Current Events in June 2017

The tickets are booked, your bags are packed, and vacation awaits. But is your home as ready for your departure as you are?

Preparing your home to be vacant can help you save on energy costs and provide peace of mind while you’re away. While most homeowners know to lock their doors before leaving, some additional forethought and preparation can help prevent disaster and keep valuable energy dollars from being wasted.

"This is a traditional time of the year for families to pack up and leave their homes empty for a week or more," said Mike Nicholson, owner of Nicholson Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning. "We want to do our part in preparing homeowners so they can enjoy this particular time and not return home to a disaster."

What to do before leaving

From tweaking the thermostat to employing a few simple tricks to keep odors at bay, there are a number of actions homeowners can take to ensure their home is ready to be empty. Here are a few of Nicholson’s top tips:

• Clean your garbage disposal. To avoid returning home to an unpleasant odor emanating from your garbage disposal, Nicholson and his colleagues suggest placing half a cup of white vinegar with hot water into the garbage disposal while it’s running.
• Adjust the AC. Your couch doesn’t need to be kept cool while you’re away. To save energy, set the temperature on your thermostat 10 degrees higher than normal.
• Unplug electronics. Unplug televisions, phone chargers, and computers in order to conserve energy and prevent damage to your electronics from power surges or lightning strikes.
• Treat your toilet bowl. Stagnant water in a toilet bowl can smell and create a ring inside the bowl. To prevent these problems, pour half a cup of bleach inside the toilet bowl before embarking on your travels.
• Turn off the water main valve. Small leaks can cause a mighty amount of costly damage to a home, but homeowners can prevent water leaks by turning off the main water valve that leads into the home.
• Adjust water heater. Your water heater will continue to warm water unless instructed not to. When going out of town for a week or more, set the dial to vacation mode (or simply set the temperature lower than normal) to help save energy.

If you recently received news that you’re eligible for tax-free payments stemming from a tobacco settlement, then Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has a message for you: it’s a scam.

The Washington Attorney General’s Office is warning consumers not to fall for a ploy connected to Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, which was signed back in 1998. Under that settlement, four of the largest U.S. tobacco companies were required to pay back states for tobacco-related health care costs they incurred.

Although the original agreement did not allow consumers to be eligible for cash payments through the settlement, scammers are using it to lure in unsuspecting victims. Consumers have reported online advertisements saying that they can receive guaranteed tax-free payments of $2,300 every month for the rest of their lives under the settlement, which is patently false.

What the scammers really want is for their victims to sign up for a subscription service that allegedly allows them to receive the fake payments. Ferguson warns that the scammers ask for personal information and a credit card number, and that the subscription can cost anywhere from $79 to $129.

“The Attorney General warns consumers that once they provide a credit card number, it may be difficult to cancel and obtain a refund,” the Attorney General’s Office said.

Consumers who have received any of these advertisements are urged to file a complaint here.

Samsung may be bouncing back after the Galaxy Note 7 debacle last year. Its latest smartphone offering, the Galaxy s8, has garnered some positive reviews, though its durability is being questioned.

Consumer Reports this week rated the s8-Plus and s8 at the top of its list of best smartphones, ahead of the iPhone 7. The publication praised both phones' cameras, displays, and battery life. The biggest drawback it cited was the price -- $840 for the Plus and about $720 for the smaller s8.

Writing in Forbes, technology contributor Ben Sin followed up on his initial review of the Galaxy s8, written about a week after he started using the phone. While initially unhappy with the location of the fingerprint reader, he now says it's fine, now that he's gotten used to it.

At the same time, he writes the iris scanner isn't as good as he first thought. He says his he was initially unimpressed with the s8's software, and still feels that way.

How will it hold up?

Business Insider, meanwhile, notes that some tech reviewers are wondering just how durable the phone will be in everyday use. In the video below, SquareTrade (an Authorized Partner) put the phone to a battery of grueling impact tests. While most consumers don't drop their phones on concrete every day, the tests suggest those who do might wish they had a more durable phone.

