Current Events in September 2018

Already the only U.S. airline to offer live TV on international flights, American Airlines is rolling out free TV for its domestic passengers.

The airline announced that it’s flipping the switch on 100 domestic aircraft to start, with plans to keep growing both live TV and high-speed internet to more than 700 of its planes during 2019. The service results from a partnership with DISH, and it will reportedly costAmerican $12.3 billion to modernize its fleet to make the idea a reality.

“Our customers have told us they want a living room experience in the air -- the ability to watch free entertainment, stream their favorite shows on-demand, charge their phones and stay connected from start to finish during their travels,” said Kurt Stache, American’s Senior Vice President for Marketing, Loyalty & Sales.

Fliers will be able to access the streams via laptops, smartphones, or tablets and will have 12 live TV channels to choose from. These include:

• Bravo

• CBS

• CNBC

• CNN

• Disney Channel

• ESPN

• FOX

• NBC

• NFL Network

• Telemundo

• TNT

• USA

The airlines are paying attention

It’s true that fliers might feel nickel-and-dimed, but the airlines have caught on that the shift to personal digital devices is a chance to offer more for less, be it electric power outlets, Wi-Fi, or on-demand video.

“American’s vision aligns with internet-user trends that are a reality both on the ground and in the air,” Access Intel’s Woodrow Bellamy III told ConsumerAffairs.

“Just look at the numbers: Cisco’s latest mobile data traffic forecast, for example, predicts that 78% of global mobile data traffic will be the consumption of video by 2021. That’s a tough metric not to take advantage of.”

The shape of things to come

In-flight TV and movie entertainment has been around for a couple of decades -- starting with those neck-craning overhead screen versions to the embedded seatback versions the airlines offer now.

“Seatback entertainment screens are so 2002,” wrote Skift in its recent airline innovation report. “Airlines should remove them and focus on what their highest-value travelers actually want — fast, reliable Wi-Fi. Passengers who care about quality entertainment can load up their own devices with stuff they actually want to watch. Or they can stream from a server on the plane.”

Switching from seatback screens to passenger devices will take some time, but the shakeout is in high gear.

How do other airlines stack up with American’s new offer?

Southwest is currently offering a free TV promotion, but it has plans to raise that to $5 at some point.

United has partnered with DIRECTV to offer its coach passengers a package of movies and TV shows ranging in price from $4.99 to $7.00 depending on the length of the flight and when the package is purchased.

Delta offers free streaming on seatback monitors as well as digital devices that use the Delta Studio app.

​In an attempt to boost its sales figures before the third quarter comes to a close, Tesla is offering “immediate delivery” of certain rear wheel drive Model 3 vehicles on a “first come, first served basis.”

During an event at its delivery center in Fremont, California, the electric carmaker started sending out emails to people with day one reservations, Electrek reported.

“We have a limited number of Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive vehicles on display that are available for immediate delivery,” Tesla wrote in the email.

“As a first day reservation holder, you’re invited to take advantage of this opportunity on a first-come, first-served basis. We will be extending this invitation to addition Model 3 reservation holders on Monday, September 10.”

It’s unknown how many Model 3’s Tesla has available to deliver through this offer.

With the offer, the company appears to be hoping some reservation holders will take a Model 3 that isn’t configured the way they want if it means they get the EV right away.

The email was also sent to customers waiting for the $35,000 base model of the Model 3, which isn’t due to hit the market until sometime in 2019. Tesla also seems to be hoping some of these customers will be willing to shell out a little extra if it means they can pick up their new car immediately.

After the company achieved its goal of manufacturing 5,000 Model 3s in a week by the end of the second quarter, it has been striving to boost its sales figures as part of an effort to achieve sustainable profitability. Tesla has also tested other ways of getting the cars into customers’ hands as fast as possible, such as through a factory-to-consumer delivery system.

How many robocalls did you receive last month? If you have a mobile phone, it's likely you got a lot.

YouMail, a call brocker and voicemail app, estimates there were 4.2 billion robocalls received during August, a one-month record. That breaks down to 136.2 million calls a day or 1,576 every second.

