Current Events in October 2014

Late Friday afternoon, Kmart kicked off the three-day holiday weekend by announcing that, for most of September, hackers were able to steal customer credit- and debit-card numbers from an unspecified numbers of Kmart stores across the country.

Kmart president and Chief Member Office Alasdair James posted a letter/statement dated Oct. 10 on Kmart's website:

On Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014 our IT team detected that our Kmart store payment data system had been breached …. The security experts report that beginning in early September, the payment data systems at Kmart stores were purposely infected with a new form of malware [which] resulted in debit and credit card numbers being compromised.

Bad news, though James went on to say:

Based on the forensic investigation to date, no personal information, no debit card PIN numbers, no email addresses and no social security numbers were obtained by those criminally responsible. There is also no evidence that kmart.com customers were impacted. This data breach has been contained and the malware has been removed. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our members and customers.

Kmart is offering free credit monitoring to any customer who used a debit or credit card at a Kmart store anytime from September through Oct. 9 of this year. James ended his letter by offering a Kmart-specific version of the advice everyone has to follow after hackers access some retailer they patronized:

I suggest that customers carefully review and monitor their credit and debit card account statements. If customers see any sign of suspicious activity, they should immediately contact their card issuer. More guidance is also available on our website, kmart.com and customers can contact our customer care center at 888-488-5978.

Kmart still hasn't indicated how many stores were affected, or where. We'll keep you posted as more information becomes available.

For decades, close-in Love Field (DAL) has felt the love of Dallas-area travelers who dreaded the long haul out to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

But lovely though it may have been, Love Field had one big drawback: it was restricted to relatively short-haul flights, thanks to something called the Wright Amendment. That has finally changed; federal limits imposed by the amendment expired yesterday and low-cost carriers Southwest and Virgin America lost no time going wheels up to such once-forbidden destinations as New York and Washington.

This presents a potential headache for DFW-based American Airlines, only recently emerged from bankruptcy and still digesting its acquisition of US Airways. 

Love Field's in-town location makes it attractive to business travelers, as do the lower fares and booking policies of Southwest and Virgin. Virgin's extra-plush first class section, priced below many competitors' business class, may also be attractive to long tall Texans yearning for a little breathing space.

Made lemonade

The Wright Amendment, the brainchild of then-Rep. Jim Wright (D-Texas) was imposed in 1979 and was intended to spur development of DFW, which opened in 1974 and languished for its first years. The amendment limited Love Field flights to in-state and nearby destinations. 

Southwest made lemonade from the sour restriction, fashioning itself as an upstart giant killer, offering cheap and frequent flights from Love Field to just about anywhere for anyone willing to change planes once the eyes of Texas were no longer upon them. 

"After 34 long years, Southwest now has the right to spread our low fares, our friendly policies, our Fun-LUVing Attitudes, and Legendary Customer Service," said Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. "Most importantly, we have the right to spread our LOVE across the United States anywhere we want to fly nonstop from our home airport, and our hometown, Dallas, Texas."

Southwest began nonstop flights from DAL to 17 new destinations yesterday:

• Denver
• Chicago (Midway)
• Baltimore/Washington
• Washington, D.C. (Reagan National)
• Las Vegas
• Los Angeles (LAX)
• Orlando

Beginning November 2, 2014, Southwest Airlines will continue its rollout of new nonstop flights from Love Field to:

• Phoenix
• Orange County/Santa Ana
• San Diego
• Tampa Bay
• Ft. Lauderdale
• New York City (LaGuardia)
• Atlanta
• Nashville

Beginning January 6, 2015:

• San Francisco (SFO)
• Oakland (OAK)

Virgin's Texas-sized deals

Virgin America celebrated with the launch of three daily nonstop flights from DAL to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and starting on October 28th, four daily nonstop flights from DAL to New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA).  