SquareTrade (an Authorized Partner), which incidentally sells buyer protection plans for things like smartphones, reported back in April that the new Samsung phones performed "significantly worse" than their predecessors, the S7 and S7 Edge.

“While the nearly all-glass design of the S8 makes it a beautiful phone, it’s extremely susceptible to cracking when dropped from any angle," said Jason Siciliano, vice president global creative director at SquareTrade (an Authorized Partner).

That said, Siciliano is pretty much in agreement with Consumer Reports, predicting the s8 duo will be a hit. His advice? If you buy one, just don't drop it.

In a new program announced yesterday, Amazon said that Prime members can earn a 2% rewards bonus for money they spend on the company’s site. The catch? They’ll have to stop using their credit cards to make purchases.

Under Prime Reload, customers are encouraged to deposit money into an account using their debit cards instead of just using their credit cards to make purchases, which will cut down on those pesky fees that Amazon has to pay.

To get started, consumers will first have to provide Amazon with their bank account and routing number, a debit card number, and their U.S. driver’s license number. After that, users can transfer money directly into an Amazon account using their debit card and use that money to pay for purchases.

In its FAQ section, Amazon says that it takes bank account and debit card information to fulfill cash reloads faster on users’ Amazon accounts.

After completing these steps, all cash that is transferred to consumers’ Gift Card Balance earns an additional 2% in rewards. The rewards amounts are available as soon as funds are added to the account, which can take as little as five minutes to process.

While setting up the program might take a little leg work and users’ money is somewhat trapped inside Amazon, those who frequently shop with the online retailer could accrue significant savings over time. Consumers can learn more about the program by visiting Amazon’s site here.

Consumer advocates are livid in their denunciation of a report by the U.S. Treasury Department that recommends dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and rolling back many of the regulations imposed on the financial services industry in the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010.

"Dodd-Frank significantly changed the federal financial regulatory landscape, imposed new requirements on a broad array of U.S. financial institutions, prescribed more than 390 agency rulemaking requirements, and mandated 67 studies by various federal entities. The net result of Dodd-Frank has been the largest and most complex increase in financial regulation in modern times," the report asserts. 

Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said his goal is to reduce unnecessary regulations.

“We are focused on encouraging a market environment where consumers have more choices, access to capital and safe loan products – while ensuring taxpayer-funded bailouts are truly a thing of the past,” Mnuchin said as he released the report yesterday.

"Most ominous sign yet"

“This is the most ominous sign yet that Republicans will stop at nothing in their quest to eliminate important protections from Wall Street fraud and recklessness put in place after the 2008 economic collapse," said Karl Frisch, executive director of Allied Progress, a liberal advocacy group. "Mnuchin would give Wall Street free reign to gamble with our economy while gutting the Consumer Bureau and leaving hard-working families nearly defenseless against predatory financial institutions."

Mnuchin said the recommendations are intended to relieve banks, mortgage lenders, and others from the supposedly oppressive regulations that business interests say have stifled the economy. 

“Properly structuring regulation of the U.S. financial system is critical to achieve the administration’s goal of sustained economic growth and to create opportunities for all Americans to benefit from a stronger economy,” said Mnuchin. 

Mnuchin said that over a four-month series of meetings with stakeholders, Treasury officials got "a very clear picture of redundancy, fragmentation, and inefficiency in our regulatory framework."

The report echoes many of the provisions of the Financial CHOICE Act, already passed by the House, but asserts that many of the recommendations can be made through regulatory changes and executive actions without waiting for Congressional action.

"Reasonable safeguards"

But Yana Miles of the Center for Responsible Lending said the provisions Mnuchin calls overly restrictive were enacted in response to the financial meltdown of 2008, which many blamed on recklessness by the financial services industry.

“The Dodd-Frank law established reasonable safeguards against dangerous financial practices, such as protection from toxic mortgage loans, and established a consumer agency that serves as our nation’s watch dog on Wall Street," Miles said.

"Since its establishment, the CFPB has returned nearly $12 billion in relief to more than 29 million people who’ve suffered at the hands of big banks like Wells Fargo, for-profit colleges like ITT Tech, car-title and payday lenders, credit card companies, and other financial institutions. Any attempt to roll back these measures, as the Treasury Department suggests, would be a disservice to working families," Miles said in an email.

