Current Events in March 2017

Porsche Cars North America is recalling 17,871 model year2015-2016 Macan S and Macan Turbo and 2017 Macan GTS vehicles.

The passenger occupant detection sensor mat may fail in the front passenger seat, deactivating the front passenger airbag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash "

If the front passenger airbag does not deploy in the event of a crash as intended, the front passenger has an increased risk of injury.

What to do

Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sensor mat and seat cushion, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AH02.

Your smart TV may be listening in on your conversations and vulnerabilities in your computer security software are going unrepaired because U.S. intelligence agencies find them useful.

Those are just a couple of the sensational revelations from a massive document dump by WikiLeaks, the gadfly website that released Democratic National Committee emails during last year's presidential campaign.

The document dump, allegedly from the CIA's cyber group, is code-named Vault 7 and made up of 8,761 documents and files from a little known, high-security network deep inside the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence in Langley, Va.

It comes on the heels of last month's introductory disclosure that purported to reveal CIA targeting of French political parties and candidates in the lead up to the 2012 presidential election.

How consumers are affected

What U.S. consumers might find most interesting is the allegation that the spy agency has built a massive covert hacking program and malware arsenal that was deployed against many common communications devices, including Apple's iPhone, Google's Android, Microsoft's Windows, and even Samsung smart TVs.

"By the end of 2016, the CIA's hacking division, which formally falls under the agency's Center for Cyber Intelligence (CCI), had over 5,000 registered users and had produced more than a thousand hacking systems, trojans, viruses, and other 'weaponized' malware," WikiLeaks said in a statement. "Such is the scale of the CIA's undertaking that by 2016, its hackers had utilized more code than that used to run Facebook."

CIA whistleblower

The source for all of this is an unnamed whistleblower, someone being referred to as "the next Edward Snowden," the NSA whistleblower currently in exile in Russia. The source told WikiLeaks that the CIA recently "lost control" of most of its hacking arsenal. The collection of weaponized apps, described as "extraordinary," reportedly gives whomever possesses it "the entire hacking capacity of the CIA."

Amazingly, the source told WikiLeaks the entire collection appears to have been circulated among a large number of former government hackers and contractors -- including the source -- in an unauthorized manner.

Among the WikiLeaks documents are some that suggest the attack on Samsung smart TVs was coordinated with Britain's MI5. The malware is said to place the target TV in "fake-off" mode, so that it is really on and can be used as a bug.

WikiLeaks also claims that in recent years the CIA has been exploring how it can infect the vehicle control systems used by modern cars and trucks.

Undetectable assassinations

"The purpose of such control is not specified, but it would permit the CIA to engage in nearly undetectable assassinations," WikiLeaks said.

Other documents allege the CIA's Mobile Devices Branch (MDB) is responsible for many attacks to remotely hack and control popular smartphones. Once compromised, the infected phones can be used to send the CIA the user's geolocation, audio, and text communications, as well as covertly activate the phone's camera and microphone.

In its work, CIA hackers have allegedly uncovered numerous vulnerabilities and exploits in widely used consumer software. WikiLeaks charges that, rather than reporting these security flaws the the manufacturers, the government has "hoarded" them so they will not be fixed and can continue to be used to spy on targets.

Justin Timberlake had a message for his fans about race and sexuality when he won the Song of the Year award Sunday night at the annual iHeartRadio Awards, hosted by the internet radio station iHeartRadio. The awards aired on the online station as well as on television channels owned by Turner Broadcasting Network. 

“If you are black, or you are brown, or you are gay, or you are lesbian, or you are trans, or maybe you’re just a sissy singer boy from Tennessee — anyone who has treated you unkindly, it’s only because they’re afraid or they have been taught to be afraid of how important you are," he said. 

"Because being different means you make a difference," he goes on. "So..." It's then when viewers who were watching the awards show on TNT, TBS, or truTV, the television stations that were broadcasting the program thanks to Turner Broadcasting Network, would have noticed a sudden silence. After several seconds, the sound comes back and the audience is heard cheering again.

Turner accused of censoring message

Several sites, including the popular news site Jezebel, published posts implying that Timberlake's speech was muted because of his supportive message for LGBTQ teens.