The airline will be the only carrier at Love Field to offer three classes of service in these markets – including a First Class cabin and a Main Cabin Select premium economy service – as well as fleetwide WiFi, power outlets at every seat, a full-service food menu, confirmed seating and personal seatback entertainment for every guest.  

Consumers are earning more money -- and spending it.

According to the Deloitte Consumer Spending Index, which tracks consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending, consumer outlays were higher in September for a second straight month.

The index, which is made up of 4 components -- tax burden, initial unemployment claims, real wages and real home prices -- increased to 4.21 from 4.11 in August.

“A rise in real wages boosted the index this month,” said Daniel Bachman, Deloitte’s senior U.S. economist. “Although unemployment claims remain at the level of the previous month, seeing them continue to hover around the 300,000 mark is a positive sign for the labor market.

“The uptick in wages -- although only of one month’s duration -- is also consistent with the improving labor market,” he continued. “If employment and wages continue this positive trajectory, consumers are likely to respond with more confidence and higher spending.”

Index highlights

• Tax burden: The tax rate has been effectively unchanged with a marginal increase to 11.8%.
• Initial unemployment claims: Claims were back over the 300,000 mark to 303,000, but still were down 10.3% from the same period last year.
• Real wages: Real hourly wages were up 0.5% from the previous month as well as the same period last year -- increasing to $8.86 in September.
• Real median new home price: New home prices fell 1.4% from the prior month to $116,000, but prices are still 5.9% higher than the same period last year.

Looking ahead

Steady economic improvements influencing consumer spending point to a more optimistic outlook for the year-end shopping season. “With the holidays beginning, an economy on a more even keel will be a welcome sign for retailers,” said Alison Paul, vice chairman, Deloitte LLP and retail and distribution sector leader. “Deloitte is forecasting a 4 to 4.5% increase in overall holiday sales this year, as consumers’ spending levels are likely to increase on the heels of personal income, job and stock market gains. Holiday cheer may be making a comeback as families look to release pent-up demand and regain confidence in the economy.”

SunBurst Foods of Goldsboro, N.C., is recalling all of its SunBurst, Fresh Bites and private labeled products which are currently in the market.

The products have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

The company says it is unaware of any illnesses related to these products

All codes, all sell-by dates and sizes of the following brands are being recalled:

• SunBurst
• Fresh Bites

Private label products include the following brand names: River Edge Farms, CFW, Southern Zest, CJ’s Vending, Binford Street Deli, Middle Georgia Vendors, Roanoke Foods, Select Foods, and Jesse Jones (Double Chili Dogs)

The recalled products were sold in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.

Products not manufactured but distributed by SunBurst such as cakes, burritos, and chips are not part of this recall.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled products should destroy them or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company between 8AM and 5PM EST at 1-919-778-2151.

Louis Garneau USA of Derby, Vt., is recalling about 1,180 aerodynamic bicycle helmets.

In cold temperatures, the helmet can fail to protect the wearer from impact injuries.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Louis Garneau P-09 aerodynamic bicycle helmets with model number 1405362. The helmets are shaped like tear drops with a rounded front and a short, tapered tail. The outer shells of the helmets are made of polycarbonate and have a built-in visor system, dimples on the top like those on a golf ball, a small rectangular vent in the front and a triangular vent in the rear.

The helmets came in three color schemes: black with red and white designs, white with blue and gray designs, and white with silver and white designs. The word "Garneau" is located on both sides of the helmet and the Louis Garneau logo is on the front under the vent. Recalled helmets have the manufacture date "Jan. 2014" on a sticker inside the helmet.

The helmets, manufactured in China, were sold at independent bicycle dealers nationwide and online at Louisgarneau.com from January 2014, through September 2014, for between $280 and $350.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled helmets and return them to Louis Garneau USA for a refund or replacement with a similar helmet.

Consumers may contact Louis Garneau USA at (800) 448-1984 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or by email at customerserviceusa@louisgarneau.us.

