Current Events in August 2016

Childhood pets leave behind more than fond memories. Their presence lingers on the minds and hearts of children for the rest of their lives, experts say.

In their wake, pets often leave behind valuable lessons that may help children grow up to become better people. But when it comes to coaxing forth these life lessons, parents play an integral role.

“Children learn about responsible pet ownership by observing their parents,” said Dr. Sara Griffin, lecturer at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Responsible pet ownership, says Griffin, can help kids gain self-confidence and become responsible adults. And the positive effects of helping a child care for a pet can even extend to the family unit itself. 

Family bonding

Growing the family by four paws may help families feel more tightly knit. Whether you're walking the dog or enjoying the company of a cat, the increase in interactions between family members can spark quality time and bonding.

Children’s emotional development may also flourish under the friendship and companionship of a pet, says Griffin, who notes that "positive pet interactions with children can help develop non-verbal communication skills, compassion, and empathy in children."

In addition to the comfort and emotional support they provide, pets may offer kids a reason to step away from the TV or computer. But before parents agree to bring a pet into the picture, there are a few factors to consider.

Right time for a pet

Because adult supervision is crucial to the well being of the pet, parents should consider whether or not they have ample time and energy to devote. Food, water, and veterinary care needs must be addressed, and parents must also have the time to teach children through their actions.

“Parental involvement is necessary for any child learning to care for a pet,” Griffin says. “A child who learns to care for a pet may learn important lessons, such as how to treat people and animals with kindness, patience, and respect.”

Parents should also take into account their child’s age and how it will impact their pet care responsibilities. Toddlers, for example, may be able to feed a pet, but they shouldn’t be left alone with a pet. Older kids may be able to take on more walking, feeding, and pet clean-up responsibilities -- but still, there is no point at which kids can care for a pet without adult supervision.

But while they’re undoubtedly a big commitment of time, energy, and money, pets seem to make it their mission to pay you back tenfold. Kids and adults alike will treasure the loyalty and affection offered by the family pet for years to come.

Inactivity and sedentary behaviors are leading to health problems for U.S. consumers. The risk of cardiovascular disease increases when blood flow to the legs is reduced – something that naturally happens with long periods of sitting.

While getting up and staying active is the best way to reverse the effects of long-term sitting, a new study from the University of Missouri shows that tapping your feet and fidgeting may be a good way to increase blood flow – not only to your legs, but to your entire body.

“Many of us sit for hours at a time, whether it’s binge watching our favorite TV show or working at a computer. We wanted to know whether a small amount of leg fidgeting could prevent a decline in leg vascular function caused by prolonged sitting,” said lead author Dr. Jaume Padilla.

“While we expected fidgeting to increase blood flow to the lower limbs, we were quite surprised to find this would be sufficient to prevent a decline in arterial function.”

Fidgeting health benefits

The researchers came to their conclusions after observing the effects of fidgeting on vascular function in 11 healthy men and women. Each participant was asked sit for three hours under special conditions; while they were charged with keeping one leg still, they were asked to tap the foot of the other leg for one minute every five minutes.

After the three-hour period, the researchers measured blood flow to the popliteal artery in each leg for every participant. They found that the “active” leg for each participant had a significantly higher blood flow, indicating that fidgeting improves vascular function.

Stay active

The study is the first to show that fidgeting can have protective benefits for vascular health. However, the researchers stress that the best way to counter the effects of sitting is to get up and stay active.

“You should attempt to break up sitting time as much as possible by standing or walking. But if you’re stuck in a situation in which walking just isn’t an option, fidgeting can be a good alternative. Any movement is better than no movement,” said Padilla.

The full study has been published in the American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology. 

While demand continues to be strong in the single-family 55+ housing market, production isn't as robust as it could be.

According to the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI), builder confidence in the market was up a point to57 in the second quarter. That's the ninth consecutive quarter with a reading above 50. An index number above 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

“Builders and developers for the 55+ housing sector continue to report steady demand,” said Jim Chapman, chairman of NAHB's 55+ Housing Industry Council. “However, there are many places around the country facing labor and lot shortages, which are hindering production.”

A closer look

There are separate 55+ HMIs for two segments of the 55+ housing market: single-family homes and multifamily condominiums. Each 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).

One of the three index components of the 55+ single-family HMI -- traffic of prospective buyers -- increased four points to 42. Present sales held steady at 61, while expected sales for the next six months dropped two points to 69.