Many of these calls feature the cheery voice of "Ann" informing you that your company has been approved for a loan or that you qualify for cut-rate health insurance. Increasingly, consumers hang up in the first three seconds or don't answer the call from an unfamiliar number at all.

Ironically, at a time when fewer people use their smartphones to talk to people, a robocall might be the only call you get during a day.

Obviously, someone thinks placing these calls are worthwhile because they are increasing. According to the YouMail Robocall Index, these annoying interruptions have increased more than 33 percent in the first eight months of 2018.

Many are pushing scams

An overwhelming number of these "junk" calls are pushing scams. The cheap robocall technology allows one scammer to hit many more potential victims with less effort needed than in the past, when scammers had to manually dial for their dollars.

YouMail reports the number of scam-related robocalls increased in August to 1.76 billion, nearly 42 percent of all automated calls received by consumers. So-called "good" robocalls -- alerts and reminders -- actually declined during the month. Now, when your smartphone rings, it's probably prudent to not even answer.

"As the cost of placing these calls approaches zero for many ruthless robocallers, there is little reason to expect this problem to decline anytime soon," said YouMail CEO Alex Quilici.

Health insurance scams

Quilici says the top five scam-related robocalls last month were schemes involving health insurance, interest rates, get rich quick ideas, search listings, and home improvements. He says there has been an explosion in health insurance scams that are just a pretense to collect personal information. No insurance is ever provided.

YouMail has also seen an increase in easy money scams that require victims to put up an initial investment to "get in on the ground floor."

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Terrell McSweeny has urged consumers to use some type of call-blocking tool to protect themselves from robocalls. In March, McSweeny told a government forum that there are a growing number of apps that can reduce the number of unwanted and potentially dangerous calls. Many, such as YouMail, are free.

By the way, while finishing up this article, I received a call from a New Jersey number. It was "Ann," whose recorded voice told me the "good news" that she had a "limited number of enrollments" available in attractive health plans. She just needed some information from me.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has suspended trading of two crypto-based securities -- Bitcoin Tracker One and Ether Tracker One.

The regulator said that based on the application materials and trading websites, the securities were characterized as exchange-traded funds (ETFs). However, the SEC cited the products’ issuer in noting that the securities are “non-equity linked certificates;” the regulator has halted trading of the two products until September 20.

“It appears...that there is a lack of current, consistent, accurate information concerning Bitcoin Tracker One and Ether Tracker One, issued by XBT provider AB, a Swedish company headquartered in Stockholm, resulting in confusion amongst market participants regarding these financial instruments,” the SEC wrote in a statement.

“The Commission is of the opinion that the public interest and the protection of investors require a suspension of trading in the securities of the above quoted company.”

Both securities are currently listed on the Stockholm stock exchange as part of Nasdaq’s Nordic markets. The SEC says it is remaining vigilant in its suspension and is warning brokers over complying with the requirements.

“If any broker or dealer enters any quotation which is in violation of the rule, the Commission will consider the need for prompt enforcement action,” the statement adds.

Remaining hopeful for an ETF  

Investors have remained hopeful that the SEC will grant ETF status to a cryptocurrency, but they have been met with nothing but delays and rejections.

Most recently, the Commission blocked another round of Bitcoin-backed ETFs at the end of last month. The agency was most concerned about prices and the potential for manipulation, as well as fraud the vulnerability of the crypto market.

Earlier last month, the SEC delayed a ruling on a proposed Bitcoin ETF, ultimately driving the cost of Bitcoin down. Bitcoin fell nearly 10 percent to just under $6,500 -- the lowest level since July 16.

At the time, an approval from the SEC would’ve undoubtedly raised the value of Bitcoin.

“A green light for the Bitcoin ETF would fire the starting gun on a race among institutional investors to cash-in on this new product, so the market is rightly frustrated by the delay to decision,” said Matthew Newton, an analyst at the investment platform eToro.

The agency will not be making a decision until September 30.

J.D. Power, a company that measures customer satisfaction across a range of consumer products and services, has rated 2018 cars and trucks, based on what owners say about them.

