treating patients with high blood pressure. This team-based approach is a way to provide patient support and follow-up care, manage medicines, and help patients stick to a blood pressure control plan.  In addition, patients should be counseled to make important lifestyle changes that affect blood pressure, including eating a healthy, low sodium diet, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing refund checks to 4,468 consumers nationwide who allegedly were defrauded by a telemarketer who used robocalls to pitch worthless credit card rate reduction programs for an up-front fee. Each consumer will receive a check for between $31 and $1,300, based on how much money he or she lost in the scam.

The refunds stem from the July 2010 judgment in one of several cases the FTC brought against defendants that made illegal robocalls to consumers, using names including "Heather from card services" and "client services."

According to the FTC, the defendants in this case claimed that they could lower the interest rates on consumers' credit cards – for an up-front fee that typically ranged from $990 to $1,495.

The defendants also falsely stated that consumers who did not save the "guaranteed" amount – typically $4,000 or more – could get a full refund of the up-front fee. However, after consumers paid the fee, the defendants did little to negotiate better terms on their behalf and refused refunds to consumers who were dissatisfied with their services.

Consumers who receive the checks should cash them within 60 days of the date they were issued. The redress checks are valid for 60 days from the date they are issued. The FTC never requires the payment of money up front, or the provision of additional information, before consumers cash redress checks issued to them. Consumers with questions should call the redress hotline at 1-866-224-5404.

Checks are going out to nearly 13,000 consumers who paid significantly more for their drugs than they expected based on allegedly deceptive pricing claims made by CVS Caremark, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said today. Consumers eligible for refunds will receive all of the amount they overpaid for the drugs.

In January 2012, the FTC charged that CVS Caremark misrepresented the prices of certain Medicare Part D prescription drugs – including drugs used to treat breast cancer symptoms and epilepsy – at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.

Many seniors and disabled consumers paid significantly more for their drugs than they expected and wound up being pushed into the "donut hole" – a term referring to the coverage gap where none of their drug costs are reimbursed – sooner than they anticipated or planned.

The settlement barred the deceptive claims and required CVS Caremark to pay $5 million to reimburse affected Medicare Part D consumers for the price discrepancy.

Beginning today, a redress administrator for the FTC, Rust Consulting, Inc., began mailing checks to victims of the deceptive conduct. The checks will be valid for 60 days from the date they are issued and must be cashed by then.

Consumers who have questions can call a toll-free hotline at 1-888-773-8392.

Cyberspace isn't getting any safer. Computer security firm McAfee reports finding the largest increase in malware samples in the last four years during the second quarter of 2012.

That amounts to a 1.5 million increase in malware from the first quarter of the year. The McAfee Threats Report also found some significant changes in the nature of the threats.

"The key things that stood out were the emergence of mobile (Android) 'drive-by downloads' as a new attack vector, the use of Twitter for control of mobile botnets and the appearance of mobile 'ransomware' as the newest way of extracting funds from unsuspecting victims," the report said. "Much of the growth and rebound in malware and threats we saw last quarter has continued strongly."

More threats against PCs

Despite the emergence of new mobile threats, the report found that in the last quarter PC malware had its busiest period in recent history. There was significant growth in established rootkits but a slowdown in others.

Almost all of the families of malware the company said it examined continue to reach new levels, with activity among password-stealing Trojans particularly strong. McAfee's "zoo" of malware sample has accelerated rapidly, to the point where it is now adding nearly 100,000 new samples per day. These variants are quickly spreading around the globe.

“Over the last quarter we have seen prime examples of malware that impacted consumers, businesses, and critical infrastructure facilities,” said Vincent Weafer, senior vice president of McAfee Labs. “Attacks that we've traditionally seen on PCs are now making their way to other devices. For example, in Q2 we saw Flashback, which targeted Macintosh devices and techniques such as ransomware and drive-by downloads targeting mobile. This report highlights the need for protection on all devices that may be used to access the Internet.”

Ransomware

Ransomware may be the most frightening emerging threat. When it contaminates a device it can take control of personal files and not allow the owner free access again until after they have made a payment.

Botnets, a network of infected computers used to generate spam, send out viruses and in some cases can cause Web servers to fail. McAfee says they reached a 12-month high in the second quarter. With the U.S. as the global hub of botnet control servers, new methods for control have also been uncovered, including the use of Twitter for mobile botnet command and control. That allows the attacker to tweet commands with relative anonymity and all infected devices will follow them.