The 55+ multifamily condo HMI dipped one point to 47. The index component for expected sales for the next six months rose three points to 54, while present sales remained even at 49. Traffic of prospective buyers fell seven points to 38.

Three of the four indexes tracking production and demand of 55+ multifamily rentals decreased in the fourth quarter. Present production fell nine points to 51 -- from a record-high reading in the previous quarter -- while current and future demand for existing units both dipped one point to 68 and 67, respectively; expected future production rose three points to 56.

“Much like the overall housing market, this quarter’s 55+ HMI results show that this segment continues its gradual, steady recovery,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “A solid labor market, combined with historically low mortgage rates, are enabling 55+ consumers to be able to sell their homes at a favorable price and buy or rent a home in a 55+ community.”

Grassfields Cheese is recalling approximately 20,000 pounds of organic cheeses due to possible contamination with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), a bacteria that can cause serious illness in humans.

The potential for contamination was identified during an ongoing investigation of seven cases of human illnesses occurring between March and July 2016 caused by a same type of STEC.

This recall involves all types and sizes of organic cheeses manufactured by the firm from December 1, 2015, through June 1, 2016, including: Gouda, Onion ‘n Garlic, Country Dill, Leyden, Edam, Lamont Cheddar, Chili Cheese, Fait Fras, Polkton Corners and Crofters.

The cheeses -- wheels, half wheels and wedges of various sizes -- were sold from the firm’s retail store in Coopersville, Mich., to wholesale and retail customers, and to consumers nationwide via online sales at http://www.grassfieldscheese.com/.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Grassfields Cheese at 616-997-8251 Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm (EST) or by email at Grassfieldscheese@gmail.com

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 9,137 model year 2015 C300 and C400 vehicles manufactured from June 18, 2014, through September 5, 2014.

The affected vehicles were assembled with horizontal adjustment mechanisms that allow the owner to change the horizontal adjustment used during the manufacturing process, instead of the proper sealing caps. They, thus, fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

If the original horizontal adjustment is used to alter the low beam aim, the mis-aimed headlamp may not properly illuminated the road or cause increased glare to oncoming drivers, which increases the risk of a crash.

What to do

Mercedes-Benz will notify owners, and dealers will replace the horizontal adjustment mechanisms on the headlamps with sealing caps on the affected vehicles.

The recall began May 23, 2016. Owners may contact Mercedes at 1-800-367-6372.

Cinmar LLC of West Chester, Ohio, is recalling about 4,500 travel maps with magnets.

If two or more magnets are swallowed, they can link together inside the intestines and clamp onto body tissues, causing intestinal obstructions, perforations, sepsis and death. Internal injury from magnets can pose serious lifelong health effects.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves World Magnetic Travel Maps with a burlwood frame. The world maps measure 54 inches wide and 36 inches tall and come with 50 magnetic markers. The maps affected by this recall have item number 145684 printed on the packaging.

The maps, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively at Frontgate retail and outlet stores and online at www.frontgate.com from October 2015, through March 2016, for about $225.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the magnetic markers that came with the product, keep them out of reach of children and dispose of them or recycle them. Cinmar is contacting consumers who purchased the products directly and will provide instructions on how to receive replacement magnets.

Consumers may contact Cinmar toll-free at 888-263-9850 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday or online at www.frontgate.com and click on “Safety Recall Notices” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Consumer Reports magazine thinks owners of Volkswagen diesels aren't getting enough compensation for the damage done to their car's resale value by VW's deceptive emissions strategies.

The non-profit magazine also says VW owners who agree to have their cars modified to meet emission regulations should have the right to reconsider if they're unhappy with the result. Many owners have expressed fears that their cars won't run as well after they've been brought into compliance with air quality standards.

The magazine made the comments in a filing with the federal court that has tentatively approved a settlement that would offer repairs or buybacks to owners of 475,000 VW, Audi and Porsche diesels.

VW has agreed to spend more than $10 billion to buy back or repair the 2.0-liter TDI diesels that emit up to 40 times the legally allowable levels of pollution.

Tough penalties needed

Consumer Reports said it generally supports the settlement but urged federal and state lawmakers to "assess tough civil penalties and any appropriate criminal penalties against the company in order to hold it fully accountable."

The public comment period for the settlement ends today. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer has scheduled an Oct. 18 hearing at which he is expected to grant final approval.

However, VW still faces fines for violating clean air laws and must still adopt a plan for 85,000 3.0-liter diesel vehicles. It also faces civil suits filed by the states of New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts, as well as an ongoing criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.

