Current Events in September 2017

After a close brush with Hurricane Irma, Miami Beach hotels have rolled out the welcome mat with a number of October enticements. If you were planning to wait until next year to make a visit, it might pay to move up your arrival.

Florida has some great beaches, but Miami Beach may be the most well-known. It sits astride natural and man-made barrier islands with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Biscayne Bay, (separating the beach from the City of Miami) to the west.

In addition to its white sandy beaches, Miami Beach is also known for its famous hotels that have drawn visitors from all walks of life for decades.

The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority says, with the passage of the hurricane, the city is back in action.

"We are so thankful that Miami Beach weathered the storm well," said Peggy Benua, Chair of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.

Benua is also general manager of Dream South Beach, a famous Miami Beach hotel. Dream South Beach currently provides incentives for booking directly on its website, including a discount of up to 30 percent.

It also welcomes guests who arrive after 3:00 pm with a complimentary drink and free room upgrade, if available. Guests may also check out as late as 2:00 pm.

In the Art Deco District

Dream South Beach is located in the middle of the city's famous Art Deco District, occupying the shells of two iconic hotels from a bygone era -- the Tudor Hotel and Palmer House.

Five blocks away is Delano South Beach, offering its own enticement to travelers. A three-night stay Sunday through Thursday can get you up to 25% off on a luxury suite and a complimentary breakfast for two.

Book your suite online through the hotel's website and you can get a $50 food and beverage credit.

Other hotels along the city's famous oceanfront include the Fountainebleau, completely restored to reflect its rich history; Loews Miami Beach, a South Beach icon which just underwent a $50 million renovation; and the Redbury South Beach, a boutique hotel featuring 69 rooms and suites.

Many of Miami Beach's famous hotels are located on Collins Avenue amid restored art deco buildings that earned the district a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the buildings that make up the Art Deco District were built as Miami Beach became a tourist Mecca between 1923 and 1943.

The South Beach club scene

The ocean may be Miami Beach's main attraction, but there are plenty of other things to see and do, including South Beach's thriving night life. According to the Greater Miami Visitors and Convention Bureau, LIV, located in the Fountainebleau, is the place to see and be seen against the backdrop of the music of world-renowned DJs.

South Beach night life doesn't have to end with the sunrise. At Mango’s Tropical Café, you can start with breakfast, party through lunch, take a quick break for dinner, and stay all night enjoying the tropical and Reggae beat.

Getting there

Miami Beach is served by Miami International Airport. In addition to serving just about every domestic airline, Miami International is a gateway from the Southern Hemisphere.

The airport, a major American Airlines hub, took a hit during Hurricane Irma but is back at full capacity. The airport is about a 30 minute drive from Miami Beach.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) reports that the default rate on new federal student loans has risen for the first time in four years.

Efforts to help borrowers achieve more manageable payments appeared to be working, as the loan default rate leveled off after 2013. But as of June 30 this year, a record 8.5 million federal student loan borrowers were in default.

More than 500,000 of them defaulted in the first half of this year.

The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) is calling for further improvements in student loan policies and increased oversight of loan programs, but worries the ED is moving in the opposite direction.

"The Department's rollback of critical protections and enforcement will only lead to more student loan defaults, higher debt burdens, and wasted taxpayer dollars," said Pauline Abernathy, TICAS' executive vice president.

State attorneys general weigh in

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro and 18 other attorneys general fired off a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos this week, asking her to stop the department's "systematic rolling back of critical protections for student loan borrowers."

The letter asserts that the ED does not have exclusive jurisdiction over federal student loans, but shares that responsibility with state attorneys general, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and other federal agencies.

In June, DeVos ordered what she called a "reset" of regulations implemented by the Obama Administration to protect students from predatory loans. She said it was intended to allow time for the department "to develop fair, effective and improved regulations to protect individual borrowers from fraud, ensure accountability across institutions of higher education and protect taxpayers."

More flexible repayment plans

In late 2013, the government began implementing new rules with more repayment options. Borrowers on the standard 10-year repayment plan, for example, could switch to a plan based on income, helping them maintain a positive monthly cash-flow.

