Current Events in August 2015

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    New retirees may be better off renting

    It's a way to test drive your new lifestyle

    Most of the time the debate over whether to buy or rent a home takes place among Millennials.

    The younger generation was slow to embrace homeownership in the wake of the housing bust, though recent evidence suggests they are now showing a lot more interest.

    Rarely do you hear people approaching retirement debating whether or not they should buy a home when they downsize and relocate. But Jane Bryant Clark, senior editor at Kiplinger's Personal Finance, says it's a discussion that more retirees ought to be having.

    She writes that she was planning to sell her home when she retires and buy a condo. She found what she thought was the perfect unit – it had everything she was looking for. There was just one problem – it wasn't a condo, it was an apartment.

    Financial advisors weigh in

    Should she rent instead of own? She posed the question to a number of financial advisors she consults on a regular basis.

    “I was actually surprised at how many were receptive to the idea of renting,” Clark told ConsumerAffairs. “Most of them seem to think there are some very good arguments for it. Renting is more flexible, expenses are more predictable. They seemed to think it was a good option, actually.”

    It's flexible because you normally sign a one-year lease. No matter how long you stay, when you leave it's a lot easier because you aren't listing a property for sale. You just move.

    Clark says financial advisors worry about their clients who retire and embrace big changes, like moving from the suburbs to the city, or moving to an entirely different part of the country.

    “That's a big lifestyle change and its possible you just wouldn't like it,” Clark said. “Many of the financial advisors I talked to about this think it's not a bad idea to rent for a while after retirement, just to see.”

    The economic argument

    Besides whether or not you're happy in your first move in retirement, there's the matter of dollars and cents. Clark says retirees can't automatically assume that buying a home makes the most economic sense – you have to crunch the numbers.

    “The New York Times has a very good rent vs. own calculator,” she said. “Punch all the numbers in and see which option makes more sense, based on how much you expect to get out of your house, how much you expect to spend on rent.”

    Clark said she went into this experiment thinking she should purchase a condo. But she found arguments for both sides.

    “To me, the idea of paying this rent every single month and not building any equity seemed a little scary,” Clark said. “On the other hand, condo association fees can go up and you have no control over that.”

    Variables

    A lot of variables go into such a decision, including where you happen to live. Some markets are affordable but some aren't. As we have recently reported, rents are rapidly escalating, but in some markets more than others.

    Also, you have to be prepared to move again in the short-term when you rent. If you're 68, it may not be such a big deal. If you're 78, it might be.

    At any rate, Clark says the idea of renting in retirement may become more common as Baby Boomers retire. It's definitely a subject to bring up with your financial advisor, she says.

    Most of the time the debate over whether to buy or rent a home takes place among Millennials.The younger generation was slow to embrace homeownership i...

    United Nations “concerned” over AT&T allowing NSA to spy on diplomats

    Also: the U.N. will soon be accepting bids for a new communications contractor

    In a masterpiece of understatement, the Associated Press reported that the United Nations has “expressed concern” over recent revelations that AT&T; (the U.N.'s current, though probably not future, communications provider) allowed the National Security Agency to monitor all Internet traffic at U.N. headquarters in New York City. The United Nations paid AT&T; $1 million per year for this service.

    Yesterday, U.N. spokeswoman Vannina Maestracci said that the world diplomatic organization would discuss the spying issue with AT&T; “over the coming months.” Also, the U.N. said that in the next few months, it will start accepting bids for new communications contracts.

    Monitoring communications

    According to Maestracci, the United Nations expects all 193 member states (and, presumably, any corporate entities it hires to provide telecom services) “to respect the inviolability of our communications.” She also said that the U.N. has in the past received “assurances from the U.S. government that they were not and would not monitor our communications.”

    In 2013, after a report surfaced indicating that the NSA had gained secret access to the U.N.'s videoconferencing system, the U.N. said it had received a pledge from the U.S. goverment that it would not spy on diplomatic communications.

    In addition to the United Nations, AT&T; also lets the NSA monitor data from foreign emails, and 1.1 billion U.S. domestic phone calls per day.

    Despite this, AT&T; said in a December 2013 letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission that it shares communications data with the government “only to the extent required by the law.” And in a statement to the media earlier this week, AT&T; insisted that “We do not voluntarily provide information to any investigating authorities other than if a person’s life is in danger and time is of the essence.”

    In a masterpiece of understatement, the Associated Press reported that the United Nations has “expressed concern” over recent revelations that AT&T (the U....

    Increase in foreclosure activity has silver lining

    Banks are beefing up depleted inventory of homes for sale

    There were 124,910 foreclosure filings in the U.S. last month, a sharp 7% rise from June and a 14% surge from July 2014.

    What's going on? Is the housing crisis back? Hardly.

    In fact, foreclosure marketplace RealtyTrac – which released the data – says the market is improving and the foreclosure numbers are a sign of that.

    Foreclosure “filings” can be a lot of different things – everything from a default notice to the bank taking possession of a property (REO). In recent months, RealtyTrac say banks have finally begun to seize properties that went into foreclosure years ago. These homes are going back onto the market, helping to replenish declining inventory.

    Foreclosure starts plunge

    RealtyTrac vice-president Daren Blomquist says July bank repossessions reached their highest level since January 2013. At the same time, foreclosure stats were at the lowest level since before the housing meltdown – a 10-year low. So the foreclosure activity is not new distressed property, but old distressed property that is finally being pushed into the sales pipeline.

    “This clearing of old distress is evident in the fact that properties foreclosed in the second quarter had been in the foreclosure process an average of 629 days, the longest in any quarter since we began tracking in the first quarter of 2007,” said Blomquist. “It’s also evident that the recent surge in REOs is in fact clearing out more of the bad bubble-era loans from the so-called shadow inventory.”

    Data released by RealtyTrac shows 61% of loans still in the foreclosure process were originated during the housing bubble years of 2004 to 2008, down from 68% last year and 75% two years ago.”

