Current Events in December 2012

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is fining Vision Airlines $50,000 for violating rules that protect passengers when their public charter flights are suddenly canceled.

Vision Airlines was one of several carriers operating flights for Direct Air, a charter operator also known as Myrtle Beach Direct Air & Tours, which ceased operating in March. Direct Air arranged charters from a number of cities in the Midwest and Northeast to Myrtle Beach, S.C. and cities in Florida.

Charter versus scheduled

Public charters differ from scheduled flights in that they operate only for a specific time period and are usually sold by a charter operator rather than an airline. DOT has specific rules applying to public charters, including a requirement that the charter operator have a security arrangement, such as a bond or letter of credit and an escrow account to protect consumers’ money if a flight is canceled. There is also a ban on canceling flights less than 10 days before departure unless it is physically impossible to operate the flight.

“Airline passengers should be able to book their trips without having to worry about a last-minute cancellation or being stranded away from home,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “DOT will continue to take enforcement action against airlines and charter operators when they violate our airline consumer protection rules.”

Cessation of flights

Vision Airlines stopped flying charters for Direct Air on March 13, 2012, when Direct Air ceased operations. Numerous passengers did not receive the service for which they paid Direct Air when Vision Airlines cancelled the remaining flights it was scheduled to operate for Direct Air.

In assessing its fine against Vision Airlines, the Department’s Aviation Enforcement Office found the carrier violated rules prohibiting the cancellation of public charter flights less than 10 days before their scheduled departure. In addition, Vision failed to ensure return flights for all round-trip passengers who used it for the outbound leg of their trips.

This is the third penalty issued by the Department related to the Direct Air program. On October 2, the Department assessed a $300,000 penalty against Xtra Airways, and on July 27, the Department assessed a $180,000 penalty against World Atlantic Airlines, other carriers operating flights for Direct Air. The Department is continuing to investigate Direct Air’s shutdown.

Though a number of states have recently cracked down on synthetic drugs for recreational use, they continue to be promoted and sold in wide areas of the country. Drug experts say that in some cases, they may be more harmful than the illegal drugs they emulate.

Take synthetic marijuana, for example. According to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) it was linked to 11,406 of the 4.9 million drug-related emergency department (ED) visits in 2010.

Commonly known by such street names as “K2” or “Spice,” synthetic cannabinoids are substances that are not made from the marijuana plant but claim to have the same effect as the drug. Though an increasing number of states have passed laws against the sale of synthetic cannabinoids, they have been marketed as incense and a “legal” alternative to marijuana during the past few years.

However, last July a comprehensive, national ban was enacted against the sale of synthetic cannabinoids under Title XI of the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act.

Symptoms

The report says that the use of synthetic marijuana is tied to a variety of reported symptoms including agitation, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, tremor, seizures, hallucinations, paranoid behavior and non-responsiveness.

The report found that young people between the ages of 12 and 29 made up 75 percent of all hospital ED visits involving synthetic marijuana, with males accounting for 78 percent of the ED admissions among this age group. The average age for people involved in synthetic cannabinoid-related ED admissions was younger than for marijuana-related ED visits – 24 years old versus 30 years old.

“Health care professionals should be alerted to the potential dangers of synthetic cannabinoids, and they should be aware that their patients may be using these substances,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “Parents, teachers, coaches and other concerned adults can make a huge impact by talking to young people, especially older adolescents and young adults, about the potential risks associated with using synthetic marijuana.”

Spring break

In March, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi appealed to spring break vacationers to stay away from K2 and other synthetic drugs. Since then the drugs have been outlawed, not just in Florida, but nationwide. Not only can you be arrested for possessing or selling the drugs, health experts say users can cause real harm, as evidenced by the report.

“This report confirms that synthetic drugs cause substantial damage to public health and safety in America,” said Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Gil Kerlikowske. “Make no mistake -- the use of synthetic cannabinoids can cause serious, lasting damage, particularly in young people. Parents have a responsibility to learn what these drugs can do and to educate their families about the negative impact they cause.”

If you'll be job-hunting next year, your chances of success will likely be about the same as they were this year.

A national survey conducted by Dice Holdings, Inc., a provider of specialized Websites for professional communities, shows hiring professionals anticipate continued job creation in the first half of 2013 at a solid -- but not stellar -- pace.

Nearly half (46%) of hiring managers and recruiters expect additional hiring during the first half of 2013, compared with the second half of 2012. This stands as virtually identical to the expectations for the first half of 2012 when hiring managers were asked to weigh in a year ago. And it's a tick downward from the prior survey, conducted in May 2012, when a majority of hiring pros (51%) expected that there would be additional hiring during the last six months of this year.

