Current Events in November 2015

Boulder Natural Meats of Denver, Colo., is recalling approximately 3,607 pounds of beef, pork and poultry products.

The products were missing the ingredients statement and some contain milk, an allergen not listed on the label.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

The following beef, pork and poultry products, produced on various dates, are being recalled:

• 10 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “BN CHICKEN MILD ITALIAN SAUSAGE”
• 10 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “BN CHICKEN HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE”
• 10 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “BN CHICKEN BREAKFAST SAUSAGE”
• 10 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “FRESH CHICKEN CHORIZO SAUSAGE”
• 8 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “COWBOY BURGERS ASPEN NATURAL MEATS”
• 16 oz. plastic frozen tubs of “CHICKEN LIVERS”
• 8 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “BACON & CHEDDAR CHEESE SEASONED BEEF BURGERS ASPEN NATURAL MEATS”
• 8 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “SMOKED SALT & BALINESE PEPPER SEASONED BURGERS ASPEN NATURAL MEATS”
• 10 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “BN PORK HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE”
• 10 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “BN PORK MILD ITALIAN SAUSAGE
• 10 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “BN PORK SAGE BREAKFAST SAUSAGE”
• 10 lb. vacuum sealed packages of “BN PORK CHORIZO SAUSAGE”

The recalled products bear establishment number “EST. 18852” and “P-18852” inside the USDA marks of inspection, and were shipped to one distributor and retail stores in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Customers who purchased these products should not to consume them, but throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Boulder Natural Meats at (570) 600-2996.

Consumers are beginning to get a better idea of the holiday bargains that will be available, as two more major retailers have revealed Black Friday plans.

Both Best Buy and Toys-R-Us say they will open their doors at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

“Each year, we carefully evaluate customer feedback and consumer insights to determine how we can best help those customers eager to get a jumpstart on crossing off items on their gift lists,” said Joe Venezia, Senior Vice President, Store Operations, Toys“R”Us, U.S. “We are excited to welcome shoppers into our stores, providing big savings and expert services as the holiday shopping season officially begins.”

The toy retailer stopped short of announcing specific deals but said it will have in-store “specialists” throughout the holiday shopping season to answer questions and make specific gift suggestions.

Best Buy deals

Best Buy, meanwhile, has released its Black Friday ad on its website, detailing several deals it will offer when its doors open on Thanksgiving evening. The deals include:

• Up to $125 off iPad Air 2
• $250 Best Buy gift card with any Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 edge or S6 edge+ smartphone with installment billing purchase or lease and activation
• Toshiba 55-inch LED TV for $349.99
• Insignia 40-inch LED TV for $159.99
• Insignia 2.1 soundbar for $99.99
• $150 off  on the new 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display
• $150 off on the new 12-inch MacBook with 256GB flash storage in Gold, Silver or Space Gray
• $100 off on Netgear Arlo wire-free HD security cameras, set of four 

The company says nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores in 47 states will open on Thanksgiving, with most remaining open until 1 a.m. They will then reopen at 8 a.m. Black Friday.

Online deals

With more and more sales moving online, both Toys-R-Us and Best Buy are taking steps to beef up their e-commerce offerings, not waiting for the traditional Cyber Monday event.

Best Buy says almost every item in the Black Friday ad will be available at that price online Thanksgiving Day, with additional deals throughout the weekend. Best Buy is also offering free shipping with no minimum order requirement.

Toys-R-Us says shoppers on its website will get real-time gift guidance through live chats. They can also use the company's gift finder tool to search by child's age and interests.

Many retailers have decided to remain closed on Thanksgiving Day, but Target is not one of them.

Target has announced more of its Black Friday plans, which include opening at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.

“Black Friday continues to kick off the holiday shopping season for many guests,” said Tina Tyler, Chief Stores Officer, Target. “This year Target will open our doors at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving for the millions of families who make Black Friday in-store shopping part of their tradition.”

But like a growing number of retailers, Target seems to realize that consumers increasingly prefer to make their purchases online. The company said it is also making its Black Friday deals available on its website.