It might not be a surprise that luxury and high-performance names top the list.

Car owners were quizzed about their rides, focusing on overall quality, dependability, and performance. They were also asked to rate the dealerships where they purchased the vehicles.

J.D. Power then came up with a 100-point scale, assigning a number to each of the 2018 models. Troy Snyder, vice president of the Consumer Division at J.D. Power, says nearly 600 cars got a score of 81 or higher, demonstrating that automobiles continue to get better. He said all the results are available at JDPower.com.

"In addition to the rating scores, car shoppers can see which vehicles won a J.D. Power award by segment, so they can rest assured that they're making a wise purchase decision," Snyder said.

Porsche placed four models in the top 13, far more than any other automaker. Genesis and Lexus had two each.

Top cars

Here are the top-rated 2018 cars at JDPower.com, along with their score:

• Porsche 911 (94 points)

• Genesis G90 (93)

• Mercedes-Benz S-Class (92)

• Lincoln Continental (92)

• Porsche Macan (91)

• Lincoln Navigator (91)

• Lexus RX (91)

• Porsche 718 (90)

• BMW 7 Series (90)

• Cadillac Escalade (90)

• Genesis G80 (90)

• Lexus GS (90)

• Porsche Cayenne (90)

The ratings are broken down into classifications. As a consumer, overall quality might be the most important factor in your car-buying decision. For others, dependability might matter most.

Buick is the most dependable 2018 brand in the survey, based on the durability of its entire lineup of cars and SUVs. Ratings are also broken down into vehicle types.

A new study by the HR advisory firm Future Workplace entitled “The Employee Experience” asked office workers’ opinions on the most desired office perks.

Though many might have expected lavish or leisure-oriented answers, the majority of respondents chose perks that are more suited to their day-to-day needs. In a poll of 1,614 North American workers, the number one perk employees are looking for is natural light and views of the outdoors. This answer won out over other perks like on-site childcare, on-site cafeterias, or fitness centers.

Based on the study’s findings, there are several adverse effects when employees do not have access to natural light or views of the outdoors. Forty-three percent of participants reported feeling gloomy because of the lack of light, while 47 percent have reported feeling tired or very tired from the absence of natural light -- or even a window. Additionally, one-third of employees feel there isn’t enough natural light in their workplace.

Overall wellbeing

Future Workplace’s findings echo those of the most recent Gallup report on The State of the American Workplace. Gallup’s study found that over 50 percent of employees consider overall wellbeing to be “very important” to them. Moreover, the study found that the two biggest factors for employees choosing a new workplace are work-life balance and overall wellbeing. Gallup concluded that employees’ performance and engagement increases when they feel fulfilled in all areas of life.

When it comes to natural light, Cornell researcher Dr. Alan Hedge found that health and wellness among workers goes up when natural light is optimized in the workplace. Workers in well-lit spaces reported a 56 percent reduction in drowsiness, a 51 percent drop in eyestrain, and a 63 percent drop in headaches.

Many workplaces are reconsidering their layouts based on the findings from research like Dr. Hedge’s. Amazon’s Spheres, for example, is a workplace in downtown Seattle that has been designed with over 40,000 plants. The Spheres prescribes to the idea that natural light, healthy activities like walking, and working in the presence of plant life all have the ability to stimulate employees and reduce stress in the workplace.

Similarly, Airbnb has designed its call center in Portland, Oregon to be an open space that features natural light and views of the area, while long couches, standing desks, and wireless technology replaced the more traditional desk and phone setup.

In Salt Lake City, Overstock’s 230,000-square-foot office provides workers with a panoramic view of the Salt Lake Valley. CEO Patrick Byrne wanted his employees to remain connected and inspired by the view and had the windows outfitted with smart blinds that automatically adjust the brightness depending on the time of day; the feature allows employees to avoid glare on their computers.

Employers are realizing that their office spaces greatly contribute to their employees’ overall wellbeing and job performance, and it’s clear that many are working to create a balanced and productive work environment.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed charges against 10 individuals, including Florida billionaire Phillip Frost, for allegedly running a scheme that bilked investors out of $27 million.

