Current Events in April 2014

There's about 7.5 billion people currently in the world, and one of them is bound to be of the opinion “Y'know, this proposed Comcast/Time Warner cable merger sounds like it would be genuinely awesome, and I believe this even though I neither work for nor own stock in those companies.”

Unfortunately, I was unable to track down this person and request a quotable comment before I had to file this-here article about the more than 50 public interest groups who signed an open letter opposing the planned merger, on the grounds that it would be bad for consumers, free speech advocates, free press, public broadcasting, and pretty much everybody who isn't a Comcast stockholder-type.

On April 8, FreePress released the open letter (available in .pdf form here) to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and FCC chairman Tom Wheeler, opposing the proposed merger for numerous reasons, including: it “would give one company enormous power over our nation’s media and communications infrastructure,” and “would give Comcast control over half of the nation’s next generation broadband customers and more than half of the pay TV/Internet bundled subscribers.”

Better prices?

Might those subscribers at least hope for better prices? “In the last four years, Comcast has raised its basic cable rates in some of its markets by nearly 70%.”

Ouch. Well, maybe they needed the money for infrastructure upgrades or something. Maybe. If so, why should so many public-interest groups are opposed to this merger?

Comcast has repeatedly flexed its corporate and political muscles to get what it wants, even if that has meant harming competition, consumers and communities. Around the country Comcast has fought community efforts to bridge the digital divide with municipal broadband networks. It has lobbied statehouses and local governments to undermine public, educational and government access television. It has blocked its customers’ Internet traffic. And it was fined for failing to fulfill the commitments it made to secure approval of its merger with NBCUniversal. The Comcast Time Warner Cable merger would give Comcast unthinkable gatekeeper power over our commercial, social and civic lives. . Everyone from the biggest business to the smallest startup, from elected officials to everyday people, would have to cross through Comcast’s gates.

Oh, that's why.

Incidentally, April 8 was also the day that the Consumerist (official blog of the Consumers Union and Consumer Reports) announced the results of their annual “Worst Company in America” readers' poll for 2014; Comcast beat out Monsanto to win the uncoveted award for the second time.

Applications for mortgages have posted their third straight weekly decline.

Data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey show applications were down 1.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis in the week ending April 4.

The Refinance Index plunged 5% to its lowest level since the end of 2013. That takes the refinance share of mortgage activity down to 51% of total applications, putting it at the lowest level since July 2009.

The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity was unchanged at 8% of total applications.

Contract interest rates

• The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs) with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) was unchanged at 4.56%, with points increasing to 0.33 from 0.31 (including the origination fee) for 80% loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate was unchanged from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,000) rose 3 basis points -- from 4.46% to 4.49%, with points decreasing to 0.14 from 0.27 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs backed by the FHA dipped to 4.19% from 4.21%, with points increasing to 0.16 from 0.15 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages was steady at 3.62%, with points increasing to 0.31 from 0.23 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs was up 1 basis point -- to 3.26%, with points increasing to 0.5 from 0.38 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The survey covers over 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications.

Forman Mills has agreed to settle charges that it dealt in children s garments containing drawstrings -- violating a consensus industry voluntary standard.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says the Pennsauken, N.J., will pay a $600,000 civil penalty for knowingly failed to report to the CPSC immediately -- as required by federal law -- that it sold or held for sale to consumers about 2,100 children’s upper outerwear garments with drawstrings.

The four series of garments included in the civil penalty were sold or held for sale between June 2007 and February 2010. They were recalled in 2009 and 2010.

Notice of defect

In May 2006, the CSPC posted a letter on its website stating that staff considered children’s upper outerwear with drawstrings at the hood or neck to be defective and present a substantial risk of injury to young children.

In April 2009, the commission issued an order in which Forman Mills agreed to pay a civil penalty of $35,000 to settle staff’s charges that the firm failed to report children’s upper outerwear products with drawstrings that the firm had distributed in commerce.

Forman Mills distributed some garments in the current civil penalty matter during the same period as CPSC’s investigation and negotiation of the April 2009 civil penalty. There have been no reported injuries associated with the recalled garments.

Compliance standards ordered

In addition to paying a monetary penalty, Forman Mills has agreed to implement and maintain a compliance program designed to ensure compliance with the statutes and regulations enforced by the commission.

Forman Mills also agreed to maintain and enforce a system of internal controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed to is recorded, processed and reported in accordance with applicable law and that all reporting made to the commission is timely, truthful, complete and accurate.

The firm will also take steps to ensure that prompt disclosure is made to Forman Mills’ management of any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of such internal controls.

Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report to CPSC immediately (within 24 hours) after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or violates any consumer product safety rule, or any other rule, regulation, standard, or ban enforced by the CPSC.

Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets of Lakewood, Colo., is recalling multiple lots of Natural Grocers brand Organic Black Peppercorns.

The product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The company has received no reports of illness to date.

The recalled product is packaged in clear plastic bags with Natural Grocers label notating Julian pack on dates and pricing per pound. The lots identified by Julian packed on date include: 28-14, 13-14, 351-13, 336-13, 322-13, 305-13, 290-13, 281-13, 266-13, 252-13, 245-13.

Only packages bearing the Julian packed on dates listed above are subject to recall.

The product was distributed to Natural Grocers’ 80 stores located in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

Specific locations of the stores can be found at: http://www.naturalgrocers.com/store-locations.

Consumers with questions may call customer service at 303-986-4600, ext. 531 Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (MST).

