Current Events in May 2017

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 1,021,279 model year 2013-2016 Ram 1500, Ram 2500, and 2014-2016 Ram 3500 trucks.

Certain driving conditions, such as driving off-road or debris striking the vehicle may cause the roll rate sensor to trigger a fault within the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC). If this fault occurs, the rollover side curtain airbag and the seat belt pretensioner will be disabled from deploying.

If the rollover side curtain airbags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash that necessitates activation of these safety systems.

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ORC software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 23, 2017.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T25.

Polaris Industries of Medina, Minn., is recalling about 6,000 RMK and SKS snowmobiles.

A weld on the steering post can separate, resulting in loss of steering control, posing a crash hazard.

The company has received 13 reports of a steering post weld separation. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves model year 2017 Polaris RMK, PRO-RMK, SKS, and RMK snowmobiles.

“Polaris” is printed on the seat and “RMK,” “PRO,” “SKS,” or “ASSAULT” printed on the side body panel. The snowmobiles were sold in several colors.

The model number and VIN are displayed on the right side of the tunnel. To check for recalled vehicles by VIN, visit www.polaris.com.

The following models are included in the recall:

The snowmobiles, manufactured in the U.S., were sold at Polaris dealers nationwide from May 2016, through March 2017, for between $12,000 and $15,200.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled vehicles and contact Polaris to schedule a free repair. Polaris is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact Polaris at 800-765-2747 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday, or online at www.polaris.com and click on “Product Safety Recalls” at the bottom of the page for more information.

You've put your home on the market and weeks have gone by without an offer. Plenty of people have looked at your property but have walked away. What could be the problem?

Real estate marketplace Trulia outlines a number of common turn-offs that cause prospective buyers to pass on your home, even if it has an attractive price. It starts with the roof.

Home buyers increasingly want homes that are “move-in ready,” meaning they don't even want to do cosmetic touch-ups. They especially don't want to immediately have to sink money into making improvements.

An asphalt shingle roof will last about 25 years. If your roof is getting close to that age, many buyers will be leery, since replacing a roof is very expensive. If the roof is already leaking, that's even more troubling.

Turning a negative to a positive

Replacing the roof yourself before you sell will be costly to you, and you probably won't get anywhere close to all your money back. But if you need to sell your home in a hurry, a new roof will turn a big negative into a big positive, perhaps resulting in a much faster sale.

If your gutters are old, clogged with debris, and in disrepair, this will also turn off potential buyers. It suggests your home hasn't been well maintained and may prompt a much closer look at the siding and foundation for signs of water damage.

New gutters, meanwhile, send just the opposite message. They also improve your home's curb appeal.

Your home's heating and air conditioning system could also be a red flag for buyers, if it is approaching the end of its life cycle. A new heat pump, on the other hand, is another strong selling point, because it tells buyers they don't have to worry about replacing the system for many years.

Outdated appliances

Outdated appliances in the kitchen can also send prospective buyers running. Yes, buyers can purchase new appliances to their liking, but that usually isn't enough to overcome the bad impression an avocado green refrigerator or harvest gold stove makes when your house is shown.

Unfortunately, none of these issues are inexpensive to address, which is one reason they are such a turn-off for buyers. If you make these improvements, expect to write a big check.

There are other options, including lowering the price of the house to compensate for the needed improvements. But that's often not that attractive to a buyer, who may be using all of his or her cash to cover the down payment and closing costs.

Discuss your options with your real estate broker. If you need your home to sell quickly in a competitive market, it may be necessary to spend some money first.

How far your money goes each month often depends on where you live. It's a fact of life that it just costs more to live in some places than others. Main drivers include the cost of housing, groceries, insurance, transportation, healthcare, and basic services.

Why bring it up? Because for many people, moving might be the easiest way to increase their disposable income.

For example, a young person just starting out might be working in retail but living in a large city. By moving to a smaller city, with a lower cost of living, their money might go farther. After all, the same retailer probably pays the same in both places.

The same is true for someone who has just retired. While they were working, living in an expensive city might have been just fine, but not so fine when their income is reduced, and fixed.

State-by-state analysis

GOBankingRates.com, a personal finance site, has analyzed the cost of living in each state and measured it against the national average cost of living. In doing so, it has compiled two lists – the five most expensive states in which to live and the five cheapest.