By way of what it calls a series of “classic pump-and-dump schemes,” the SEC alleges that from 2013 to 2018, Frost and nine other investors manipulated the share price of the stock of three unnamed companies for their own gain.

Frost, who founded pharmaceutical company OPKO Health, allegedly participated in two of these three schemes.

According to the SEC, the investors engaged in illegal promotional activity without disclosing that they owned a stake. They would then wait for their stock prices to rise and then dump their shares into the inflated market. Unsuspecting retail investors, meanwhile, "were left holding virtually worthless stock," the SEC said.

Artificially boosted stock price

“[The group charged] engaged in brazen market manipulation that advanced their financial interests while fleecing innocent investors and undermining the integrity of our securities markets,” said Sanjay Wadhwa, Senior Associate Director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, in a statement. “They failed to appreciate, however, the SEC’s resolve to relentlessly pursue and punish participants in microcap fraud schemes.”

Frost -- who is believed to have a net worth of $2.6 billion, according to Forbes -- earned approximately $1.1 million through his participation in two of the three schemes. However, Frost’s company said in a statement that the SEC did not notify them of their intent to file suit and claimed the complaint contained “serious factual inaccuracies.”

The SEC said in its release that the group allegedly made more than $27 million from the unlawful stock sales

“In every scheme ... some combination of [four others charged] and Frost either explicitly or tacitly agreed to buy, hold or sell their shares in coordination with one another, knowing that a pump and dump was in the offing that would allow them all to profit handsomely,“ the SEC alleges.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 87 model year 2018 Ford Edges, Lincoln MKXs, and model year 2019 Ford Flexes, and Lincoln MKTs.

The power supply cables at the starter and the alternator may not have been secured properly, possibly resulting in an electrical arc, posing the risk of a fire.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and starter motor power supply cables to verify that they are properly secured, correcting them as necessary, 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 18S25.

The TJX Companies of Framingham, Mass., is recalling about 1,600 swivel barstools sold in the U.S. and Canada.

The wood joints on the barstool can break, posing a fall hazard.

The firm has received four reports of barstools breaking, including three reports of minor injuries.

This recall involves TJX swivel barstools with a beige, blue or gray fabric back and seat, and wooden legs.

The barstools measure about18 inches wide, 22.8 inches deep and 40.9 inches high.

One of the following tag numbers is printed on the product hang tag: 081578, 081582, 081586, 081640, 081643, 081651, 081656, 081658, 081660, 527110, 527113 , 527118, 527121, 527126, 527128, 533088, 726376, 726377, 726380, 726386, 726387 and 726393.

The barstools, manufactured in China, were sold at HomeGoods, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx stores nationwide from September 2017, through December 2017, for between $100 and $130.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled barstools and return them to any Home Goods, Marshalls or T.J. Maxx store for a full refund.

Consumers may contact HomeGoods at (800) 888-0776 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday or online at www.homegoods.com and click on Customer Service at the bottom of the page.

Call it spy karma. A software company that allows people to secretly spy on others’ phone and internet activities accidentally released data about its own paying customers.

Security researcher Brian Krebs made the discovery, reporting that the company mSpy leaked data online belonging to “millions of paying customers.”

Passwords, call logs, text messages, contacts, location data, Apple iCloud usernames, and more were accessible online until Krebs says he reported the leak to the company.

It’s not the first time that user data has escaped mSpy’s grip. Hackers also accessed the company’s database and posted it to the Dark Web in 2015.

British Airways

British Airways announced today that hackers stole credit card information from nearly 400,000 customers two weeks ago. The breach, which occurred on August 21, has since been “resolved,” the company claims, though police are still investigating.

"We know that the information that has been stolen is name, address, email address, credit card information; that would be credit card number, expiration date and the three-letter code in the back of the credit card,"  airline CEO Alex Cruz told the BBC.

All customers who purchased tickets between August 21 and September 5 should check their credit card statements. The airline claims that no passport information was accessed.

