Current Events in August 2013

It sounded too good to be true -- a "simply divine" and "mind-blowing" seaside restaurant where scuba divers were standing by to jump in and catch diners' orders.

How's that again? Yep, you heard right. According to the glowing reviews on TripAdvisor, "Oscar's" was a floating restaurant in Devon, England, where divers would jump into the water and grab the exact fish you ordered.

It sort of took the concept of "Today's Catch" to new heights. Or depths.

Hungry seafood lovers flocked to Devon, looking for New Quay Lane, where Oscar's was said to be built into the hull of an old fishing boat. 

There was only one problem.  No Oscar's. The place doesn't exist. Oscar's was a hoax. 

"Tough luck"

The rave reviews had been posted by a businessman who said he wanted to see how long it would take TripAdvisor to catch the fraud, according to The Daily Mail.

"I was also aware that various establishments had contacted TripAdvisor about obvious fake reviews, but the response always seemed to be: 'Tough luck!'" the Mail quoted the unnamed businessman as saying.

The hoax follows an episode that was revealed in May, when an Australian hotel executive allegedly admitted writing 106 hotel reviews, praising his hotels and trashing his rivals.  

Harmless fun? Well, maybe if you think fraud is fun. But pranksters should remember that consumers rely on online peer reviews and consider them among the most trustworthy sources of information, studies have found. Also, submitting a false review can land businesses in big trouble, both with consumers and with agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, which considers posting a false review comparable to publishing a fraudulent advertisement.

Review sites don't necessarily like being lied to either. Auto site Edmonds.com sued a reputation management firm recently, claiming it submitted fraudulent reviews about its car dealer clients. 

For its part, TripAdvisor says its internal controls catch most fraudulent postings while its readers alert it to others.

"With over 70 pieces of content coming in every minute covering more than 2.7 million properties around the world, occasionally a review or business that does not meet TripAdvisor’s guidelines may slip through the cracks, and in these rare cases, our members can report the material to us, helping maintain the high quality content of our site," TripAdvisor spokeswoman Brooke Ferencsik told ConsumerAffairs.

"Any member can alert us to a suspicious review by clicking on the ‘Problem with this review?’ link that is displayed in the bottom hand corner of every review on our site. In addition, in the rare event that a member finds a suspicious listing, they can report the matter to us directly via our online help center," Ferencsik said.

"As the world's most visited travel site, we are absolutely committed to ensuring that the content on TripAdvisor remains accurate and provides a trusted and useful source of information for those planning a trip anywhere in the world," she said.

The crime of identity theft isn't new. What's new is its increasing frequency and the fact that it tends to be clustered in certain cities and certain states.

One state in particular.

“The largest number of complaints come from big metropolaton areas where there's a high density of consumers,” said Stephen Ebbett, President of Protect Your Bubble, a non-traditional insurance company based in Atlanta. “What's interesting, though, is when you look at the top 20 identity theft markets. Thirteen of the top 20 are in Florida.”

According to a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accounting, Miami had more identity theft complaints last year than New York City – 35,914 to 23,297. Tampa logged 9,805 complaints, 2,300 more than Philadelphia. What is it about the Sunshine State that attracts so many identity thieves?

Government benefits link?

“One of the things we're trying to understand is why Florida has such an epic problem,” Ebbett said. “One of the facts that we've unearthed is that 72% of fraud victims in Florida experience identity theft related to government documents and benefits.”

It's not just elderly retirees who are being hit. College students are victims too.

“You've got a lot of universities down there,” Ebbett said. “You've also got a lot of people on both ends of the economic spectrum.”

The company has listed the 10 most dangerous U.S. metropolitan areas for identity theft, based on its analysis of FTC complaints:

1. Miami – 35,914
2. New York – 23,297
3. Los Angeles – 18,254
4. Atlanta – 12,992
5. Chicago – 11,128
6. Tampa – 9,805
7. Dallas – 9,056
8. Detroit – 8,085
9. Houston – 7,550
10. Philadelphia – 7,216

Protect Your Bubble is involved in identity theft awareness because it markets an insurance policy against identity theft, starting at $7.99 a month. Ebbett says it is a fast-growing segment of the business.

More sophisticated thieves

Consumers are increasingly vulnerable to identity theft for a variety of reasons. Identity thieves have more sophisticated methods and tools. The fact that more and more of daily life now occurs online can't be overstated.

“Obviously electronic communication can be a factor,” Ebbett said. “Don't open emails from people you don't know. When you delete the email, make sure you delete it from your trash as well. Until you do, the file is still residing on your computer.”

While maintaining up-to-date anti-virus software on your PC is important, more and more people are doing their online business with their smartphones. Ebbetts says many overlook basic security measure.

“A lot of people don't even lock their smartphones,” he said.

Be careful what you post on social media – it can be a bonanza for identity thieves. Make sure you're using the strictest privacy settings and keep personal details to a minimum. Don't post personal data like your address or phone number.

Old school methods still work

The old school methods of swiping your identity are also still very effective. Physical mail provides identity thieves a lucrative target. That's why you should shred credit card and banking statements after you've reviewed them to keep that information from falling into the wrong hands.

When you need to mail a check, drop it off at the post office or into a secure mailbox so thieves can’t steal your mail and access account numbers.

The main reason to protect your identity is the cost of recovering it, in both money and time.

“One of the thing I want to stress to people is how time-consuming it is to repair your credit and recover your identity. We estimate the average time to be about 150 hours.”

A new study links long-term use of calcium-channel blockers with higher breast cancer risk. The drugs are some of the most commonly prescribed and are used to treat high blood pressure.

The study, conducted by Christopher I. Li, M.D., Ph.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, and colleagues was published today by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

The population-based study looked at women aged 55 to 74 in the three-county Seattle-Puget Sound area.  