H Group of Framingham, Mass., is recalling 509 units of Trader Giotto's Caesar Salad with Caesar Dressing (SKU 05161).

The product contains wheat, soy, egg and anchovy, allergens not listed on the label.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

These individual salads, sold in the refrigeration section, are marked with the following date codes: "Sell By 04/6/14, 04/7/14 and 04/8/14."

The product is packaged in an 8.5-oz. clear plastic clamshell container, with the “Sell By” date printed on the front of the package in the left hand corner.

The recalled product was distributed only to Trader Joe's stores in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Northern Virginia, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C.

Customers who have purchased Trader Giotto's Caesar Salad with Caesar Dressing may return it to Trader Joe's for a full refund or dispose of it.

Customers with questions may contact H Group, Inc. at (508) 361-1518 from 8:00A.M.-4:00P.M. EST, Monday-Friday.

Prepaid money cards have taken the place of banks for millions of consumers. They use them to receive direct deposit checks and to make debit card purchases.

These cards can have significant fees – making them more expensive than a bank – but there are many cards that now have very low fees, making them an attractive choice.

In a recent survey, Bankrate.com found that fees vary widely from card to card.

Not all the same

"Not all prepaid cards are created equal," said Greg McBride, CFA, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com. "Some have many fees, some have few; some will waive or reduce monthly fees, others won't; some permit free in-network ATM withdrawals, others don't."

The survey found that 83% of reviewed cards charged a monthly service fee but that 33% would waive the fee, depending on how much money was loaded onto it.

Fewer cards now charge you for using it to make purchases. Point of sale fees are now almost rare, with only 17% of cards charging for a PIN-based purchase.

Customer service is important

But fees are not the only consideration when it comes to selecting a prepaid card. Just as it would be when choosing a bank, customer service is also very important.

Here's why -- increasingly scammers are using prepaid cards to receive money from victims.

In the past, Western Union wire transactions were the money transmission means of choice. Once a victim wired the cash, it couldn't be traced or retrieved.

A prepaid card is almost as good. Now that consumers have become aware of the dangers of wiring cash, scammers are relying more on prepaid cards.

The companies issuing prepaid cards are well aware of this and have instituted a number of security measures designed to prevent fraud. While this is generally to be applauded, it can create problems for some consumers.

Catch-22

Back in November, Reyna of Hayward, Calif., ran into something of a Catch-22 when she lost her Upside prepaid debit card and called to request a new one. She also mentioned that she had just moved and needed the card sent to her new address.

That ended up creating all kinds of problems because Reyna did not yet have any documentary evidence showing her new address. The customer service agent told her that he could not send it to her old address – her parents' home – because she had already told him she had moved.

After several days of trying to resolve the issue, Reyna says she became frustrated and decided to start over with a new company.

“I've cancelled my direct deposit and all electronic debits,” she wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post.

Tax refund problems

Consumers using their prepaid cards to receive their federal income tax return have reported running into problems, again for the same reason. Since scammers are using prepaid cards to receive bogus tax refunds, card issuers have tightened up security.

Bernice of Denver had her tax refund direct deposited to her Rush Card.

“Today I get a text message advising they blocked my account and I need to call immediately, which I did,” she writes. They advised me that because I recently moved my account is now under investigation!”

Of course, a new address can set off alarm bells because a scammer would obviously use a made-up address. But the result was that Bernice had to provide documentation showing she was who she said she was before her money could be released.

Chances are consumers using any prepaid card would run into these kinds of complications under similar circumstance. Some companies, however, might be better equipped to resolve the issues in a more timely matter than others.

Reputation is important

The bottom line – researching a company's customer service reputation might be just as important as finding out about its fee structure.

And while you are at it, compare the cost and ease of use with a bank. Some bank products may be surprisingly competitive. In fact, McBride thinks prepaid cards should supplement the traditional banking structure, not replace it.

"Call me old fashioned, but if you're going to build wealth and save and invest for the future, you need to be part of the traditional financial system," he said.

More information has come to light regarding the massive security breach at Experian; when we discussed the case last month, we mentioned that it was “not known how many millions of Americans had their data compromised.”

But new information indicates the number may be as high as 200 million.

On April 3, Reuters reported that the state attorneys general for Illinois and Connecticut have opened a “multi-state investigation” into the matter, which resulted in the Social Security numbers of millions of Americans being made accessible to the criminal clients of Vietnamese identity thieves.

Experian responded to this news by releasing a set of talking points about what they call “an unfortunate and isolated issue – one that we take very seriously and continue to address.”

Point-by-point

This in turn inspired security blogger Brian Krebs, who first discovered the Experian data breach last October, to publish a point-by-point deconstruction of Experian's response to this “unfortunate” issue. Amazingly, Krebs did not explicitly use the words “obfuscation” or “disingenuous” while refuting Experian's responses.

For example, Experian said this:

No Experian database was accessed. The data in question have at all relevant times been owned and maintained, not by Experian, but by a company called US Info Search.

So what? As Krebs pointed out, all of his stories on the issue (not to mention all government-investigation documents on the issue, and various media reports on the whole mess) explicitly mentioned this fact.

The problem is that: “US Info Search had a contractual agreement with a California company named Court Ventures, whereby customers of Court Ventures had access to the US Info Search data as well as Court Ventures’ data, and vice versa. Experian came into the picture in March 2012, when it purchased Court Ventures (along with all of its customers — including the proprietor of the identity theft service). For its part, US Info Search says Experian’s explanation of the events is based on false statements and misrepresentations, and that the proprietor of the ID theft service paid Experian for his access using large cash payments sent to Experian via wire from Singapore.”