    Home sales stall put prices rise

    An infusion of foreclosed homes into the real estate market comes at a good time. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports sales of existing homes rose only slightly in July, in large part because of declining inventories of homes for sale.

    Sales to first-time buyers fell to their lowest level since January. Blomquist notes that since REOs put back on the market tend to be priced below market, they are exactly the kinds of homes that often draw first-time buyers.

    But rising home prices could be something of a headwind. The median existing-home price for all housing types in July was $234,000, which is 5.6% above July 2014. July's price increase marks the 41st consecutive month of year-over-year gains.

    Declining affordability

    "Despite the strong growth in sales since this spring, declining affordability could begin to slowly dampen demand," said NAR chief economist Lawence Yun. "Realtors in some markets reported slower foot traffic in July in part because of low inventory and concerns about the continued rise in home prices without commensurate income gains."

    In addition to rising prices and minuscule wage growth, homebuilders have not built nearly as many new homes in recent years as they have in the past. Many people who would like to sell existing homes can't because they're still under water.

    As a result total housing inventory at the end of July declined 0.4% to 2.24 million existing homes available for sale, and is now 4.7% lower than a year ago.

    There were 124,910 foreclosure filings in the U.S. last month, a sharp 7% rise from June and a 14% surge from July 2014.What's going on? Is the housing...

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      Senators urge recall of all Takata airbags

      The move follows the explosion of an airbag in a 2015 Volkswagen

      Another chapter in the Takata airbag scandal opened yesterday with the revelation that an airbag in a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan had exploded after the car hit a deer. Previously, similar incidents have been confined to older cars.

      Now, two U.S. senators who sit on the Senate panel that has been looking into the Takata situation are asking for the recall of all cars equipped with Takata airbags.

      Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.),,today called on the airbag manufacturer to voluntarily recall all vehicles with Takata airbags and to immediately make public data related to the testing of Takata’s airbags, so that it can be reviewed by independent experts and analysts.

      Argument not persuasive

      Takata has denied that the Tiguan incident is linked to earlier explosions that sent shrapnel into passenger compartments causing deaths and injuries,but that explanation isn't being well-received by Blumenthal and Markey, as they make clear in a letter,to Takata.

      “As new reports surface of explosions in the latest models of Takata airbags, we write to express our deep concern over the obfuscation and delay that your company has engaged in while searching for a root cause of these defects," the senators said.

      "Takata’s defective airbags have already caused at least eight deaths and more than one-hundred injuries in the United States – numbers that may increase as further cases come to light – and it is essential for your company to do all it can to identify and address the cause of this problem."

      17 million so far

      More than 17 million older cars have already been recalled because they contain Takata airbags similar to those that have exploded. Takata initially said the problem was limited to regions with high heat and humidity but the recalls were later expanded nationally.

      "In light of the most recent incident, which did not occur in one of the regions originally designated as “high humidity,” and which involved a 2015 vehicle not currently subject to recall, we urge you to voluntarily recall,all,vehicles containing Takata airbags,” the senators' letter concluded.

      ,

      The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into the Tiguan incident and has ordered VW and Takata to answer a series of questions and provide data that may help investigators get to the bottom of the problem.

      ,

      Another chapter in the Takata airbag scandal opened yesterday with the revelation that an airbag in a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan had exploded after the car hit...

      Pension loan companies duped consumers, feds and NY charge

      Consumers weren't aware of high interest charges and fees associated with the loans

      A pension advance loan is just that -- a loan that's paid off by your monthly pension payment. It's similar to payday loan and often includes the sky-high interest rates typical of payday loans.

      Promoters of these loans are often very creative in their claims, and that spells trouble for two of them -- Pension Funding, LLC and Pension Income, LLC. The companies are being sued by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS).

      The agencies say the companies deceived consumers about the costs and risks of their pension advance loans and duped consumers into borrowing against their pensions by deceptively marketing the product as a sale instead of a loan and failing to disclose high interest rates and fees.

      “These companies duped consumers into taking out pension advance loans by deceiving them about the terms of the deal,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “We are working to put a stop to the illegal practices these companies are using to sell their bogus product to military veterans and other pensioners.”

      The companies, both based in California, operated from 2011 until about December 2014, offering consumers lump-sum cash advances for agreeing to redirect all or part of their pension payments over a period of eight years.

      “As outlined in our complaint, the defendants used blatantly deceptive practices to harvest the hard-earned pensions of seniors and military personnel,” said Anthony J. Albanese, Acting New York Superintendent of Financial Services. “This scheme involved false advertising, illegal loans at high interest rates, and other abusive tactics."

      The complaint filed in federal district court alleges that the companies and individuals violated the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act by:

      ·         Misrepresenting the product as a sale and not a loan: The CFPB and NYDFS allege that the companies represented to consumers that their product was not a loan, but rather a “sale” of their future pension income. In fact, the CFPB and NYDFS allege, the product was a loan.

      ·         Failing to disclose or misrepresenting the interest rate and fees for the loans: The CFPB and NYDFS allege that the defendants, in many cases, misrepresented or failed to inform consumers of the applicable interest rate or fees for the loans. In some cases, the defendants advised consumers that the product was better than a home equity line of credit or a credit card because of lower rates and fees. In fact, the effective interest rate typically was greater than 28 percent, higher than many comparable products available to consumers, such as credit cards and home equity lines. Charges for life insurance and other fees also applied.

      A pension advance loan is just that -- a loan that's paid off by your monthly pension payment. It's similar to payday loan and often includes the sky-high...

      Hospital mergers are driving up costs, researchers say

      When competition is reduced, consumers pay more

      Wall Street mergers have become commonplace in the last two decades as everything from airlines to hotel chains have consolidated.

      Researchers at Johns Hopkins believe that it's bad news for consumers when hospitals merge. They allege that, more often than not, it leads to higher costs and declining services. The researchers, writing in the journal JAMA, say there has been too much hospital consolidation lately.