LearnVest offers this helpful guide to the various payment options that are available under current rules. However, supporters of these repayment rules worry they will be watered down or eliminated altogether.

TICAS claims for-profit schools continue to be a big reason for rising student defaults. It points to statistics that show only nine percent of all college students enrolled in for-profit schools, but those for-profit students accounted for a third of student loan defaults among borrowers who entered repayment in 2014 and defaulted by 2016.

Shapiro says student loan borrowers will lose out if the repayment regulations are rolled back. The only entities that will profit, he says, are loan servicers and for-profit colleges.

Federal health authorities and major meat suppliers have been slow to respond to widespread objections about antibiotic use in animals raised for meat, so a coalition of food safety and animal welfare groups are pressuring national restaurant chains to phase out antibiotics voluntarily.

Experts warn that antibiotic-resistant bacteria is one of the gravest public health threats in modern medicine. Factory farming, in which animals are often fed antibiotics so that they grow faster, has been identified as one of the main sources of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The combined efforts of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Center for Food Safety, US PIRG, and several animal welfare groups have been met with relative enthusiasm, according to a joint report the groups recently published that graded restaurants on their antibiotics policies. 

Subway's chicken image improves

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation paid a DNA researcher to test the components of fast food chicken and reported in February that the chicken sold in Subway sandwiches is 57 percent soy and only 42.8 percent chicken. Subway did not take the news well.

Describing the researcher’s conclusion as “absolutely false,” Subway’s spokesman Kevin Kane asserted that “this report is wrong and it must be corrected.” Those demands were ignored, and Subway is now trying to sue the public broadcaster for $210 million dollars.

But Subway’s chicken is now getting some better publicity. The sandwich chain recently earned a “B+” score from the food safety coalition for its 2015 decision to switch to antibiotic-free chicken. Whatever the soy to chicken ratio may be (the food groups’ report does not address the soy allegations) the chicken itself is completely sourced from poultry raised without antibiotics.

“Our U.S. restaurants only serve chicken raised without antibiotics and we continue to work towards the elimination of antibiotic use in our Turkey, Pork, and Beef supply,”  John C. Scott, Subway’s Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility, tells ConsumerAffairs.

A report card with many failing grades

Panera bread and Chipotle both received the top score, an A grade, because they are the only two chains that serve pork, beef, and poultry raised without antibiotics. Subway promises to implement the same policy by 2025, but for now it only guarantees its chicken as antibiotic-free.

Overall, the report found that most of the progress made by individual companies is limited to chicken. KFC, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, and McDonald’s all received satisfactory scores thanks to their promises to phase out poultry raised with antibiotics, but the chains have not made any firm commitments yet in regards to pork and beef suppliers.

The remainder of the 25 restaurants fared significantly worse. Eleven restaurants earned ‘F’ grades “for failing to adopt and disclose effective antibiotics stewardship policies,” the food safety groups explain. The failing chains are Sonic, Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden, Applebee’s, Domino’s Pizza, Chili’s, Little Caesars, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dairy Queen, Arby’s, and IHOP. 

Some companies that pledge to cut back on antibiotics didn't provide details

Many of the chains that did poorly have also pledged support for cutting back on meat raised with antibiotics, but the food safety groups found their stated policies to be vague or not ambitious enough. Starbucks, which earned a D+, tells ConsumerAffairs they are planning to only serve poultry raised “without the routine use of medically important antibiotics” by 2020. 

Domino’s, one of the failing restaurants, claims that their chicken will be “free of antibiotics that are important for human health” by 2018 and that they have simply opted not to promote their important work. “You don’t hear about that, because we do not choose to use this fact as a marketing message.” writes Domino’s spokesperson Jenny Fouracre-Petko.

In fact, the food safety groups say that Domino’s did not respond to a survey that they sent seeking clarification and transparency on how this policy will be enforced. 

 Cracker Barrel, which claims to sell “only beef, pork, and poultry raised without human-grade, medically important antibiotics,” also neglected to return the food safety groups’ survey asking for more details. “Truthfully, I don't know where it went within the organization,” said a spokeswoman at the company’s media hotline. 

In the absence of a response, the food safety groups looked for evidence of a third party auditor or other measures to ensure transparency in Cracker Barrel’s stated policy of avoiding antibiotics that are “medically important,” and found none. 

