Current Events in September 2018

The adverse effects associated with plastic products that contain Bisphenol A (BPA) have been well-documented for decades, going back to a team that first discovered abnormalities in the eggs of animals who were exposed to the plastic ingredient.

Now, in what may be a fitting discovery, the same team that first discovered this danger says that alternatives to BPA aren’t much safer. The team, hailing from Washington State University, reported feeling “a strange déjà vu experience in our laboratory” when they came to their conclusions.

The team states that efforts by regulators to provide a BPA alternative have been unsuccessful and pose a danger to consumers.

“Rapid production of structural variants of BPA and other EDCs circumvents efforts to eliminate dangerous chemicals, exacerbates the regulatory burden of safety assessment, and increases environmental contamination,” they said.

Damage lasting generations

The team came to their latest conclusions about BPA alternatives after studying how the products affected mice. After testing several BPA alternatives, the researchers found that these new products negatively affected the reproductive system.

The team believes that the finding could mean trouble for future generations of consumers whose parents and grandparents were exposed to these products.

“These findings add to growing evidence of the biological risks posed by this class of chemicals,” the researchers said.

Unsafe alternatives

This isn’t the first time that BPA alternatives have been subjected to scrutiny. Studies dating back several years, including one conducted at UCLA, have asserted that these products are not completely risk-free.

“Exposure to low levels of BPA had a significant impact on the embryos’ development of brain cells that control reproduction, and the genes that control reproduction later in life,” said Nancy Wayne, lead author of the study conducted back in 2016. “We saw many of these same effects with BPS found in BPA-free products. BPS is not harmless.”

More recently, researchers have cited evidence suggesting that some of BPS products promoted growth of cancer cells. This has led some experts to caution consumers away from consuming foods or drinks that are packaged in products containing BPA or BPS.

“Currently...regulatory agencies charged with assessing chemical safety cannot keep pace with the introduction of new chemicals,” said the research team from Washington State University. “Further, as replacement bisphenols illustrate, it is easier and more cost effective under current chemical regulations to replace a chemical of concern with structural analogs rather than determine the attributes that make it hazardous.”

The full study has been published in the journal Current Biology.

A beverage giant with unfortunate ties to sugar addiction, diabetes, America’s obesity epidemic, and, a very long time ago, cocaine, appears to be eyeing greener pastures.

Beverage companies are considering infusing drinks with cannabis and marketing them as “wellness beverages,” Coca-Cola recently told BNN Bloomberg.

Consumers wouldn’t be getting high. The industry is interested only in cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive component of cannabis that is thought to have numerous health benefits.

A Coca-Cola spokesman told Bloomberg that “along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world.”

Developing CBD-infused beverages

The company did not delve into its own business matters, but sources close to the deal told Bloomberg that Coca-Cola is in “serious talks” with a Colorado-based cannabis firm called Aurora Cannabis to develop CBD-infused beverages.

Several major beer companies have also recently announced plans to make cannabis-infused drinks, both with and without alcohol. The news comes in light of new research suggesting that people drink less alcohol in places where weed has been legalized.

Researchers in the United States are unable to study pure CBD thanks to cumbersome government regulations, weed researchers say. The samples of cannabis they study must come from the federal government, which only makes strains that contain THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, available for research.

But anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD can help people who are struggling with depression, epilepsy, muscle cramps, and pain -- as well as people trying to avoid alcohol or lose weight, the exact types of consumers who may otherwise avoid buying products from beer companies or Coca-Cola.

With only anecdotal reports and marketing departments making those health claims, companies selling CBD have also been known to exaggerate. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year cracked down on a CBD company that claimed its products could “cure cancer.”

Regardless, if Coca-Cola decides to make a CBD-infused beverage, it could become hugely profitable at a time when Americans are trying to cut back on sugar and embrace “natural” cures. Investors predict that the CBD market will grow 700 percent by 2020.

Inflammation is a useful mechanism employed by the body to protect itself from all manner of infections, injuries, and outside influences. However, research shows that it can also be a cause of many major health problems.