In addition, Volkswagen must still contend with repercussions from the emissions scandal in European and Asian markets. South Korea earlier this week suspended sales of 80 VW, Audi, and Bentley models, shutting down sales in one of Volkswagen's hottest markets. 

Increasingly, technology producers and companies are using outside resources to test for security weaknesses in their products. Now it seems that the trend has extended to Apple, which plans to launch a bug bounty program in September.

Initially, white- and gray-hat hackers will only be able to participate if they’re invited by the company. However, individuals may be able to work their way into this elite group if they find a particularly interesting bug or flaw.

Successfully collecting a bounty could be quite lucrative for participants or the charities they choose to donate to. Apple has declared that it will match any donation made by participants on a 1:1 basis.

According to an Apple Insider report, the company is willing to pay out:

• $200,000 for bugs connected to secure boot firmware components;
• $100,000 for extraction of confidential material protected by Secure Enclave Processor;
• $50,000 for execution of arbitrary code with kernel privileges;
• $50,000 for unauthorized access to iCloud account data on Apple servers;
• and $25,000 for access from a sandboxed process to user data outside of that sandbox.

The tech company hopes that incentivizing the discovery of potential threats will decrease the likelihood that a flaw is exploited on millions of consumer devices. Expansion of the types of bug categories that will be incentivized will be addressed at a later date. 

Amazon's plans for drone delivery have gotten a lot of attention, but the big draw in Seattle today is Amazon One -- a Boeing 767-300 cargo plane that is the first of a planned fleet of 40.

Amazon currently has 11 dedicated airplanes moving merchandise around the world, but Amazon One is the first one to be painted in the company's own livery. The giant airplane is on display today at Seafair, Seattle's annual air show. 

“Creating an air transportation network is expanding our capacity to ensure great delivery speeds for our Prime members for years to come,” said Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations. “I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate the inaugural flight than in our hometown at Seafair alongside Amazon employees and Seattle residents.”

Amazon's distribution operation includes 125 fulfillment centers and more than 20 sorting centers where the compny uses algorithms, robotics, machine learning, and other wizardry to increase delivery speeds, the company said.

Amazon One is one of 40 airplanes that Amazon has agreed to lease through air cargo partners Atlas Air and ATSG. In an ode to its Prime members, Amazon’s first airplane in its dedicated fleet features a tail number made up of a Prime number.

Scientists are always striving to come up with new ways to cure the diseases that plague society. And now, it looks like they are one step closer to achieving that goal for human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV.

Researchers at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute have found that killer T cells, which we detailed in an earlier report, are able to find hidden infected cells in body tissue and eliminate them. This ability, they say, could go a long way towards ridding the body completely of the virus, a more permanent solution than methods that are currently used.

“The potential of this discovery is huge. It helps us to understand how we may be able to treat diseases that affect the immune system itself, such as HIV or B cell lymphoma,” said Dr. Axel Kallies, one of the lead researchers of the study.

More potent treatment

In addition to HIV, this discovery has the potential to address a range of different diseases and infections that hide and protect themselves when the body undergoes normal treatment. They are able to do this by going to “hiding spots” in the body, otherwise known as B cell follicles. However, while normal treatments may not be able to reach them, killer T cells are much more thorough.

“We’ve shown for the first time that there are specialized killer T cells that can migrate into a part of the lymphoid tissue and control hidden infection,” said Dr. Di Yu.

“We could potentially transfer these specialized super potent killer T cells into patients, or we could treat patients with proteins that can drag these specialized killer T-cells into the right spots, specifically to the hot spots where HIV can hide on antiviral treatment,” added co-author Professor Sharon Lewin.

The researchers hope that they can proceed to human trials within the next five years, though they admit that more testing of the killer T cells will be necessary to measure their potency.

The full study has been published in the journal Nature Immunology. 

Consumers are on a health kick, and you can see the evidence in sales figures for sugar-sweetened beverages like soda.

In a new report, market research firm Packaged Facts found consumers are becoming more sensitive to the calories in food and beverages. As a result, soda sales are flattening out while bottled water sales continue to rise.

"The healthy lifestyle mantra to 'eat less sugar, drink less soda' has taken root and bottled water is benefiting from the trickledown effect of this increased sugar and soda avoidance," said David Sprinkle, research director at Packaged Facts.

What about diet sodas?

An astute consumer might point out here that soda manufacturers also produce diet versions of their popular beverages, containing no calories. So why wouldn't someone who is trying to avoid calories and be more healthy simply switch to a diet drink?

