Current Events in March 2014

Infinite Herbs of Miami, Fla., is recalling one lot of its 2.5-ounce packages of Organic Basil because of potential contamination with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall affects one specific lot of Infinite Herbs brand Organic Basil packaged in 2.5-ounce clamshell bearing the "Date Packed 02/21 20422". The "Date Packed" information can be found on the back side label below the country of origin statement.

The product was distributed to Trader Joe's stores in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Southern Virginia and Tennessee.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled product are urged not to eat the product, and to dispose of it or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 305-599-9255 or via email at customer_service@infiniteherbs.com.

General Motors is recalling more than 1.76 million additional vehicles for three separate defects not related to the ignition switch recall that has the company in hot water with consumers, Congress and just about everyone else.

"Today's announcement underscores the focus we're putting on the safety and peace of mind of our customers," GM's new CEO, Mary Barra, said in a statement and a video.

In the statement, Barra said the latest updates resulted partly because she asked her executives to give added attention to their pending reviews of GM products, "bring them forward and resolve them quickly."

Story continues after video

According to Automotive News, the latest GM U.S. recalls affect:

• 303,000 2009-2014 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans. GM says it will rework the material used in their instrument panels to satisfy U.S. crash standards meant to protect unbelted passengers. 

• 63,900 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS full-size luxury sedans. GM says it needs to fix a problem with brake booster corrosion that can lead to overheating. Two fires have been reported.

• 1.18 million 2008-2013 Buick Enclaves, 2008-2013 GMC Acadias, 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverses and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlooks. The wiring harness for the seat-mounted side airbags can get pinched, turning on a warning light in the instrument panel. Ignoring the warning “will eventually result in the non-deployment of the side impact restraints,” including side airbags.

Ignition production

Barra said replacement ignition switches are being produced as fast as possible. She said the supplier making the switches has added a second production line to speed up the process. The switches are expected to be available to dealers starting April 7.

She said GM is “completely focused on the problem at the highest levels of the company” and would be changing its system for deciding and managing recalls.

“Something went wrong with our process in this instance,” she said in the video, “and terrible things happened.”

Ever since a Pew Research Center report found a growing number of parents – 48% – had provided financial assistance to an adult child within the previous 12 months, financial planners have almost universally expressed alarm.

The parents, the argument goes, need to be planning for their retirement, not giving money to children who, at this point, should be living on their own. It's worse, they say, when parents who have already retired are writing the checks.

But Howard Hook, a CPA and certified financial planner with EKS Associates in Princeton, N.J., thinks the stereotype of the mooching offspring taking advantage of an aging parent tends to be overblown. Each situation is different, he says, and parents have to use their best judgment in deciding whether or not to provide a financial helping hand. Sometimes it can be the right thing to do.

“I think clearly a case can be made that helping someone at a younger age, to get them through a rough patch, many times is better than leaving them an inheritance when they are in middle age or later,” Hook told ConsumerAffairs.

Get on the same page

The key, he says is for both parents and child to have a clear understanding of what is being offered. Is it a loan or a gift?

Other questions that need to be asked and answered are what effect will the aid have on the parents' financial condition? If it is a loan, what expectations are there of getting repaid? What does it mean if you don't get repaid – is that going to affect your relationship with your child? If you have more than one child how does it affect the other children in the family who see Mom and Dad lending money to a sibling? That last question is often overlooked.

“The family dynamic can get thrown up in the air,” Hook said.

Two possible outcomes

Hook concedes the whole issue is highly emotional. Parents usually feel protective of their children and hope to make a difference in their lives. But he says it's important to realize that there are two possible outcomes.

“The good outcome is the child being able to say, 'When things were tough I had someone who was able to help me out and assist me financially. I didn't take advantage and it got me over the hump,'” Hook said. “Where it goes bad is when you have a child who continues to need to borrow, isn't responsible enough to pay it back or takes advantage of a parent's emotional feelings.”

There may be more children asking parents for support in the wake of the Great Recession. The country has not fully recovered and the job market only now seems to be tentatively recovering. The financial need – whether perceived or real – seems to be greater now.

