Current Events in July 2017

Hackers have a reputation for being super-smart, dedicated technoids who will stop at nothing to break through even the strongest cyberdefense to make off with vital information or throw a virtual wrench into the works.

But the truth is, it often doesn't take much effort at all. Case in point: the DefCon hacking conference in Las Vegas. Over the weekend, hackers set out to find and exploit vulnerabilities in five different kinds of voting machines.

Among the initial findings: one of the machines still had 600,000 voter registration records from Shelby County, Tennessee. The machine had been sold on eBay by Shelby County officials at some point, apparently with no one thinking it might be a good idea to scrub it first. 

Cybersecurity blogger Kevin Collier tsk-tsked about it on his blog and readers responded with comments along the lines of "That's messed up." No one seemed very surprised though. Similar dumbness happens daily in both the governmental and private sectors. 

Asleep at the switch

Once the shock of the "dirty" machines wore off, the hackers set to work and quickly discovered more subtle vulnerabilities, the first within a mere 90 minutes.

“The first ones were discovered within an hour and 30 minutes. And none of these vulnerabilities has ever been found before, they’re all new,” said Harri Hursti, co- coordinator of the event, USA Today reported. 

The goal of the hacking fiesta was to alert computer security experts and government officials to the potential weaknesses of the machines used in U.S. elections. 

“This software just isn’t up to modern standards. It’s not even as strongly protected as a PC,” Brandon Pfeifer, a security expert who works on embedded aviation systems in Kansas City, told USA Today.

Like the Shelby County machine, most of the specimens were obtained through eBay, where they had been offered for sale by local governments.

Dumped as scrap

While there were no known instances of other machines containing voter registration records, the security in evidence was slim. One machine, the WinVote model, came equipped with "abcde" as its password, according to CNET. The WinVote was used in Virginia through 2015 until the state finally dumped them as scrap metal. Other states including Pennsylvania and Mississippi also used them until recently.

What it all means is that all the hubbub about Russian interference in the most recent election, hanging shads in the Bush-Gore race, personal email servers and so forth, the most basic rules of computer security are routinely ignored by the public employees who are paid to know and heed those rules. 

Maybe more geeks need to run for public office?

You probably know not to look at the August 21 solar eclipse without special glasses or a viewer. But not just any glasses or viewer will do.

It's never a good idea to look directly at the sun, but the effects on the eyes are even more damaging when part of the sun is blocked by the moon's shadow. It makes the part still visible even brighter.

There are special glasses that will filter out those harmful rays and, if the pre-eclipse excitement is any indication, those glasses and viewers are in high demand.

Scammers likely to cash in

So isn't it logical that scammers and other less-than-forthright individuals will try to make a quick buck by selling counterfeit solar eclipse-viewing glasses? You can pretty much bet on it.

For that reason, you need to be very careful when you purchase solar glasses, to make sure they are certified. Buying a counterfeit will not only result in getting ripped off, you could also damage your eyesight.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) says people within the 70-mile wide path of the total eclipse will be able to view the two-plus minutes of the total eclipse -- when the moon completely covers the sun -- without eye protection, but during the partial covering certified eye protection is necessary.

The AOA says anyone looking at the partially-eclipsed sun will require special-purpose solar filters or other ISO-certified filters, such as glasses or hand-held viewer.

List of reputable vendors

The American Astronomical Society has provided this list of reputable vendors.

How do you tell if glasses or viewers are the real thing? According to NASA, The glasses and viewers should have certification information with a designated ISO 12312-2 international standard. They should also have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product.

If they don't have this information, chances are they are counterfeit. You can expect to see these counterfeit products show up in internet ads and in spam emails.

NASA says even certified products should not be used if they are more than three years old or have scratched or wrinkled lenses. Homemade filters and ordinary sunglasses should not be used to view a solar eclipse.

As many regular airline passengers have no doubt noticed, seating space in coach has gotten smaller over the years.

Not only have carriers improved efficiency and profits by selling more tickets on each flight, they have added seating to accommodate more passengers, while reducing the space for that seating. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has now been ordered to consider whether airlines have jeopardized safety.

