Current Events in December 2016

BMW of North America is recalling 91 model year 2011 BMW 528i, 528xi, 535i, 535xi, 550i and 550xi vehicles manufactured March 1, 2010, through August 31, 2011.

The vehicles may have received a replacement Sensor Cluster Unit (SCU) during a service visit with an acceleration sensor that may have been incorrectly programmed. As a result, the SCU may not accurately determine if activation and deployment of the airbags, safety belt pre-tensioners and head restraints is necessary in the event of a crash.

Depending on the severity of the crash, inadequate activation of the driver and/or passenger airbags, safety belt pre-tensioners and active head restraints may increase the risk of injury.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the SCU, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in December 2016.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Back in 1964, the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Luther Terry, released a report that documented in exhaustive detail the health risks of cigarette smoking, something that had been considered benign and even healthy just a few years before.

Now another report from the U.S. Surgeon General is raising concerns about e-cigarette use among U.S. youth and young adults, now estimated to amount to 1 in 6 high school students.

“All Americans need to know that e-cigarettes are dangerous to youth and young adults,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, in releasing the report. “Any tobacco use, including e-cigarettes, is a health threat, particularly to young people.”

The report finds that, while nicotine is a highly addictive drug at any age, youth and young adults are uniquely vulnerable to the long-term consequences of exposing the brain to nicotine, and concludes that using nicotine in any form is dangerous to young people.

The report also finds that secondhand aerosol that is exhaled into the air by e-cigarette users can expose others to potentially harmful chemicals.

"First comprehensive review"

Today’s report, which was written and reviewed by more than 150 experts, is the first comprehensive federal review of the public health impact of e-cigarettes on U.S. youth and young adults. After years of study, the Food and Drug Administration in May set the legal age for using tobacco and e-cigarettes at 18 after finding that the rate of teen "vaping" was increasing markedly. 

“We have more to do to help protect Americans from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine, especially our youth. As cigarette smoking among those under 18 has fallen, the use of other nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, has taken a drastic leap. All of this is creating a new generation of Americans who are at risk of addiction,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell at the time the age limit was announced. 

There have been numerous, conflicting studies about the health effects of e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems. Some countries, most notably Britain, have concluded that e-cigs are less harmful than regular tobacco products. In 1995, Public Health England (PHE) -- roughly equivalent to the U.S. FDA -- said it had found 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

Perhaps, but in November, a University of Southern California study suggested that the health of young users may be at serious risk in the short- and long-term. The reason, the authors say, is that e-cigarette use and vaping can be associated with an increased frequency of smoking and heavier smoking habits overall.

Recommendations

The latest Surgeon General's report includes a series of recommendations to reduce vaping and smoking by young people, including:

• continuing to regulate e-cigarettes at the federal level;
• raising and strongly enforcing minimum age-of-sale laws for all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes;
• incorporating e-cigarettes into smoke-free policies;
• regulating e-cigarette marketing;
• sponsoring high-impact media campaigns to educate the public on the harms of e-cigarettes among young people; and
• expanding research efforts related to e-cigarettes.

“Protecting our nation’s youth from the harms of tobacco and nicotine is a top priority for HHS and this Administration. And this report, outlining the harms of e-cigs and providing clear steps to reduce their impact on our kids, is an important step in our fight,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell. “We cannot let the enormous progress we’ve made toward a tobacco-free generation be undermined by e-cigarettes and other emerging tobacco products.”

“We need parents, teachers, health care providers, and other influencers to help make it clear that e-cigarettes contain harmful chemicals and are not okay for kids to use” Dr. Murthy said. “Today’s report gives them the facts about how these products can be harmful to young people’s health.”

A new interactive website containing key information from the report, written especially for parents and adult influencers of youth, is available at E-cigarettes.SurgeonGeneral.gov.

The University of Phoenix is one step closer to being sold and going private. The U.S. Education Department approved the $1.14 billion sale of parent company Apollo Education Group to three private equity firms on Wednesday.