While pharmaceutical options exist that can help reduce inflammation, a new study shows that those who consume a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods live longer lives. The researchers say the finding was especially prevalent among smokers.

“Adherence to a diet with high anti-inflammatory potential may reduce all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality and prolong survival time especially amongst smokers,” the researchers stated.

Reduced risk of death

The study examined over 68,000 men and women between the ages of 45 and 83 who were tracked over the course of 16 years.

The researchers found that those who closely followed an anti-inflammatory diet reduced their risk of all-cause mortality by 18 percent; these individuals also had a 20 percent reduced risk of death related to cardiovascular issues and a 13 percent reduced risk of cancer mortality compared to those who followed the diet to a lesser degree.

So, which foods did these participants eat to glean these benefits? Foods high in anti-inflammatory properties include many fruits and vegetables, tea, coffee, whole grain bread, breakfast cereal, low-fat cheese, olive oil, canola oil, nuts, chocolate, and moderate amounts of red wine and beer. Foods that may encourage inflammation include red meat, organ meats, chips, and soft-drink beverages.

“Our dose-response analysis showed that even partial adherence to the anti-inflammatory diet may provide a health benefit,” said Dr. Joanna Kaluza, the study’s lead author.

The full study has been published in the Journal of Internal Medecine.

Amazon is debuting a new online store called “Amazon Storefronts” which directs the spotlight toward products from businesses based in the United States.

Amazon Storefronts will have everything you’d expect from the online shopping mecca. All told, there will be more nearly 20,000 businesses in all 50 U.S. states offering more than a million products from 27 product categories.

“We’ve created a custom, one-stop shopping experience for customers looking for interesting, innovative and high quality products from American businesses from all across the country,” said Nicholas Denissen, Vice President for Amazon.

“Amazon first invited businesses to sell on Amazon nearly two decades ago, and today, small and medium-sized businesses are a vital part of Amazon’s large selection and commitment to customers. We’re championing their success with this new store and a national advertising campaign featuring a successful Michigan business selling on Amazon to customers across the U.S. and worldwide.”

What the consumer will find

Once inside Amazon Storefronts, customers will find curated American collections from artisans and start-ups, plus a “Storefront of the Week” highlighting the faces and businesses behind the products.

“Since we started selling on Amazon in October 2016, our sales have nearly doubled. Due to our success, we have been able to hire new team members from our community, including full and part time jobs,” said Holly Rutt, co-founder of Little Flower Soap Co., the U.S. business owner featured in Amazon’s national TV ad pitching Storefronts.

“We believe that customers like to know the story behind what they’re buying. When there is worry about creating jobs, it’s reassuring for customers to know their purchases are helping sustain jobs in the U.S.”

American-based, not American-made

On its face, the initiative might be a tad misleading as to where the products are actually made. While the products need to be sold from a company based in the U.S., Amazon clarified in an email to ConsumerAffairs that “the products do not have to be made in the U.S.”

The word “fear” doesn’t seem to be in Amazon’s dictionary. From taking on the grocery world with its purchase of Whole Foods to taking on Etsy with Amazon Handmade and the pharmaceutical world with its acquisition of PillPack, the company has displayed incredible moxie, and this move is no different.

Given that half of everything sold on its main portal comes from small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs), piggybacking on that metric and the pride of buying American-driven products is a definite plus -- not only for Amazon’s bank account but its persona and its place in the job-creation world, too.

Amazon estimates that SMBs selling on Amazon have created more than 900,000 jobs globally.

The trade group representing payday lenders has asked a court for an injunction to block implementation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) small dollar loan rule.

The rule requires payday lenders to, among other things, determine whether a borrower has the means to repay the loan -- a standard to which traditional lenders are held. The Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) says the rule, drafted by the Obama administration, is causing payday lenders to lay off employees and close stores.

In a motion filed in U.S. District Court in Austin, Texas, CFSA says the yet-to-be-implemented rule has already caused "irreparable harm" to the payday loan industry.

“Businesses, their employees and communities across the country are already facing the harmful consequences of the bureau’s misguided rule,” said Dennis Shaul, CEO of CFSA. “Worse, once fully implemented, the rule would virtually eliminate small-dollar, short-term loans, kill hundreds of small businesses, eliminate thousands of jobs and deny access to credit for millions of Americans.”