Experian went on to say:

Further, Experian’s only involvement was that it purchased the assets of a company, Court Ventures, that provided access to US Info Search’s data to Court Ventures’ customers. Under that contract, customers of Court Ventures, including the criminal in this case, could access US Info Search’s data. This was not an Experian database, and specifically, this was not a credit database.

Due diligence

Experian, like any other business in existence, is required to exercise “due diligence” regarding any companies it wishes to buy for itself: if you buy a company that's in debt, you also buy that debt. You buy a company embroiled in various lawsuits, those lawsuits are now yours to defend against. (For that matter, ordinary people are also expected to apply due diligence to any purchases: if you want to buy a house you'd better run a title search first, because any lien on that house becomes the buyer's responsibility.)

As Krebs pointed out, “Experian wants to blame everyone else, but by its own admission, Experian didn’t conduct proper due diligence on Court Ventures before acquiring the company.”

"Entirely false"

Experian also takes umbrage with the “200 million Americans” number appearing in media reports:

“Furthermore, any implication that there was a breach of 200 million records is entirely false and misleading – while the size of the database may be 200 million, that does not mean the total number of records were accessed.”

This was presumably in response to statements like this one, taken from the April 3 Reuters report on the multi-state investigation:

“Federal authorities say [identity thief Hieu Minh Ngo] obtained Social Security numbers through a U.S. firm known as Court Ventures, which provides customers with access to court records. It also offered them access to a database of Social Security numbers of some 200 million Americans through a data-share arrangement with another firm, known as U.S. Info Search.”

Notice the distinction between “accessed” and “had access to?” Experian defended itself against a claim nobody actually made.

Or, as Krebs pointed out,“prosecutors for the U.S. Justice Department stated that Ngo — by virtue of fooling Court Ventures into thinking he was a private investigator – had access to approximately 200 million consumer records. As I have stated previously, however, Ngo had to pay for the records he accessed, and he was running a service that charged customers for each records search they ran.”

Doing the math

Right now, based on the available information released by government investigators, security experts and Experian and its subsidiaries, it's not possible for ordinary Americans to know if their Social Security numbers were accessible to Ngo and his criminal clients, let alone whether your specific number was actually accessed.

But consider: that database had 200 million Social Security numbers. The total current American population is 317 million, including children and teenagers who do have Social Security numbers, but are too young to have credit cards or any sort of legitimate financial paper trail attached to their identities yet.

Meanwhile, a quick look at census data says that, as of 2012, 23.5% of all Americans were under 18 — by now, roughly 77 million. Subtracting that from the current American population leaves 240 million American adults, 200 million of whom have their Social Security numbers in that accessible-to-thieves database.

In other words: if you're an American adult with an actual financial history, there's only a 1-in-6 chance your information was not on that database accessible to the criminal clients of a Vietnamese identity thief.

Two out of nine. That's how may SUVs did well in the latest Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) small overlap front crash test.

Only the Chevrolet Equinox and its twin -- the GMC Terrain -- earned a good rating, with both qualifying for the Institute’s highest award for 2014, TOP SAFETY PICK+. The Toyota Highlander -- a midsize SUV whose acceptable small overlap rating was announced in December -- also qualifies.

The award is given to vehicles with a good or acceptable small overlap rating, good ratings in four other occupant protection tests, and a rating of basic or higher for front crash prevention.

Three other midsize SUVs in the test group rate poor for small overlap protection, and three are marginal.

Not all SUVs are equal

“SUVs have gotten much safer over the past few generations, but some are better than others at providing comprehensive front crash protection,” said David Zuby, IIHS executive vice president and chief research officer. “When it comes to midsize SUVs, General Motors is showing the way forward. The Equinox and Terrain score well in all components of the small overlap test -- structure, restraints and kinematics, and injury measures for four body regions.”

The small overlap test replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle collides with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or utility pole. In the test, 25% of a vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side strikes a rigid barrier at 40 mph.

The test is more difficult than either the head-on crashes conducted by the government or the longstanding IIHS moderate overlap test. In a small overlap test, the main structures of the vehicle’s front-end crush zone are bypassed, making it hard for the vehicle to manage crash energy. The occupant compartment can collapse as a result.

Retooling makes the difference

The Equinox and Terrain were able to overcome this challenge, thanks to modifications on 2014 models to their front structure and door-hinge pillars.

In the test, which was conducted on an Equinox but applies to the Terrain as well, the driver space was well-maintained, and the dummy’s movement was well-controlled. The dummy’s head hit the frontal airbag and stayed there.

It would have been a perfect test performance if the side curtain airbag had provided more forward coverage. As it was, there was a gap in the inflated portion, which, in a slightly different crash, could leave the head vulnerable to hitting the door or intruding objects.

Honda strikes out

The Honda Pilot was the worst performer in this group. The driver’s space was seriously compromised by intruding structure. In the worst instance, the parking brake pedal moved inward 16½ inches. The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the left side, as the steering column moved 5½ inches to the right.

Measures taken from the dummy showed injuries to the left hip would be likely in a crash of this severity, and injuries to the left knee and both lower legs would be possible.

Poor structure ratings

A structure that can withstand a crash is the most fundamental aspect of occupant protection. In addition to the Pilot, four other midsize SUVs received a poor rating for structure.

