Current Events in November 2014

What makes someone depressed? The question becomes more urgent as the number of cases of clinical depression increases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates depression at some point affects about 9% of U.S. adults, leaving them with feelings of hopelessness, despondency, and sometimes guilt. The agency says major depression is the leading cause of disability for Americans between the ages of 15 and 44.

Researchers have turned out study after study trying to better understand the condition. At the University of Washington a recent study suggested stress is a major trigger.

A recent British study found over-achievers are more at risk of depression, becaise they become addicted to the Internet. Companies fail to notice the depression, the researchers conclude, because the sufferers are all successful.

Since many of the cases of depression have appeared in the wake of the financial crisis, some researchers looked for – and found – a link to long-term unemployment. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans who have been unemployed for a year or more say they currently have or are being treated for depression.

Physical illness

Here's a new theory. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is actually an infectious disease and not always caused by external influences.

Turhan Canli, a psychology professor at Stony Brook University, suggests that major depression may result from parasitic, bacterial, or viral infection. He thinks depression needs to be reclassified from a mental illness to a physical one while research continues into its causes.

“Future research should conduct a concerted effort search of parasites, bacteria, or viruses that may play a causal role in the etiology of MDD,” he said.

Canli offers 3 arguments why reconceptualizing MDD as an infectious disease may pay off.

For starters, patients with MDD exhibit physical symptoms like a loss of energy. Beyond that, inflammatory biomarkers associated with depression also suggest an illness-related origin.

Viruses can alter behavior

Canli says there is plenty of evidence that parasites, bacteria and viruses that infect humans can alter their emotional behavior. Finally, he cites the concept of the human body as an ecosystem for microorganisms and the role of genetics.

There's enough there, says Canli, to justify large-scale studies with depressed patients to see if there actually is a causal relationship between infectious disease and depression. A Northwestern University study, published in September, just might provide some ammunition.

Researchers developed a blood test that measures the levels of 9 RNA blood markers which seem to be different in patients diagnosed with clinical depression, suggesting some kind of physical link.

Depression symptoms

The CDC says symptoms of depression can range from a sad mood and diminished interest in activities to dramatic weight gain or loss, fatigue and excessive and unjustified feelings of guilt.

The condition also poses a substantial burden to the sufferer and friends and family. Interpersonal relationships are particularly likely to suffer when someone is depressed and the CDC says data suggest that few families or networks of friends are likely to remain unaffected.

When major depression goes unrecognized and untreated the results can turn tragic. Consequences can range from ruined marriages to damaged careers to suicide.

The CDC says this disorder is still misconstrued as a sign of weakness rather than being recognized as an illness.

After posting a healthy advance during September, construction of new homes fell 2.8% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,009,000. Still, figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development show that's 7.8% ahead of the 936,000 rate posted a year earlier.

Starts of single-family homes were up 4.2% from September -- to 696,000, while the rate for construction multi-family buildings was 300,000. Noting that the NAHB homebuilder sentiment indicator rose to 58 from 54 in October, analysts at Briefing.com say this suggests single-family starts should continue to rise next month.

Building permit activity during October would seem to bear this out. Authorization for construction of privately-owned housing units were up 4.8%, with single-family authorizations showing a gain of 1.4%. Permits for multi-family construction were at a rate of 406,000.

The full report is available on the Commerce Department website.

Mortgage applications

Applications for mortgages rose last week for the first time in four weeks.

According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey, applications jumped 4.9% during the week ending November 14.

The calculations included an adjustment for the Veterans Day holiday.

The Refinance Index was up 1%, with the refinance share of mortgage activity falling 2 % -- to 61% of total applications. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity decreased to 6.9% of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications was to 9.9%, the VA share was 11.5%, and the USDA share at 0.8%.

