Current Events in September 2019

As people get ready to protect themselves against Hurricane Dorian on the ground, people taking to the air over the next few days should do the same.

During natural disasters such as Dorian, it’s a common occurrence for airports to close and flight paths to be re-routed, and there’s always a domino effect that comes from those actions.

Some airports have resumed service in locations where Dorian has passed -- such as American Airlines service out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Nassau, Bahamas. Whether service is active or suspended is locale-dependent, as is the case in the Bahamas where Nassau was unscathed by Dorian while some of the islands’ other 50-some airport locations weren’t so lucky.

If you’re booked on a flight along Dorian’s path

Storms the size and strength of Dorian may require travelers to change travel plans, but at no extra cost. In ConsumerAffairs research, we found that airlines are showing great flexibility in capping fares and waiving baggage fees. United and American are going as far as waiving change fees for future travel if a customer chooses not to fly to or from another airport.

However, those waivers do have some minor restrictions --mostly related to dates -- so if you have a flight booked anywhere along Dorian’s path, it’s important to review what all the available options are.

Airline-specific information can be found at the following links:

• American Airlines

• Frontier Airlines

• JetBlue

• Southwest Airlines

• Spirit

• United Airlines

The FAA’s new hurricane season efforts

Realizing that the stakes are high as a result of natural disasters, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched a campaign earlier this year to function more effectively during hurricane season.

“The main issue with hurricanes is the unknown,” said the FAA’s Ginny Boyle in a video detailing the FAA’s efforts. “We never know how long it will linger. Just the torrential downpours -- that they kind of stall. And then how fast our response can be to come back in. In order to kind of assess the damage and see what we can do to help the people that are on the ground.”

To that end, the FAA makes available both a detailed list of temporary flight restrictions and information about flight delay information from its Air Traffic Control System Command Center.

The FAA cautions travelers that because one of its traffic management programs is creating delays for some arriving flights, departing flight schedules may also be affected. The agency suggests travelers check with their airlines directly to see if a flight they’re scheduled on is affected.

Facebook has announced that its Face Recognition setting will be turned off by default for all new users unless they choose to turn it on manually. 

The social media giant launched a setting formerly called “tag suggestions” to some users in late 2017. The feature allowed users to decide whether to allow Facebook to use its face recognition technology on photos in order to suggest tags. 

Now, Facebook is shuttering the feature amid ongoing privacy issues. In a blog post published Tuesday, Facebook said it is discontinuing its tag suggestions feature and offering its facial recognition features to all of its users. 

Users now have the option to opt out

The company said all users worldwide will now have access to the capabilities, but it will stop scanning faces by default. 

“Starting today, people who newly join Facebook or who previously had the tag suggestions setting will have the face recognition setting and will receive information about how it works,”  wrote Srinivas Narayanan, head of applied research at Facebook’s AI division. “The tag suggestions setting, which only controls whether we can suggest that your friends tag you in photos or videos using face recognition will no longer be available.

Users who have tag suggestions enabled will soon see an alert in their News Feed that contains a button giving them the option to turn the feature off.

“If you do not currently have the face recognition setting and do nothing, we will not use face recognition to recognize you or suggest tags,” Facebook said. 

Privacy considerations

Facebook noted that users may want to keep facial recognition enabled if they would prefer to provide consent before a photo taken by someone else is uploaded to the platform. When Face Recognition is disabled, the Photo Review feature gets turned off. 

“People will still be able to manually tag friends, but we won’t suggest you to be tagged if you do not have face recognition turned on,” the company explained. “If you already have the face recognition setting, you won’t receive a notice.” 

In 2015, Facebook was hit with a privacy lawsuit brought by Illinois users who accused the company of violating the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act. The suit claimed Facebook illegally gathered and retained biometric data on millions of users without their consent.

Last month, an appeals court in San Francisco rejected Facebook's attempt to undo the class action lawsuit. 

The Trump administration on Wednesday finalized its rollback of requirements for more energy-efficient lightbulbs. Wednesday’s filing by the Department of Energy (DOE) would prevent a set of efficiency requirements from taking effect in January 2020. 