Happy hack-iversary

Exactly one year ago today, Equifax then-Chairman and CEO Rick Smith released a video blog and statement explaining that 143 million Americans were potentially affected by a “cybersecurity incident.”

The announcement did not go over well. American consumers, after all, do not necessarily want Equifax to have their information in the first place, but because good credit is necessary to buy a house, car, or take out a loan, the credit reporting industry can more or less do as it pleases.

In response to the controversy, Equifax offered to resolve the problem with several botched offers of “free” identity theft and credit monitoring to consumers. Later, the agency admitted that perhaps more data and several more millions of people were affected than they originally claimed.

Smith, who promised at the time to make “extraordinary changes” to how Equifax does business, retired two weeks later to the tune of $90 million, so his retirement anniversary is coming up soon as well.  Four executives who sold their stocks in Equifax shortly after the breach occurred will not face charges because they were not aware of the breach, the company has explained. Happy anniversary to everyone.

Yet another disgruntled Tesla owner is accusing the company of overselling the car’s Autopilot capabilities. Heather Lommatzsch, 29, crashed her Model S into a fire truck that was stopped on the highway last May at approximately 60 mph.

She later told police that she had been using the car’s Autopilot feature. Police say she admitted that she was not paying much attention to the road.

“While Tesla’s Autopilot feature indicates that a driver must be attentive at all times, the driver admitted that she was looking at her phone prior to the collision,” the South Jordan Police Department said shortly after the crash.

“Based upon witness information, the driver of the Tesla did not brake or take any action to avoid the collision,” they added.

Drivers must stay attentive

When a Tesla is involved in a crash while Autopilot is engaged, the company’s press team or Elon Musk himself typically issue statements afterward explaining that people who use Autopilot must have their eyes on the road and be ready to take the wheel at all times.

But following the death of Joshua Brown, the first person to be killed while using Autopilot, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) pointed its finger at Tesla, saying that Brown had relied too much on the technology and that the Autopilot feature should not have been used at all on the highway where he died.

“This crash is an example of what can happen when automation is introduced ‘because we can’ without adequate consideration of the human element,” the board said at the time.

Lawsuits mount over Autopilot

Consumer groups have similarly charged that Tesla's marketing is giving motorists the impression that Autopilot technology is more sophisticated than it really is. Several lawsuits filed by other Tesla owners also charge that Tesla is overselling Autopilot.

In her lawsuit, Lommatzsch claims that sales reps in Utah told her that the Tesla, once Autopilot is engaged, would “stop on its own in the event of an obstacle being present” in the path of the car.

In an interview with police, Lommatzsch added that she tried to disengage Autopilot and use the brakes when she saw the firetruck ahead, but that the brakes did not respond.

“When using Autopilot, drivers are continuously reminded of their responsibility to keep their hands on the wheel and maintain control of the vehicle at all times,” Tesla responded in media statements about the lawsuit.

“Tesla has always been clear that Autopilot doesn’t make the car impervious to all accidents,” the company added.

This week, The Wall Street Journal released its third annual Times Higher Education (THE) College Rankings. For the second year in a row, Harvard University earned top honors.

The rankings were based on 15 key indicators across four pillars:

• Outcomes. Measures graduates’ salaries and student debt.

• Resources. Universities’ spending on instruction and student services.

• Engagement. Students’ views on teaching and faculty interaction.

• Environment. The diversity of the campus community.

Harvard tied with Duke and Yale for the number one spot in the outcomes pillar. Harvard also performed well on the resources pillar.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ascended one spot to second place in this year’s ranking after improving its scores in all four areas. Yale also rose several spots, landing in third place overall -- up from sixth.

Brown University was new to the list, rising from 11th place last year to seventh this year. The California Institute of Technology jumped two places to fifth. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) held onto its position as the top public university, coming in 25th place.

Top ten

The following colleges earned spots on this year’s Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings top ten list:

• Harvard University

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Yale University

• Columbia University

• California Institute of Technology

• Stanford University

• Brown University

• Duke University

• Princeton University

• University of Pennsylvania

While many colleges improved their scores in the areas examined, others dropped down the list. Columbia University fell to fourth place from second; Stanford University came in sixth this year, down from third; the University of Pennsylvania occupies 10th place this year, down from eighth; and Cornell University dropped off the top ten list entirely, slipping one place from last year to 11th.