The case stems from a petition filed with the FAA by the consumer group Flyers Rights. It asked the FAA to consider rulemaking to expand passenger seating areas as a health and safety issue. The FAA declined to do so.

Flyers Rights then took its case to court, seeking to force the agency to act. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that the FAA was wrong in denying the petition and ordered the FAA consider the consumer group's request.

Incredible shrinking airline seat

“This is the Case of the Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat,” Circuit Judge Patricia A. Millett wrote in the majority opinion. “As many have no doubt noticed, aircraft seats and the spacing between them have been getting smaller and smaller, while American passengers have been growing in size.”

The ruling found that the FAA had no “reasonable basis” for refusing to consider airline seat size and passenger space. It found the agency relied on studies that were either irrelevant, outdated, or not included in the record or under seal.

Flyers Rights say it filed its petition with the FAA back in 2015, asking that it place a moratorium on shrinking seat sizes, while creating a standard that all airline seats must meet. The group argued the lack of a standard posed a safety threat in the event of an emergency evacuation.

“The FAA has not conducted, or alternatively has not released, any tests, whether computer simulations or rehearsed evacuations, that demonstrate that planes with modern seat sizes and modern passenger sizes would pass emergency evacuation criteria,” the group said in a statement.

An inch and a half narrower

In its petition, Flyers Rights argued that the average airline seat pitch, the distance between the backs of the seats, had gone from 35 inches to 31 inches in the last decade, while the seat width had declined an inch and a half, to 17 inches. The group said the cramped conditions made it more difficult for passengers to get off the aircraft quickly in the event of an emergency.

The FAA denied the group's petition last year, citing studies that showed the space between passengers was not important in an emergency evacuation.

If the FAA eventually sets seating standards for commercial aircraft, it could be the most significant government airline action since the industry was deregulated in 1979. Until that time, the FAA set fares for all flights and determined what routes an airline could fly.

Since all airlines had to charge the same fare, the only way an airline had of setting itself apart from competitors was improving comfort and service to its customers.

Vision problems can be a hindrance to kids' learning and development. Not being able to see the blackboard, computer, and other reading material clearly can take a toll on children's overall academic performance. 

Some eye problems can even follow kids into adulthood. According to eye experts from the National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness, certain eye-related conditions can lead to developmental delays, learning issues, and even vision loss.  

"The good news is that many vision problems in children can be treated successfully if detected early," said Hugh Parry, CEO of Prevent Blindness, in a statement.

Early detection crucial

Good vision health is a key component of success in the classroom. But since most kids don’t complain about problems with their vision, parents should have their child’s vision regularly evaluated by a trained professional.

Vision problems in children are more common than you might think. More than one in 20 preschool-age children and one in four school-age children have a vision disorder, according to the eye experts.

The following may be signs your child is struggling with a vision problem, according to the American Academy of Opthalamology (AAO): 

• Having a short attention span.
• Losing their place when reading. 
• Avoiding reading and other close activities.
• Turning their head to the side.

Common conditions

While some problems, such as nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia), are easily treated with a vision correction tool like glasses, other conditions may become more serious without early intervention.

Amblyopia -- or “lazy eye” -- occurs when, for a variety of reasons, one eye has reduced vision. This is the most common cause of vision loss among kids, according to the experts at Prevent Blindness. Left untreated, the condition can lead to complete loss of vision in the weaker eye.

Astigmatism, which is more common in children who are nearsighted or farsighted, occurs when the eye’s cornea or lens is irregularly shaped. It can cause blurry vision at all distances if not corrected. Up to 28% of children ages 5 to 17 have astigmatism.

Strabismus, or “crossed eyes," occurs when the eyes' muscles are misaligned. Up to 4 percent of young children have strabismus. If left untreated, this disorder can lead to amblyopia and vision loss.

There are usually several ways you can pay a bill to a company or government agency. Often the most expensive is the pay-by-phone option, a fact many consumers overlook, as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) noted today in a warning to companies.