But before that happens, the new owners, including two executives with close ties to the Obama Administration, must agree to the conditions set forth by the department.

The conditions require the company to submit a letter of credit totaling about $386 million to be used as collateral if the company can't pay back funds advanced to it by the federal government. Apollo would also agree not to change or add any new programs until June 30, 2018 and to maintain enrollment levels at or below current levels.

The agreement would apply to both the University of Phoenix and Western International University, both owned by Apollo.

Republicans have been questioning the deal because of the involvement of Marty Nesbitt, a close friend of President Obama who runs the Vistria Group, one of the equity firms. Also, Vistria's co-founder is Tony Miller, who was deputy secretary of education from 2009 to 2013.

The Trump Effect

The apparent close ties to the Obama White House have brought calls for tighter scrutiny of the arrangement from educators as well as political interests.

“It’s entirely reasonable to ensure that an ownership group with no prior experience running a college of any sort should abide by certain restrictions,” said Ben Miller, senior director for postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress, according to Inside Higher Education. “It’s very clear the department is taking a real risk that Tony Miller and others who have no experience in running a college will be able to do so successfully.”

Some analysts suggested the requirement for the letter of credit was "onerous" and would push an already troubled institution further into the red. But some also suggested the buyers might go ahead with the deal in hopes that the incoming administration of President-elect Trump -- no stranger to the for-profit education business -- might take a kinder view and loosen the restrictions. 

The University of Phoenix has for years been the largest and best-known for-profit college, with an enrollment nearing 500,000 in 2010. But after a series of lawsuits, scandals, and governmental pressure, enrollment is now down to about 175,000 and the company's future prospects are unclear.

The Obama Administration has cracked the whip on for-profit schools, which critics say charge high tuition, make unrealistic promises of future employment, and deliver degrees and certificates that are often viewed as worthless by prospective employers.

Consumer advocates have for years encouraged students to look to community colleges, which tend to be much less expensive and deliver training that is more widely accepted in the marketplace. 

With some arm-twisting by the U.S. Justice Department, supplement seller GNC has agreed to stop selling any supplement or ingredient that the Food and Drug Administration has said is unsafe or illegal. GNC agreed to a similar but less extensive agreement with the New York Attorney General last year. 

It's part of a wide-ranging "non-prosecution agreement" that followed a lengthy investigation of GNC's practices by the Justice Department and FDA. It also includes a $2.25 million fine and a pledge by GNC to cooperate in government investigations and prosecutions of supplement manufacturers.

“Unlawful dietary supplements are an important enforcement priority for the department,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s resolution is a significant step forward in reforming an industry rife with alarming practices. Companies like GNC need to do more to ensure that they are not selling products containing questionable and untested ingredients."

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the DOJ related to certain products manufactured by USP Labs which were removed from GNC’s shelves years ago," GNC said in a statement to ConsumerAffairs. "We are pleased to have put this matter behind us and remain committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products available, using the purest and most effective ingredients, to help them live healthier lives.”

As part of the agreement, GNC admitted that it "engaged in acts and omissions" that allowed a misbranded supplement -- OxyElite Pro Advanced Formula, a product of Dallas-based USPlabs LLC (USP Labs) --to be sold at GNC locations nationwide in 2013. 

GNC sold the product based on USP Labs' claim that ingredients contained in the product complied with the law and did not make any attempt to test the products or verify USP Labs' claims.

USP Labs was indicted in November 2015 and is awaiting trial. The indictment alleges that USP Labs imported ingredients from China using false certificates of analysis and false labeling, and then lied about the source and nature of those ingredients after it put them in its products. 

GNC's obligations

The agreement obligates GNC to:

• Immediately remove from its shelves any product containing an ingredient that FDA has branded as unsafe;
• Establish a "restricted list" of ingredients that are not to be used in any dietary supplements it sells and a "positive list" of ingredients that are approved for sale;
• Require more explicit guarantees from vendors that their products don't contain ingredients on the restricted list
• Work to develop an industrywide quality seal program. 
• Once the seal is established, stop paying its salespeople bonuses for directing customers to products that don't carry the seal; and
• Strengthen its adverse event reporting policy. 