Contract interest rates

• The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs) with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) dipped to 4.18% from 4.19%, with points decreasing to 0.24 from 0.26 (including the origination fee) for 80% loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,000) was down 3 basis points -- from 4.13% to to 4.10%, 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 30-year FRMs backed by the FHA decreased to 3.85% from 3.90%, with points increasing to 0.18 from 0.14 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 15-year FRMs was unchanged from 3.38 percent, with points increasing to 0.27 from 0.22 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs rose 4 basis points to 3.09%, with points increasing to 0.34 from 0.32 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

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

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 442,000 model year 2011-2013 Jettas manufactured March 1, 2010, to November 30, 2012, and 2012-2013 Beetles manufactured March 1, 2011, to July 31, 2013.

The durability of the rear trailing arms may be reduced in vehicles whose rear trailing arms have been previously deformed, such as a result of a rear or side-rear impact crash. This could result in the sudden fracture of the trailing, possibly causing loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a sheet metal inlay on the rear axle trailing arms designed to prevent a sudden loss of control in the event of trailing arm sudden fracture, free of charge.

Owners will be mailed an interim notification in November 2014 and will be mailed a second letter when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

But is there a growing consumer backlash? The New York Times has called it “the war on Thanksgiving” and a recent poll suggests that many consumers have decided “Black Friday creep” has gone too far.

According to new research conducted for Eventbrite, 62% of Americans think Black Friday sales that start on Thanksgiving Day will detract from the family Thanksgiving experience. The takeaway, say company officials, is Americans aren’t happy with retailers’ decision to open on a day meant to be spent with friends and family.

Bad policy

A retail expert agrees. Arun Jain, a marketing professor at the University at Buffalo (UB), says retailers who keep pushing the Black Friday start time deeper into Thanksgiving Day are making a strategic error.

“It’s a pity that in the richest country in the world, we cannot reserve even a single day for family, and there is a good chance it could backfire with consumer boycotts,” he said.

A better strategy, says Jain, would be opening early Black Friday morning – the way retailers did in the not-too-distant past – and offer spectacular doorbuster bargains. He believes consumers would still show up and still spend money but have a better shopping experience.

“Shoppers will be greeted by happy employees who were able to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones instead of being forced to work,” Jain said. “Happier sales people are more helpful sales people, which leads to higher sales and a more positive evaluation of the store by consumers.”

Make being closed a virtue

Instead of pressuring their tenants to open on Thanksgiving, Jain says shopping malls should make a virtue of preserving the holiday. He recommends making it part of a marketing campaign, advertising the fact stores will be closed so employees can spend time with their families.

“This is an opportunity for retailers to say what they stand for and that they respect workers, their families and this uniquely American tradition,” Jain said.

Walmart pioneered the open-on-Thanksgiving approach but Sears, Best Buy, Macy's, Target, J.C. Penney and others have joined the party in the last few years. This year Kmart is opening at 6:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day and plans to remain open for 41 consecutive hours.

Empathy for employees

As the Times points out, customers will show up on Thanksgiving if a store is open. That, after all, is why stores are doing it.

The issue is the people who work at the stores. They are the ones who have to work on a holiday when everyone else is eating turkey, watching football, and now, shopping.

As Jain points out, these employees usually have families – who are also consumers – and they would like to have everyone around the table on Thanksgiving Day.

Jain says stores that allow that to happen just might benefit in the long run.

We're all accustomed to reading stories about automakers being reluctant to recall cars and trucks but Honda is taking the opposite approach in response to consumer concerns about the Takata airbags that have led to the recall of 7.6 million vehicles in the U.S.

The recalls apply only to cars in humid parts of the country, since it's high humidity that can cause the airbag inflators to malfunction and spew shrapnel at drivers and passengers. But Honda says on its website (.pdf) that it "will make arrangements for, as appropriate, the replacement of airbag inflators and the provision of or reimbursement for temporary alternative transportation” at customers’ requests even when they do not live in humid areas.

For anyone who owns one of our vehicles and is concerned, we encourage them to visit recalls.honda.com or call 1-800-999-1009, option 4, and recalls.acura.com or call 1-800-382-2238, option 4.