10 Days of Deals

“In addition, we’re introducing ‘10 Days of Deals’ to offer a wide variety of compelling deals before, during and after Black Friday,” Tyler said.

Target says it isn't waiting for Black Friday to start introducing deals. The retailer will begin its new “10 Days of Deals” promotion, offering daily discounts on electronics, kitchenware, toys, and more from Nov. 22 through Dec. 1. As part of the “10 Days of Deals,” guests will have access to a BlackFriday presale on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

New this year, guests who spend $75 or more on Friday, Nov. 27, will receive a 20% discount to use toward a future purchase on any day between Dec. 4 and Dec. 13.

Promotional deals include:

• 55” Westinghouse LED TV, $249.99, Reg. $599.99
• 43” Element LED TV, Special Purchase $169.99
• Free $150 Target Gift Card when you buy an iPad Air 2
• Parrot Bebop Drone, $394.99, Reg. $499.99
• Xbox One Bundle, $299.99 with Gears of War digital game download ($39.99 Value) and a free $60 Target Gift Card, Reg. $349.99
• Free $100 Target Gift Card with purchase of any Apple Watch
• Beats Solo 2 Headphones, $96.99, Reg. $199.99
• Nikon CoolPix L340 digital camera, $99.99, Reg. $229.99
• GoPro Hero+LCD, $299.99 and a free $60 Target Gift Card and a free 64GB Lexar MicroSD card ($42.99 value)
• Fitbit Charge HR, $119.00, Reg. $149.99
• Dyson V6 Motorhead Cordless Vacuum, $249.99, Reg. $399.99
• 40% off all apparel and accessories for women, men, kids and baby
• Buy one, get one 50 percent off select toys, including Star Wars, Hot Wheels, Thomas & Friends
• 50% off top holiday home décor, including all frames and jar candles

Employee preferences

In announcing its Black Friday weekend plans, Target took pains to disclose that it consults with employees to “understand scheduling preferences” for the holidays and compensates all hourly team members who work on a national holiday, including Thanksgiving, with pay equal to time-and-a-half of their hourly rate.

The company also says all hourly employees who work certain shifts on Thanksgiving and Black Friday will receive additional compensation on top of holiday premium pay.

The financial crisis of 2008 threw millions out of work and deepened the recession. As a result, consumers who were able to not only limited their new debt, but began aggressively paying down their old debt.

Even in the face of near 0% interest rates, consumers either couldn't borrow or didn't want to. But that seems to have changed in a month's time.

In its G-19 release, the Federal Reserve reports consumer borrowing surged 10% in September. That's nearly double the rate of increase for August, which at 5.6% is more typical of the post-recession environment.

All-time high

Consumers borrowed $28.9 billion, beating the previous high set back in 2001.

What was behind the sudden desire to take out a loan? The Fed data shows it wasn't a surge in home buying. The biggest gain came in non-revolving credit; auto and student loans are prime examples of non-revolving credit.

U.S. car sales have been reaching record levels month after month, and in October, blew the doors off.

New U.S. car sales rose at a record pace, recording the best October since 2001. Sales were up double-digits for all brands, except for Volkswagen, which continues to deal with the fallout from its emissions scandals. The average transaction price was over $34,000, meaning most buyers had to take out a loan.

“We've officially passed recovery mode and are now into record new-car sales,” said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. “All the key factors, including pent-up demand, low interest rates, easy credit and cheap gas, were in place for unprecedented October sales. Like 2005 all over again, truck sales are dominating the market, and driving not only growth but healthy profits throughout the industry. Right now it's a great time to be an automaker or dealer.”

Loading up the plastic

Consumers also put a lot of new debt on plastic. The Fed report shows revolving debt – mostly department store charge cards and credit cards – increased $6.7 billion in September, an increase of 8.7%.

So far, extremely low interest rates have not set off the feared inflation, mainly because consumers weren't taking advantage of them.

If September is any indication, it's now a new ball game.

Consumers are accustomed to having low prices for a while, only to see them suddenly move higher. It's happened with gasoline a number of times in the past.