“Some of these young people are unable to get jobs,” Hook said. “They're also coming out of college with huge student loan debt that puts a huge financial burden on someone at a very young age.”

Written agreement

If the money is being offered as a gift, there should be a clear understanding of what the money is to be used for. The same is true when the money is extended as a loan. But in the case of a loan, Hook recommends parents and child formalize the process with a written agreement that clearly states the terms.

“What that does is make it real to everybody,” Hook said. “By making it real, at a minimum, it gives everyone a sense of responsibility.”

In his practice Hook says he often sees the other side of the coin – parents who have been asked for help but who refuse, usually he says, out of a fear that they will run out of money in retirement. Hook says in those cases as well, parents should understand that every situation is different.

“If someone wants to loan money to their children and can financially afford it I would never suggest they shouldn't do it,” he said. “We may lay out the pros and cons but ultimately it's their decision.”

Amazon may have underestimated the negative blowback from its decision to raise the price of its Prime memebership to $99, according to a survey conducted over the last few days by Brand Keys, a leading retail research consultancy.

"Consumer expectations are always on the increase, and when it comes to online retail, they operate in a 'what-have-you-done-for-me-recently?' paradigm. Price increases weren't what Prime Members were expecting," said Robert Passikoff, found and president of Brand Keys.

Amazon announced the 25% price increase a week ago following rumors that it would raise the rate by as much as 50%.

In a survey conducted by Brand Keys March 14-16 among 1,050 Amazon Prime members, metrics– showed that the Amazon brand took a blow to its normally high overall brand engagement and loyalty evaluations.

Loyalty evaluations among Prime members were down 10%, from 93% to 83%. Customers also took to the web and social media to vent their frustrations.

"I've been a Prime member for a couple of years but I am reconsidering it now," said Karen Hesse, a California notary public in a Facebook posting. "Now that Prime membership is taxed as well, I have to see if Prime saves me more than $110 a year. I like the free videos and the lending library that come with the membership but I don't think my use is that great."

Engagement takes a hit

Brand diagnostics showed that the price increase resulted in significantly negative effects to two important emotional engagement drivers for the Online Retail category: 'Brand Reputation' and 'Brand Value.'

"When a brand misses the mark when it comes to consumers' expectations, 'expectation' quickly becomes 'disenchantment,' and based on these assessments. Prime members seem really disenchanted with the Amazon brand right now," said Passikoff.

"Hard as it is to believe, there was time when consumers ordered a product, they paid for shipping and if they weren't happy, they paid to return it. It worked exactly like consumers expected it would," noted Passikoff, "but today that seems like a distant era?"

Zapposification

In 2003 Brand Keys called it the 'Zappos-ification of America,' brand differentiation and consumer engagement à la free shipping and returns and speed of delivery. Zappos, the innovative online shoe retailer, told consumers they'd receive their order in five days, but delivered in two. Consumers were pretty happy.

"'Delighted' you might say," said Passikoff. "And in order for other brands not to look as though they were lagging, they too offered free shipping and returns. This took various forms and offers, but in short order, consumers came to expect it, which is precisely the nature of delight, expectations, and brand engagement."

Amazon has been the No. 1 brand in Brand Keys' Customer Loyalty Engagement Index for as long as the category has existed.

For $79 a year members received free two-day shipping and access to a raft of free streaming videos, exclusive content, and added values like free e-book borrowing.

Tolerably happy

"If people weren't precisely delighted to pay, they were tolerably happy to get things fast and not pay extra. Estimates vary from category-to-category, but membership programs like these tend to attract consumers who spend more, sometimes significantly so. So it should work out for everyone, right?" said Passikoff.

Passikoff said there appear to be business justifications for Amazon's decision -- chiefly higher shipping costs -- but he said that consumer decision-making is more emotional than rational and explanations about higher costs don't placate customers anymore.

He noted that an online rival, ShopRunner.com, a site that guarantees two
-day delivery from many of the retailers on their site, has already offered to waive its $79 annual fee to anyone "disgruntled" by the Amazon price hike.

"Amazon should have expected that," said Passikoff.