It found that current use of calcium-channel blockers for 10 or more years was associated with higher risks of ductal breast cancer. Other medications prescribed for high blood pressure -- diuretics, beta-blockers and angiotensin II antagonists -- were not associated with increased breast cancer risk, the results indicate.

“While some studies have suggested a positive association between calcium-channel blocker use and breast cancer risk, this is the first study to observe that long-term current use of calcium-channel blockers in particular are associated with breast cancer risk. Additional research is needed to confirm this finding and to evaluate potential underlying biological mechanisms,” the study concludes.

But others cautioned that the findings are preliminary and should not be used to make immediate decisions about women's health. 

“Given these results, should the use of [calcium-channel blockers be discontinued once a patient has taken them for 9.9 years?" asked Patricia F. Coogan, Sc.D., of the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University in a commentary that accompanied the report. "The answer is no, because these data are from an observational study, which cannot prove causality and by itself cannot make a case for change in clinical practice.”

Shouldn't be ignored

But Coogan said that doesn't mean the study should be ignored.

“Should the results be dismissed as random noise emanating from an observational study? The answer is no, because the data make a convincing case that the hypothesis that long-term [calcium-channel blocker] use increases the risk of breast cancer is worthy of being pursued,” Coogan said. 

"The present study provides valid evidence supporting the hypothesis that long-term ... use increases the risk of breast cancer. If true, the hypothesis has significant clinical and public health implications,” Coogan concluded.

Antihypertensive medications are the most commonly prescribed class of drugs in the United States and in 2010 totaled an estimated 678 million filled prescriptions.

It's hard not to be a foodie nowadays. With new restaurants popping up left and right and 24-hour food channels, many of us have tasty dishes on our minds all the time.

When it comes to figuring out what to eat, what to cook and which restaurants to visit, there are countless numbers of apps and websites to help you. So we pulled some of the best

Evernote Food

On Evernote Food, you can search for recipes and lock them into your device, look for restaurants in or out of your area, take photos of the things you eat and cook and share those photos with your Facebook and Twitter followers.

And the restaurant search feature lets you search by cuisine.

For those folks who like to take photos of their meals when they go out to eat, there is a My Meals feature that allows you to add and save images and keep a record off all the restaurants you've been to.

You can write little notes on the photos, too if you're interested in documenting each meal experience and detailing things like how good the dish was, how the restaurant looked and so on.

The My Cookbook feature lets you organize recipes based on ingredients or a particular diet, which can be really helpful. The only downside to the app -- based on a few reviews -- is that it's a little bit hard to pull up recipes after you've saved them.

"Love the looks of this app, especially for the price," one user wrote. But "why wade through every recipe looking for something when I know I want a salad or a soup."

Users hope the makers of the Evernote Food app will eventually make searching for recipes a lot easier. The price to download it is $4.99

Big Oven

The app BigOven is supposed to have 250,000 recipes in total. You can search for them either by ingredient or by course, or you can scroll through different meal ideas until you find what you're looking for. Plus, there's a cool leftover feature.

All you have to do is type in three ingredients and the app will suggest a meal idea based on them. This obviously can be very useful when you have no idea what to prepare. 

The app will give you recipe reviews, too and you can share what you cooked on your social media page. Big Oven also lets you see what your friends and followers are cooking as well.

Fooducate

Fooducate which helps consumers pick the healthiest foods. The creators claim it has the largest database of nutrition information and all you have to do is pick up an item in the store and scan it. 

From there, the app tells you how much sugar is in the product, how much trans fat it has, how much high fructose corn syrup is inside and what kind of additives and preservatives the product has.

In addition, it tells you if the product has any GMOs, artificial sweeteners or any other ingredients that you may be trying to avoid.

One user said the app taught him a lot about nutrition. "I really like this app," the user wrote. "It is easy to track what you eat and it is very educational."

Vegetarian alternatives

What if you're a vegetarian? Are there some good apps out there for you?

The answer is yes -- a bunch. Among them is VeganXpress, which helps you find out which items are vegan in non-vegan restaurants.

For example, you're eating with your friends at Carrabba's, let's say, and you have no idea what the vegan dishes are.

All you have to do is pull up the restaurant on your device, and the app will tell you what you can order and what you'll have to stay away from, if you're trying to follow a vegan diet.

VeganXpress is good for travelers too, especially those who may not know where to get a good vegetarian meal when they're out of town. 

The makers say the app has about 130 popular restaurants listed, so there's a good chance you'll be able to find what you're looking for when you're dining out.

So there you go. A few apps to assist the foodie, because with a rapidly changing food scene, consumers can use all the help they can get when they want to figure out what to eat.

Younger people likely don't spend a lot of time thinking about Alzheimer's Disease, but maybe they should -- especially women who are new mothers or are about to become mothers.

A new study suggests that mothers who breastfeed run a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's and that longer periods of breastfeeding further reduces the risk

The report, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, suggests the link may have to do with certain biological effects of breastfeeding. For example, breastfeeding restores insulin tolerance which is significantly reduced during pregnancy, and Alzheimer's is characterized by insulin resistance in the brain.

Strong evidence

Although researchers used data gathered from a very small group of just 81 British women, they observed a highly significant and consistent correlation between breastfeeding and Alzheimer's risk. They argue that this was so strong that any potential sampling error was unlikely.

At the same time, however, the connection was much less pronounced in women who already had a history of dementia in their family. The research team hopes the study -- which was intended merely as a pilot -- will stimulate further research into the relationship between female reproductive history and disease risk.

The findings may point towards new directions for fighting the global Alzheimer's epidemic -- especially in developing countries where cheap, preventative measures are desperately needed.