"The Treasury’s comments and recommendations is a warning sign of a return to those dark days.” 

The report is expected to be used by the Trump Administration as the blueprint for a series of executive orders, although no firm timetable has been made public.

A generation ago, getting old meant moving into a nursing home, spending your last years being cared for in an institutional setting.

Not only was it incredibly expensive, many didn't find it particularly pleasant. So as the first wave of the Baby Boomers begin to think about their final years, an increasing number plan to live at home as long as possible.

The trend is called “aging in place,” and it is practical as well as satisfying. Studies have shown people do better emotionally and physically in the familiar environment of their own home. It is also a lot less expensive.

There are two prerequisites, however. The aging person must remain in reasonably good health and certain modifications may need to be made to the home to make it safer and easier for an older person to navigate.

90% want to 'age in place'

Since a study by AARP has found that 90% of people 65 or older expressed a preference to age in place instead of going to a nursing home or assisted living facility, builders and remodeling contractors have begun to specialize in elder-friendly designs.

If you or an aging family member is selling a home, it might be wise to consider buying a new home that is designed and built with older occupants in mind. If you are aging in place in an older home, not designed to compensate for physical infirmaries, there are modifications that can make any more safer and more secure.

Rodney Harrell, director of livability thought leadership for AARP, tells Forbes only 1% of the nation's housing stock currently meets the needs of individuals who are aging in place. In some cases it was a shortcoming as easily corrected as improving lighting. But it may also require more extensive modifications, such as widening doorways and hallways and providing a motorized lift to move from one level to another.

Here are some retrofits that remodeling contractors are making to existing homes, and that designers are including in new construction:

Non-slip flooring

Falls are a huge risk to the aging population so many of these design features are intended to keep occupants in an upright position. It starts with the floor they walk on.

Old, thick carpet should be replaced with a surface less likely to cause tripping, such as tighter weave carpet or nonslip vinyl, rubber flooring and even cork. It's especially important in bathrooms, where most falls occur. The surface should provide cushion and traction.

New shower and tub design

In the bathroom, bathing can pose real danger to older people who are unsteady on their feet. Ideally, an older person should be able to step into the shower without having to step over a barrier. If the bathroom is being remodeled, consider making the shower bigger, and designing handrails in key locations.

In recent years walk-in bathtubs have become more popular features of a remodeled bathroom. Instead of having to step over the side of the tub, the bather enters through a water-tight door before filling the tub with water.

Walk-in tubs usually require professional installation, but now most bathroom fixture companies offer one of these products. They also come with a variety of features, such as heated seats and water jets.

Extra wide doorways

Modifying doorways, making them wider, is another way to make a home safer and more functional for an older person. In the event the resident is confined to a wheelchair at some point, or must use a walker, it makes getting around easier and safer.

It involves removing the old frame, or at least parts of it, and moving the door jamb a few inches to convert a 32-inch portal to one that is 36 inches wide.

When replacing doors it also makes sense to replace door knobs with lever door handles. As people age they may have difficulty with gripping things. It is easier to open a door with a lever handle, much like you find on doors to hospital rooms.

Step-free mobility

As a person ages, even a few steps can present a challenge, especially when a wheelchair or walker is involved. A stair-lift eases the problem of dealing with stairs and is inexpensive to install. Retrofitting at least one entry to the home so that it is entered from a level surface can be costly, but it can also add to the occupant's quality of life.

Medical alert pendants

Accidents can happen, even in the most elder-friendly environment. That's why many older people living at home alone subscribe to a home security service that provides a medical alert pendant.

This wearable device can connect the wearer with an operator in the event they fall and cannot reach a telephone to summon help. It not only provides peace of mind to family members, it's a practical way that older people can safely remain in their homes for years longer.

It's been a good several days for debt collectors.

Just days before Monday's Supreme Court ruling, which found that banks collecting debt they purchased aren't bound by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a consumer watchdog agency changed its approach to regulating debt collectors.