Timberlake used his acceptance speech to "convey a message to LGBTQ youth, but that address was muted," Jezebel wrote. The site links to a clip showing the last 19 seconds of Timberlake's speech as it aired on the Turner Network channels. Again, only the last several seconds are muted.

So, F&*&! em

Reached by ConsumerAffairs, a spokesman from Turner Network provided a link to the speech as it originally aired on TNT, TBS, and truTV. Timberlake's message again be heard almost completely -- except for the last few seconds. 

The spokeswoman has an explanation for that. "Justin dropped an F-bomb," spokeswoman Marie Moore writes. "That’s the only thing muted." 

iHeartRadio, meanwhile, took a more creative approach to censoring the pop star's words. On Twitter, alongside a clip of Timberlake's speech, iHeartRadio posted: "Being different means you make the difference, so F#$& 'em!" 

Too much sunshine isn't good for you, but neither is too little. Hoping to strike a proper balance, Spanish researchers have estimated the duration of solar radiation exposure needed to obtain the recommended doses of vitamin D.

While 10 to 20 minutes in the sun is enough in spring and summer, almost two hours would be needed in the winter months, the researchers found, concluding that it is difficult to achieve the optimal values year-round for the vast majority of the population.

Vitamin D deficiency

While it's true that too much ultraviolet radiation can contribute to cancer, aging of the skin, and other health issues, it also reduces blood pressure, synthesises vitamin D, and improves the treatment of several diseases.

Vitamin D deficiency is linked in adults to a higher risk of suffering from various diseases. Since very few foods contain this vitamin, its synthesis in the skin as a result of sun exposure is the main natural source that exists.

So researchers at the Solar Radiation Research Group at the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) set out to find the exposure time needed to obtain the recommended doses of vitamin D without damaging our health. 

"In Spain, despite being a country with many hours of sunlight, several articles have reported a high percentage of vitamin D deficiency among various strata of the Spanish population," said María Antonia Serrano, a scientist at the UPV and main author of the study.

29 minutes

Serrano and her colleagues estimated the time needed to obtain the recommended doses -- which is equivalent to a daily intake of 1,000 IUs (international units) of vitamin D -- in an area such as the city of Valencia, which receives a large dose of UV radiation throughout the year.

They analyzed ultraviolet solar irradiance (UVER) around midday (between 12:30 and 1:30) for four months of the year (one in each season) from 2003 to 2010. With these figures, the time taken to cause sunburn was calculated.

They found that in July, an individual with normal skin could spend only 29 minutes in the sun without erythema, the technical name for sunburn. But in January, the time increases to more than two hours -- 150 minutes.

Maintaining vitamin D in winter

The study found that, even in sunny countries like Spain, it is difficult to attain recommended doses of vitamin D in winter because of the excessive time required.

On the other hand, in the middle hours of the day in spring and summer, with 25% of the body exposed, around 10 minutes of sun exposure in early afternoon would be sufficient to meet daily vitamin D requirements.

"Radiation received also depends on posture, body shape, and clothing. It should also be remembered that not all areas of the body synthesise vitamin D with the same efficiency," Serrano noted.

An individual's age also plays an important role in synthesising vitamin D from UV radiation, because the older one gets the less able one becomes to produce vitamin D: middle-aged adults have 66% of the potential children have to do this.

"These results can help to adopt the right measures to make up for any deficiency, such as informing the medical profession about the utility of increasing vitamin D intake in the diet or through supplements," the Spanish researcher concludes

The results have been published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

The $209 million settlement of a suit filed against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) moved closer to being approved on Monday. If it passes scrutiny, it would provide approximately 40,000 student-athletes across the country with upwards of $6,700 each to cover the differences between athletic scholarships and the cost of attending school.

The suit -- which was filed back in 2014 against the NCAA, Pac 12, Big Ten, Big 12, Southeastern Conference, and Atlantic Coast Conference – alleged that the defendants conspired with each other to cap financial aid given to players so that it was below the cost of attending college, violating antitrust laws.