Trapping consumers in a cycle of debt

CFSA cites research from CFPB that it says shows the rule would reduce reduce the volume of payday loans by up to 93 percent. For many consumer advocates, that would be just fine.

Many consumer groups have criticized payday loans for allegedly trapping borrowers in a cycle of high-interest debt. That's because of the way the loans are structured.

While a credit card loan is open-ended, with the borrower paying until the balance is paid off, a payday loan is due in two weeks. If the borrower doesn't have the money by then -- and critics charge few do -- they take out another loan, paying another fee.

Competition from banks

The CFPB small dollar loan rule is scheduled to take effect next year, but a larger threat to payday lenders may come in the form of competing products from traditional banks. Last week, U.S. Bank rolled out its Simple Loan, which charges a similar fee for a small dollar loan but gives the borrower three months, instead of two weeks, to pay it back.

While the move has been cheered by many consumer advocates, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) says it still isn't a safe payday loan alternative. The group says the cost of the Simple Loan may be lower than a payday loan's 400 percent APR, but it's still 70 percent or more.

"We reject the notion that bank loans as high as 70 to 88 percent APR will drive out higher-priced credit by non-banks,” said Rebecca Borné, CRL's senior policy counsel.

Instead, she is urging states to impose interest rate caps that make interest rates over 36 percent APR illegal. She said 31 states already have interest rate caps that would make U.S. Banks Simple Loan illegal if it were made by a payday lender.

The beginning of college can be a tumultuous and confusing time for many young people. It may seem like the trajectory of one’s life hinges on choices made at this young age, and a report shows that this is negatively affecting the mental health of college students around the globe.

Researchers from Columbia University found that over one-third students in eight industrialized countries showed symptoms consistent with a diagnosable mental health disorder. They point out that the finding could have huge implications.

“While effective care is important, the number of students who need treatment for these disorders far exceeds the resources of most counseling centers, resulting in a substantial unmet need for mental health treatment among college students,” said Dr. Randy P. Auerbach, the study’s lead author.

“Considering that students are a key population for determining the economic success of a country, colleges must take a greater urgency in addressing this issue.”

Under-equipped counseling services

The researchers came to their conclusions after examining data from an initiative run by the Word Health Organization (WHO). The information covered nearly 14,000 students from 19 countries, including the United States.

The researchers say that over one-third (35 percent) of students reported having symptoms that were linked to at least one mental health disorder. The most common was major depressive disorder, with generalized anxiety disorder coming in second.

The findings are worrying in light of previous research, which shows that only 15-20 percent of students will seek help from a counseling service at their college or university. Even at that lower percentage, the researchers point out that resources are nearly tapped out.

“University systems are currently working at capacity and counseling centers tend to be cyclical, with students ramping up service use toward the middle of the semester, which often creates a bottleneck,” Auerbach said.

Internet-based tools could help

While many of these counseling centers may be under-equipped to handle all student cases, Auerbach says that using other tools to get help is a viable option, especially for students who may be reluctant to come forward and talk to someone in person.

“Internet-based clinical tools may be helpful in providing treatment to students who are less inclined to pursue services on campus or are waiting to be seen,” he said.

The full study has been published by the American Psychological Association.

Sears Holdings' well documented troubles have resulted in dozens of store closings and even concerns about the company's long-term future. But company CEO Eddie Lampert says it's not the business model that's producing the most headwinds -- it's company pensions.

Writing on the Sears Holdings blog, Lampert maintains that the steps the company has taken in recent years are sound and have produced positive results.

"We have integrated capabilities that leverage our physical store footprint, our unique service businesses and the Shop Your Way ecosystem to constantly define an integrated retail experience for our members," Lampert writes. "We continue to evolve our Shop Your Way 5-3-2-1 credit card, and our amended deal with our partner, Citi, should only make our efforts stronger."

Lampert concedes that adapting to the new retail environment, in which consumers continue to shift to online channels, has been a problem. But he says that's been a problem for every other brick and mortar retailer, some of which are actually thriving.