Hawaii is the most expensive, for a couple of reasons. First, lots of people would like to live there. Second, everything costs more in Hawaii because it's an island chain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It costs a lot to get things delivered there. For example, Hawaii has the highest gasoline prices in the U.S.

While Hawaii's cost of living is 67.4% above the national average, Washington, DC's cost of living is the second highest, at nearly 50% above the average. In DC, housing is the big driver. Homes and apartments in the nation's capital cost 134% above average.

New York, California, and Massachusetts round out the five most expensive states, and are very close in terms of costs. They range from 35.2% to 34.7% above average.

Housing is also a big cost driver in California, where costs are 92.7% above average. California also has the second-highest transportation costs in the nation.

Where your money goes farther

Where can you move to stretch your dollars? Mississippi tops the list, with a cost of living 14% below the national average. In Mississippi, housing costs are 31.6% below the national average. Its gasoline prices are among the cheapest in the country.

The second most affordable state is Indiana, with a cost of living 12.1% below average. Michigan is reasonable too, coming in at 11.8% below average. Arkansas and Oklahoma are not far behind, at 11.5% and 11.4% respectively.

Some states that didn't make either top five list nonetheless are very cheap or expensive in certain categories. For example, Alaska has the highest healthcare costs in the country, while Alabama has the lowest.

Throughout history, scientists, inventors, and other innovators have come up with new technologies and processes to make our lives easier and safer. Take food for example: processes like pasteurization – which involves heating up foods and liquids to kill potentially harmful bacteria – have prevented countless deaths.

Still, there are small pockets of consumers who resist such innovations. One group that has recently gained traction prefers unpasteurized milk and cheese. Proponents say that eating these products “raw” is more natural and organic, but a recent study shows that it certainly isn’t healthier.

A group of researchers have found that unpasteurized milk and cheeses are the cause of nearly every foodborne illness caused by contaminated dairy products. They say that consumers who stand by them risk increasing disease outbreaks.

“In contrast to some perceptions, natural food products are not necessarily safer than conventional ones, as evidenced by higher rates of foodborne illnesses associated with unpasteurized dairy products,” they said.

840 times more illnesses

The results of the study showed that unpasteurized dairy products caused 840 times more illnesses and 45 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized products. Annually, there are around 760 reported cases of foodborne illness connected to unpasteurized dairy products that result in an average of 22 hospitalizations. However, the researchers say that news of these cases rarely reach the public if they aren’t connected to an outbreak of disease.

“Outbreaks get all the press. But really the non-outbreak associated cases probably really dwarf the number of outbreak-associated cases,” said Kirk Smith of the Minnesota Department of Health.

When outbreaks do occur, though, the results can be deadly. Unpasteurized dairy products have been linked to a large range of diseases and bacteria, including E. coli, salmonella, listeria, and Campylobacter. All of these bacteria can cause symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, but they can lead to more serious conditions and even death in serious cases.

States vary on their stances

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has barred the sale of unpasteurized milk meant for human consumption, but individual states have widely varying policies – which is important since milk regulations within a state are set by individual jurisdiction.

Nineteen states currently prohibit the sale of raw milk, while the remaining 31 allow some sort of access to it. Smith says that a movement in favor of unpasteurized products may originate from a lack of understanding. “I think people just kind of forget how things used to be before we had these public health advances,” he said.

The full study is scheduled to publish in Emerging Infectious Diseases in June.

Researchers are still hard at work trying to come up with a solution to the Zika virus. Unfortunately, recent news about the virus has been less than favorable.

In early April, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the virus had spread to 44 states and affected as many as 1,300 pregnancies. To make matters worse, researchers later found that a second species of mosquito was capable of spreading the virus, raising concerns about increased transmission rates.

But a new report authored by City College of New York scientists and TechnoVax Inc. offers some hope for the future. The researchers say that they have developed a vaccine against the virus that has been shown to be both highly effective and safe in animal models. The news was announced yesterday in Tarrytown, N.Y.

“The VLP vaccine formulations tested in animals not only were highly effective in eliciting protective antibodies with neutralizing activity equivalent to or higher than the activity present in the serum of a patient who recovered from Zika infection but also were well tolerated and safe,” the researchers said.