“The Bureau is warning companies about tricking consumers into more expensive fees when they pay bills by phone,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “We are concerned that companies are misleading consumers about pay-by-phone fees or keeping them in the dark about much cheaper or no-cost payment options.”

Customers who choose the pay-by-phone option may find that fees differ depending on what method of payment they choose, such as payment by electronic check, debit card, or credit card.

Consumers may also be charged an additional fee to expedite phone payments, though many companies offer consumers no-fee or lower-fee pay-by-phone options that post after a delay.

The CFPB said it does not mandate any particular way to inform consumers about pay-by-phone options and fees. However, the Bureau expects companies to review their practices for potential risks of violating consumer financial laws and to address any issues. 

The CFPB recommends that financial institutions take steps to ensure that they are following laws related to pay-by-phone fees. Companies should review state and federal laws to confirm they can charge such fees, and review their policies and procedures. Companies should also review consumer complaints about fees that are charged.

There are many studies that have confirmed the benefits of eating walnuts. Researchers have linked its consumption with reduced risk of prostate and breast cancer, and it has been known to support brain health as well. It’s for these and other reasons that experts have labeled it a superfood.

Now, researchers from the LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine have found another reason for consumers to add the snack to their diet. Lead author Dr. Lauri Byerley says that eating walnuts can positively alter the makeup of gut bacteria, which contributes to better overall health.

"Walnuts have been called a 'superfood' because they are rich in the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linoleic acid and fiber, and they contain one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants," said Byerley. "Now, an additional superfood benefit of walnuts may be their beneficial changes to the gut microbiota."

Greater variety, better health

Byerley and her colleagues came to this conclusion after analyzing how walnut consumption affected mice models. Results showed that mice who ate walnuts had a greater variety of bacteria in their guts, including Lactobacillus bacteria, which the researchers say are more functional and beneficial.

"We found that walnuts in the diet increased the diversity of bacteria in the gut, and other non-related studies have associated less bacterial diversity with obesity and other diseases like inflammatory bowel disease," says Byerley.

The researchers go on to say that the bacteria they found in mice models closely resembled the cultures that would be present from ingesting probiotics. For that reason, they say that walnuts may be a beneficial prebiotic that promotes the growth of other beneficial microorganisms in the intestines.

"Gut health is an emerging research area, and researchers are finding that greater bacterial diversity may be associated with better health outcomes," Byerley notes.

The full study has been published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

Becoming a first-time homeowner can be a thrilling experience. Free of landlord restrictions, you can finally paint the walls whatever color you like and customize your new abode to your heart’s content.

But while homeowners usually have the best intentions, some home projects can end up doing more harm than good. Here are a few projects that could cause a homeowner to damage their home inadvertently, according to the home experts at HouseLogic.

Exterior mistakes to avoid

In an effort to boost curb appeal, homeowners often head to home improvement stores and greenhouses. But not all landscaping efforts may pay off in the long run. Homeowners should take care to avoid the following mistakes, says HouseLogic.

• Training ivy to climb your house. Allowed to flourish on your home’s exterior, ivy will dig its roots beneath siding and shingles. The climbing vine enlarges tiny cracks in brick and wood, introducing entrances for moisture and insects, says Jay Markanich, a certified home inspector based in Bristow, Va.
• Planting trees too close together. Tree roots can be powerful, able to push through your driveway, sidewalk, or foundation. Be sure to position a tree according to its maximum height, crown size, and root spread. Even a small tree needs at least 6 feet of clearance for any exterior wall, according to the Arbor Day Foundation.
• Over-mulching. A freshly mulched garden may look great, but be sure not to overdo it. Plants covered in a mulch layer thicker than 3 inches can suffocate and become thirsty as a result of a hampered water passageway.
• Piling firewood outside your door. Leaving firewood outside your backdoor may allow for easy access on cold nights, but doing so can also lead to pest problems in your exterior walls. Twenty feet is a safe distance from your home to keep firewood.