According to The American Banker, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has made "an about-face," revising a proposed rule to make banks accountable for the accuracy of collection data, not the third-party debt collectors.

Under a previous proposal, debt collectors would be held accountable for making sure they are trying to collect the right amount from the right consumers.

The change was revealed last week by CFPB director Richard Cordray at a Consumer Advisory Board Meeting.

Evaluating feedback

"As we evaluated the feedback we received on the proposals under consideration, one thing became clear," Cordray told the committee. "Writing rules to make sure debt collectors have the right information about their debts is best handled by considering solutions from first-party creditors and third-party collectors at the same time."

Cordray noted that first-party creditors like banks and other lenders create the information about the debt, so they may be in the best position to ensure its accuracy. He said lenders often try to collect the money themselves, or hire third parties to do it for them.

"Either way, those actually collecting on the debts need to have the correct and accurate information," Cordray said. "All of these parties must work together to ensure they are collecting the right amount of debt from the right consumer."

Right consumer, right amount

Cordray also told the group that the agency has decided to consolidate the "right consumer, right amount" issue into a separate rule that will be developed for first-party creditors. He said he expects CFPB will submit a formal plan by the end of this year, focusing on third-party debt collection.

The banking publication notes it is a big victory for third-party debt collectors, who have incurred penalties in the past when they persisted in trying to collect a debt based on incorrect information.

The CFPB began working on debt collection rules last summer. Early proposals shifted much of the burden of proof from consumers to debt collectors.

Cordray told the committee last week it is important this work be finished, pointing out that debt collection is the single largest source of consumer grievances to U.S. government agencies.

Grandparents often play a big role in the lives of their grandchildren, acting as babysitters and sometimes even helping to raise their grandchildren. But a new study finds many grandparents subscribe to outdated health myths that could put the safety of their grandchildren at risk.

Of the 636 grandparents who completed a questionnaire as part of the study, 44% believed that ice baths are a good way to bring down a high fever. Nearly one-quarter did not know that infants should be put to sleep on their back, not on their stomach or side.

Ice baths, the study authors point out, pose a hypothermia risk, while allowing infants to sleep in positions other than on their back increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Potential safety hazards

The new research cites the need for updated safety awareness, since many child safety practices have evolved significantly in the past 20 or 30 years. Here are a few potential safety hazards that can put kids at risk, and how to avoid them:

• Corded window coverings. To prevent kids from becoming entangled in window cords, grandparents should move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords. Better yet, caregivers can replace corded window blinds, shades, and draperies with cordless window covering products (especially those marked with the “Best for Kids” label).
• Crib clutter. Times have changed since grandparents were parents themselves. Instead of lining a child’s crib with crib bumpers, soft pillows, and stuffed animals, the AAP now says the safest way for a baby to sleep is ABC -- alone on her back in the crib.
• Old baby gear. As we previously reported, not all products intended to keep little ones safe have an unlimited lifespan. Used toys and baby equipment may no longer be safe. To find out if child products around your home meet current safety rules, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission website.
• Medications. Grandparents’ medications account for around 38% of child-poisoning cases. To keep little hands away from prescriptions, put a childproof lock on the medicine cabinet. Additionally, be sure to watch your purse.

Cyber hacks are not the only way criminals get access to your bank account. The relatively old school practice of installing "skimmer" devices on ATMs still works pretty well.

Despite the practice of many banks to refund customers' money lost to skimming, the FBI estimates the crime costs consumers $1 billion a year.

A skimmer is device a thief places over the real card reader on an ATM. It looks like a card reading device but it "skims" the data from the ATM card's magnetic strip and records it.

There is a second component to a skimmer -- a tiny camera that records key strokes when customers enter a PIN. With both pieces of data, a thief can then clean out consumers' bank accounts.

New York case

The FBI used the recent arrest and prosecution of a defendant in New York to elaborate on these schemes and to inform consumers about how to avoid them. The FBI charged a Romanian citizen with installing numerous skimmers at ATMs along the I-87 corridor around Albany, N.Y.

