Current Events in February 2017

Many taxpayers are eager to file their tax return because they have a big refund coming. But there's another reason to get your tax return in as quickly as possible.

That gives fraudsters less time to file a fake return in your name, collecting a large bogus refund.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says identity theft, with scammers assuming the identity of a real taxpayer, remains the biggest scam it has to deal with.

All a scammer has to do is steal a taxpayer's Social Security number. He then makes up a phony W-2 form from a company and fills out a return showing a large refund. He then has the refund direct-deposited into a money card or other untraceable account.

A scammer will normally file a bogus return as soon as possible, before the real taxpayer has a chance to file. Once the real taxpayer files, he or she is told the IRS has already processed the return.

Security Summit

Because this problem has been getting worse year after year, the IRS has joined with states and the tax preparation industry in a Security Summit to enact a series of safeguards. In 2016, there was some observable progress, as the number of taxpayers reporting stolen identities on federal tax returns fell by more than 50%.

“The Security Summit partnership continues to develop and strengthen tools to stop fraudulent returns from getting into the tax system," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "We're calling on taxpayers to do everything they can to protect their private information because criminals continue looking for new and more sophisticated ways of beating the system. We also encourage tax professionals and others in the private and non-profit sectors with access to large amounts of sensitive information to watch out for identity theft schemes."

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley warns consumers to remain vigilant for tax identity theft. His advice is to file a return as early as possible. If you are a victim of this scam, Hawley says the IRS may have to reject your legitimate return because of the fake one filed in your name.

What to do

Besides filing early, the IRS says other ways to promote security include always using security software with firewall and anti-virus protection. Consumers should also use strong passwords and encrypt sensitive tax records when they are stored on a personal computer.

To keep thieves from learning your Social Security number, learn to recognize and avoid phishing emails, which often look like they are from a legitimate source. They try to trick victims into revealing sensitive personal information.

In the days of prohibition of marijuana for any use, those who partook of the weed claimed that the government was missing a big source of revenue.

Just tax legal marijuana the way they do cigarettes and the money would come pouring in, they said.

Now that recreational marijuana use has been legal for a couple of years in Colorado and Washington, marijuana advocates are saying "I told you so."

FinancialBuzz.com, a news website emphasizing coverage of the financial side of cannabis, points to economic statistics showing legalized marijuana in Colorado created about 18,000 jobs in 2015 while generating about $2.39 billion in economic activity for that state.

It cites another publication, Marijuana Business Daily, as estimating that cannabis-related firms employed as many as 150,000 full- and part-time workers last year. The economic impact will only get bigger, it says, as the four states that legalized recreational marijuana last November begin to implement the new laws.

Making inroads on Wall Street

In fact, legal marijuana is making inroads on Wall Street with at least five publicly traded companies.

ChineseInvestors.com, which trades over-the-counter (OTC), launched a new website last week specializing in medical marijuana. It's also expanding into hemp oil, which is legal in both the U.S. and China.

GW Pharmaceutical, which trades on NASDAQ, focuses on developing and bringing to market prescription medicines made from cannabis extracts. The company currently markets Sativex, a spray used for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.

Cara Therapeutics Inc., which trades on NASDAQ, is a biotech company that develops pain medication. These products alleviate pain by selectively targeting kappa opioid receptors.

Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, also trading on NASDAQ, produces transdermal synthetic cannabinoid treatments for patients with high unmet medical needs.

Insys Therapeutics, trading on NASDAQ, develops and markets pharmaceutical cannabinoids and works to address what it says is the clinical shortcomings of existing commercial products.

Feds still skeptical

While the legal marijuana genie appears to be out of the bottle, it remains to be seen what position a Trump administration Justice Department will take. The Obama administration was opposed to the legalization votes that took place during its tenure but did little to interfere with Colorado and Washington's implementation.

There are also continuing health concerns. Dr. Stefan Kertesz, an associate professor with the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, has been studying the effects of long-term marijuana use. A year ago, he reported long-term marijuana use appeared to be significantly associated with worse verbal memory in middle age.

