Current Events in April 2017

Unfortunately, scam phone calls are still going strong in the U.S. A survey released earlier this year showed that 11% of the population lost money to a phone scam in 2016, totaling losses of $7.4 billion. But it isn’t just ordinary consumers who fall prey to these scams. Large companies and franchisees are often targeted as well, and the losses can sometimes be substantial.

That’s something that employees of a Taco Bell in Benton, Arkansas won’t soon forget. Earlier this week, KARK-TV reported that a scammer called the restaurant and claimed to be Pamela Miller, vice president of Taco Bell.

The employee who answered the call was told that the manager of the location was being arrested for stealing money and that the store’s assets had to be secured. The scammer instructed the employee to take money from the safe and cash registers and to place it in a bank bag, stating that if she told anyone about the coming arrest that she would also be arrested as an accomplice. The scammer also told the employee that she was watching her via the security cameras and would know if she didn’t comply.

After the money had been taken, “Pamela” told the employee to give the bank bag to a trusted employee who was then instructed over the phone to wire the money via Western Union and Money Gram.

We've been robbed!

Sometime in the middle of all this, the first employee wised up and called her regional manager, who informed her that there was no executive named Pamela Miller and that store had been robbed. Police were able to track down the second employee, but not before he had already wired the money. Officers traced the transfers to the recipients, but “Pamela Miller” is still at large and wanted for theft by deception.

In all, the store lost $2,800 to the con and is probably suffering its fair share of embarrassment. Consumers should keep in mind that any company worth its salt will not ask employees to discreetly withdraw money, and being asked to wire funds anywhere is definitely a red flag that you’re being scammed. In cases like these, it’s always prudent to verify any request with your chain of command.

You answer the knock on the door from someone who says he's from the Internal Revenue Service. But is he? How can you be sure?

The Internal Revenue Service has the answer. It's created this special new page on IRS.gov to help you determine if that person claiming to be from the IRS is legitimate or an imposter.

Scams galore

With phone and in-person scams taking place across the country, the IRS wants you to know that their agents do make official -- sometimes unannounced -- visits as part of their routine casework. Taxpayers should keep in mind the reasons these visits occur and understand how to verify if it is the IRS knocking at their door.

Visits typically fall into three categories:

• Taxes owed or tax returns due. Revenue officers are IRS civil enforcement employees whose role involves education, investigation, and when necessary, appropriate enforcement.
• Audits. That taxpayer would have first been notified by mail about the audit and set an agreed-upon appointment time with the revenue agent. Also, after mailing an initial appointment letter, an auditor may call to confirm and discuss items pertaining to the scheduled audit appointment.
• Investigations. IRS criminal investigators may visit a taxpayer’s home or place of business unannounced. However, these federal law enforcement agents will not demand any sort of payment. Criminal investigators also carry law enforcement credentials, including a badge.

What to do

If you owe taxes -- or think you do -- stay alert to scams that use the IRS as a lure. Tax scams can happen any time of the year, not just at tax time. For more information, visit “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts.”

You have a set of fundamental rights you should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. This is your Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and you can find it on IRS.gov.

While you probably already know that chocolate isn’t meant for man’s best friend, other pet toxins may surprise you. For example, did you know that ibuprofen is one of the most common dangers to pets? 

A report from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) gives pet owners the lowdown on which toxins were most commonly ingested by pets in 2016. To keep your pet from being accidentally poisoned, be sure to keep the following products out of reach.

Household items

All too often, household items -- such as glue, paint, cleaning supplies, etc -- are lapped up by pets. The ASPCA says it receives tens of thousands of calls each year about poisonous household items being ingested by pets.

To keep your efforts to spruce up the house from poisoning your pet, be sure to put products away as soon as you finish using them. You can also consider opting for pet-friendly cleaning product alternatives, such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Veterinary products

Despite being made specifically for pets, certain veterinary products can pose a danger to furry family members. Over-the-counter supplements and prescription pain medications are often formulated to appeal to pets’ palates, which can tempt some pets to ingest too much.

The number of calls regarding over-ingestion of veterinary products has risen in recent years, accounting for 9.3% of poison-related emergency calls to the APCC in 2016. To keep pets safe, pet owners should be sure to keep bottles and packages containing tasty medication away from pets.

Xylitol

Human foods like onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, and alcohol are among the more well-known pet toxins, but another product has caused “food” to move up a spot on APCC’s annual list of pet toxins.

Xylitol, an artificial sweetener commonly found in sugar-free products and even some types of peanut butter, has been to blame for a rising number of calls to the ASPCA’s poison control line.

OTC medications

Nearly 17% of calls to the AAPC involved OTC products including medications, makeup, and body care products. The most commonly called-about product is still ibuprofen, according to the report.

Because a dog’s metabolism is different and faster than a human’s, even small amounts of ibuprofen can cause a rapid spike in insulin levels. For this reason, pet owners should make sure never to leave bottles of aspirin or other pain medications lying around the house.