      “It’s really Economics 101, but in the health care field, the implications of ‘too big to fail’ hospital systems could be far more devastating than similar consolidations in other industries because ultimately they threaten access and quality of care,” said lead author Dr. Marty Makary, professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

      More FTC oversight

      Makary and his colleagues are asking the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to be more skeptical when hospital systems seek approval to consolidate. In particular, they say the FTC needs to pay close attention to geographic regions where proposed mergers could create a single dominant hospital system.

      Why is consolidation such a problem? These healthcare insiders argue hospital monopolies can engage in practices that affect both the price of services and patient outcomes because they operate without the checks and balances of a competitive marketplace. That, they warn, could add to rising healthcare costs paid by consumers in the form of high-deductible insurance policies and higher co-pays.

      Merger & acquisition (M&A;) activity is on the rise. The Johns Hopkins researchers count 193 mergers in 2013 and 2014. What's worse, they contend that about one-fifth of U.S. hospitals are planning to seek a merger in the next five years.

      Corporations don't like competition

      Corporations seek to merge for the primary purpose of reducing competition. It also reduces what they see as excess capacity within the system.

      The airline industry is a prime example. Multiple mergers have reduced the number of airlines, which has reduced capacity. It has worked very well for the airlines, which are more profitable than they have been in years. Ask frequent fliers whether it has worked well for consumers and you'll probably get a different answer.

      The Johns Hopkins researchers say the healthcare system needs more competition, not less, to function properly. They point to a 2013 analysis showing that none of the 306 geographic health care markets in the U.S. is considered “highly competitive.”

      Nearly half of these markets, they add, are deemed highly concentrated, with a handful of small hospitals dominated by a single powerful player.

      Other watchdogs

      Johns Hopkins is home to other medical cost watchdogs. In June we reported Gerard F. Anderson of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Ge Bai of Washington & Lee University took a close look at how hospitals mark up and pass on their costs.

      They discovered 50 U.S. hospitals with what they say is the highest markup of prices over their actual costs. Their research shows these hospitals are charging out-of-network patients and the uninsured, as well as some insurers, more than 10 times the costs allowed by Medicare. It's a stunning markup of more than 1,000% for the same medical services.

      The researchers blame a combination of the lack of regulation of hospital charges in the U.S. and no market competition for what they term “price-gouging” that trickles down to nearly all consumers, whether they have health insurance or not.

      “For the most part, there is no regulation of hospital rates and there are no market forces that force hospitals to lower their rates,” Anderson said at the time. “They charge these prices simply because they can.”

      Makary and his colleagues say limited integration of healthcare facilities can provide some cost-saving benefits. But they say “unbridled gobbling up” of smaller hospitals by large health care systems could have the opposite effect because it can stifle innovation-stimulating competition.

      Wall Street mergers have become commonplace in the last two decades as everything from airlines to hotel chains have consolidated. Researchers at Johns ...

      Mortgage interest rates edge upward

      Lower rates are having an impact on the housing market

      Mortgage interest rates, as tracked by 2 key institutions moved higher in the week ending August 20, with Freddie Mac's calculation showing the benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage (FRM) averaging below 4%.

      According to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the 30-year FRM averaged 3.93% with an average 0.6 point, down 1 basis point from last week when it averaged 3.94%. A year ago at this time, it averaged 4.10%.

      "There was little movement in financial markets this week as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate remained steady,” said Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sean Becketti. Hoe notes that “housing markets have responded positively to low mortgage rates -- the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been below four percent for five consecutive weeks,” adding, “overall housing markets remain on track for the best year since 2007."

      The 15-year FRM was down 2 basis points this week, averaging 3.15% with an average 0.6 point. At this time last year, it averaged 3.23%.

      The average for the 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) was 2.94% this week with an average 0.5 point. It averaged 2.93% last week and 2.95% a year earlier.

      The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM was unchanged at 2.62% with an average 0.3 point. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.38%.

      The Bankrate tally

      Bankrate.com's weekly national survey shows a modest increase in rates, with the benchmark 30-year FRM rising to 4.06 percent, with an average of 0.25 discount and origination points an increase of 2 basis points from a week earlier.

      The larger jumbo 30-year fixed rate slipped below the 4% mark -- to 3.97%, the lowest since late April.

      The average 15-year FRM mortgage ticked up to 3.28% from 3.26% the previous week, and adjustable mortgage rates also nosing higher. The 5-year ARM reversing last week's move and settling at 3.24% percent while the 7-year ARM edged upward to 3.41%.

      At the current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 4.06%, the monthly payment on a $200,000 loan is $961.76.

      Mortgage interest rates, as measured by 2 key institutions moved higher in the week ending August 20, with Freddie Mac's calculation showing the benchmark...

      Leading Economic Index posts first decline in 5 months

      A drop in housing permits was among the culprits

      After posting 4 months of strong gains, The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index (LEI) moved lower in July.

      The decline of 0.2% followed advances of 0.6% in June, May, and April.

      “Despite a sharp drop in housing permits, the U.S. LEI is still pointing to moderate economic growth through the remainder of the year,” said Ataman Ozyildirim, director of business cycles and growth research at The Conference Board. “Current conditions, measured by the coincident economic index, have been rising moderately but steadily, driven by rising employment and income, and even industrial production has improved in recent months.”

      The leading index is essentially a composite average of several individual leading indicators. It is constructed to summarize and reveal common turning point patterns in economic data in a clearer and more convincing manner than any individual component – primarily because it smooths out some of the volatility of individual components.

      The 10 components of the LEI include:

      1. Average weekly hours, manufacturing
      2. Average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance
      3. Manufacturers’ new orders, consumer goods, and materials
      4. ISM Index of New Orders
      5. Manufacturers' new orders, non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft orders
      6. Building permits, new private housing units
      7. Stock prices, 500 common stocks
      8. Leading Credit Index
      9. Interest rate spread, 10-year Treasury bonds less federal funds
      10. Average consumer expectations for business conditions

      Initial claims

      The Department of Labor (DOL) states that initial applications for jobless benefits rose by 4,000 in the week ending August 15 to a seasonally adjusted 277,000.