So when gasoline prices plunged a year ago, most consumers could be forgiven if they believed this break at the gas pump would be short lived. However, it's lasted a year and a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts it will last a lot longer.

In its 2015 report, the IEA says the world is awash in a glut of oil that has depressed prices and will keep them low for years to come. In fact, the report predicts it will take until 2020 for the price of oil to climb back to $80 a barrel.

Before last year's plunge, oil was routinely trading at between $90 and $100 a barrel and had been doing so for years.

Effect on gasoline prices

What's that mean for gasoline prices? Barring refinery bottlenecks, fuel prices should remain in their present range. In the last 10 days prices have trended upward but may begin drifting lower between now and the end of the year.

AAA reported last week that stations in 41 states were selling fuel at or below $2 a gallon. Over the last week the national average price of self-serve regular has held close to $2.20 a gallon.

“The fuel savings continue to add up with pump prices in many areas below $2 per gallon,” said Avery Ash, AAA spokesperson. “It looks increasingly likely that drivers will find the cheapest gas prices for the upcoming holidays in at least seven years.”

Warning

While the IEA report is good news for motorists, it is couched in a warning. The main reason oil is so plentiful and so cheap is Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States are waging a price war, hoping to gain market share from U.S. and other producers.

The IEA warns that the world is in danger of becoming over-reliant on a handful of producers, as was the case during the 1970s.

"It would be a grave mistake to index our attention to energy security to changes in the oil price," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. "Now is not the time to relax. Quite the opposite: a period of low oil prices is the moment to reinforce our capacity to deal with future energy security threats."

But even the Saudis' ability to dominate the energy market may be numbered. The IEA finds that renewable energy is fast becoming the leading source of new energy supply world-wide.  

Back in 2008, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety began rating boosters seats -- and the results were disappointing to say the least: Most models failed to consistently provide good belt fit, the main purpose of a booster.

What a difference seven years makes. All new models evaluated by IIHS now provide good or acceptable fit for typical 4-to-8year-olds in most cars, minivans, and SUVs.

Of 23 new models evaluated, 20 earn the highest rating of BEST BET, meaning they are likely to provide good belt fit for a child in almost any car, minivan, or SUV.

Another three models are rated GOOD BETs, meaning they provide acceptable fit in most vehicles. No new models were in the Not Recommended category, nor are there any with the Check Fit designation, which identifies seats that may work for some children in some vehicles.

“Our ratings have succeeded in getting child seat manufacturers to prioritize belt fit when they design boosters,” said Jessica Jermakian, IIHS senior research scientist. “The large number of BEST BETs on the market now makes it easier for parents to shop for a seat that will work for their child in virtually any vehicle.”

The need for boosters

Booster seats are designed for kids who have outgrown harness-equipped restraints. Children ages 4-8 are 45% less likely to sustain injuries in crashes if they are in boosters than if they are using safety belts alone. Boosters serve as an important bridge until children are large enough for vehicle safety belts to fit properly by themselves. For some kids, that’s not until age 12.

Until then, booster seats should be used to make safety belts fit correctly. Correct fit means the belt lies flat across a child’s upper thighs, not across the soft abdomen, and the shoulder belt crosses snugly over the middle of a child’s shoulder.

The IIHS online ratings (iihs.org/boosters) include many models that were evaluated in past years and are still on the market. Including the 2015 crop, as well as carryover models, there currently are 82 BEST BETs and eight GOOD BETs. Six boosters are Not Recommended, and 31 are in the Check Fit category.

“We hope manufacturers will move quickly to redesign or end production of the Not Recommended boosters and also phase out Check Fit seats and replace them with BEST BETs that perform their job reliably,” Jermakian says.

Variety of options

Top-rated boosters come in a variety of forms. Highback boosters have built-in shoulder belt guides, and their additional structure often makes it easier for children transitioning out of harness-equipped restraints to sit properly. Many manufacturers tout enhanced side impact protection on their highback seats, though IIHS doesn’t evaluate those claims.

Backless boosters come with an attached clip to position the shoulder belt. It’s important to look at how the shoulder belt fits on a child and to use the clip if it doesn’t fall across the middle of the shoulder.