Understanding the disease

More broadly, the study opens up new lines of inquiry into understanding what makes someone susceptible to Alzheimer's in the first place. It may also act as an incentive for women to breastfeed, rather than bottle-feed -- something already known to have wider health benefits for both mother and child.

"Alzheimer's is the world's most common cognitive disorder and it already affects 35.6 million people,” said Dr. Molly Fox of the Department of Biological Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, who led the study. “In the future, we expect it to spread most in low and middle-income countries. So it is vital that we develop low-cost, large-scale strategies to protect people against this devastating disease."

Previous studies have already established that breastfeeding can reduce a mother's risk of certain other diseases, and research has also shown that there may be a link between breastfeeding and a woman's general cognitive decline later in life. Until now, however, little has been done to examine the impact of breastfeeding duration on Alzheimer's risk.

The study

Fox and her colleagues interviewed 81 British women aged between 70 and 100, including both women with and without Alzheimer's. In addition, the team also spoke to relatives, spouses and caregivers.

Through these interviews, the researchers collected information about the women's reproductive history, their breastfeeding history and their dementia status. They also gathered information about other factors that might account for their dementia -- for example a past stroke or brain tumor.

Dementia status itself was measured using a standard rating scale called the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). The researchers also developed a method for estimating the age of Alzheimer's sufferers at the onset of their disease, using the CDR as a basis and taking into account their age and existing, known patterns of Alzheimer's progression. All of this information was then compared with the participants' breastfeeding history.

Despite the small number of participants, the study revealed a number of clear links between breastfeeding and Alzheimer's. These were not affected when the researchers took into account other potential variables such as age, education history, the age when the woman first gave birth, her age at menopause,or her smoking and drinking history.

Main trends found

The researchers observed three main trends:

• Women who breastfed exhibited a reduced Alzheimer's Disease risk compared with women who did not.
• Longer breastfeeding history was significantly associated with a lower Alzheimer's Risk.
• Women who had a higher ratio of total months pregnant during their life to total months breastfeeding had a higher Alzheimer's risk.

The trends were, however, far less pronounced for women who had a parent or sibling with dementia. In these cases, the impact of breastfeeding on Alzheimer's risk appeared to be significantly lower than for women whose families had no history of dementia.

Explaining the connection

The study argues that there may be a number of biological reasons for the connection between Alzheimer's and breastfeeding, all of which require further investigation.

One theory is that breastfeeding deprives the body of the hormone progesterone, compensating for high levels of progesterone which are produced during pregnancy. Progesterone is known to desensitize the brain's estrogen receptors, and estrogen may play a role in protecting the brain against Alzheimer's.

Another possibility is that breastfeeding increases a woman's glucose tolerance by restoring her insulin sensitivity after pregnancy. Pregnancy itself induces a natural state of insulin resistance. This is significant because Alzheimer's is characterized by a resistance to insulin in the brain (and therefore glucose intolerance) to the extent that it is even sometimes referred to as "Type 3 diabetes".

"Women who spent more time pregnant without a compensatory phase of breastfeeding therefore may have more impaired glucose tolerance, which is consistent with our observation that those women have an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease," Fox concluded.

JetBlue is adding its version of business class to its transcontinental flights next year. Besides lie-flat seats, the budget carrier will be offering "single suite seats" with doors that close for added privacy.

The new amenities will be available on Airbus A321 flights from New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco beginning the second quarter of 2014, the airline said today.

"Our customers have requested more premium options on our transcontinental flights and we listened," said JetBlue CEO Dave Barger. "We decided to enter the premium transcontinental market in a way that only JetBlue can: with an intense focus on offering the best possible product for the best possible price."

The new lie-flat seat will be displayed in a 2-1 configuration. Rows 1, 3 and 5 will offer 2-by-2 seating, and rows 2 and 4 will offer private suites, with one seat on each side of the aisle.

In addition, JetBlue said it will refresh its basic coach service with a comfortable seat design with movable headrests, a new entertainment system with up to 100 channels of DirecTV programming on 10.1-inch widescreens, and 110-volt and USB power ports accessible to all customers. 

New lie-flat seats are expected to debut in the market on new Airbus A321 aircraft beginning in the second quarter of 2014 on the two most popular nonstop routes in the United States – New York to Los Angeles and New York to San Francisco. In addition, JetBlue will be the first and only airline in the market to offer customers the option of a completely separate single suite seat that includes a closable door for increased privacy.

The new lie-flat seats also offer air cushions with adjustable firmness, a massage function, a 15-inch widescreen television and a unique "wake-me-for-service" indicator if the customer chooses to sleep in.

"Transcontinental routes have had high premium fares we believe we can beat," said Mr. Barger. "By offering our own, unique seats and enriched service elements that will include some soon-to-be-announced partnerships, we are creating a one-of-a-kind experience that will serve this market in a way only JetBlue can."

Barger said JetBlue's wholly owned subsidiary LiveTV will begin installing Fly-Fi on JetBlue's fleet by the end of the year, a new high-speed, satellite-based wi-fi product that will offer true broadband speeds and serve as the fastest internet access at altitude.  

"We believe Fly-Fi will be a competitive advantage in the market for JetBlue," Mr. Barger said. "This is not the slow Wi-Fi you get on other airlines today.  This will be connectivity at speeds you've come to expect on the ground."

JetBlue expects to increase frequencies on JFK-LAX and JFK-SFO with new Airbus A321 aircraft next year. There will be a dedicated sub-fleet of 11 aircraft initially used for the two core transcontinental routes. Additional markets are possible, based on customer response and demand for more service.

"We expect to invigorate the market with our competitive price," Mr. Barger said. "Building on our original strategy of serving the under-served with a unique product and service-focused culture, we believe this new product will be very popular with current coast-to-coast customers, and may motivate new customers to choose JetBlue." 