Earlier efforts

It's not the first attempt to rein in questionable practices at GNC. Last March, the company entered into a similar agreement with New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman after a study by the AG's office found the majority of supplements being sold by GNC, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart did not contain the ingredients they claimed. 

Under that agreement, GNC agreed to perform DNA barcoding on the “active” plant ingredients used in its products; implement testing for contamination with allergens, both before and after production; and post prominent signage advising consumers of the processed, chemical nature of extracts.

The agreement applied to all 6,000 GNC stores and was the first nationwide requirement calling for improved testing standards for herbal supplements.

Back in October, when AT&T announced an agreement to purchase Time Warner, candidate Donald Trump blasted the proposed deal, saying he would do everything he could do to block it.

The deal was also greeted with various degrees of hostility in Congress, including from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). It led some industry analysts to speculate the deal could be dead on arrival.

But when executives of the two companies went before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee Wednesday, the tone from both Republicans and Democrats was noticeably softer.

While Congress has no say-so in the matter, Subcommittee chair Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) assured the executives that the Trump Administration Justice Department would only look at the facts and would seek to protect consumers, not necessarily AT&T's competitors.

A transformative and disruptive time

“No doubt, this industry is going through a transformative and disruptive time, and consumers are enjoying the ride,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. “So we want to make sure that this revolution in technologies and content continues to thrive and evolve to the benefit of all consumers, all over the country, including in rural communities in Iowa.”

Rural internet service providers have voiced concern about the deal because AT&T will be able to offer its customers unlimited streaming of its own content, while the smaller ISPs will have no such advantage.

“This proposed massive consolidation of distribution and content raises serious questions,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). “The impact of this transaction on competition, consumer choice, and privacy across the media, pay TV, wireless and broadband industries must be carefully analyzed.”

But while lawmakers in general voiced caution about the proposed deal, no one blasted it as anti-competitive.

'Reshape the competitive landscape'

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson sought to reassure the lawmakers that consumers would benefit from the combination of the two companies. He said it would lead to innovation, offer more pricing options to consumers, and "reshape the competitive landscape."

There's no doubt that AT&T customers would stand to benefit, since they would be able to stream AT&T-owned content without it counting against their data allowances. But regulators will also look at how customers of small, independently owned ISPs will fare.

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) released a report at Wednesday's hearing showing four telecom firms dominate the market and makes the claim that the average American household is overcharged $45 a month. The group urges regulators to reject the merger.

Trump, meanwhile, has said little about the proposed deal since the election. His stated objection in October was that it would place too much media power in the hands of one company.

Adhering to a vegan or vegetarian diet during pregnancy isn’t harmful to a developing baby as long as an expectant mother’s meals are well-balanced.

In a statement, the Academy described vegan and vegetarian diets as “healthful” and noted that plant-based eating habits may even “provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of some chronic diseases.”

But as with anything, balance is key. The group of nutritionists stipulated that these diets must be monitored and carefully planned out in order to ensure that proper amounts of important nutrients are obtained.

Appropriately planned meals

But parents and caretakers should make sure that vegan or vegetarian children are getting key nutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B-12. One way to do this is through planned, well-balanced meals, says Vandana Sheth, a member of the Academy.

But to see these health benefits, and to make sure children are receiving important nutrients, meals should be well-balanced and care should be taken to ensure that diets are low in processed foods.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is providing over $88 million in refunds to more than 2.7 million AT&T customers who had third-party charges added to their mobile bills without their consent, a tactic known as “mobile cramming.” It's the most money ever awarded to customers in a mobile cramming case.

The refunds will be going to AT&T customers who were wrongfully billed by Tatto and Acquinity.