We encourage customers with an affected vehicle to take immediate action to have their vehicle serviced at their authorized dealership.

 The recalls affect not only Honda and Acura but also some vehicles made by Toyota, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.

It's no secret

Honda is emphasizing that its action does not amount to a "secret recall" but said it is simply trying to relieve the concerns of some consumers. 

It may also be trying to relieve the growing pressure from government and consumer advocates. A Senate committee is holding a hearing on the matter later this week. 

“It is a part of our ongoing efforts to work with our customers individually to resolve their concerns, even if their vehicle is not technically part of one of those actions,” a Honda spokesman told Automotive News, which reported earlier this month that Honda was making replacement airbags available to owners of non-recalled cars.

So far, Congressional critics have singled out the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rather than automakers, for being slow to recognize the problem. 

Sen. Ed Markey, (D-Mass.), said NHTSA, “not Honda, should have been the first to call for this nationwide replacement of deadly air bags. NHTSA should require a nationwide recall, and should require Honda and other affected car companies to immediately announce mandatory nationwide recalls to protect American drivers,” the Detroit News reported.

Honda said its dealers will not disconnect airbags and said dealers are required to check used cars to be certain that the recall has been performed before the cars can be sold. 

A complete list of recalled vehicles with Takata airbags is available here. 

According to the cardiac researchers presenting at last weekend's American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, we're making progress in some areas of heart health but stepping back in others.

First, the good news. Since the Baby Boom population first entered middle-age and obesity has become more common, hypertension – or high blood pressure – has been a growing problem. But those dangerous blood pressure readings appear to be coming down.

Dropping blood pressure

Findings presented over the weekend show that more than half of those diagnosed with hypertension are now getting readings below 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), which is considered safe.

A reading of 120/80 is considered optimal and the findings show that between 2003 and 2012, the percentage of hypertension patients able to achieve that rose from 13% to 27%.

"This is definitely good news," the researchers conclude.

That's because hypertension is linked to heart attack and stroke. As fewer people have high blood pressure, that risk has declined.

But the percentage of patients with high blood pressure that remains uncontrolled remains high, at 48%. The federal Healthy People 2020 initiative has a goal of reducing that to 38%. High blood pressure affects about 1 in 3 adults in the United States.

Irregular heart beats jump

While there was good news on the blood pressure front, doctors report emergency room visits for irregular heartbeat surged in recent years and are currently creating a major health care burden.

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common kind of arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat, can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

When they studied the data, researchers found that 65% of those making a trip to the ER for an irregular heartbeat ended up in the hospital. It has increased in later years, rising from 62.5% in 2006 to 67% in 2011.

Getting worse

The rate of AF emergency room visits steadily increased 24%, from 133 visits per 100,000 persons in 2006 to 165 visits per 100,000 persons in 2011.

When you add it all up, more than 2.7 million Americans were admitted for AF between 2006 and 2011.

The one bright spot was the decrease in in-hospital death rates after a patient was admitted with AF.

There were some common characteristics of patients who were admitted with AF. They tended to be elderly, female, had Medicare or Medicaid insurance and lived in areas with low median income.

According to the American Heart Association an irregular heartbeat can produce a wide range of symptoms. They include fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, chest pain, shortness of breath and a rapid heartbeat.

The Association says that while most cases are harmless, some arrhythmias are extremely dangerous and require treatment and management.  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is reminding lenders not to impose illegal burdens on mortgage applicants who receive Social Security disability income.

“Everyone deserves the opportunity to qualify for a mortgage that they can afford,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “Consumers should not be put at a disadvantage just because they receive Social Security disability income. Lenders should continue to make fair and responsibly underwritten mortgages without imposing unnecessary requirements on consumers who receive these benefits.”

A bulletin issued to lenders (.pdf) today calls attention to standards and guidelines that may help lenders comply with the law, and help ensure that recipients of Social Security disability income receive fair and equal access to credit.