That's probably not good news for Baby Boomers, many of whom smoked pot during their college days and apparently have taken it up again now that it's legal in places.

In December, researchers reported Boomers were using marijuana more than any other generation, including Millennials. Between 2006 and 2013, they found a 71% increase in marijuana use among adults 50 years old and older. The rate drops considerably for adults 65 and older, who make up the leading edge of the Baby Boom generation.  

Pet care, whether in-home or at a kennel, can add a hefty cost to your travel budget. So why leave your pet at home? You can bring your pet on your road trip, take them with you on an airplane, the subway, buses, trains, or even include them on a cruise. There are countless ways for you to enjoy time away with your beloved pet at all price points. Pet policies vary widely so check each venue for its specific policy.

Many hotels allow you to bring your pets; some at no additional charge while others add a pet fee. Most allow only domestic pets, like cats and dogs, but review the hotel/motel’s website for their pet policy. Or conduct a specific online search for hotels that allow, for example, birds.

What types of activities can you enjoy with your pet? Many state and national parks, national monuments, national military parks, and national historic sites allow pets on a leash. Beaches can be pet-friendly and allow pets both on-leash and off-leash. Always check websites prior to making your plans.

Unique experiences

Prior to your travels, conduct an online search for “pet friendly activities.” You will be surprised at the range of activities you and your pet can enjoy together. Here are a few examples:

• Bring your small dog (under 20 pounds) on a 50-minute horse-drawn carriage ride in Savannah, Georgia.
• Take your dog on the Skunk Train, located in Northern California’s Mendocino County, that runs through the redwood forest, pristine coastline, and award-winning vineyards.
• It should be no surprise that dogs and cats are welcome at Fantastic Caverns in Springfield. Mo. The cave was discovered in 1862 by an Ozarks farmer -- or more precisely, by his dog. You can tour the cave all year long in Jeep-drawn trams. Check the website for holiday closures.
• The Key West Aquarium in Florida, with its beautiful indigenous sea-creatures of Key West and the Florida Keys, welcomes dogs anytime, as long as they are on leash.
• Visiting Chicago between July and September? Take the Mercury's Canine Cruise, relaxing and soaking in the city’s lore with your dog on a leash, enjoying a 90-minute cruise and narration of Chicago’s history and architecture.

Helpful online sources

Bring Fido: A comprehensive source for locating dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, activities, events, and services throughout the United States. The site allows a search by city and state.

Dog-friendly Cruises: You can take your dog or cat on the Transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary II, but there are a number of other ways to cruise with your dog.

Pet-friendly public transportation: The site offers some guidance for taking dogs on trains, subways, and buses.

Trips with Pets: This website gives pet-friendly travel tips, including car rental pet policies.

Pet Friendly Travel: This website has specific information on best practices for air travel with your pet, each airline’s (commercial and private) pet policies, pet transport/shipping, and airport limo service.

Motels & Hotels That Accept Pet Birds: Here's a hotel listing and additional resources for traveling with pet birds.

Airline Travel with Pet Birds: This site showcases requirements and recommendations for air travel with pet birds.

Ivanka Trump's brand is disappearing from Nordstrom stores, but the retailer insists it's not because of politics. It's also being reported that Ivanka's products are being removed from the Neiman Marcus website. 

"We've said all along we make buying decisions based on performance," Nordstrom said in response to a report by Racked.com that Ivanka's dresses, shoes, and other apparel were on the way out. 

"In this case, based on the brand's performance, we've decided not to buy it for this season," the statement concluded. Nordstrom noted it offers thousands of brands in its stores and on its site and cuts about ten percent each year depending on how they perform.

The New York Times said a spokesman for the brand disputed Nordstrom's claim that it has not bought any of Ivanka's spring line. But a quick check of the Nordstrom site found only a few pairs of Ivanka Trump shoes. Nothing was found on the Neiman Marcus site.

While slumping sales may indeed be a part of the decision, it's worth noting that the Ivanka Trump brand is prominently featured on the boycott list of Grab Your Wallet, a consumer campaign that is asking shoppers not to buy Ivanka or Donald Trump brands. 

