Current Events in July 2014

Over the Independence Day holiday, a report about energy independence may have escaped your attention. Because of fracking, the U.S. has overtaken Saudi Arabia as the world's leading oil producer.

A Bank of America report obtained by Bloomberg News said U.S. crude oil production, along with liquid fuel separated from natural gas, was more than 11 million barrels a day in the first quarter of 2014.

That might seem small consolation to consumers who can barely afford to fill their tanks at current prices, but the Bank of America analyst who compiled the report says it could be worse.

Bloomberg quotes Francisco Blanch, head of commodities research, as saying prices at the pump might be “unaffordable” without the glut of fuel produced from shale rock in the last few years.

Independence

The U.S. consumes about 18.5 million barrels of oil per day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). With continued reduced demand – mainly due to fuel efficient cars – and the growing use of alternative energy sources, U.S. energy independence is not the far-fetched idea it once was.

But for consumers, energy independence is not going to bring a return to “low” gasoline prices. The reason?

High oil prices have actually contributed to the growth of fracking, which is an expensive technology. With oil selling at around $100 a barrel, the process is more profitable than if it sold for half that.

For that reason the Middle East isn't going to shrink from the world's economic stage anytime soon. A recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts the Middle East will always be influential because it remains the world's last source of easy-to-extract and therefore, inexpensive oil.

Because of the increased U.S. supply oil prices should have declined in recent years, not gone up. However other nations – OPEC primarily – have cut production to prevent gluts of oil from flooding the market.

Because there is no efficient way to move U.S. oil from Texas and Oklahoma to northeast refineries to be turned into gasoline, those refineries still mostly rely on more expensive, imported oil.

U.S. oil export ban

While the growing U.S. oil output helps meet domestic demand, it does nothing to reduce demand in other countries. U.S. oil isn't exported. There is a law on the books forbidding it (although refined petroleum products can be exported).

After the first oil embargo in 1973, which sent gasoline prices to the unheard of level of 50 cents a gallon, Congress passed a law preventing the export of U.S. oil. At the time the country was producing a small percentage of its energy supply.

As you might expect, pressure is now building to overturn that ban. President Obama has signed orders allowing two companies to begin exporting U.S. ultralight crude, according to The Wall Street Journal. The exports could begin as early as August.

The exports are being justified on the grounds that there simply isn't a place to store it, but there's also an economic component to the move. In its report the Journal notes that prices for ultralight oil have fallen $10 or more below the price of traditional crude oil.

Even though ultralight oil can be refined into gasoline and jet fuel, the Commerce Department is skirting the embargo by reclassifying it as “fuel,” which is not subject to the export ban.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of people in Washington who argue that it is time to lift the U.S. oil export embargo. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (D-AK), in a speech earlier this year, said allowing U.S. oil exports would lead to increased production – arguing the current curbs are limiting output.

Volkswagen dealers have been told not to sell about 800 new Golf and GTI hatchbacks because of a potential steering problem.

The front stabilizer links were installed improperly, according to Automotive News. If the links come loose or detach, it could become difficult to turn the steering wheel, possibly causing a crash.

The problem reportedly affects about 2,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, including roughly 800 still on dealer lots. VW said it is notifying safety regulators and affected cars that have already been sold will presumably be recalled.

So far, there have been no reports of customers experiencing the problem, VW said.

Adobe has released a security update which you need to apply at once, especially if you ever visit Tumblr, eBay, Instagram or pretty much any website using Adobe Flash.

The security patch is in response to “Rosetta Flash,” a software exploit which security blogger and Google engineer Michele Spagnuolo discovered. Spagnuolo said Rosetta Flash is “a tool for converting any SWF file to one composed of only alphanumeric characters in order to abuse JSONP endpoints, making a victim perform arbitrary requests to the domain with the vulnerable endpoint and exfiltrate potentially sensitive data, not limited to JSONP responses, to an attacker-controlled site. This is a CSRF bypassing Same Origin Policy.”

Translation, courtesy of Gizmodo: “Basically, the flaw … made it possible for hackers to steal the cookies that authenticate returning users on sites like eBay, Twitter, Tumblr, and thousands more.”

Adobe quickly responded by releasing an updated version of Flash to patch the vulnerability.

Even so, some Adobe users might not be protected unless they take active steps to ensure it. As security blogger Brian Krebs noted:

Flash has a built-in auto-updater, but you might wait days or weeks for it to prompt you to update, regardless of its settings. The most recent versions of Flash are available from the Adobe download center, but beware potentially unwanted add-ons, like McAfee Security Scan. To avoid this, uncheck the pre-checked box before downloading, or grab your OS-specific Flash download from here.