More than 15 million people receive Social Security disability income every year, including many who are veterans of the U.S. armed forces. For those relying on this income, qualifying for a mortgage can be a challenge when lenders ask for proof of how long they will receive their benefits.

The Social Security Administration generally will not provide documentation regarding how long benefits will last. Some applicants have reported being asked for information about their disabilities or even for doctors’ notes about the likely duration of their disabilities.

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) prohibits creditors from discriminating against an applicant because some or all of the applicant’s income is from a public assistance program, which includes Social Security disability income. 

Vanna White has nothing on Brooke Martin. She is a poised 14-year-old who pitches a product that is all her own. Brooke is a teenage inventor and she has created iCPooch. It's a webcam for your dog. The idea of a webcam probably knocks your socks right off in and of itself. Now add a treat dispenser as well, and of course, it's all delivered from an app on your phone.

Brooke says her dog had a real separation anxiety problem and got depressed when she and her family would leave for the day. The dog would go crazy running around the house and carrying shoes all over the place.

Brooke had an idea. She thought: "I video chat with my friends, why not video chat with my dog? Why not reward my dog with a treat when we do it?" And so the love of a dog gave birth to iCPooch.

Here is how it works: The tablet/smartphone operates independently of the iCPooch device, but you control both from the iCPooch Android app, iOS app, or web browser. As long as your smartphone/tablet has a microphone and a camera and is connected to the internet, you can video chat with your dog (or your cat for that matter) at eye level and, with the press of a button, deliver a treat.

Big PEZ dispenser

It actually looks like a big PEZ dispenser. You load the treats the same way -- just stick it in the outer bin and it's ready to go. The device is very lightweight and Brooke said some people are concerned about a large dog knocking it over but she has a remedy to that problem. Just put it high up and let the dispenser release the dog treat on the floor. There is no 5-second rule for dogs. They will obviously be happy to eat whatever wherever.

What is also pretty good about this device is that it can be used for your kids, if you aren't home and you want to make sure homework is done. You ask if it's done, they show you and get a little piece of candy. It could also work to dispense medicine for an older person. 

Brooke, of Spokane, Wash., even has her own line of pet treats to go with the iCPooch.

TRUSTe, which provides of privacy certifications for online businesses, will settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that it deceived consumers about its re-certification program for company’s privacy practices, as well as perpetuated its misrepresentation as a non-profit entity.

The company provides seals to businesses that meet specific requirements for consumer privacy programs that it administers. The seals assure consumers that businesses’ privacy practices are in compliance with specific privacy standards like the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework.

“TRUSTe promised to hold companies accountable for protecting consumer privacy, but it fell short of that pledge,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “Self-regulation plays an important role in helping to protect consumers. But when companies fail to live up to their promises to consumers, the FTC will not hesitate to take action."

Massive deception

The FTC’s complaint contends that from 2006 until January 2013, TRUSTe failed to conduct annual re-certifications of companies holding TRUSTe privacy seals in over 1,000 incidences, despite claiming on its website that companies holding TRUSTe Certified Privacy Seals receive re-certification every year.

In addition, the FTC says that since TRUSTe became a for-profit corporation in 2008, it has failed to require companies using TRUSTe seals to update references to the organization’s non-profit status. Before converting from a non-profit to a for-profit, TRUSTe provided clients model language describing TRUSTe as a non-profit for use in their privacy policies.

Under a microscope

The proposed order, according to the FTC, will help ensure that TRUSTe maintains a high standard of consumer protection in the future. Under the terms of its settlement, TRUSTe will be prohibited from making misrepresentations about its certification process or time line, as well as being barred from misrepresenting its corporate status or whether an entity participates in its program.

In addition, TRUSTe must not provide other companies or entities the means to make misrepresentations about these facts, such as through incorrect or inaccurate model language.