The requirements would have applied to about half of the 6 billion light bulbs used in the nation and “would have avoided millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere,” according to CNBC. 

Opponents of the rule change say undoing the Bush-era requirements -- which were approved by a bipartisan Congress in 2007 and aimed to phase out inefficient bulbs -- could speed up global warming by increasing greenhouse gas emissions. 

However, the DOE claims the change won’t have significant repercussions since it will only impact a small percentage of the lighting market. 

“A more strict standard would only affect a small slice of the market,” a DOE official told reporters. “This is not a rule that radically affects the lighting market overall.”

The bulbs that would be affected by the change include decorative globes in bathrooms, candle-shaped lights, three-way lightbulbs, and reflector bulbs. If the rule change goes into effect in January as planned, the efficiency requirements for those four categories of bulbs would be eliminated. 

Consumers could pay more

Consumer groups have estimated that less efficient bulbs will also lead to higher annual energy costs for U.S. consumers. 

“The Energy Department flat out got it wrong today,” said Jason Hartke, the president of the Alliance to Save Energy, a group representing industrial, technological, and clean energy companies. 

“Instead of moving us forward, this rule will keep more energy-wasting bulbs on store shelves and saddle the average American household with about $100 in unnecessary energy costs every year. At a time when we need to take aggressive steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this is an unforced error,” Hartke said.

The changes are likely to face opposition in the coming months.  

“We will explore all options, including litigation, to stop this completely misguided and unlawful action,” Noah Horowitz, director of the Center for Energy Efficiency Standards at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement.

“Today’s action sets the United States up to become the world’s dumping ground for the inefficient incandescent and halogen bulbs being phased out around the world. Given the worsening climate crisis, this is no time to significantly increase pollution and consumer energy bills just so a few lighting companies can make more money selling inefficient bulbs.”

Federal regulators have slapped Google’s YouTube platform with a $170 million penalty for pulling in millions of advertising dollars through the improper collection of children’s personal information. 

The settlement announced Wednesday requires that Google and YouTube pay $136 million to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and $34 million to New York for allegedly violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). 

“YouTube touted its popularity with children to prospective corporate clients,” wrote FTC Chairman Joe Simons. “Yet when it came to complying with COPPA, the company refused to acknowledge that portions of its platform were clearly directed to kids. There’s no excuse for YouTube’s violations of the law.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James said that the companies “put children at risk and abused their power” through illegally monitoring and tracking kids’ behaviors in order to serve them targeted ads. James noted that the settlement is “one of the largest settlements for a privacy matter in U.S. history.”

Settlement also requires reform

Under the settlement, Google and YouTube are also required to “develop, implement, and maintain a system that permits channel owners to identify their child-directed content on the YouTube platform” in order to ensure compliance with COPPA.

Additionally, YouTube must “obtain verifiable parental consent” before collecting personal information from children.

YouTube said in a blog post that it’s working on developing ways to address the privacy concerns that have cropped up in conjunction with “a boom in family content and the rise of shared devices.” 

In the coming months, YouTube said it will be restricting data collection on videos likely to be watched by children and treating data from anyone watching children’s content on the platform as “coming from a child, regardless of the age of the user.” 

YouTube said it will also cease its practice of serving targeted ads on videos aimed at young audiences and turn off comments and notifications for those videos. The company has recommended that parents use its YouTube Kids app when letting children under 13 watch videos without adult supervision. 

Now that Toys “R” Us is gone -- or is a shadow of its former self -- other retail giants are scrambling to fill the holiday toy void.

Target is first to strike for the 2019 holiday season, releasing its Bullseye's Top Toys of 2019, a list of toys that may show up on many kids’ Christmas wish list.

We may be just past Labor Day, and Halloween decorations are just now appearing in stores, but Target says it’s not too early to at least start thinking about the holidays. Its new list includes favorites like PAW Patrol and Barbie, as well as popular brands like L.O.L. Surprise, Beyblade, and Ryan's World. 