One of them, the Mazda CX-9, saw its hinge pillar pushed in 17 inches, bringing the left front wheel even with the dummy’s knee. The side airbag didn’t deploy, and the door frame ended up so far inside the occupant compartment that the dummy’s head struck it after sliding off the frontal airbag.

In the Ford Explorer, the door hinge pillar was nearly severed from the door sill.

In five vehicles, the dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off it. Only the Equinox/Terrain and the Toyota 4Runner tests showed good engagement with the frontal airbag.

In the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the dummy’s head for the most part stayed on the airbag, but too much give in the safety belt allowed the head to move toward the intruding A-pillar.

Stricter standards

For the first time in 2014, a good or acceptable rating for small overlap protection, along with good ratings in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, is a requirement for TOP SAFETY PICK.

The Equinox, Terrain and Highlander earn the higher accolade of TOP SAFETY PICK+ because each is available with an optional front crash prevention system.

The Highlander earns an advanced rating for front crash prevention. Its system includes both forward collision warning and an automatic braking function that reduced speeds by more than 5 mph in IIHS tests at 12 and 25 mph. The Equinox and the Terrain have warning systems only, and thus earn a basic rating for front crash prevention.

With the huge increase in obesity in the U.S., there has been a spike in cases of type 2 diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes causes blood glucose, or sugar, levels to rise to abnormally high levels. The clinical term for it is hyperglycemia. Type 2 has now become the most common form of diabetes and its rise has been linked to the rise in obesity.

People with type 2 diabetes have something called insulin resistance. The pancreas works overtime to make extra insulin but eventually can't keep up. At that point, patients have to take insulin.

Type 1 diabetes, which normally occurs in youth, is not reversible. Under certain conditions, however, doctors say type 2 can be reversed – by reducing weight, increasing exercise and eating better.

Cleveland Clinic study

Now, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic say undergoing bariatric surgery has helped some obese patients reverse type 2 diabetes. In fact, a recent trial helped most of the participating patients to be free of insulin and many to be free of all diabetic medications three years after surgery.

"We see patients whose lives are ravaged by diabetes,” said Sangeeta Kashyap, M.D., one of the lead investigators and an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic's Endocrinology & Metabolism Institute.

Doctors say that, when examined at the three-year point, the procedure showed itself to be highly effective in reversing the effects of the disease.

90% no longer needed insulin

"More than 90% of the patients who underwent bariatric surgery were able to lose 25% of their body weight and control their diabetes without the use of insulin and multiple diabetes drugs," Kashyap said.

Besides being able to drop insulin treatments, patients in the study experienced improvements in their quality of life following the surgery, which reduces the size of the stomach. They no longer needed insulin and in many cases, their blood pressure and cholesterol readings improved without relying on medications.

At the end of the study, doctors say only 5% to 10% of patients still had to use insulin.

"The three-year data confirm that bariatric surgery maintains its superiority over medical therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in severely obese patients," said lead investigator Philip Schauer, M.D. "Moreover, data show that bariatric surgery is as effective in treating type 2 diabetes in patients with mild obesity. That's why Cleveland Clinic health insurance plan now covers bariatric surgery for its members with mild obesity and uncontrolled diabetes."

Early risks

Bariatric surgery hasn't always enjoyed such a reputation. According to the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the procedure was first used in the 1960s and complications were common.

Over the intervening years the procedure has evolved and been improved, though the procedure still has risk. The National Institutes of Health now recommends bariatric surgery for obese patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 40.

Looking for a way -- in addition to exercise and meds -- to lower your “bad” cholesterol level?

A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) found that eating just 1 serving daily of legumes such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas can significantly reduce "bad cholesterol" and the risk of heart disease.

High cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, yet they are modifiable through diet and other lifestyle choices. While most chronic disease prevention guidelines recommend consumption of non–oil-seed legumes (dietary pulses) such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas along with other vegetables and fruits as part of a healthy diet, they have not made specific recommendations based on direct lipid-lowering benefits.

More benefits for men

The study, conducted by researchers from many centers in Canada and the U.S., reviewed 26 randomized controlled trials that included 1037 people. Despite variation between studies, the researchers found a 5% reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in people who ate 1 serving (3/4 cup) of non–oil-seed legumes a day.

Men had greater reduction in LDL cholesterol than women, perhaps because their diets are poorer and cholesterol levels are higher and benefit more markedly from a healthier diet. Some study participants reported stomach upset such as bloating, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation.

"The reduction of 5% [LDL cholesterol] in our meta-analysis suggests a potential risk reduction of 5% in major vascular events," writes Dr. John Sievenpiper of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, and his coauthors.

Not a burden

They note that although consumption levels of legumes is low in Western countries such as Canada and the U.S., 1 serving a day "is reasonable and is currently consumed by many cultures without reports of adverse effects that would limit consumption."

"Canadians have a lot of room in their diets to increase their pulse intake and derive cardiovascular benefits," notes Dr. Sievenpiper. "Only 13% consume pulses on any given day, and of those who do, the average intake is only about a half serving."

The authors hope this study will add to the body of evidence upon which dietary guidelines are based. Most current evidence is of low quality, and the authors call for more high-quality research.

"Because dietary pulse intake may have beneficial effects on other cardiometabolic risk factors, including body weight, blood pressure and glucose control, future systematic reviews and meta-analyses should evaluate the effects of such dietary interventions on these outcomes and others, to address factors that contribute to residual cardiovascular disease risk," the authors conclude.

You can boost the working memory in your computer by adding RAM. You can boost working memory in your brain by adding green tea (taken orally, please), a new study finds.

Researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland, say they have found evidence that green tea extract enhances the cognitive functions, in particular the working memory.

The Swiss findings, published in Psychopharmacology, suggest promising clinical implications for the treatment of cognitive impairments in psychiatric disorders such as dementia. 

Cancer research

In the past the main ingredients of green tea have been thoroughly studied in cancer research. Recently, scientists have also been inquiring into the beverage's positive impact on the human brain.

Different studies were able to link green tea to beneficial effects on the cognitive performance. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this cognitive enhancing effect of green tea remained unknown.

In a new study, the researcher teams of Prof. Christoph Beglinger from the University Hospital of Basel and Prof. Stefan Borgwardt from the Psychiatric University Clinics found that green tea extract increases the brain's effective connectivity, meaning the causal influence that one brain area exerts over another.

This effect on connectivity also led to improvement in actual cognitive performance: Subjects tested significantly better for working memory tasks after the admission of green tea extract.

MRI studies

For the study healthy male volunteers received a soft drink containing several grams of green tea extract before they solved working memory tasks. The scientists then analyzed how this affected the brain activity of the men using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The MRI showed increased connectivity between the parietal and the frontal cortex of the brain. These neuronal findings correlated positively with improvement in task performance of the participants.

"Our findings suggest that green tea might increase the short-term synaptic plasticity of the brain," said Borgwardt.

If you're not keeping a careful eye on your checking account transactions, now's the time to start. Banking regulators say hackers are finding new wants to make nearly unlimited withdrawals from ATMs before banks detect the fraud.

“This recent wave of cyber attacks reinforces how important it is to monitor your accounts for unauthorized activity because it’s not a matter of if but when your financial accounts will be targeted by a criminal,” Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said.

Regulators and law enforcement agencies are urging consumers to pay attention and be on the lookout for unauthorized withdrawals following the ATM warnings and the recent series of massive data breaches at major U.S. companies including Target and Neiman Marcus.

Large withdrawals

Late last week, the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) reported the increase in cyber-attacks, disclosing that criminals have hacked bank websites and made large withdrawals from consumers’ accounts well before banks’ fraud alert systems recognize that anything is wrong. 

The FFIEC said hackers have learned how to delete or alter pre-programmed algorithms set up by banks to alert them of ATM withdrawals that are out of the ordinary.

The scam often starts via “phishing” attacks targeting bank employees. The scammers send phony but official-looking emails that include links to initiate a malware attack on the banks’ systems, allowing them to obtain employee login information that then enables them to access the banks’ ATM control panels.

After the hackers alter the algorithms managing the ATM controls, they create fraudulent ATM cards with account information stolen from separate attacks, either using malware or scanning programs at retail sales registers or ATMs, according to the FFIEC.

Multiple withdrawals

Hackers attempt to make several withdrawals from the same account at multiple ATMs simultaneously so that the daily withdrawal limit is not detected until the money has already been withdrawn, and the hackers often schedule the withdrawals for holidays and weekends, according to the FFIEC, when extra sums are loaded into ATMs and banks’ monitoring is less active.

In explaining the scope of the scams, the FFIEC cited a recent ATM attack that netted over $40 million in fraudulent withdrawals using only 12 debit card accounts.

Madigan offered the following tips to help detect and report unauthorized charges:

• Monitor bank and credit card accounts daily online and billing statements every month. Contest unauthorized charges immediately over the phone and in writing.
• Set up an alert on your account to receive notification when your credit or debit card is used over and above a certain dollar figure. Many banks offer this feature as a “transaction alert.”
• Beware of callers who claim to be with your card issuing bank. These calls may be a scam. You should contact your bank first at the toll-free number on the back of your card before disclosing any personal information.
  

Feel like venting about a product, the service you get or the way you're being treated? You have a lot of company.

The volume of complaints received by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau www.consumerfinance.gov (CFPB) in 2013 nearly doubled from 2012.

“Consumer complaints have become central to the work of this agency. They enable us to listen to, and amplify, the concerns of any American who wants to be heard,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray in unveiling the Consumer Response Annual Report. “They are also our compass. They make a difference by informing our work and helping us identify and prioritize problems for potential action.”

A steady increase

The agency began consumer response operations when it opened its doors in 2011, accepting complaints about credit cards. It expanded its complaint handling in 2012 to include complaints about mortgages, bank accounts and services, private student loans, vehicle and other consumer loans, and credit reporting. Last year, it began taking complaints on money transfers, debt collection, and payday loans.

The 2013 report covers the 163,700 complaints the CFPB received from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 -- an 80% increase over the previous year’s 91,000 complaints. To date -- including this year -- the CFPB has received more than 310,000.

2013 gripes

According to the report, the top three complaints in 2013 by consumers were:

• Mortgages: The number one most complained about consumer product was mortgages, accounting for 37% of overall complaints. For these approximately 60,000 complaints, consumers were most concerned with problems when they were unable to pay, such as issues relating to loan modifications, collections, or foreclosures.
• Debt collection: Debt collection was the second most complained about category, accounting for 19% of overall complaints even though the the agency did not begin accepting debt collection complaints until last July. For the approximately 31,000 debt collection complaints, consumers were most concerned with collectors attempting to collect debt not owed, communication tactics by the collectors, and collectors taking or threatening illegal action.
• Credit reporting: The number three most complained about category was credit reporting -- accounting for about 15% of overall complaints. For the approximately 24,000 complaints about credit reporting, nearly 3 out of 4 consumers were concerned with incorrect information on their credit report.