Cleaning mistakes to avoid

There’s nothing like a clean home, but relying too heavily on certain cleaning solutions may produce unwanted consequences.

Bleach, for example, can eat through the sealant on stone surfaces like granite, fade enamel and acrylic tubs, and dissolve linoleum flooring. And while it may kill mold on non-porous surfaces, bleach can feed future mold grown on porous surfaces like grout. A water-and-vinegar solution is all you need for most cleaning jobs, says HouseLogic.  

Clogged sink or tub? Don’t rely on chemical drain cleaners, which have pipe-eroding active ingredients like hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. Instead, use a plunger, a drain snake, or a $2 product called a Zip-It.

Shining up glass and windows by spraying glass cleaner can lead to “black edge,” which is when a liquid gets under the reflective backing and lifts it. Lint-free microfiber cloths dampened with warm water are better for cleaning mirrors.

One of the stigmas commonly attached to college students is their penchant for excessive drinking and partying. But new findings indicate that binge drinking is actually down among college students as a whole.

Researchers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) say that binge drinking declined every year from 2005 to 2014 among college students. However, they say that the practice is becoming more prevalent among young people who aren’t in college. Study author Ralph Hingson, Sc.D., M.P.H., says the problem may stem from differences in social structure.

"Among young adults who aren't in college, there aren't the same organizational supports to implement interventions, and that may be contributing to why binge drinking is increasing in that group," he said.

Interventions stymie binge drinking

Research for the study first began back in 1998 when NIAAA created a task force to analyze and come up with solutions for excessive drinking among college students.

The group found that binge drinking and related problems increased among college students aged 18-24 between 1999 and 2005. By the end of that period, 45% of college students reported drinking more than 5 drinks on an occasion at least once in the last 30 days, and 28% admitted to driving while under the influence of alcohol.

However, over the next decade those numbers began declining. By 2014, reports of binge drinking declined from 45% to 37%, and reports of driving while under the influence declined to 17%. Hingson theorizes that there were many factors that led to this change, but chief among them may have been an increased focus on interventions by college administrators.

“Both individually oriented interventions and environmental policy interventions were identified," he said. "Possibly, as the intervention evidence accumulated and was disseminated, more colleges expanded the reach and repertoire of their interventions."

Young people still at risk

Unfortunately, findings for non-college students during this period did not improve. The researchers found that binge drinking among non-college students increased from 36% to 40% between 1999 and 2014. They say that it’s important that these young people are also targeted with interventions to cut the rate of extreme binge drinking, which has become a serious public health concern.

“Persistent high levels of heavy episodic drinking and related problems among emerging adults underscore a need to expand individually oriented interventions, college/community collaborative programs, and evidence-supported policies to reduce their drinking and related problems,” the researchers concluded.

The full study has been published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

When evaluating whether it makes sense to buy a house or rent your home, you need to look at all the expenses that go into both choices.

When renting, the monthly rent check you write each month is pretty much the extent of your cost. It's different when you own a home.

Real estate marketplace Zillow has broken down the costs and estimates homeowners spend an average of $9,080 a year in extra expenses that go into owning and maintaining a home. However, a large portion of that goes into taxes and insurance, which are usually paid as part of the monthly mortgage payment.

The analysis shows homeowners pay $6,059 a year to cover taxes, insurance, and utilities. Most renters, however, also pay utilities separate from the monthly rent.

That leaves us with the money homeowners spend each year to maintain and improve their homes. The most common expenses, according to Zillow, are carpet cleaning, yard work, gutter cleaning, HVAC maintenance, house cleaning and pressure washing.

Regional labor costs

How much all of that costs will depend on labor costs where you live. Zillow found Seattle homeowners might have to pay as much as $4,052 a year on average to complete those six projects, but homeowners in San Antonio pay just $1,962 on average.

"Determining how much a home will ultimately cost you each year and what you can afford is one of the most challenging aspects of home buying, especially for first-time buyers," says Svenja Gudell, Zillow's chief economist.