Windows users who browse the Web with anything other than Internet Explorer may need to apply this patch twice, once with IE and again using the alternative browser (Firefox, Opera, e.g.).

If you haven't updated your Adobe Flash yet, stop reading and go do it, right now.

A long-simmering antitrust case against American Express is getting underway this week in a New York federal district courtroom. It could result in merchants being free to offer discounts to consumers who use cards other than American Express.

The government is arguing that American Express unlawfully inhibits competition by insisting that its merchants not express a preference for one card over another.

It's not just American Express, of course. Airline credit cards and other cards with high rewards attached charge merchants more to cover the cost of the premium programs. 

Many consumer advocates and merchants argue that consumers who use cards that carry cheaper fees deserve a discount.  

The Justice Department filed its case against Amex in 2010. In 2012,  Visa, MasterCharge and a number of big banks paid more than $6 billion to settle price-fixing claims and agreed to let merchants use discounts, rebates and other tactics to get customers to use cheaper, more generic cards. 

The trial, which is being conducted before a judge with no jury, is expected to last most of the summer. 

Held hostage

The government argues that American Express presents merchants with a "take-it-or-leave-it" attitude -- forcing them to accept American Express cards for all purchases or not accepting Amex cards at all.

AmEx argues that its customers prefer to use their American Express cards because the company offers superior service. It has a reputation of being more supportive of its cardmembers in so-called "chargeback" disputes and also offers generous perks on some of its more expensive cards.

American Express tells merchants that their cardmembers tend to make more big-dollar purchases than consumers who carry other credit cards.  It also argues that it isn't big enough to be an anticompetitive force in the marketplace. It has about 53 million members compared to the more than 400 MasterCharge and Visa cards in circulation.

Barnes & Noble has agreed to make its its 42 New York bookstores more hospitable to nursing mothers. Under an agreement with New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, the chain will train New York store employees not to interfere with breast-feeding moms.

Schneiderman's Civil Rights Bureau opened an investigation into the national chain following a March 16 incident in which a woman was asked to cover up or leave the company’s Nanuet, New York, store while breastfeeding her infant son.

In a statement, Barnes & Noble said it welcomes breast-feeding moms nationwide. 

"We’ve provided safe environments for women to breastfeed since we opened our first store. Barnes & Noble was one of the first retailers to offer baby changing stations in both our women and men’s rooms," said company spokesperson Mary Ellen Keating. "Regrettably, a woman was asked to cover up while breastfeeding in one of our New York stores. We have addressed the situation and have taken to steps to reinforce our policies. We are committed to ensuring our stores continue to be a welcoming environment for breastfeeding mothers.”

Under New York State law, a mother may breastfeed her baby in any location, so long as she otherwise has the right to be there, regardless of whether she is covered while nursing. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the law's passage.

“All New York residents, including breastfeeding mothers, must be afforded equal protection under the law,” Schneiderman said. “No mother should endure harassment for breastfeeding her baby in public. There is one set of rules for everyone in New York, and I applaud Barnes & Noble for taking steps to ensure that moms are not harassed or discriminated against.”

Under the agreement, Barnes & Noble will strengthen its customer complaint resolution procedures with respect to the handling of complaints received from breastfeeding mothers, train all New York store employees and managers on its breastfeeding policy, which prohibits employees from interfering with a mother’s right to breastfeed at its stores, and display the international symbol for breastfeeding at the entrances to its New York stores.

After falling for 3 consecutive weeks, applications for mortgages rose 1.9% in the week ending July 4.

According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey, the results included an adjustment for the Independence Day holiday.

The Refinance Index increased 0.4% from the previous week, but the refinance share of mortgage activity slipped to 52% of total applications from 53% the previous week. 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 up 4 basis points -- from 4.28% to 4.32% -- with points increasing to 0.16 from 0.14 (including the origination fee) for 80% loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,000) dipped to 4.24% from 4.26%, with points increasing to 0.16 from 0.06 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate rose from the previous week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs backed by the FHA was up 3 basis points to 4.02%, with points increasing to -0.03 from -0.33 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 15-year FRMs dropped from 3.42% to 3.40%, with points increasing to 0.22 from 0.16 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate was unchanged from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs increased to 3.24% from 3.21%, with points slipping to 0.31 from 0.33 (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.

Safeway in cooperation with the Foster Farms recall of products that may have been contaminated with Salmonella Heidelberg, is recalling a limited number of products made with chicken supplied by Foster Farms sold with "Use or Freeze By" dates ranging from March 17, 2014 through March 29, 2014.