The agency says the defendant installed the devices at night, when no one was around. The FBI described the devices as relatively primitive—two simple pieces of metal with a skimmer hidden in one and a camera hidden in the other. However, they were effective enough to do the job.

The defendant and his accomplice, who has since fled the country, would only leave the equipment in place for 24 hours or so. In that time they could gain access to dozens of accounts. With the stolen data, they created their own ATM cards and pulled money out of the victims' bank accounts.

If a bank noticed the skimming devices, losses could be reduced. If they didn't customers could lose all the money in their accounts. At one bank, the FBI said the defendant walked away with $63,000. The haul from three banks added up to $127,000.

How to protect yourself

The FBI urges consumers to be careful when and where they use an ATM and learn how to identify tampering. Anywhere there is a card reader, such as gas pumps, there's potential risk.

“You really should be cognizant of where you’re using one,” said FBI Special Agent Paul Scuzzarella. “If it’s in a hidden area in a building, like in a gas station around the corner, who knows who’s back there. If it’s in the main area, it’s less likely someone has tampered with that.”

If you notice anything unusual on an ATM, you shouldn't use it. For that reason it pays to use a single ATM regularly. That way you are familiar with the way it is supposed to appear and operate. If something doesn't look right, don't use the ATM and notify the bank.

Up until now, consumers without a Costco membership have been able to purchase items from the retailer’s Kirkland Signature line through sites like Jet.com. But Walmart, which acquired Jet.com last year, is putting a stop to that.

Bloomberg reports that Jet will soon be phasing out Kirkland Signature products from its site, effectively cutting off a sales avenue for Costco. Laura Kennedy, an analyst for research firm Kantar Retail, says Walmart’s decision shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, selling items for your competitors is generally not good business.

“Jet is still moving through full integration with Walmart, and it’s something I’m sure Walmart was aware of when it acquired Jet,” she said.

Before being snatched up by Walmart, it made perfect sense for Jet to carry Kirkland items on its site. Like Costco, Jet’s original business model was based on collecting membership fees and passing on savings to consumers who bought in bulk.

But after being bought up, no one really expected Jet to sell Kirkland products for long. Even Costco CFO Richard Galanti said it wasn’t surprising that Jet dropped Kirkland “given who acquired them.” While expected, the move is sure to come as a bit of hit to Kirkland; last year, 5.5% of its sales came from listings on Jet.com.

While Walmart will lose out on a smaller avenue of business from Kirkland sales on Jet, the company has plans to boost its own store brands. Reports indicate that the company is striving to boost sales at its Sam’s Club chain through its “Member’s Mark” brand. Walmart announced in April that it will be adding around 20 new labels under that banner, and Jet has already started integrating Member’s Mark merchandise on its site. 

If you need a job and some help paying down your student loan debt, you might consider sending your resume to the City of Memphis.

The city government has announced a new Student Loan Reduction Program that will help eligible employees reduce their student loan burden. The program goes into effect July 1, making Memphis the first city in the nation to provide this benefit, according to Tuition.io, which will administer the plan.

"As the first major American city to embrace student loan assistance, Memphis is proving itself to be a leader in understanding and catering to the needs of today's workers," said Scott Thompson, CEO of Tuition.io. "Their initiation of this program should be a clarion call for other municipalities to follow suit."

Major workplace issue

Student loan debt is a major workplace issue. Employees who are struggling financially, or worried about how they are going to pay their bills, are less productive.

Total student loan debt in the U.S. has now reached $1.4 trillion, with student loan debt in the Tennessee city growing by nearly 5% last year. That's well ahead of the nearly 3% national average.

The Memphis program is admittedly a small step. Eligible city workers will receive $50 a month from the city government to go toward principal reduction on their student loans.

To be eligible, an employee must work full-time and have been on the job at least 12 months.

"We are proud to be the first municipality in the country to offer this kind of student debt assistance to our workforce. We view this as an important investment in our employees," said Alex Smith, City of Memphis Chief Human Resources Officer.

Private-sector employers

Because student loan debt has become so pervasive, more private sector employers are considering help repaying it as a way to attract younger, well-educated employees. A recent report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray, & Christmas found nearly 73% of the firms it surveyed either offer, or plan to offer, a student loan assistance package.