Arby’s, which also did not respond to the survey, made a point of noting their compliance with FDA guidelines. And DineEquity, the company that owns Applebee’s and IHOP, says in a statement that they are “exploring positions on a variety of issues important to us.”

A new strategy for treating the flu and other potentially dangerous infections could improve symptoms and decrease mortality rates in vulnerable patients.

Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine have discovered that a protein called RC-101 is capable of attacking the influenza virus and reducing potentially harmful inflammation it triggers in the body’s immune response. This makes it an ideal drug candidate that could eventually be a game-changer for anyone from hospital patients to average individuals seeking symptom relief.

"Every year, thousands of people across the country die from the flu or its complications -- despite widespread use of annual influenza vaccines," said researcher Dr. Daniel J. Prantner. "In the future, we hope to see RC-101 approved for use in the clinic, where it can be another tool in the battle against this disease."

Effectively handles symptoms

Prantner and his team made their discovery after exposing two groups of mice to the influenza virus. One group of mice were given RC-101 two days after infection for a total of five days, while the other group was given a placebo.

The researchers found that the group given RC-101 experienced much lighter symptoms of the flu and lower mortality rates than their counterparts. Dr. John Wherry – deputy editor of the journal Leukocyte Biology – points out that the protein’s ability to handle inflammation sets it apart.

"While viruses such as influenza cause a lot of damage themselves when people get infected, it is often the immune response that leads to severe tissue destruction [as the immune system tries] to eradicate the infection," he said. "These new findings using RC-101 may teach us how to efficiently allow the immune response to clear a virus, while preventing the most damaging parts of the inflammatory response."

The full study has been published in Leukocyte Biology.

Volkswagen is rolling out a new bumper-to-bumper warranty providing owners coverage for six years or 72,000 miles -- whichever occurs first.

The company says the new warranty will apply to most new 2018 Volkswagens sold in the U.S. and can be transferred to subsequent owners.

“Volkswagen has always been ‘the people’s car,’ and with the People First Warranty, we’re putting our customers first,” said Hinrich J. Woebcken, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. “By bringing the right cars at the right time, and making the offer very competitive, we believe we’re in the position to grow in the US market.”

Shaking off the diesel scandal

The new warranty is being introduced as the German carmaker keeps working to shake off the 2015 diesel emissions scandal that damaged its U.S. sales and car values.

“While Volkswagen’s People First Warranty is intended to instill confidence in the brand’s products after the diesel scandal, it is also an important tool to help addresses new-car affordability," Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Autotrader, told ConsumerAffairs.

"To keep monthly payments down, consumers are stretching auto loan terms. The Volkswagen warranty extends along with those loans to help save the first—and even second buyer of a VW—repair costs.”

Effective selling point

Rebecca Lindland, executive analyst for Kelley Blue Book, says the new warranty is like an insurance policy you hope you never have to use. She says it can be an effective selling point, as long as the product still resonates with the U.S. buyer.

The longer warranty was first introduced on the 2018 Atlas and Tiguan. It now covers the 2018 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen, Jetta, and Passat.

It includes powertrain coverage for engines, transmissions, and all-wheel-drive systems.

On the day the carmaker announced its new, longer warranty it also announced in Germany that the bill for its diesel cheating scandal will be higher than the last estimate. The company said it would take another $2.9 billion charge to earnings, explaining that it cost more than expected to fix affected cars.

A new study confirms what beer-lovers have known for quite some time – that drinking the beverage can raise a drinker’s spirits and make them feel happier.

Researchers from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) tested hordenine -- a chemical compound in malted barley and beer -- and found that it stimulated dopamine D2 receptors in the brain, which are responsible for making us feel pleasure.

“It came as a bit of surprise that a substance in beer activates the dopamine D2 receptor, especially as we were not specifically looking at stimulant foodstuffs,” said researcher Dr. Monika Pischetsrieder.

The researchers say that hordenine uses a different pathway than dopamine – the brain chemical most often associated with pleasure – and that it likely has a longer-lasting effect on the reward centers of our brains.