That's why the extra costs need to be factored into any homebuying decision. It's one thing to have enough cash to make the down payment, it's another to keep up and maintain the property.

And unless you are a skilled do-it-yourselfer, many home improvements are best left to professionals. Unless they are done properly, and to local building codes, they may not add the value to your home that you think they will.

For that reason, purchasing a newly-built home may turn out to be more economical, since fewer improvements or repairs should be required in the first few years of ownership.

For years, fast food restaurants have tried expanding their menus in an effort to draw in more customers. But in a bit of a reversal, Dunkin’ Donuts says that it will be paring down its menus at 1,000 locations to accomplish the same thing.

According to the Boston Globe, the chain announced on Thursday that it will be expanding a test of its simplified menus that began back in February. The decision will remove many of chain’s breakfast sandwiches that officials say have been slower-selling items, as well as certain muffins, bagels, drinks, and pastries.

“We have conducted extensive consumer research and our customers have told us that our menu was too complex and confusing,” said spokeswoman Michelle King, noting that the changes will help “enhance speed of service and in-store operations.”

Unhappy consumers

While Dunkin’ Donuts believes that its decision will better serve its customers and help reduce employee turnover, not everyone is happy about the reduced menu.

In an online post that went viral last week, Facebook user Diamond Lynn posted a picture detailing the menu items that will be cut out and how staff can handle the change. The post has since been shared over 4,800 times.

In a second-quarter earnings call, president of Dunkin’ Donuts U.S. and Canada David Hoffman said that company is simply trying to focus more on efficiency by making the restaurant simpler and easier to operate.

“Together with our franchises we are laser-focused on delivering what matters most to consumers,” added Dunkin’ Brands chairman and CEO Nigel Travis.

For the second quarter, Dunkin’ Donuts is reporting a 12.3% year-over-year profit increase. Revenues are also up 1% from the previous quarter to $218.5 million.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 24,127 model year 2017 Honda CR-V 2WD and AWD vehicles.

The vehicles have a fuel supply pipe that may have been improperly manufactured, possibly resulting in the pipe disconnecting and leaking while the vehicle is being driven.

If the pipe disconnects, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the disconnected pipe may leak fuel, which, in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel supply pipe, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 25, 2017.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KH1.

The problem with tobacco is nicotine. It's addictive and makes it hard for smokers to quit or cut back. So, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is shifting its anti-smoking efforts to take a sharper focus on nicotine.

“The overwhelming amount of death and disease attributable to tobacco is caused by addiction to cigarettes –  the only legal consumer product that, when used as intended, will kill half of all long-term users,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. “Unless we change course, 5.6 million young people alive today will die prematurely later in life from tobacco use."

Gottlieb said the agency envisions "a world where cigarettes would no longer create or sustain addiction, and where adults who still need or want nicotine could get it from alternative and less harmful sources."

The new initiative could be good news for the e-cigarette industry, which portrays its electronic cigarettes as nicotine delivery systems that avoid the harmful consequences of smoking tobacco. On Wall Street, shares in Altria and other tobacco companies fell after the announcement.

Nicotine "the core of the problem"

Gottlieb said the FDA will try to "strike an appropriate balance between regulation and encouraging development of innovative tobacco products that may be less dangerous than cigarettes."

That may mean adjusting some of the deadlines the agency previously imposed on manufacturers of tobacco-related products, including cigars and e-cigarettes.  

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, causing more than 480,000 deaths every year, Gottlieb noted. 

"A key piece of the FDA’s approach is demonstrating a greater awareness that nicotine – while highly addictive – is delivered through products that represent a continuum of risk and is most harmful when delivered through smoke particles in combustible cigarettes," the FDA said in a news release. 

The FDA said it plans to begin a public dialogue about lowering nicotine levels in combustible cigarettes to non-addictive levels through achievable product standards. Because almost 90 percent of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18 and nearly 2,500 youth smoke their first cigarette every day in the U.S., lowering nicotine levels could decrease the likelihood that future generations become addicted to cigarettes and allow more currently addicted smokers to quit, it said.