      The previous week's level was revised down by 1,000 to 273,000. DOL says there were no special factors affecting this week's claims level.

      The four-week moving average, which smooths out the volatility found in the weekly compilation was up 5,500 to 271,500, still near the low point for several decades.

      The complete report is available on the DOL website.

      After posting 4 months of strong gains, The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index (LEI) moved lower in July. The decline of 0.2% followed advances of ...

      Trump-Carson: the anti-politician ticket

      Don't laugh. It's all the buzz in political circles today

      You read it here first: Trump and Carson. Inside-the-Beltway tongues are wagging at news that operatives of the Trump campaign have been seen huddling with their counterparts in the Dr. Ben Carson camp.

      It's a natural tie-up and race has nothing to do with it. Rather, both men are as far from being professional politicians as it's possible to be -- and that seems to be what voters think they want this time around.

      Also a possibility as a Trump running mate if you buy this line of reasoning is Carly Fiorina. Again, it has little to do with gender issues and is based mostly on her credentials -- a self-made businessperson able to run large organizations efficiently.

      The strategists who run political campaigns are, of course, basically the same people who run the candidates after they're elected. They care nothing about anything, really, except getting their candidate elected and keeping their special interests happy post-election so they can do it again the next time.

      If dogs could run for office, these people would happily clean out the kennels and stock up on short leashes.

      Dog days

      But seriously, why are we writing about this? It may not seem like a consumer issue, after all. Well, aside from the fact that it is a bone-dry news week in the dog days of summer, the fact is that elections are nothing but a consumer issue -- they're the day we the people/citizens/consumers have our say about whose bones get buried where.

      We own the government and pay scads of money to keep it plodding along, after all.

      Leaving aside the stuff the candidates babble on about -- immigration, abortion, same-sex marriage and pork on a stick -- elections are about who can best manage the country, keeping the economy spinning, the water flowing and the borders not too porous.

      Depending on your point of view, ideology is either supremely important or secondary at best. To the professionals, ideology is just another talking point on the campaign trail, quickly forgotten when the votes are counted. 

      Though many may appear to be clowns, or worse, national-level politicians didn't get where they are accidentally. They learned to read the tea leaves and to tell which way the wind was blowing; from there, they made the strategic and tactical decisions that got them into Congress, the governor's mansion or the executive suite. Adaptability is everything.

      Continuing to plow the same old furrow -- whether it's liberal dogma, conservative credo or class- and gender-based politics -- isn't something a smart politican and his handlers do in a year when the public decides it has had it up to here with politicians who have never managed anything or displayed any talent for much of anything.

      Ferocious reception

      No one we know of predicted the ferocity with which voters would greet the prospect of the same old names and faces being trotted out yet again but everyone now sees it and is scrambling to adapt.

      The GOP has the edge in fielding anti-politician candidates, of course, because so many business people are Republicans. Democrats tend to have more long-time officeholders in their ranks, which may not be a good thing this year, although seen from this point of view, Sen. Bernie Sanders is playing well as a politician's anti-politician. 

      Which is better for consumers? The traditional answer is that Republicans tend to support business innovation, which should produce better products and services. Democrats tend to favor more government oversight of business, which should theoretically produce the same thing. Which actually works best? It depends on the executive-legislative mix you elect to manage the process. 

      Not a sermon or a prediction -- just what you'd overhear at some of the better D.C. Starbucks this week. 

      You read it here first: Trump and Carson. Inside-the-Beltway tongues are wagging at news that operatives of the Trump campaign have been seen huddling with...

      Madewell recalls women’s sandals

      The metal shank can dislodge and break through bottom of the outsole

      Madewell of New York, N.Y., is recalling about 51,000 pair of women's sandals in the U.S. and Canada.

      The metal shank can dislodge and break through bottom of the outsole, posing a fall hazard.

      The firm has received 8 reports of metal shanks dislodging and breaking through the bottom of the outsole. No injuries have been reported.

      This recall involves all Madewell Sightseer sandals from the spring 2015 collection. Sandals with the following 10 style numbers and names in all sizes are being recalled:

      1. C0275 Sightseer Knotted Slide Sandal
      2. C0276 Sightseer T-Strap Thong Sandal in Black Leather
      3. C0277 Sightseer T-Strap Thong Sandal in Metallic Colorblock
      4. C0278 Sightseer Buckle Gladiator Sandal
      5. C0279 Sightseer Slide Sandal
      6. C1105 Sightseer Crisscross Sandal
      7. C5893 Sightseer T-Strap Toe-Loop Sandal
      8. C5895 Sightseer Ankle-Wrap Sandal in Shiny Silver
      9. C5897 Sightseer Lace-Up Sandal
      10. C6090 Sightseer Ankle-Wrap Sandal in Metallic Sand

      The style number is located on a sticker on the outsole.

      The sandals, manufactured in China, were sold at Madewell stores, online at madewell.com, online at shopbop.com from February 2015, to July 2015, for between $60 and $80.

      Customers should immediately stop using the recalled sandals and contact Madewell to return them for a full refund.

      Consumers may contact Madewell toll free at (866) 544-1937 anytime, by email at 24-7@madewell.com or online at www.madewell.com and click on Important Notice for more information.

      Madewell of New York, N.Y., is recalling about 51,000 pair of women's sandals in the U.S. and Canada. The metal shank can dislodge and break through botto...

      Scientists: exercise doesn't help you lose weight

      But don't take that as an excuse to camp out on the sofa

      See all those people sweating in the health club? All that exercise is certainly good for their cardiovascular systems and overall health, but is it helping them lose weight? Not so much.