"In 2018, we made strategic investments to position Target as the ultimate destination for toys, including an expanded assortment and playful, reimagined in-store and digital experiences,” said Christina Hennington, senior vice president, merchandising. 

‘New and exclusive’

Hennington points to the company’s just-announced collaboration with Disney as evidence that Target is trying to nail down the title of toy destination. Late last month, Target announced that Disney would open stores-within-stores at 25 Target locations in time for the holidays.

“We're introducing thousands of new and exclusive toys,” Hennington said. “Coupled with our expanded fulfillment options, including our popular same-day services, we're making it easier than ever for families and gift-givers to choose Target this holiday season."

Target added a quarter-million square feet for toys last year as Toys “R” Us disappeared from the scene. However, Target has plenty of competition to become the go-to place for toys. Walmart and Amazon have both eyed that niche and competed heavily for it in 2018. Both retailers are expected to roll out holiday toy plans in the days ahead.

Lego stores

All three retailers could face increased competition from Lego, which has emerged recently as one of the world’s biggest toymakers in terms of sales. Lego has 91 stores in the U.S., mostly in shopping malls desperate for popular new stores.

Lego recently announced that it plans to open dozens of new stores before the end of this year, though it isn’t clear how many will be in U.S. markets.

Meanwhile, Toys “R” Us, which filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and liquidated shortly thereafter, may yet rise from the dead. As we reported in June, the owners of the bankrupt company’s assets have reportedly decided to give the business another chance.

Fortune magazine reported consumers might see new, smaller Toys “R” Us stores in a handful of markets during this holiday season.

Evidence has begun to mount in recent years that consumers -- especially young people -- have serious gaps in their financial knowledge.

In an inaugural report, the American Public Education Foundation (APEF) calls financial illiteracy “an American epidemic” that is growing. The primary concern for its alarm is its “report card” on K-12 state-mandated personal financial education in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

The curriculum should result in improving levels of financial literacy among school-aged children, but the foundation report says it finds little evidence of it. The analysis found that more than two-thirds of states earned grades of "C" or less for financial literacy instruction, with just 16 states earning grades at the "A" or "B" level.

‘Sea of financial dependency’

"America is facing a growing epidemic," said David A. Pickler, APEF’s executive director. "Our nation is rapidly sinking into a sea of debt and financial dependency.”

Millions of recent college graduates have a mountain of college loan debt which, under the right circumstances, could be considered an investment in a strong financial future. But recent research has also shown that many of these same young consumers also carry large credit card balances at much higher rates of interest.

A recent report from CompareCards.com found that only 13 percent of millennials with a credit card pay the balance in full each month. That means the other 87 percent are adding to their credit card debt each month. 

Matt Schulz, an industry analyst at CompareCards, says most of the debt conversation has focused on student loans, but he says it appears credit card debt is far more prevalent.

Another recent survey -- this one from U.S. News and World Report -- suggests that a disturbing number of consumers are not only unaware of how much credit card debt they owe, but they don’t even know if that debt exists.

The survey, published in June, found that 21 percent of consumers don’t know if they are carrying a credit card balance, and 30 percent said they don’t know how much interest they pay each month.

Understanding how much money you owe and what it’s costing you each month is a cornerstone of financial literacy. Pickler says classroom instruction can reverse this disturbing trend. In sounding the alarm, APEF joins a growing number of financial and education experts who call for financial education at an early age.

Regular gym-goers incorporate protein shakes into their workout routines as a way to fuel their bodies and ensure that they’re able to perform at their optimal fitness level. 

Now, a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Lincoln found that protein shakes may not provide as many benefits as intended. The team found that these popular drinks weren’t effective in helping fight off post-workout pain in many cases. 

“While proteins and carbohydrates are essential for the effective repair of muscle fibres following intensive strength training, our research suggests that varying the form of protein immediately following training does not strongly influence the recovery response or reduce muscle pain,” said researcher Dr. Thomas Gee. 

How does protein affect the body after a workout?