The settlement also requires the company in its role as a COPPA safe harbor to provide detailed information about its COPPA-related activities in its annual filing to the FTC, as well as maintaining comprehensive records about its COPPA safe harbor activities for 10 years.

Each of these provisions represents an increase in the reporting requirements laid out under the COPPA rule for safe harbor programs.

The company must also pay $200,000 as part of the settlement.

Good intentions aren't always enough to produce the desired outcome. And that may be the case with new federal regulations intended to make school meals healthier. 

The new federal regulations requiring school meals to contain more whole grains, less saturated fat and more fruits and vegetables may be improving some aspects of the food being served at schools across the United States but they may also be perpetuating eating habits linked to obesity, diabetes and other diet-related diseases, an analysis by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers has found.

The reasons: Based on analysis of school meals and the new requirements, the whole grains served are mostly processed, which means they are converted into sugar when digested, and many of the required foods, like fruit and milk, contain added sugar because many schools opt to serve canned fruit, fruit juice, and flavored milk.

The new requirements do not limit the amount of added sugar in school meals. The researchers are recommending that the requirements be expanded to limit added sugars and processed foods and to ensure carbohydrate quality.

Low-fat craze

"The low-fat craze in the last two decades has caused Americans to transition to a high carb, low fat diet," notes Sadie Barr, a student in a joint MPH-MBA program at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Carey Business School. "This has been strongly linked to obesity, diabetes and other diet-related diseases, in large part because the majority of the carbs we have been eating are processed. School lunches, even with these new regulations, still largely reflect this diet."

Congress passed the Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) in 2010. It requires school meals (breakfast and lunch) to consist of 51% whole grains, increases the amount of fruits and vegetables offered to students, restricts saturated fats to less than 10% of meal calories, imposes calorie restrictions and only allows skim or 1% milk to be served (only skim milk is allowed to be flavored). The goal was to provide nutritious food that promoted healthful eating.

"The one thing I found shocking," notes Barr, "is that the HHFKA regulation requirements make no mention of carbohydrates. The word 'fat' is mentioned perhaps hundreds of times. But the word 'carbohydrate' is not mentioned once. They didn't recognize that primary macronutrient. Requiring grains served to be at least 51% whole is a step in the right direction, but isn't enough to ensure that the meals served will be more whole and less processed, which would be more advantageous to health."

The researchers, in addition to recommending that HHFKA be expanded to limit added sugars, curtail the amount of processed carbohydrates and increase whole grain and whole food products, are recommending that an independent panel of experts be convened to reevaluate the saturated fat and calorie restriction. This would help insure that processed carbohydrates are not replacing saturated fats, Barr says.

Ford is recalling approximately 65,000 2014-15 Fusions manufactured from July 27, 2013, to Oct. 31, 2014; 2015 Fusion Energi vehicles manufactured from July 14, 2014, to Oct. 31, 2014; and 2015 Fusion Hybrid vehicles manufactured from Feb. 24, 2014, to Oct. 31, 2014.

A programming issue in the instrument cluster allows the key to be removed 30 minutes after the ignition is turned off, even if the transmission is not in Park. This is a compliance issue with a regulation involving theft protection and rollaway prevention.

Ford says it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this condition.

Dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster at no cost to the customer.

BMW of North America is recalling 5,805 model year 2014 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2-door vehicles manufactured January 7, 2014, to July 21, 2014.

The spare wheel may have been attached under the car with a nut that is not self-locking. Vibrations from driving may cause the nut to loosen, allowing the wheel to separate from the car. If the spare wheel separates from the vehicle, it could become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spare wheel securing nut with a self-locking nut, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in November 2014.

Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-275-6464.

Chaotic Labz of Atkins, Ark., is recalling Mayhem dietary supplement capsules, Lot #CLM061114 with an expiration date of 06/2016.

Mayhem, which is intended for use as a bodybuilding supplement, contains undeclared dexamethasone, a prescription corticosteroid commonly used to treat inflammatory conditions, and cyproheptadine, a prescription antihistamine used for seasonal allergy treatment, making this an unapproved drug.