Users that download Adware Doctor -- the number one grossing paid app in the Utilities category on Apple’s Mac App Store -- should be warned: the app has been found to steal users’ browsing histories.

Though Apple was reportedly warned of the issue weeks ago, the company has yet to pull the app from the App Store.

For years, Apple has touted the security of its apps for iPhone and Mac, strictly on the basis that users can’t install apps that aren’t found in the App Store. Apple has incredibly strict criteria for allowing apps access to the App Store. The company rejects a staggering number of apps, thus blocking users from downloading them.

A look into Adware Doctor

For just $4.99, Adware Doctor promises to “keep your Mac safe” and “get rid of annoying pop-up ads” and “discover and remove threats on your Mac.”

However, that’s not all the app supposedly does. Last month, the security firm Malwarebytes posted a video on Youtube stating that Adware Doctor also steals and downloads users’ browser histories to servers in China that are run by the app’s creators.

Security researcher Patrick Wardle -- a former NSA hacker and current chief research officer at cybersecurity startup Digita Security -- discovered just how Adware Doctor was able to trip Apple’s system.

According to Wardle, Adware Doctor was able to bypass Apple’s sandboxing features, which are designed to prevent apps from stealing users’ data from the hard drive. Once through, he says it was possible to upload a user’s browser history from Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

The app was also able to request access to users’ home directory and files -- which Wardle notes is common for malware protection apps, as they are designed to scan this information for any potential issues. However, he says that deficiencies in Apple’s cross-checking allowed the app to get through. When users grant the app that access, it collects and cleans any adware found. Wardle said the app can then collect and export any data it deems to be dangerous.

After collecting it, Wardle says the data is zipped into an archive file and sent to China.

“Let’s face it, your browsing history provides a glimpse into almost every aspect of your life,” Wardle said. “And people have even been convicted based largely on their internet searches!”

Apple has not yet commented on this issue.

A new study using data from six million people has found a link between a common painkiller called Diclofenac and a higher risk of cardiovascular events.

Researchers found that Diclofenac -- which is also sold under other brand names, including Voltaren, Cambia, and Solaraze -- is associated with a higher risk of adverse events compared to other NSAIDS or acetaminophen.

“In our study, we found that diclofenac initiators were at increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events – both compared with no NSAID initiation, initiation of paracetamol as an analgesic alternative to NSAIDs, as well as initiation of other traditional NSAIDs,” the authors wrote in the British Medical Journal.

The drug is available both over-the-counter and via prescription. Today, it’s one of the most widely used and routinely recommended drugs sold around the world. In fact, a 2013 study found that Diclofenac is categorized as an essential medicine in more than 70 countries.

Based on the study’s findings, the researchers say diclofenac should not be available over the counter. And when prescribed, it should be accompanied by appropriate package warnings about its potential health risks.

Risk of adverse heart events

For the study, researchers looked at data from nationwide medical records and prescription registries, focusing specifically on adults in Denmark with at least one year of continuous prescription records before the study’s start period in January 1996.

People who started taking Diclofenac for 30 days were found to have a 50 percent higher change of suffering heart attacks or strokes compared to people who didn’t take it. Compared to people using ibuprofen, the risk of suffering from adverse events from diclofenac increased by 20 percent and 30 percent compared to those taking naproxen.

“While NSAID use previously was considered risk-neutral in short treatment periods and low doses, the risks were apparent even within 30 days and also for low doses of diclofenac,” the study authors said.

Adverse events included irregular heartbeat or flutter, ischaemic stroke, heart failure, and heart attack.

Due to the fact that this was an observational study, no definitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect of using the drug. However, the study's sample size is larger than most previous studies on the issue and “provides strong evidence to guide clinical decision making,” the authors said.

"Treatment of pain and inflammation with NSAIDs may be worthwhile for some patients to improve quality of life despite potential side effects," the authors wrote. "Considering its cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks, however, there is little justification to initiate diclofenac treatment before other traditional NSAIDs."