      That's the conclusion of public health scientists Richard S. Cooper, MD and Amy Luke, PhD of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

      “Physical activity is crucially important for improving overall health and fitness levels, but there is limited evidence to suggest that it can blunt the surge in obesity,” Luke and Cooper wrote in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

      The two scientists have been studying the link between physical activity and obesity for years. They say that when they started their research, their assumption was physical activity would prove very important to losing weight. But the more they investigated, they say the more their doubts grew. Now, they say the preponderance of evidence has shown their initial assumption was wrong.

      Input and output

      Losing weight, after all, is all about input and output. Your body burns a certain number of calories each day. If you consume more than that, you tend to gain weight. If you consume fewer, you tend to lose it.

      So burning 300 calories at the gym allows you to consume the same number of calories you normally do and have a net 300 fewer on the consumption side. The problem is, we don't usually consume the same number of calories on days when we burn off 300 at the gym.

      If you increase your activity, Cooper and Luke say, your appetite increases and you compensate by eating more food. So with or without increasing physical activity, calorie control remains key to losing or maintaining weight.

      “This crucial part of the public health message is not appreciated in recommendations to be more active, walk up stairs and eat more fruits and vegetables,” the authors write. “The prescription needs to be precise: There is only one effective way to lose weight – eat fewer calories.”

      Cooper is a professor and chair, and Luke is a professor and vice chair, of the Department of Public Health Sciences of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

      Food industry isn't helping

      They contend the food and beverage industry has tried to divert attention from calorie consumption by promoting the theory that lack of physical exercise is a major cause of obesity. They point to a recent New York Times report that Coca-Cola, the world’s largest producer of sugary beverages, “is backing a new ‘science-based’ solution to the obesity crisis: To maintain a healthy weight, get more exercise and worry less about cutting calories.”

      In their write up of their study, Cooper and Luke lay out evidence that physical activity alone is not key to losing weight.

      A number of clinical trials have found that exercise plus cutting calories achieves virtually the same weight loss as calorie restriction alone. Observational studies find no association between energy expenditure and weight change.

      Yes, it's true that some Americans exercise enough to influence body weight – a professional tennis player, for example – but the number who actually achieve that level of physical activity is minuscule.

      While physical activity has many benefits, so does eating the right kinds of food. When embarking on a diet to reduce calories, just make sure you aren't depriving your body of needed nutrients.

      The National Institute on Aging has reported on numerous studies showing a 30% reduction in calories promotes longer life. Eating a balanced diet, just smaller portions, is one way to achieve that.

      See all those people sweating in the health club? All that exercise is certainly good for their cardiovascular systems and overall health, but is it helpin...

      British study: e-cigs 95% less harmful than cigarettes

      Brits worry too many smokers don't recognize e-cigs' benefits

      Great Britain and the United States haven't always seen eye-to-eye. The latest example: e-cigarettes. Politicians and public health authorities in the U.S. continue to view e-cigs with caution while England has taken a more positive view -- most notably a new report from Public Health England (PHE) that finds e-cigs about 95% less harmful than smoking.

      "My reading of the evidence is that smokers who switch to vaping remove almost all the risks smoking poses to their health," said Professor Peter Hajek of Queen Mary University. Hajek co-authored the report with Professor Ann McNeill of King's College London.

      The expert independent evidence review also finds "no evidence so far that e-cigarettes are acting as a route into smoking for children or non-smokers." That contradicts a study by the University of California last year that found that adolescents who used the devices were more likely to smoke cigarettes and less likely to quit smoking. 

      Falling smoking rates

      The review, commissioned by Public Health England (PHE) -- an arm of the British Department of Health -- goes further and suggests that e-cigarettes may be contributing to falling smoking rates among adults and young people. 

      The review found that almost all of the 2.6 million adults using e-cigarettes in Great Britain are current or ex-smokers, most of whom are using the devices to help them quit smoking or to prevent them going back to cigarettes.

      It also provides reassurance that very few adults and young people who have never smoked are becoming regular e-cigarette users (less than 1% in each group).

      Emerging evidence suggests some of the highest successful quit rates are now seen among smokers who use an e-cigarette and also receive additional support from their local stop smoking services.

      Time to reconsider?

      The report drew the expected response from the American Vaping Association, which represents manufacturers of the electronic nicotine delivery devices. It called for U.S. organizations and government agencies like the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to reassess their views on vaping. 

      "This report represents a major win for public health. Smokers need to know that vapor products are far less hazardous than smoking and effective for quitting," said Gregory Conley, AVA president. "With over 42 million Americans still smoking cigarettes, there is no excuse for major public health organizations to continue to propagandize against these lifesaving products."

      Attitude gap

      Nothing better illustrates the attitude gap between the U.S. and Britain than the concern expressed by U.K. health officials that too many people think e-cigs are just as harmful as traditional cigarettes. 

      "The problem is people increasingly think they are at least as harmful and this may be keeping millions of smokers from quitting. Local stop smoking services should look to support e-cigarette users in their journey to quitting completely," said Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England. "E-cigarettes are not completely risk free but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm." 

      Ann McNeill, co-author of the review, agreed:

      There is no evidence that e-cigarettes are undermining England’s falling smoking rates. Instead the evidence consistently finds that e-cigarettes are another tool for stopping smoking and in my view smokers should try vaping and vapers should stop smoking entirely.

      E-cigarettes could be a game changer in public health in particular by reducing the enormous health inequalities caused by smoking.

      Great Britain and the United States haven't always seen eye-to-eye. The latest example: e-cigarettes. Politicians and public health authorities in the U.S....

      Hackers release data stolen from Ashley Madison adultery-dating website

      The data dump appears real but the data might be fake; Ashley Madison never verified member registration emails

      A month after the adultery-dating website AshleyMadison.com (registered motto: “Life is short. Have an affair.®”) admitted that hackers had managed to breach its database, those hackers have apparently made all of the stolen data available online.

      Ashley Madison is owned by Avid Life Media, which also owns other hookup sites, including Established Men and Cougar Life. The hacker or hackers behind the breach self-identify as The Impact Team. At the time of the original breach, The Impact Team threatened to release all of the information it stole unless the site was taken down. And now, it appears that they have made good on that threat.