Holding the line

A plurality or 44 percent of hiring managers and recruiters say current economic conditions are having no impact on their hiring plans. It appears the continued split on the pace of recruiting reflects the broad uncertainty that companies have been operating under for more than a year.

"As opposed to a fresh start, employers and employees seem to be entering 2013 ready to hold on to the status quo. While it may feel like a good amount of running in place, it's important to remember more than 1.3 million private sector jobs have been created this year and business conditions point to continued modest job growth," said Scot Melland, chairman, president & CEO of Dice Holdings. "If greater confidence returns, I firmly believe hiring managers and professionals will be emboldened to act more decisively."

Pay raises possible

For the first time in more than a year, a majority of corporate hiring managers (55%) expect current employees will receive a raise in the year ahead. This uptick does not appear to be due to an increase in voluntary departures, as more than two-thirds of corporate respondents (68%) say they saw no increase in voluntary departures in the workplace during 2012, compared to slightly more than six in 10 (64%) who said that when asked six months ago.

While salaries appear to be trending slightly upward for most existing staffers, compensation for new hires appears to be more in question. Fewer hiring managers and recruiters (43%) expect to offer higher initial salaries for new recruits during the first six months of 2013 than held that expectation during the latter half of 2012.

Offers rejected

In turn, more companies and recruiters are seeing increases in candidates rejecting offers (22%) than seeing a jump in professionals accepting offers (15%) when judging their current recruiting experience versus the last six months.

When asked why professionals are choosing to leave their current position, hiring managers and recruiters tagged increasing salaries and better career opportunities elsewhere as the top reasons, followed by better job title or promotion, the opportunity for better work/life balance and flexible work schedules.

Among hiring professionals who envision bringing on new staff in early 2013, one level of experience looks to be improving: Nearly four in 10 respondents (38%) say they envision hiring entry-level staffers in early 2013, up from one-third (33%) who envisioned making entry-level hires during the second half of 2012. However, more hiring managers expect to fill positions requiring two to five years of experience and six to 10 years of experience to start 2013.  

The Federal Trade Commission has put a stop to a California-based auto loan modification operation, settling charges that it allegedly deceived consumers with false promises that it could get auto loans modified and stop cars from being repossessed.

Patrick Freeman, the sole owner of the Hope for Car Owners operation, has agreed to a settlement with the FTC that bans him from marketing auto loan modifications and any other debt relief services. Freeman’s company is in default.

In April 2012, the FTC alleged that Hope for Car Owners, LLC and Freeman charged hundreds of dollars in up-front fees, based on bogus promises that they could reduce consumers’ monthly car loan payments and help avoid repossession of their vehicles.

Consumers left hanging

According to the FTC, the defendants’ Websites and telemarketers promised consumers substantially lower monthly payments. The agency contends the defendants collected hundreds of dollars in up-front fees and told the consumers to stop paying their auto lenders, which often left them in worse shape than when they began, and increased the risk that their vehicles would be repossessed.

The FTC also alleged that once the up-front fees were collected, the defendants did nothing to obtain the promised loan modifications, and consumers who tried to get refunds were denied. In one case, for instance, Hope for Car Owners took $400 from a consumer and told her not to make any more payments on her vehicle, according to the FTC. The consumer followed the defendants’ instructions, and her lender soon informed her that her vehicle was going to be repossessed.

Terms of settlement

Under the settlement order, Freeman is prohibited from making misrepresentations about financial products and any other product or service. He also is required to back up any claims about the benefits, performance, or efficacy of any product or service, and to destroy customer information obtained by the loan modification scheme within 30 days after the settlement order takes effect.

The settlement also imposes a $362,388 judgment, which will be suspended due to Freeman’s inability to pay. If it is later determined that the financial information Freeman provided to the FTC was false, the full amount of the judgment will become due.

Researchers at Virginia Tech say milk is an overlooked delivery vehicle for omega-3 fatty acids, which increasingly are viewed as beneficial to health.

The main omega-3 source in the diet is fish but researchers say incorporating omega-3 into milk and dairy-based beverages is a way to increase its consumption. They say it can be added to milk in amounts sufficient to promote heart health without destroying the product's taste or limiting its shelf life.

Smell test

And best of all, it reportedly passes the smell test. Twenty-five volunteers evaluated one-ounce cups of standard 2 percent milk alongside samples of skim milk containing 78 parts butter oil to 22 parts fish oil in institutionally approved study conditions.