The company says it has not received reports of these adverse effects related to this recall

The recalled product is packaged in a clear bottle with yellow capsules associated with Lot #CLM061114 with an expiration date of 06/2016. It can be identified by the brand known as Chaotic Labz and product name Mayhem, Appetite for Construction.

The product was distributed nationwide to various nutritional supplement retail outlets and via the Internet.

Consumers, distributors and retailers who have the recalled product should stop using it and return the product immediately to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall may contact Cordy Hooten at (479) 223-2677, Monday - Friday from 9am-5pm (CT) or by email at contact.chaoticlabz@gmail.com.

Should you buy a product just because the company selling it is donating a portion of the sale to a good cause?

You certainly have plenty of opportunities to do so as more companies see linking to a popular cause as a way to do good and just maybe, boost sales and mollify their critics. For example, during October's breast cancer awareness campaign, 5-Hour Energy packaged products in pink, donating a portion of the sale to breast cancer research.

While corporate philanthropy is to be applauded, it's worth noting that a company's use of corporate responsibility for marketing can have a manipulative effect on you.

Michelle Andrews and Xueming Luo of Temple University, Zheng Fang of Sichuan University and Jaakko Aspara of Hanken Swedish School of Economics, found that when a company offers to make charitable donations tied to consumer purchases, consumers tend to purchase more. A lot more.

Big boost in sales

"The mere presence of a charitable donation opportunity can generate significantly more sales," the authors write. "Offering the donation nearly doubled the number of purchases."

To prove their point the researchers sent two text messages to consumers. The first advertised tickets for a new film at a nearby IMAX theater, and the second advertised the tickets with a note saying that part of the proceeds would go to help low income students pay for college.

The results were significant. Those people believing their purchase would help others were far more inclined to make a purchase.

Buying a warm glow

The researchers said triggering a “warm glow” feeling in consumers makes them more likely to buy whatever is being sold, whether or not they want it or really need it.

We reported last week on another study that found food manufacturers that supported good causes enjoyed a “health halo,” with consumers assuming the companies' products are healthier than they are.

The authors found that this "health halo" encouraged overconsumption and underestimation of calories consumed, adding that the current study could lead to important changes in advertising regulations -- for example, limiting how much information about its social programs a company may include on its food packaging.

Corporations have commissioned their own socially responsible marketing studies for years, which may be why you see so many of these campaigns. However, business consultants generally advise companies to make their support meaningful and genuine so that they don't appear self-serving.

For consumers, that means giving purchases a little more thought when a product is tied to a cause. If you really want to support the cause, maybe it's okay to be swayed. If it's something you need and you can also support a good cause, so much the better.

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has been ordered to testify in a lawsuit filed by the family of a four-year-old Georgia boy who died when his family's Jeep burst into flames after being rear-ended.

The company had tried to exclude Marchionne from testifying but Decatur County, Ga., Superior Court Judge J. Kevin Chason ordered him to be available for a videotaped deposition, the Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the lawsuit, Remington Cole Walden, 4, was sitting in the back seat of his family's 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee -- strapped into a safety seat -- when the SUV was rear-ended, causing the gas tank to rupture and spill gasoline. The ensuing fire engulfed the rear of the car.

Familiar scenario

The scenario is a familiar one. The Center for Auto Safety has counted 58 fatalities (pdf) in similar accidents and has repeatedly called for a recall of all affected models.

Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) asked Chrysler to recall about 2.7 million older Jeeps that have their fuel tank mounted behind the rear bumper. The company refused but eventually -- in a deal brokered at a secret, unannounced meeting at a Chicago airport -- agreed to a voluntary fix involving about 1.5 million Jeeps while continuing to insist they were safe.

Dealers were instructed to examine the recalled Jeeps and install a trailer hitch on vehicles that did not already have one, the theory being that the trailer hitch would provide additional protection for the fuel tank, a theory critics say has not been scientifically tested.