Resolving complaints

The CFPB expects companies to respond to complaints within 15 days and to describe the steps they have taken or plan to take. Companies also are expected to close all but the most complicated complaints within 60 days. Companies have responded to more than 93% of the complaints sent to them for response, and consumers have disputed only 21% of those company responses.

Sometimes, companies respond through non-monetary relief. About 11% of complaints fall into this category; for credit reporting complaints, companies respond to about 1 out of 3 complaints this way. Through the CFPB’s complaint process, consumers have received a range of non-monetary relief in response to their complaints, such as:

• Foreclosure alternatives: Consumers have received mortgage foreclosure alternatives that help them keep their home;
• Protection from debt collectors: After CFPB inquiries, debt collectors have stopped engaging in excessive collection communications with consumers;
• Restored lines of credit: Consumers have had their credit lines restored when they wanted, or removed when that was their desired outcome;
• Corrections to credit reports: Consumers have had their credit reports cleaned up either by having correct submissions given to credit bureaus or by having credit bureaus correct inaccurate information about their consumer accounts; and
• Customer service: Many consumer problems are related to unanswered inquiries or incorrect information. After CFPB involvement, many customers had their formerly unmet customer service issues finally resolved.

The Bureau has also seen monetary relief for consumers in about 7 percent of complaints. This includes:

• A median amount of $460 for mortgages;
• A median amount of $126 for credit cards; and
• A median amount of $111 for bank accounts or services.

What to do

To submit a complaint, consumers can:

• Go online at www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint
• Call the toll-free phone number at 1-855-411-CFPB (2372) or TTY/TDD phone number at 1-855-729-CFPB (2372)
• Fax the CFPB at 1-855-237-2392
• Mail a letter to: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, P.O. Box 4503, Iowa City, Iowa 52244
• Additionally, through “Ask CFPB,” consumers can get answers to their questions at consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb or by calling 1-855-411-CFPB (2372).

Frontier Natural Products Co-op is recalling several products manufactured with organic black peppercorns that were sold under its Frontier and Simply Organic brands, Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value, and others.

The products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled products were sold in all 50 states and in some parts of Canada to distributors, retailers and consumers. Below is the list of products containing the organic black peppercorn:

Consumers with questions may contact Frontier 1-800-669-3275 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Central time.On foil bulk packages, the lot codes will be found on the front label directly above the UPC code. On bottled glass and plastic items, the lot codes can be found on the bottom of the bottle.

It's true the housing market is recovering, but in many areas of the country you still have to compete to attract buyers. And that's just half the battle.

Once you get someone interested in your house, you next need to encourage the highest possible offer. Properly staging your home will help achieve both goals.

Simply put, staging your home means showing it in the best possible light. Remember that the purchase of a home is largely driven by emotion. Staging is a way to push the right emotional buttons.

Starts online

Sterling Home Styling, a company that trains Realtors in how to stage a piece of property, says it starts with how the property is presented online. These days, most prospective buyers decide to see a house after looking at its online listing on Zillow, Trulia or any of the other real estate listing sites.

The listing should provide not just location, features and price but a number of compelling, attractive images. According to Sterling, over 55% of the impression that a home makes on a buyer is the visual effect.

Despite the strong sales of distressed properties that need extensive renovation, the average buyer isn't looking for a “project.” They're looking for what amounts to a turn-key situation – a home Realtors refer to as “in move-in condition.”

The people who buy foreclosures don't mind putting in time and money to fix them up because they are getting a much lower than market price. If you want the best price possible, it is important to attract buyers willing to pay for a home in move-in condition.

Choose pictures carefully

Photographs should not only show your home in the best possible light they should also strike an emotional chord with the target market. Bedrooms look pretty much alike. Try to find something about the home that will draw the home shopper in.

We recently found a home listing for an older home in Richmond, Va. Along with the properties other features, like spacious entryway and updated kitchen, the agent thoughtfully include a photograph showing an old fashioned built-in telephone stand in the hallway, along with an old fashioned telephone.

Many shoppers like older homes because they perhaps remind them of where they grew up, or the house their grandparents lived in. Touching base with that emotional impulse can produce a strong response before the buyer ever sets foot on the property.

Once you have attracted an online shopper's attention, you must then draw them in once they arrive at the property. That means first having what Realtors call “curb appeal.” When the prospective buyers pull up in front, they should be able to imagine themselves living there.

Inviting entryway

A lot goes into curb appeal – a clean, well-kept exterior, nice landscaping and an inviting entryway. The experts at Better Homes and Gardens recommend brightening the front door with a blast of color. In addition, new or polished brass fixtures and hardware can make a home more inviting.

Inside, most home stagers suggest getting rid of the clutter. Especially focus on gathering up personal items – like pictures of the kids – and putting them out of sight.

The idea is for the prospective buyer to imagine this is their house. That's hard to do when your wedding pictures or drawings by your eight year old are everywhere.

Calling in a professional

There are professional home stagers you can hire who will stage your home for you. They can cost $100 an hour or more but, depending on how much you are trying to get for your home and how quickly you need to sell, it might be worth it.

The Real Estate Staging Association, the trade association for home stagers, did a study in 2012 of homes that were staged and those that weren't.

It says the unstaged homes were still on the market 166 days later. After they were staged, the first of the newly-staged homes received an offer within 32 days.

General Motors is currently in the hot seat over charges that it should have acted sooner to replace defective ignition switches. But some chronic automobile safety problems never seem to capture the attention of consumers and safety regulators.