"We couldn't find any aroma differences," said Susan E. Duncan, a professor of food science and technology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "We were concerned the fish oil would undergo a chemical process called oxidation, which would shorten the milk's shelf life, or the milk would acquire a cardboard or paint flavor by reacting with the fish oil. It appears we have a product that is stable, with no chemical taste or smell issues."

The aroma-free fortified milk delivered 432 milligrams of heart-healthy fatty acids per cup, close to the 500 milligram daily target for healthy people suggested by a broad range of health studies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests daily consumption of 250 milligrams per day in healthy adults.

This is significant since recent research has shown omega-3 fatty acids are helpful for preventing coronary disease, reducing inflammation, and providing other health benefits.

AMA recommendations

The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fatty fish per week, citing research that has shown omega-3 fatty acids decrease the risk of potentially fatal heart arrhythmias, decrease triglyceride levels, slow growth of atherosclerotic plaque, and slightly lower blood pressure.

But not everyone eats fish. That, says researchers, means there is a need for new foods and beverages fortified with omega-3s in the marketplace. Sales are expected to reach more than $3 billion in 2016, according to marketing analysts.

"I think the dairy industry can look at our study and determine whether it is plausible to modify its products," Duncan said. "I would like to help people who love milk, yogurt, and dairy, which have intrinsic nutritional value, address an additional need in their diets, especially if they don't like to eat fish or can't afford it. One of these dairy servings a day apparently is enough to sustain enough continuous omega-3 to benefit heart health."

If such a product catches on with consumers, Duncan said the next step for researchers is to follow groups of volunteers in a study to determine whether the food improves health. And milk has a history of being used to deliver other healthy substances.

Vitamin D

"Milk was first fortified with Vitamin D as a way to fight rickets -- a disease that leads to soft or weak bones," said Kerry E. Kaylegian, a dairy foods research and extension associate with Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, who was not involved in the research. "It was a good approach to address a dietary deficiency disease, because so many people drink milk, which is already loaded with nutrients. This study describes fortification of milk with omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. We can't say lack of those compounds definitively causes cardiac disease, but there is evidence that they protect us and contribute to heart and brain health. Milk would be a good delivery vehicle for those nutrients."

When we eat too much, we could become obese as a result of chronically high insulin levels -- not the other way around. That finding, reported in the December 4th Cell Metabolism, is based on new evidence in mice, and challenges the widespread view that rising insulin is a secondary consequence of obesity and insulin resistance.

The new study helps to solve this chicken-or-the-egg dilemma by showing that animals with persistently lower insulin stay trim even as they indulge themselves on a high-fat, all-you-can-eat buffet. The findings come as some of the first direct evidence in mammals that circulating insulin itself drives obesity, the researchers say.

The results are also consistent with clinical studies showing that long-term insulin use by people with diabetes tends to come with weight gain, said James Johnson of the University of British Columbia.

"We are very inclined to think of insulin as either good or bad, but it's neither," Johnson said. "This doesn't mean anyone should stop taking insulin; there are nuances and ranges at which insulin levels are optimal."

Genetic quirk

Johnson and his colleagues took advantage of a genetic quirk in mice: that they have two insulin genes. Insulin1 shows up primarily in the pancreas and insulin2 in the brain, in addition to the pancreas. By eliminating insulin2 altogether and varying the number of good copies of insulin1, the researchers produced mice that varied only in their fasting blood insulin levels.

When presented with high-fat food, those with one copy and lower fasting insulin were completely protected from obesity even without any loss of appetite. They also enjoyed lower levels of inflammation and less fat in their livers, too.

Those differences traced to a "reprogramming" of the animals' fat tissue to burn and waste more energy in the form of heat. In other words, the mice had white fat that looked and acted more like the coveted, calorie-burning brown fat most familiar for keeping babies warm.

Johnson says it isn't clear what the findings might mean in the clinic just yet, noting that drugs designed to block insulin have been shown to come with unwanted side effects. But, he added, "there are ways to eat and diets that keep insulin levels lower or that allow insulin levels to return to a healthy baseline each day."

Unfortunately, constant snacking is probably not the answer.

In this modern era of digital gadgets and expensive electronics, a lot of the items that many of us grew up with are either completely gone or are now collectors’ items.

Whether it’s a toy from our childhood that we loved or an item that we used everyday like a record player, it’s nice to sometimes think about certain products from our past, and many of us wish we could buy those products again, either to own or pass off as gifts.

Well today, selling items that remind of us of our childhood is pretty big business, as a lot of people continually seek out those products that they owned while growing up.

The appeal of purchasing retro-style products could be to remind consumers of a simpler time. Or maybe parents want to introduce an item to their children to teach them of how products were used in their time.