Shawne Alston, who initially brought up the suit, said that the amount given to players was far below what the competitive market would pay, according to Courthouse News. Alston, who played running back for the West Virginia Mountaineers, said that he had to borrow over $5,000 to cover the difference between the school’s price and the scholarship he received.

Just one problem…

In 2015, Wilken designated three classes for the lawsuit comprising Division I football players, Division I men’s basketball players, and Division I women’s basketball players. And, last month, the NCAA announced a settlement that would reimburse athletes who played from March 5, 2010 to the present. However, one problem is holding back approval of the agreement.

Wilken stated that although the settlement seems like a good one, it doesn’t go far enough to inform athletes if they’re eligible to receive money. She noted that a comprehensive agreement should include a way for athletes to find out if they qualify and allow them to dispute the amount they are receiving. She informed the parties that she would not grant preliminary approval of the settlement until these conditions were met.

Scott Cooper, a representative for the Pac 12 Conference, has stated that attorneys have set up a reserve fund to ensure that anyone mistakenly left out of the settlement is compensated.

“We had anticipated that the process would be one in which we would initially send checks out and there would be a second round in which we would pick up anybody who didn’t receive either the amounts they expected or claimed they were entitled to money that hadn’t been sent. So that was the purpose of the reserve,” he said.

What to do

Editor's note:  This story is about a class-action lawsuit. If you are among the class of consumers described in the suit, you may eventually be eligible to participate in whatever compensation the court awards, if any. Unlike what many people think, you do not "join" a class action -- you are either in the class covered by the action or you are not. 

Often, consumers included in an award do not need to take any action, as the defendant is required to contact them directly. In other cases, the court and the attorneys who brought the case will issue instructions when the case is settled.

Please note that under our Privacy Policy, we cannot provide you with the names of other consumers who may be similarly affected. 

Please see our Class Action Guide for more information.

Consumer transactions don't always go as planned, and a new study suggests that consumers who get married because they expect to have sex more frequently may be disappointed. And, contrary to popular belief, younger generations are having sex less often than older ones, researchers report.

The study finds that Americans who were married or living together had sex 16 fewer times per year in 2010-2014 compared to 2000-2004. The survey also found that overall, Americans had sex about nine fewer times per year in 2010-2014 compared to 1995-1999.

"These data show a major reversal from previous decades in terms of marriage and sex," said Jean M. Twenge, the study's lead author and professor of psychology at San Diego State University. "In the 1990s, married people had sex more times per year than never-married people, but by the mid-2000s that reversed, with the never-married having more sex."

Generation gap

Perhaps more surprising, younger consumers are having sex less often than older ones, said Twenge, author of the book "Generation Me." 

In an earlier study, Twenge and co-authors Ryne Sherman at Florida Atlantic University and Brooke Wells at the Center for Human Sexuality Studies at Widener University, found that Millennials had fewer sexual partners than their Generation X predecessors.

"Despite their reputation for hooking up, Millennials and the generation after them (known as iGen or Generation Z) are actually having sex less often than their parents and grandparents did when they were young," said Twenge. "That's partially because fewer iGen'ers and Millennials have steady partners."

"Older and married people are having sex less often -- especially after 2000," Twenge said. "In a previous paper, we found that the happiness of adults over age 30 declined between 2000 and 2014. With less sex and less happiness, it's no wonder that American adults seem deeply dissatisfied these days."

So, are long hours at work to blame for Americans' declining libido? Twenge says no. In fact, those who worked more hours actually had sex more often, she said. 

The study was published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior.

New York has put a stop to the illegal sale of toy guns by third-party sellers on Amazon.com, saying the companies sold nearly 2,000 toy guns to consumers in the state.

“We have seen all too often the tragic consequences that can arise when toy guns are mistaken for real ones,” said New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. “The toy gun law exists to protect New York’s children and our brave law enforcement officers, and we will continue our commitment to enforcing this law and holding accountable any retailers who violate it.”

The settlement follows an investigation of major retailers for violating the New York State Law that prohibits the sale of “Imitation Weapons,” which are toy guns that look like real guns. In the case of Amazon, the vast majority of the sales of prohibited toy guns were not sourced from Amazon but were sold by third-party sellers – like the ones part of today’s settlements. 