"With the average student loan borrower from the class of 2016 facing about $37,172 in debt according to Forbes, - and those with advanced degrees likely have much higher debt - it’s no wonder employers have begun to see this as an opportunity to recruit young workers,” said Andrew Challenger, the firm's vice president.

With Baby Boomers retiring every day, firms generally are replacing them with Millennials, who tend to have the most student loan debt.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), some companies will pony up as much as $5,000 or $6,000 a year. In some cases, the repayment packages are a replacement for tuition reimbursement. Some companies are offering student loan repayment in lieu of sign-on bonuses, and others offer loan repayment funds as incentives.

Have you ever bought an item already knowing that you're going to return it within a few days? The practice certainly isn’t uncommon when it comes to items like clothing, but a report by Recode shows that Best Buy is trying to get out in front of the trend when it comes to electronics.

The company said that later this month it will be offering customers a “try before you buy” rental option for certain products on its website -- like cameras, audio equipment, and fitness trackers. The program will be carried out through a partnership with a San Francisco-based startup called Lumoid.

Customers who want to take advantage of the program will be able to select the rental option on the product they want to try out, which will take them to Lumoid’s site where they can finish the transaction.

While it’s unclear how long the rental period will be, reports indicate that renting an Apple Watch can be done for just $50 per week, and that consumers who want to buy an item after trying it out may receive a discount. Customers will also be able to save right away on the rental transaction since 20% of the cost will be reimbursed as Lumoid credit that can be used on other items or to buy the rented item outright.

The partnership could prove to be especially beneficial for Best Buy, who has seen its fair share of losses from frequently returned items; every time a consumer brings back an item, it becomes marked as “open-box” and must be sold at a lower price. By renting out these open-box items, the company might be able to earn more money off them than if they just re-sold them right away.

Officials suspect that many customers will stick to the tried and true method of buying items and returning them when it comes to smaller purchases, but the hope is that the option will be attractive when it comes to big ticket items. 

Coming out of the Great Recession, the auto industry was one of the first areas of the economy to get back on its feet.

While mortgage lenders became a lot more difficult to deal with, there was plenty of credit for car buyers, often with generous terms. Interest rates were rock bottom, and if you had a job, it wasn't hard to qualify for a loan.

As a result, car sales posted records year after year and consumers purchased and leased increasingly expensive vehicles. The average transaction price (ATP) on a new vehicle now fluctuates between $33,000 and $34,000.

To afford the monthly payments on a loan of that size, lenders have increased the lengths of the loans. Five year loans soon because six year loans. Now, a report by Automotive News, based on data from Experian, finds that loan terms of 73 to 84 months -- seven years -- made up nearly a third of new car loans in the fourth quarter of last year.

Industry concern

The automotive industry publication cites that as a concern for the industry, as well as consumers, because consumers are trading in vehicles still owing a lot of money. The average negative equity on a trade in during the first quarter was $5,195, according to Edmunds.com.

At the same time, the record sales of new cars has produced a glut of used cars -- a glut that is making used cars worth less, accelerating the increase in negative equity. It puts consumers who purchased expensive automobiles and financed them for six or seven years in a precarious position.

While a house can be expected to gain value over time, an automobile loses value the minute you drive it off the lot. If you aren't paying down the loan fast enough, you soon find yourself underwater, just like those homeowners who purchased houses with subprime loans more than a decade ago.

Carmakers and dealers have encouraged consumers to purchase more expensive vehicles by extending the time to pay for them.

More bells and whistles

"Buyers want pricier cars with more bells and whistles, leading to the troubling trend of trading longer loan terms for lower monthly payments," said Edmunds' analyst Jessica Caldwell. "But now that interest rates are also on the rise, something has to give."

The takeaway for consumers is to only purchase a vehicle that can be paid for while you're still driving it. If you plan to trade in the car in five years, only finance it for five years. That way, you still have some residual value that can be used for a down payment.

An even better plan is to finance the vehicle for a year less than you plan to drive it. That way you get a year of ownership without a car payment.