Perhaps for the first time since the Great Recession consumers are heading into the holiday shopping season with increased optimism and fewer “bah, humbugs!”

The Accenture annual holiday shopping survey shows 25% of U.S. consumers plan to spend more during the holidays than last year. According to the survey, the average consumer will spend an estimated $718 on gifts.

The survey also suggests Black Friday will be an even bigger event this year. Two-thirds of respondents say they plan to shop on the official kick-off to the shopping season, up from 55% last year.

A bigger Black Friday

Eric Jones, of Jones-Dengler Marketing, agrees. His company is tracking retailers' planning and from what he's seen so far, Black Friday 2014 will be more intense and generate more sales. It will also last a lot longer.

“Stores such as Target have already announced their 'Main Event' will run from Thursday to Saturday,”Jones told ConsumerAffairs. “Since this is just their 'Main Event' they will have deals throughout the week before and the week after for Cyber Monday as well. I would expect other major retailers to have the same strategy this year.”

Jones says you can also expect to see longer Black Friday hours and multiple rounds of “door-buster” bargains, designed to reward shoppers who choose to show up at different times.

“If there were a round of doorbusters on Saturday, that wouldn't shock us,” Jones said. “Also, expect the quantity of doorbuster items to be at an all time high this year.”

A frequent Black Friday complaint is that stores don't have an advertised special – or enough of them – to satisfy demand. Jones says retailers have heard that complaint and are reacting.

More online bargains

He also says an increasing number of consumers will choose to do their Black Friday shopping online and that stores will accommodate them.

“With the increase in mobile shopping and with people constantly glued to their phones, retailers know online deals is one surefire way to generate sales,” Jones said. “With that in mind, retailers are offering more sales online which in turn will lead to more total sales.”

Jones predicts a 20% increase in online Black Friday sales over last year but says the increase will not come completely at the expense of brick-and-mortar sales.

“From 2012 to 2013, I know comScore did a study that showed online Thanksgiving sales increased 21% and online Black Friday sales increased 15%,” he said. “Expect the same increase or more this year. I'm thinking we may even see the first Thanksgiving day with $1 Billion in sales.”

Very few retailers have announced what they plan to do but rumors are flying. Jones says one report – yet to be verified – is that Kmart and Walmart plan to open as early as 8 am on Thanksgiving Day and remain open though Friday night.

Tablets

Consumers in search of bargain electronics should find them. Jones said consumers should find especially attractive deals on tablets. Tablet manufacturers, he says, are losing ground to smartphones. Companies that make tablets, he predicts, will try to reestablish the tablet as a unique, must-have device – and drastically cut the price in the process.

“In addition to tablets, I'd expect to see some discounts on very popular video game consoles like the Xbox One and the Playstation 4,” Jones said. “Last year there were absolute no discounts on these consoles. So any discount, even as little as $20 or $50 or a gift card thrown in with a bundle, will be a real bargain for a shopper who's been waiting the entire year to get their hands on these devices.”

But the pleasant surprise for consumers, he says, will be unusually steep discounts on popular toys.

In a typical holiday shopping season the best toy deals are found the middle of December, when retailers are looking to move their overstock inventory before the new year. But Jones says he's talked to a few advertisers who to want to emphasize toys for Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

“I'm thinking this year they put their deals where their mouth is and offer us a few unbeatable toy sales this year,” Jones said.

It has long been assumed that using a mobile device while driving is distracting because drivers were looking at their phones and not the road. Come up with a way to keep the driver's eyes on the road, the reasoning went, and you've solved the problem.

So when manufacturers came up with various hands-free features for smartphones, it was generally thought drivers could safely drive and talk. But safety experts have pointed out all along that taking your eyes off the road isn't the only distraction.

When you carry on a conversation while driving, they point out, your mind has to divert at least some attention to what you are saying and hearing. Even if your eyes never leave the road, the data they process is at least partially degraded by the attention given to the conversation.