Human prescription medication

Drugs commonly prescribed to humans -- including heart medications, antidepressants and ADHD meds -- are a common danger to pets, accounting for nearly 17% of all cases at the APCC.

Pet owners with prescription medications in their home should always store medications in a safe place, such as behind a closed cabinet door.

If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially toxic substance, contact your veterinarian or call the ASPCA 24-hour APCC hotline at 1-888-426-4435.

In response to consumer demand for personal care products with fewer chemicals, CVS Pharmacy has pledged to remove parabens, phthalates, and the most common formaldehyde donors from its store brand personal care product lines.

Nearly 600 beauty products on CVS’ store brand lines (including the CVS Health, Beauty 360, Essence of Beauty, and Blade lines) will be free of "chemicals of consumer concern" by the end of 2019, the company said, noting that the Promise Organic line is already free of harmful known toxins.

The retail chain says its decision to remove harmful chemicals from all store-brand personal care products was primarily motivated by customers who are increasingly focused on their health.

Focus on health

"We are committed to providing our customers with the safe, efficacious products that they are looking for," Cia Tucci, vice president of store brands and Quality Assurance at CVS Health, said in a statement.

"We listened when customers voiced their desire for products that still provide the benefits they need with fewer ingredients of concern. Today’s announcement is a natural step in the evolution of our comprehensive approach to chemical safety," she added.

Beyond giving harmful chemicals the boot, CVS has taken other efforts to appease health-conscious consumers.

Earlier this year, the company announced that it would remove artificial trans fats from its store brand food products. Additionally, CVS only stocks sun care products with SPFs higher than 15, while offering an expanded range of products with SPF 30/broad spectrum.

CVS is also developing new standards for its vitamin and supplement offerings. The new standards will require "third party testing of ingredient listings for vitamins and supplements, as well as product testing for certain ingredients of concern."

The full list of chemicals now restricted from CVS' store brand personal care products can be viewed here. 

It's often said that Americans don't know much about other countries. It could also be said they don't know much about this country.

Latest case in point: the District of Columbia -- you know, our nation's capital -- is changing its drivers licenses so TSA agents will stop asking D.C. residents for their passports, a local news site reports.

The licenses currently say "District of Columbia," which is accurate. But no one seems to know where that is, and District residents have been stopped at airports and asked to produce passports by TSA workers who think the District of Columbia must be in South America. Or somewhere.

So soon the licenses will revert to saying "Washington, D.C.," which is not accurate but may be more recognizable. Technically, there is no such city as "Washington" in the District of Columbia. D.C. is sort of a state without any cities, though lacking representation in Congress.

It's not a problem unique to the District (as we locals call it). Years ago, New Mexico changed its license plates to read "New Mexico USA" because its residents got tired of being asked what part of Mexico they were from when they ventured out of state.

And then there's Virginia. Not long ago, I was leaving the long-term parking lot at Los Angeles International Airport in a car that had Virginia license plates. 

The cashier looked at me suspiciously. "Is that East Virginia or West Virginia?" she demanded. No amount of talking would convince her there is no such place as "East Virginia." 

When a Wikileaks email dump last year revealed that leaders of the Democratic Party worked to tilt their primary in Hillary Clinton’s favor against opponent Senator Bernie Sanders, a similar but lesser-known political battle between an established politician and an underdog reared its head in the state of Florida.

Tim Canova, an attorney, economist, and professor who currently teaches at Nova Southeastern University, challenged incumbent and then-DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz last year in a bid to represent Florida’s 23rd congressional district in the House of Representatives. Some of the major issues that Canova centered his campaign around included his support for a total ban on fracking in Florida and his opposition to the Sabal Trail Pipeline, a proposed $3 billion project that its backers say will deliver natural gas from Alabama and Georgia through Florida by June 2017.

The project, the EPA warned in 2015, could contaminate the Floridan Aquifer, where much of the state gets its water, but the EPA reversed its position one year later. Community groups and environmental groups, on the other hand, have continued to wage a campaign against the project. While the pipeline was a major focus of Canova’s campaign, the issue never came up in Wasserman Schultz’s.

Never uttered the words

“As far as I know, she’s never uttered the words Sabal Trail Pipeline,” Canova tells ConsumerAffairs. "Most of the political class in Florida has also remained silent. When you look at the state of Florida, a great number of politicians here have taken campaign donations from either Flower Power & Light, or Duke Energy, or NextEra," the same group building the Sabal Trail Pipeline.

Wasserman Schultz ultimately beat Canova by 6,775 votes, about 28,000 votes to his 21,000. But now, with the election in the rearview mirror, there is a sign that the congresswoman is at least paying attention to the controversial project. "Debbie Wasserman Schultz, she wants to know more," Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, an organizer with Sierra Club’s Florida chapter, tells ConsumerAffairs.

The Sierra Club is one of several groups currently suing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to stop the Sabal Trail Pipeline. Malwitz-Jipson recalls getting a phone call from one of the congresswoman’s staffers about a week ago. The staffer, she says, “wanted to know about the public and what the public was doing about the pipeline,” so Malwitz-Jipson emailed him public documents detailing testimony that people gave about the project. (The congresswoman’s office did not return messages left by ConsumerAffairs).