Of course, to do that you may need to look at vehicles you can purchase for $18,000 instead of $34,000 -- vehicles without so many bells and whistles.

While exercise is important, nutritionists often point out that restricting daily calories, and consuming the right kinds of calories, is more important in the effort to reduce obesity.

Food and beverage companies have sometimes been suspected of promoting exercise-related research in an effort to de-emphasize calorie consumption.

That said, Dr. Pepper Snapple has conducted a survey that it says shows kids aren't getting as much outdoor playtime as they once did. Findings from the 2017 State of Play Survey suggested that screens and schedules are key culprits in the current deficit of active play among children and adolescents.

Preference for technology

Instead of romping around outdoors, an increasing number of children across the nation are opting for ‘plugged in play’ during their downtime.

Televisions, phones, computers, and other electronic devices appear to be a central focus during playtime; around 80% of kids consider gaming part of play time, according to the study.

During the weekend, non-active play is the free time filler of choice for many children. While active play increases by only one hour from the weekday to the weekend, screen time sees a sharp increase in popularity when the weekend rolls around, jumping from 4.8 hours to 8.4 hours per day.

So what’s keeping kids from engaging in active play? Many parents believe their children’s schedules may be holding them back.

Busy schedules a barrier

Nearly 7 out of 10 parents surveyed believed their child’s jam-packed schedule was a key factor in keeping them from being active.

Kids also seem to be longing for a lighter workload. More than 50 percent of tween respondents said they wished they had more time to be active and play sports.

Children should be physically active for at least one hour per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Parents can encourage their kids to put down the devices and get active by setting a positive example themselves.

Prioritizing play can be as simple as making physical activity part of your family’s daily routine. Taking family walks or playing active games together are just a few ways parents can help eliminate the play deficit.  

When is a debt collector not a debt collector? Answer: When it's a bank that has purchased defaulted loans, hoping to collect a few pennies on each dollar. That's the gist of a Supreme Court ruling today.

The court found that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which prohibits debt collectors from harrassing or publicly shaming debtors, doesn't apply to banks. 

The case basically comes down to how the FDCPA defines a “debt collector.” It says it's anyone “who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another.”

Writing his first opinion since being confirmed to the court, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that a debt collector is someone who is trying to collect a debt for a third party, whereas a bank is collecting on its own behalf. 

$3.5 billion in bad debts

The case before the court -- Henson v. Santander Consumer -- was filed on behalf of consumers who financed cars through a Citi subsidiary, then defaulted on the loans. The cars were repossessed and sold, but most borrowers still owed money to Citi since they had owed more on the cars than they fetched at auction. 

Rather than hire a traditional collection agency, Citi sold the debts, $3.5 billion worth, to Santander, which immediately began hounding the one-time car owners. 

While it might sound silly, or even outrageous, to say that someone trying to collect a debt is not a debt collector, the Supreme Court is merely the latest to chime in on that side of the argument. A district court in Maryland and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had previously come to the same conclusion.

Or, as Gorsuch put it in the unanimous opinion, "All that matters is whether the target of the lawsuit regularly seeks to collect debts for its own account or does so for ‘another.'"

Since Santander had purchased the debts from Citi, it was collecting on its own behalf and therefore was not covered by the FDCPA, the justices agreed. In its opinion, the court noted that it might be perfectly reasonable to think that the FDCPA should apply to everyone who collects debts but said that is not how Congress wrote the law that established the act. 

The home ownership rate has fallen to a 50-year low, at a time when interest rates are extremely low and unemployment has fallen to 4.3%.

What's wrong with this picture?

The real estate industry has been asking that question for months, and has now come up with five answers, and lack of interest is not one of them. Most people still want to buy homes, Realtors say, it's just really hard right now.

A study commissioned by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has identified five conditions that have combined to reduce home sales at a time when they should be booming.

Post-foreclosure stress disorder

The first is something researchers call post-foreclosure stress disorder. They point to psychological changes in financial decision-making that affect millions of consumers who went through a foreclosure after 2008, or the people who lost their jobs after the financial crisis.