Fighting Zika virus

Zika virus became a hot-button issue early in 2016 when it began to spread in Latin America. The virus symptoms have generally been described as mild and flu-like, with patients experiencing fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis.

However, more serious complications from the disease are what have made it notorious. Medical experts have connected the virus to cases of microcephaly, a birth defect that stunts brain development in babies whose mothers have been bitten by infected mosquitoes. Other reports have connected the virus to Guillain-Barré syndrome, which can cause nervous system damage and paralysis.

The researchers say that the VLP vaccine “offers an effective and safe strategy to create a prophylactic vaccine that protect against Zika infection as well as its serious effects.” They hope that their partnership with TechnoVax will help jumpstart new vaccine projects that target additional virus pathogens.

The full study has been accepted for publication in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

This summer, consumers are more likely to take a long weekend trip, perhaps a sign of growing consumer confidence and an improving economy.

A survey by travel publisher Travelzoo shows nearly three quarters of consumers are planning an extended getaway -- longer than a two-day weekend but shorter than a vacation. Many of those said plans are likely to be made, and a destination chosen, at the last minute.

About half the consumers in the survey said they were likely to make more long weekend "mini vacations" than they did last year.

And while a trip to the beach is one of the most popular long weekend destinations there's increased interest in a long weekend to Europe. Only 9% are planning a vacation to Europe this summer but half the consumers in the survey said they are considering taking advantage of low air fares for a long weekend getaway to someplace like Paris.

Getting the price under $500

The threshold appears to be around $500. Consumers say if they get get round trip airfare under that amount, their bags would be packed. WOW Air and Norwegian Air have low cost flights well within that ball park. As we reported back in February, Norwegian Air plans to start service this summer between the East Coast and Ireland and Scotland for $65 one-way.

"Long weekend trips are in, and the good news is that there are more options now with lower fares to Europe and the increasing availability of last-minute deals," said Mike Stitt, Travelzoo's president of North America. "Even with the ongoing headlines about safety and security, Americans are still eager to get out of town this summer."

The beach is still a favorite

But not everyone is headed for Europe, or someplace exotic. The Travelzoo survey find more than half of consumers surveyed expressed a preference for the beach, preferably one not too far away. Still, a majority said they would be willing to drive three hours.

Why more long weekends instead of vacations? The research doesn't answer that question. However, if could be that consumers don't feel they can take the time away from jobs and other responsibilities.

Stitt says other research shows Americans increasingly don't use all their vacation time. Research by Alamo Rental Car shows 59% of Millennials felt "shamed" for taking extended vacations from their jobs.

If you child comes home from school and informs you that playing Pokemon GO is part of his homework assignment, he's not trying to pull something over on you. It just might be.

Emily Howell, an assistant professor of education at Iowa State University is working on novel ways to help teachers better connect with their students. One area she's exploring is the incorporation of digital tools in the classroom, including playing games such as Pokémon GO.

The emphasis is on building communication skills. In addition to traditional forms of communication, Howell is urging teachers to embrace the technology that is part of their students' everyday lives.

For example, instead of using a tablet or computer to produce an assignment – what many people consider new technology – Howell wants kids to learn how to create and upload videos or build graphics and maps to convey their message.

Accidental discovery

And the popular smartphone game, she says, can do that. Howell said she made the discovery while playing Pokemon GO with her own children. She found it could help children improve writing and research skills that aligned with Common Core standards.

What makes Pokemon GO instructive, Howell says, is that it provides players with limited information, what she calls “just in time learning.” It constantly prompts questions about how to use certain tools or advance to the next level.

Howell is also a fan of the game's various forms of communication. It incorporates gestures, directions, and visuals, all of which make is ideal for classroom use. She says the game drives home the need to understand multimodal text, which shows how we communicate.

“We don’t just send a text or email; we have a live chat or video conferences,” Howell said.

She says anytime teachers can latch onto something students are already doing, and it comes in multimodal form, it can be turned into an effective teaching tool.

Other technology tools

Howell, of course, is just following what appear to be the latest trends in education, that go beyond simply having students complete traditional assignments using electronic tools. The tools, themselves, are leading to new methods.