The Walden family's Jeep was not included in the recall but was part of the 2.7 million Jeeps NHTSA asked Fiat Chrysler to recall.

Fiat Chrysler says the older Jeeps met federal safety standards at the time they were built and says that most of the fatal accidents have been high-speed catastrophic incidents that left little chance of survival.

General Motors is extending by one month the deadline for submitting a claim for death or injury linked to defective ignition switches. The extension follows the revelation that at least one family had not heard of the victim compensation program and did not know that the ignition switch had been blamed for the death of their relative.

Jean P. Averill, 81, was killed in 2003 when her Saturn Ion crashed, making her the earliest fatality so far connected with the ignition switches that have led to millions of recalls.

The New York Times broke the news of Averill's death last week, leading to the decision to extend the claims deadline to Jan. 31, 2015. The Times reported that the Averill family did not know it was eligible to receive a minimum of $1 million from the compensation fund being administered by Kenneth R. Feinberg.

Feinberg said the extension was not directly related to the failure to notify the Averill family. He said hundreds of thousands of consumers who owned affected cars are only now receiving letters informing them of the compensation program and explaining the application process.

At least 33 death claims have been approved so far, the Times reported. The defective ignition switches, which were found in Saturn Ions, Chevrolet Cobalts and other small sedans, had a tendency to slip into the "Accessory" position, cutting power to the engine, power steering, power brakes and airbags.

Information about the claims program and application forms are available online.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States and in the past few years has become a growing public health problem. Not only is the number of skin cancer cases growing, the cost of treating the diseaseis surging.

In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now says skin cancer treatment costs increased 5 times faster than treatments for other cancers between 2002 and 2011.

The average annual cost of skin cancer treatment was $3.6 billion during 2002-2006. But that number grew to $8.1 billion in the years 2007 through 2011, an increase 126%.

During that same time the average annual cost for treating all other cancers increased by just 25%.

Alarming

“The findings raise the alarm that not only is skin cancer a growing problem in the United States, but the costs for treating it are skyrocketing relative to other cancers, said the lead author of the report, Gery Guy, of the CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. “This also underscores the importance of skin cancer prevention efforts.”

According to the CDC about 5 million people in the U.S. are treated for skin cancer every year. Most cases of melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer, are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

While most consumers might think the dangers of skin cancer go away during the winter months, that's not the case. The Skin Cancer Foundation says people who spend time outdoors in the winter – especially winter sports enthusiasts – are at increased risk for overexposure to the sun's UV radiation.

Winter hazards

Skiers and snowboarders may be at increased risk because of the combination of higher altitude and snow's reflective power.

"It's easy to associate winter with frostbite and windburn, but most people are unaware that UV rays can be every bit as damaging on the slopes as on the beach," said Perry Robins, M.D., president of the Skin Cancer Foundation. "With the winter sports season ahead of us, it's more important than ever to take proper precautions on the slopes."

Here's how playing in the snow at higher altitude increases risk. UV radiation exposure increases 4% to 5% with every 1,000 feet above sea level. At an altitude of 9,000 to 10,000 feet, UV radiation may be 35% to 45% more intense than at sea level.

Snow's reflective power

Meanwhile, snow reflects up to 80% of the UV light from the sun. That means you can be exposed twice to the same UV rays, increasing your risk of skin damage.

The CDC says people spending time outdoors need to take precautions to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun, regardless of the season. While less of the body is exposed during the winter, the CDC recommends using sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and both UVA and UVB protection on skin that is exposed.

Marijuana is often regarded as a non-starter when it comes to physical effects on the body, but new research finds that secondhand marijuana smoke may damage blood vessels as much as tobacco smoke.

This shouldn't be too surprising since marijuana and tobacco smoke are chemically and physically alike, aside from their active ingredients -- nicotine in the cases of cigarettes, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana.