This is one group of consumers that does not really want to buy a home. Once burned by a failed economy, they are now extremely cautious about making any financial investment.

Student loan debt

Then there are student loans, which just happen to be burdening the generation that is just now forming households. These people have typically purchased entry level homes, propelling the housing market.

But with student loan debt totals now hovering around $1.3 trillion, they essentially already have a mortgage -- the one they are still paying for their education.

If you are making payments on a $40,000 student loan and paying ever-increasing rent, it makes it very difficult to save money for a down payment. This group might like to buy a home but is finding it difficult.

Mortgage availability

After the crash of the housing market, it was hard to get a mortgage. We went from anyone being able to qualify for a mortgage to very few being able to.

That condition didn't last, however, as mortgage companies put new, more stringent lending policies into effect. But you still need a down payment, a decent credit score, and at least two years of uninterrupted employment history.

Even so, it's still a lot harder to get a mortgage than it used to be. The NAR study finds consumers with good-to-excellent credit are not getting approved at the rate they were in 2003.

Fewer homes to choose from

The fourth reason is especially frustrating. Even if you have a steady job, save for a down payment, and can qualify for a mortgage, it's harder now to find a home to buy because there are fewer to choose from.

Inventory levels have fallen for two years. Fewer homeowners are selling their homes and contractors are building fewer new homes. New home construction is at about half the rate it was before the housing crash. Costs have risen so much that the new homes that are being built cost more.

Affordability issues

The shortage of houses has contributed to the final reason its hard to buy a home. Even though home sales have fallen in recent months, home prices have risen, because of supply issues. Now, homes in some markets are simply out of the price range of the median home buyer.

Until this changes, the study authors project that home affordability will drop by 9% in the top 75 housing markets over the next two years.

The death of a four-year-old boy from Harris County, Texas is raising awareness about the dangers of “dry” or “delayed” drowning.

According to a CNN report, Frankie Delgado passed away several days after being knocked over by a wave and going under the water on Memorial Day weekend. The boy’s father, Francisco Delgado Jr., said that a friend picked up Frankie and he seemed fine for the rest of the day, but warning signs began to surface the next night.

Frankie reportedly began vomiting and having diarrhea, symptoms that his parents had seen before and chalked up to a stomach bug. The Delgados continued to treat their son at home, but later in the week Frankie began complaining of shoulder pain, which prompted a trip to the doctor. Unfortunately, tragedy struck later in the week.

“I love my son so much. I’m always touching him, and I’m always talking to him when he’s sleeping, and all of a sudden he just woke up,” explained Delgado. “He looked at me, and he just rolled his eyes back and took a deep breath. I was like ‘Frankie, what’s wrong,’ and I got up real quick, and I saw that he took a breath but never exhaled.”

Frankie was rushed to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead after failed attempts to resuscitate him. Medical staff said that they found water in his lungs and around his heart.

Dry drowning and secondary drowning

While the official cause of death has not yet been released by the county coroner, it seems likely that Frankie Delgado passed away due to dry drowning or secondary drowning.

Dry drowning occurs when a person is submerged in water and their vocal cords spasm and close. The body’s response to this is to send fluid to the lungs to try to reopen the vocal cords, but in some cases it can lead to an excess of fluid in the lungs that causes a pulmonary edema.

Secondary drowning, though similar to dry drowning, occurs when water enters the lungs and dilutes the surfactant – a slippery substance that prevents the lung sacs from sticking together and collapsing. When the surfactant is compromised, the lungs can no longer properly exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen. Eventually, much like dry drowning, the body sends fluid to the lungs which can result in a pulmonary edema.

Look out for symptoms

Experts point out that both dry drowning and secondary drowning are rare, but parents should be especially mindful of the conditions if their child is submerged in water. Symptoms of dry drowning and secondary drowning usually occur between one and 24 hours after any such incident.

If your child shows any respiratory symptoms -- such as difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, or chest tightness or discomfort – seek medical attention right away. Other symptoms can include fatigue, fever, and an unusual change in mood. In Frankie’s case, experts say that the vomiting and diarrhea may have been caused by irritation from the water or a bacterial infection.