That means that drinking a beer could do wonders for effectively improving your mood short term. Pischetsrieder and her colleagues say they will be investigating hordenine levels in beer to gauge just how much the beverage affects us on a chemical level.

Risks of feel-good foods

While the findings may be exciting for the beer-drinking community, the researchers caution that there are drawbacks to foods and beverages that make us feel good.

For example, certain foods can make us feel so good that we keep consuming them, even though our bodies are completely satisfied. If you’ve ever found yourself eating a favorite snack only to discover that you’ve gone through a whole bag, you might understand how this works.

The researchers say this mechanism, called hedonic hunger, can often make consumers overindulge. And, if not regulated, it can lead to health problems such as weight gain and obesity.

“It is…well established that certain food stimuli induce hedonic food intake in the state of satiety, leading to an overconsumption of calories and, thus, eventually to obesity,” the researchers said.

The full study has been published in Scientific Reports.

Getting an upgrade from coach to business or first class is not as common as it once was, but air travel experts say it still happens. Understanding how the airlines select passengers for an upgrade can improve your chances of being one of the lucky few.

Alex Miller, CEO and founder of air travel website Upgraded Points says travelers often need to use their points or obtain elite status to get a free upgrade.

"However, there are still some occasional freebies given out, mostly one of two types: Operational upgrades and non-revenue upgrades," he tells ConsumerAffairs.

The average air traveler has little chance of getting a non-revenue upgrade since they are doled out to off-duty airline employees, designated family members of employees, and people who work for partner airlines.

Operational upgrades

A typical traveler will most often be offered an operational upgrade. Sometimes coach is oversold, and rather than bump a passenger for a flight, they'll upgrade a coach passenger if there are empty seats in business or first class.

The trick is to be the one the airline selects for the upgrade. Miller says there are a few things that can help your case.

The first may sound obvious but Miller says it is often overlooked. Ask nicely. If coach appears to be booked to capacity, suggest to a flight attendant that if they're going to upgrade someone to first class, you'd like to throw your hat in the ring. Don't forget to smile and turn on the charm when you ask.

'Well dressed and professional looking'

Second, dress like you belong in first class. Flying coach has become less and less comfortable over the years as passenger space has shrunk. While that might require wearing comfortable clothing on a long flight, Miller says if you're dressed like you're headed for the gym, you are unlikely to be picked to move up to first class.

"Because there's no objective way to choose someone, the pilots and flight attendants usually look for someone well-dressed and professional looking," Miller said. "The main idea is they're choosing someone who both makes a good impression on the staff and also sets a good impression of the airline as a representative of the airline's customers."

Being a member of the airline's loyalty program may also help your case. These passengers are considered "elite" flyers, with status rising to different tiers depending on how much they fly and spend with the airline.

"The higher the tier, the higher your priority is for an upgrade," Miller said. "Then the airline works down the list until the business/first class cabin is full."

Miller says upgrades are harder to come by these days because airlines have done a very good job of managing their reservations, pricing seats, and filling cabins. An operational upgrade is only going to happen when the airline has miscalculated and must give some lucky passenger a treat in order to seat as many passengers as possible.

Eating a healthy breakfast has been associated with everything from maintaining a healthy weight to improved academic performance. Yet, nearly half of all families in the U.S. regularly skip breakfast, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

When morning meals get lost in the shuffle, children may miss out on vital nutrients that can keep them going strong throughout the day. A healthy breakfast is essential for kids, says Carole Adler, a dietician at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Growing bodies and developing brains need regular, healthy meals,” she says.

But between rushed mornings and picky palates, creating healthy breakfasts can be a challenge. To help parents strike a healthy balance of fruits and vegetables, proteins, grains and dairy at breakfast time, consider implementing the following tips.

Tips to start the day off right

• Think outside the box. Breakfast doesn’t have to be comprised of traditional breakfast foods, says Adler. From last night’s leftovers to tuna fish with celery on a whole wheat English muffin, anything goes as long as you maintain a healthy balance.

• Cater to your child’s likes. Take a food your child loves and dial up its nutritional value. Pizza can be made using a whole-grain crust and topped with veggies; muffins can be made with zucchini and carrots and topped with peanut butter for protein; and a small amount of your child’s favorite sugary cereal can be mixed with a healthier brand of cereal.