Gobbling up much-needed resources

The CEO says Sears Holdings, which operates both Sears and Kmart stores, has the added burden of managing its long-term pension obligations, which he says have gobbled up much-needed resources.

"In the last five years, we contributed almost $2 billion, and since 2005 we have contributed over $4.5 billion, to fund our pension plans," Lampert writes.

Pensions have cost more in part, he says, because the Federal Reserve has held interest rates near zero for so long, meaning the company has had to contribute more cash to its pension funds.

Competitors don't have that burden

"Had the Company been able to employ those billions of dollars in its operations, we would have been in a better position to compete with other large retail companies, many of which don’t have large pension plans, and thus have not been required to allocate billions of dollars to these liabilities," Lampert said.

In its latest quarterly earnings report last week, Sears noted that its decline in same-store sales was the smallest in more than three years. At Sears and Kmart stores open for at least 12 months, sales fell 3.9 percent during the second quarter, compared to an 11.9 percent drop in sales in the previous quarter.

While the company acknowledged the encouraging trend, it said it will continue to identify and close unprofitable stores. So far in 2018 it has either closed or planned to close a total of 99 stores.

General Motors is recalling 41,468 model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500s, 3500s, 1500 Crew Cab Special Services, Tahoe Police Pursuit/Special Services, GMC Sierra 2500s, and 3500s vehicles.

The brake pedal pivot nut may loosen, causing the brake pedal to be loose or inoperative.

If the brake pedal becomes loose or inoperative, the driver may be unable to stop the vehicle by using the brake pedal.

Additionally, a loose pedal may also interfere with the accelerator pedal.

Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

GM will notify owners, and dealers will add adhesive to the nut and reinstall the nut with increased tightness, free of charge.

The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at (800) 222-1020, or GMC customer service at (800) 462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18278.

Bravo Packing of Carneys Point, N.J., is recalling all Performance Dog products, a frozen raw pet food.

The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

No human or animal illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled products come frozen in 2-pound and 5-pound plastic sleeves with the manufacture date code 071418 printed on the boxes that contain the plastic sleeves, but not on the individual plastic sleeves.

Therefore, if the cardboard box has been discarded, there are no unique identification numbers on the individual sleeves that allow customers to determine that they possess the recalled products.

What to do

If customers purchased these product since July 14, 2018, and cannot determine whether it is affected by the recall, they should discard the product

Consumers with questions may contact Bravo Packing at (856) 299-1044 Monday – Friday from 6:00AM-2:00PM, and on Saturday from 4:00AM-9:00AM EST) or online at www.bravopacking.com.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 49,197 120V Convenience charge cords that were supplied with and sold for use with model year 2013-2015 Ford C-Max Energi & Fusion Energi vehicles, and model year 2012-2015 Ford Focus Electric vehicles.

Cords with part numbers FM58-10B706-AA, FM58-10B706-AB, FM58-10B706-AC, FM58-10B706-AD, FM58-10B706-AE and FM58-10B706-AF were manufactured without thermistors.

During vehicle charging, increased resistance in the house's outlet or wiring can cause the cord to overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the current cord with a new 120V convenience cord with a thermistor, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin September 17, 2018.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S24.

What happened 10 years ago nearly brought down the world's financial system, and a decade later it is still affecting consumers.

On September 15, 2008 Lehman Brothers, not just an investment bank but a Wall Street institution, filed for bankruptcy. It was heavily invested in mortgage backed securities that were quickly on their way to becoming worthless because of a wave of subprime foreclosures.

Almost overnight, credit dried up and the economy contracted, throwing millions of people out of work and taking a huge bite out of investment portfolios. Home prices plunged, trapping many homeowners underwater for years.

Long-term effects

Something like that can have long-term effects, and a newly released report from Betterment, a financial services company, finds the economic trauma of a decade ago affects everything from consumers' attitudes toward finances and the financial industry to their hopes for a secure financial future.

"Ten years after the crisis, most consumers remain deeply distrustful of Wall Street and are still working to recover financially," the authors write.