We've seen it in the waves of store closings. Sears is closing a number of Sears and Kmart stores. Even stalwart Macy's announced it was closing 68 stores at the end of last year.

When it comes to retail purchases, consumers are either buying less or buying it online. And the stores that provide consumer options, as well as jobs for millions of consumers, are taking it on the chin.

The Deal, a business unit of financial website TheStreet.com, reports the number of bankruptcy filings by U.S. retailers nearly doubled last year over 2015, and the prospects look no better for 2017.

"The rate of Chapter 11 filings is often an indicator of an industry's health and that's bad news for retailers," said Ian Wenik, bankruptcy reporter at The Deal. "The number of large-liability retail Chapter 11 filings -- at least $250 million in liabilities -- nearly doubled in 2016 and that trend shows no signs of slowing down."

Teen retailers suffering

In particular, Wenik says retailers specializing in teen clothing are struggling, as teenagers no longer are drawn to fashion labels but look for experiences that will set them apart from their peers and enhance their cool factor.

In late January, teen retailer The Wet Seal announced the closing of all 171 stores after it was unable to find a buyer. It followed in the footsteps of The Limited, which previously shut down its business operations.

Wall Street is keeping a wary eye on publicly traded retail companies. Financial news website Marketwatch reports retailer's debt, sold in the bond market, now makes up a "significant portion" of Fitch Ratings "Bonds of Concern" list. It reports there's more than $4 billion in retailers' debt that is in danger of default.

But retailers' woes may not be completely due to consumers moving all of their spending to online channels like Amazon. Amazon stunned Wall Street this week when it's quarterly earnings badly missed estimates, primarily due to lower than expected revenue.

Are consumers spending less money? Not really. It seems to be where they're spending it, and for what, that's the bigger question.

There have been countless “cures” proposed for those who have trouble sleeping. A cursory internet search will suggest anything from sipping warm milk to taking melatonin supplements. However, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder have a much more recreational answer: go camping for a weekend.

Doctor Kenneth Wright, an integrative physiology professor and lead author of a paper covering two studies, explains how going camping in an environment with natural light and dark cycles can reverse the damage of living everyday life in an artificially lit environment.

"These studies suggest that our internal clock responds strongly and quite rapidly to the natural light-dark cycle. . . Living in our modern environments can significantly delay our circadian timing and late circadian timing is associated with many health consequences. But as little as a weekend camping trip can reset it," he said.

Managing our internal clocks

This is not the first paper that Wright has published on the beneficial effects of camping. In 2013, he conducted a study where participants were sent to camp for a week in the summer without the use of headlamps or flashlights at night. When they returned, Wright found that their levels of melatonin – a hormone that prepares the body for nighttime and promotes sleep – had synced with sunrise and sunset, a change of almost two hours.

To build on that previous study, Wright set out to find how quickly our internal clocks could change based on the lighting of our environment and the time of the year. The first study consisted of 14 participants – nine of which were asked to camp for a weekend during the summer while the other five stayed home. After the weekend, participants who went camping had melatonin rise 1.4 hours earlier than those who hadn’t gone, suggesting that their internal clocks had altered.

In the second study, five participants camped for an entire week around the time of the winter solstice. Statistics showed that they were exposed to 13 times more natural light than usual and that their melatonin levels began to rise 2.6 hours earlier.

"Weekend exposure to natural light was sufficient to achieve 69 percent of the shift in circadian timing we previously reported after a week's exposure to natural light," Wright stated.

Getting back in sync

So, what does all of this mean for sleep? Essentially, the two studies showed that not being exposed to artificial light allowed participants’ bodies to alter according to the time of the year and their bodies’ natural needs.

When living life normally with artificial light, the body’s internal clock and natural rhythms are often thrown off, which can impact when hormones are released, when we sleep and wake up, and even our appetite and metabolism. However, the studies show that just one weekend of camping away from that environment is enough to put our bodies back in sync. Wright hopes the results will help guide building and city design to help encourage natural light to promote health.