The researchers had 30 male participants involved in the study, all of whom had been engaging in resistance training for at least one year. The participants were divided into three groups based on varying post-workout drinks. 

One group was given a carb-based drink, one was given a whey protein-based drink, and the third group was given a milk-based protein drink, which participants consumed immediately following a high-intensity workout. 

The participants had their muscle function tested, and they also completed questionnaires gauging the severity of their pain, both 24 and 48 hours after completing the workout and consuming the shake. The researchers were most interested in seeing how participants’ pain levels and muscle response differed by consuming different after-workout beverages. 

Ultimately, responses showed that the participants were reacting the same to the workout regardless of which drink they had post-workout. Muscle performance was down among all participants immediately following the workout, which was also when they reported the highest levels of pain and soreness. The drink they consumed post-workout didn’t affect how quickly they bounced back from the pain, or the severity of the pain immediately following exercise. 

While protein may not be the answer to soothing sore muscles after a workout, the researchers do suggest that following a healthy diet could be the boost consumers need to feel their best following physical activity. 

“We would hypothesize that well balanced daily nutrition practices would influence recovery from delayed onset muscle soreness to a greater extent,” said Dr. Gee. 

Several studies have explored the pros and cons of taking a vitamin D supplement, and now researchers from the University of Calgary have explored the effects that a higher dose of the nutrient can have on the body over the long term. 

The study revealed that though many consumers may choose to up their dosage of vitamin D to support bone strength, doing so may not make much of a difference to overall bone health. 

“Although vitamin D may be involved in regulating many of the body’s systems, it is the skeleton that is most clearly affected by vitamin D deficiency,” said researcher Dr. David Hanley. “Current Health Canada recommendations were set to prevent the bone diseases caused by vitamin D deficiency for the vast majority of healthy Canadians. But it has been more difficult to clearly establish the optimal dose of vitamin D. When we designed this study, there remained a question whether there’s more benefit in taking a higher dose.” 

The effect on bone density

The researchers had 300 participants involved in the study, all of whom were divided up and required to take varying levels of a vitamin D supplement -- either 400 international units (IU) per day, 4,000 IU per day, or 10,000 IU per day. 

Participants remained on the supplement regimen for three years. They had their bone density and bone strength measured at various intervals over the course of that time in order for the researchers to determine how the vitamin D was incrementally affecting their bone health. 

Older adults typically have lower bone density and strength, and these vitals are expected to slowly decrease over time. Because all participants were between the ages of 55 and 70, bone health did decrease over the course of the study at a rate that was anticipated by the researchers. 

Though each group saw a dropoff in bone health, the group taking the highest dose of vitamin D had the biggest dip in bone strength over the course of the three years. 

According to researcher Steve Boyd, consumers shouldn’t fear these results because the “amount of bone loss with 10,000 IU daily is not enough to risk a fracture over a three-year period,” though staying within the 400 IU - 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day is what the researchers recommend for the majority of consumers. 

Ultimately, taking higher doses of vitamin D didn’t harm participants’ overall health, but it also didn’t improve bone health, as was previously expected. 

“What we can see in this study is that large doses of vitamin D don’t come with a benefit to the skeleton,” said Dr. Emma Billington. “For healthy adults, 400 IU daily is a reasonable dose. Doses of 4,000 IU or higher are not recommended for the majority of adults.” 

Monitoring vitamin D intake

While many consumers try to incorporate more vitamin D into their diets, especially pregnant women planning for their newborns, researchers have found that too much vitamin D can come with adverse health effects, including kidney disease. 

The study revealed that taking vitamin D in excess, particularly over the long term, can ultimately lead to kidney damage due to too much calcium in the blood, further emphasizing the need for consumers to follow recommended doses when adding vitamin D into their routines. 

“Although vitamin D toxicity is rare owing to a large therapeutic range, its widespread availability in various over-the-counter formulations may pose a substantial risk to uninformed patients,” said Dr. Borne Auguste.

Union workers at Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler have flashed a green light for a strike if contract negotiations reach an impasse. 