It is -- unfortunately -- a fairly common problem these days: out of work and no real job prospects even though you're highly qualified. Here's a thought: Try working for free for a while.

A new survey from Deloitte found that human resources (HR) executives agree that skills-based volunteering enhances the job prospects for graduating college seniors and returning military veterans. However, despite challenging economic times, less than half of the college students (46%) and military personnel (48%) surveyed think of volunteering at a nonprofit as a way to develop skills and gain the experience needed to land a future job.

They're impressed

The 2013 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey polled HR executives, college seniors and military veterans. Here's what they heard from the HR execs:

• When evaluating a job candidate, experience gained through skilled volunteering would be taken into account (81%)
• Skilled volunteer experience makes a job candidate more desirable (76%)
• Skilled volunteer experience makes a college graduate more desirable (81%)
• Skilled volunteer experience makes a serviceman more desirable (78%)

With unemployment still high (7.4% in July), findings from the study are particularly pertinent to the population that was surveyed. This includes recent college grads who are unemployed, underemployed and may be carrying college-related debt, as well as unemployed post 9/11 veterans, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, amongst those in the 20-24 age range.

Gaining an edge

"It is clear that the skills and experience gained through volunteering offer a competitive edge," said Evan Hochberg, national director, Community Engagement, Deloitte Services LP. "However, when more than half of college grads and returning veterans don't consider volunteering to improve their employability, there is work to be done to help them see the upside of volunteer bridging as a viable job search option."

The 2013 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey findings add to other recent research supporting the benefits of volunteerism, notably findings from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) -- Volunteering as a Pathway to Employment.

"Many of us in the volunteer sector have long felt volunteering gives a boost to those looking for work, but we've never had solid research to back it up," said Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS. "These reports provide strong evidence that volunteering is beneficial for jobseekers. Whether serving in AmeriCorps or sharing your professional skills at a nonprofit, volunteering can provide the skills, contacts, and leadership qualities that make you stand out in a competitive job market."

Importance of volunteering

As expected, the survey also confirmed that volunteerism -- both traditional and skilled -- is encouraged at many organizations through corporate citizenship programs. Responses indicate that most HR executives believe volunteering is beneficial for their employees (65%), and contributes toward a positive reputation (88%). From an internal standpoint, slightly more than half of the HR executives surveyed (52%) say volunteerism is an important element of their organization's culture.

"As passionate advocates of skilled volunteerism and pro bono service in our communities, we are excited about its benefits as a bridge to employment," said Joe Echevarria, chief executive officer, Deloitte LLP. "These findings align with our efforts to foster a college going culture, support returning veterans, and in the process make our communities and America stronger."

A telemarketer who allegedly defrauded consumers with false promises of debt relief and charged them without their consent is banned from selling debt relief services, telemarketing and making robocalls.

The settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) resolves a complaint that was filed last year against Jeremy R. Nelson and four companies he controlled. The FTC contended that the companies violated federal law by making false claims, causing unauthorized debits from consumers’ bank accounts and illegally charging advance fees.

The agency also alleged that the defendants called phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, called consumers who had told them not to call, failed to transmit caller identification to consumers’ caller ID service, delivered recorded messages without prior written consent, repeatedly called consumers to annoy them, and delivered recorded messages that failed to identify the seller, the call’s purpose, and the product or service.

Settlement terms

In addition to the ban on debt relief sales, telemarketing and robocalls, the proposed settlement order permanently prohibits the defendants from misrepresenting material facts about any products and services, making unsubstantiated claims, charging consumers’ accounts without their express informed consent. It also bars the companies from collecting money from customers who agreed to purchase debt relief products or services from the defendants, selling or otherwise benefiting from consumers’ personal information and failing to properly dispose of customer information.

The order imposes a judgment of more than $4.6 million,which will be suspended, based on Nelson's inability to pay, after he surrenders to the FTC bank accounts and investment assets frozen by the court.

However, the full judgment will become due immediately if he is found to have misrepresented his financial condition.

Trois Comtois of Poligny, France, is recalling all Trois Comtois brand Morbier cheese lot #949038 because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

No illness have been reported to date.

Product was distributed in Maryland, Virginia, Ohio. Washington, D.C., Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Minnesota Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoman, Texas, Wisconsin, California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Utah and Hawaii between June 1 and July 24, 2013. Products were sold to supermarkets and gourmet stores.

Whole Foods Market issued a similar recall earlier this month.

The cheese in question is Trois Comtois brand Morbier, lot#949038 (on the wheel), it comes as a 11lb wheel and is usually cut and wrapped. It has a vegetable ash line in the middle of the cheese.

The recall was the result of a routine federal sampling program which revealed the finished products contained the bacteria. Trois Comtois has ceased the production and distribution of the product as FDA and Trois Comtois continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

All distributors and retailers are being contacted in an effort to recall any product remaining in the marketplace.

Consumers who have purchased this cheese should contact their distributor or retailer for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may call Trois Comtois Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm (EST) at +1 201 448 8787.

Gluten is one of those things a growing number of consumers want to avoid. It should be a little easier to do so under a new rule issued by the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA's new rule defines what characteristics a food has to have to bear a label that proclaims it "gluten-free." The rule also holds foods labeled "without gluten," "free of gluten," and "no gluten" to the same standard.

This rule has been eagerly awaited by advocates for people with celiac disease, who face potentially life-threatening illnesses if they eat the gluten found in breads, cakes, cereals, pastas and many other foods.