"Our findings highlight an opportunity for architectural design to bring more natural sunlight into the modern built environment and to work with lighting companies to incorporate tunable lighting that could change across the day and night to enhance performance, health and well-being," he said.

The full study has been published in Current Biology.

Fans of convenience may enjoy the simplicity of laundry detergent pods, but parents of young children should be aware of the potential dangers associated with having liquid laundry packets in the house.

Reports of children mistaking colorful laundry pods for toys or candy have already sparked concern among parents and caregivers. Now, a new study finds that there's been a dramatic increase in the number of young children who have suffered eye burns from the chemicals inside the packets.

The number of eye injuries caused by laundry detergent pods increased 32-fold between 2012 and 2015 among preschool-aged children, a new report published in JAMA Ophthalmology found.

Leaked liquid causes eye burns

In 2012, there were only 12 reported incidences of pod-related eye burns. But by 2015, almost 500 eye injuries had been reported. Researchers noted that the proportion of chemical burns to the eye from laundry pods rose from less than 1% in 2012 to 26% in 2015.

"These data suggest that the role of laundry detergent pods in eye injuries among preschool-aged children is growing,” the authors wrote.

Chemical eye burns often happened when the liquid inside the packet squirted into kids’ eyes or when the pod contents leaked onto their hands and a burn resulted from hand-eye contact. The study found that almost 85% of the injuries happened at home.

Preventing injuries

Lead researcher Dr. R. Sterling Haring from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health expects the number of eye burns in 2016 to be higher than they were in 2015. To keep kids safe, the authors say changes to the appearance and durability of laundry pods may be needed.

“In addition to proper storage and use of these devices, prevention strategies might include redesigning packaging to reduce the attractiveness of these products to young children and improving their strength and durability,” the authors said.

In addressing the study's results, the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) released a statement noting that proper storage and handling of laundry pods is crucial to keeping kids safe. Additionally, the group noted that manufacturers are working toward new packaging and labeling measures to improve safety. 

New guidelines 

In its statement, the ACI said that a voluntary safety standard that ensures the packets “withstand the squeezing pressure of a child” was introduced in December 2015. By the end of 2016, most products shipped to retailers were in compliance with the new guidelines.

“Manufacturers of liquid laundry detergent packets are very committed to reducing the number of incidents with these products, which are used safely by millions of consumers every day,” the ACI wrote.

Per the new standards, liquid laundry pods must be stronger and include "a menu of secure package closures." A bitter-tasting film covering would help to deter kids from biting into the pods.

For years, young consumers starting households have been caught in a Catch 22.

They might like to buy a home, but homeownership requires very good credit and plenty of cash for a down payment and closing costs. At the same time, renting continued to get more expensive.

In 2014 and 2015, many in the housing industry fretted over a growing rent affordability crisis, especially in the nation's hottest housing markets. Now, there appears to be a little relief.

The National Apartment List Rent Report shows February is starting with only a slight increase in rent, following four consecutive months in which the average rent actually went down.

Compared to the beginning of February 2016, today's average rent is up 1.8%, but its roughly at the same level it was last May. In 2016, rents grew at a much slower rate than the previous two months.

New apartment construction

One reason has been a flurry of apartment construction over the last few years. With rising rents, building new rental homes became much more profitable and less risky.

At the same time, home sales finally began to rise on the strength of first time home buyers -- consumers who had been renting but now owned their homes. That helped loosen up the rental inventory.

It may be the rental market is only now returning to normal after the contortions caused by the financial crisis. In the years immediately following 2008, it became a lot harder to buy a home, so more people were competing for rental property. In the depths of the Great Recession, apartment construction virtually came to a standstill.

Expensive markets see the biggest drop

The report shows rents have tended to slow the most in the areas where they had gone up the most -- places like Silicon Valley, Miami, and Houston. Eight of the top 10 most expensive rental markets saw rents rise 1% or less last year.

What's changed? Developers have been encouraged by recent increases in rents in these markets to step up building. As inventory has increased, landlords have had less leverage when it comes to rent.