• Maintain nutritional balance. Make sure your child doesn’t end the day lacking in one particular food group. If their breakfast doesn’t contain enough vegetables, consider preparing an afternoon snack that will have plenty (such as carrot, celery, and broccoli sticks with hummus dip).

• Fuel growth and activity. Growth and activity levels should be taken into account when preparing breakfast. To help growing kids stay full and focused until lunch, give them a breakfast that contains protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Protein choices might include an egg, some nuts, a slice of deli meat or cheese, or yogurt.

• Prepare a healthy snack. If there is no time for a sit-down breakfast, hand your kids something healthy to eat on-the-go as they head out the door. Adler recommends trail mix, a fruit-filled shake with milk or yogurt, or a whole-wheat tortilla spread with peanut butter or almond butter and a carton of milk.

• Prep the night before. Taking a few minutes at night to prepare the next day’s breakfast can help make a busy morning less rushed. Preparatory efforts can include chopping up fruit to layer in a yogurt parfait or add to cereal, cutting up vegetables for an omelet, or mixing up muffin or whole-grain waffle batter to put in the fridge.

America New York RI Wang Food Group of Maspeth, N.Y., is expanding its earlier recall of Heat Treated but Not Fully Cooked-Not Shelf Stable pork sausage products and beef products.

The products contain milk, an allergen not declared on the label.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.

The recall now includes an additional 9,850 pounds of items produced from Jan. 5, 2016, through June 29, 2017. The following additional products are being recalled:

• 25-lb. institutional pack of “Beef Balls,” with the following lot codes and package dates:
  • lot code “0418272” and package date “4/3/2017.”
  • lot code “1117011” and package date “12/22/2016.”
  • lot code “1117033” and package date “11/30/2016.”
  • lot code “1117048” and package date “11/15/2016.”
• 25-lb. institutional pack of “Beef Tendon Balls,” with the following lot codes and package        dates:
  • lot code “0618185” and package date “6/29/2017.”
  • lot code “0618209” and package date “6/5/2017.”
  • lot code “0618212” and package date “6/2/2017.”
  • lot code “0618213” and package date “6/1/2017.”
  • lot code “0518229” and package date “5/16/2017.”
  • lot code “0518244” and package date “5/1/2017.”
  • lot code “0418247” and package date “4/28/2017.”
  • lot code “0418271” and package date “4/4/2017.”
  • lot code “0418272” and package date “4/3/2017.”
  • lot code “0318306” and package date “3/2/2017.”
  • lot code “0318307” and package date “3/1/2017.”
  • lot code “0218315” and package date “2/21/2017.”
  • lot code “0118339” and package date “1/26/2017.”
  • lot code “0118340” and package date “1/25/2017.”
  • lot code “0118360” and package date “1/6/2017.”
  • lot code “0118361” and package date “1/5/2017.”
  • lot code “1217010” and package date “12/23/2016.”
  • lot code “1217011” and package date “12/22/2016.”
  • lot code “1117033” and package date “11/30/2016.”
  • lot code “1117034” and package date “11/29/2016.”
  • lot code “1117048” and package date “11/15/2016.”
  • lot code “1117049” and package date “11/14/2016.”
  • lot code “1017069” and package date “10/25/2016.”
  • lot code “1017089” and package date “10/5/2016.”
  • lot code “1017090” and package date “10/4/2016.”
  • lot code “0917117” and package date “9/7/2016.”
  • lot code “0817125” and package date “8/30/2016.”
  • lot code “0807145” and package date “8/10/2016.”
  • lot code “0717181” and package date “7/6/2016.”
  • lot code “0717185” and package date “7/1/2016.”
  • lot code “0617199” and package date “6/17/2016.”
  • lot code “0417263” and package date “4/12/2016.”
  • lot code “0317297” and package date “3/9/2016.”
  • lot code “0317298” and package date “3/8/2016.”
  • lot code “0217313” and package date “2/22/2016.”
  • lot code “0217331” and package date “2/4/2016.”
  • lot code “0217332” and package date “2/3/2016.”
  • lot code “0117341” and package date “1/25/2016.”
  • lot code “0117345” and package date “1/21/2016.”
  • lot code “0117355” and package date “1/11/2016.”
  • lot code “0117358” and package date “1/8/2016.”
• 25-lb. institutional pack of “Pork Patty Balls,” with the following lot codes and package            dates:
  • lot code “0618199” and package date “6/15/2017.”
  • lot code “0518228” and package date “5/17/2017.”
  • lot code “0717159” and package date “7/27/2016.”