The items were sold in March 2014 in five states from both the self-service and full-service meat cases in stores. Because the items were sold fresh, they are no longer available in stores. However, customers are asked to check their freezers for the products listed below.

The recall includes all marinated or seasoned fresh chicken products sold from the self-service or full-service counter in Northern California, Hawaii, Northern Nevada, Oregon and Western Washington State with "Use or Freeze By" dates ranging from March 17 through March 29. The marinades and season flavors include:

• Bulgogi
• Charmoula
• Greek Lemon
• Drunken
• Yellow Curry
• Caribbean Jerk
• Buffalo and Chipotle Brown Sugar

In addition, the following products are part of Foster Farms' original recall and are sold from the self-serve meat counter. They were also sold in Northern California, Hawaii, Northern Nevada, Oregon and Western Washington State with "Use or Freeze By" dates ranging from March 17 through March 29:

• Eating Right Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Eating Right Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• Safeway Farms Small Tray Drumsticks
• Safeway Farms Small Tray Split Breasts
• Safeway Farms Small Tray Thighs
• Safeway Farms Small Tray Wings
• Safeway Farms Value Pack Drumsticks
• Safeway Farms Value Pack Leg Quarters
• Safeway Farms Value Pack Thighs
• Safeway Farms Value Pack Wings

Foster Farms has been notified of one illness associated with its products.

Customers who purchased these products should discard them or return them for a full refund.

For more information, customers can call 1-866-SAFEWAY 24 hours a day.

If you're flying into American airspace anytime soon, make sure your phone, laptop and other devices all have fully charged batteries, because as of last weekend, you must add “any phone or laptop computer with a dead battery” to the list of “things you can't carry on an airplane, or else the Transportation Security Administration will think you're a terrorist.”

That list has been in flux since the TSA first invented it. Back in the summer of 2005, all small metal grooming tools, such as tweezers and nail clippers, were banned in carry-on luggage, then they were allowed again.

Shampoo, liquid soap and other toiletry gels were initially allowed, then briefly forbidden altogether, then re-allowed provided they were in labeled bottles or tubes each containing three ounces or less, although that limit has since increased so that today, you can have moisturizer, toothpaste and other personal-hygiene gels in bottles or tubes containing up to 3.4 ounces apiece. However, for terrorist-prevention reasons those individual bottles and tubes all must fit in a plastic resealable sandwich bag no larger than one quart.

All carry-on electronics were banned for a day or two after Christmas 2009, during which time the TSA also imposed a set of rules governing passenger behavior during the last hour of a flight: hands were to be visible at all times, nothing was to be kept in people's laps, no reaching into your pocket or carry-on bag, and no leaving your seat for any reason.

Those punitive restrictions were soon rescinded. One year later, in October 2010, the TSA started requiring fliers in American airspace to submit to what it calls “enhanced patdowns” -- the explicit genital-grabbing all-body searches which, as a TSA agent admitted at the time, were deliberately intended to intimidate fliers into walking through the TSA's then-new full-body scanners instead.

And, of course, there have been the periodic TSA warnings against everything from shoes to cupcakes, all of which might, possibly, have the potential to be a bomb, or hide a bomb, or otherwise do something dangerous.

Old is new again

Hence the justification for the TSA's latest edict: if you are going to fly in American airspace and your cell phone has a dead battery (more specifically, if you show up with a device that cannot be turned on where a TSA agent can see it), they'll suspect the device is actually a disguised bomb, and then treat you as a suspect.

Hopefully, no terrorist or potential terrorist anywhere in the world is smart enough to disguise a bomb as an electronic device and then give it an actual working screen. But this possibility has already been considered and discarded by Jason Harrington, a former TSA agent who wrote in the Guardian that "the new airport cellphone rules wouldn't stop an iBomb" and warned that "the latest ad hoc security directive might actually make us less safe."

Those of a certain age may recall that this is actually not the first time the "turn on your devices" rule has been implemented. Long before there was a TSA -- back in the 1990s -- security guards at many U.S. airports used to ask travelers to turn on their laptops. Since this was in the Windows XP days, when a boot-up could take several minutes, it resulted in some pretty major back-ups and was eventually abandoned.

The story has generated many international headlines. For example: the U.K.'s Telegraph, on July 3, reported a “UK terror alert: body searches at British airports” with the subheading “New security regime imposed on passengers as American intelligence suggests al-Qaeda plot to use Western fanatics to bring down a US-bound plane.”