You've tried to lose weight but you have a desk job that keeps you in your chair eight or more hours a day. Lately, you've read about studies suggesting prolonged sitting is as bad for you as smoking.

Outside of a career change, is there anything you can do to reduce your chair time and increase your activity level? You might talk to your boss about installing a treadmill workstation, allowing you to do your work standing on a slow-moving treadmill.

These workstations have been shown to help employees increase their activity level and burn more calories. But on your company's tight budget, how can you convince your supervisor that this workstation is worth the investment?

How the company benefits

You might start by telling them about a new study by researchers from the University of Texas at Arlington, the Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota. The researchers suggest that employees who use these workstations not only benefit from improved health but the company benefits from improved productivity.

Desk-bound employees at a financial services company were enlisted for the study. Their workstations were outfitted with a treadmill desk. The surface could be raised or lowered with the touch of a button. Whether the employees worked sitting down or standing up and walking was entirely up to them. However, all were wired with an accelerometer that kept track of their daily calories burned.

At the end of 52 weeks, the employees averaged burning 74 more calories per day than before the workstations were installed. That's all well and good, but is it enough reason for an employer to go to the expense of installing these more treadmill workstations?

Productivity boost

“What’s great about that is that employees who had the treadmill workstations became more productive in addition to becoming more active,” said researcher Darla Hamann, an assistant professor in the UT Arlington School of Urban and Public Affairs. “Walking on the treadmill didn’t come at the expense of being a productive worker. Walking seemed to augment productivity.”

In addition to productivity gains, Hamann says the treadmill desks also improved employee fitness and wellbeing, which she said provides benefits to the company too. She thinks adding the treadmills to the office environment could easily be justified under a corporate wellness program. Employees, she says, might even be more likely to be active when not at work.

“It’s like the treadmill workstation served as a reminder for future physical activity,” Hamann said. “It reinforced the idea to exercise.”

New trend?

There are already a number of stand-up desks available and they have become more popular in the wake of recent research that suggests spending hours in a chair is bad for your health. Most recently researchers at Kaiser Permanente found prolonged sitting is especially harmful to men, increasing the risk of heart attack.

The men who reported spending several hours a day in sedentary inactivity had 2.2 times the risk of developing heart failure as compared with men who reported high physical activity and low sedentary time.

"Though traditionally we know quite a bit about the positive impact that physical activity has on cardiovascular disease, we know significantly less about the relationship between physical activity and heart failure," said Deborah Rohm Young, PhD, study lead author and researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation. "The results of this large study of a racially and ethnically diverse population reinforce the importance of a physically active and, importantly, a non-sedentary lifestyle for reducing the risk of heart failure."

The Mayo Clinic was an early advocate of getting employees up and moving around during the workday. We reported back in 2005 that Mayo Clinic was developing an early treadmill desk.

At the time Mayo Clinic predicted a treadmill desk would cost around $1,000. However, we found one on Amazon.com that cost less than $500 (not including treadmill). You might consider showing it, or one like it, to your boss.

It's long been known that oatmeal helps lower total and LDL cholesterol, which can help promote heart health. Now a team of scientists say they've found another reason to eat oats: a phenolic compount called AVE that may possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-itch and anti-cancer properties.

"While the data to support the importance of oat beta-glucan remains, these studies reveal that the heart health benefit of eating oats may go beyond fiber," said Dr. Shengmin Sang of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. "As the scientific investigators dig deeper, we have discovered that the bioactive compounds found in oats – AVEs – may provide additional cardio-protective benefits."

New research shows that oat AVEs may be partly responsible for the positive association between oats and heart health. Oliver Chen, Ph.D., of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, presented mechanistic data that demonstrated that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of AVEs likely contribute to oats' protective effects.

Similarly, Mohsen Meydani, Ph.D., from the Vascular Biology Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, provided evidence that oat AVEs suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines associated with fatty streak formation in the arteries.

In addition, oat AVEs appear to repress the process associated with the development of atherosclerosis.

The findings were presented at the 247th Annual Conference of the American Chemical Society in Dallas.