The Attorney General sent "cease and desist" letters to the third-party sellers in 2015 to immediately stop their illegal operations -- and now has entered into settlements with 42 companies (including the seven announced today) to permanently change their business practices in New York.

The companies are: 

• Halloweencostumes.com (fun.com),
• Holy Monkey (Kids Army),
• Dentt, Inc. (Hammond Toy & Hobby),
• GL2 LLC (Always Brilliant),
• Chevere International Corp (Five Big Stars),
• Fatherland Shop (Jubilee Enterprises) and
• Costume Hub.

Under the terms of the agreements, these online retailers are also required to adhere to the more-stringent New York City standard for all toy guns shipped anywhere in New York State; the toys must be colored entirely white, bright red, bright orange, bright yellow, bright green, bright blue, bright pink, bright purple, or a combination of these colors.

Keeping your ticker in top-notch condition by following a heart-healthy diet can lower your chance of having heart disease -- a disease that claims the lives of around 800,000 Americans each year.

Regularly consuming foods that support cardiovascular function can help lower blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, and break down arterial plaque, experts say. But amid an ever-changing health food landscape, it’s not always easy to know which foods to reach for.

“It’s no surprise people are confused about what constitutes a heart-healthful diet,” said nutrition researcher Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the nonprofit Physicians Committee. “With thousands of studies published each year, we get contradictory headlines.”

To weed through the confusion and “provide a real-time prescription based on the best available peer-reviewed research,” a team of 12 cardiovascular researchers from the Committee analyzed the latest research behind popular food trends.

Recommended foods

Plant-based eating patterns are the key to optimal heart health, the researchers say. Eating more leafy greens, berries, and plant proteins can help consumers manage several controllable risk factors for heart disease.

Top foods for boosting heart-health include:

• Olive oil
• Blueberries and strawberries
• 30 grams of nuts daily
• Leafy green vegetables
• Plant-based protein (like lentils and beans)

The researchers noted that these foods should be consumed whole, not blended in juices or grounded into antioxidant supplements. Nuts should be limited to 30 grams per day because of their high caloric value, and healthy oils should be consumed in moderation for the same reason.

Foods to avoid

On the reseachers' list of foods to avoid: coconut and palm oil, eggs, and southern diets. The team explained that southern dietary patterns are often rich in added fats, unhealthy fried foods, and sugary beverages, while coconut oil and eggs can raise cholesterol.

Bernard also offered a few other non-food based tips for lowering one's risk for heart disease.

“In addition to eating colorful, plant-based foods, it’s important to make time for sleep, exercise, and stress management, which could come in the form of social support or even listening to music,” said Barnard. “Diet comes first, but what we eat should fuel a heart-healthful lifestyle.”

It’s hard to understate the health benefits that can be imparted by eating blueberries. Previous reports have shown that they can help prevent cell damage linked to cancer, reduce inflammation in the body, and stave off problems associated with diseases like cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and diabetes.

Now, a study shows that they can also improve brain function in older adults. Researchers from the University of Exeter had older consumers drink concentrated blueberry juice and observed how it affected their physical health. They found that the concoction increased blood flow to the brain and improved overall cognitive function.

"In this study, we have shown that with just 12 weeks of consuming 30ml of concentrated blueberry juice every day, brain blood flow, brain activation and some aspects of working memory were improved in this group of healthy older adults," said Dr. Joanna Bowtell.

Countering cognitive decline

The study used 26 healthy participants between the ages of 65 and 77. Twelve were asked to consume the equivalent of roughly 230 grams of blueberries every day, while the remaining members were given a placebo. After a 12-week period, the researchers examined specific brain areas of each participant and found that those who drank the blueberry juice had increased brain activity.

The researchers state that the findings corroborate past studies which show that plant-based foods can increase brain function. This is important, they say, because of the tendency for older consumers to experience cognitive decline. They suspect the positive effect of blueberries is derived primarily from their flavonoids, which are most closely linked to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory health benefits.

The full study has been published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

All workers face increased challenges in facing retirement, but a new report from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies (TCRS) finds the difficulties are greater for women.

That conclusion is based on findings from TCRS' 17th annual retirement survey.