For example, some tech-savvy teachers have used Microsoft's PowerPoint to create games, based on TV shows like “Jeopardy,” of “The Weakest Link.” Some are assigning students to create blogs, using sites like Blogger and WordPress.

Want students to be able to express themselves succinctly? Then have them Tweet their answers.

“It’s not just giving students the technology and letting them play, it’s really guiding that interaction so they can express meaning,” Howell said.

American Honda Motor Company of Torrance, Calif., is recalling about 2,200 recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs).

The front passenger seat belt buckle can fail due to a manufacturing defect, posing a risk of injury.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves model year 2017 Honda Pioneer 700 side-by-side recreational off-highway vehicles.

The ROVs are motorized with a steering wheel, a gas pedal, a brake pedal, bucket or bench seats, seat belts and an occupant protection structure.

The recalled ROVs were sold in two-seat and four-seat models in blue, red, silver or camouflage colors. “HONDA” is printed on the front grill and rear tailgate. “Pioneer 700” is printed on the sides of the vehicle.

The model and serial numbers are printed on a certification label located at the top rear of the left front wheel well.

The following model numbers and serial number ranges are being recalled:

The ROVs, manufactured in the U.S., were sold at authorized Honda Powersports dealers nationwide from December 2016, through April 2017, for between $10,500 and $13,500.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled ROVs and contact their local authorized Honda Powersports dealer to schedule an appointment for a free inspection and repair. Honda is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact American Honda toll-free at 866-784-1870 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (PT) Monday through Friday or online at www.powersports.honda.com and click on “Recall Information” at the bottom of the page for more information.

One of the most basic rules to keep your online profiles or computer from being hacked is to not open any dubious emails or click on suspicious links. But a recent flaw found by Google Project Zero researchers in Windows Defender is a different beast entirely.

Ars Technica reports that Tavis Ormandy and Natalie Silvanovich recently discovered that hackers could take over an entire system by simply sending an email or message to a device running the default malware protection software. The victim doesn’t even have to click the email or any links because the damage is already done at that point.

“The update addresses a vulnerability that could allow remote code execution if the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine scans a specially crafted file,” Microsoft said in an announcement. “An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could execute arbitrary code in the security context of the LocalSystem account and take control of the system.”

The researchers called the finding “the worst Windows remote code exec in recent memory,” saying that attacks of this nature “work against a default install, don’t need to be on the same LAN, and it’s wormable,” meaning that hackers could jump from one machine to another in quick succession.

Microsoft quickly responds

Initially, most security experts believed that it would take Microsoft several weeks to come up with a patch to fix the problem. However, the company surprised almost everyone by pushing a fix through Monday night.

Microsoft stated that it hadn’t observed any public exploitation of the vulnerability and that the updates it created should squash any chance that they’ll be used. However, consumers should take immediate steps to make sure that their devices are safe.

The flaw affects all of the most recent Windows operating systems, including Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

Microsoft advises all users to verify that they have the latest version (version 1.1.13704.0 or later) of the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine. Definition updates should also be set to actively download and install for Microsoft antimalware products, the company said.

What to do

Below you’ll find instructions for how to verify if you have the most updated Windows Defender version on your device:

For those running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2:

• Click on the “Help” button and then “About Windows Defender”
• Look for the “Engine Version” number and ensure that it is version 1.1.13704.0 or later.

For those running Windows 8:

• Open your Start menu, type in “Windows Defender,” and open the associated program.
• Select the “Update” tab, click on “Help,” and then click “About.”
• Look for the “Engine Version” number and ensure that it is version 1.1.13704.0 or later.

For those running Windows 10:

• Type “Windows Defender” into the Cortana search box and open the associated program.
• Click on the “Settings” icon and then the “About” tab.

• Under “System Information” look for the “Engine Version” number and ensure that it is version 1.1.13704.0 or later.

For more information on the exploit and what consumers can do, visit Microsoft’s security advisory page here. 

Open any golfing magazine and you'll be hit with an avalanche of ads: golf clothes, golf balls, golf gadgets and -- perhaps the most most expensive item of all -- golf clubs.

You're assured that if you buy any of this stuff, your game will improve. But since clubs are the big ticket item, let's concentrate on that area.