“Today’s announcement is important to millions of families and individuals allergic to gluten. Shopping at the grocery store should not be an anxiety producing experience for parents with children who require gluten-free food," said Rep. Jim Moran, a Northern Virginia Democrat who has been urging the FDA to impose labeling requirements on gluten-free food since 2011. "Today’s announcement should bring greater peace of mind for millions of Americans. I look forward to a year from today when the shelves of grocery stores will have clear, accurate labels.”

Celiac disease is more common that you might think. An estimated 1 in 133 people are afflicted with celiac disease, and another 18 million Americans may be gluten-intolerant. That's why the food industry has put such emphasis on coming up with gluten-free alternatives, and why the FDA has tightened up the labeling requirements.

As one of the criteria for using the claim "gluten-free," FDA is setting a gluten limit of less than 20 ppm (parts per million) in foods that carry this label. This is the lowest level that can be consistently detected in foods using valid scientific analytical tools. Also, most people with celiac disease can tolerate foods with very small amounts of gluten. This level is consistent with those set by other countries and international bodies that set food safety standards.

Eliminate uncertainty

"This standard 'gluten-free' definition will eliminate uncertainty about how food producers label their products and will assure people with celiac disease that foods labeled 'gluten-free' meet a clear standard established and enforced by FDA," says Michael R. Taylor, J.D., deputy FDA commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine.

Andrea Levario, executive director of the American Celiac Disease Alliance, notes that there is no cure for celiac disease and the only way to manage the disease is dietary—not eating gluten. Without a legal definition of "gluten-free," these consumers could never really be sure if their body would tolerate a food with that label, she adds.

"This is a tool that has been desperately needed," Levario says. "It keeps food safe for this population, gives them the tools they need to manage their health, and obviously has long-term benefits for them."

"Without proper food labeling regulation, celiac patients cannot know what the words 'gluten free' mean when they see them on a food label," said Allessio Fasano, M.D., director of the Center for Celiac Research at MassGeneral Hospital for Children, visiting professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and member of the American Celiac Disease Alliance.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and spelt that gives dough its elasticity, helps it to rise, and keep its shape. It’s because of gluten that baked goods have their characteristic texture, strength and crumb structure.

A gluten-free diet usually contains more fresh produce and that usually is a healthy improvement. If someone eats more varieties of vegetables and fruits and engages in portion control of other foods, then this type of gluten-free living may elicit health benefits, experts say.

If you don't have celiac disease, gluten won't hurt you and, in fact, is a good source of fiber. If you have any questions or concerns, you should discuss them with your doctor.

It's hardly news that a lot of folks worry about money. Now a new study shows that people aren't only worrying about money in their free time, they're worrying about money during work, and it's affecting their productivity and their health.

The study was conducted by Purchasing Power, an employee benefits provider, and found that 44% of American full-time employees worry about their finances at work.

In addition, the survey shows that 29% of employees actually deal with their financial issues at work and 46% said they spend about 2 to 3 hours at their job fixing those issues.

Purchasing Power CEO Richard Carrano says more employers should be concerned about their employees' financial well-being, because if people are having a lot of money problems, it'll affect their level of productivity. 

Heavy toll

"Stress over money takes both a mental and physical toll on workers, impacting health-related costs and reducing productivity by a significant number," said Carrano. "When employers help employees with their financial wellness, it pays off. Employees experience a better financial well-being and feel less stress. For employers, the result is productive workers who are engaged and focused, and an increased bottom line."

A separate poll conducted by the Associated Press and AOL showed that people who worry about money or debt are twice more likely to have a heart attack than people who don't worry about these things.

Additionally, the poll shows that 27% of money worriers have digestive problems, compared to 8% who said they never worry about money.

And 44% of people who said they worry about their finances admit to having migraines, compared to 4% who said their finances were never a big concern for them.

Plus, results show that 23% of people who worry about money are depressed, versus 4% who say they have no money worries at all.

Avoid commercials

Famed financial expert Suze Orman says, one way to stop worrying about money is to stop watching a lot of commercials.

"Ignore all those TV commercials threatening you with financial ruin if you don't sign up for a credit-report service," wrote Orman. "There's no need to bother with all that. As long as you review your credit-card statements every month for unauthorized charges, you only need to check your credit rating once a year."

Author and psychotherapist Jonathan Robinson agrees with Orman and says TV commercials and television in general play a big part in how consumers worry about money. He says people should think about what they do have instead of what they don't, because if you keep thinking about what you don't have, those thoughts will never go away.

"Trying to get enough money can be like trying to fill a gigantic bowl in which, no matter how much stuff you put into the bowl, it never fills up," Robinson wrote. "We put a Mercedes in the bowl, a new house, a boat, but it never seems full for more than a few minutes. The reason the bowl never fills up is because it has a big leak in the bottom."

"Whatever we manage to get and put into our lives, like a bowl with a leak, it quickly runs out. We are soon left completely empty. The bowl represents our desires," Robinson said.

Stephen Cope, director of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living, says if you're feeling sudden stress over money or if you're having an anxiety attack, there are quick things you can do. In addition, he says you have to stop the worrying as soon as it starts, because if you don't, your anxiety will only snowball.

Obessive loop

"Money worries often trigger an obsessive-thought loop, sending your brain and body into fight-or-flight mode," he says. "In this state you can't make good decisions."

"So first break the physical response: Close your eyes and take a couple of slow, deep breaths. Next, break the mental response. Focus your attention on the sensations of breathing."

"This process opens up the medial prefrontal cortex, the reflective, creative part of your brain that develops strategies to solve complex problems in a way that's simply not possible if your body and brain are still trying to fight or flee. When the worry loop restarts--and it will--you can always come back to your breathing."

You wouldn't expect a bunch of squished-up bugs to provide the coloring in your yogurt or fruit drink, but in fact it's quite common. The bugs in question arecochineal scale and the Polish Cochineal. They've been used to make red dye since at least the 15th Century.