“Because nicotine lives at the core of both the problem and the solution to the question of addiction, addressing the addictive levels of nicotine in combustible cigarettes must be part of the FDA’s strategy for addressing the devastating, addiction crisis that is threatening American families,” said Gottlieb.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the western states offer famous whitewater rafting opportunities. But travelers seeking waterborne thrills should not overlook the East Coast's New River, which winds through North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Rapids are generally found where a river flows from a higher elevation to a lower one. Rapids are sort of like mini waterfalls -- the falls are just not as dramatic as a sheer, 90 degree drop. They also make for a thrilling ride in a large rubber raft.

The New River flows from south to northeast through West Virginia, until it joins the Gauley River and forms the Kanawha River. As it snakes its way through tree-covered mountains, it offers some of the best whitewater rafting on the East Coast.

River Expeditions

River Expeditions is an outfitter and resort offering rafting trips from April through October. Because the rapids range from white-knuckle harrowing to only mildly challenging, there are different trips to match different skill levels.

For example, River Expeditions offers three different trips, starting with "Family Class trips." These trips cover a stretch of the New River that offers "easy to moderate rapids, tranquil pools, and amazing scenery," the company says on its website. Children as young as six are allowed on these trips.

The next step up is the "Adventure Class," featuring rougher water and "roller coaster" waves and rapids. The trip is recommended for beginner to experienced rafters and children as young as 12 are allowed.

"World Class" trips are only recommended for experienced rafters, since this run includes steep drops and wild, churning water. The minimum age is 16 and the company says rafters should have gone on an "Adventure Class" trip first.

The River Expeditions Adventure Resort is in the middle of the New River Gorge, in Oak Hill, WVa. The resort itself offers cabins, from rustic to luxury, as well as a bunkhouse and RV park.

Ace Adventure Resort

Ace Adventure Resort is another outfitter serving the New River in West Virginia. It also offers different rafting packages, geared to different experience and skill levels.

There are full-day and overnight trips on the more tranquil Upper New River, which Ace describes as family and kid-friendly Class I to Class III rapids, separated by plenty of still water for swimming or relaxing.

The Lower New River offers more challenging water, but is said to be suitable for beginners. The minimum age is 12 and Ace calls it its most popular trip. Half-day and full-day trips are available.

The Gauley River float is the most challenging outing, with the age limit at 15. The outfitter says you need to be mentally prepared and in good physical condition. This stretch of the river has Class V rapids and boulders the size of a house.

The resort offers lodging in the form of cabins, cottages, and camping. It also features a water park.

The resort is located east of Oak Hill, WVa., on Route 17.

Getting there

To get to either of the New River whitewater resorts, it is best to drive. Take I-64 or I-77 to Beckley, WVa., and make your way east.

Air travelers can arrive at Raleigh County Memorial Airport in Beckley, which is served by ViaAir, a commuter airline serving smaller airports.

There are better connection at Yeager Airport in Charleston, WVa., about 75 miles away. That airport is served by American, United, Spirit, and Delta.

Wells Fargo has revealed that approximately 570,000 consumers who financed auto purchases through the bank may have been sold a collateral protection insurance (CPI) without their knowledge or consent.

Wells Fargo says many of those customers will receive refunds “and other payments” as compensation. The bank estimates total remediation in the neighborhood of $80 million. It said it will begin contacting affected customers next month.

All auto lenders require borrowers to maintain adequate insurance on the financed vehicle to ensure the lender is repaid if the vehicle is stolen or damaged in a crash. Wells Fargo says its lending agreement allows it to buy a CPI policy from a vendor on the customer’s behalf if there was no evidence — either from the customer or the insurance company — that the customer already had the required insurance. Wells Fargo says it discontinued the practice last September.

Policy changed in September

“In the fall of last year, our CEO and our entire leadership team committed to build a better bank and be transparent about those efforts,” said Franklin Codel, head of Wells Fargo Consumer Lending, which includes the Dealer Services unit. “Our actions over the past year show we are acting on this commitment.”