Either way, a lot of retro products that are sold nowadays aren’t the original item. Instead, brands are using a throwback design and mixing up a little modern-day knowhow, to give the consumer a pleasant whiff of nostalgia while also improving upon the original concept of that  product.

Like when the clothing store Urban Outfitters released an mp3 player that looked just like a 1980s Sony Walkman.

Although the device had all of the functions of a modern-day digital player, it looked exactly like that first Walkman many of us got for the holidays when we were kids.

For many consumers owning or giving a gift like this represents the best of two wonderful worlds. It gives us a nice reminder of our shopping pasts, while also bringing us to the current day of gadgets that are built to be intuitive with many useful functions.

Plus, with the holiday shopping season upon us, buying someone a gift that takes an idea from a product that was made many years ago is a fun and unique approach to gift-giving.

It’s safe to say that a lot of people won’t see a retro gift coming, and a lot of times you won’t have to spend a whole bunch of money.

Record player, sort of

Take the Crosley Lancaster Entertainment Center, for example. Encased in a wooden box that could easily sit on one’s shelf or countertop, it resembles that old phonograph your parents had, that you weren’t allowed to touch as kid.

And although at first glance it looks just like a record player, the Crosley also has a hidden compartment to play CDs, and you can play the radio and old cassette tapes too. You can also attach your mp3 player when you feel like having digital sound instead.

Quite simply, the Crosley has about four generations of music-playing capabilities in one unit, which is pretty cool. Of course it’s not the only product of its kind on the market, but it seems to be one of the most popular and best-priced.

Apparently, Amazon sells this item the cheapest at $103.00, but you can also get it at places like Target, Walmart and other retail stores for a little more. Staples sells the Crosley for about $120.

Koolatron

Also in the retro product category is the Koolatron CVF18 10-Can Capacity Vending Fridge. And what does all of that mean? The Koolatron is a cool throwback mini vending machine that’s a perfect holiday gift for the soda lover in your life.

The miniature Coca-Cola vending machine is about half the size of an actual soda machine, so it’s perfect for a basement, den, TV room or office. It also has that cool throwback look, like it’s a soda machine from the 1950’s, so the look of it alone will attract consumers who seek that authentic retro design in a product.

The Koolatron holds ten cans at once, while keeping the sodas refrigerated.

And besides it being a great conversation piece, there’s something cool about being able to press a vending machine button in your house and getting your favorite soda without using any change. The Koolatron is sold in both online and retail stores for under $200.

Flashback

One of the retro products that was really great to see modernized is the Atari Flashback 3, which looks just like the Atari 2600 on the outside, but has 60 games on the inside, which is better than having those old game cartridges that many of us used when Atari first popped on the scene.

The Flashback 3 goes for about $75 on Amazon and comes with all the classic Atari games that were popular way back when like Asteroids, Centipede, Combat and Gravitar.

The Atari Flashback series has been out for years now, and this holiday season it still remains a relatively inexpensive gift that can create a nice feeling of cozy nostalgia for anyone playing it.

Retro clock

Another retro product that’s made in a modern way is the Brookstone Retro Clock made by iDesign, that’s part throwback alarm clock in shape, and part 2012 alarm clock in function.

Users can attach their smartphones to the docking station and download a free app that wakes you up, tells you the weather and plays music.

The clock also rotates 90 degrees, so Apple devices can be positioned if one wants to watch a movie or play video games, and it comes equipped with full range stereo speakers as well.

The Brookstone clock makes a pretty good stocking stuffer for iPod and iPhone users, and being round and compact, it can be easily transported and takes up a small amount of space on a counter-top or nightstand.

Also, the very look of the clock makes it much more fun to use for waking up, than just using your smartphone.

So while we’re in the throes of the holiday shopping season and were amongst a host of expensive gadgets and new products, it’s sometimes nice to return to an old item that’s been technologically spiffed up.

It gives us an appreciation of some of the products we used as children, and it also gives us a level of appreciation of today’s level of technology and product advancement.

The holiday season has its bright spots, to be sure, but it can also bring with it a measure of stress. There are presents to buy, entertaining to do, budgets to stick to and diets to maintain.

For many, the holidays can bring out family tensions and even depression. Christine Moll, chair and professor of counseling and human services at Canisius College and a mental health counselor, deals with holiday stress issues each December.

She offers up five pieces of advice for reducing the amount of stress in your holiday.

Keep it real

“If a loved one has recently died or you aren't near your loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness or grief, Moll said. “It's OK now and then to take time just to cry or express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.”

Don't be afraid to reach out

If you feel isolated or down, seek out family members and friends, or community, religious or social services. They can offer support and companionship. Don't make it all about you.