Declining spam

Spam is becoming less of a problem. The report found that only Colombia, Japan, South Korea, and Venezuela showed an increase greater than 10 percent. The U.S., meanwhile, remains the world's biggest host of malicious Web content.

The United States is often the biggest originator and victim of a variety of threats," the authors wrote. "The Web is a dangerous place for the uninformed and unprotected."

Even when distressed sales, such as foreclosures, are included the average U.S. home price is rising, showing a steady increase that began earlier this year.

The national average price of a U.S. home rose 3.8 percent in July, when compared to July 2011, according to CoreLogic, a provider of information, analytics and business services. It's the biggest year-over-year increase since August 2006, the peak of the housing bubble.

Even on a monthly basis prices were higher -- up 1.3 percent from June. The company sees it as part of a solid trend. It projects that year-over-year prices will be up 4.3 percent in August.

Positive trajectory

“The housing market continues its positive trajectory with significant price gains in July and our expectation of a further increase in August,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. “While the pace of growth is moderating as we transition to the off-season for home buying, we expect a positive gain in price levels for the full year.”

Housing, as you recall, has been one of the major economic drags of the Great Recession. With a tsunami of foreclosures, triggered by increasingly lax lending standards, home values tumbled nationwide -- more in some markets than in others.

States where prices escalated the most, such as Nevada, Arizona, California and Florida, the collapse was the most pronounced. Now, even in the hardest hit states prices are beginning to creep higher.

Light at the end of the tunnel

“Although we expect some slowing in price gains over the balance of 2012, we are clearly seeing the light at the end of a very long tunnel,” said Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic.

Even accounting for distressed sales, the five states with the highest appreciation were: Arizona, where prices gained 16.6 percent; Idaho, with a 10.0 percent gain; Utah, with an increase of 9.3 percent; South Dakota, which saw prices rise 8.3 percent; and Colorado, where the average home price increased 7.3 percent.

Delaware, Alabama, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Illinois experienced the largest declines in average home value, but none more than five percent.

Despite the steady recovery, homeowners in the hardest hit states will have a long way to go before recovering their lost equity. The coreLogic numbers show the average home price in Nevada is still 56 percent below its bubble peak while Florida and Arizona are down 44.2 percent and 42.8 percent respectively.

Mammut Sports Group of Shelburne, VT, is recalling about 3,800 Snowpulse Avalanche Airbags -- 1,200 in the U.S and 26,00 in Canada. 

A leak in the airbag's cartridge can result in the airbag not deploying, posing a risk of death and injury in the event of an avalanche. There are no reports of incidents or injuries 

This recall involves Snowpulse Avalanche airbags with inflation-system 1.0 air cartridges. The airbags are used for skiing, snowmobiling and mountain climbing to help keep the user above the surface if an avalanche occurs. Model year 2008 to 2010 airbag cartridges are included in this recall. 

The packs are between 15 and 45 liters and have the "Snowpulse" logo printed on them. The metal cartridge is inside the pack and unscrews from the airbag. Cartridges using inflation system 1.0 gauges can be identified by the pin inside the threaded fitting on the side of the cartridge. If this gauge does not have an "A" or a "B" on the dial then it is included in the recall. 

The airbags, manufactured in Switzerland, were sold by Specialty outdoor and motorsports stores nationwide from September 2008 through April 2012 for between $900 and $1,200. 

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled airbags and contact Snowpulse for a replacement cartridge. 

For additional information, contact Snowpulse at (800) 451-5127 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Website.

E-cigarettes are marketed as a safe alternative to smoking tobacco. Users get nicotine delivered in vapor form but not the smoke and tar found in tobacco.

Unfortunately, say Greek researchers, they may still be harming their lungs. No doubt the study will add to, but not settle, the debate over the safety of alternative nicotine-delivery products.

With an e-cigarette, heat from an electronic element creates the vapor that a smoker inhales, just as they would a cigarette. Because there is no combustion, but "smoke" is assumed to be safer.

Can't assume the product is safe

But researchers from the University of Athens say that might be a faulty assumption. They set out to investigate the short-term effects of using e-cigarettes on different people, including people without any known health problems and smokers with and without existing lung conditions.