What the staffer’s sudden interest means is anyone’s guess, but Malwitz-Jipson notes that their only hope to stop the project lies with national leaders. "Federal leadership is ultimately the one that’s responsible for federal permitting.”

Numerous risks to Florida's water

Florida is a state that experts say is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, due in part to the $69 billion worth of coastal property at risk of being inundated by a rising tide and the porous limestone that cities like Miami are built on. 

That limestone sediment means that Florida’s land is prone to both sinkholes and flooding. And the oil that Florida produces isn’t as high quality as oil found elsewhere. Yet despite all this, Florida continues to attract more oil and gas projects, says Jacki Lopez, a staff attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. "Florida is becoming this destination and hub for oil and gas exportation,” she tells ConsumerAffairs. 

The Sabal Trail Pipeline is just one of several projects that local organizers say could threaten the state’s fragile aquifer system. In January, Florida Power & Light won approval from Governor Rick Scott to store radioactive waste underneath south Florida’s Biscayne Aquifer, which supplies drinking water to the region.

The National Park Service last year gave drilling companies the go-ahead to conduct seismic exploration in the Big Cypress National Preserve, a protected wetland and another source of drinking water. Meanwhile, President Trump is planning to expand off-shore drilling along the Atlantic coast.

The state’s overall geology “makes our aquifer system and our natural resources really vulnerable to contamination,” Lopez adds. 

Lawmakers respond

At the state level, lawmakers are considering bills to both ban fracking and to expand it. Nationally, Republican Senator Marco Rubio “hasn't lifted a finger on this issue,” Lopez says, other than to write letters expressing his support for more oil and gas development. 

Florida’s Democratic Senator Bill Nelson has publicly expressed concerns about seismic exploration in the state’s protected wetlands as well as fracking. “He has been very strong at asking questions to the Department of Interior,” Lopez says, and “in saying that we don't want that in Florida.” 

Nelson has not yet spoken out for or against the Sabal Trail Pipeline however. His office has consulted with environmental groups about their concerns, representatives from the groups tell ConsumerAffairs. (Nelson’s office has not yet returned an interview request). "They listened,” says Sierra Club’s Malwitz-Jipson. “However, we still don’t see any movement from it, in terms of ending it.”

Former House candidate Canova recalls attending a hearing in West Palm Beach that Senator Nelson organized regarding climate change. The witnesses, Canova says, mostly talked about the ways that Florida should adapt to climate change.

“There was no discussion really about how do we really quickly become a leader in solar, wind energy and renewables? How do we get off of this addiction to fossil fuels?"

FPL and solar

With its sunny and suburban atmosphere, Florida would seem to be the ideal place for the solar industry to take off. Many Florida consumers are in fact using government and company rebates to install solar panels on their own homes, a move that is not welcomed by local or out-of-state energy companies.

Sabal Trail Pipeline backer Florida Power & Light, which is also the state’s largest utility, spent a reported $20 million backing a proposed state amendment last year that experts said would have discouraged consumers from purchasing solar panels. The amendment failed, and Florida Power & Light at the same time pledged to expand its solar forms, enough to comprise just four percent of the state’s energy needs by 2023.  

Florida Power & Light’s parent company, as former candidate Canova notes, has donated to the campaigns of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including Wasserman Schultz. Her former opponent sounds cynical about her office’s apparent, newfound interest in the Sabal Trail Pipeline.

“They realize that I might run against her again,” he speculates. “They probably want to figure out how to deal with that issue, whether it means her flip-flopping now, or just trying to find holes in our argument.”

Verizon has set a new record, although it's not one they were aiming for. The company posted its first-ever net loss of wireless subscribers during the first quarter of 2017.

Most Wall Streeters are blaming the loss on the price war that has broken out in the once-peaceful oligopoly that is the wireless business in the U.S. But others, including hordes of former Verizon subscribers, blame poor service and an inability to reach anyone who can help with problems.

"After lowering my data plan because of paying for data I wasn't using month after month Verizon took away free data I was given for LIFE with my new phone purchases," said Barbara of Kuna, Idaho, in a ConsumerAffairs review a few days ago.

"After calling them to find out why, I was told the free data was given to me for my data size not the phone purchases. I've been with Verizon for over 10 years and have been disappointed by them before. This is the last straw. Just another way Verizon stabs you in the back while pretending to be giving you something for being a valued customer," Barbara said.

Dawn of Birmingham, Alabama, says Verizon "has become impossible to deal with." She said she called Verizon when her new iPhone began shutting down, overheating, and otherwise misbehaving.

"They had me talk to three different people asking the same exact questions before finally agreeing to issue me a replacement phone which was still under warranty. This took over 45 minutes," Dawn said.