The additional products, bearing establishment number “EST. 40200” inside the USDA mark of inspection, were sold for institutional use in New York.

What to do

Customers who have purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Karen Tam at (718) 628-8999 or by email at Karenp@riwangusa.com.

The White House and Congressional Republicans have unveiled a plan to cut the corporate tax rate and reduce the number of individual tax brackets to three.

The principal objective is to make U.S. businesses more competitive and boost the economy, but the plan, if enacted as written, would also have a big impact on individual consumers.

One of the biggest changes would affect homeowners who are able to deduct state and local taxes, reducing their taxable income. Without these deductions, these consumers would likely pay a little more in federal tax; some could pay significantly more.

Would hit California consumers hard

In its analysis, the Los Angeles Times notes the changes would hit California consumers especially hard because Californians pay a lot in state taxes, which they deduct from their federal tax bill. The Times cites figures showing California taxpayers used this deduction to reduce their tax bills by $101 billion in 2014.

Democrats in Congress point out that the states where consumers would see their taxes go up the most happen to be states that usually vote Democratic in elections -- states like California, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) told the newspaper that axing this deduction is a "non-starter" for her.

While a portion of taxpayers would likely see some increase in their federal tax bill, millions more who do not itemize would probably see their taxes go down. The plan would nearly double the standard taxable income deduction from $6,300 per person to $12,000.

From seven tax brackets to three

But the savings might not be that straightforward.

Under current tax law, there are seven individual tax brackets, establishing the percentage of taxable income that must be paid. The GOP proposal reduces that to three brackets -- 12 percent, 25 percent, and a top rate of 35 percent. Consumers might end up being able to reduce their taxable income more, but still wind up with a higher tax rate.

Two major deductions -- for home mortgage interest and charitable donations -- remain intact. However, some GOP lawmakers have suggested capping the amount of mortgage interest that can be deducted at $500,000 -- which would affect mostly affluent taxpayers.

The plan also doesn't touch tax benefits for retirement savings accounts and for college tuition expenses -- tax advantages that favor mostly middle income consumers.

Lawmakers would also cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent. That move is aimed at making U.S. businesses more competitive with those in other nations, where rates are lower. The plan's backers argue that U.S. corporations with billions of dollars in foreign profits deposited in overseas banks would "repatriate" those funds, stimulating the economy.

The plan's backers are counting on strong economic growth to pay for the tax cuts. As written, the plan slashes nearly $6 billion in taxes the government now receives, increasing its $20 trillion deficit.

Three weeks after Equifax disclosed a massive data breach potentially affecting 143 million people, credit card comparison site CompareCards.com finds most Americans are still vulnerable to fraud..

The company has released a survey showing just 25 percent of consumers have alerts set up on all of their credit cards. Many security experts have recommended placing a freeze on credit files, but the survey shows 78 percent of consumers have not done so.

Chris Mettler, founder and president of CompareCards.com, says consumers need to take advantage of available tools to secure their financial identities.

"Credit card issuers are making it easier to keep tabs on charges with alerts, and providing consumers the ability to instantly lock accounts straight from a mobile device," Mettler told ConsumerAffairs.

"Consumers should look into these features, not just on the accounts they use most often, but on all of their accounts. You need to manually opt in to most of these alerts, so call the number on the back of all your cards to get started if you don't know where to look."

Text alert

For example, many credit card issuers offer to send customers a text alert whenever their cards are charged an amount in excess of $100.

The survey found that only 22 percent of consumers pay for a credit monitoring service, which alerts them at the first sign of suspicious activity on their credit accounts. It also found that 60 percent have not changed a PIN code in the last year, and that 30 percent have never changed their PIN.