Hyundai is apologizing for overstating the fuel efficiency of its new Sonata sedan by about one mile per gallon.

"We gave out a tentative figure we got from an internal test. The mistake resulted from our effort to emphasize the improved fuel economy of the new Sonata, even though it was heavier than the previous model," Hyundai said in a statement.

"We deeply regret our imprudence. We once again ask for your understanding and promise to do our best to provide correct information going forward," Hyundai said.

The company was embarrassed in November 2012 when it admitted overstating the fuel efficiency figures for 2011-13 model year Hyundai and Kia cars sold in the U.S. It agreed to reimburse consumers $395 million.

The new Sonata is expected to go on sale outside Korea in the second half of the year. The U.S. Sonata will be shown for the first time in April during the New York International Auto Show.

The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Used Car Rule requires dealers to display a “Buyers Guide” on used vehicles offered for sale. An Arkansas auto dealer, Abernathy Motor Company, and its two principals, are charged with failing to do so and could be facing civil penalties of up to $16,000.

“Used car dealers are required to post a Buyers Guide providing warranty and other important information on the cars they offer for sale. That’s the law,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Consumers have a right to receive this information up-front to help them make an informed buying decision.”

The rule -- which took effect in 1985 -- specifically requires used car dealers to disclose whether the car comes with a dealer’s warranty or is being sold “as is.” If the car is sold with a dealer’s warranty, the Buyers Guide must list its basic terms and conditions, including the duration of coverage, the percentage of total repair costs to be paid by the dealer, and the exact systems covered by the warranty.

Warnings issued and not heeded

In January 2013, the FTC announced that its Southwest Region Office had warned 11 used car dealerships in Jonesboro, Arkansas, that their sales practices violated the Used Car Rule. All but Abernathy Motor Company subsequently came into compliance.

Abernathy has four used car sales locations in Arkansas: two in Blytheville, one in West Memphis, and one in Jonesboro. The FTC’s complaint also names the company’s owners, Wesley Abernathy and David Abernathy, and an affiliated dealership, Ab’s Best Buys AMC Inc., as defendants.

Failure to display

According to the complaint, the FTC visited the Abernathy dealership in Jonesboro in November 2012, and found that none of the vehicles offered for sale displayed a Buyers Guide. The agency informed the dealership of that fact, and sent the dealership a copy of the Guide and the FTC publication, A Dealer’s Guide to the Used Car Rule.

In May 2013, the FTC re-visited the Abernathy dealership, and visited Ab’s Best Buys AMC Inc., and found both dealerships were offering used vehicles for sale that did not display a Buyers Guide.

Chrysler Group LLC is recalling selected 2014 Fiat 500L vehicles. The company said that "moving the transmission shift lever may have a delayed effect or no effect on selecting a transmission gear."

This could keep the car from shifting out of Park or cause it to move in an unintended direction. Chrysler said it had received more than 100 complaints about the problem but doesn't know of any accidents of injuries.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter module or update the shifter software, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in April 2014.

Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number associated with this recall is P06.

SNI National is recalling all Kratom products,including Kratom XL 4 Pack, Maeng Da Kratom 10 Pack, Max Kratom 20 Pack, and Bali Kratom 40 Pack, from distributors and retail locations.

These products contain Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa), a botanical that qualifies as a dietary ingredient under section 201(ff)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act . When marketed as a dietary ingredient, FDA considers kratom to be a new dietary ingredient for which there is inadequate information to provide reasonable assurance that such ingredient does not present a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury.

Furthermore, scientific literature discloses serious concerns regarding the toxicity of Kratom in multiple organ systems. Consumption of Kratom can lead to a number of health impacts, including respiratory depression, nervousness, agitation, aggression, sleeplessness, hallucinations, delusions, tremors, loss of libido, constipation, skin hyperpigmentation, nausea, vomiting, and severe withdrawal signs and symptoms.

The company says it has not received any complaints or been made aware of any illness or adverse effects stemming from the sale of these products.

The products are packaged in clamshell, zip sealed packets and green pill bottles, 4, 10, 20, and 40 count, and can be identified by their bright green packaging and label which states that it contains Kratom.