But if that is true, wouldn't a conversation between a driver and a passenger in the car be just as distracting?

Testing the theory

Researchers at the University of Illinois decided to find out. They used a driving simulator and videophone to assess how a driver's conversation partner influences safety on the road.

"We've done years of study on driver distraction, and previous studies suggest that passengers often aren't distracting. In fact, passengers can be helpful, especially if they're adults who have had experience and also are active drivers themselves," said University of Illinois psychology professor Arthur Kramer.

The study used 4 scenarios: a driver alone in the simulator, a driver speaking to a passenger in the simulator, a driver speaking on a hands-free cellphone to someone in a remote location, and a driver speaking on a hands-free cellphone to someone in a remote location who could see the driver and observe the driving scene out the front windshield via videophone.

Using college students as their subjects, the researchers devised a fairly challenging highway scene that involved merging and navigating around unpredictable drivers in other cars. They noted the study drivers' lateral moves, distance from other cars, speed, collisions, and ability to find and take a designated exit.

"We also recorded their speech as they talked to their partner in three out of the four conditions, and we looked at where they looked – we had an eye tracker built into the simulator," Kramer said. "So it was a pretty rich data set."

Predictable results

The results were pretty much what you would expect. Driving alone was the safest option. No distractions. While having a passenger helped here and there – they helped locate exits and road signs – overall they proved to be a negative.

As you might imagine, carrying on a cellphone conversation while driving was the most dangerous of the tests. Talking to someone who had no awareness of what was going on inside or outside the car more than tripled the likelihood of a collision, the researchers found.

The only real surprise involved the fourth driving scenario – when a driver spoke to someone who was not in the car but who could observe the driver's face and the view out the front windshield on a videophone.

"Drivers were less likely to be involved in a collision when their remote partner could see what they were seeing," said John Gaspar, one of the researchers. "And this benefit seems to be driven by changes in the way partners talked to the driver."

The findings suggest having a conversation can actually improve the safety of the driving experience, so long as the conversation partner knows what's going on in the car and sees what the driver sees.

Again, it's safest to drive alone. But having a system that provides a video feed of the roadway seems to make accidents less likely. If the conversation partner knows what's going on in the car, he or she can stop talking or draw the driver's attention to specific road conditions.

October tends to be an active month for new car deals and this year, that may be particularly true. Manufacturers appear unusually eager to unload this year's models and industry experts say there's a very good reason for that.

A number of popular models are undergoing major redesigns for the 2015 model year. While it's generally not a good idea to buy a car in its last year before an update, Kelley Blue Book's (KBB) vehicle advisors say this October's deals might just be too hard to pass up.

Dealers may be more motivated to negotiate. In addition, manufacturers have upped the ante in the incentives department, resulting in a lower net price for several outgoing models that have good reputations, making them great deals.

Different set of circumstances

"For October's list of KBB.com's 10 Best Deals of the Month, we've embraced this moment in time," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. "But don't drive off in one of these cars without first checking out the new and improved version replacing it, just to be sure you are happy with your end-result purchase."

Just how good are October's deals? How about a 2014 Cadillac CTS coupe, with an MSRP of $40,420. KBB says the car can be leased for $299 a month with $3000 due at signing.

Among the best financing deals is the 2014 Toyota Camry LE, with an MSRP of $23,695 with 0% financing and $1,000 cash back.

The best cash-back deal is the 2014 Nissan Maxima S, with an MSRP of $32,100 and $4,500 cash back. Assuming you got the car for KBB's Fair Purchase Price of $29,609, you would get an additional 15% discount in the form of the cash.

Incentives may depend on your credit

Remember that not everyone will qualify for some of these offers, since they are based on your credit rating. And in recent months, an increasing percentage of buyers haven't qualified for the best deals and have ended up with a subprime auto loan.