Earlier this week, Bitcoin experienced a sudden drop in price that ultimately affected other market-wide cryptocurrencies, and experts were unsure about the cause.

Now, ThinkMarkets chief specialist Naeem Aslam said speculators have only strengthened Bitcoin’s downward trend by overselling it in global markets. Additionally, Bitcoin’s downward trend should come as no surprise, because as Aslam points out, the trajectory has been the same since Bitcoin peaked at $900 billion back in December and then immediately started to decline.

“Speculators have gone crazy and they are trying to squeeze as much blood out of this trade as they can,” Aslam said. “Bitcoin hasn’t changed what it was since last December, so what is the panic?”

Aslam also noted that it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what happened to cause Bitcoin’s sudden downward trend in recent months. For one thing, he said analysts often look for correlation between specific events and the decline in cryptocurrency, but that isn’t always the case.

Pointing fingers at Goldman Sachs

Many were speculating that Goldman Sachs’ decision to delay launching a Bitcoin trade desk was the driving force behind Bitcoin’s price drop.

The investment bank’s foray into cryptocurrency was shaping up to create great interest and demand from retailers and investors alike. However, once Goldman Sachs decided to push pause on the move, the collective mindset was that Bitcoin plummeted.

Experts at CoinTelegraph want to ensure consumers that while the Goldman Sachs decision could have contributed to Bitcoin’s price drop, the decision of one corporation is not solely responsible for what happened. Aslam also noted that Goldman Sachs didn’t close the door on a Bitcoin trade desk, but rather just delayed the process for the time being.

“Goldman has only delayed the process, they still have invested a lot of money and talent in this area,” Aslam said. “Investors must know it is very normal for banks to delay the IPO process if the market conditions are not favorable and over here we are talking about starting something completely new. Goldman has its fingers in many of the areas when it comes to Bitcoin, so stop thinking about it and focus on the price.”

Furthermore, Bitcoin was already facing a downward slide earlier in the week before the Goldman Sachs decision.

Consistent market trends

Mati Greenspan, a senior analyst at eToro -- one of the largest multi-asset trading platforms -- echoed Aslam’s assessment of the cryptocurrency market.

“Volatility in the crypto markets has picked up over the last few days, but it is still pretty normal for this market,” Greenspan said. “As far as Bitcoin’s price is concerned, the price has been in a rather stable range between $5,000 and $8,000 for the last few months and this hasn’t changed.”

Rather than looking at specific events for the cause of market trends, Greenspan advised pointing fingers at the lack of demand from traders.

“Several possible reasons for the drop could be a few bad rumors that are circulating in the press, along with a stronger dollar and weakness in tech stocks,” Greenspan said. “Ultimately though, it’s simply a matter of more supply and less demand in short-term trading.”

On Thursday, Lyft launched its electric scooter rental service in Denver, and Uber will deploy its own fleet of electric scooters in rival Bird’s hometown of Santa Monica, California on September 17, CNN reported.

Lyft says it’s interested in rolling out scooters and bikes into other cities as part of CEO John Zimmer’s goal of providing additional transportation options to people en route to and from public transit.

"Scooters are a way to make daily trips more fun and encourage multimodal commuting," Caroline Samponaro, who leads bike and scooter policy at Lyft, told CNN Money.

To start, Lyft is making 250 scooters available to customers. That number will eventually grow to 350, with about 100 of those scooters dedicated to what Lyft calls “opportunity zones” -- areas that are underserved by public transportation.

Lyft says its scooters (which can found through Lyft’s app) cost $1 to unlock and 15 cents for each minute it’s in use. They will only be available to rent between 6AM and 8PM. The company says it will soon begin offering anyone riding its scooters a discount if they start or end their ride near public transit stops.

Joining the scooter market

Last month, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said he envisions electric scooters and electric-assist bikes replacing the company's ride-share cars for short distances.

"During rush hour, it is very inefficient for a one ton hulk of metal to take one person 10 blocks," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told The Financial Times.