The new seats for 2015 include seven dual-use models. Each of them counts twice in the evaluations, with a separate rating for highback and backless modes.

As in earlier years, several are combination or 3-in-1 seats, which start out as harness-equipped restraints and can be converted to boosters when the child outgrows the harness.

One recent improvement to combination and 3-in-1 seats is the addition of a place to stow harness straps when they are not in use. This allows parents to use the seat as a booster without having to remove the harness completely.

The least expensive booster in the new crop is the Little Tikes Backless Booster, available at Walmart for $13. The Evenflo Platinum Evolve -- a 3-in-1 seat that can be used as a forwardfacing restraint, highback booster, and backless booster -- and the Safety 1st Grow and Go -- which can be used as a rear-facing restraint, forward-facing restraint, and a booster -- each sell for about $170. 

New names, new designs

One big manufacturer, Britax, has no new or redesigned seats this year, but the names of its existing models have changed. The Frontier 90 highback is now the Frontier Clicktight, the Pinnacle 90 highback is the Pinnacle Clicktight, and the Pioneer 70 highback is simply the Pioneer. All three are BEST BETs. The Britax Parkway SG and Parkway SGL, both dual-use boosters that are BEST BETs in highback mode and Check Fit in backless mode, also are carried over.

The BubbleBum, an inflatable booster designed for portability, has a redesigned lap-belt guide intended to be easier to use. Like the earlier version, which still is on the market, the new one is a BEST BET.

There are 23 new models of booster seats for 2015, including 20 BEST BET boosters, and 3 GOOD BETs. There are no new models in the Check Fit or Not Recommended categories.

BEST BET

• BubbleBum (backless)
• Chicco KidFit (backless mode)
• Chicco KidFit (highback mode)
• Diono Cambria (backless mode)
• Diono Cambria (highback mode)
• Eddie Bauer Storage Booster (backless)
• Evenflo Advanced Transitions (backless mode)
• Evenflo Advanced Transitions (highback mode)
• Evenflo Platinum Evolve (backless mode)
• Evenflo Platinum Evolve (highback mode)
• Graco Atlas 65 (highback)
• Graco Tranzitions (backless mode)
• Graco Tranzitions (highback mode)
• Harmony Defender 360 (backless mode)
• Harmony Defender 360 (highback mode)
• Jané Montecarlo R1 (highback)
• Lil Fan Box Seat (backless)
• Little Tikes Highback Booster (backless mode)
• Little Tikes Highback Booster (highback mode)
• Little Tikes Backless Booster (backless)

GOOD BET

• Cybex Solution M-Fix (highback)
• Cybex Solution Q2-Fix (highback)
• Safety 1st Grow and Go (highback)

Cloverdale Foods Company of Mandan, N.D., is recalling approximately 5,208 pounds of beef and pork jalapeno cheddar bratwurst product.

The product was incorrectly labeled as beef frankfurters and contains milk, an allergen not listed on the label.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

The following product, produced on Sept. 21, 2015, and Oct. 2, 2015, is being recalled:

• 10 oz. packages labeled as “TETON WATERS RANCH UNCURED BEEF FRANKFURTERS” with the use by dates of “12/5/15” and “12/16/15”

The recalled product bears establishment number “EST. 7603” inside the USDA mark of inspection and was shipped to three distributors and then distributed nationwide.

Customers who purchased this product should not to consume it, but throw it away or return it to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Scott Russell at (701) 663-9511 ext. 224.

Maple Leaf Foods of Manitoba, Canada, is recalling approximately 4,030 pounds of boneless pork shoulders products.

The products were not presented at the U.S. point of entry for inspection. Without the benefit of full inspection, a possibility of adverse health consequences exists.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

The following Boneless Pork Shoulder Boston Butt items , imported on Oct. 31, 2015, are being recalled:

• 62-lb. (approximate weight) cartons of “Pork Shoulder Blade Boneless ¼” COV 2X4”

The recalled products bear establishment number “007” inside Canada’s mark of inspection and were shipped to retail locations in California.