"Then I happen to be on my account checking my bill and the order for the replacement phone was on credit hold for some reason...not sure why because my account is current," she said. "Jumped on chat and this person tells me I now have to call the order department to confirm the order before it's shipped out. Why should I have to do this - wasn't the 45 minutes on with customer service enough of a confirmation to ship the stupid phone?"

$20 a month for nothing

"It's only $20 but it was so annoying that I took my four smartphones to AT&T. The network is OK and the website is easy to navigate, unlike the Verizon site which is like a carnival funhouse," he said. 

It's not only longtime customers who are miffed. Kayla of Spring, Texas, has only been with Verizon a month but is already irate. 

"I have been with Verizon for about a month and the customer service is horrible. I spent an hour on the phone with someone who still cannot tell me what my bill is actually going to be. Also, found it odd that I would want to file a complaint and asked why? I have been nearly paying $400 a month for 3 phones. That is why," Kayla said.

Unlimited data

Verizon has been trying to stop the hemorraghing. It brought back unlimited data plans in February for the first time since 2011. That helped a little but took a big bite out of earnings, illustrating the difficulty of turning around a mature business that has run out of room to grow. Verizon executives, however, insist things are going well.

“Our first-quarter results again demonstrated that customers value a high-quality network experience,” said Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam in a press release. “To build on our loyal customer base and the third-party recognition we have received for network leadership, we extended our wireless and fiber network capabilities, began offering an unlimited pricing option and expanded our opportunities in new markets. We’re executing on strategies to capture future growth and create long-term shareholder value.”

The primary problem Verizon faces is that just about everybody who could want a smartphone already has one, so it's not a growing market. Meanwhile, T-Mobile and Sprint are nipping at its heels, takiing customers away with more nimble marketing plans.

Verizon has been trying to diversify into entertainment and information through its purchase of AOL and Yahoo, but any returns from those businesses are likely to be far down the road, many analysts feel.

Check the ConsumerAffairs Cell Phone Buyers Guide to find the phone and service plan that are right for you. 

Consumers who buy a new car these days expect to have all the latest technology at their fingertips, and things can get messy when automakers don’t follow through on their promises. That seems to be the case with Tesla, which is facing a class action lawsuit after buyers of its vehicles said that the Enhanced Autopilot AP 2.0 software and Standard Safety Features weren't working.

The class says this loss of functionality could be dangerous if a driver isn’t aware of the issue and relies on the features.

“Unwittingly, buyers of affected vehicles have become beta testers of half-baked software that renders Tesla vehicles dangerous if engaged,” the lawsuit says.

Failing to deliver

Class members paid up to $5,000 to have the features included in the vehicle they bought. Enhanced Autopilot AP 2.0 was touted as a “safe” and “stress-free” tool for drivers, but owners say that it has made driving more dangerous.

Further, the lawsuit states that Tesla has failed to follow through on its promises regarding Standard Safety Features, which include things like automatic emergency braking, front collision warning, side collision warning, and auto high beams. The company allegedly told consumers that the updates would be available by the end of last year, but the plaintiffs say most have yet to be released.

 “Tesla has endangered the lives of tens of thousands of Tesla owners across the country, and induced them to pay many thousands of dollars for a product that Tesla has not effectively designed. . . Tesla sold these vehicles as the safest sedan on the road. What consumers received were cards without standard safety enhancements featured by cars costing less than half the price of a new Tesla, and a purported ‘Enhanced Autopilot’ that operates in an erratic and dangerous manner,” said attorney Steve Berman, who is representing the plaintiffs.

"Smoke and mirrors"

The complaint provides accounts from consumers who claim that their vehicles acted erratically. One consumer describes two extreme cases on opposite ends of the spectrum.

“[You] can be sailing along at 50 mph and the radar spots [an approaching] bridge and immediately slams on the brakes. . . The other extreme is that you approach a stoplight with a car already stopped, and the Tesla doesn’t apply the brakes at all. It’s really a pretty scary experience,” the driver said.

“When consumers received these pricy vehicles, it became clear that Tesla’s marketing was all smoke and mirrors. And Tesla knew when it made these promises that it didn’t have the capabilities to follow through on its deal. It knowingly deceived tens of thousands who put their faith in these cars and in Tesla,” Berman added.

The complaint estimates that approximately 47,000 affected Model S and Model X vehicles were sold in the fourth quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017. The suit seeks to reclaim economic losses for plaintiffs who paid a premium price for the Standard Safety Features or the Enhanced Autopilot. The class is being represented by consumer-rights class-action law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP.

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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.

To many consumers, it’s no longer enough to know that the food you’re buying is a great deal or on discount. In fact, some Millennial consumers are willing to pay more to ensure that their items were produced humanely and fit their dietary standards.

To see which aspects were most important to shoppers, researchers from the University of Illinois set out to rank seven on-farm practices that most affect consumers’ purchasing decisions for beef, chicken, milk, and eggs. The attributes included:

• Animals that were not administered growth hormones;
• The exclusion of genetically modified organisms from the production of the product (non-GMO);
• Animals that were humanely raised;
• Animals that were raised in a free-range or cage-free environment;
• Animals that were not administered antibiotics;
• Animals that were grass-fed or raised on a vegetarian diet; and
• Products that were certified as organic.