They have in large measure, but the Packaged Facts report has stumbled onto another trend. Consumers seem to consider water healthier, and are not only using it to replace beverages, but also food.

The Packaged Facts data reveal that 75% of consumers who are trying to cut calories are using water to replace food. Older consumers, especially, are more likely to adopt this approach.

Nutritionists, however, favor the approach of eating foods that have a high water content because they tend to contain fewer calories. According to the Mayo Clinic, grapefruit is about 90% water. A half a grapefruit clocks in at just 37 calories.

Carrots, too, are high in water content and low in calories. The Mayo Clinic staff says a medium carrot only has about 25 calories.

Safety concerns

But losing weight isn't the only thing driving bottled water sales. The Packaged Facts report also found that a growing number of consumers worry about the purity of the water coming out of their taps. The recent lead contamination of the Flint, Mich., water supply has driven home this concern.

Still, bottled water has a long way to go before making serious inroads in soda sales. The report's authors note that manufacturers are serving two markets of consumers – those who want to be healthy and those who don't seem to care very much about healthy habits.

The report notes that currently, beverage manufacturers make a lot more money on their sugar-sweetened, high calories products than they do on their healthy, low-calorie ones.

Nissan North America is recalling 1,140 model year 2012-2013 Infiniti M35 Hybrids manufactured March 23, 2010, to September 9, 2013.

A system overheat condition may cause the hybrid powertrain control module to shut off the engine, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the hybrid control module, automatic transmission control unit, and inverter software, free of charge.

The recall will begin by September 6, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Most airlines not only charge you a fee to check a bag, they often place limits on how much the bag and its contents weigh. Bags exceeding the limits cost even more.

For example, at United Airlines, checked bags in coach on a domestic flight must weigh no more than 50 pounds. Passengers in business and first class can pack up to 70 pounds. Either way, it is helpful to know just what your bag weighs before arriving in the check-in line.

For that reason Hammacher Schlemmer, a retailer famous for selling unusual products, has introduced what it calls a “self-weighing” suitcase.

The suitcase is 26 inches long with hard-shell construction. It comes with a built in digital scale, which is activated when you pick it up by the handle. It retails for $199.95.

The bag itself weighs 10.5 pounds and the company said it is constructed of sturdy ABS that will hold up, no matter how many baggage claims it goes through. According to the company website, the self-weighing bag comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Will convert pounds to kilograms

Inside, the suitcase is lined with soft polyester and has a built-in divider with a transparent pocket for separate storage of toiletries or shoes. It comes with what the company calls “a TSA friendly three-digit lock,” 12-inch extending pull handle, and 360 degree rotating wheels. Its scale will even convert pounds to kilograms for international travel.

"We are always looking for innovative ways to improve the travel experience for our customers," said Fred Berns, Hammacher Schlemmer's general manager. "Our Self Weighing Suitcase helps alleviate airport anxiety by eliminating the guesswork of luggage weight and avoiding the stress of surprise fees at the ticket counter."

According AirfareWatchdog.com, overweight bags can be costly. It says both American Airlines and United charge $100 for a bag weighing between 51 and 70 pounds and $200 if the bag weighs 71 to 100 pounds.

There are apps that will track just about everything, including women's menstrual cycles. The goal is to get more precise fertility information, but an unwanted side effect could be leakage of very personal information.

Consumer Reports recently took a careful look at Glow, one of the more popular fertility apps, and found that security was not what it might be. In fact, the magazine said, anyone who knew a user's email address could potentially access that person's data and find such information as the last time they had sex, what kind of sex it was, how many drinks they'd had, and other information most people wouldn't knowingly disclose to the world, not to mention to stalkers and abusive spouses and exes.

Glow was quick to fix the problem after Consumer Reports pointed it out, but the episode illustrated the risks users of similar apps face, the Washington Post reported. 

Glow has said that it has helped more than 150,000 couples conceive and claims that women who carefully track their ovulation cycles in the app were 40 percent more likely to become pregnant than more casual users.

Gray zone

The magazine, published by non-profit Consumers Union, noted that Glow and similar apps fall into a regulatory gray zone -- many of them are not covered by HIPAA, the federal health privacy law that protects information shared with healthcare providers.

While the Glow vulnerabilities have been addressed, health and privacy advocates are concerned about the thousands of other apps and forums that women are using to reveal highly personal information without fully considering the possible consequences. 