TCRS President Catherine Collinson says today's women have career opportunities that weren't available to their grandmothers. But that hasn't made retirement any easier.

"Women continue to encounter challenges including lower pay, time out of the workforce for parenting or caregiving, and longer life expectancies that all contribute to unique challenges in adequately saving for retirement," she said.

Lack of confidence

The survey found only 10% of working women are "very confident" they can retire comfortably. But part of that lack of confidence may be traced to a lack of information. More than half said they are "guessing" at the amount of retirement savings they will need.

Based on the data it gathered in the survey, TCRS estimates women's median household retirement savings is only $34,000. More than two-thirds said they have no back-up plan if forced into retirement sooner than expected.

As an added worry, four out of five have doubts that Social Security will be available when they stop working.

Plan to keep working

In many ways, the retirement challenges facing women are not all that different from those facing men. For example, the survey found that more than half of women plan to work past age 65, and 13% said they don't plan to retire at all. Half plan to work at some type of job, even if they do retire.

Yet the survey also shows women, by and large, are doing the right things. Seventy-two percent said they are saving for retirement through a workplace plan or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). The median age at which women started socking money away for retirement was 28.

"The facts are startling and clear. Women must begin taking greater control and gain an understanding of their true retirement outlook," said Collinson.

She says women need to confront their challenges head-on and acquire essential knowledge about how to achieve financial security. Retirement plans, Collison says, should help mitigate risks and steer women on a course for financial security.

Retirement needs will depend on a lot of individual factors. To help you get a handle on what your needs will be, this retirement calculator from AARP might be useful.

Volvo Car USA is recalling 112 model year 2017 S60, S60CC, V60, V60 Cross Country and XC60 vehicles.

The recalled vehicles have driver and front passenger seat side mounted side airbags (SAB) with inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash.

As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and number 214, "Side Impact Protection."

If the inflator initiator fails to ignite, the airbag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the front seat side air bags, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 31, 2017.

Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89712.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that hazardous waste is, well, hazardous. But a new study conducted jointly by the University of Missouri-Columbia and the University of Florida has found just how much of a risk hazardous waste sites – otherwise known as Superfund sites -- pose to consumers.

After analyzing Superfund sites in Florida, the state with the sixth-highest number of such locations, the researchers found that consumers who lived near them were more likely to develop cancer. It’s possible that the high number of Superfund sites contributed to the fact that Floridians had the second largest number of new cancer cases among all states in 2016.

"Our goal was to determine if there were differences or associations regarding cancer incidence in counties that contain Superfund sites compared to counties that do not. We found the rate of cancer incidence increased by more than 6 percent in counties with Superfund sites," said co-author Dr. Emily Leary.

Cancer "hot spots"

The study looked at Florida cancer rate statistics from 1986 to 2010 and investigated how rates increased in correlation to the number and location of Superfund sites. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that Florida has 77 such sites, and it turns out that cancer “hot spots” tended to cluster around these areas.

Leary states that the findings provide evidence of the environmental causes of cancer. While she holds back from saying that Superfund sites are a definitive cause of cancer, she points out that the spatial and gender differences among adult cancer patients in Florida is compelling.

"While it would be premature to say these differences are attributed to Superfund sites, there does appear to be an association. More research is needed to determine what this relationship is and why it exists, but identifying that a difference exists is a necessary first step," she said.

Curbing cancer rates

The researchers believe their work could represent an important step towards curbing cancer incidence rates in Florida and the rest of the country. However, it seems much more research will be needed to validate the findings.

"Our results can help public health agencies adjust policies and dedicate more efforts to areas with cancer hot spots," said co-author Dr. Alexander Kirpich. "These results support the link between toxic environmental waste and adverse health outcomes, but more efforts are needed to better understand this link and what it means for residents in these counties."

The full study has been published in Statistics and Public Policy.

House Republicans have released a long-awaited bill that would "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as Obamacare. Consumers who have health insurance policies through the ACA exchanges may be understandably anxious about what it would mean for them.

If you'd like to read the bill for yourself, you may do so here.