The cochineal insect is a tiny, parasitic scale insect native to South America and Mexico. It lives on and feeds off a certain type of cacti.

Grind 'em up just right and the scaly insects make a deep ruby red goop called carmine, which is used not just as a food coloring but also to make ink, rouge and other cosmetics and even artificial flowers.

This stuff is red.

But although carmine has been used for centuries, the folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest don't think that's any reason to keep using it and they are asking yogurt giant Dannon to go find something else to add color to their fruit yogurt.

A Dannon spokesman says there's no reason to be concerned about it. 

"Many of Dannon's yogurts have no added color, and in some of our flavored yogurts we use colors derived from natural sources, such as various vegetables and fruits, as well as carmine," Michael J. Neuwirth, senior director of public relations at Dannon told ConsumerAffairs. "Carmine is a safe and commonly used red coloring that many food makers use. It is used in many food and other products because it is safe and it delivers the best color." 

Strawberry, Cherry, Boysenberry, and Raspberry varieties of Dannon's "Fruit on the Bottom" line all contain the critter-based dye, according to CSPI, as does the Strawberry flavor of Dannon's Oikos brand of Greek yogurt. Two flavors of Dannon's Light and Fit Greek use the extract, as do six of its Activia yogurts. Dannon uses other natural colorings, such as purple carrot juice, in its Danimals line of yogurts marketed to children. 

So what's wrong with using crushed bugs, apart from the cringe factor?

Well, as CSPI tells it, some people can have allergic reactions ranging from hives to anaphylactic shock after eating carmine.

Dannon's Neuwirth says the presence of carmine is clearly listed on the label: "Any Dannon product that contains carmine clearly identifies it by name and lists it as an ingredient on the product label to make it easily identifiable for anyone who prefers to avoid it. Anyone who has an allergy or preference to avoid a particular ingredient is already reading labels carefully - which we encourage - and can easily avoid it if they choose." 

For its part, CSPI takes credit for the labeling, which is says is the result of a CSPI petition to the Food and Drug Administration. Previously, companies could obscure the presence of the insect extract by labeling it "artificial color." CSPI had urged the FDA to go further and describe carmine as "insect-derived," making it easier for vegetarians, Jews who keep Kosher, or anyone otherwise averse to eating such ingredients to avoid it.

"I have nothing against people who eat insects, but when I buy strawberry yogurt I'm expecting yogurt and strawberries, and not red dye made from bugs," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "Given the fact that it causes allergic reactions in some people, and that it's easy to use safer, plant-based colors, why would Dannon use it at all? Why risk offending vegetarians and grossing out your other customers?"

CSPI is sponsoring an online petition on TakePart.com urging Franck Riboud, CEO of Dannon's parent company Groupe Danone, to replace the bug-based dye with more of the fruit advertised on the label. About 6,500 people had signed the petition the last time we looked.

Not just Dannon

It's not just Dannon that's sacrificing insects for the dining pleasure of its customers, although it's CSPI's target at the moment. We checked a few other popular yogurts and found it in Yoplait.

We did not, however, find carmine in Gerber's Graduates blends, Stonyfield Organic Fruit on the Bottom yogurt or Chobani strawberry Greek Yogurt, just to name a few. If it matters to you, take Neuwirth's advice and read the label -- or just avoid anything red. 

Okay, so you're grabbing a bite and a cup of coffee at Panera and you pull out your laptop and look for Panera's Wi-Fi signal. You see it, log in and start using your computer. But one question: How do you know the signal that you're using is really Panera's.

Or this: You're out of town on business and you log into your hotel's Wi-Fi, but when you get home, you find out your personal information has been compromised. A few days after that, you learn the Wi-Fi signal you were using at the hotel was fake.

According to Adam Levin, chairman of Identity Theft 911, phony Wi-Fi signals are used all the time.

"The most common locations for Wi-Fi scams are hotels, coffee shops and airports," he said in an interview with ConsumerAffairs. And how do scammers do it? Levin says they set up signals that look exactly like the real thing.

"When you are looking for a free network at, for example, a hotel, conference, restaurant or airport and see "free Wi-Fi," or something which looks very much like the free network where you are staying, you may be staring at a hot spot scam."

And once you see a certain logo or symbol associated with the Wi-Fi, like a Panera logo for example, you automatically let your guard down, says Levin.

"You connect to it because it sounds right and/or it shows up as being the strongest signal," he explains. "Basically, according to Computerworld, you may have just encountered a 'man in the middle' scam and are connecting to the Internet through the hacker's computer."

"This means--since your cyber gateway is the connection through his computer--he is monitoring your online activity."

Extremely easy

Security expert Apolonio Garcia, of the company Health Guard IT Security, says it's extremely easy for scammers to set up phony Wi-Fi signals, especially in places that are usually considered secure.

"If you're in an airport, you can make it an airport hotspot," said Garcia in a published interview. "If you're in a coffee shop, you can make it the name of the coffee shop."

Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau in Chicago, said hotels are especially vulnerable, because scammers know that often let their guard down when they're staying in a comfy place away from home.

And many times, folks have more time to browse the Internet and do things like check their social media page when they're staying in hotels.

"Checking personal and work email as well as updating social media posts while on vacation are common," said Bernas.

"Scammers know that because many hotels charge for Wi-Fi, a free connection looks appealing. However, by connecting to an unknown and unsecure Wi-Fi connection, you are letting the owner of the connection see all your Internet activity."

"This could include your personal information, banking information and other Internet browsing activity."

Seeing double

And if you see two of the same Wi-Fi signals in the same location, Levin says to stay away from both.