The products were sold to wholesale distributors in Alabama, California, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Florida, Oklahoma, Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Ohio, and were further distributed by those entities. SNI National has terminated distribution.

The company is notifying its distributors and customers by phone or email, and is arranging for immediate return of all recalled products.

Consumers, distributors and retailers who have purchased or are selling these products should discontinue use or distributing them and return them to place of purchase, or discard them.

Consumers with questions regarding this recall may contact SNI National at (1-801-388-4690) or -Kratomrecall@gmail.com Monday-Friday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm MST.

Chrysler Group is recalling 18,690 model year 2012-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 11, 2011, through October 1, 2012.

Under certain braking events, the Ready Alert Braking System (RAB) may result in the driver experiencing a hard brake pedal feel. If the driver experiences a hard brake pedal, the driver may not push the pedal as intended, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS module software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2014.

Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number associated with this recall is P05.

Dole Fresh Vegetables is recalling a limited number of cases of bagged salads due to a possible health risk from Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported in association with the recall.

The products being recalled are:

• Dole Italian Blend (UPC 7143000819)
• Fresh Selections Italian Style Blend (UPC 1111091045)
• Little Salad Bar Italian Salad (UPC 4149811014)
• Marketside Italian Style Salad (UPC 8113102780)

The recalled salads are coded A058201A or B, with Use-by date of March 12, 2014. The product code and Use-by date are in the upper right-hand corner of the package. The UPC code is on the back of the package, below the barcode.

The salads were distributed in 15 states (Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia) and 3 Canadian provinces (New Brunswick, Ontario & Quebec).

No other salads are included in the recall

Consumers who have the recalled product should not consume it, but rather discard it.

Consumers with questions may call the Dole Food Company Consumer Response Center at (800) 356-3111, from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (PT) Monday - Friday.

At the moment, there are more theories than known facts in the case of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, missing for a week on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. What's known is the plane disappeared from civilian radar shortly after leaving Malaysia ground control, on a course taking it over the Gulf of Thailand and Vietnam. It has vanished without a trace.

But numerous reports, including one from Reuters Friday citing unnamed sources, have begun to suggest the plane didn't crash in the Gulf of Thailand but made a deliberate course change and flew for hours to the west, taking it back across the Malaysia mainland. What the purpose was – and what happened to the plane -- remains unknown.

In light of this theory, a blog posting by Darlene Storm, published 11 months ago on ComputerWorld.com, makes for chilling reading. It's an article about a security conference in Amsterdam where HugoTeso, a security consultant in Germany, gave a presentation on how easy it would be to hack into the onboard computer running a modern airliner.

In the demonstration Teso set up a simulator to carry out the simulated hijacking remotely, without needing physical access to the target aircraft at any time. He explained that hacking into an actualcjet's computer was both dangerous and unethical.

Equipment from eBay

According to Storm, Teso purchased hardware from eBay that provided the actual flight code software for training. He was able to gain access to the plane's computer by exploiting vulnerabilities in one of the systems transmitting data back and forth between the plane and the ground. Here's the really chilling part of Storm's account:

“Once he was into the airplane’s computer, he was able to manipulate the steering of a Boeing jet while the aircraft was in autopilot mode,” Storm wrote. “The only countermeasure available to pilots, if they even realized they were being hacked, would be to turn off autopilot. Yet many planes no longer have old analog instruments for manual flying. Teso said he could take control of most all airplane systems; he could even cause the plane to crash by setting it on a collision course with another plane.”

Teso's claims, which didn't receive wide coverage at the time outside the technology press, did not go unchallenged by aviation regulators and companies. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a statement quickly shooting it down.

FAA says it's not possible

“The FAA has determined that the hacking technique described during a recent computer security conference does not pose a flight safety concern because it does not work on certified flight hardware,” the statement said. “The described technique cannot engage or control the aircraft’s autopilot system using the FMS or prevent a pilot from overriding the autopilot. Therefore, a hacker cannot obtain 'full control of an aircraft' as the technology consultant has claimed.”