There are still many areas of the country where rents are still rising and take a huge bite out of monthly cash flow. Rents are still rising in Washington, DC, for example. Suburban areas surrounding the nation's most expensive cities are also seeing rising rent.

Couples planning to tie the knot this year may be in for some postnuptial sticker shock. A new study has found that the average cost for a wedding has hit an all-time high.

For its 10th Annual Real Weddings Study, the Knot surveyed nearly 13,000 brides and grooms who got married in 2016. Findings showed that the national average cost of a wedding reached a record high of $35,329 last year -- an increase of $2,688 from the 2015 average.

While the cost of a wedding may have increased, the average number of invited guests seems to have decreased. But friends and loved ones who do make the guest list may be treated to an exceptionally memorable experience.

Customized guest entertainment

Last year, the average number of wedding guests was 141, which represents a drop from the 2009 average of 149. Meanwhile, the average cost per wedding guest has risen to $245 from $194 in 2009.

"Wedding [spending] continues to rise, but at the same time, guest lists are shrinking as couples spend more per guest to create an unforgettable experience for those closest to them," said Kellie Gould, editor in chief of The Knot.

"Couples are also using their wedding day to make their first big statement as a couple. From invitations to the reception band, couples are spending more to put their personal stamp on every detail," she added. 

For 75% of couples, those personalized details are likely to include a “signature” wedding element, such as a signature cocktail or a scotch or bourbon bar. Guest entertainment has also reached new heights. The incorporation of elements such as photo booths, games, musical performances, and fireworks has increased from 11% to 41% since 2009.

Church weddings drop in popularity

Additional findings from the study showed that the cost of a wedding varies by location. Manhattan was the most expensive place to get hitched, with an average cost of $78,464. Arkansas was the cheapest at $19,522.

The Knot also found that churches are becoming less popular places to exchange ‘I do’s.’ Only 26% of couples had a ceremony in a religious institution, down from 41% in 2009. Instead, couples are choosing to begin their next chapter at farms, barns, ranches, homes, and historic buildings.

Other key findings from the study were as follows:

• Average spent on a wedding dress: $1,564
• Average marrying age: bride, 29; groom, 31
• Most popular month to get engaged: December (15%)
• Average length of engagement: 15 months
• Most popular month to get married: October (16%) and September (16%)

Chances are, you brush your teeth every day in an effort to keep cavities and other dental problems at bay. But many pet owners neglect to put the same amount of care into maintaining the health of their pet’s pearly whites.

Like humans, pets are susceptible to cavities. If left untreated, poor dental hygiene can lead to kidney, liver, and heart complications, or even diabetes. 

Unfortunately, dental health conditions like these are far too common among pets. Most dogs and cats develop periodontal disease by age three, according to the experts at pet insurance company Trupanion.

Some of the symptoms of this chronic, irreversible condition include swollen gums, increased drooling, whining while eating, loss of appetite, weight loss, bleeding, and loose or discolored teeth. But regular teeth-brushing can help to prevent the onset of such problems.  

Brushing tips

To prevent the buildup of plaque and tartar, veterinarians recommend brushing your pet's teeth several times a week. Not sure how to go about cleaning your pup's teeth? Dr. Katy Burr, on-staff veterinarian at Trupanion, has a few tips.

• Buy pet-specific toothpaste. Since human toothpaste can upset pets’ stomachs, look for toothpaste specially formulated to be safe for pets.
• Use a toothbrush or gauze. To brush your pet’s teeth, brush in a circular motion using a toothbrush or gauze wrapped around your finger. To keep the toothpaste from falling off when you start brushing, try smearing a small amount on your pet’s teeth and then brushing.
• Make it a daily routine. Burr recommends brushing your pet’s teeth at least twice a week, ideally at the same time each day. Having a daily routine will make training easier.
• Use chew toys. The gum massage that occurs when your pet gnaws on a nylon or rubber chew toy can help to remove tartar.

Monthly exams

Burr also recommends that pet owners perform a monthly examination of their pet’s mouth. Things to look for include bad breath, cysts or tumors, missing or loose teeth, redness, inflammation, and too much moisture or drool.