Reuters reported this week that government regulators are growing increasingly concerned that banks have made too many car loans and that too many of them are of the subprime variety. The worry is that what happened with subprime mortgages could happen with subprime auto loans.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is more concerned about the consumers getting those loans. It urges consumers to line up financing before visiting a car dealer. That way they don't have to rely on dealer financing and have a better chance of avoiding a subprime loan.

Nail down financing first

When you visit a bank or credit union to discuss financing, the loan officer will pull your credit and let you know how much you can afford to spend for a car. With a pre-approval letter, you will be in a better negotiating position when you visit the dealer.

According to CFPB, A bank or credit union will typically consider several factors in making a car loan:

• Your credit score and credit history
• The length of time you’ll be paying back the loan, called the “loan term” or “term of the loan"
• The amount of your down payment as a percentage of the value of the car
• Whether you are purchasing a new or used car

You should know that your annual percentage interest rate (APR) can vary as much as 10 to 15 percentage points based on your credit score and history. That can be the difference between getting a loan at 5% instead of one at 15%.

That's why you need to check your credit report for any errors before you shop for financing.  

Dimension Industries Company of Taiwan is recalling about 18,000 sling fabric cafe sets.

The chairs can break due to a missing metal washer plate, posing a fall hazard to consumers.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

The three-piece sling fabric cafe sets include two aluminum swivel chairs with medium brown-colored stretched fabric seats and backs, a round aluminum base and aluminum arm rests, and a rectangular table with a tabletop made from porcelain tile with a natural stone look.

The chairs are about 44 inches high x 26 inches long x 30 inches wide. The table is about 29 inches high x 30 inches long x 26 inches wide. Costco Item #966710 is printed on the hangtag, label and on the packaging.

The cafe sets, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Costco Wholesale stores nationwide from December 2013, through May 2014, for about $400.

Consumers should immediately stop using the chairs and contact Dimension to receive a free repair kit or a full refund.

Consumers may contact Dimension at (800) 598-6532 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.

I bought my 6-month-old granddaughter a Minnie Mouse costume for Halloween. Her mom wanted her to be an owl. I actually had bought three others and put them back because I couldn't make up my mind which was cuter.  

It's not like she can really go trick or treating yet, we are waiting for her to crawl first. Nobody is pushing it though. But it brings up the question of what is age appropriate for Halloween.

Children less than 2 years of age: This is where kids are just learning about imagination.  Differentiating reality from fantasy is often difficult if not impossible. Parents can provide an emotional safety net during the Halloween season by reminding their children what is "pretend" and what is not.

Avoid masks (vision impairment), stress street safety (not crossing without an adult), using flashlights and removal of "treats" that may pose a choking hazard. 

3 to 5 years of age: At this age their imaginations run wild.  Perception is reality.  Clowns look kinda scary and some kids want no part of them.They perceive them to be mean and very scary.  Therefore it is best to avoid masks, as they may be both scary and dangerous by restricting vision. Similarly, it is best to stay away from extremely dark and noisy areas (for example, haunted houses).

Prior to Halloween night, let the child get used to their costume by wearing it; rehearse saying "trick or treat," and reinforce that everyone who is dressed in costume is also playing a pretend game just as they are.

5 to 8 years of age: Imaginary play is high on the scale but they start to become logical as well. Some of the  irrational fear starts to dissipate (like witches and ghosts) but more sensitivity develops to rational ones (mutilated bodies, blood and gore, and physical deformity).

Some kids like to be scared but it may have a delayed reaction and you end up with nightmares and the like. Stay away from scary TV shows and movies.

8 to 11 years of age:  Now  through adolescence we will see the fear mature into more rational form along with the development of what some psychologists call "social fear." Anxiety about "fitting in" is manifested by concerns regarding social embarrassment (for example, being kissed by a mother in public.)

Halloween provides an opportunity to wear outlandish or fear-inducing costumes. The goal is to shock adults. Which can translate into scaring younger kids. Remind them that destructive behavior  like  destroying pumpkins, "egging" cars, etc. is illegal and will not be tolerated.