Oddly, the report finds that millennials who graduated in the midst of the financial crisis have shown a remarkable resilience. This generation is now one of the most optimistic about their financial futures.

But overall, the hangover from the financial crisis and resulting Great Recession is pretty severe. The Betterment survey shows 15 percent on respondents reporting their employer either stopped supporting or stopped matching 401(k) contributions.

Twenty-seven percent of consumers either stopped saving for retirement or contributing to their retirement accounts. Fourteen percent still saved but kept their savings only in cash.

Majority believe they are in worse shape

Sixty-five percent of the consumers in the Betterment survey said they still have not recovered financially from the economic upheaval that began a decade ago. That sentiment also shows up in a survey by NerdWallet, a personal finance company.

That survey found 55 percent of consumers feel like they are in worse shape than they were before the financial crisis. Roughly three-quarters of consumers said they have changed their financial habits because of what happened 10 years ago.

“Most Americans continue to live by the lessons they learned from the financial crisis, even though it began 10 years ago," said Holden Lewis, NerdWallet's markets insights expert. "As a result of the crisis and the Great Recession that followed...many people are cautious about their spending and they avoid debt whenever they can."

Home values, which plunged after the financial crisis, have regained all of their lost value and more. But a report by Zillow shows the recovery is uneven, occurring mostly in the nation's largest metros.

The Zillow report shows homes in Las Vegas, which have seen some of the steepest gains in the country over the past year, are still 16 percent below their pre-crash values. Orlando and Chicago home values remain nearly 14 percent below that level.

In case investing in cryptocurrency wasn’t enough of a gamble for you, some app developers are inviting people to literally gamble their Bitcoin and other blockchain earnings away.

One such app, called EOSBet Dice, lets users bet their EOS cryptocurrency in, you guessed it, a game of dice.

Several days ago, EOSBet Dice mocked a competitor for suffering a “severe hack today that drained their bankroll.” EOSBet Dice then confidently Tweeted to its own users that they are safe.

“We have the biggest bankroll, the best developers, and a superior UI. Play on,” the message said.

That turned out to not be true. Several days later, a hacker targeted EOSBet Dice and made off with $125,000 worth of coins. The theft was reportedly spotted by a Reddit user. The app confirmed in the Reddit thread that it is investigating.

Tesla cars

Futuristic cars are skimping on data security, researchers have longed charged, and now one team says that even items as basic as keys are vulnerable.

Researchers from Belgium say it took them two seconds to clone a key fob belonging to a Tesla Model S. However, the problem isn’t just with Tesla but all keyless ignition systems.

“Today it’s very easy for us to clone these key fobs in a matter of seconds. We can completely impersonate the key fob and open and drive the vehicle,” one researcher told Wired, which reported that Tesla has already implemented a fix.

“A corresponding software update for all Model S vehicles allows customers with cars built prior to June to switch to the new key fobs if they wish,” a company spokesman told the magazine.

In gas-powered cars, meanwhile, keyless entry systems have already been proven to be even more dangerous, particularly in cars that do not have any alarms or other systems in place to warn owners if a car was mistakenly left idling.

The New York Times reported in May that 28 deaths have been linked to carbon monoxide poisoning from mistakenly leaving a keyless car running in a home garage.

As Canada’s new law to legalize and regulate marijuana is set to go into effect on October 17, Canadian officials are warning citizens to remain cautious when they visit the United States.

Since weed is still illegal under United States federal laws, getting caught transporting any across the border comes with serious consequences. But even investing in Canada’s nascent legal weed market or simply smoking some there could come with penalties.

Officials with United States Border Protection and Customs Enforcement are now saying that people who work in the weed industry, in either Canada or in states where it has been legalized in the U.S., could be turned away.

“Working or having involvement in the legal marijuana industry in U.S. states where it is deemed legal or Canada may affect an individual’s admissibility to the U.S.,” a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Bloomberg News.

Another official with the Border Protection office told Politico that working with legal weed could result in a lifetime ban.

“Our officers are not going to be asking everyone whether they have used marijuana, but if other questions lead there — or if there is a smell coming from the car, they might ask,” the official said.