Take the "Jumpin' Jeep" reports that have been filling our in-box since at least 2000. The general theme is that a Jeep Grand Cherokee takes off at high speed seconds after being started and put into gear.

Last October, a 15-year-old girl was killed in Yonkers, N.Y., when a 2000 Grand Cherokee plowed into a crowd attending a street fair. A police report attributed the accident to brake failure rather than unintended acceleration, USA Today reported. In 2006, a Connecticut man was killed when a Grand Cherokee suddenly accelerated at a car wash. In both cases, the Jeeps took off seconds after they were started and shifted into gear.

Car wash owners, in fact, have grown to be especially wary of the popular SUVs.

"My family has owned and operated automatic car washes for nearly 50 years. Over the past 10 years, we have had half a dozen incidents with Jeep Grand Cherokees accelerating out of control," a Pennsylvania car wash owner said in a 2011 ConsumerAffairs posting. "Every time it has happened, our employees have maintained that the vehicle took off on them and they could not stop it. The first few times it happened, we assumed it was driver error but not anymore."

Driveway mishap

The most recent report comes from Sandra of Waltham, Mass. She was moving her 2006 Grand Cherokee from the street in front of her house into her driveway a few nights ago.

"I started up the Jeep and had my foot on the brake, then put it into Drive. I kept my foot on the brake while it glided forward about 10 feet past our driveway, then I pushed down more on the brake to stop. I never touched the gas pedal ... no need to, it just idled forward," she said.

"Next I put the Jeep into Reverse, still holding down the brake. ... That’s when this Jeep just roared and peeled out going backwards. ... I could not stop the Jeep. Believe me, I was standing on this brake pedal. I had adjusted my foot to be sure I was on the brake and it would not stop at all," Sandra said.

She hit 3 other vehicles, knocked down a fence and ended up in a neighbor's yard, also damaging their parked vehicle.

"I never heard of sudden acceleration," Sandra said. "That evening I was looking on the Internet ... and couldn’t believe how many other stories sound just like mine," she said.

Attention but no action

There's been a lot of talk about the situation over the years -- much more than about the GM ignition-switch problems -- but so far, talk is all there's been. 

Chrysler has denied the problem exists and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found no smoking gun, although it should be noted that in its public statements, NHTSA tends to lump all unintended acceleration crashes together, treating them as a single problem, the notable exception being the massive Toyota recalls of a few years ago.

NHTSA has estimated that there are at least 15 "pedal misapplication" crashes in the United States every month. It has said that drivers in almost two-thirds of the crashes are women and the crashes most often occur in parking lots. It said drivers involved in the crashes tend to be shorter.

Critics say that dodges the question of whether there's a specific problem with the Grand Cherokee.

"More than simple coincidence"

Back in 2006, Richard Blumenthal -- who was then Connecticut Attorney General and is now a U.S. Senator -- urged federal regulators to look into the problem and asked Chrysler to release any information it might have collected.

"The rate and severity of these sudden acceleration incidents suggest a severe structural flaw -- certainly more than simple coincidence," Blumenthal said at the time. "These incidents -- in one case killing a Connecticut man -- call for aggressive and vigorous action to prevent another needless, preventable tragedy."

More recently, Chrysler said there are "few motor vehicle defect allegations that have been more exhaustively investigated or more thoroughly refuted than claims of sudden unintended acceleration (SUA)."

"Comprehensive studies by safety regulators at the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Japan’s Ministry of Transportation, Transport Canada, plus dozens of independent analyses all reached the same conclusion: these incidents are caused by driver error, specifically drivers who believe they are applying the brakes when they are actually pressing the accelerator," Chrysler's Michael Palese told ConsumerAffairs last November."No study has ever identified any specific defect in any vehicle that would cause sudden, unintended acceleration." 

That explanation doesn't fly with Sandra.

"I know this is a real problem," she said. "The accidents are mostly in driveways or parking lots, and car washes, [and] it seems to happen when we first start up and shift the Jeeps. I wonder how Chrysler is getting away with this."

Six U.S. Senators are calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action against e-cigarette manufacturers who are making what th senators say are unsubstantiated claims in their advertising.

Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) say the false claims include unproven assertions that the e-cigs help smokers of conventional cigarettes quit.

In today’s letters, the senators highlighted recent studies demonstrating that claims by e-cigarette manufacturers that their products help people quit smoking are not substantiated by current science.

Potentially false claims

“We urge you to review this evidence and begin to take actions against companies that are making unsubstantiated and potentially false therapeutic claims about products that have not been approved by FDA as safe and effective,” the senators wrote.

In their letter to FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, the senators called on the agency to use its existing authority to investigate manufacturers who are making these false or unsubstantiated claims in their advertising.

“The FTC has not stepped in to protect consumers from the health risks posed by nicotine and other chemicals contained in electronic cigarettes,” the senators wrote. “We believe that you can and should act immediately to crack down on these false and deceptive claims by e-cigarette manufacturers.”

Today’s letters to the FTC and FDA follow up on a letter the senators sent to FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez in December, urging the FTC to investigate the marketing practices of e-cigarette manufacturers and to pursue enforcement action against companies that make false or misleading health claims in their advertising.

Nicotine poisonings

Last month, in response to reports of a dramatic increase in accidental nicotine poisonings among children, Sen. Boxer joined six senators in once again calling on the FDA to move quickly to regulate the rapidly evolving market of e-cigarettes and other nicotine products.