The next day, when the Express reported the news, it included warnings from a British travel agency, advising all travelers in the country to allow extra time for airport checks. The Express also said that the increased security measures were due to fears that terrorists might have an “undetectable 'stealth bomb'.”

"More like a physical assault"

Incidentally, both of those British news stories quoted an American tourist, Lisa Simeone, who was in Europe when local news reported the latest changes in American airport security rules. While Simeone and her husband were at Heathrow about to fly back home, a reporter strolling through the airport asked them what they thought about the new rules, and the Express said this:

American journalist Lisa Simeone, 57, said: “When I came through here last it was a cursory pat-down.

“This time it seems they are being a lot more aggressive and really groping people, it’s more like a physical assault.”

She said officials were swabbing belongings, clothes and shoes and even swabbed a baby’s pushchair.

No bombs or terrorists were found.

Simeone, a Baltimore resident and a frequent contributor to the TSA News Blog, is a frequent traveler who said she stopped flying in American airspace in 2010, when the TSA's “enhanced patdown” policy started.

“We used to travel a lot; it was a big part of my life,” Simeone said in a phone interview with ConsumerAffairs. The thought of never visiting Europe again made her rather depressed until she discovered that the Queen Mary 2 docks in New York and takes passengers across the Atlantic, so she and her husband got into the habit of driving from Baltimore to New York, taking the ship to Europe [it makes port calls in England and Germany], then flying back to the U.S.

“The QM2 is not expensive [compared to an airline ticket]; the problem is that it takes time,” Simeone said. A trans-Atlantic flight takes less than a day, whereas the Queen Mary 2 requires nearly a week to cross the ocean. “Not many Americans have enough time to take a vacation without flying.”

Latest American export

At any rate, Simeone and her husband said their vacation took three weeks in all, including the week they spent on the Queen Mary 2. Two and a half weeks into their vacation, Simeone learned, the TSA practices she sought to avoid in America had followed her to Europe.

“We were in Vienna, at the two and a half week mark, when the news reports started to come out: U.S. demanding other countries do this … I thought, 'Oh, my God, This is what's going on in the U.S., and now it's coming to Europe …. the U.S. makes an edict, and every other country knuckles under. They said the bomb they're looking for is 'undetectable,' but they think groping people will help them find it?”

A two-way ocean voyage from Europe to New York and back takes two weeks in all: as much vacation time as many Americans get in an entire year. “I work freelance, so I can take the time if I have to; my husband can't,” Simeone concluded glumly. She hopes the new regime in European airports proves only temporary, though fears that might be unduly optimistic: “The thing about civil liberties — once they're taken away, it's very unlikely you'll get them back.”

Despite improvements in the housing market foreclosures are still a troubling fact of life. The number of homes in foreclosure each month remains well above the pre-housing-crash norm.

And with persistent foreclosure threats, foreclosure modification scams also remain an unpleasant fact of life.

NeighborWorks America, a non-profit affordable housing group, recently spotlighted the case of Sixto Diaz, a homeowner who was current on his mortgage but hoped to get a modification, making the payments more affordable.

When he contacted a California company in the business of “mortgage consulting,” he was told they would obtain a modification for him if he paid a fee of $3,000. The results were predictable.

Money down the drain

NeighborWorks America says a year passed with no results. Realizing he had lost the money, Diaz found a HUD-approved counseling agency that is working with him – at no charge – to obtain a mortgage modification.

While cases like this are less frequent than they once were. NeighborWorks America was concerned enough about the potential for homeowners to be victimized that the group produced a video warning featuring consumers who had no idea how these mortgage scams work.

Since the start of the housing crisis the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a regulation making it illegal for companies to request money upfront to help a homeowner avoid foreclosure. But the problem persists.

"Homeowners could be vulnerable to a scam if they seek a loan modification from a third party, whether their mortgage is current or delinquent. Loan scam artists are relentless. We tell consumers that being asked for a payment, especially upfront, is the #1 sign of a scam," said Barbara Floyd Jones, senior manager of National Homeownership Programs at NeighborWorks America. "Consumers in the video were willing to pay thousands to get help, which shows just how far homeowners will go to save their homes. We want homeowners to learn the signs of a scam and report the scam artists so they can protect themselves, friends and family when seeking a loan modification or a solution to foreclosure."

In 2012, the FTC charged 11 companies and 5 individuals with running an illegal mortgage relief scheme, which operated under various names, including Prime Legal Plans. Using Reaching U Network, what the FTC termed “a sham non-profit front,” and a maze of other companies, the scheme reeled in consumers with false promises that enrollment would save their homes from foreclosure or result in lower mortgage payments.