Risk of lifetime ban

The obvious solution for weed executives or workers would be to simply deny any involvement, in addition to making sure their car doesn’t smell suspicious. But lying to a border agent also carries the risk of a lifetime ban, officials say.

It could create problems for workers or executives if border officials ask them straightforward questions about their occupations.

“We don’t recognize that as a legal business,” the official said, adding that marijuana investors from Israel have already been turned away.

The warnings have reportedly sent cannabis-related stocks in Canada tumbling down.

United States officials already have broad powers to ask foreigners about their past or current drug use. But Canadian officials say they are confident that United States officials aren’t about to start grilling every person who passes through if they have ever smoked weed.

“Despite one-in-eight Canadians using cannabis today, 400,000 people move between our two countries every day almost entirely without incident,” Canada's public safety office told Bloomberg.

“Officials from the United States have said that they do not plan on changing their questions at primary inspection after cannabis is legalized in Canada."

As Hurricane Florence touches down in the southeastern region of the U.S., Verizon Wireless has been preparing its network for the brunt of the storm.

The wireless provider has been working to ensure its network stays up and running for its customers, as well as for first responders who rely on the network to respond to emergencies. Prior to the hurricane, Verizon had been sandbagging and topping up backup generators and deploying mobile cell sites.

Because fewer and fewer people have landlines, wireless networks staying up during storms are more important than ever. It is for this reason that Verizon has tried to stay on top of its game in its prep for Hurricane Florence.

“I don’t have a magic crystal ball to predict the future,” said Karen Schultz, spokesperson for Verizon. “But I can tell you that we maintained 98 percent reliability during Hurricane Harvey and 90 percent of our network remained up in Florida during Irma.”

Free service during the storm

Verizon Wireless will also be offering free calling, texting, and data to customers between September 14 and September 17. The promotion will be available for postpaid and prepaid customers who live in Georgia, Virginia, and North and South Carolina.

“As we enter the final hours before Hurricane Florence makes landfall, we hope this allows our customers in these areas to worry about one less thing and focus on their safety and security,” said Russ Preite, president of the southeast market for Verizon Wireless. “This is just one way we can help residents as the potentially dangerous storm challenges the Southeast coast.”

Verizon has also lifted the speed caps on its data service for all first responders in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, and Virginia.

As hurricane Florence winds its way up the East coast, technology is at the forefront of helping out those impacted by the storm.

During ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ on Friday, Becky Worley weighed in on apps that could benefit families and friends in emergency situations like Florence.

During her segment, Worley recommended and reviewed the following apps:

Zello

Zello is a “walkie-talkie” app that mimics a two-way radio transceiver, allowing users to communicate with family and friends on WiFi or any cellular data service. Zello not only works on smartphones, but tablets and PCs, as well.

With a network of 120 million users, there’s an excellent chance users will be able to find a local connection easily and quickly. One of Zello’s purported upsides is its reliability with marginal networks.

“The fact that it works on such a slim cell signal might help in an emergency,” said Worley in her review.

Crowdsource Rescue

Crowdsource Rescue describes its platform as “neighbors helping neighbors,” and it’s one of the simplest apps you’ll ever use. There’a red button for “I need to be rescued’ and a green button for “I can help rescue.”

The app’s interactive map pinpoints where help is needed or helpers are available. To determine whether a boat or a truck is the best rescue vehicle, it shares details of the estimated height of the water, how swiftly the water is moving, and how dangerous the situation is.

"We have about 950 people who have signed up on our app as of this moment who've said, 'I am a rescuer and I have a boat or I have a truck and I can help,' as well as a number of dispatchers and people who are helping remotely," Matthew Marchetti, co-founder of CrowdSource Rescue, told ABC News. "We expect to be inundated with requests for help in the next 24 hours."

Marchetti said his team helped some 37,000 people during the three major hurricanes of 2017.

Nextdoor

Nextdoor is a social networking-style app of 181,000 communities. As opposed to how Facebook and other social networks run, Nextdoor users are asked to use their real names and physical addresses. User posts aren’t public, either, nor are people defined by “friends” or “groups.”