Through the FTC’s refund program, nearly 2.5 million current AT&T customers will receive a credit on their bill within the next 75 days, and more than 300,000 former customers will receive a check. The average refund amount is $31.

“AT&T received a high volume of complaints related to mobile cramming prior to the FTC and other federal and state agencies stepping in on consumers’ behalf,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “I am pleased that consumers are now being refunded their money and that AT&T has changed its mobile billing practices.”

$9.99 ringtones

According to the FTC’s complaint, AT&T placed unauthorized third-party charges on its customers’ phone bills, usually in amounts of $9.99 per month, for ringtones and text message subscriptions containing love tips, horoscopes, and “fun facts.” The FTC alleged that AT&T kept at least 35 percent of the charges it imposed on its customers.

As part of the settlement, AT&T agreed to pay $80 million for refunds and notify current customers who were billed for unauthorized third-party charges of the refund program. 

Epiq Systems, the administrator for the refund program, will begin mailing refund checks and applying credits to AT&T phone bills starting today. Refunds are being issued in the wake of consumers filing their claims for redress with the FTC, and following a claim registration confirmation and audit process. The checks must be cashed within 60 days or they will become void.

The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide account information to cash refund checks. The FTC consumer redress hotline for consumers that have questions about the process is: 1-877-819-9692.

At the beginning of the month, we reported the results of a study by New York’s Hunter College that assessed which airlines had the best food. While Virgin America took top honors, Delta Airlines came in a close second for its low-calorie and vegan options.

While having high marks on food quality is nice, many fliers today must pay extra for an in-flight meal if they’re flying coach and going on a long flight. However, Delta has recently said that it will be testing complimentary meals for coach passengers on some transcontinental flights.

“Delta is currently testing complimentary meals in the Main Cabin on Transcon flights between New York-JFK and Los Angeles International Airport/San Francisco International Airport as part of the airline’s focus on continually looking at ways to enhance the on-board experience for customers,” the company said in an announcement.

Depending on what time travelers are flying, they could be treated to one of a few meal options. For those flying in the morning, the company says that participating flights will be offering a Maple Breakfast Sandwich or the Luvo Breakfast Medley. Those flying in the afternoon can choose from a Mesquite-Smoked Turkey Combo with chips and a brownie bite or the Luvo Mediterranean Whole Grain Veggie wrap, which comes with grapes and a cookie.

While many airlines have begun restricting certain free amenities on flights in order to charge a premium, Delta’s possible inclusion of a free meal could mark a reversal. Delta Senior Vice President of In-Flight Service Allison Ausband says that the company is trying to improve the flight experience to meet consumer demand.

“We are constantly actively listening to our customers and employees, gathering their feedback and testing new products on board to continuously improve the overall experience. Testing meals on Transcon flights is part of our commitment to be thoughtful about our offerings and make decisions based on customers’ needs,” she said.

While the unemployment rate has plunged over the last few years and the economy appears to be at full employment, the labor participation rate is still very low.

Workers have also complained about the type of jobs the economy has produced since the Great Recession. They say many of the higher paying positions wiped out in the financial crisis have not come back.

Could that be about to change? It might at one U.S. company.

In an interview with CNBC, United States Steel CEO Mario Longhi held out the possibility that his firm would rehire up to 10,000 employees laid off in recent years. The reason? Longhi expects a more business-friendly tax policy.

Anticipating lower tax rates

"We already structured to do some things, but when you see in the near future improvement to the tax laws, improvements to regulation, those two things by themselves may be a significant driver to what we're going to do," he told CNBC's "Power Lunch."

Longhi also noted that increased infrastructure spending and rising economic growth would allow the company to expand at a faster rate than projected.

In a CNBC interview Thursday, economist Larry Lindsey predicted wage stagnation would end. In discussing the the stock market's surge to record highs, Lindsey cautioned investors that not all of the economy's gains are going to companies' bottom lines. He said interest rates, wages, and the dollar will all go higher in the months ahead.