In cooperation with a number of states, the FTC obtained a court order shutting down the operation and freezing the defendants’ corporate and personal assets pending settlement of the case.

“Rather than make good on their promise to offer people relief from mortgage trouble, these schemers put their targets even further behind financially,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “They broke the law by taking money upfront and making false promises.”

Identifying a mortgage scam

While regulators are trying to put mortgage fraudsters out of business, they're still out there. Consumers can spot them by listening to three key parts of their bogus pitch:

• A company/person asks for a fee in advance to work with your lender to modify, refinance or reinstate your mortgage.
• A company/person guarantees they can stop a foreclosure or get your loan modified.
• A company/person advises you to stop paying your mortgage company and pay them instead.

HUD-approved counseling agencies, on the other hand, can provide foreclosure avoidance help and they don't charge for it. You can find a list of approved agencies here.

Last year's recall of moldy Chobani Greek yogurt turned into a marketing nightmare for the company, which tried to put the best face on it by saying that the mold was naturally occurring and not considered a food-borne pathogen.

Not so, say Duke University researchers who studied samples taken from the recalled yogurt. They say the mold was the most virulent form of a fungus called Mucor circinelloides, which is "highly pathogenic" and could cause serious infections in immune-compromised consumers.

Chobani questioned the Duke findings.

“In regards to this specific study, we were just made aware of it and want to take more time to review its methodology and assertions. To our knowledge, there is no evidence, including the assertions presented in this publication, that the strain in the recalled products causes illness in consumers when ingested," said Dr. Alejandro Mazzotta, Chobani Vice President of Global Quality, Food Safety, and Regulatory Affairs. 

“Chobani conducted an aggressive, statistically significant series of tests of the products voluntarily recalled in September 2013 with third party experts confirming the absence of foodborne pathogens. Chobani stands by these findings, which are consistent with regulatory agency findings and the FDA’s Class II classification of the recall on October 30^th 2013,” Mazzotta said.

More serious threat

The study, which appears July 8 in the online, open access journal mBio, indicates that the particular strain of fungus found in the yogurt may pose a more serious threat to public health than previously thought, said Dr. Joseph Heitman, a senior author of the study and professor and chair of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke's School of Medicine.

Heitman said the finding also suggests specific attention should be paid to fungal pathogens in food products and the factories that manufacture them.

"Typically when people think about food-borne pathogens, they think about viruses or bacteria, they don't think of fungi," said Soo Chan Lee, a senior research associate at Duke who led the study. "Our research suggests it may be time to think about fungal pathogens and develop good regulations to test them in manufacturing facilities."

Casserole clue

The study relied on a sample provided by a Texas couple who became ill with diarrhea and vomiting after eating a casserole made with the recalled product. The couple said the casserole containing the yogurt had been cooked for more than 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. They both reported experiencing diarrhea and the man said he also vomited after eating the casserole a second time.

After learning of the recall, the couple contacted the Heitman laboratory -- which had previously published papers on Mucor circinelloides -- and offered the remaining portion of their yogurt for analysis. They said the tub of plain yogurt had been kept in their refrigerator at 37 degrees Fahrenheit for several days, but it showed half-inch to one-inch colonies growing on its surface.

The Heitman lab provided the couple with instructions and a kit to collect swab samples from the yogurt in Texas and then to ship both the swabs and the container cold to North Carolina. Both the swabs and the tub sample produced colonies of the pathogenic mold in the lab.

The Duke researchers isolated Mucor circinelloides from the yogurt container and applied DNA barcoding -- analyzing standardized regions of the fungal genome -- to further identify its exact subspecies. They found it belonged to the most virulent subspecies, Mucor circinelloides forma circinelloides (Mcc).

"There are three closely related species, and one of them we typically find infecting humans," Heitman said. "There was some chance that this yogurt isolate would be the human pathogenic form, and we found that it was."

New car sales, which have been a constant bright spot in an otherwise lackluster economic recovery, continued to shine in the first six months of 2014. Sales took a slight breather in June, but prices moved higher during the month.

Data compiled by Kelley Blue Book (KBB) show the estimated average transaction price (ATP) for light vehicles in the U.S. last month was $32,342. New car prices have increased by $454 – 1.4% – since June 2013. Perhaps more surprising, prices jumped $113 from May to June.

"Most major automakers showed positive growth for June 2014, as the market continues to shift toward utility vehicles this year," said Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. "SUV and crossover share increased more than two percentage points in 2014 to comprise one-third of the market."