Customers who purchased these products should not consume them, but throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Barry Mailloux at (905) 285-5811.

World Variety Produce of Los Angeles, Calif., is recalling two- and three-oz. Containers of Italian Pine Nuts.

The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The following products are being recalled:

The recalled products were sold by retailers in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Customers who purchased the recalled products should destroy and dispose of them.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at hotline@melissas.com or call 1-800-588-0151, Mon-Fri 6:00 AM–6:00 PM PST.

Nissan North America is recalling 919 model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles.

The recalled vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. The units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.

If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in November 2015.

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

After being involved in two emissions scandals, repairing relations with customers may very well be a long and grueling process for Volkswagen. While the full gravity of the fallout is not yet certain, the company is already trying to ease tensions by offering $1,000 to consumers who own one of their diesel vehicles.

VW announced this initiative on Monday and will be splitting the $1,000 payment in two different ways -- $500 will be put onto a Visa prepaid card to be used freely by the consumer; another $500 dollars will be counted as credit towards a future VW purchase that comes with three years of roadside assistance.

While the payments may help assuage angry feelings for some consumers, others will be looking for VW to continue their work in recalling environmentally unfriendly vehicles. “We are working tirelessly to develop an approved remedy for affected vehicles,” said President and CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America, Michael Horn. “In the meantime, we are providing this Goodwill Package as a first step towards regaining our customers' trust.”

Program qualifications

In order to qualify for the $1,000 payment, consumers will have to be the registered owner or lessee of a VW diesel with a 2-liter TDI engine bought on or before November 8. Eligible owners are prompted to visit this website and enter their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), vehicle mileage, and contact information by April 30.

Consumers will also have to bring their vehicle(s) to a dealer in order to prove ownership and activate the gift cards. Any consumer who participates in the program does not have to sign a release of claims agreement against the company.

The program is now the second initiative that VW has started to mend relations with consumers. The company previously offered a $2,000 “loyalty bonus” for anyone leasing or buying a new car. The deal ended on November 2 and was offered to VW owners or their family members, as long as they lived at the same address.  

The troubles for Takata seem to keep piling up -- another major car maker decided to cut ties with the airbag distributor over the weekend. This time it was Nissan who decided it was no longer going to use the ammonium nitrate filled airbags that Takata has become infamously connected to.

The faulty airbag products are responsible for several deaths and numerous injuries due to a defect that can cause them to explode and shoot pieces of shrapnel into a car's passenger compartment.

Mass exodus

Nissan's decision comes on the heels of similar ones made by Honda and Toyota, who dropped the airbag producer last week after they were fined $70 million by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for failing to report the product defects.

“We have decided to no longer use [Takata's] inflators containing ammonium nitrate in airbags for future models . . . We will continue to put our customers' safety first and work to replace the inflators in vehicles under recall as quickly as possible,” said Nissan in a statement.

This echoes the sentiments that both Honda and Toyota released last week. Honda, who previously made up 10% of Takata's global sales, said that it was “deeply troubled” that Takata allegedly “misrepresented and manipulated test data for certain airbag inflators.”

Damage done

Takata has stated that they will be phasing out the use of ammonium nitrate in its inflators by 2018, but much of the damage to the company may already be done.

In addition to the $70 million that it has already been fined, the company stands to lose an additional $130 million if it doesn't comply with the NHTSA orders or if new violations are found.  

Gift cards have always had issues, but they continue to be popular -- and not only among those who give them but those who receive them as well.

Let's face it, it's a gift that doesn't require a lot of thought and is easy to give. For the people receiving them, gift cards eliminate the risk of getting gifts they don't like.

Everyone wins.

Now, Bankrate.comreports some of the issues that have plagued gift cards in the past have been resolved, or are on their way to being resolved. Fees associated with their use have fallen while security protecting them has risen.

Gift card survey

The financial services website has surveyed 60 widely-used gift cards to determine which have the most consumer-friendly features.

The survey found that half of the gift cards it analyzed now offer the ability to add a security code, which is important, protecting the value of the card if it is lost or stolen. That's an increase from 35% last year.