Avionics equipment manufacturers Honeywell and Rockwell Collins also dismissed Teso's claims. Airline passengers can only hope they are right, because the German engineer has raised a nightmare scenario. If it were true, terrorists might no longer have to get suicidal hijackers past heightened security to take over an airliner, but from the safety of a hideout might turn a plane into a surface-to-air guided missile.

Could MH370 have simply been a trial run for a future, more diabolical event? If so, we'll know soon enough.

How many deaths have there actually been in connection with an ignition problem in certain General Motors vehicles that resulted in the failure of airbags to deploy?

The automaker at first said there were 13 and then downgraded that to 12. But an auto safety group claims that figure dramatically understates the number of fatalities.

Deaths in the hundreds

The Center for Auto Safety says an examination of of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatal Analysis Reporting System shows 303 deaths of front seat occupants in the recalled 2005-07 Cobalts and 2003-07 Ions where the airbag failed to deploy in non-rear impact crashes. Further, it says, that does not include the other five models recalled or the number of deaths without airbag deployment would have been higher.

According to the non-profit safety advocacy group, the NHTSA data show front seat occupants were being killed in crashes where the airbags did not deploy as soon as the recalled vehicles hit the road. It points to three deaths in Saturn Ions during 2003 and 6 deaths in Chevrolet Cobalts in 2005. The number of front seat occupant deaths steadily climbed, the auto safety group maintains, as more Cobalts and Ions were sold, with 43 deaths in 2009 and 47 in 2010, all in cases where the airbags did not deploy.

GM disputes

CNNMONEY reports that GM is disputing the claim that all those deaths are connected to the ignition problems, although that report is apparently based on nothing more than a statement from GM.

"Without rigorous analysis, it is pure speculation to attempt to draw any meaningful conclusions. In contrast, research is underway at GM and the investigation of the ignition switch recall and the impact of the defective switch is ongoing," CNN quoted GM as saying. 

The charge by the Center for Auto Safety is just the latest development in the case of the GM ignition recall. Multiple investigations have been launched including probes by NHTSA and Congress.

About those loaners ...

GM has been trying to manage the public relations fall-out from the massive recall. Earlier this week, the automaker offered the 1.37 million owners of the recalled cars a $500 bonus towards the purchase of any new GM vehicle.

It also asked dealers to provide free loaner cars to any customer who felt uncomfortable driving the recalled vehicles until they are repaired. The key word here is "asked:" GM's request seems to be falling on deaf ears at some dealerships, even those in Detroit, according to consumers who've contacted ConsumerAffairs.

Brenjeana of Detroit took her 2007 Chevy Cobalt to James Martin Chevrolet on Woodward Avenue and was told she could not have a loaner.

"It is not my problem that this recall exists ... and it is not my problem that the parts are not available for another month and I feel angered," Brenjeana said in an email to ConsumerAffairs. "I fear for my life driving this car not knowing if I hit a pothole or when and where my car may stall out on me."

---

James R. Hood contributed reporting to this story.

Starbucks has so many ways to order, pay for and customize coffee that actually brewing the stuff almost seems like an afterthought sometimes.

One innovation currently in the works isn't all that revolutionary but could save a lot of time if it works properly. The company is working on an app that would let customers order -- and, presumably, pay -- before they reach the store.

Our first reaction on reading about this was that somebody had better make sure the baristas are able to handle the added workload, but Bloomberg News reports that Starbucks has gone a step further and is doubling the number of Internet-connected coffee machines, which can take orders from apps and whip up whatever the customer has ordered.

A company executive was quoted as saying Starbucks wants to make life "easier" for baristas. 

Digital tin cup

Well, we don't know about easier, but a new app that debuts next week could make baristas at least a little richer -- it lets customers tip the barista directly from their iPhone.

"Beginning March 19, customers using Starbucks App for iPhone in the U.S., U.K. and Canada will experience a streamlined design and easy access to their account and My Starbucks Rewards information," the company said. In addition, customers using the app will have the option to leave a tip at more than 7,000 company-operated Starbucks stores in the U.S.