In June Volkswagen posted the highest ATP – $38,640. Hyundai-KIA had the lowest, at $24,438.

Despite its well-publicized recall issues, GM sales remain stable and it's prices lead the industry's price gains. GM prices are up an average 5.4% year-over-year, mainly due to strong demand for its trucks and SUVs.

"The Chevrolet Silverado's average transaction price is up 7.9%, while the new Tahoe and Suburban have climbed 10 percent from last year," said Tim Fleming, a KBB analyst.

Meanwhile, Nissan North America reported strong sales and lower transaction prices, providing shoppers with some automotive bargains during the month. KBB says it's partly due to the manufacturer's mix, as the share of its smallest cars, the Versa and Sentra, has eclipsed a quarter of Nissan's sales. The average transaction price of Nissan's biggest seller, Altima, is down 1 percent year-over-year.

Smaller cars more popular

In fact, smaller vehicle with better gasoline mileage continue to gain popularity with consumers and manufacturers are responding with new small models. Honda recently announced it will introduce the HR-V, a small crossover.

The new model isn't expected in showrooms until late this year or early next and the automaker has released limited information about the car. According to dealers, the new HR-V is expected to be smaller than the Honda CR-V, the company's popular small SUV.

Design features are expected to include no rear door handles and a sleek overall appearance. Inside it will feature expanded connectivity.

Honda's core models—Accord, Civic and CR-V were the big winners through the first half of 2014, with Civic sales up 8.7% and Accord increasing 2.1% in June. However, retail consumers appeared to take a breath last month coupled with an unusually short number of selling days, the shortest June in five years.

The CR-V, one of the industry's best-selling SUVs, posted a year-to-date gain of 6.1% for its best-ever 6-month sales performance.

"Despite an easing of the pace in June, the larger sales trend throughout the industry remains robust," said Jeff Conrad, Honda division senior vice president and general manager. "Our core products remain strong and though we're still filling its supply pipeline, the new 2015 Fit is selling very well and we expect it to add yet another strong pillar to Honda sales in the near future."

Stricker shock?

But there may be signs that rising sticker prices for new cars are turning some consumers away. A separate KBB report projects new car sales are expected to fall 2.7% year-over-year to a total of 1.36 million units.

Another automotive source, Cars.com, also projects a sales slowdown once June's numbers are tallied. It expects total June sales to come in at 1,372,168 units, down 2.1% year-over-year and down 14.7% from May.

"Despite the expected year-over-year dip, the pace of new-car sales remained healthy in June at approximately 16.4 million SAAR," said Jesse Toprak, chief analyst for Cars.com. "An attractive collection of new models as well as improved affordability due to very low interest rates and lease specials continued to bring customers into showrooms. We expect the rest of 2014 to continue to track above 16 million units."

Dogs can hear and smell things from miles away. That's why they may not come when you call them, but open a bag of treats and somehow they are right by your feet.

Researchers are capitalizing on that with women and ovarian cancer. A group of researchers collaborated to investigate using the dog's sense of smell as well as chemical and enhanced DNA analysis as a means of detecting early-stage ovarian cancer. The dogs are taught to smell the cancer in a laboratory setting and then rewarded when they find it.

Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women. When diagnosed early, ovarian cancer has a 5-year survival rate of greater then 90%. However more then 80% of patients are diagnosed at a late stage when even aggressive treatment with surgery and chemotherapy are unable to stop the cancer, making early detection a vital weapon in the fight against the deadly disease.

Organic compounds

There are compounds called volatile organic compounds (VOC) -- or odorants. They are altered in the early stages of ovarian cancer. Researchers have found that trained, working alongside specialized electronic devices, are able to detect very small quantities of the odorants.

The accuracy rate of the dogs is 90%, and the hope is that the dogs will help refine the ability to detect the cancer in the early stages.

The collaboration was between the Working Dog Center of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, the physics and astronomy department of Penn's School of Arts and Science, Penn's Gynecologic Oncology division and the Monell Chemical Senses Center.

U.S. consumers, it appears, are in the summer doldrums.

Gallup says its U.S. Economic Confidence Index remained at -16 last week – the third straight week at that level. The index dropped to -13 at the start of June, them dipped to -16 in the middle of the month, and has not moved since.

Dimming outlook

Currently, one in five consumers (20%) say the economy is excellent or good, while 33% say it's poor -- resulting in a current conditions index of -13. As for the economy's future, 38% say it's getting better, while 56% say things are getting worse, for an economic outlook score of -18 -- the same as the previous week's score.