Importance of labeling

Survey responses indicated that the top three attributes that consumers cared about were that their products contained no growth hormones, were non-GMO, and that the animals used to make the products were humanely raised. Out of all the attributes, consumers ranked whether or not a product was organic as the least important.

"The biggest surprise in the study is that 'no growth hormones' is the number one concern consumers have across the board on all of these products," said lead researcher Brenna Ellison. "It's odd because growth hormones are already prohibited for poultry products. Further, products that are certified organic or humanely-raised also prohibit the use of growth hormones in animals. Ultimately, it means consumers are spending unnecessary time looking for labels that reflect this particular attribute."

The researchers point out that proper labeling makes a big difference to consumers who look for these attributes. For example, they say that one producer that clearly labels their product as having “no growth hormones” has a huge advantage over another producer that doesn’t clearly include that phrasing on their labeling. This remained true even if the second product contained no growth hormones or provided the claim in the “small print” of the product’s packaging.

Another surprise to the researchers was that “organic” claims ranked lowest among shoppers. They theorize that the term might mean less to consumers when it comes to beef, chicken, milk, and eggs.

"When most people hear the term 'organic,' they think of produce, fruits, and vegetables. I don't think the term translates as well to animals. Consequently, consumers may not understand that the organic certification for meat and other animal products actually already includes a lot of these other production attributes," said Ellison.

Why do we care?

The researchers conclude the study by stating that certain label attributes might mean more to consumers because they represent a political statement. In other cases, they say that some attributes might speak more to consumers’ cares about their own health rather than the health of the animals that produced the product.

"Choosing to buy milk without traces of hormones or antibiotics may be driven more by concerns for our own health than the health of the animal. But treatment of the animal is also important to people. The results of the study show that consumers place a greater importance on the 'humanely raised' attribute for milk and eggs -- animals that keep producing, versus those that go to slaughter," said Ellison.

The full study has been published in Agriculture and Human Values.

New car prices have continued to rise, with the average transaction price now $35,000 or more.

That puts the average vehicle -- remember, $35,000 is just the average -- out of reach for a lot of consumers. Sure, you can lease it or finance it for the rest of your life, but that's not really a good way to buy a car.

Fortunately, there are a lot of new cars that sell for well below the average price. For example, the Kia Soul sells for around $18,000. The Toyota Corolla goes for just over $20,000. The Honda Fit sells for around $17,000.

Granted, these economically-priced new cars are pretty small, and might not be as practical for a family. So Kelley Blue Book (KBB) has offered up some alternatives -- larger, more comfortable rides that are still well below the average transaction price.

Chevrolet Impala

Number one on KBB's list is the 2017 Chevrolet Impala, starting at around $27,000. KBB says the Impala offers an impressive combination of spaciousness, comfort and value for families and individuals seeking a full-size sedan.

Another Chevrolet, the Malibu, also packs a lot of room and comfort for a below-average price. The Malibu got a make-over in 2016, winning praise from critics and consumers alike. Besides the expected car comforts, the Malibu also offers available 4G LTE Wi-Fi, Apple CarPlay and wireless phone charging. It sells for just under $22,000.

Now in its 35th model year, the 2017 Toyota Camry delivers a wide range of attributes, including roominess, features, and an affordable sticker price. In most cases, you can drive away in one for around $22,000.

Honda Accord

The 2017 Honda Accord is a top seller year after year. Its high quality, smooth ride and popular features make it a top seller year after year. It sells for around $22,000.

Despite its growing popularity, the Subaru Outback is still priced under $30,000. KBB says the Outback is not just rugged, but also offers a cushy interior and soft ride. It sells for around $26,000.

Of course, if you load any of these cars down with options you can probably get the price over $35,000. But if it's a smooth ride and affordable payment you're seeking, you've got plenty of choices here.

It won't be long before college students will be lining up by the thousands to receive their diplomas -- and then start the search for gainful employment.

As these three million young adults with freshly-minted associate or bachelor’s degrees enter what's called “the real world,” they should be in pretty good shape as far as job prospects go.

According to outplacement consultancy firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, the employment outlook for the class of 2017 is on par with last year, thanks to the current economic growth. National Association of Colleges and Employers College Graduates’ 2017 Job Outlook finds that just over 98% of employers plan to hire bachelor’s-degree earners this year, virtually the same as in 2016.

Hot degrees

Business degrees are most in demand, with the survey showing almost 78% of employers planning to hire business-degree holders, while 70% want those with engineering degrees. Another 54.2% will hire grads in the computer and information sciences field.

The most in-demand degrees are in male-dominated programs, even though women continue to earn more college degrees than men year-over-year.

An analysis of 2012 education data from the National Center for Education Statistics by Randall Olson, shows fewer than 20% of bachelor’s degree-holders in computer and engineering fields were women, while just over 40% of bachelor’s in business went to women.