"The best defense against an attack is not to be there," he said. "Therefore, only connect to a network that you know for sure is the real deal. Keep in mind that a clever hacker can name a network virtually the same name as the authentic network. If they don't, make sure you know the exact name of the network you want to log onto."

"If you only see one network with the precise name given to you by a knowledgeable representative at the location, it is far less dangerous than if you see two networks with the exact same name. If so, do not use either one," Levin advises.

In addition, he says don't even use free Wi-Fi if you can help it, because there are much better ways to go. 

"Frankly, it's best not to use free Wi-Fi but use a virtual private network that you can get through various outside companies (security software firms), service providers such as AT&T or Verizon, or through your work. These are effectively encrypted conduits."

Chances are you can also connect through your smartphone. Major carriers offer wireless broadband via your phone. It works quite well but will cost you a few bucks per month. 

What else?

Here are Levin's other tips to avoid being scammed: 

• Turn off ad hoc mode (generally not turned on, but might be)
• Turn off file sharing (many people have this turned on in order to share files, folders, resources with others on their network).
• Turn off visible network. This makes your network invisible to others. If you get to a public hot spot, designate it "public" on your computer. This makes it invisible to others who might try to connect to you for various reasons, most not good for you.
• Encrypt your email (check your email programs, many allow you to encrypt both incoming and outgoing email).
• Carry an encrypted thumb drive and keep private data on it and not your computer.
• Disable your wireless adapter. Oftentimes it's best to avoid all wireless exposure.
• Be alert and keep an eye out for those who might be peering over your shoulder.
• Always keep your firewall on.

And if you ever fall victim to a Wi-Fi scam, Levin says you should do the following:

• Run a full security scan of your computer and determine if there is malware, or a virus.
• Buy programs to remove malware, viruses, etc., from your computer. Better yet, use a professional to inspect and clear your computer of viruses and/or malware.
• If you don't already have it, buy the most sophisticated firewall and/or security software programs available for your computer and make sure they are either automatically updated or you update them frequently.
• Change all of your passwords on all email, social networking, financial service sites and retail sites.
• Consider putting a freeze on your credit files.
• Get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three national credit reporting agencies at www.AnnualCreditReport.com

Want to impress someone with whom you share a romantic interest? Add this to your collection of ice breakers and pick-up lines: “I have a 755 credit score.”

According to a recent survey by a division of Experian, both men and women find financial responsibility a highly desirable trait. In fact, the survey shows that among women, 96 percent say financial responsibility is important, compared to 87 percent noting physical attractiveness as an important quality.

Men, on the other hand, still prefer physical attractiveness as the primary trait but financial responsibility is a close second, with 91 percent saying it's important. Overall, only “personal compatibility” trumps financial responsibility in the selection of a potential mate.

Bigger issue for women

It may comes as a surprise to some men but women rank financial compatibility and sexual intimacy as equally important. According to the survey, women view "is financially responsible" and "pays bills on time" as the top two financial attributes when deciding if a potential mate is attractive. Together, men and women both view "spends beyond means" and "has debt" as potential deal-breakers.

In a marriage, both parties bring their individual credit scores to the relationship. Throughout the marriage they will continue to have an individual credit score, based on financial transactions conducted only in their name. But they will also have a joint credit score, and if one partner drags it down, mortgages and auto loans will be more expensive, if you can even qualify for them at all.

Relationships go south

Relationships often crumble because one partner is not as financially responsible as the other. Chris, of Lewisville, Idaho, experienced the downside of a financially incompatible mate when she went shopping for car insurance quotes at Geico.

“Their representative tells me thank you for my interest on my quote she would be happy to help me, Chris writes in a ConsumerAffairs post. “But she then proceeds to tell me I owe them money on a delinquent account. I am floored because I have never used Geico. She then goes on about that the account is from 2007 and belonged to my now ex-husband. We were married in 2010 and then divorced, shortly after. I have my own insurance carrier and was never on my husbands car insurance.”

Melissa, of Tracy, Calif., signed for a truck loan at Ally Bank with her husband. Then they got a divorce.

“Ally managed to keep my name on the documents without me signing and still reports to the credit agency that I have a loan, Melissa writes..”Three years later I am still trying to get my ex-husbands truck off my credit.”

Suze Orman's advice

Personal finance guru Suze Orman advises couples to get to know one another's financial orientation very early in the relationship. She calls it “financial intimacy.”

“Financial intimacy is not about contributing the same amount to the joint checking account,” Orman writes on her website. “I am talking about building an understanding and respect for your individual financial personalities and learning how to meld any differences so you are financially in sync.”

To help couple determine whether they are in sync financially, Orman has devised this quiz.

The FreeCreditscore.com survey suggests singles who want to become couples are giving financial matters higher priority than they once did. Nearly half of the respondents in the survey say they discuss their credit score with a romantic prospect or partner, and 39 percent discuss it within the first year of a relationship. Consumers who want to fix credit score issues may benefit from our credit repair companies guide.

The pain reliever acetaminophen is used by millions of people daily with no problems but the Food and Drug Administration warns that it has determined that it can cause serious, even fatal, reactions in users.

Acetaminophen is used in Tylenol and numerous other over-the-counter and prescription products to treat pain and reduce fever.  

Other drugs used to treat fever and pain, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, also carry the risk of causing serious skin reactions, a danger that is already described in their labeling and that will be described in labeling of acetaminophen products in the future, the FDA said.

The agency said its new warning results from its review of the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database and the medical literature. It said it is difficult to determine how frequently serious skin reactions occur with acetaminophen, due to the widespread use of the drug, differences in usage among individuals and the long period of time that the drug has been on the market. However, the FDA said it is likely that they occur rarely.