“Consider volunteering at a community or religious function,” Moll said. “Getting involved and helping others can lift your spirits and broaden your social circle. Also, enlist support for organizing holiday gatherings, as well as meal preparation and cleanup. You don't have to go it alone. Don't be a martyr.”

Accept reality

Don't expect a fantasy Christmas. You aren't eight anymore. As families change and grow, traditions often change as well. Hold on to those you can and want to. But understand in some cases that may no longer be possible.

“Perhaps your entire extended family can't gather together at your house,” Moll said. “Instead, find new ways to celebrate together from afar, such as sharing pictures, emails or videotapes.”

Tis the season to set aside differences

“Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all your expectations,” Moll said. “Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion.”

With stress and activity levels high, the holidays might not be conducive to making quality time for relationships. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes wrong. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress too.”

Stick to a budget

So much of the stress of the holidays is rooted in money. People can easily get carried away.

“Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items,” Moll said. “Then be sure to stick to your budget. If you don't, you could feel anxious and tense for months afterward as you struggle to pay the bills. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.”

Don't let Chris Christie find out about this. Students at Satz Middle School in Holmdel, N.J., became ill after drinking relaxation drinks named after reggae icon Bob Marley, even though the labels on the drinks say they are not intended for children.

"It was like a zombiefest," one student said, according to Fox 5 News. Some students spit up and threw up. Others said they were drowsy and lethargic after drinking it. The students were not hospitalized.

The Asbury Park Press said the school district's food supplier, Chartwells School Dining Services, has removed not only the rest of the Marley Mellow Mood drinks but also the manager in charge of food services at Satz and nearby Holmdel High School.

“We sincerely regret that this product was sold and that students had an adverse reaction to it,” a statement issued by the company said. “Chartwells takes great pride and care in partnering with our school communities to provide the best school dining experience possible and we take this situation very seriously.”

Less stress

Marley’s Mellow Mood drinks, which come in several flavors, contain ingredients such as valerian root, lemon balm, passion flower, hops and chamomile. They're said to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

However, the drink’s nutrition facts label cautions that the drinks may cause drowsiness and are not intended for children.

With the nation's two busiest ports--Los Angeles and Long Beach--idled by a strike, the nation's retailers are seeing visions that bear no resemblance to sugar plums.

Matthew Shay, president of the National Retail Federation, says the strike "is already having a significant negative economic impact on retailers trying to bring in merchandise for their final push for holiday sales and will soon have an impact on consumers."

Shay has sent President Obama a letter asking him to intervene in the strike, saying the strike is "now at the national emergency stage" and warning that an extended shutdown could lead to shortages and higher prices of consumer items.

"The Obama Administration needs to show leadership and resolve to get the ports operational again and prevent any further economic damage,” Shay said.

Besides imports of consumer goods, the strike is blocking exports of American-made goods and agricultural products.

Second week

The strike enters its second week today. Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 63 Office Clerical Unit claim their employers have been outsourcing clerical tasks to lower-paid workers in other countries.

The employers deny that and say that automation has simply created less clerical work. They claim the union members--some of the highest-paid clerks in the world--are simply protecting "featherbedding," the practice of requiring employers to pay workers who sit around and do nothing.

The union has only 800 members but its picket lines are being honored by the 10,000 members of the dockworkers union, effectively shutting down both of the huge ports, which are responsible for nearly 600,000 jobs in Southern California.

It's estimated the stoppage is costing workers and businesses $1 billion a day.

The much smaller port of Ensenada, Mexico, has been picking up some of the slack but the extra time required for goods to make their way through customs and travel 50 miles up the coast wipes out the narrow profit margins of many importers and retailers.

Some people are hard to shop for. People who love the latest technology shouldn't be. After all, there are so many gadgets to choose from.

Well, that's the problem isn't it? If you aren't a gadget geek, how do you know what to get?

You ask one, that's how. In this case Adrian Bulzacki, CEO of ARB Labs at the Ryerson University Digital Media Zone, offers up these suggestions:

GoPro Hero 3: Black Edition

Camera geeks will love the GoPro Hero 3: Black Edition, the world’s most versatile camera, he promises. Photographers can take up to 30 photos per second in up to 200 feet of water with this Wi-Fi-enabled camera. It may be expensive ($399.99), but it’s worth the money if your camera aficionado loves adventure and travel photography. You can find the GoPro Hero 3: Black Edition at www.gopro.com.

Nexus 10

This new tablet device from Google features the world’s highest resolution displays, according to Google, as well as the ability to edit photos and video chat. You can also share your Nexus 10 with others by allowing multiple users to have their own homescreen, wallpaper, apps and storage. You can buy the 16GB Nexus 10 for $409 at www.play.google.com.