At the same time, 72% of the cards have some form of loss and theft protection, up from 68% last year. E-cards are more likely to have this protection than traditional gift cards.

"With so many recent data breaches and the transition to EMV chip credit cards, security is top of mind for many Americans," said Claes Bell, Bankrate.com banking analyst. "Retailers are taking note and have made gift cards a much safer way to spend money."

Fewer fees

The downside to gift cards is that they often come with fees attached. However, the Bankrate survey finds that general purpose gift cards – like an American Express or VISA card that can be used almost anywhere – are more likely to have fees than a store-specific card.

For example, all of the widely-held general-purpose cards in the survey charge purchase fees ranging from $3.95 to $6.95. Only 4% of store-specific cards charge purchase fees.

"Gift card gotchas are much rarer than they used to be," said Bell. "Everyone should still do their research before making a purchase, but generally, consumers don't have to worry about being swindled when buying or using a gift card from a major bank or retailer."

There is little doubt gift cards will be a popular item this holiday season. The Bankrate survey found 76% of consumers have given someone a gift card and 83% have received one.

The most common value is between $25 and $50, regardless of income levels.

More retailers are jumping on the bandwagon of restoring Thanksgiving Day as a time for food, family, and football – not trips to the mall.

Last year, a few large retailers, such as Costco and BJ's Wholesale Club, were closed on the day before Black Friday.

As we reported early last month, Staples announced that it would be closed on Thanksgiving Day, as there appeared to be something of a consumer backlash building against Black Friday intruding into Thanksgiving.

Since then, a lot more retailers have also announced they would be closed on Thanksgiving. BestBlackFriday.com has published what it says is a confirmed list of retailers that have decided it's more profitable to spend Thanksgiving with family and friends.

The retailers include Crate and Barrel, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and T.J. Maxx. REI will not only be closed on Thanksgiving, but Black Friday as well – giving employees the day off with the advice to “spend it outdoors.”

By BestBlackFriday.com's count, at least 45 chains have so far decided to return to the tradition of being closed on Thanksgiving Day. After all, most have busy e-commerce sites, which can continue to take orders between the apple pie and kick-off.

Alienating consumers

Last November, retail marketing expert Arun Jain, a professor at the University at Buffalo (UB), warned that opening on Thanksgiving Day was risky.

“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. According to BestBlackFriday.com, it appears a lot of retailers have taken that advice.

In the wake of the housing melt-down, mortgage lenders clamped down on underwriting standards.

Before, almost anyone could qualify for a mortgage. After 2008, you needed a good job, a 20% down payment, plenty of assets, and near-perfect credit.

Realtors complained the tighter standards made it almost impossible for the market to recover, since many qualified buyers were being shut out of the process. Now, new data suggests more qualified buyers – especially among black and Hispanic buyers – are getting access to mortgages.

In 2013, 27.6% of black consumers who applied for a conventional home loan were denied. In 2014, that number had fallen to 23.5%, according to the Zillow report, which is based on federal data.

Overall, potential buyers were also more successful. The rate of mortgage denial fell from 12.4% in 2013 to 11.2% last year.

Minorities still get fewer mortgages

Still, the Zillow report suggests minorities are not getting the mortgages at the rate white consumers are. White consumers make up 62% of the population but constitute 69.5% of all conventional loan applicants.

In 2014, black consumers made up 12% of the U.S. population, but only 3% of conventional loan applicants.

Hispanic consumers make up 17.3% of the U.S. population, but represent only 6.1% of applicants for a conventional mortgage.

Bad experience

One reason fewer black consumers are applying for home mortgages may be because home ownership didn't work out so well for them during the housing bubble.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University last month reported that when home prices crashed after 2008, white homeowners may have lost money but black homeowners lost more, primarily because they had been steered into expensive subprime mortgages.

In the years when home prices were rising by double digits each year, white buyers increased their wealth by 50% but black buyers lost 47% of their wealth, a fact researchers call “stunning.”