Additionally, pet parents should make sure to get their pet’s mouth checked out by their veterinarian at each visit. Some vet offices even offer tooth and gum cleanings and mouth care services.

Job creation in January ramped up to its highest level since last September.

Figures released by the Department of Labor (DOL) show employers added 227,000 nonfarm payroll positions even as the unemployment rate inched up to 4.8%.

Where the jobs are

The increase in employment came in retail trade (+46,000), construction (+36,000), financial activities (+32,000), and restaurants and bars (+30,000).

Other major industries, including mining and logging, manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, and government, showed little or no change over the month.

In and out of work

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for Asians (3.7%) increased in January, while the jobless rates for adult men (4.4%), adult women (4.4%), teenagers (15.0%), Whites (4.3%), Blacks (7.7%), and Hispanics (5.9%) showed little or no change.

The number of long-term unemployed -- those out of work for 27 weeks or more -- was essentially unchanged at 1.9 million and accounted for 24.4% of the unemployed. Over the year, the number of long-term unemployed is down by 244,000.

Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 3 cents last month to $26.00 -- half the increase seen in December. Over the year, average hourly earnings are up 2.5%.

The complete report may be found on the DOL website.

Ruth’s Salads of Charlotte, N.C., is recalling 7-oz. containers of Ruth’s Original Pimento Spread.

The product may contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recalled product with the Lot #16, Sell By Date 4/30/2017 was distributed in grocery stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and parts of Virginia and Tennessee.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 800-532-0409 between 7AM and 3PM Monday-Friday. Consumers calling after hours may may leave a message.

To say that North Dakota's authorities do not appreciate the Standing Rock Sioux-led opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline would be a gross understatement.

The pipeline was originally slated to cross under the Missouri River near Bismarck until federal regulators expressed concern that the location was a “high consequence area” and too close to Bismarck’s municipal water supplies. The pipeline is now all but ready to cross under Lake Oahe, a dam that still connects to the Missouri River but is located next to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation forty miles south of Bismarck.

Workers and equipment have been on the contested drill pad above Lake Oahe for months. The only thing standing in the way from Energy Transfer Partners finishing the job is an easement from the Corps of Engineers, which had announced in December that it was considering "alternative routes" and is now subjecting the project to further environmental review, or an Environmental Impact Statement, as it is officially called.

Local bills target protesters, federal reservation system

Literally standing in the way of the pipeline are protesters, though a bill proposed at the state level could fatally change that. North Dakota Representative Keith Kempenich has received much attention for the bill he introduced that would grant legal protection to people who “accidentally” run over protesters with their cars, should those protesters be blocking roadways.

But that’s only one of the numerous bills he has helped sponsor this legislative session pertaining to pipeline protesters. Other bills listed under Kempenich's name would do the following; order North Dakota to ask Congress "to return lands and mineral rights underlying Lake Oahe in North Dakota to the state of North Dakota," file a lawsuit against the Corps of Engineers "for an amount not less than seventeen million dollars to recover damages as a result of anti-Dakota access pipeline protests," increase penalties for criminal trespassing offenses, and ask the federal government to hand control of all American Indian polices to the states in order “to improve the failed Indian reservation system.”

On the lighter side, Kempenich has also co-sponsored a bill asking state lawmakers to make January 27, 2017 an official holiday celebrating cowboys, to be called "Day of the American Cowboy.”

Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies continue to try to end the Sioux’s resistance movement head-on. Late Wednesday, heavily-armed officers from local and federal agencies raided a new encampment that protesters organized near the Lake Oahe drill site, leading to the arrests of a reported 76 protesters. Dozens of protesters have already been arrested in previous confrontations between the camps and police, with some protesters now facing felony charges.

Pro-pipeline lawmakers say easement is imminent 

President Trump’s recent memo asking for an expedited review of the pipeline didn’t change the fact that the Corps had already agreed to conduct a new Environmental Impact Statement considering alternative routes for the project back in December. Neither did the recent claims from two lawmakers that the pipeline’s necessary easement had been granted.