Windows 8

What about a copy of Windows 8, the newest operating software from Microsoft? Windows 8 features real-time updates for your Facebook, Twitter and email accounts. You can also choose from thousands of Windows 8 apps to further customize your OS experience. Windows 8 is available for $69 at Future Shop.

Levitron Revolution

The Levitron Revolution is a new, high-tech way to display your treasures. The magnetized device levitates and rotates small objects up to 12 ounces, allowing your guests to get a good look at your prized possessions. The Levitron Revolution is listed at $138.99 at www.amazon.com.

Nike+ FuelBand

Wear the device around your wrist and watch it count the calories you burn as you move throughout your day. Set your daily fitness goal and the Nike+ FuelBand’s display light will change from red to green as you get closer to reaching it. You can also stay connected to your friends and keep each other motivated by syncing your Nike+ FuelBand to its corresponding mobile app. This device is available for $149 at Nike stores.

iComfort Eye and Temple Massager

The holidays can be stressful. Help the worrier in your life relax this holiday season with the iComfort Eye and Temple Massager, now available for $69.95 at Walmart. Simply place the mask over your head and sit back as its five-minute automatic eye massage erases any trace of a headache.

Wii U

Nintendo has come out with its newest Wii controller that can also be used on its own for a handheld gaming experience. Wii U, available for $349.99 at Best Buy, features touch screen technology including the ability to draw pictures, but you can still use it in conjunction with the original Wii controller when playing with others.

Sphero

This gift is something to bring out at a party or when you are entertaining. Sphero is the world’s first robotic gaming ball that you control using the touch screen on your smartphone or tablet. Sphero can be driven, played with multiple gamers and used as a controller for on-screen games. It's versatile yet durable and even waterproof! It is available for $129.99 at Best Buy.

Maybe Chevy Volt owners think they're making a political statement or maybe they just like the idea of not buying much gasoline. But the car is drawing a harsh backlash from political conservatives.

Volt owners have reported to automotive Website Edmunds.com they've been drawn into spontaneous arguments over the car with friends and strangers alike. At times, they says, passions boil over and things can get scary.

"Some have reported acts of vandalism, like slashed tires or expletives on the windshield," said Edmunds.com Community Manager Mark Holthoff, who sought out and spoke with several Volt owners. "One even found himself being intentionally run off the road."

But Volt owners are happy

But those are extreme examples of the blowback, and most Volt owners are especially proud of their cars. In fact, last month the Volt topped Consumer Reports' annual owner satisfaction survey for the second straight year.

"Pretty much all of the Volt's critics are people who have never been near one," said one Volt owner. "My mother-in-law's first reaction [to the Volt] was to prohibit me from plugging it in at her house. But she has come around."

"I was at a stoplight next to another Volt driver," said another owner, "and we both rolled our windows down and chatted for a few seconds about how much we love our cars and what our mileage was."

Election made things worse

The Volt has been a political football since even before the first models rolled off the assembly line, but it's especially been a hot button in this most recent election cycle. Liberals hold up the car as an example of building better green technology and a resurgent American auto industry.

Conservatives, meanwhile, point to the car as a symbol of wasteful government spending, saying the government subsidizes each Volt that sells for $40,000 with another $49,000 tax dollars. Naturally, GM would like to sell volts to conservatives as well as liberals.

It recently hired a conservative consultant to help sell the Volt to his fellow conservatives. He points out that because the Volt runs on electricity, it's really being fueled by coal and natural gas. In other words, it's not just a car for liberals.

Maybe that argument is working. According to Edmunds, the car most often traded in on a Volt is the Toyota Prius -- no surprise there. But the next two models on the list are a little surprising; the BMW 3 Series, a sporty European car, and the Chevrolet Silverado, a full-size pickup.

Homeowners are steadily seeing in increase in equity in their homes as CoreLogic, an analytics company, reports home prices -- including distressed sales -- increased on a year-over-year basis by 6.3 percent in October 2012 from a year earlier.

It's the largest increase since June 2006, when the market was at its zenith. It's also the eighth consecutive increase in home prices nationally on a year-over-year basis.

On a month-over-month basis, including distressed sales, home prices decreased by 0.2 percent in October 2012 from the month before. Decreases in month-over-month home prices are expected as the housing market enters the off-season. The Home Price Index (HPI) analysis from CoreLogic shows that all but five states are experiencing year-over-year price gains.

More improvement expected

Looking ahead, the CoreLogic Pending HPI indicates that November 2012 home prices, including distressed sales, are expected to rise by 7.1 percent on a year-over-year basis from November 2011 and fall by 0.3 percent on a month-over-month basis from October 2012 as sales exhibit a seasonal slowdown going into the winter.