Does the brand, cost, or design of a set of clubs really make a difference – particularly if you're like most of us who try to get out on the course without embarrassing ourselves?

Rather than take this question to the golf club manufacturers, whose primary goal is to sell you a set of clubs, we thought we'd go to the duffers and see what their experience has been.

What the duffers say

The internet is loaded with sites filled with people who love to share their opinions -- for free.

For example, a golfer calling himself Six Ate, writes on the straightdope.com site, “When you start golfing, you will suck. Hard. You will suck equally as hard with a $100 set of irons like the ones I started with, as you will with a $1500 set of irons.

“My advice: Buy the $100 set and take some lessons. Play on those for a year and decide if you're going to stick with it. Then start looking for more expensive clubs that could possibly help your game”.

Bobtrumpet, writing on thesandtrap.com recommends lessons first. "Have the instructor check your clubs and see how far out of whack (or not) they are for you.," he advises.

"Since the instructor will probably (though not always) have you work on something with just one club (reducing the variables) for the first couple lessons, having new fitted clubs may not be that necessary at first."

Check with the pro

Patrick McCarthy, Director of Instruction at Broad Run Golf and Practice Facility, in Bristow, Virginia (Full disclosure: This is where I play and have taken lessons), is of two minds.

"The types of clubs used do make a difference to the game of a weekend golfer," he told ConsumerAffairs. The technology put into golf clubs has advanced so much in the last 20 years. A lot of this game has to do with confidence when standing over the ball and newer technology without a doubt helps in that aspect.

But, no matter how pricey your clubs may be, you have to know what you're doing with them.

"I do feel that lessons will allow any golfer to have a more enjoyable experience on the golf course," McCarthy continued. "All the YouTube videos and tips from your buddies might not help that certain flaw in your swing that a teaching professional can pick up on. A brand new set of clubs can't teach the golfer the core fundamentals of the swing."

So, what it seems to come down to is putting the horse before the cart. After all, would you go out and buy a new Maserati before you have a driver's license?

Learn more in the ConsumerAffairs Golf Club Buyers Guide.

Somewhere, Homer Simpson is smiling.

Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is making an addition to its donut case. For those who just can't get a sugar rush from glazed donuts with chocolate sprinkles, the company is combining a donut with a candy bar.

The Caramel Bar Made with TWIX Donut is just what it sounds like. 7-Eleven says it is a yeast-raised rectangle bar topped with caramel icing, drizzled with chocolate and topped with chopped up TWIX candy bar pieces.

"People want to have fun with their food, especially treats," said Terrell Smith, 7-Eleven fresh bakery category manager. "Premium and specialty donuts are becoming an all-day impulse item that our customers are purchasing when they crave something sweet. With our Caramel Bar Made with TWIX donuts, they get two treats in one, a delicious donut topped with one of our best-selling candy bars."

Calories? Who's counting?

How many calories consumers will get, 7-Eleven doesn't say. According to Livestrong.com, a single glazed donut, minus the candy bar on top, contains about 255 calories if it measures four inches in diameter.

"The calories in donuts are primarily empty calories, as donuts are low in nutrients," the Livestrong editors write. "Donuts have small amounts of calcium, magnesium and potassium along with trace amounts of iron and many vitamins. They do not have significant amounts of any nutrient."

But they do have quite a bit of fat. One medium donut contains over 12 grams fat, some of which may be saturated.

This isn't the first over-the-top donut 7-Eleven has introduced. Previous offerings have included one with pink sprinkles, similar to those features on TV's "The Simpsons." It debuted Slurpee donuts to mark the 50th anniversary of its iconic frozen drink.

For its part, 7-Eleven says it's simply following a hot bakery trend, introducing fun specialty items with unexpected flavors. And the donuts are only meant as an occasional treat, not a regular snack. Besides, the product is only available for a limited time. While is is, though, it will sell for $1.69.

The House has passed legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, and now the Senate is taking up the matter.

Republicans hold the majority in both chambers, but the measure is facing widespread opposition.

Democrats are universally opposed, but that's not unexpected. The ACA is the signature legislation of the previous Democratic administration. Democrats don't want to see it repealed.

But neither do a lot of consumers who have health insurance policies obtained through the Healthcare.gov marketplace. They've shown up at Republican lawmakers' town meetings to make their feelings known.