Senator John Hoeven, a Republican representing North Dakota, has invested in sixty-eight different oil wells in his state and has also invested in Energy Transfer Partners, as the DeSmogBlog reported last year.

A staunch supporter of the Dakota Access Pipeline project, Hoeven was also recently elected chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. On January 31, Hoeven released a statement claiming that the Dakota Access Pipeline operators received all the approval they needed to finish their project.

“Today, the Acting Secretary of the Army Rober Speer informed us that he has directed the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with the easement needed to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline,” Hoeven’s office wrote on his website. “This will enable the company to complete the project, which can and will be built with the necessary safety features to protect the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and others downstream.”

Congressman Kevin Cramer, who represents North Dakota in the House, released a similar statement assuring his constituents that the “Department of Defense is granting the easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline and Congressional notification is imminent.”

Still legally bound

But the reality is that the Corps is still legally bound to follow the environmental review process it initiated in December, as the Standing Rock tribe and its attorneys have argued. In fact, the Corps just this week opened up its public comment period for the pipeline, the next step in its Environmental Impact Statement process. Members of the public have until February 20 to send their thoughts on the project to the Corps. 

"The Army has initiated the steps outlined in the January 24th Presidential Directive” that asks for an expedited review of the pipeline, Corps spokesman Maj. Gen. Malcolm Frost writes in an email to ConsumerAffairs, but he adds that “these initial steps do not mean the easement has been approved. The Assistant Secretary for the Army Civil Works will make a decision on the pipeline once a full review and analysis is completed in accordance with the directive."

The reason or motivation behind the lawmakers’ premature celebrations claiming an easement had already been granted are unclear, as neither office returned messages left by ConsumerAffairs. 

Meanwhile, the NODAPL protesters, or water protectors, as they call themselves, aren’t the only environmental group to see their efforts potentially thwarted by a GOP-controlled House and Senate. 

Cramer is among the 228 congressmen in the House who recently voted to overturn a so-called stream protection rule that was implemented by the Obama administration. The rule, opponents argued, kills jobs in the coal industry. “North Dakota does not need the Stream Protection Rule and neither does the nation,“ Cramer said on the House Floor Wednesday. 

As if all the political turmoil over immigration wasn't enough, millions of U.S. Hispanics have lost their favorite TV channel. Univision went dark on Charter-Spectrum-Time Warner cable systems Wednesday in a fee dispute between the companies.

As always seems to happen in such cases, the consumer is held hostage between giant corporations, helpless to do anything but almost certain to pay a hefty price when the dispute is finally resolved.

In a statement to ConsumerAffairs, Univision said Charter "has continually rejected all of Univision’s repeated, good-faith efforts to reach an agreement ... and has decided to deny its subscribers continued access to Hispanic America’s most popular entertainment and sports, and most trusted news content."

The outage affects about 2.5 million Latino homes nationwide, leaving them without broadcast networks Univision and UniMas, as well the cable channels Galavision, El Rey, and the sports outlet Univision Deportes.

What's next?

In Los Angeles, the largest market for both Charter's Spectrum and Univision's channels, the reaction was swift and tinged with pre-existing angst over the immigration policies of the Trump Administration.

“People are afraid and nervous of what Trump will do next,” said the Rev. Richard Estrada, a Roman Catholic priest quoted in a Los Angeles Times report. “A lack of access to news and information will only make things worse. It makes you wonder, ‘What’s next? What will they take away next?’”

Estrada said he was going to an immigration rights meeting with other clergy members today and would urge them to write complaint letters to Spectrum.

While consumers might assume it was Spectrum that pulled the plug on Univision, it was actually the other way around. After months of fruitless negotiations aimed at winning higher carriage rates, Univision on Tuesday demanded that Charter take down its programming.

"Given the size of the distribution platforms that it controls, Charter has an obligation to its customers to provide them with access to content that is in-language and in-culture, which is vitally important during these politically volatile times," Univision said. 

Univision has been trying to improve its financial performance and was hoping to win higher license fees from Charter, which recently acquired Time Warner Cable. But Charter faces a mountain of debt it took on in the acquisition and is trying to hold down programming costs.