Alternative entertainments

There are lots of things you can do around Halloween that don't have to focus on  the holiday of Halloween.

There are many fall and harvest festivals hosted by churches, community groups and schools that occur all throughout the month of October; generally, these festivals are as family-friendly as you can get. Other family-friendly activities include hay rides, pumpkin picking and cornfield mazes.

On the other hand there are also many other Halloween activities that are a bit scarier, like haunted houses and zombie parades. Consider the age of your children when taking them to an activity that is supposed to be frightening.

Another option is the at-home Halloween party. If you host one in your own home, research age-appropriate activities and try to control the flow of sugar by offering healthier alternatives. 

Try and make sure your evening is geared to your child's confidence level. Be patient if your preschooler has had enough after three minutes, wants to stick close by your side, or doesn't want to go outside in the costume you slaved over (or paid a small fortune for). When children can work through their fears and anxieties at their own speed, with your support, they will be better able to enjoy a lifetime of tricks and treats

Scammer morality is a bottomless pit: there's no depth limit to how low a scammer will sink while trying to make a dishonest buck.

So it's no surprise that various scammers are using fear of the Ebola virus as bait to try ensnaring victims. In just the past two days, both the Feds and a state attorney general have issued official warnings about Ebola-related scam come-ons.

On Thursday, the Federal Trade Commission warned about scam-medicine peddlers who claim to have a cure for Ebola.

FTC blogger and “Consumer Education Specialist” Colleen Tressler wrote on Oct. 9 that:

Banking on fear, scam artists are making unsubstantiated claims that products containing everything from silver to herbal oils and snake venom can cure or prevent Ebola. Not so, says the FTC and the Food and Drug Administration. … There are currently no FDA-approved vaccines or drugs to prevent or treat Ebola. Although there are experimental Ebola vaccines and treatments under development, these are in the early stages of product development, have not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness, and the supply is very limited. There are no approved vaccines, drugs, or products specifically for Ebola available for purchase online or in stores. No dietary supplements can claim to prevent or cure Ebola … If you’ve seen companies or products touting these claims, report them to the FTC and FDA.

(Generally speaking: any supposedly miraculous medicine or drug, not just Ebola-specific stuff, that claims to work thanks to silver, colloidal silver, snake venom or herbal oils is almost certainly a scam. Other scam-medicine buzzwords you should know to look out for: “quantum,” “harmonics” or “harmony,” “vibrations,” “frequencies,” “succussion,” “homeopathic,” or anything that promises to flush dangerous yet unspecified “toxins” out of your body.)

"Pandemic update"

Then, today, the Illinois attorney general's office issued a warning about Ebola-related email scams (and, although Illinois is so far the only state to issue an official warning, there's no indication these emails are being sent only to Illinois residents).

The AG's office warned that it has seen or received several scammy Ebola-related emails, two basic scam varieties in all. Of course there are scammy emails trying to sell fake Ebola cures or Ebola protection equipment, but even more ominous are the emails presumably (but not really) from some official government authority, offering links with labels like “Ebola Pandemic update” or “civilian crisis protocol,” but of course if you click on the link you'll get all sorts of nasty malware infecting your computer.

If you see any strange email with any Ebola-related subject heading, your best bet is to delete it without opening it first. And remember: in the event that your local, state or federal government authorities issue public warnings about Ebola or any other public-health threat, these warnings will not be sent via unsolicited emails.

The list is out and if you're a dog you are probably waiting with baited breath to find out what kind of costume are they going to put you in this year. The National Retail Federation said that Americans will spend $350 million on pet costumes and the costumes run the gamut from predictable to far-out. 

Lets start with what's new. According to Costumesupercenter.com, the Minion Pet Costume is new, along with Wonder Woman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Darth Vader, Captain America and Ghost Busters.