The study was small -- it included 8 people who had never smoked and 24 smokers, 11 with normal lung function and 13 people with either chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma.

Each person used an electronic cigarette for 10 minutes. The researchers then measured their airway resistance using a number of tests, including a spirometry test.

Increase in airway resistance

The results showed that for all people included in the study, the e-cigarette caused an immediate increase in airway resistance, lasting for 10 minutes. In healthy subjects -- people who never smoke -- there was a statistically significant increase in airway resistance from a mean average of 182 to 206 percent.

In smokers with normal lung function there was a statistically significant increase from a mean average of 176 percent to 220 percent. In COPD and asthma patients the use of one e-cigarette seemed to have no immediate effect to airway resistance.

"We do not yet know whether unapproved nicotine delivery products, such as e-cigarettes, are safer than normal cigarettes, despite marketing claims that they are less harmful," said Professor Christina Gratziou, one of the authors. "This research helps us to understand how these products could be potentially harmful."

But Gratziou says the fact researchers found an immediate rise in airway resistance in participants suggests e-cigarettes can cause immediate harm after smoking the device.

More research

"More research is needed to understand whether this harm also has lasting effects in the long-term," she said.

In the U.S. e-cigarettes are lightly regulated, in part because they haven't been around that long and research on their health effects is only beginning.

In 2010 the state of California filed a complaint against one e-cigarette maker, Sottera, over its claims that its product was a safe alternative to smoking. Health officials are also concerned e-cigarette makers are marketing the product to minors who have not yet started smoking cigarettes.

The typical e-cigarette includes a small liquid reservoir, a heating element, and a power source, usually a battery. Most electronic cigarettes are portable, self-contained cylindrical devices in varying sizes, and many are designed to outwardly resemble traditional cigarettes.   

Gulf Coast levees and other infrastructure held up relatively well against Hurricane Isaac last week though many areas remain flooded and are still without power.

In the aftermath of the storm, which dumped as much as 25 inches of rain, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has cracked down on several businesses accused of price gouging.

Hood arrested Kuldip Singh, a Natchez gas station owner, accusing him of charging over his usual profit margin at the Roxie Truck Stop, which he owns.

Hood also announced the arrest of Rajinder Singh, a Jackson gas station owner. Singh is accused of price-gouging during a disaster. Once the governor issues a disaster declaration with a price gouging prohibition, a merchant cannot increase their average profit margin on products until the executive order is rescinded. Singh is accused of charging seventeen cents over his usual profit margin at his Fuel Time gas station on Bullard Street in Jackson.

Hotel rates

Two Vicksburg hotel operators, meanwhile, have been arrested and charged with price gouging during a state of emergency. Investigators arrested Devenora V. Patel and Hemel Ramesh Surati,at their business, The Battlefield Inn in Vicksburg.

“The arrests were the result of tips from concerned citizens and a subsequent undercover investigation,” Hood said.

Patel and Surati are accused of charging more than their usual profit margin for hotel rooms.

“The price-gouging prohibition is in place in the disaster-designated area to prevent merchants from exploiting a disaster and taking advantage of residents and evacuees during such a time of need and vulnerability,” Hood said.

Hundreds of calls

Hood said his office has received hundreds of calls this week concerning price gouging primarily of gasoline, but the law applies to other products as well from bottled water to hotel rooms.

In neighboring Louisiana, price-gouging rules are also in place. In one of the more unusual post-storm announcements, however, Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell reminded registered sex offenders who evacuated during the storm that they were required to notify law enforcement immediately of their new temporary home.

It seems with each new technological advancement another invention from the past becomes obsolete.

The DVD player brought an end to the VCR, MP3s put the kibosh on the CD craze, and when's the last time you used a home answering machine?

Another invention that has died a slow death over the years is wristwatches. Although many people are still wearing them, plenty of consumers just don't use watches to gauge the weather anymore, or use it as an alarm clock to wake them up in the morning.

And you can blame most of that on the invention of smartphones and other mobile devices.

But today a lot of companies are looking to reinvent the wristwatch by making them more like mobile devices, and many believe the year 2013 could be when "smartwatches" rise to consumer prominence.

Take the Pebble watch, for example. It allows you to sync your Android or iPhone, giving you mobile device capabilities on your wrist. Its creators put the watch on the crowd-funding site Kickstarter to assist with product development and marketing, and to date the company has raised a huge sum of over $10 million.