The recent slight dip in the overall index is attributable to losses in the outlook component since early June, while consumer attitudes about current economic conditions have held steady. This punctuates the pattern seen throughout 2014, with consumers' perceptions of the current state of the economy inching higher -- now up five points from -18 at the start of January -- while their outlook for the economy has gone in the other direction -- falling 10 points from -8.

Steady, but gloomy

Consumers' overall confidence in the economy has been relatively steady all year, and that has continued over the last three weeks, with confidence consistently at -16. This stability, however, masks the good news that perceptions of current conditions have improved, and are now approaching their highest level in five years. However, pessimism about the economy's direction is mounting, and is keeping the overall index from climbing any higher.

Even last week's promising jobs report and stock market highs couldn't lift consumers' confidence, suggesting stability may be in the forecast for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, gas prices, which now top $4 in some states, could have prevented any potential gains in confidence.

The index

The Economic Confidence Index is the average of two components: Consumers' views on the current economic situation and their perceptions of whether the economy is getting better or worse.

The potential high is 100, if all were to say the economy is "excellent" or "good" and that it is getting better; the potential low is -100, if all were to say the economy is "poor" and getting worse.

Since January 2008, when Gallup began tracking economic confidence daily, the weekly averages have ranged from -65 in October 2008 to -3 in May and June 2013.

Not everything that's natural is good for you. Take arsenic, a naturally occurring substance that is sometimes found in drinking water and in animals and plants.

A new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health finds that mice exposed to low doses of arsenic in drinking water, similar to what some people might consume, developed lung cancer.

"This is the first study to show tumor development in animals exposed to very low levels of arsenic, levels similar to which humans might be exposed," said Michael Waalkes, Ph.D., lead author on the paper and director of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Laboratory. "The results are unexpected and certainly give cause for concern."

By law, arsenic levels in public drinking water cannot exceed 10 parts per billion (ppb), which is the standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. However, there are no established standards for private wells, from which millions of people get their drinking water.

The study

In the study, concentrations given to the mice in their drinking water were 50 parts per billion (ppb), 500 ppb, and 5,000 ppb. 50 ppb is the lowest concentration that has been tested in an animal study, and researchers say that because of differing rates of metabolism, mice need to be exposed to greater concentrations of arsenic in drinking water than humans to achieve the same biological dose and similar health effects.

The researchers used a model that duplicates how humans are exposed to arsenic throughout their entire lifetime. In the study, the mice were given arsenic three weeks before breeding and throughout pregnancy and lactation.

Arsenic was then given to the offspring after weaning, and all through adulthood at concentrations relevant to human exposure. The researchers looked at the tumors in the adult offspring.

Found in many foods

Arsenic is present in the environment as a naturally occurring substance or due to contamination from human activity. Arsenic may be found in many foods, including grains, fruits, and vegetables, where it is present due to absorption from the soil and water.

This study focused on inorganic arsenic, which often occurs in excess in the drinking water of millions of people worldwide, and has been previously shown to be a human carcinogen.

In the study, more than half of the male offspring mice developed significant increases in benign and malignant lung tumors at the two lower doses (50 ppb and 500 ppb). Female offspring also developed benign tumors at the lower concentrations. Interestingly, the researchers did not find significant increases in lung tumors in either sex at the highest dose (5,000 ppb).

"Although this is only one study, it adds to a growing body of evidence showing adverse health effects from very low exposures to arsenic, raising the possibility that no level of arsenic appears to be safe," said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and NTP.

For years, health officials and consumer advocates have been urging restaurant chains to go easy on the salt, but a study finds those appeals have largely fallen on deaf ears.

A review of 136 meals from 17 top restaurant chains finds that the companies have reduced sodium on average by 6% between 2009 and 2013, or just 1.5% per year. The nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest says that the progress has been slow and inconsistent.

The biggest reductions in sodium were posted by Subway, Burger King, and McDonald's, but KFC and Jack in the Box actually increased sodium by 12.4% and 7.2%, respectively, in the sample of meals reviewed.

At table-service chains such as Red Lobster, Chili's, and Olive Garden, it's easy to find meals in the ballpark of 5,000 mg of sodium — more than most people should consume over the course of three days. CSPI says that these alarming levels are one reason why the Food and Drug Administration should set reasonable limits on the amounts of sodium that can be used in various categories of food.

"For far too long, the FDA has relied on a voluntary, wait-and-see approach when it comes to reducing sodium in packaged and restaurant food," said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. "If chains like KFC, Jack in the Box, and Red Lobster are actually raising sodium levels in some meals, FDA's current approach clearly isn't working."