Univision says that, financial considerations aside, Charter has an obligation to its customers.

"This is part of a continuing fight against mega mergers to ensure that there are diverse voices and opportunities for minorities in the media marketplace," Univision said.

As we have recently reported, cardiologists are increasingly concerned about a condition known as "masked hypertension."

That's when a patient shows a normal blood pressure reading the one or two times a year it is taken at the doctor's office but has above normal readings during much of his or her daily routine. Doctors have said regular blood pressure checks are one way to identify patients who unknowingly suffer from high blood pressure.

Back in May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued 510(k) clearance for a new medical device that might prove to be a useful tool in this effort. CareTaker Medical says its Wireless Continuous Non-Invasive “Beat-by-Beat” Blood Pressure (“cNIBP”) and Heart Rate Monitor can provide constant blood pressure monitoring.

The device uses a low-pressure finger cuff that is attached to a small device worn on the wrist. It measures the heart rate on a remote display. It was designed for use in hospitals and during patient transit, but the company says it can also be used after a patient is discharged.

A game changer

“CareTaker is a real game changer, allowing physicians to remotely monitor medical-grade Continuous Blood Pressure and Heart Rate from anywhere, using only a patient friendly-finger cuff” said Dr. Jay Sanders, an adjunct professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins and President Emeritus of the American Telemedicine Association.

In the past, he says most doctors had to settle for intermittent blood pressure readings using arm cuffs, which he says which can produce misleading results.

"In remote monitoring settings, the ability to gather continuous blood pressure and vital sign data from such an integrated easy-to-use device will provide better information and improve patient compliance while reducing cost and workload,” Sanders said.

The company says its device provides "ICU quality" continuous readings without catheters or cumbersome wires that were typically part of previous continuous blood pressure reading devices. In an email to ConsumerAffairs, the company said the device is not a pulse transit time method, "but instead a completely new way of tracking blood pressure."

Researchers at Stony Brook and Columbia universities used 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitors to conclude that as many as 17.1 million people might suffer from masked hypertension.

Businesses initially despised online reviews but have come to see them as an important part of their research and quality control systems. But doctors and other health professionals haven't reached that point yet, a new study finds.

While patients find that online reviews of doctors empower them to make better-informed choices, doctors say the reviews add to their stress levels and can interfere with the doctor-patient relationship.

The study, conducted by Alison Holliday of Harvard Medical School, surveyed physicians and patients from four hospitals in a large accountable care organization in Massachusetts. Their web-based survey was completed by 828 doctors, and a mailed survey by 494 patients.

One in every two doctors (53 percent) said that they had read online reviews about themselves, while two in every five patients (39 percent) used the web to look up comments about their doctors. It was a more popular practice among younger people, women, and those with a college education.

Public vs. health system sites

The study drew a distinction between public, independent websites like HealthGrades.com -- which is sort of Yelp for healthcare -- and health system websites which publish reviews of their own physicians. 

In general, doctors were less supportive than patients of sharing data on the public sites and more likely to trust information on health system websites more, while independent sites were the preferred go-to source for patients.

"Patients may lack trust in health system websites due to concerns regarding bias, as these publish reviews regarding their own physicians," says Holliday. "Health systems seeking to publish patient experience survey data will therefore need to engage patients in their trust of what is very likely a new and complicated data source to them."

The independent sites tend to carry reviews on a small percentage of physicians, and then only a handful of comments per doctor at that. Health system sites, in contrast, portray numerical ratings and explanatory comments collected from standardized health system patient experience surveys, Holliday noted. These surveys are carried out as part of internal quality improvement programs of hospitals and health practices.

Doctors feeling stressed

The study found that online ratings and comments place an extra weight on doctors' shoulders. The majority (78 percent) surveyed said the possibility of negative online comments increases their job stress. 

Patients were more supportive of making in-house health system patient experience data available publicly. One in every four patients (29 percent) surveyed, however, said that their comments might be less candid if they knew beforehand that these would become public knowledge online.