“Companies benefit from having a diverse workforce, and many employers want a gender-equal workforce,” said Challenger CEO John A. Challenger. Encouraging women to enter and thrive in these fields will have an enormous, positive impact on the workplace.”

It's not just recent college graduates who benefit from bachelor’s degrees. Older grads face much lower levels of unemployment when compared to those who did not finish high school, only finished high school, or only finished part of college.

The Conference Board reports its Leading Economic Index (LEI) was higher in March for a fifth consecutive month.

The rise of 0.4% follows advances of 0.5% and 0.6% in February and January, respectively. Additionally, the index wrapped up 2016 with a gain of 0.6% in December and a 0.2% increase for November

“The March increase and upward trend in the U.S. LEI point to continued economic growth in 2017, with perhaps an acceleration later in the year if consumer spending and investment pick up,” said Conference Board Director of Business Cycles and Growth Research Ataman Ozyildirim. “The gains among the leading indicators were very widespread, with new orders in manufacturing and the interest rate spread more than offsetting declines in the labor market components in March.”

The LEI, a closely watched forecaster of economic activity, is a composite average of several individual leading indicators. It's constructed to summarize and reveal common turning point patterns in economic data in a clearer and more convincing manner than any individual component -- primarily because it smooths out some of the volatility of individual components.

The ten components of the LEI include:

• Average weekly hours, manufacturing
• Average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance
• Manufacturers’ new orders, consumer goods and materials
• ISM Index of New Orders
• Manufacturers' new orders, nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft orders
• Building permits, new private housing units
• Stock prices, 500 common stocks
• Leading Credit Index
• Interest rate spread, 10-year Treasury bonds less federal funds
• Average consumer expectations for business conditions

Jobless claims

A give-back in the jobless claims last week.

The Department of Labor (DOL) reports first-time applications for state unemployment benefits rose by 10,000 in the week ending April 15 to a seasonally adjusted total of 244,000.

Initial claims fell by exactly the same amount a week earlier.

The four-week moving average, which is less volatile than the weekly average and considered a better reading of the labor market, came in at 243,000 -- down 4,250 from the previous week.

The complete report is available on the DOL website.

Medical experts are constantly striving to reduce concussion risks for student athletes, doling out guidelines and advice for how young people can avoid head injuries and how to recover from them safely. But what if our current guidelines simply don’t go far enough?

That appears to be the case for 17-year-old Kenney Bui, who passed away after sustaining a concussion in a high school football game back in September 2015. The Wall Street Journal reports that Bui and medical staff did everything right when it came to following protocol – the young man abstained from practice for two weeks after sustaining his injury before being cleared by a doctor, and his cognitive tests revealed that his brain was functioning normally. So, what went wrong?

Shortly after returning to play, Bui participated in a game and took part in another collision that left him feeling groggy. He made it to the sidelines but lost consciousness, and personnel rushed him to the hospital for surgery. Unfortunately, Bui did not recover and passed away three days later.

Although concussion protocols were followed to the letter, a new study cites the case as an example of why current treatment of concussions and athletes is not doing enough to protect them. Researchers say that although Bui had recovered enough to regain his cognitive faculties, his brain had not truly healed from the concussion he suffered earlier.

“There is a period of vulnerability after the athlete’s cognition is recovered but before the brain is recovered,” explains professor Michael McCrea of the Medical College of Wisconsin, one of three researchers who led the study.

Period of greater risk

The CARE Consortium concussion study led by McCrea and his colleagues analyzed three years of health and injury records for roughly 28,000 young athletes and cadets at service academies. The findings, they say, show that our currently accepted methods for handling concussion cases is not sufficient.

The concussion test, which was created and is sold by a company called ImPact, assesses attention span, reaction time, and other cognitive skills and compares them to the athletes’ previous performance before the start of the season. Athletes who recover from their initial concussion symptoms and pass these cognitive tests given by medical staff are allowed to return to the playfield.

But, as seen in Bui’s case, that protocol seems to fall short of its intended purpose. ImPact has stated that it doesn’t claim to be the “be-all and end-all” when it comes to concussion tests, but officials for the company do admit that they are a “cornerstone” of the industry and that their devices give providers the best tool to assess concussion recovery.

The researchers say that the protocol falls short because it doesn’t take into full account the biological symptoms of a brain injury, which tend to last much longer than the cognitive symptoms. They point out that after an initial concussion, athletes undergo a period where they are at much greater risk of significant injury or death if they experience another instance of head trauma.

What to do

These findings are similar to past research that assessed consumers’ ability to drive safely after suffering from a concussion. In that study, researchers from the University of Georgia said that recently-concussed drivers had less control of the vehicle and tended to swerve more in lane, all despite being considered “recovered” from their injury.

Proper methods for treating a concussion have changed drastically over the years, but the most important recovery factors continue to be time and rest.

Athletes who have suffered from concussion are urged not to force themselves back into activity too quickly, but engaging in light aerobic exercise, such as jogging, can be helpful after initial symptoms have subsided. Young athletes should also be sure to get plenty of sleep after initial symptoms have passed.