"They say that in real estate timing is everything, but blacks had a loss across the decade—even when their purchase time was impeccable," said Sandra Newman, one of the authors. "They would have done better if they'd stayed renters."

White homeowners made money if they bought early in the boom, before prices had reached unrealistic valuations. But timing wasn't much of a factor for black homeowners, the study found.

The main factor was the neighborhood. If it was predominantly black, the report said it was more likely to have lower housing prices, lower appreciation, and declining rates of homeownership.  

Consumers buy more iPhones than any other mobile device, but Google's Android operating system maintains a slim lead over Apple's iOS.

Those are the findings of the third quarter analysis of smartphone sales, conducted by comScore, a media analytics firm.

According to the data, Apple was the top smartphone manufacturer with 43.6% OEM market share, while Google Android led as the #1 smartphone platform with 52.3% percent platform market share.

Facebook was the top individual smartphone app.

77.4% have a smartphone

If it seems everyone in America has a smartphone, it might be because they do. The comScore data shows 192.4 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones – making up 77.4% mobile market penetration – during the three months ending in September.

Behind Apple's 43.6% share of the market was Samsung, with 27.6%. LG was a distant third with 9.4%, Motorola was fourth with 4.8% and HTC was fifth with 3.3%.

But Apple does not permit other manufacturers to use its operating system, so it trails Google's Android, which is used by much of the rest of the field.

Among smartphone owners, 52.3% are Android, 43.6% Apple, 2.9% Microsoft, 1.2% Blackberry, and 0.1% Symbian. Blackberry recently signaled a move to Android with the introduction of the Blackberry Priv, which will run on the Google platform.

Consumers increasingly are using their phones as PCs, accessing the Internet with a wide variety of apps. The overwhelming favorite in the third quarter was Facebook, deployed by 76% of users.

YouTube was second, at 61%, followed closely by Facebook Messenger at 60.9%. Google Play was the fourth most-used app at 52% and Google Search was fifth, at 51%.

There's been another quarter of increased builder confidence in the single-family 55+ housing market -- the sixth in a row.

The National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) was up three points in the third quarter to a reading of 60.

An index number above 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

“Builders have a positive outlook on the 55+ housing market,” said Timothy McCarthy, chairman of NAHB's 55+ Housing Industry Council. “In fact, the markets for single-family, apartments and condos are all doing quite well, and we expect that trend to continue.”

There are separate 55+ HMIs for two segments of the 55+ housing market: single-family homes and multi-family condominiums. Each 55+ HMI measures builder sentiment based on a survey that asks if current sales, prospective buyer traffic, and anticipated six-month sales for that market are good, fair, or poor (high, average, or low for traffic).

Strong single- and multi-family performances

All three components of the 55+ single-family HMI posted increases from the previous quarter: present sales rose three points to 65, expected sales for the next six months inched up one point to 67, and traffic of prospective buyers advanced three points to 46.

The 55+ multi-family condo HMI rose seven points to 50 -- the highest reading since the inception of the index in 2008. Two of the three components showed increases as well: present sales jumped 10 points to 54, and expected sales for the next six months rose seven points to 56. Traffic of prospective buyers, however, was down one point to 40.

All four indices tracking production and demand of 55+ multi-family rentals posted gains in the third quarter. Present production rose nine points to 55, expected future production and current demand for existing units jumped 11 points to 60 and 70, respectively, and future demand increased five points to 68.

“Like the overall housing market, we continue to see steady, positive growth in the 55+ market,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “With the economy and job growth continuing to improve gradually, many consumers are now able to sell their current homes at a suitable price, enabling them to buy or rent in a 55+ community.”

General Motors is recalling 1,808 model year 2013-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD, Chevrolet Express, and GMC Sierra HD vehicles, and model year 2013 GMC Savana compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.

The text of the CNG fuel-only label is smaller than the required size, and as a result, may be less noticeable. Thus, the vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 303 "Fuel System Integrity of Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles."

Text that does not conform to the required labeling size could inhibit fuel tank inspection practices and safe refueling, increasing the risk of a fire.

GM will notify owners and will send them a replacement label, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 13365.