As expected, the bill keeps some of the more popular provisions of the current law. Adult children can stay covered under their parents' policies until age 26. Consumers cannot be denied healthcare coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

For consumers who now have a policy under an expansion of their states' Medicaid coverage, there would apparently be little change. But it would be up to the state to determine the extent to which the coverage would continue.

Mandate eliminated

The replacement would end the requirement that everyone purchase health insurance and the financial penalty against those who do not. Health insurance companies pushed for that mandate under the original law, saying without it healthy people wouldn't buy insurance and the companies would only be covering the sick.

In place of the mandate, the replacement bill would allow health insurance companies to increase premiums by 30% on consumers who were uncovered by a policy for 63 days or more. That's designed to discourage healthy consumers from going without coverage until they are faced with an illness.

The replacement bill specifically eliminates the tax that was imposed to subsidize policies purchased on healthcare exchanges. That subsidy came in the form of an instant tax credit that reduced the monthly premium cost.

Tax credits

The replacement bill, without specifying how it would be paid for, gives tax credits to people with incomes under $75,000 a year who purchase private health insurance. It is not clear whether they would pay more or less out of pocket than they now do, which is obviously a key question consumers currently covered under Obamacare might ask.

Older consumers with private health insurance obtained under the replacement law would likely pay more. The ACA limits the amount insurance companies can charge older consumers to three times what they charge younger policyholders. Under the replacement law, that increases to five times what young people pay.

The outlook for "replace and replace" is far from certain. Conservative lawmakers' initial reaction has not exactly been favorable. Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) called it "Obamacare 2.0" in a Tweet. Democrats can hardly be expected to support the repeal of President Obama's signature piece of legislation.

Hearings on the bill may begin in two House committees later this week. Stay tuned.

Some consumers have experienced bad reactions to fragrances. In fact, a Dutch study found that fragrance allergy is common, affecting approximately 1% of the general population.

Fragrance materials in cosmetics products can trigger side effects including axillary dermatitis, dermatitis of the face and neck, patches in areas of "dabbing-on" perfumes (such as the wrists or behind the ears), and hand eczema.

Now, new research from the University of Melbourne finds that fragranced consumer products cause health issues for as many as one in three Australians.

‘An epidemic’

A survey of over 1,000 Australians showed common products such as air fresheners, cleaning products, and laundry supplies can cause negative health effects, including breathing problems, migraine headaches, skin irritation, and asthma attacks.

Findings from the new study mirrored those from a similar study conducted in the United States, said lead researcher Professor Anne Steinemann.

"This is an epidemic. Fragranced products are creating health problems across Australia. The effects can be immediate, severe and potentially disabling," Steinemann said. "But they can also be subtle, and people may not realise they're being affected."

Her previous research found that nearly 35% of Americans experienced health problems when exposed to fragranced products. These findings are important, given that almost all of us are exposed to fragranced products on a daily or weekly basis.

Affects work

Additional findings from the Australian study showed that 7.7% of respondents lost workdays or lost their job as a result of illness from fragranced products in the workplace. One in six said they would leave a shop or business as quickly as possible if they smelled air fresheners or other fragranced products.

"These findings have serious implications for businesses, workplaces, care facilities, schools, homes and other places -- for anywhere or anyone that uses fragranced products," Steinemann said in a statement.

Her previous research found that all fragranced products -- even those labeled "green," "organic,: and "all-natural" -- "emit a range of hazardous air pollutants," including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. However, such ingredients do not need to be disclosed on the product label.

Going fragrance-free

Steinmann is currently conducting research to investigate why fragrance chemicals are causing health problems. For now, she says workplaces, schools, and hospitals may want to consider opting for fragrance-free products.

"As my study found, about twice as many Australians would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and professionals, hotels, and aeroplanes were fragrance-free rather than fragranced," she said.

Steinemann's tips for going fragrance-free:

• Look for products that specifically say "fragrance-free" somewhere on the label
• Use vinegar and baking soda or a cut lemon or orange to clean with
• Use hydrogren peroxide to bleach with
• Stop using commercial air fresheners, candles, and incense
• Stop using cologne, perfume, body spray, and scented aftershave

The study has been published in the journal Preventative Medicine Reports.