      Released data

      As Wired first reported last night, yesterday somebody hiding behind anonymizing software and browsers posted 9.7 gigabytes of apparent Ashley Madison data to the dark web. “The files appear to include account details and log-ins for some 32 million users of the social networking site, touted as the premier site for married individuals seeking partners for affairs. Seven years worth of credit card and other payment transaction details are also part of the dump, going back to 2007 [including] names, street address, email address and amount paid, but not credit card numbers.”

      At the time of the breach, AshleyMadison.com claimed to have almost 40 million members in all.

      According to its own statements, The Impact Team's main complaint with Ashley Madison isn't the fact that the website promotes or facilitates adultery, but that it allegedly lied to its clients. Specifically, people with dating profiles on Ashley Madison were also offered the chance to pay $19 for a “full delete” function – basically scrubbing their complete profile and activity history from the site.

      The Impact Team claimed to have discovered proof that the “full delete” service was a lie, and the information never completely deleted from the database. (Granted, there's arguably some inherent contradictions in The Impact Team's claimed motivation “We dislike the fact that this website harmed its clients, so we're punishing the website by releasing data that will harm its clients.”)

      Ashley Madison executives did not take the website down and so yesterday, according to Wired, somebody released an alleged data dump, preceded by an introduction saying, in part, that:

      Avid Life Media has failed to take down Ashley Madison and Established Men. We have explained the fraud, deceit, and stupidity of ALM and their members. Now everyone gets to see their data.

      Find someone you know in here? Keep in mind the site is a scam with thousands of fake female profiles. See ashley madison fake profile lawsuit; 90-95% of actual users are male. Chances are your man signed up on the world's biggest affair site, but never had one. He just tried to. If that distinction matters....

      Profiles

      Of course, there are other possibilities explaining how and why someone might apparently have a profile on the website. For starters, Ashley Madison doesn’t verify members' emails – you can register with any address, not merely your own. So, for example: although someone did apparently register there with the email address tblair@labour.gov.uk, this does not prove that a certain recent former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ever actually joined the site. The same holds true for the over 15,000 U.S. government or military email addresses found thus far, or the many teachers and professors whose current or former .edu addresses appear in the data dump (and it's easy to imagine students using their teachers' email addresses for joke registrations, in a more risque version of the old “Let's have a dozen takeout pizzas sent to Teacher's house” prank).

      As computer security expert Graham Cluley pointed out on his blog (bold print lifted from the original):

      …. being a member of a dating site, even a somewhat seedy one like Ashley Madison, is no evidence that you have cheated on your partner.

      You might have joined the site years before when you were single and be shocked that they still have your details in their database, or you might have joined the site out of curiosity or for a laugh... never seriously planning to take things any further.

      But more importantly than all of that, if your email address is in the Ashley Madison database it means nothing. The owner of that email address may never have even visited the Ashley Madison site....

      Potential to ruin lives

      This is especially important to remember because, as Cluley also says: “Others might find the thought that their membership of the site - even if they never met anyone in real life, and never had an affair - too much to bear, and there could be genuine casualties as a result. And yes, I mean suicide.”

      This does indeed have the potential to ruin millions of people's lives — and not merely people who somehow “deserve” it, either.

      After learning of the stolen data release, Avid Life Media released a statement saying that “Our investigation is still ongoing and we are simultaneously cooperating fully with law enforcement investigations, including by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Toronto Police Services and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. … This event is not an act of hacktivism, it is an act of criminality. … We know that there are people out there who know one or more of these individuals, and we invite them to come forward. ... Anyone with information that can lead to the identification, arrest and conviction of these criminals, can contact [email protected].”

      A month after the adultery-dating website AshleyMadison.com (registered motto: “Life is short. Have an affair.®”) admitted that hackers had managed to brea...

      Coffee and cranberries may fight colon cancer

      Two independent studies conclude food properties could be powerful weapons

      Two new studies suggest that a common food and common beverage could be powerful tools to fight colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.

      The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has completed a large study. The results show that regular consumption of caffeinated coffee may help prevent the return of colon cancer after treatment and improve the chances of a cure.

      Other researchers presenting findings at the American Chemical Society meeting this week say cranberries have been shown to shrink tumors in mice with colon cancer.

      Four or more cups of coffee

      The Dana-Farber study found that patients, all of them treated with surgery and chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer, had the greatest benefit if they consumed four or more cups of coffee a day, amounting to about 460 milligrams of caffeine.

      These patients were 42% less likely to have their cancer return than non-coffee drinkers, and were 33% less likely to die from cancer or any other cause. Two to three cups of coffee a day had a more modest benefit, while little protection was associated with one cup or less.

      “We found that coffee drinkers had a lower risk of the cancer coming back and a significantly greater survival and chance of a cure,” said Dr. Charles Fuchs, director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber.

      He added that most recurrences happen within five years of treatment and are uncommon after that. In patients with stage III of the disease, the cancer has been found in the lymph nodes near the original tumor, but there are no signs of further metastasis. Fuchs said these patients have about a 35 percent chance of recurrence.

      As encouraging as the results appear to be, Fuchs said he is hesitant to make recommendations to patients until the results are confirmed in other studies.

      “If you are a coffee drinker and are being treated for colon cancer, don’t stop,” he said. “But if you’re not a coffee drinker and wondering whether to start, you should first discuss it with your physician.”

      Cranberries

      Colon cancer may offer a particularly good target for a dietary treatment, simply due to the anatomy of digestion, said Catherine Neto, Ph.D., of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

      Cranberry extracts may also afford protection toward other cancers, but it seems reasonable to look at colon cancer,” she said. “Cranberry constituents and metabolites should be bioavailable to the colon as digestion proceeds.”

      Neto and her team created three cranberry extracts and fed them to mice with colon cancer. After 20 weeks, the mice given the whole cranberry extract had about half the number of tumors as mice that received no cranberry in their chow. The remaining tumors in the cranberry-fed mice were also smaller. Plus, the cranberry extracts seemed to reduce the levels of inflammation markers in the mice.