“The key here is that we are really going to see a gain in wages because we are throwing fuel on a fully-employed economy,” Lindsey said on “Squawk Box.”

It may already be happening. ADP's third quarter report on the workforce shows the tight labor market is forcing employers to pay higher wages to attract and retain talent. The report shows the highest wage gains are being obtained by the youngest workers.

Are you a ‘glass-half-full’ kind of person? If so, a new study suggests that you could have many healthy years ahead of you.

Findings from the study, published online in the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggest that optimism is linked to better health. In breaking down the potential reason for the association, Eric Kim, co-lead author of the investigation, explained that optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles compared to those with bleaker outlooks.

But the tendency of cheerier individuals to live healthier lifestyles may only partially explain the association between optimism and a longer life.

Impacts biological systems

Whether or not a person prefers to look on the bright side may also have an impact on their biological functions. Kim pointed out that previous research has shown that higher levels of optimism is linked with lower inflammation, healthier lipid levels, and higher amounts of antioxidants.

Optimism may also have an impact on the way a person copes with life's curveballs. "Optimistic people also use healthier coping styles," Kim told HealthDay.

"A summary of over 50 studies showed that when confronted with life challenges, optimists use healthier coping methods like acceptance of circumstances that cannot be changed, planning for further challenges, creating contingency plans, and seeking support from others when needed," he said.

30% lower risk

To measure optimism and examine its impact on a person's lifespan, investigators analyzed data from 70,000 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study. Participants were asked to either agree or disagree with statements such as, “In uncertain times, I usually expect the best.” Women could express their level of agreement on a five-point scale.

• a 16% lower risk of dying from cancer
• a 38% lower risk of dying from heart disease
• a 39% lower risk of dying from stroke 
• a 38% lower risk of dying from respiratory disease
• a 52% lower risk of dying from infection

Doesn't prove cause and effect

"While most medical and public health efforts today focus on reducing risk factors for diseases, evidence has been mounting that enhancing psychological resilience may also make a difference," Kim said.

"Our new findings suggest that we should make efforts to boost optimism, which has been shown to be associated with healthier behaviors and healthier ways of coping with life challenges," he added.

The number of job openings was little changed at 5.5 million on the last business day of October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Openings were up in health care and social assistance, but down in professional and business services, federal government, and mining and logging. The number of job openings was little changed in all four regions of the country.

Hires

There wasn't much change in the number of hires in October -- 5.1 million -- about the same as the month before for a hires rate of 3.5%.

The number of hires was little changed for total private and for government, with hires down by 26,000 in state and local government education and little change in all other industries. The number of hires also was little changed in all four regions.

Separations

Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations and is referred to as turnover.

There were 4.9 million total separations in October, comprised of 3.0 million quits, 1.5 million layoffs and discharges other separations that was little changed from September.

Net employment change

Over the 12 months ending in October, hires totaled 62.6 million and separations totaled 60.1 million, for a net employment gain of 2.5 million. These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.

The complete report is available on the DOL website.

Jobless claims

A big drop last week in the number of initial jobless claims.

The Department of Labor (DOL) reports there were 258,000 first-time applications for state unemployment benefits filed in the week ending December 3, down 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised level.

Initial claims have now been below 300,000 for 92 consecutive weeks, the longest streak since 1970.

The four-week moving average inched up 1,000 from the previous week's unrevised average to 252,500.

The latter measurement is considered a more accurate gauge of the labor market due to its lack of volatility.

The full report may be found on the DOL website.

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 41,264 model year 2007-2008 Entourage vehicles manufactured February 16, 2006, to June 30, 2008.

The vehicle's the secondary hood latch may corrode and bind and remain in the unlatched position when the hood is closed.

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

What to do

Hyundai will notify all owners.

For vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia, dealers will replace the secondary latch.

For vehicles in any other state, dealers will inspect and either lubricate or replace the secondary latch, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 9, 2016.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 154.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 799 model year 2017 E400 4Matic Coupes, E400 Convertibles, E550 Coupes and E550 Convertibles manufactured June 7, 2016, to September 8, 2016.