Consumers can also download from an array of different Pebble watchfaces, and access internet based apps just like smartphone.

What's also special about this watch, and others like it, is that they're perfect for cyclists, runners and others who need to access a GPS system while they're  being active. This is nearly impossible to do with a traditional smartphone, as they can easily break when working out, or become overly cumbersome during stressful movements.

The Pebble is also waterproof for swimming and it's rumored to be released by late 2012 or early 2013. The watch was supposed to be available by this September but the company has since pushed back its debut. Once the Pebble hits retail stores, it's rumored to go for about $150.

Like a wristwatch ...

The Nike FuelBand is sort of like a wristwatch but then again it isn't, resembling more of a sleek looking bracelet. Users can set daily goals like dietary or exercise plans, and the wristband itself switches colors from red to green as you get closer to your fitness objective.

The wrist device can also be linked to Nike's website so you can keep track of your workout tallies and compare them with other Nike customers.

The company has been receiving pre-orders since February of this year, but high demand and customer curiosity has allowed the watch to sell out rather quickly, although it now can be purchased on Nike's website for $149.

Sony Smartwatch

The Sony Smartwatch, also costing $149, allows you to pretty much wear the phone on your hand, as it comes with touch display and users can download Google Apps to adjust the watch to their specific daily needs.

Its makers say the Sony Smartwatch is ultra-light weight, and the face can be detached and put onto a wrist band that you're currently using. The watches look pretty cool too, coming in black, grey, white, pink, green and blue, and can easily be worn for fashion purposes as well.

The MotoACTV which is made by Motorola and goes for about $250 is also ideal for those who work out or stay physically active. The watch works just like an Android and comes with Bluetooth if one wants to attach their phone, headset or other accessories.

The watch also allows one to track their progress while working out or trying to reach a particular fitness goal. Like the other phones the MotoACTV has music playing capabilities as well as a GPS, and can serve as an electronic coach while one is attempting to maintain their exercise regimen and become physically fit.

Although the device isn't as pretty as Sony's smartwatch, and doesn't come in the same variety of colors, it stillout performs traditional watches by leaps and bounds. It's almost like having an entire laptop on your wrist.

Time will only tell if smartwatches will become as popular as smartphones and other mobile devices in the coming years, or if they will simply fall into consumer obscurity like so many other new products that were supposed to change the way we maneuver in our daily lives.

It will be interesting to see, but one thing we do know at the moment, is that several companies are hard at work trying to create the next wave of popular mobile device technology.

Apple has amended the list of Samsung products it wants banned in the U.S., claiming they also infringe on Apple patents.

In late August a California jury agreed with Apple that Samsung has willfully infringed on various patents in the design and production of a number of smartphones and tablets. Days later Apple asked a judge for an injunction preventing the sale in the U.S. of eight Samsung devices.

Now, in an amended filing, Apple has added more products to its wish list, including Samsung's Galaxy S III smartphone, which was released after Apple filed the original lawsuit. The S III is Samsung's latest smartphone product.

 Flooding the market

In it's court filing Friday, Apple accused Samsung of “flooding the market” with products that violate various Apple patents. In fact, while Apple releases one smartphone update per year, Samsung might release a dozen.

The Samsung smartphones named in the complaint are:

• Galaxy S III - Verizon
• Galaxy Note
• Galaxy S II Skyrocket
• Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch
• Galaxy S II
• Galaxy S II - T-Mobile
• Galaxy S II - AT&T
• Galaxy Nexus
• Illusion
• Captivate Glide
• Exhibit II 4G
• Stratosphere
• Transform Ultra
• Admire
• Conquer 4G
• Dart

Apple is also seeking to block sales of Samsung's Galaxy Player 4.0 and Galaxy Player 5.0 media players, along with the Galaxy Note 10.1, Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus and Galaxy Tab 8.9 tablets.  

Exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a manmade chemical used in the manufacture of some common household products, appears to be associated with cardiovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease in a study of 1,216 individuals, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

The chemical was once used to produce non-stick coatings and is still used in a wide variety of other applications. It was linked to kidney and testicular cancer by an independent scientific panel approved by the DuPont company as part of a class action lawsuit.