Both groups are now being joined by an increasing number of consumer and health organizations, which are voicing their concerns about what Republicans plan to put in place of Obamacare.

Organizations battling chronic disease

This week, 10 organizations that lead efforts against different chronic diseases joined forces to oppose the repeal legislation that is now pending in the Senate. The groups include:

• American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

• American Diabetes Association

• American Heart Association

• American Lung Association

• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

• JDRF

• March of Dimes

• National Organization for Rare Disorders

• National MS Society

• WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

Concerns about coverage and costs

The groups say they oppose the GOP replacement bill -- the American Health Care Act -- because they say they are concerned too many people would lose health coverage under it. Cost of premiums, they say, would also go up.

"As introduced, the bill would profoundly reduce coverage for millions of Americans—including many low-income and disabled individuals who rely on Medicaid—and increase out-of-pocket costs for the sickest and oldest among us," the groups said in a joint statement.

The healthcare organizations also expressed alarm over what they called "recent harmful changes to the AHCA, including provisions that will weaken key consumer protections."

They say they oppose changes allowing states to waive the requirement for essential health benefits, which they say could deny care and treatment to patients.

Previously, the Paralyzed Veterans of America announced opposition to the repeal legislation, citing the adverse impact it could have on veterans with disabilities.

The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) also expressed what it called "its deep concerns" with the American Health Care Act. The group said it is concerned that it could greatly impact how patients get access to treatment for multiple myeloma, the second most common blood cancer in the U.S.

It's become very clear since the financial crisis a decade ago that financial stability is very important in a romantic relationship. Study after study finds couples want a mate with a solid credit score.

The latest research comes from Bankrate, which found that 42% of people it surveyed said knowledge of someone's credit score would have some influence on their desire to go out with them. Thirteen percent said it would have a major impact while 29% said it would have at least some influence.

Older Millennials are the most likely to have an interest in a potential mate's financial background. Not too surprising, since they are at the age when people start to think about settling down. But bringing up the subject can be a dating challenge.

Dating challenge

"It's probably not a great idea to ask for someone's financial history on the first date," said Mike Cetera, credit card analyst at Bankrate.com. "However, it's better to know if a potential partner has a history of bad financial decisions before the relationship goes too far, especially if you plan on making large purchases together or sharing bank accounts."

The issue has probably taken on added significance since the financial crisis, which impacted careers and put many people at a financial disadvantage. That time period also overlaps with the huge build-up in student loan debt. As a result, a low credit score can be a deal-breaker.

A 2013 survey by a division of Experian found 96% of women listed “financial responsibility” as an important trait in a mate. Ninety-one percent of men found it important.

Toxic for romance

A more recent survey conducted for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) found that large amounts of debt can be toxic for romance. According to the survey, 37% of respondents would not walk down the aisle with someone until their debt was repaid. Ten percent would marry but not help pay the debt while seven percent would take the somewhat extreme action of breaking off the relationship.

As we reported last month, this new interest in financial stability has spawned a new dating site that matches couples based on their credit scores. Members of CreditscoreDating.com fill out personal profiles like anyone else, but in addition to physical descriptions and pet peeves, members are required to post their credit score.

Personal finance guru Suze Orman advises couples to get to know one another's financial orientation very early in the relationship. She calls it “financial intimacy.”

“Financial intimacy is not about contributing the same amount to the joint checking account,” Orman writes on her website. “I am talking about building an understanding and respect for your individual financial personalities and learning how to meld any differences so you are financially in sync.”

Companies and researchers have searched for years to find a way to defy the aging process. Theories on how to do this have varied widely, from the use of topical creams to the number of calories we consume. However, one of the most common sense measures consumers can take to extend their lives is to get plenty of exercise.

Now, some experts are pushing that idea a little further. Researchers from Brigham Young University have found that consumers who are more physically active tend to be biologically younger based on their physiology.

"Just because you're 40, doesn't mean you're 40 years old biologically. We all know people that seem younger than their actual age. The more physically active we are, the less biological aging takes place in our bodies," said professor and researcher Larry Tucker.

Biological aging advantage

In the study, Tucker and his colleagues found that people who regularly experience high levels of physical activity tended to have longer telomeres than those who led a sedentary lifestyle.