"The number of people who haven't changed their PIN at all is startling," Mettler said. "While [PIN numbers were] not a piece of information leaked in the Equifax breach, it's the ability to combine information that adds to the risk. Fraudsters can use information found on the dark web in conjunction with skimmed PIN codes to cause further trouble."

'Inadequate' response

CompareCards.com also calls Equifax's offer to affected consumers "inadequate." They note that Social Security numbers do not expire, and affected consumers will have to take proactive measures to protect their identities from now on.

Equifax is offering affected consumers one year of free credit monitoring and identity theft insurance, but the process of registering 143 million people has been slow. This reporter signed up for the service September 14 but was not able to activate the account until September 27.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a guidance, saying pregnant women and young children should avoid exposure to flame retardants often found in a wide range of consumer products.

The guidance urges consumers to check any children's products such as furniture, mattresses, and the plastic cases on electronic devices for a class of flame retardants known as organohalogens.

This comes a week after the CPSC granted a petition to move forward on new rules that could ban flame retardants altogether.

The North American Flame Retardant Alliance, part of the American Chemistry Council, expressed "extreme disappointment" last week after the CPSC vote. In a statement, the trade group charged the agency failed to consider the fire safety of consumer products.

"There is no reason CPSC commissioners should have to choose between chemical safety and fire safety, as they can have both," the organization said.

Environmental and public health organizations have lobbied for banning organohalogens for the last few years. The Green Science Policy Institute says toxic flame retardants can be associated with chronic diseases like cancer, and have been linked to developmental issues in children.

Sending a signal

"The CPSC recommendation in the Federal Register should send a signal to manufacturers to limit use of all flame retardants in products where they do not provide a fire safety benefit," said Dr. Arlene Blum, Executive Director of the Green Science Policy Institute.

Earthjustice, another environmental group that has been widely critical of organohalogens, says the CPSC is sending a clear message to manufacturers -- make sure chemicals in consumer products, including flame retardants, do not pose a health threat.

“Consumers can’t shop their way out of the problem, which is why a ban is needed," said Eve Gartner, Earthjustice co-counsel. "Today’s warning is a good interim step.”

Rachel Weintraub, legislative director and general counsel at Consumer Federation of America (CFA), cautions that consumers still need to be cautious and shop with care until these chemicals are banned.

Flame retardants in TVs

In a recent report, the environmental group Toxic Free Future said toxic flame retardants continue to be used in many television sets. Specifically, the report alleges that 11 out of 12 TV sets examined had flame retardant concentrations of up to 33 percent of the weight of the plastic case. The report said eight of the TV sets used flame retardants that were "of high concern."

TV sets made by Element and Samsung, the researchers claim, contain the PBDE flame retardant deca-BDE, despite its being banned in Washington, Maine, Oregon, Vermont, and Maryland. The researchers said only one TV in the study, made by Insignia, did not contain any of the flame retardants in the test.

The practice of incorporating flame retardants in consumer products – including children's sleepwear – came in the 1970s after a series of tragic fires.

Would you buy a $100,000 pick-up truck?

Ford is introducing the 2018 Ford F-450, a new F-Series pick-up that can tow 15 tons and costs nearly $100,000 to drive off the lot. The automaker is targeting big ranchers, contractors, and RV owners with what it says is the most expensive mass produced truck ever.

“There are heavy-duty truck customers who need Super Duty-level capability and want true luxury,” said Todd Eckert, Ford Truck group marketing manager. “We created this new truck to answer the call for even more premium choices in the Super Duty range as we see more and more truck customers trending to more premium models.”

In case you haven't been vehicle shopping lately, pick-ups have gotten a lot more expensive in recent years. The average transaction price of a full-sized pick-up last month was nearly $47,000. The Ford Super Duty trucks, however, take it to another whole level.

$80,000 base price

The F-250 Super Duty Limited 4x4 starts at nearly $81,000. The base price for the F-450 Super Duty Limited 4x4 is $87,100, with the price rising to over $94,000 when you check each of the option boxes.

Performance automotive manufacturer Shelby American is also introducing its version of the Ford F-150 pick-up, which carries a $100,000 price tag. The F-150 Super Snake has a 750 horsepower engine and more power than any of its previous trucks. Michael Harley, group managing editor for Kelley Blue Book, says you probably won't see to many of these vehicles on the road.