Health effects 

Despite the progress, 79% of the 81 adult meals in the study still contained more than 1,500 milligrams (mg) of sodium. A majority of Americans, including people 51 and older, people with high blood pressure, and African-Americans, should try to limit themselves to 1,500 mg of sodium per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At higher levels, sodium promotes high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks, kidney disease, and other health problems, making it the single most harmful ingredient in the food supply, according to CSPI.

The average sodium in 55 kids' meals dropped by just 2.6%.

Dramatic progress at Subway

Subway showed dramatic progress between 2009 and 2013, reducing sodium in every one of the 10 meals reviewed in the study.

In 2009, a meal of a Footlong Ham Sandwich, a bag of Lay's Classic Potato Chips, and a Diet Coke had 2,730 mg of sodium. In 2013, that meal had just 1,895 mg of sodium. In 2009, a Subway meal of a six-inch Veggie Delite Sandwich, Apple Slices, and a Coke had a very reasonable 500 mg of sodium. In 2013, it had just 295 mg of sodium.

The chain showed similar progress in the four children's meals reviewed in the study, which were reduced in sodium by an average of 29%.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 14,078 model year 2013 Acura ILX vehicles manufactured January 16, 2012, to March 1, 2013; ILX Hybrid vehicles manufactured January 12, 2012, to February 7, 2013; certain model year 2014 ILX vehicles manufactured May 2, 2013, to May 31, 2014; and ILX Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 18, 2013, to February 19, 2014.

Excessive heat temperatures around the headlight bulb and reflector unit may diminish the output of the headlight and cause smoke, melting, and fire. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

The diminished light output may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the excessive heat coming from around the bulb and reflector could cause the headlights to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlights, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on July 28, 2014.

Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-862-2872. Honda's number for this recall is JE9.

Chrysler Group is recalling 525,206 model year 2009-2010 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured June 29, 2007, to June 17, 2010, and 2008-2010 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles manufactured January 26, 2007, to June 17, 2010.

Road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

If the engine turns off, various key safety systems -- including but not limited to air bags, power steering, and power braking -- would be depowered. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will modify the ignition switch, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is L25.  

Consumers can be victims of scams any time but are often especially vulnerable when they go on vacation. The reason is simple: Vacationers are usually in a happy, relaxed mood and may be less wary to a con. They usually are carrying more cash than usual.

So it's no mystery why scammers show up in popular vacation spots, where there are thousands of relaxed, well-financed potential victims. As bank robber Willie Sutton is reputed to have said, “That's where the money is.”

Pickpockets

The most aggressive form of scam is the pickpocket. The operator, or an accomplice, distracts your attention as he or she deftly lifts your wallet.

This scam takes some skill and carries a good bit of risk. However, you are more likely to encounter it where there are large crowds and a lot of noise and confusion.

You can guard against it by keeping your money and valuables in a secure pocket, preferably one with a button flap.

Shady businesses

A more subtle form of scammary is to simply overcharge you for a purchase. It can happen when a business tacks on fees, doesn't charge the right amount for a service, or even gives you back the wrong change.

The best way to guard against these scams is to know exactly what you are buying and what it costs. Make sure you get a receipt for each transaction and count your change, don't just rely on the cashier's accuracy.

High-pressure pitches

If you are visiting a popular resort area, chances are good you will encounter a high-pressure pitch to purchase a timeshare. These come-ons usually start with a guy on the street handing out “free” tickets to some event. The catch – you have to sit through a sales presentation.

Not all timeshares are scams, of course, but high-pressure sales tactics are when the salesman uses deception and trickery to close the deal. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who deals with lots of timeshare complaints, says scams are prevalent on the purchase transaction as well as the resale.

Her advice? Watch out for the “you must act now” close. She says consumers always have the right to leave the sales office and come back later. Read your contract to determine what cancellation rights you have after you have signed the papers.

And before buying a timeshare, by all means consider whether you will want to return to the same vacation spot each year. Once you buy a timeshare, Bondi says you may not be able to sell it due to a depressed resale market.

Getting you coming and going

And if you get scammed into buying a timeshare you really don't want, chances are good you could be victimized again by a scammer promising he can sell it for you – for an upfront fee.

The Florida Attorney General's Office sued nine Florida-based timeshare resale companies in the first half of 2013 for fraudulent activity and filed motions requesting temporary restraining orders against six of those companies.

To avoid falling victim to vacation scams, try to carry little cash and instead, use a credit card for most purchases. Know where your wallet is at all times. And run when a smooth-talking guy on the street offers you free tickets or a prize.