In July, as part of the company’s ambition to become a multi-modal operation, Lyft acquired Motivate -- the nation’s largest bike-share operator. The same month, Zimmer and co-founder Logan Green detailed their goals for the company in a Medium post.  

"Lyft Bikes and Scooters will be our most affordable transportation options, and will extend mobility to communities that have historically been underserved," the founders wrote.

The company’s Denver launch of its electric scooters comes the same week that a 24-year-old man in Dallas was found dead next to a broken Lime electric scooter. Experts say electric scooters, which can reach speeds as high as 20 m.p.h., carry potential safety risks. Riders in Dallas and San Francisco have reportedly broken bones on rides in recent months.

The summer driving season may be over, but demand for gasoline is still high, keeping prices at the pump higher than they would normally be.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the national average price of regular gasoline is $2.85 a gallon, two cents higher than last week. But that's a penny lower than early August, when millions of consumers were hitting the road for vacations.

The average price of premium is $3.39 a gallon, a penny higher than last Friday. The average cost of diesel fuel is up two cents in the last week.

Prices have remained stubbornly high due to unusually high demand for this late in the season. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports demand hit a record high 9.8 million barrels for the week ending August 24.

However, the EIA reported Thursday that gasoline supplies rose 1.8 million barrels last week, which AAA says should soon provide some relief. Oil prices also retreated this week as supplies increased.

“With summer in the rearview mirror, demand is expected to significantly drop off in the coming weeks which means motorists can expect to see gas prices steadily decline,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “AAA expects the national average to hit $2.70 or less this fall.”

The states with the most expensive regular gas

The following states currently have the most expensive regular gas prices on average, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey.

• Hawaii ($3.78)
• California ($3.62)
• Washington ($3.39)
• Alaska ($3.32)
• Idaho ($3.23)
• Oregon ($3.26)
• Nevada ($3.19)
• Utah ($3.17)
• Pennsylvania ($3.06)
• Connecticut ($3.04)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

These states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas, the survey found.

• Alabama ($2.53)
• Mississippi ($2.54)
• Arkansas ($2.57)
• South Carolina ($2.58) 
• Louisiana ($2.59)
• Tennessee ($2.59)
• Virginia ($2.60)
• Texas ($2.61)
• Missouri ($2.62)
• Oklahoma ($2.64)

Are retail walk-in clinics and urgent care centers the future of healthcare in America? They just might be, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The study found visits to these clinics increased by well over 100 percent among consumers with health insurance, during a seven year period from 2008 to 2015. The study found that during the same period hospital emergency rooms saw a 36 percent decrease in patients for low-severity conditions.

The study's authors suggest consumers are choosing these commercial clinics because they cost less and wait times are shorter.

The study focused specifically on consumers younger than 65 -- in other words, who were not covered by Medicare -- and who had Aetna health benefit policies. In 2015, the researchers determined there were 103 visits to urgent care centers per 1,000 Aetna policyholders, more than double the number in 2008.

"Between 2008 and 2015, there were substantial shifts at which venue Americans received acute care for low-acuity conditions," the authors write.

Consolidation could feed the trend

That trend could continue with the proposed merger of Aetna with CVS Health, which operates Minute Clinics in many of its retail drugstores. The study found visits to these in-store clinics are also becoming more popular but are much less common, with only six out of 1,000 Aetna policyholders visiting one in 2015.

But Gerald Anderson, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told ConsumerAffairs last November Aetna policyholders might be required to make greater use of Minute Clinics if the health insurance company merges with the drugstore chain.

The study's authors conclude that urgent care and retail clinic facilities are getting more use, in part, because consumers who in the past would not have sought medical attention are now taking advantage of their cost and convenience.

Millennials, especially, seem to prefer urgent care options. A 2015 study by FAIR Health found as many as half the millennials in its survey had used an urgent care facility, citing its convenience.

Most of these visits take the place of having a primary care physician, which many healthcare professionals say is not advisable. They say patients are more likely to get the correct diagnoses and treatments if they have a primary care provider with whom they have established a relationship.