"Most people know secondhand cigarette smoke is bad for you, but many don't realize that secondhand marijuana smoke may also be harmful," said Matthew Springer, Ph.D., senior author of the study and cardiovascular researcher and associate professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco's Cardiology Division.

The research is being presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2014.

Growing concern

Now that marijuana is becoming increasingly legalized in the United States, its effect on others is a growing public health concern, Springer said.

"If you're hanging out in a room where people are smoking a lot of marijuana, you may be harming your blood vessels," he said. "There's no reason to think marijuana smoke is better than tobacco smoke. Avoid them both."

Secondhand tobacco smoke causes about 34,000 premature deaths from heart disease each year in the United States among nonsmokers according to the U.S. Surgeon General's 2014 report on the consequences of smoking.

More research is needed to determine if secondhand marijuana smoke has other similar effects to secondhand cigarette smoke in humans.

In the study, blood vessel function in lab rats dropped 70% after 30 minutes of exposure to secondhand marijuana smoke. Even when the marijuana contained no THC, blood vessel function was still impaired.

Reduced blood vessel function may raise the chances of developing atherosclerosis and could lead to a heart attack. Atherosclerosis is the disease process that causes plaque build-up in the arteries which narrows them and restricts blood flow.

The drop in blood vessel function from THC-free marijuana suggests that the compound isn't responsible for the effect. Similarly, this study confirms that nicotine is not required for smoke to interfere with blood vessel function.

Smoking machine

In the study, researchers used a modified cigarette smoking machine to expose rats to marijuana smoke. A high-resolution ultrasound machine measured how well the main leg artery functioned. Researchers recorded blood vessel dilation before smoke exposure and 10 minutes and 40 minutes after smoke exposure.

They also conducted separate tests with THC-free marijuana and plain air. There was no difference in blood vessel function when the rats were exposed to plain air.

In previous tobacco studies, blood vessel function tended to go back to normal within 30 minutes of exposure. However, in the marijuana study, blood vessel function didn't return to normal when measured 40 minutes after exposure.

Wouldn't it be great if you could sit back while your kids cooked the Thanksgiving dinner for you? Well, why not? Thanksgiving is a great time to create a new tradition and also spark interest in learning to cook.

Studies have shown that kids who help cook are more likely to try new foods --usually healthier ones. Letting children be in control of part of the meal, even by allowing them to choose whether you eat carrots or peas for dinner, can help reduce the anxiety of eating a new food or one that may not look great but tastes all right.

Like anything new, be prepared for lots of spills but the good news is the more they do it the better they get. If you teach them about healthy food and how fun it is to create recipes they will grow up knowing that food tastes better at home as opposed to eating out. It is a very good way to cut down on obesity.

First things first -- make sure they wash their hands, since as far as we know mud isn't an ingredient anyone is really fond of eating.

Safety first

Safety is important as the stove is hot and liquids can be hit and spilled. Turn all pot and pan handles toward the back of the stove to help prevent a child's arm or head from knocking it over.

Oven mitts are a kitchen essential. A handle might not feel very hot to you but can burn a small child.

Make sure you walk through how to use kitchen appliances like a blender or can opener and be sure to supervise younger children.

This is also a wonderful opportunity to increase your kids' vocabulary. Teach them what words like sear or sauté mean.

Clean-up is just as important as prep time and they need to know how to be sanitary. Teach them that cleaning is just as important as measuring how much flour to use in a cake.

Having their own tools also helps give kids a sense of ownership and independence. Some suggestions:

• A set of measuring cups and spoons (good for math skills);
• Mixing bowls that are slip-proof and easy to pour;
• Growingcooks.com has mini-utensils for little hands;
• Curiouschef.com has a whole assortment including kid-friendly knives; and
• Forsmallhands.com has chef hats and an apron.

Keep the atmosphere fun and engaging. If you are tense or worried they will pick up on it. Going from start to finish gives them a sense of accomplishment. This can be a fabulous self esteem builder as they are creating something and finishing it. Remember we want them to do this on their own someday.