      “Basically, what we found was pretty encouraging. All preparations were effective to some degree, but the whole cranberry extract was the most effective,” said Neto. “There may be some synergy between polyphenol and non-polyphenol constituents.”

      Neto said she is looking deeper into the cranberry to see if she can isolate individual components responsible for its anti-cancer properties. The fruit has also gotten the attention of medical researchers who credit it for helping to protect against urinary tract infections.

      Two new studies suggest that a common food and common beverage could be powerful tools to fight colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in ...

      Parents and Students: Don't forget college tax credits

      You may be surprised by the amount for which you qualify

      With young adults heading off -- or back -- to college, this is a good time for parents and students to see if they will qualify for either of 2 college tax credits or other education-related tax benefits when they file their 2015 federal income tax returns.

      The American Opportunity Tax Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit is generally available to taxpayers who pay qualifying expenses for an eligible student.

      Eligible students include the taxpayer, spouse, and dependents. The American Opportunity Tax Credit provides a credit for each eligible student, while the Lifetime Learning Credit provides a maximum credit per tax return.

      Though a taxpayer often qualifies for both of these credits, he or she can only claim one of them for a particular student in a particular year. To claim these credits on their tax return, the taxpayer must file Form 1040 or 1040A and complete Form 8863, Education Credits.

      The credits apply to eligible students enrolled in an eligible college, university, or vocational school, including both nonprofit and for-profit institutions. The credits are subject to income limits that could reduce the amount claimed on their tax return.

      Are you eligible?

      To help determine eligibility for these benefits, taxpayers should visit the Education Credits web page or use the IRS’s Interactive Tax Assistant tool.

      Normally, a student will receive a Form 1098-T from his or her institution by Jan. 31 of the following year. (For 2015, the due date is Feb. 1, 2016, because otherwise it would fall on a Sunday.)

      This form will show information about tuition paid or billed along with other information. However, amounts shown on this form may differ from amounts taxpayers are eligible to claim for these tax credits. Taxpayers should see the instructions to Form 8863 and Publication 970 for details on properly figuring allowable tax benefits.

      Tax credit features

      Many of those eligible for the American Opportunity Tax Credit qualify for the maximum annual credit of $2,500 per student. Students can claim this credit for qualified education expenses paid during the entire tax year for a certain number of years:

      • The credit is only available for four tax years per eligible student.
      • The credit is available only if the student has not completed the first four years of postsecondary education before 2015.

      Here are some more key features of the credit:

      • Qualified education expenses are amounts paid for tuition, fees, and other related expenses for an eligible student. Other expenses, such as room and board, are not qualified expenses.
      • The credit equals 100% of the first $2,000 spent and 25% of the next $2,000. That means the full $2,500 credit may be available to a taxpayer who pays $4,000 or more in qualified expenses for an eligible student.
      • Forty percent of the American Opportunity Tax Credit is refundable. This means that even people who owe no tax can get an annual payment of up to $1,000 for each eligible student.
      • The full credit can be claimed only by taxpayers whose modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is $80,000 or less. For married couples filing a joint return, the limit is $160,000. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels. No credit can be claimed by joint filers whose MAGI is $180,000 or more and singles, heads of household, and some widows and widowers whose MAGI is $90,000 or more.

      The Lifetime Learning Credit of up to $2,000 per tax return is available for both graduate and undergraduate students. Unlike the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the limit on the Lifetime Learning Credit applies to each tax return, rather than to each student. Also, the Lifetime Learning Credit does not provide a benefit to people who owe no tax.

      Though the half-time student requirement does not apply to the lifetime learning credit, the course of study must be either part of a post-secondary degree program or taken by the student to maintain or improve job skills.

      Other features of the credit include:

      • Tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance qualify as do other fees required for the course. Additional expenses do not.
      • The credit equals 20% of the amount spent on eligible expenses across all students on the return. That means the full $2,000 credit is only available to a taxpayer who pays $10,000 or more in qualifying tuition and fees and has sufficient tax liability.
      • Income limits are lower than under the American Opportunity Tax Credit. For 2015, the full credit can be claimed by taxpayers whose MAGI is $55,000 or less. For married couples filing a joint return, the limit is $110,000. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels. No credit can be claimed by joint filers whose MAGI is $130,000 or more and singles, heads of household, and some widows and widowers whose MAGI is $65,000 or more.
      • Eligible parents and students can get the benefit of these credits during the year by having less tax taken out of their paychecks. They can do this by filling out a new Form W-4, claiming additional withholding allowances, and giving it to their employer.

      Other benefits

      There are a variety of other education-related tax benefits that can help many taxpayers. They include:

      • Scholarship and fellowship grants -- generally tax-free if used to pay for tuition, required enrollment fees, books, and other course materials, but taxable if used for room, board, research, travel, or other expenses.
      • Student loan interest deduction of up to $2,500 per year.
      • Savings bonds used to pay for college -- though income limits apply; interest is usually tax-free if bonds were purchased after 1989 by a taxpayer who, at time of purchase, was at least 24 years old.
      • Qualified tuition programs, also called 529 plans, used by many families to prepay or save for a child’s college education.
      • Taxpayers with qualifying children who are students up to age 24 may be able to claim a dependent exemption and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

      The general comparison table in Publication 970 can be a useful guide to taxpayers in determining eligibility for these benefits.  

      With young adults heading off -- or back -- to college, this is a good time for parents and students to see if they will qualify for either of 2 college ta...

      CPI barely budges in July

      Both food and energy costs were on the rise

      There was inflation in July, but you had to look around for it.

      According to the Department of Labor (DOL), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose a tiny 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis last month, and is up just 0.2% over the last 12 months.