There may be insufficient clearance between the vehicle's left catalytic converter and the composite underbody panel causing the panel to melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the underbody panel, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in December 2016.

Owners may contact Mercedes customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Peace of mind is often rather elusive for first time parents, who might find themselves constantly checking to make sure that the baby is breathing or wondering whether the baby is too warm or cold.

There's seemingly no end to the amount of baby-related questions that can evoke worry, but a new wearable called Neebo may help to reduce the amount of worry that parents face.

The egg-shaped wearable, which was designed for children up to 24 months, works by measuring a baby’s heart rate, oxygen saturation, thermal state, and sound in the baby’s environment. The wristband itself is safe for the baby to chew on and features a child-proof clasp.

Accurate monitoring

In addition to keeping parents apprised of their baby’s temperature and other health vitals, the device can provide early warnings of heart disease, immunodeficiency, or respiratory problems. It also sends parents an alert when the baby is waking up.

“It’s built around the idea that parents don’t need a lot of extra alerts,” Kharullaev told MobiHealthNews. “These are smart alerts. If it cannot deliver to mobile, it goes to the charging station and it produces . . . an audible alert, but only in case of emergency, such as abnormal heart rate or a high or low temperature.”

Eventually, Kharullaev and his team want to obtain FDA approval. The company also hopes to incorporate AI to give Neebo the ability to notify parents if a caretaker or person is harming or yelling at the baby.

“With the final iteration, it will start to educate the AI and detect baby abuse – slapping, yelling, pushing – and will start to analyze the audio environment to detect patterns,” said Kharullaev. “We want it to be able to detect the event and confirm with other sensors to work with higher accuracy.”

It's thought that the first car theft in history occurred in Paris in 1896 when a mechanic stole the Peugeot he had been working on. Today, more than 700,000 cars are stolen each year in the United States alone -- an increasing number of them with handy little devices that can unlock and start many cars equipped with keyless remote and push-button ignitions.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has been trying to get a handle on the problem and says it recently obtained one of the devices, purchased by a security expert from an overseas supplier.

The device, called a "relay attack" unit, was tested on 35 different models and makes of cars, including used cars at CarMax and new cars at various dealers' lots. 

The vehicles were tested to see if the device could:

• open the door; 
• start the vehicle; 
• drive it away; and
• turn off and restart the engine without the original fob present.

The NICB was able to open 19 (54 percent) of the vehicles and start and drive away 18 (51 percent) of them. Of the 18 that were started, after driving them away and turning off the ignition, the device was used to restart 12 (34 percent) of the vehicles.

No defense

This is bad news for car owners, since there is really not much any individual can do to prevent crooks from using the device on any car with the keyless fob and push-button start that are popular on newer cars.

“We’ve now seen for ourselves that these devices work,” said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle. “Maybe they don’t work on all makes and models, but certainly on enough that car thieves can target and steal them with relative ease. And the scary part is that there’s no warning or explanation for the owner. Unless someone catches the crime on a security camera, there’s no way for the owner or the police to really know what happened. Many times, they think the vehicle has been towed."

The advice from NICB is about what you'd expect -- always lock your car and take the key fob with you, don't leave valuables in plain sight, and park in safe areas.

The insurance group also repeats advice we've heard elsewhere. Noting that crooks who steal your car will have access to your registration and garage door opener, in effect an invitation to burglarize your home, NICB recommends taking your garage door opener with you when you leave your car and also recommends not leaving your registration and insurance cards in the car. Instead, it suggests photographing them with your smartphone. Whether the police officer who pulls you over for a traffic offense will accept that is another question.

Or you could just drive an old car. It probably won't have a wireless key fob and may not be very attractive to car thieves. It won't cost as much to insure it, either.

To soothe teething pain, parents often hand their little one a colorful teether to sink their sprouting teeth into. But despite being labeled “BPA-free” and “non-toxic,” many baby teethers may contain low levels of BPA.