Any patient who develops a skin rash or reaction while using acetaminophen or any other pain relievers and fever reducers should stop taking the drug and seek medical attention right away.  And anyone who has experienced such a reaction should not take the drug again and should discuss their options with their physician.

Reactions defined

The skin reactions include Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) and all can be fatal.

The FDA said that health care professionals should be aware of this rare risk and consider acetaminophen, along with other drugs already known to have such an association, when assessing patients with potentially drug-induced skin reactions.

FDA will require that a warning be added to the labels of prescription drug products containing acetaminophen to address the risk of serious skin reactions. FDA will also request that manufacturers add a warning about serious skin reactions to the product labels of OTC acetaminophen drug products marketed under a new drug application and will encourage manufacturers of drug products marketed under the OTC monograph do the same.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm363519.htm

The nation's economy added jobs in July, but not as many as had been projected.

Government figures show total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 162,000 in July, with the jobless rate edging down to 7.4%. The number of jobs created was well short of the 195,000 forecast by economists surveyed by Briefing.com and the 200,000 reported earlier this week by ADP.

The creation of jobs was particularly strong in the retail trade, food services and drinking places, financial activities, and wholesale trade sectors.

Employment in manufacturing, health care, mining and logging, construction, transportation and warehousing and government, showed little change in July.

Who's working

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult women (6.5%) and blacks (12.6%) declined in July. There was little or no change in the rates for adult men (7.0%), teenagers (23.7%, whites (6.6%), and Hispanics (9.4%) showed little or no change. The jobless rate for Asians was 5.7% -- little changed from a year earlier.

The full July employment report is available on the Labor Department website.

Personal income and sending

Separately, the government reports personal income rose 0.3%, or $45.4 billion, in June, while consumer spending was up 0.5%, 0r $49.5 billion.

Personal saving was lower in June, falling to $546.6 billion from $568.3 billion in May. The personal saving rate -- personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income -- was 4.4 percent in June -- down 0.2% from May.

More information on June's personal income and spending can be found on the Bureau of Economic Analysis website.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had its hands full inspecting products that were on their way into the U.S. during fiscal year 2012.

Working with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), CPSC screened more than 18,000 different imported consumer products. About 1,500, of those products -- some 4.8 million units -- were found to be in violation of regulations and prevented from moving into the U.S. stream of commerce.

In the fourth quarter alone, the agencies screened about 5,900 products and identified about 410 of them as being noncompliant with CPSC's safety rules. In the third quarter, some 5,700 products were screened and about 420 were in violation.

The number of units stopped in the last three months of the fiscal year was about 910,000 -- down from a high of about 2.8 million in the third quarter, but more than double the approximately 368,000 stopped in the second quarter. The high numbers of units stopped in the third quarter are attributed to shipments of fireworks imported for the Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays.

Children's products dominate

As in the previous fiscal quarters, children's products with lead levels exceeding federal limits continued to make up the bulk of products stopped in the fourth quarter of 2012. Toys and other articles with small parts that present a choking hazard for children younger than 3 years old and toys and child care articles with phthalate levels in excess of federal limits were also product categories with a high number of seizures.

CPSC has been screening products at ports since it began operating in 1973 and intensified its efforts in 2008 with the creation of an import surveillance division and in 2011 with the creation of the Office of Import Surveillance.

Cycling Sports Group of Bethel, Conn., is recalling about 500 Cannondale Slice RS bicycles and framesets

The brake plates can loosen and break, posing a fall hazard. Cannondale has received one report of a loose brake plate. No injuries have been reported.

This recall includes all 2013 model year Cannondale triathlon and time trial Slice RS bikes including the Black Edition, Ultegra and Ultegra Di2 bicycles and framesets. The Black Edition bikes come in black and the word Cannondale is in green on the top tube. The Ultegra and Ultegra Di2 are white with red trim and the word Cannondale is in black on the down tube of the bicycle. The unusual brakes on the Slice RS models are mounted behind the front fork and under the chainstay.

The bikes, manufactured in China, were sold at Cannondale retailers nationwide between October 2012, and June 2013, for between $5,500 and $11,000 for the bike and $4,500 for the frameset.

Consumer should immediately stop using the recalled bicycles and return the bike to a Cannondale retailer for a free repair, a Cannondale Terramo helmet and Classic Jersey. Cannondale is contacting its customers directly.

Consumers may contact Cannondale at (800) 245-3872 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or by e-mail at custserv@cyclingsportsgroup.com.   

National Beef Packing Company of Liberal, Kan., is recalling approximately 50,100 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7.

The following products are subject to recall:

• 10 lb. chub of “National Beef” 93/ 7 Fine Ground Beef, Product Code 0707
• 10 lb. chub of “NatureSource” 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck, Product Code 7031
• 10 lb. chub of “NatureSource” 85/15 Fine Ground Beef, Product Code 7054
• 10 lb. chub of “NatureSource” 90/10 Fine Ground Beef, Product Code 7344
• 10 lb. chub of “NatureSource” 93/ 7 Fine Ground Beef, Product Code 7004
• 10 lb. chub of “NatureWell 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck, Product Code 7484
• 10 lb. chub of “NatureWell” 85/15 Fine Ground Beef, Product Code 7454
• 10 lb. chub of “NatureWell” 90/10 Fine Ground Sirloin, Product Code 7577
• 10 lb. chub of “NatureWell” 93/7 Fine Ground Beef, Product Code 7404

All these products bear the establishment number “EST. 208A” inside the USDA mark of inspection. They were produced on July 18, 2013 and shipped in 40 to 60 pound cases to retailers, wholesalers, and food service distributors nationwide.

This is the second recall by National Beef in less than two months.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160° F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

Consumers can call 1-866-761-9472 for details about the recall and the company’s return and reimbursement policy.