“With more than 11 percent of transactions a week now happening with a mobile device in our stores, and nearly 10 million customers currently using our mobile app, we’re thrilled to make the digital experience even easier and more rewarding for our customers and partners,” said Adam Brotman, chief digital officer for Starbucks. “This update to the Starbucks App for iPhone is an important next step in digital innovation at Starbucks and one of the many ways we’ll expand and improve our digital experience in the months to come.”

What's worse than having your auto insurance rates go up? Not being able to get insurance in the first place. When that happens you end up in the “assigned risk pool,” an expensive place to be.

Often a driver becomes uninsured when no insurance company will touch them. They have either had too many accidents or too many traffic tickets – or both. Insurance companies, which are all based on acceptable risk, have determined these drivers are way too risky.

But sometimes drivers can't get insurance through no fault of their own. If you live in what is considered a bad neighborhood, with a lot of crime and vandalism, you might not be able to get coverage. Credit scores and zip codes often play a big role in your insurance rate, and whether you can even buy it.

In the pool

Because states won't let people drive without insurance the state usually steps in. In many states, uninsured drivers are placed in the assigned risk pool. The state then requires insurance companies operating in the state to insure them, usually at the companies' highest rates. Unfortunately, the people who tend to be placed in the “uninsured” category are the consumers least able to pay the high premiums.

A report by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) shows that most uninsured drivers have low incomes and cannot afford to purchase high-priced minimum liability coverage required by all states, except New Hampshire. Making matters worse, the report found, these low-income drivers are increasingly adversely impacted by state and local governments that have mandated higher liability requirements – driving up premiums -- more rigorous enforcement, and stiffer penalties including large fees, vehicle impoundment, and even jail time.

Jobs at stake

As is often said, “driving is a privilege, not a right.” Some drivers who lose their insurance do so because they are either bad drivers or use poor judgment behind the wheel. While that may be true, the report points out that environmental and social factors also play a role, suggesting it is a complex issue. The bottom line is most uninsured drivers have jobs – but they might not if they could no longer drive.

“Most uninsured drivers are responsible citizens; they just can’t afford auto insurance premiums that represent their largest driving expense,” said CFA’s executive director, Stephen Brobeck. “Tough enforcement of punitive insured driver laws target many low-income workers who are struggling to survive financially. And increases in required liability coverage just force more of them to drive without insurance.”

Uninsured motorist rules differ by state but some things are consistent. According to CarsDirect.com, there is a limit to how long drivers spend in the "pool." While state requirements vary, usually a driver will only be allowed to buy the absolute minimum coverage. Once you enter the pool, you remain there for about three years.

Any solutions?

Recognizing there isn't an obvious or easy solution to this problem, CFA nonetheless has come up with a few ideas for local and state governments that it says might help. For one, it suggests following California's example by allowing the uninsured drivers with good driving records to purchase inexpensive liability coverage, for $350 or less.

Again, for uninsured drivers with good driving records, CFA suggests lowering liability minimums. Finally, the group calls for restrictions on the way insurance companies rate consumers, using occupation, income, credit rating, marital status, and homeownership that CFA says, tends to discriminate against low income drivers, even if they don't get into accidents or get tickets.

“State legislators and insurance regulators need to recognize that the uninsured motorist problem is much more about affordability than about irresponsibility,” said J. Robert Hunter, CFA’s Director of Insurance and former Texas Insurance Commissioner. “These officials need to take steps, such as eliminating insurer use of discriminatory rating factors and creating programs for safe lower-income drivers, that allow these drivers to afford required liability coverage.”

Buyer's remorse can be a terrible thing. At the time, the purchase of something – a sailboat or a new top of the line vacuum cleaner – seemed like a wonderful idea. But after a day goes by, you have a “what was I thinking?” moment.

Buyer's remorse often results after making a hasty decision, and sometimes with some added sales pressure. Usually there are ways to rectify the situation. In the most common example, you buy something at a store and, by the time you get it home, realize it was a mistake.

If you haven't opened the packaging you can probably return it and get a full refund. Most stores have policies allowing customers to return items that are the wrong size or color, or if the consumer just has a case of buyer's remorse.