Studies have shown that EDCs can interfere with hormones and have harmful developmental, reproductive, and neurological effects. The U.S. and other governments have banned or restricted the use of some BPA, parabens, and antimicrobials in certain baby products, such as bottles.

Current regulations

“Regulation is hazy because the levels are still being debated and standards are not clearly described,” Kannan told FoxNews.com.

But these regulations do not account for the accumulation of multiple EDCs, the researchers noted. Additionally, not all of the chemicals measured in the study are regulated.

Whether you prefer walnuts, pecans, or hazel nuts, eating a handful of nuts every day can cut your risk of heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases. That’s the conclusion that researchers from Imperial College London and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have come to.

The team recently took a look at 29 separate studies from around the world, comprising over 800,000 participants and thousands of cases of coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. And in all those cases, they found that consumption of at least 20 grams of nuts per day reduced health risks.

"We found a consistent reduction in risk across many different diseases, which is a strong indication that there is a real underlying relationship between nut consumption and different health outcomes. It's quite a substantial effect for such a small amount of food,” said Dagfinn Aune, co-author of the study.

Reducing health risks

But why exactly do nuts seem to have such a profound effect on health? The researchers think it has to do with the nutrients found in these foods. They point out that the benefits of some nuts override their fat content and might even lead to reduced weight in the long-run.

"Some nuts, particularly walnuts and pecan nuts are also high in antioxidants, which can fight oxidative stress and possibly reduce cancer risk. Even though nuts are quite high in fat, they are also high in fibre and protein, and there is some evidence that suggests nuts might actually reduce your risk of obesity over time," said Aune.

When it comes to reducing other health risks, Aune says that even peanuts (which are technically a legume) have some benefits. "Nuts and peanuts are high in fibre, magnesium, and polyunsaturated fats -- nutrients that are beneficial for cutting cardiovascular disease risk and which can reduce cholesterol levels,” he said.

With these findings under their belts, the researchers are hoping to continue their work to see if other food groups, like fruits and vegetables, can reduce the risk of other diseases.

The full study has been published in BMC Medicine.

A federal judge has thrown out a would-be class action suit that alleged Mercedes-Benz misled consumers about emissions from its "BlueTec Clean Diesel" models.

The decision was not based on whether or not the diesels live up to the company's advertising claims but rather on whether the plaintiffs had legal standing to bring the case. New Jersey U.S. District Judge Jose Linares said the plaintiffs did not have standing because they failed to show that they had actually seen any of the ads that allegedly misled them, according to an Automotive News report.

The judge left the door open for the plaintiffs to amend their filing and attorney Steve Berman said he would do just that.

"We will amend to satisfy the court’s direction and are confident we can do so. Make no mistake, there has to be a legal remedy for the tens of thousands of Mercedes diesel owners who are unwittingly driving cars that exceed any promise of 'Clean Diesel' that Mercedes made, and which are exceeding U.S. emission standards," said Berman, managing partner of the Hagens Berman law firm.

"Defeat device"

The suit was filed in February by owners of BlueTec models in 13 states, alleging that the company was using a "defeat device" to cheat emissions testing. Mercedes heatedly denied the charges. 

"We consider this class action lawsuit to be unfounded. Our position remains unchanged: A component that inadmissibly reduces emissions is not used in Mercedes-Benz vehicles," it said in a statement.

In April, the U.S. Justice asked Mercedes to examine its emission certification process and the automaker said it would be cooperative while continuing to deny any wrongdoing.

The BlueTec system uses urea to eliminate nitric oxide fumes from vehicle emissions.

Diesel engines have been under scrutiny since Volkswagen admitted to rigging its diesel cars to pass emissions tests while polluting at levels far above legal standards the rest of the time. VW has agreed to pay $15 billion in settlements and still faces potential criminal prosecution in the U.S., as well as numerous lawsuits in other countries.