Other studies have linked PFOA to high cholesterol levels in children.

In July, the chemical industry and the Food and Drug Administration reached an agreement to begin phasing out the so-called "C-8" group of chemical compounds widely used in pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags, fast food wrappers and other food packaging.

The chemicals basically make the food wrappers more grease-proof -- so the grease from your pizza doesn't make the box completely soggy by the time the delivery guy gets it to your door.  

Surveys have suggested that PFOA (widely used in the manufacture of products such as lubricants, polishes, paper and textile coatings, and food packaging) is detectable in the blood of more than 98 percent of the U.S. population. Some evidence has suggested that an association may be biologically plausible between PFOA exposure and cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to the study background.

Major problem

“Cardiovascular disease is a major public health problem. Identifying novel risk factors for CVD, including widely prevalent environmental exposures, is therefore important,” according to the study background.

“Our results contribute to the emerging data on health effects of PFCs [perfluoroalkyl chemicals], suggesting for the first time that PFOA exposure is potentially related to CVD and PAD. However, owing to the cross-sectional nature of the present study, we cannot conclude that the association is causal,” the authors comment. 

Anoop Shankar, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues from the West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, examined the association between serum (blood) levels of PFOA and the presence of CVD and PAD, a marker of atherosclerosis, in a nationally representative group of adults. The study used merged data from the 1999-2000 and 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

The study suggests that increasing serum PFOA levels were positively associated with the presence of CVD and PAD, and the association appeared to be independent of confounders such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking status, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and serum cholesterol level, the authors comment.

“In summary, in a representative cross-sectional sample of the U.S. population, we found that higher PFOA levels are positively associated with self-reported CVD and objectively measured PAD. Our findings, however, should be interpreted with caution because of the possibility of residual confounding and reverse causality. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm or refute our findings,” the authors conclude.

Airline deregulation in 1978 was supposed to create competition among airlines and improve service for consumers while making airlines more profitable. It hasn't quite worked out that way.

Instead, yet another airline merger appears to be in the works. American and US Airways have entered into a non-disclosurre agreement (NDA) so they can begin exchanging confidential information, the prelude to a possible merger.

“The companies do not expect to provide any further announcements regarding the status of any such discussions unless and until the parties have entered into a transaction or discussions between the parties have been terminated,” the two carriers said in a joint statement. “Furthermore, AMR and US Airways have each agreed while they are evaluating a potential combination that they and their representatives will not engage in discussions with other parties concerning a potential combination of AMR and US Airways.”

 Series of mergers

Since Congress deregulated air travel, airline after airline has disappeared into a merger. Since 2001 there have been four major U.S. airline mergers, two of which involved. the same two airlines that are now exploring merging with one another.

In 2001 American merged with TWA. In 2005 US Airways merged with America West. In 2008 Delta merged with Northwest. In 2010 United merged with Continental. Airlines have sought to merge because operating independently did not prove profitable.

 Ironically, deregulation was supposed to make the airline industry stronger. From 1939 to 1979 the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) set fares and determined how many cities each airline would serve. When the airlines needed to raise fares, they had to appeal to the CAB. If the CAB allowed United to increase its fare for service from Chicago to Phoenix, for example, it also allowed a fare increase for all other carriers serving that route.

 Competing with service

With the fares the same the only way an airline could set itself apart from its competitors was convenience and service. It offered more flights and tried to provide better in-flight food and entertainment. It often few half-empty planes, which was highly inefficient but very nice for passengers.

In the era of deregulation airlines were supposed to become more profitable and stable, which was then supposed to increase choice for consumers. But with airlines now competing on price, service and convenience has suffered.

Fares are cheaper

Non-stop flights are far fewer than in the past and a hot meal in coach is a distant memory. But when adjusted for inflation, fares are now cheaper than under deregulation, even with baggage fees.

According to Businessweek, airline revenue per passenger mile has declined from an inflation-adjusted 33.3 cents in 1974, to 13 cents in the first half of 2010. In 1974 the cheapest round-trip New York-Los Angeles flight, in inflation-adjusted dollars, that regulators would allow: $1,442. Today one can fly that same route for $268. Since airfares are cheaper, more people are flying.

Still, even with loaded planes, fewer direct flights, minimal in-flight amenities and numerous fees, airlines appear to need constant mergers to stay aloft.