Besides the risk of any individual's data being revealed, there is also the question of how data gathered by the apps are treated in the aggregate. Is the data used for medical research, marketing research, or for behaviorally targeted advertising? Is it sold to third-party "big data" bundlers? Some apps' privacy policies may have answered these questions, but others may consist of indecipherable legalese.

While medicines and medical devices undergo stringent testing before being approved for use on patients, there are no such restrictions on apps and online tools. 

Women who ask their doctors for advice are likely to find that the doctor knows no more than the patient about the vulnerabilities of any specific app, which means that it is once again buyer -- or perhaps user -- beware. 

Americans love their caffeine. Whether it's in coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, or energy drinks, we seem to need a caffeine buzz to get through the day.

But does all that caffeine cause heart problems? According to the American Heart Association, the jury is still out.

“Many studies have been done to see if there's a direct link between caffeine, coffee drinking and coronary heart disease,” the association reports on its website. “The results are conflicting. This may be due to the way the studies were done and confounding dietary factors. However, moderate coffee drinking (1–2 cups per day) doesn't seem to be harmful.”

But how about energy drinks, which also contain caffeine and are consumed with the expressed purpose of gaining a physical or mental boost?

Case study

A case report in the Journal of Addiction Medicine concludes the high levels of caffeine in energy drinks “may lead to cardiac complications.” The report focused on a 28-year old man treated in the emergency room for heart arrhythmias. The man, who also suffered from obesity, said he routinely drank two Monster energy drinks per day containing a total of 320 milligrams of caffeine. He also drank alcohol on a daily basis.

Until 2010, many energy drinks also contained alcohol, but that combination was outlawed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But how about energy drinks consumed without alcohol? Is the caffeine content alone enough to cause heart problems?

An international study last year concluded that consumption of energy drinks by otherwise healthy young people could aggravate underlying heart issues. It found these beverages' high amounts of caffeine and sugar could cause young people to develop dangerous heart arrhythmias.

Treatment resolved the issue

In the case of the 28-year old patient in the case report, researchers say medication resolved the atrial fibrillation after 48 hours. A one-year follow-up showed no signs of the arrhythmia.

"We believe that energy drink consumption played a key role," the authors write.

They stress that the 160 mg caffeine content of a Monster energy drink is about four times higher than in a caffeinated soft drink. However, it should be pointed out that heavy coffee consumption might include even higher levels of caffeine. But the researchers suggest the possibility that other ingredients in energy drinks might heighten caffeine's effects.

They conclude more research is this area is needed and that, in the meantime, health care providers should question patients about energy drink consumption when they treat them for heart problems.

You've heard it said, “it takes money to make money.” Ever wondered how rich people got that first $100,000?

It was the hardest money they ever earned, according to a report by GoBankingRates.com. That's because money grows faster when the returns are “compounded,” or reinvested. Put $10 in a savings account and $1,000 in a savings account and see which one grows faster over time.

Having large amounts of cash on hand also allows you to make more lucrative investments that provide generous returns. So getting on the road to wealth means earning that first $100,000. The report says there really are no shortcuts, but it offers a road map.

Time is on your side

First, start young. There is nothing like time to help you build wealth. You need a job that covers your basic living expenses and still provides money for saving. And savings should be considered a “basic living expense.”

Next, put your savings on autopilot. If you have to make a decision each month about whether, or how much to save, there will be months you simply won't save anything.

Use direct deposit to move a set amount of money from your checking account to your savings or investment account every month. If you find that some months you can save even more, you can add it manually. But saving without thinking about it is the surest way to set aside funds each month.

Take advantage of retirement savings accounts, especially ones in which an employer matches employee contributions. If you are setting up an individual retirement account, consider a Roth IRA over a Traditional IRA. Your contributions won't be tax deductible but you won't have to pay taxes on withdrawals, and your contributions over the years will grow tax-free.

Prioritize debt

Take a look at your debt and prioritize ways of paying it down. These days many households carry multiple credit card balances, which cut into the ability to save. Pay off higher interest balances first.

Be frugal. It sounds easy but it's a lot like going on a diet. You have to get used to getting by on less. However, after cutting out unnecessary spending you may find you can adjust to it just fine.

Finally, look for ways to generate additional income. If you have a job that covers the bills and provides a little for savings, a part-time business, perhaps based on a hobby or special skill you have, might generate money that could go directly into savings, putting you on the road to building real wealth a little faster.

If you have questions or want a more detailed plan, you should seek out a qualified and impartial financial advisor.