      Food prices move higher

      The cost of foods rose 0.2% last month, with a 0.3% advance in the food at home category. That came as all six major grocery store food groups rose modestly, including an 0.8% gain in dairy and related products. Nonalcoholic beverage prices were also higher (+0.4%), as were fruits and vegetables (+0.3%), meats, poultry, fish, and eggs (+0.2%); and cereals, bakery products, and other food (+0.2%). All told, the food at home category is up 0.9% over the past 12 months.

      Energy prices inch upward

      After a 1.7% increase in June, energy costs were up a tiny 0.1% last month, due largely to a 0.9% increase in gasoline prices -- the third straight monthly gain. All other major energy components were down in July, with natural gas falling 1.4%, electricity off 0.4% -- its third decline in the last five months -- and fuel oil nosediving 3.4%.Over the past year, energy costs have plummeted 14.8%

      Core inflation

      The index for all items less the volatile food and energy sectors -- the so-called “core rate” of inflation -- rose 0.1% in July. The main contributor was a gain of 0.4% in the cost of shelter. Other increases were seen in clothing (+0.3%) and medical care (+0.1%). Several items showed no change, including personal care, recreation, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco. Airline fares declined sharply in July, falling 5.6% -- the largest decline since December 1995. Also lower were prices for used cars and trucks (-0.6%), household furnishings and operations (-0.2%), and new cars (-0.2%). For the last 12 months, the core rate of inflation is up 1.8% -- the fourth time in five months the 12-month change was 1.8%.

      The complete CPI report is available on the DOL website.

      There was inflation in July, but you had to look around for it. According to the Labor Department, (DOL), the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose a tiny 0.1% ...

      Mortgage applications rise on the strength of refinancings

      Lower interest rates were behind the increase

      A surge in refinancings last week helped push applications for mortgages higher.

      The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending August 14 shows a jump of 3.6% in overall applications.

      “Concerns about the Chinese economy pushed interest rates down last week, resulting in a 2 basis point decline in 30 year fixed interest rate, bringing the rate down to its lowest since May 2015,” said Lynn Fisher, MBA’s Vice President of Research and Economics. “The pick-up in refinance activity was led by larger loan sizes on average, as continued investor interest drove jumbo interest rates down even further, by five basis points.”

      The Refinance Index shot up 7% to its highest level since May, taking the refinance share of mortgage activity to 55.5% of total applications from 53.1% the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 6.9% of total applications.

      The FHA share, though, slipped to 12.9% from 13.3%, the VA share dropped to 11.1% from 11.3% and the USDA share inched up to 0.8% from 0.7% a week earlier.

      Contract interest rates

      • The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs) with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) fell two basis points, from 3.13% to 4.11% -- its lowest level since May, with points increasing to 0.37 from 0.31 (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) dropped to 4.03%, its lowest level since May, from 4.08%, with points decreasing to 0.29 from 0.34 (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 was down 6 basis points -- to 3.88%, its lowest level since May, with points decreasing to 0.17 from 0.22 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
      • The average contract interest rate for 15-year FRMs decreased to 3.37%, its lowest level since last month, from 3.39%, with points decreasing to 0.36 from 0.38 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
      • The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs fell 11 basis points to 2.98%, its lowest level since May, with points increasing to 0.40 from 0.32 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.

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

      A surge in refinancings last week helped push applications for mortgages higher. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Sur...

      Audi plans all-electric SUV and announces pricing for A3 plug-in hybrid

      The e-tron quattro is targeted at Tesla's forthcoming SUV

      Tired of being left in the dust by Tesla in the electric-car derby, Audi is fighting back. 

      The German carmaker today issued a teaser photo of an all-electric SUV -- currently dubbed the "the e-tron quattro" -- that it says it will soon launch to rival Tesla's forthcoming Model X.

      Audi says its new SUV will have a range of more than 310 miles and will go into production in 2018. It will be the brand's first mass-market all-electric model.

      Audi also recently announced pricing for its 2016 A3 Sportback e-tron, a Chevy Volt-type hybrid that combines battery and gas power. Pricing will begin at $37,900 when the car goes on sale later this year. It will be the first plug-in Audi sold in the U.S.

      Four passengers

      Audi said the e-tron quattro is "designed from the ground up as an electric car," and isn't just an existing model with a large battery stuffed underneath. However, like some other electrics, it seats only four, thanks to the large lithium-ion battery situated between the axles under the passenger compartment.   

      Perhaps more impressive, the car shares some aeronautical ideas more commonly found on aircraft. Movable aerodynamic elements at the front, on the sides and at the rear improve the air flow around the car.

      The aerodynamically optimized underbody is completely closed, reducing drag and optimizing mileage. Its length is between that of the Audi Q5 and the Q7.

      The Audi e-tron quattro concept carTired of being left in the dust by Tesla in the electric-car derby, Audi is fighting back. The German carmaker...

      Stars Mix n’Match Chairs recalled

      The chair legs can break, posing a fall hazard

      Tvilum and Copenhagen Imports of Phoenix, Ariz., are recalling about 530 Stars Mix n’Match Chairs.

      The chair legs can break, posing a fall hazard for anyone sitting in the chair at the time.

      There have been 2 reports of chair legs breaking and 1 reported injury.

      The chair seat and back is either black or white molded plastic with a cushion seat. The seat cushion is the same color as the plastic chair. The 4 chair legs are wood and set in a pyramid style.

      The chairs, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Copenhagen Imports stores in Arizona and Texas from May 2013, to June 2015, for about $160.

      Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled chairs and return them to the retailer for a full refund, including delivery charges where applicable. Tvilum is contacting purchasers directly.

      Consumers may contact Tvilum Customer Support at (800) 932-2006, extension 106, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CT), by email at helpline-us@tvilum.com, Copenhagen Imports at (602) 266-8060 Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (PT) or online at www.copenhagenliving.com/ and click on “Contact Us” for more information or to find a Copenhagen store.

      Tvilum and Copenhagen Imports of Phoenix, Ariz., are recalling about 530 Stars Mix n’Match Chairs. The chair legs can break, posing a fall hazard for any...