Telomeres are a sort of protein endcap found at the end of our chromosomes. When cells replicate, a tiny bit of these endcaps are lost, so consumers who are older tend to have shorter telomeres. Because of their nature, researchers say that telomere length is a great way to measure our biological clocks – people with longer telomeres would be younger biologically regardless of their age and vice versa.

The researchers say that those who are regularly active at high levels tend to have longer telomeres and are at a biological aging advantage of nine years when compared to those who are sedentary. When compared to those who are moderately active, these highly active individuals have a seven-year biological advantage.

"We know that regular physical activity helps to reduce mortality and prolong life, and now we know part of that advantage may be due to the preservation of telomeres," Tucker said.

Unfortunately, going to the gym every once in a while won’t cut it if you want to lengthen your biological clock. Tucker says that the type of physical activity required would involve jogging for 30 minutes per day, five days per week for women and 40 minutes per day, five days per week for men.

The full study has been published in Preventive Medicine.

Chances are the car you drive isn't a 1988 model. If it is, you can stop reading, but if it isn't, pay attention.

A class action lawsuit charges that Dollar General is knowingly selling store-brand motor oil that's not safe to use in cars built after 1988. No one denies this. In fact, the discount chain admits in the fine print on the oil's label that it is not suitable for modern cars. 

The label on the back of DG Auto SAE 10W-30 and 10W-40 oils states that the products are “not suitable for use in most gasoline powered automotive engines built after 1988” and “may not provide adequate protection against build-up of engine sludge.”

Aggrieved consumers say no one sees the warning, which is in small print. 

In fact, a Houston man named Michael Deck sued Dollar General in 2015, saying that although the product has a disclaimer on its label, it "further disguises the obsolete and harmful nature" of its motor oils by placing them on shelves next to various other motor oils, such as PEAK, Pennzoil and Castrol, that are suitable for modern vehicles.

The latest lawsuit was filed on behalf of Wisconsin consumers in Green Bay federal court. It charges that the "entire line of DG Auto Obsolete Motor Oil Products is unsuitable for the modern-day vehicles driven by its customers, except that it is successfully deceiving a sufficient number of customers to make this fraudulent practice profitable and therefore worthwhile,” Courthouse News Service reported.

Previous complaints

While this may seem surprising, it's not really anythinig new. Dollar General began selling its line of company-branded motor oil in 2010, according to the complaint, and there have been frequent complaints, not to mention lawsuits, ever since. In June 2016, several lawsuits were transferred to a court in Missouri

The Wisconsin class is represented by John Blythin of Ademi & O’Reilly in Cudahy, Wis.

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. 

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Profile Design of Carson, Calif., is recalling about 9,835 Cobra S bicycle handlebar stems sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The handlebar stems can corrode and break, causing the rider to lose control and crash.

The firm has received at least 10 reports of the handlebar stems corroding and breaking, including one report of an injury to a rider who lost control.

This recall involves Profile Design Cobra S carbon-wrapped black handlebar stems sold individually and as original equipment on the following Fuji, Jamis and Scott bicycle models: Fuji 2009 D-6 Pro, Fuji 2010 D-6 Pro, Fuji 2010 D-6 Matt Reed, Jamis 2010 Xenith T2, Scott 2008 CR1 Plasma LTD (model# 209562), Scott 2009 Plasma Premium (model # 212052) and Scott 2010 Plasma Premium (model # 215722).

The stems were sold in seven lengths or sizes including 60 mm, 70 mm, 80 mm, 90 mm, 100 mm, 110 mm and 120 mm.

“Profile Design” and “Cobra S” are printed in white on the black handlebar stems. Only black stems are included in this recall.

The handlebar stems, manufactured in Taiwan, were sold at independent bicycle stores nationwide from January 2007, through December 2013, for about $200 for the stem sold individually and between $2,000 and $6,000 for bicycles sold with the stems as original equipment.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using bicycles with the recalled handlebar stems and contact Profile Design for instructions to receive a free replacement stem.

Consumers may contact Profile Design toll-free at 888-800-5999 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PT) Monday through Friday or online at www.profile-design.com and click on “Recall Notices” for more information.