“This is a very low volume model that is targeted at collectors and dedicated enthusiasts," he told ConsumerAffairs. “Don’t expect your local plumber to pull up to your curb in a 750-horsepower Ford F-150 anytime soon.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first continuous glucose monitoring system Wednesday, allowing adult patients to check their blood sugar levels without having to stick their fingers and use a blood sample.

In lieu of a blood sample, the FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System uses a small sensor wire that is inserted just below the skin surface via a small patch. It continuously measures and monitors blood glucose levels while worn, and users can see if their glucose levels are high or low by waving a dedicated mobile reader above the wire.

“The FDA is always interested in new technologies that can help make the care of people living with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, easier and more manageable,” said FDA deputy director of new product evaluation Donald St. Pierre.

“This system allows people with diabetes to avoid the additional step of fingerstick calibration, which can sometimes be painful, but still provides necessary information for treating their diabetes—with a wave of the mobile reader.”

Risks and functions

The new glucose monitoring system could prove to be a viable option for over 30 million diabetes patients in the U.S.. However, the FDA says that the device should only be used by individuals aged 18 or older.

The FDA also says that there are certain risks associated with using the new device. They include both hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia (in cases where the information provided by the device isn’t accurate) and skin irritation around the insertion site.

The system also does not provide real-time alerts or alarms without user interaction, so consumers will not be notified if their glucose levels change while they are asleep or otherwise occupied.

The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System is the third medical device to be approved by the FDA this year. The agency also approved a transcatheter heart valve in June and a pediatric esophageal atresia device in May.

The combination of warm weather and children heading back to school creates a perfect environment for lice outbreaks, and common misconceptions about head lice may put more kids at risk.

Dr. Patricia Brown, a dermatologist at the FDA, says the number of lice cases seems to peak when kids go back to school in the fall and again in January. When children play closely together, scalp-dwelling lice are given ample opportunities to move from one child to the next.

Regular head-to-head contact means the threat of head lice is much greater -- and contrary to myth, lice don’t prefer hosts with poor hygiene. In fact, lice are attracted to clean, healthy hair.

Identifying lice

While you might think itching is a tell-tale sign your child has lice, experts say only about 30 percent of people itch when they have lice. The best way to identify lice is to conduct regular checks.

Brown recommends checking for head lice or nits by parting the hair in several spots. To help spot the sesame-sized critters, you can use a magnifying glass and a bright light. Nits (lice eggs) tend to be easier to spot and typically look like dandruff stuck to hair follicles, Brown explained.

If nits or lice are spotted, the next step is to begin the treatment process. The FDA advises against using insecticide sprays or fogs, stating “they are not necessary to control head lice and can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.”

FDA-approved treatments for head lice include both over-the-counter and prescription drugs, such as Nix and Rid -- but be sure to read the label before purchasing head lice products to treat a very young child, since many are not for use in children under the age of 2.

Prevention tips

Head lice are the second highest cause of school attendance issues in the United States – between 6 and 12 million U.S. kids get head lice each year. To prevent a lice outbreak, it’s important to teach kids how to avoid coming into contact with them in the first place.

Teach children to avoid head-to-head contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playgrounds, slumber parties, and camps) and not to share clothing, hats, hair accessories, helmets, headphones, and other supplies.

If a lice outbreak does occur, the FDA recommends taking the following steps to help control the spread of lice:

• Disinfect combs and brushes used by a person with head lice by soaking them in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes.

• Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with a person with head lice.

• Machine wash and dry clothing, bed linens, and other items used by the person with lice using hot water and a high heat drying cycle. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry-cleaned or sealed in a plastic bag and stored for two weeks.

• Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the person with lice was sitting or lying down.

• After finishing treatment with lice medication, check everyone in your family for lice after one week. If live lice are found, contact your health care professional.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 443,712 model year 2013-2017 RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis, 4500 Cab Chassis, and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, equipped with Cummins 6.7L Turbo Diesel engines that have Concentric-brand water pumps without a vent hole.

The water pumps may leak coolant, which can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pumps, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 1, 2017.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T51.