Some of these are old hat for humans, of course, but they fall into the latest fashions category for dogs.

Troy Eaves of Halloweencostumes.com says the trend seems to be that people will buy a pet costume to complement what the owner is wearing. So don't be surprised if you see a family of Ninja Turtles and one of them has 4 legs.

The top 10 according to The National Retail Federation

1. Pumpkin

2. Hot Dog

3. Devil

4. Bumble Bee

5. Cat

6. Batman Character

7. Superman

8. Witch

9. (T) Ghost

9. (T) Pirate

10. Star Wars Character

Eaves also said that, "People really like to dress up their dogs like food." Big sellers so far this year are the hot dog and taco. Pugs seem to be the dog of choice for these costumes.

You can't go wrong with Star Wars costumes, Eaves said. If you have a favorite sports team, let your dog be the cheerleader or star quarterback. Many team options are available but be warned they do sell quickly.

Icons of the music industry are a huge hit like the Elvis costume. Eaves said: "For some reason people like to embarrass their dog!" 

Prices can range from $4 to $28 on most commercial sites, although I did find a site called Poshpuppyboutique.com and they had a lederhosen dog costume for $40. Some of their costumes were a little more pricey but also more original.

Just be careful your dog can't swallow any part of the costume and that they can see where they are walking. Remember chocolate is a killer for dogs. Stick to dog treats. After all, your dog is still a dog, even if he's dressed like Elvis.

This week, Hewlett-Packard quietly revoked one of its digital certificates after security blogger Brian Krebs discoveredit was the same certificate which had signed off on some malware four yars ago.

What is a digital certificate? It's basically a security attachment on electronic messages, and according to Webopedia, “The most common use of a digital certificate is to verify that a user sending a message is who he or she claims to be, and to provide the receiver with the means to encode a reply.”

The problem with Hewlett-Packard's now-revoked digital certificate is that, in addition to all the various legitimate software packages it approved over the years, four years ago it also signed off on a Trojan virus which had infected an HP developer's computer. That Trojan never infected any HP software released on the market (according to an HP executive who spoke to Krebs).

Could cause problems

So that's good news for people with Hewlett-Packard machines. But it might cause problems for people with older HP machines running on older HP software signed by the now-revoked digital certificate. Ars Technica notes that:

the revocation of the affected certificate will require HP to re-issue a large number of software packages with a new digital signature. While the certificate drop may not affect systems with the software already installed, users will be alerted to a bad certificate if they attempt to re-install software from original media.

In other words: if you have to re-install your old HP software from its original discs for whatever reason, you won't be able to, because the digital certificate's no longer any good.

Dairy Queen confirmed yesterday what everyone has already suspectedfor several weeks: in early August, hackers managed to install malware on the cash registers of almost 400 Dairy Queen stores (plus one Orange Julius), which enabled them to steal the debit or credit-card information of every card-using customer at the affected locations.

Security blogger Brian Krebs, who first reported the suspected breach last summer, reported Dairy Queen's confirmation today.

Dairy Queen updated its website to provide information about what it calls the “Data Security Incident,” which occurred between Aug. 5 and Aug. 31.

In other words: if you visited a Dairy Queen or Orange Julius and paid with a card during that time frame, check Dairy Queen's website to see if yours is on the affected-stores list. If so, you have to call your bank or card issuer and take the usual precautions.

If you want something to last a while you have to take care of it and your garden tools are no exception.

This is the time of year where the weather is pretty psychotic. One day it's freezing, and then it rains and perhaps even hails while the next two days bring beautiful temps and warm sunshine. It can be confusing as to when exactly winter has knocked on the door. 

Newly planted flowers, trees and shrubs should be watered thoroughly every week or so right up until the ground freezes, especially if rainfall is lacking.
As soon as those freezing temps stick around you will know it's time.