A common complaint by the payday loan industry, whenever government regulators begin to talk about reform, is that it is serving a community no one else does.

In part, that's true. The people who agree to triple digit interest rates don't usually do so unless they feel they have no other option. But that doesn't mean they're satisfied customers.

Many people who take out a small loan for two weeks to meet an emergency are in no better financial shape two weeks later, when the money is due. So their only recourse is to take out another two-week loan, paying another fee to do so. Those fees begin to add up when they have to be paid every two weeks.

While the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is considering regulations for the industry, the Pew Charitable Trust polled consumers' views about payday loans, then compared them to a group of payday loan customers polled on the same questions. The answers were remarkably similar.

Strong support for regulation

For starters, 70% of both groups believe the payday loan industry needs more regulation. Payday loan borrowers also voiced strong support for requiring some type of installment payment structure in these small-dollar loans.

As things now stand, the entire balance is due in two weeks. Customers said they would like to stretch the payments over a longer period. They also stated a strong preference for borrowing from a bank or credit union. The reason they aren't doing that gets to the crux of the issue.

In most cases, people who turn to a payday lender have poor credit; they're considered a poor risk and banks generally avoid them.

Payday lenders say the current system protects them against this risk. The lender withdraws the money directly from the borrower's bank account, making sure it gets repaid. It charges the borrower a fee, based on the loan amount.

New interest from banks

According to Pew, a number of banks and credit unions submitted comments to the CFPB expressing "serious interest" in serving this market by offering lower-cost installment loans to this under-served group. The regulations, however, would specifically have to allow them to do so.

Banks and credit unions may, in fact, may be looking at the poor-credit consumer as a growth area that should not be given up completely to payday lenders. But be assured they are not acting out of generosity. It would simply be an expansion of subprime lending, which usually carries much higher costs to the borrower -- again, compensating the lender for the extra risk.

But unlike payday lenders, Pew says banks and credit unions are considering an installment loan structure, giving the borrower who has taken out $500 to replace a water heater, for example, more time to pay it back.

These loans would undoubtedly be expensive, but not as expensive as a payday loan.

Emirates, hit hard by President Trump's ban on using electronics on U.S.-bound flights, is cutting its schedule to five American cities because of "significant deterioration" in bookings, the airline said.

The cutbacks affect flights to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Boston, Seattle, and Los Angeles.

“Over the past three months, we have seen a significant deterioration in the booking profiles on all our U.S. routes, across travel segments,” the airline said in a prepared statement. “Emirates has therefore responded as any profit-oriented enterprise would, and we will redeploy capacity to serve demand on other routes on our global network.”

The surprise March 25 order by the Trump Administration applied to non-stop flights to the U.S. from Dubai and other Middle Eastern points. It was said to be an anti-terrorism measure, but critics said it was part of Trump's effort to crack down on immigration.

Nothing to do

The order banned laptops, smartphones, e-readers, and other electronic devices on flights from the Middle East, in effect transporting business travelers back to the bad old days when there was nothing to do in flight but read and watch whatever entertainment the airline offers.

Emirates responded by offering to loan Microsoft Surface tablets to travelers in First and Business classes. It offered all passengers a "laptop and tablet handling service" that let them use their devices until they actually boarded the aircraft and returned them immediately upon landing.

In April, TripAdvisor had named Emirates the world's overall best airline. It also took honors for Best First Class and Best Economy Class.

The ban was limited to flights departing 10 airports from the Middle East and North Africa and was said to be based on security concerns. Officials told The Washington Post that intelligence continues to pick up on terrorist interest in targeting commercial aviation. The concern is that electronic devices can be modified to contain explosives.

Besides the ban on electronics, Emirates and other international carriers have been hampered by Trump's executive order blocking the entry of nationals from several Muslim-majority countries. The orders were blocked by U.S. courts but only after days of chaotic scenes at airports around the world. 

Emirates said the end result is that there is less interest in traveling to the U.S. 

“The recent actions taken by the U.S. government relating to the issuance of entry visas, heightened security vetting and restrictions on electronic devices in aircraft cabins have had a direct impact on consumer interest and demand for air travel into the U.S.,” the airline said, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

From all accounts, the automotive industry is enthralled with the idea of self-driving cars.

Every automaker, it seems, is working on the technology that removes the driver from the equation. We are told that autonomous vehicles hold the promise of ushering in a utopian travel experience, where every occupant of every vehicle may sit back, enjoy the ride, and stay glued to his or her smartphone.

But are consumers -- the people the automotive industry needs to make this a reality -- really buying it? The evidence suggests not all of us are completely on board.

The latest research from J.D. Power on the subject suggests growing consumer skepticism, which runs counter to the way things usually play out.

"In most cases, as technology concepts get closer to becoming reality, consumer curiosity and acceptance increase," said Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction and HMI research at J.D. Power. "With autonomous vehicles, we see a pattern where trust drives interest in the technology and right now, the level of trust is declining."