“In a crisis, it may be the most hyperlocal source of information,” Worley said.

Last year, Target caught the eyes of many job seekers when it announced that it would be hiring 100,000 temporary workers for the holiday season. This year, the retailer is raising the ante even higher.

On Thursday, company officials announced that they would be hiring on 120,000 seasonal workers this year, with a large amount of those positions going towards fulfilling online orders. The move will help Target manage what it expects to be a busy holiday season for foot traffic in stores and pick-up and drive-up services.

Target announced that it will be holding hiring events at its stores around the U.S. from October 12 through October 14.

Moving in on the toy market

Target’s decision to increase its workforce during the holidays follows a strong second quarter in which its online sales rose by over 40 percent. CEO Brian Cornell called the bump to online traffic “unprecedented.”

With the closing of Toys “R” Us, the spike comes at a good time. Company officials say that they’ll be looking to step in and snag as much of the toy market as it can when parents go to shop for their little ones this holiday season -- a plan shared by both Walmart and Amazon.

“We are investing in categories like toy and baby where we know we have this big opportunity ahead of us,” Cornell told CNBC in August. “We are going to make sure we are taking more than our fair share of that market share.”

The company plans to fill 7,500 positions at fulfillment and distribution centers, where seasonal workers will help unload and pack up orders. Positions in stores will primarily focus on restocking shelves and helping customers find items.

Spotify’s previous rules for downloading songs offline left many consumers frustrated because of its strict limitations. Prior to its most recent update, users were restricted to downloading 3,333 songs to play offline across three devices.

Now, Spotify unveiled its latest update, and without a proper announcement, Spotify nearly tripled its download limit. Users noticed this week that the limit had been raised, and Spotify confirmed the change to Rolling Stone.

“At Spotify, we’re always working on improving the experience for our users,” a spokesperson said. “We can now confirm that we have increased the number of offline tracks per device -- from 3,333 on three devices to 10,000 tracks per device for up to five devices.”

The download limit was users’ biggest gripe with the streaming service, as being able to download songs to a computer, phone, or tablet allowed them to listen to music without an internet connection. While users still can’t download an infinite number of songs, the boost should definitely make a difference for listeners.

Sears Holdings, operator of Sears and Kmart stores, continues to lose money as it closes stores, but its latest earnings report holds a sliver of good news.

The decline in same-store sales in the latest quarter was the smallest in more than three years. At Sears and Kmart stores open for at least 12 months, sales fell 3.9 percent during the second quarter, compared to a 11.9 percent drop in sales in the previous quarter.

The decline in sales was slightly smaller at Kmart stores than at Sears. The company said its comparable sales grew 3 percent in July and 2.5 percent in August.

"While we are encouraged by the improved comparable stores sales trend we experienced in the second quarter, and the positive comparable store sales of 3.0 percent and 2.5 percent achieved in the months of July and August, respectively, we have yet to achieve our goal of returning the company to profitability," said CEO Edward S. Lampert. "We continue to close unprofitable stores, and we are hopeful that we can stabilize our store base at a meaningful level in the near future."

Quarterly loss doubles

The cost of closing stores weighed heavily on the company's bottom line in the second quarter. The company reported a net loss of $508 million, more than double the net loss of $250 million for the second quarter of 2017.

"Our goal is to right-size our store footprint to a solid base from which we can operate and grow profitably, while leveraging our online and Shop Your Way platforms," Lampert said.

The company said it will identify additional opportunities to "streamline operations and reduce expenses" in the second half of the year, suggesting consumers may see additional store closings.

Sears served notice in January that it was in dire financial straits. It identified 150 unprofitable stores targeted for possible closing. So far, 99 have either closed or are among those that will close by November.

Other steps to raise cash

In addition to closing unprofitable stores, the company has also been considering other steps to raise cash. It has been in talks with a hedge fund that has offered to buy Sears Holdings' Kenmore appliance division for $400 million and the home improvement business for $80 million. The company had no comment on the status of those talks.

Sears said it plans to expand its Sears Auto Center tire installation program with Amazon.com which is now available nationwide. It also said is plans to expand its online marketplace with popular products sold by third parties.