The FDA has been working on new e-cig regulations for years but the senators said the agency already has the authority to "investigate companies making unsubstantiated and potentially false therapeutic claims.”

In February, Sen. Boxer was joined by Senators Durbin, Harkin, Blumenthal, Markey and Brown in introducing the Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act to prohibit the marketing of e-cigarettes to children and teens. The bill has been endorsed by the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

It's a pretty safe bet that people who struggled through this winter's blizzards, Nor’easter and subfreezing temperatures are glad that spring has finally arrived (at least in most parts of the nation).

But the blooming of flowers and sprouting of leaves can bring a whole different set of problems for people who suffer from allergies. But even for them, there is hope.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Oralair to treat allergic rhinitis (hay fever) with or without conjunctivitis (eye inflammation) that is induced by certain grass pollens in people ages 10 through 65 years.

Oralair is the first sublingual (under the tongue) allergen extract approved in the U.S. After administration of the first dose at the health care provider’s office, where the patient can be observed for potential adverse reactions, Oralair can be taken at home.

Broad-based nuisance

Allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis are chronic diseases affecting children and adults. In fact, they affect approximately 30 million people in the U.S. and more than 500 million worldwide. These diseases are often caused by sensitivity to grass pollen and produce repetitive sneezing, nasal itching, runny nose, nasal congestion, and itchy and watery eyes.

“While there is no cure for grass pollen allergies, they can be managed through treatment and avoiding exposure to the pollen,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The approval of Oralair provides an alternative to allergy shots that must be given in a health care provider’s office. Oralair can be taken at home after the first administration.”

The treatment

Oralair is a once-daily tablet that rapidly dissolves after it is placed under the tongue. It is started four months before the start of the grass pollen season and continued throughout the season. The first dose is taken at the health care provider’s office, where the patient is to be observed for at least 30 minutes for potential adverse reactions.

Oralair contains a mixture of freeze-dried extracts from the pollens of five grasses, including Kentucky Blue Grass, Orchard, Perennial Rye, Sweet Vernal and Timothy.

The safety and effectiveness of Oralair was evaluated in studies in the United States and Europe, involving approximately 2,500 people. Some patients received Oralair; others received an inactive substitute (placebo).

To assess the effectiveness, patients reported their symptoms and additional medications needed to get through the allergy season. During treatment for one grass pollen season, patients taking Oralair experienced a 16 to 30 percent reduction in symptoms and the need for medications compared to those who received a placebo.

Side effects

The prescribing information includes a boxed warning that severe allergic reactions (such as anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening) can occur. Oralair also has a medication guide for distribution to the patient.

The most common adverse reactions reported by adults were itching in the ears and mouth and of the tongue, as well as swelling of the mouth and throat irritation. In children, the most commonly reported adverse reactions were itching and swelling in the mouth and throat irritation.

Yes, it's hard to believe that it's already April. It seems like only yesterday we were shivering through the polar vortex.

But the tax-filing vortex is looming dead ahead, on April 15. If you haven't yet started on your taxes, chances are you aren't going to be ready.

Fortunately, you can get an extension, giving yourself a few more months to file. There are a few steps you need to take in order to do that, including paying the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) any additional tax you might owe.

But if you haven't done your taxes yet, how do you know whether you owe the IRS more money, and how much? Good question.

Do you owe additional tax?

First, if you haven't gotten around to preparing your tax return, chances are you will owe additional tax. The reason is simple. If you were getting a refund, it's a strong likelihood that you would have filed by now. Most people getting refunds file as soon as they can.

So, you think you'll owe additional tax, but how much?

To answer that question, check your W-2 form (what your employer withheld from your paycheck last year), 1099 form or records of quarterly estimated tax payments to see how much money you have already given to the IRS toward your 2013 tax liability.

Next you need to estimate how much tax you should have paid. This isn't always easy, especially if your income changed significantly from previous years.

If you think things are pretty much the same as previous years, review previous tax returns. Look at the total amount of tax that you paid to the IRS and see how that compares to previous years.

Ballpark it

Using that information, estimate how much more that what you have already paid that you owe. Go to the IRS website and download Form 4868, which has spaces to enter that information.

To save time you may want to file electronically by going to Free File and filling out Form 4868 online. You can use a credit card to pay the tax and, a few clicks later it's done.

The extension gives you an additional six months in which to file your 2013 tax return. If you don't think you can afford to pay all of the tax you owe, the IRS will work with you.

Payment plan

According to the tax collection agency most people who owe additional tax can set up a payment plan within a few minutes. Taxpayers who owe $50,000 or less in combined tax, penalties and interest can use the Online Payment Agreement to set up a monthly payment agreement for up to 72 months.

This appears to be one of the easiest options for buying more time to pay. There is no paperwork to fill out and no need to call, write or visit the IRS.

Taxpayers can also request a payment agreement by filing Form 9465. This form can be downloaded from IRS.gov and mailed along with a tax return, bill or notice.

Offer in compromise

If you are really struggling you may qualify for what the IRS calls an “offer-in-compromise,” in which the IRS agrees to accept less than what you owe.

However, be leery of so-called “tax settlement” companies that promise they can arrange this on your behalf. It's not as easy as they make it sound and you may have a better chance of arranging it on your own without having to pay someone.

Whatever you do, don't stick your head in the sand and ignore the April 15 tax-filing deadline. Not filing will be costly.

For letting the deadline pass without filing a tax return or an extension, the IRS will impose a penalty – usually about 5% per month of the unpaid amount. On top of that, the IRS will charge interest on the unpaid balance.