Home prices are likely rising in response to sharp drops in housing inventory nationwide and a reduced number of foreclosures and short sales heading to market. With fewer homes to choose from, there is more competition for available homes, giving sellers more leverage when it comes to price.

Since distressed properties usually sell at a significant discount, fewer foreclosures and short sales mean the overall average price goes up.

Gaining momentum

“The housing recovery that started earlier in 2012 continues to gain momentum ,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. “The recovery is geographically broad-based with almost all markets experiencing some appreciation. Sand and energy states continue to experience the most robust appreciation and some judicial foreclosure states are even recording increasing prices.”

Even so, some states are seeing bigger gains than others. For example, the five states with the highest home price appreciation were: Arizona (+21.3 percent), Hawaii (+13.2 percent), Idaho (+12.4 percent), Nevada (+12.4 percent) and North Dakota (+10.4 percent). All five, however, had seen sharp declines during the housing meltdown. In most cases, prices are still below where they were at their peak.

And homes in some states are still losing value. Including distressed sales, the five states with the greatest home price depreciation in October were: Illinois (-2.7 percent), Delaware (-2.7 percent), Rhode Island (-0.6 percent), New Jersey (-0.6 percent) and Alabama (-0.3 percent).

Significant increases in flu activity in the United States have occurred in the last two weeks, indicating that an early flu season is upon us.

These increases in activity overlap with National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) being observed December 2-8, 2012. “Increasing flu activity should be a wake-up call,” said Dr. Melinda Wharton, Acting Director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “For anyone who has put off vaccination: It’s time to get your flu vaccine now.”

High levels of flu

According to CDC’s weekly surveillance report for the week ending published on November 30, 48 states and Puerto Rico have already reported cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza and, nationally, the percentage of specimens testing positive for influenza is rising fast.

Influenza-like-illness (ILI) activity levels in parts of the country are already higher than all of last season. Nationally, the United States reached the baseline level for ILI the week ending November 24, and five states are already reporting the highest level of activity possible.

“Baseline is the point at which we know the ILI activity we are seeing is most likely caused by influenza and not other viruses,” said Wharton. With the exception of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, this is the earliest that the nation has hit the ILI baseline since the 2003-2004 season, which was early and severe, especially for children. Last season, which was mild and late, the U.S. did not reach baseline for ILI until mid-March.

South getting hit

According to FluView, activity is most intense in the south-central and southeast of the country right now; however, it shows signs of increasing across the rest of the country as well. Most of the viruses characterized so far this season have been H3N2 viruses; which are typically associated with more severe seasons. The good news is that most of the viruses characterized at CDC so far this season are well-matched to the vaccine viruses.

“How well the vaccine works depends in part on the match between vaccine viruses and circulating viruses,” Wharton explains. “If the influenza viruses spreading are very different from the vaccine viruses, the vaccine won’t work as well. While it’s early in the season, it’s encouraging to see a well-matched vaccine so far. That bodes well for how well this season’s vaccine will protect against illness, hospitalizations and deaths.”

Women suffering from sleep apnea have -- on the whole -- a higher degree of brain damage than men with the disorder, according to a first-of-its-kind study conducted by researchers at the UCLA School of Nursing.

The findings are reported in the December issue of the peer-reviewed journal SLEEP.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. Each time, the oxygen level in the blood drops, eventually resulting in damage to many cells in the body. If left untreated, it can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, diabetes, depression and other serious health problems.

Approximately 10 years ago, this UCLA research team was the first to show that men with obstructive sleep apnea have damage to their brain cells.

Multi-year study

For this latest, multi-year study, "Sex Differences in White Matter Alterations Accompanying Obstructive Sleep Apnea," the researchers looked at patients who were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea at the UCLA Sleep Laboratory. They compared the nerve fibers in these patients' brains -- known as white matter -- to fibers of individuals without sleep problems and focused on unearthing the difference in brain damage between men and women with sleep apnea.

"While there are a great many brain studies done on sleep apnea and the impact on one's health, they have typically focused on men or combined groups of men and women, but we know that obstructive sleep apnea affects women very differently than men," said chief investigator Paul Macey, assistant professor and associate dean of information technology and innovations at the UCLA School of Nursing. "This study revealed that, in fact, women are more affected by sleep apnea than are men and that women with obstructive sleep apnea have more severe brain damage than men suffering from a similar condition."

In particular, the study found that women were affected in the cingulum bundle and the anterior cingulate cortex, areas in the front of the brain involved in decision-making and mood regulation. The women with sleep apnea also showed higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, the researchers said.