Pull out your shovels, trowels, hoes and spades and get some of that steel wool under your sink and start scrubbing. Don't forget the wood handles -- perhaps get some linseed oil and rub it all over them so the wood doesn't crack. Sharpen your tools now so when spring pops back up you will be ready to go.

Do you need any replacements for your power tools? look over all the parts like loose screws, nuts, bolts, O-rings and spark plugs. Spark plugs should be removed for the winter. Spray them all with a lubricant wherever needed. One thing people have a tendency to forget is their hand tools -- make sure the pivots and shears as well as your pruners get the proper attention.

Maintain that lawnmower -- remove its fuel by running the mower until it runs out of gas and the motor stops. Just like your car, change the oil, if your mower has a four-cycle engine. If you have a ride-on mower or tractor remove the battery and charge it completely. You might even want to charge the battery a couple of times over the winter.

Make sure you have a dry location to store everything so you don't accumulate rust. If you have been throwing everything in a corner, now is a good time to get a shelf or a rack and get yourself organized so you can find it all in the spring and start over.

Researchers in Boston have identified a new class of "good" fats that they say may offer a promising new direction for type 2 diabetes prevention and treatment.

The new findings, made by a team of scientists from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the Salk Institute, are described in the October 9 online issue of the journal Cell.

"We were blown away to discover this completely new class of molecules," says senior author Barbara Kahn, MD, a Harvard Medical School professor.

Named fatty acid hydroxyl fatty acids, or FAHFAs, these new molecules are in fat cells as well as other cells throughout the body. They now join a small group of fatty acids known to benefit health, which also include omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil.

"Based on their biology, we can add FAHFAs to the small list of beneficial lipids," says co-senior author Alan Saghatelian, PhD, a professor at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, Calif. "These lipids are amazing because they can also reduce inflammation, suggesting that we might discover opportunities for these molecules in inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as diabetes."

Manufactured by humans

Unlike omega-3 fatty acids, which are not made in mammals, FAHFAs are actually produced and broken down inside the human body.

"This important feature gives FAHFAs an advantage in terms of therapeutic development because we can potentially modify the rate of production and breakdown throughout the body," said Kahn. "Because we can measure FAHFA levels in blood, low levels may turn out to be an early marker for the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Consequently, if restoring FAHFA levels in insulin resistant individuals proves to be therapeutic, we may potentially be able to intervene before the development of frank diabetes."

"The discovery of FAHFAs provides important new insights underlying metabolic and inflammatory diseases, and, of critical importance, offers viable new treatment avenues that we hope to be able to test in clinical trials," Kahn said. "This is of critical importance as rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes remain at epidemic proportions worldwide."

When it comes to getting off the ground on time, August was a very good month.

The nation’s largest airlines reported just 1 tarmac delay of more than 3 hours on a domestic flight, which is under investigation, and no tarmac delays of more than 4 hours on international flights.

According to the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Air Travel Consumer Report, the carriers also posted an on-time arrival rate of 77.7% in August, while that's down 1.1% from a year earlier, it's 2.1% above the mark posted in July.

In addition, the reporting carriers canceled 1.2% of their scheduled domestic flights, down 0.4% from the month before and up 0.4% from the cancellation rate posted in August 2013.

The consumer report also contains data on chronically delayed flights, and the causes of flight delays, along with information on mishandled baggage reports filed by consumers with the carriers and consumer service, disability, and discrimination complaints.

The complete report is available on the DOT website

Nissan North America is recalling 220,423 model year 2013 Nissan Altima vehicles manufactured March 6, 2012, to February 28, 2013.

Interference between the hood inner panel and the secondary latch lever, in combination with debris and corrosion, may cause the secondary hood latch to bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.

If the primary latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch is not engaged, the hood could unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will be instructed to modify the bend angle of the hood actuation lever to eliminate potential interference with the hood inner panel. In addition, dealers will clean and lubricate the latch joint as needed. If significant corrosion is observed, the latch assembly will be replaced. This repairs will be performed free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.