It should be noted that September 2016 is roughly the time that another Wells Fargo practice came to light – the opening of credit card and checking accounts in customers' names without their knowledge or consent. The bank was fined $185 million for that practice.

Bloomberg News cites a consultant's report showing that the vendor responsible for providing CPI to Wells Fargo auto loan customers did not always verify whether the customers had adequate insurance coverage and many were sold policies they didn't need. The bank says those customers will receive about $25 million in refunds.

Repossessed vehicles

Wells Fargo notes that for 20,000 borrowers, the added cost of the CPI may have been responsible for their default on their loans and subsequent repossession of their vehicles. Those consumers, the bank says, will receive additional compensation.

“We take full responsibility for our failure to appropriately manage the CPI program and are extremely sorry for any harm this caused our customers, who expect and deserve better from us,” said Codel. “Upon our discovery, we acted swiftly to discontinue the program and immediately develop a plan to make impacted customers whole.”

Bloomberg notes that the bank's revelation came right after The New York Times reported that it had gotten its hands on a 60-page report from the consulting firm Oliver Morgenson, detailing how CPI was sold to customers.

During pregnancy, it’s crucial to put a halt to habits like smoking and drinking in order to protect the health of an unborn child.

But while it’s easy enough to simply refrain from drinking or eating products that could pose a health risk to a growing baby, a new study suggests there may be a danger that’s less easily avoided.  

In a two-year study of mice, researchers at New York University found that exposure to air pollution in early pregnancy could increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.

Easily inhalable particles

The researchers found that exposure to air pollution during the first and second trimester was associated with negative birth outcomes compared to exposure later in the pregnancy.

Particles in air pollution less than one ten-thousandths of an inch in diameter are easily inhalable, the researchers said. This type of fine particulate air pollution comes from car exhaust, coal-fired power plants, and other industrial processes.

Inhaled particulate air pollution has previously been linked to asthma and heart disease. Now, researchers say mice exposed to this type of pollution early on in gestation are more likely to suffer adverse obstetric outcomes.

Potential effects

“This first study of this problem in mice adds to the growing body of evidence that inhalation of particulate matter from implantation through the second trimester of pregnancy is potentially dangerous,” said lead author Dr. Jason Blum.

Preterm birth and low birth weight increase the risk for vision and hearing problems, learning problems, and even death, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In addition to preterm birth and low birth weight, exposure to air pollution (comparable to that of a highly-polluted urban environment) during the first and second trimester also came with decreased body length, decreased placental weight, and abnormal hormone levels, Blum noted.

Timing a key factor

The findings of this study suggest that the timing of air pollution exposure plays a big role. Exposure during the first two trimesters was found to have the greatest likelihood of adverse health outcomes to a growing fetus.

“These findings could lead physicians to advise women to avoid high pollution areas or use air filtration systems during the early stages of pregnancy,” said senior author Dr. Judith Zelikoff.

“With preterm birth and low birth weight having such serious health consequences, the need for further research in this area is greater than ever,” she added.

The full study is published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

In an effort to focus more on its coffee-shop business, Starbucks announced on Thursday that it will be shutting down all 379 of its Teavana store locations within the next year, according to a CBS MoneyWatch report.

Company officials said that lagging sales and declining mall traffic led to the decision to close the chain, which was acquired by Starbucks back in 2012. The move isn’t all that surprising, though, since the company said back in April that it had been reviewing options for its Teavana stores.

“We felt it was an appropriate time to take the decision to begin shutting down those stores,” said Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson. The company had announced earlier that increased pressure in the retail and restaurant sectors were making it more cautious as it progressed into the next quarter.

Despite the closings, Starbucks said that it will still be selling Teavana drinks in its Starbucks stores and bottled Teavana beverages at grocery stores.

Expanding abroad

While closing its Teavana stores might seem like a drastic move, consumers shouldn’t worry too much about Starbuck’s overall well-being. Earlier on Thursday, the company also announced that it would be spending $1.3 billion to purchase the remaining 50% of its joint venture business in China, according to a Chicago Tribune report.