Scientific approach

Psychologists have looked at buyer's remorse scientifically, hoping to find ways consumers can avoid it. Researchers writing in the Journal of Consumer Research suggest there is a reason that consumers tend to suffer buyer's remorse more for expensive items than for cheaper ones – and it really doesn't have that much to do with the money spent. Rather, for an expensive, complex item – like a feature-laden big-screen TV – we perceive more value than there really is.

"We propose that when making an immediate decision between complexity and convenience, consumers believe that products with more features and functions represent higher value, even if the complex product might lead to more confusion over time," write authors Kelly Kiyeon Lee, of Washington University in St. Louis, and Min Zhao, of the University of Toronto.

Example

Lee and Zhao use the example of two versions of photo-editing software, purchased for the specific purpose of creating a photo album two months from now. The choices include a more expensive program with a full range of image-editing features that is difficult to learn and use and a cheaper program that features a simple user-interface and easy installation but has fewer image-editing features.

The researchers argue that because the software will be used in the future, the consumer focuses on the features and not the steep learning curve. But when the time comes to start work, the consumer begins second-guessing the decision.

Lee and Zhao spent four years on the study, conducting a range of experiments that involved the trade-offs between complex and convenient products. They found that in almost all cases, consumers chose products with more features and options, even though they were more expensive and might be hard to use – a situation often leading to a bad case of buyer's remorse.

Think before you buy

To avoid buyer's remorse, keep the research done by Lee and Zhao in mind. Ask yourself how practical the purchase is to your need and whether the expense is justified.

There are legal provisions for some purchases that give consumers a “cooling off” period to change their mind when they realize they've made a mistake. These laws are usually limited to situations where there is typically a lot of sales pressure.

Timeshares

Timeshare sales provide a perfect example. That situation has generated plenty of buyer's remorse over the years. Fortunately, states have passed laws giving consumers time to rescind their buying decision. States have different cooling off periods but they typically run between three and 15 days.

Health club memberships provide another example where consumers sometimes get talked into an expensive membership before they have given it adequate thought. Most states have now passed consumer protection laws specific to health club memberships, giving consumers three to 15 days to change their mind.

The Federal Trade Commission Rule applies to purchases made by door-to-door salesmen, another situation that produces a lot of buyer's remorse. Passed in 1972, the rule gives consumers the right to cancel a sale made in their home if they do so within three days.

Currently, the Rule provides that it is unfair and deceptive for sellers engaged in door-to-door sales valued at more than $25 – the amount is being increased to $130 -- to fail to provide consumers with disclosures regarding their right to cancel the sales contract within three business days of the transaction.

Using a home computer to file your tax return appears to be catching on.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) more than 27 million taxpayers have filed their tax returns from home computers so far this year -- up almost 6% from last year.

While these taxpayers used a variety of software products to prepare and e-file their own returns, there are other options. The IRS says you can also prepare and e-file your federal tax return online for free through Free File at IRS.gov. Free File has an option for almost everyone, either through brand-name software or online fillable forms.

The Free File program is a public-private partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, LLC. The Alliance is a consortium of 14 leading tax software providers who make their products available exclusively at www.irs.gov/freefile. All Free File members meet security requirements and use the latest in encryption technology to protect taxpayer information.

Income restrictions

Seventy percent of taxpayers are eligible for easy-to-use Free File software because their income was $58,000 or less in 2013. People who made more than $58,000 and who are comfortable preparing their own returns can use Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms.

Each Free File software provider sets its own criteria for eligibility, generally based on income, age, state residency or military service. However, taxpayers can quickly find a match by using the “help me find Free File software” tool. Or, taxpayers can review all providers and their offers. Some software providers also offer state tax software and display on their landing pages whether it is free or if there is a fee.

Free File Fillable Forms is more basic, similar to completing a paper Form 1040. The program performs some math calculations and provides links to some IRS publications. It also can be filed electronically for free. However, it does not support any state tax returns.

The total number of individual income tax returns e-filed so far this year is 62.2 million. E-file includes both returns filed from home computers and those e-filed by professional tax return preparers.