Younger consumers more accepting

The research, however, shows that the younger you are, the more open you are to a computer driving your car. Older consumers, however, are increasingly skeptical.

The insurance industry, after initially expressing enthusiasm, has also begun to raise some questions. The objective of autonomous technology is to remove human error, meaning fewer accidents. But Lockton, an insurance broker, suggests these vehicles are not without risk.

A Lockton white paper, Autonomous Vehicles: Risk Management Issues and Concerns, delves into some of those risks, including shifts in liability exposure, cybersecurity, and the impact it will have on underwriting commercial auto policies.

The company says most cars on the road today have little or no automation. If they do, however, cybersecurity may be a concern. The report notes that today's hackers have the ability to break into some models of vehicles through the entertainment system and take control.

How much does it cost?

But a bigger concern for consumers may be sharing the road with autonomous vehicles and the cost of buying one. Currently, Uber is operating a handful of driverless vehicles in Pittsburgh and Arizona with few problems. An Arizona accident involving a driverless car was found to be the fault of the driver in the other vehicle.

But it also raises the issue of cars driven by humans sharing the road with vehicles piloted by computers. Because for the foreseeable future, most cars are going to have a human behind the wheel.

That's because driverless cars are likely to be extremely expensive, at least for the first few years they come onto the market. Try pricing some of today's technology features on a new car, such as lane change warning, and you'll find it dramatically increases the price of a new car. It would stand to reason that a car that drives itself is going to have a huge price tag, perhaps well beyond the affordability range of the typical consumer.

J.D. Power says 40% of Baby Boomers don't see any benefit to driverless cars. The firm predicts they'll change their minds as they get more comfortable with the technology.

As many homeowners have learned the hard way, homeowners insurance policies don't cover flood damage.

The damage caused by rising water, whether from a hurricane storm surge or an overflowing creek, is covered by flood insurance, which in recent years has become increasingly expensive.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), administered by FEMA, is supposed to make flood insurance more affordable for homeowners, but the program is scheduled to expire at the end of September. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) worries that there will be nothing to replace it.

NAR President William Brown says the elimination of NFIP would not only pose financial risks to homeowners living on or near bodies of water, it would bring sales of those properties to a standstill.

It's happened before

"When the NFIP expired in 2010, over 1,300 home sales were disrupted every day as a result," Brown said. "That's over 40,000 every month."

If property is located in a 100-year floodplain, mortgage lenders require the homeowner to have flood insurance. So if there is no NFIP, Brown says buyers simply won't be able to get a mortgage.

A rash of hurricanes in the early 2000s took a massive toll on the flood insurance program. Even with the program, homeowners have seen premiums surge. Brown says the problem doesn't just affect coastal communities.

22,000 communities need flood insurance

"Policyholders in over 22,000 communities across the country depend on the NFIP to protect homes and businesses from torrential rain, swollen rivers and lakes, snowmelt, failing infrastructure, as well as storm surges and hurricanes," he said. "When that lifeline is cut off, the NFIP can't issue new policies or renew existing residential or commercial policies that expire. That means current home and business owners may find their most important asset unprotected."

And even though last year was a relatively calm one for hurricanes, it was the third largest in claims payments in the history of the flood insurance program, costing the goverment more than $4 billion. There were five billion dollar floods last year, with four of them occurring inland, away from coastal areas.

A watch used to be considered pretty smart if it kept fairly accurate time. Now it has to be smart enough to connect with your iPhone or other smartphone so it can display messages, email, and so forth.

Or does it?

The latest entrant in the smartwatch derby is the Wear24 from Verizon, and unlike its competitors, it doesn't need a smartphone to function.

Verizon says the watch operates automatically using your existing phone number for sending texts and making calls. It contains a SIM card similar to those used in smartphones, except that the card is embedded, meaning it can't be removed. Verizon can address the card directly and turn your service on or off and make other adjustments. 

Of course, Wear24 does more than just tell time, which is no longer considered very smart. According to Verizon, it will also: 

• Stream all the music you want, phone-less, from Wear24 to a pair of Bluetooth headphones. Perfect for outdoor fitness activities and leaving your smartphone behind. 
• Ask Google as many questions as you want. Ask Wear24 to "set a timer," "play rock music," and more. 
• Browse and download Google Play apps directly on the watch without having to install them onto your phone.

Verizon says the smartwatch will be available in stores and online from Verizon starting May 11 for $349.99. Customers also have the option of purchasing the smartwatch for $299.99 with new 2-year activation. You can add the smartwatch to an existing Verizon Plan for $5 monthly access, plus taxes & fees.

“This is a promising step forward in securing IoT for the masses,” Mark Bartolomeo, vice president of IoT at Verizon, said. “The GSMA’s adoption of security certification through Verizon’s Security Credentialing Service will ensure standards for operators and manufacturers across the board, creating a more secure and consistent approach to IoT security moving forward.”

Similar 4G-connected smartwatches are set to hit the market soon, including LG’s Watch Sport on AT&T’s network.