The move will allow Starbucks to take 100% ownership of approximately 1,300 stores in East China, which has been the company’s fastest-growing market. Reports indicate that stores in the country grew 6-7 percent year-over-year, compared to only 3% in the U.S. Additionally, the company said that it will also be taking 100% ownership of 410 locations in Taiwan. Both deals are expected to close by early next year.

Currently, Starbucks owns around 2,800 stores in China, but company officials project that number will increase to 5,000 by 2021. “Starbucks’ growth potential in China is unparalleled,” said Johnson.

To meet the challenges of airport congestion and to improve passengers' boarding experience, Delta Airlines says it is experimenting with a new approach at its Atlanta hub.

Delta says the changes are designed to streamline the boarding process and will get a tryout at three gates on the T Concourse at Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson Airport.

First, the check-in counters are getting smaller. Mobile agent pods will have a smaller footprint than traditional gate counters, which Delta believes will open up space and make the boarding area feel less crowded.

Agents will also get out from behind the counter. Using handheld devices, ticket agents will be able to move through the crowd to make seat changes, check bag status, and do other tasks that normally are performed behind the counter, with passengers waiting in a line for help.

Boarding pillars

Delta is also setting up what it calls “boarding pillars,” creating four lanes where passengers will line up. The purpose is to improve organization, improve traffic flow, and give passengers a clear path to boarding their flight.

The airline is also experimenting with what it calls “E-Gates,” allowing passengers to self-board just by scanning their boarding pass or smartphone.

These changes make up phase one of the pilot project, with phase two increasing agent mobility at the gate and integrating biometric boarding, which is currently being tested at Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport.

“Developing and testing these innovations is an important part of our ongoing effort to improve the gate and boarding process for our customers,” said Gil West, Delta's chief operating officer.

West says the airline also believes service will improve because it removes a barrier between ticket agent and passengers.

Whether these changes are expanded to other airports Delta serves will depend on an evaluation at the end of the pilot project. In the last year, Delta says it has replaced ID checks with fingerprint scanning, instituted a biometric-based self-service bag drop and other enhancements to better track luggage.

A 34-year-old Florida woman may be the 13th U.S. victim of shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags.

Federal safety regulators and Honda are looking into the July 19 accident in Holiday, Fla., which police say occurred when a 19-year-old driving a Pontiac Firebird turned in front of Nichol Lynn Barker, who was driving a 2002 Honda Accord, according to WFLA-TV.

The incident follows one reported earlier this month, which also occurred in Florida. Ramon V. Kuffo, 81, of Miami, was using a hammer to work on his 2001 Honda Accord when the driver's side airbag exploded.

Kuffo's car had been included in one of the many Takata recalls, but a Honda spokesperson said the recall was never completed on his car. 

The 2001 Accord has one of the most dangerous airbags, with as much as a 50 percent chance of exploding in a crash, the Associated Press reported. Florida, where the latest victims lived, is seen as Ground Zero for Takata airbags because of its high heat and humidity, which makes the defective Takata inflators more volatile.

In the latest accident, WFLA reported that the owner of the Accord was sent 10 notices about the recall, but the airbag was never replaced. 

More than 65 percent of the recalled airbags are still in service, meaning that millions of consumers are driving around with a potentially explosive device just inches from their face. 

Honda said it has adequate replacement parts and urged owners "to seek repair as soon as possible," Reuters reported, adding that older vehicles, especially 2001-2003 Honda vehicles, pose the greatest safety risk.

The Takata airbag recall is the largest in U.S. history, affecting more than 42 million vehicles, not counting another 2.7 million that were identified earlier this month. Takata recently declared bankruptcy, leaving carmakers potentially stuck for billions of dollars in recall-related expenses. 

What to do

Is your car included in the recall? You can find out by jotting down your VIN number and going to the U.S. government's website SaferCar.gov. 

If your dealer is not able to replace the defective airbag immediately, you can ask for a loaner, but dealers are not legally obligated to provide one.