Earlier treatment needed

"This tells us that doctors should consider that the sleep disorder may be more problematic and therefore need earlier treatment in women than men," Macey said.

With this finding as a foundation, Macey said that the next step is for researchers to "untangle the timing of the brain changes" and find out if treating sleep apnea can help the brain.

"What we don't yet know," he said, "is, did sleep apnea cause the brain damage, did the brain damage lead to the sleep disorders, or do the common comorbidities, such as depression, dementia or cardiovascular issues, cause the brain damage, which in turn leads to sleep apnea."

A federal court has shut down a robocall operation that allegedly impersonated the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in an attempt to trick consumers into turning over their bank account information and other sensitive personal data.

In a complaint filed in federal court, the FTC charged that the operation run by The Cuban Exchange, Inc., also doing business as CrediSure America and MyiPad.us, and its principal, Suhaylee Rivera, deceptively claimed it could help consumers get refunds from the agency, in an effort to trick them into providing their personal information and bank account numbers.

According to the agency, the company falsely told consumers it has helped “more than 13,000” people get refunds. It also “spoofed” the FTC’s Consumer Response toll-free phone number so that the FTC’s number appeared on consumers’ Caller ID devices and used a Website address -- ftcrefund.com -- designed to confuse consumers into thinking the operation had a connection with the FTC.

“When the Federal Trade Commission returns money to consumers who have been ripped off, it doesn’t use robocalls, and it certainly doesn’t ask them to provide personal financial information,” said David Vladeck, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “To anyone hell-bent on breaking the law by making illegal robocalls, transmitting phony Caller ID information, or impersonating a federal agency, we have two words for you: Stop now. The real Federal Trade Commission will come after you.”

Do Not Call crackdown

The case is the 100th brought by the FTC over the past nine years alleging violations related to the national Do Not Call (DNC) Registry, which was launched in 2003. In addition to allegedly making illegal telemarketing robocalls, the defendants called consumers whose phone numbers are on the Registry.

The FTC charged that the defendants made illegal robocalls to consumers that played a prerecorded messaged telling them to visit the website ftcrefund.com. During the message, they also give consumers a phony “seizure ID number.” The message uses the same “seizure ID number” for all consumers the defendants contact.

When calling consumers, the defendants allegedly transmit the toll-free phone number for the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, 877-382-4357, often broadcast to the public as 877-FTC-HELP, to consumers’ Caller ID devices, leading some to think the call is coming from the FTC.

Scam Websites

Consumers who visit ftcrefund.com or an identical Website – credisure.net -- are told that, “CrediSure has the proper knowledge and open door [sic] to expedite refunds you may not even know were owed to you. CrediSure works as a tireless collector and fiercely fights for its clients [sic] refunds to be paid first.”

Consumers are then told they will get a refund from the FTC in “five to seven business days, as opposed to the standard 8 to 10 weeks,” and instructs them how to enter their “Seizure ID” number and “depository information” to get the process started. Consumers are told that the defendants will take 5.55 percent of the refund as a fee for the service of speeding up the refund process. They also allegedly falsely claim that, “Over 13,000 clients have received refunds through CrediSure America.”

Consumers who enter their “Seizure ID” number on the Website are directed to a page on the site that provides them with information on the name of the refund case, the amount to be refunded, the fee the defendant will charge, and the supposed total amount of the refund the consumer will receive.

To get the “refund,” consumers must provide their address, phone number, bank name (including the name listed on the account), account number, routing number, and a check number, supposedly so refunds can be deposited directly into their accounts.

The FTC, however, does not provide refunds by direct deposit, only by check.

Numerous misrepresentations

Based on this alleged conduct, the complaint charges the defendants with a making a range of misrepresentations, including:

• That they are affiliated with or endorsed by the FTC;
• That they can obtain refunds/redress from the FTC on behalf of consumers;
• That they can reduce FTC refund/redress wait time from five to seven business days from 8 to 10 weeks;
• That they know the consumer is entitled to a refund or redress from the FTC; and
• That they have helped more than 13,000 clients get refunds/redress from the FTC.

The complaint also charges the defendants with violating the agency’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) by misrepresenting their affiliation with, or endorsement or sponsorship by, the FTC, and by making material misrepresentations about the services they provide consumers.

The complaint also charges the defendants with violating the DNC Registry by calling consumers whose phone numbers are on the Registry, failing to transmit accurate Caller ID information, making illegal recorded telemarketing calls, failing to make required disclosures such as the identity of the seller and purpose of the call, and failing to pay the required fees to access the DNC Registry.