Bulky winter coats and car seats can be a dangerous combination, experts say. The padding on thick, winter coats can compress in a crash and lead to an increased risk of injury, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

In a statement, the group explained: “In a car crash, fluffy padding immediately flattens out from the force, leaving extra space under the harness. A child can then slip through the straps and be thrown from the seat.”

To reduce the risk of injury, the AAP recommends taking traditional puffy coats off so that the harness can be tightened properly. Now, a new startup is aiming to keep kids secure and warm while eliminating the need to take a child’s coat off in the car.

Crash tested

A New England startup called Buckle Me Baby Coats says it has designed a coat which acts almost like no coat at all.

In a crash test at the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, the coat -- which boasts no excess fabric between the child and their harness -- reduced the movement of the child dummy and had a statistically insignificant amount of slack compared to no coat. 

How does it work? The side and shoulder seam opening on the coat allows the front panel to be pulled out of the way and the harness to be placed properly on the shoulder and chest without any bulky material in the way.

Panel covers buckles

Once the child is in the car, a large chest panel covers the buckles and prevents kids from accessing the chest clip. If kids get hot, the front panel can be unfolded and rolled to the side. 

Because of the panel, parents do not have to remove the child's coat, which can help keep kids warm in cold weather. 

The company is currently raising funds on Kickstarter ahead of its anticipated Fall launch.

Economists who say there isn't much inflation in the U.S. economy probably haven't shopped for a car lately.

The average transaction cost on a new car is now north of $35,000 and used car prices keep going up as well.

The latest State of the Automotive Finance Market report from Experian shows the amounts consumers are financing on new and used car purchases has hit a record high. As a result, buyers are extending the loan payback times to reduce monthly payments.

In the last quarter of last year, the average loan amount for a new vehicle rose to a record high of $30,621. For used vehicles, the average amount financed was $19,329, up from $18,850 in the same period of 2015.

73 to 84 month loans

To keep monthly payments within their budgets, nearly a third of new car buyers opted for loans of 73 to 84 months. In the used car segment, more than 19% of buyers went for loans that long.

"With the average loan amount for new and used vehicles hitting all-time highs, we are seeing the need for affordability drive consumer purchasing behavior," said Melinda Zabritski, Experian's senior director of automotive finance. "Our latest research shows an $11,000 gap between the average loan amount on a new and used vehicle — the widest we have ever seen. This upward trend is causing many consumers to find alternative methods like extending loan terms, getting a short-term lease or opting for a used vehicle to get what they want while staying within their monthly budget."

All of this is being done to make the monthly payments fit into a buyer's budget, but personal finance experts might point out that fitting the payment into monthly cash flow doesn't necessarily make the car "affordable." In fact, if it takes seven years to pay off a new car, it might be argued the car is not affordable.

20/4/10 rule

Here's a simple test called the 20/4/10 rule, which determines whether the vehicle you are considering is really affordable.

The 20 part is the down payment. The price should be low enough that you can afford to make a 20% down payment.

Next, you should be able to afford the monthly payment by financing it for no more than four years -- not six or seven.

Finally, the monthly payment and insurance should not exceed 10% of your monthly income.

Applying that formula to a new car costing $35,000, a consumer should be prepared to put $7,000 down, leaving a balance of $28,000. At 2.5% interest, the monthly payment for four years is $614.

How does that fit into your monthly budget?

There's a good chance the value of your home went up during January.

Property information provider CoreLogic reports its Home Price Index (HPI) shows home prices nationwide -- including distressed sales -- shot up 6.9% in January from the same month a year ago and inched ahead 0.7% from December 2016.

“With lean for-sale inventories and low rental vacancy rates, many markets have seen housing prices outpace inflation,” said CoreLogic Chief Economist Dr. Frank Nothaft.

Looking ahead

The increase in values seems likely to continue.

“The spring home buying season is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recent memory,” said Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic. “A potent mix of progressive economic recovery, demographics, tight housing stocks and continued low mortgage rates are expected to support this robust market outlook for the foreseeable future.”

According to the CoreLogic HPI Forecast, home prices should advance of 4.8% from January 2017 to January 2018 and increase 0.1% from January to February.