The vote was not unexpected, with 97 percent of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) members agreeing to walk out if that’s what it takes to get an acceptable contract. 

There hasn’t been a strike in quite a while, but this year it may be harder to get to an agreement. U.S. auto sales have been in a slow slide since the last contract four years ago, and the companies may feel less generous. GM will lead the negotiations.

Industry analysts caution against reading too much into a strike authorization vote, pointing out that the rank and file always give the leadership that vote of confidence as they begin negotiations with the companies. However, that does not mean the workers who voted in favor of the authorization would vote for a strike.

“No one goes into collective bargaining taking a strike lightly. But it is a key tool in the tool belt as our bargaining team sits across from the company,” said Gary Jones, president of the UAW. “Ultimately, the company holds that destiny in their hands as they bargain. Clearly the UAW stood up for them in a very dark time, now that they are profitable it is time for them to stand up for all of us.”

Concessions during the financial crisis

Jones is referring to contract negotiations in the aftermath of the financial crisis when auto sales almost came to a standstill. The union made concessions and the automakers recovered. Car sales boomed between 2015 and 2017 but have stalled in the last two years.

Time is of the essence. The auto workers' contract expires September 14, though it’s not unusual for the deadline to be suspended it the two sides are making progress.

The GM negotiations may be the most contentious since the automaker has announced plans to close four facilities, potentially eliminating as many as 14,000 jobs.

The union points to recent sales figures showing automakers are getting more money per vehicle sold, even if it is selling fewer of them. Kelly Blue Book recently reported the average transaction price for a light vehicle in the United States was $37,169 in July.

New-vehicle prices increased $1,246 from July 2018, while decreasing $312 from the month before.  

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 3,257 model year 2019 CLS 450 Coupes and CLS 450 Coupe 4MATICs with 6-cylinder gasoline engines.

The electrical line that supplies power to the engine coolant pump may contact the engine fan and chafe, possibly causing a malfunction of the coolant pump or a deactivation of the 48V on-board electrical system.

A malfunctioning engine coolant pump can increase coolant temperatures, possibly leading to an engine stall. Deactivation of the 48V on-board electrical system can cause the vehicle to not restart after using the ECO start/stop function or "Glide" mode. Either of these conditions can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the coolant pump electrical line for damage, repairing it and rerouting it as necessary free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin October 15, 2019.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.

Mountain Mel’s Essential Goods of Welches, Ore., is recalling The Milk Lady’s Tea, Peaceful Baby Herbal Tea and Diges-Teas Herbal Tea.

The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The following products are being recalled:

• The Milk Lady’s Herbal Tea Blend, UPC 7 99632 05658 4, is packaged in a tall thin tin container with 2 oz., of tea per tin, with a purple label. The LOT# of the recalled batch is # ML6271950. The LOT# can be located on the bottom of the tin package. The Best By Date of the Milk Lady’s Tea is listed as 7/2021.
• Peaceful Baby Herbal Tea Blend, UPC 7 99632 05656 0, is packaged in a tall thin tin container with 2 oz., of tea per tin, with a blue label. The LOT# of the recalled batch is #PB781950. The LOT# can be located on the bottom of the tin package. The Best By Date of the Peaceful Baby Tea is listed as 7/2021.
• Diges-Teas Herbal Tea Blend, UPC 7 99632 05665 2, is packaged in a tall thin tin container with 2 oz., of tea per tin, with a brown label. The LOT# of the recalled batch is #DT7619100. The LOT# can be located on the bottom of the tin package. The Best By Date of the Diges-Teas Herbal Tea is listed as 7/2021.

The recalled products were sold through New Seasons Market, and nationwide through Azure Standard, Mountainmels.com and Amazon.com June 27, 2019, and July 20, 2019.

What to do

Consumers who purchased the recalled products should take a photo of the product and lot label, and email it to info@mountainmels.com for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may email Mountain Mel’s at info@mountainmels.com.

BMW of North America is recalling 32 model year 2018-2019 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2019 X2 xDrive28i, MINI Cooper S Convertible, Countryman, and John Cooper Works Countryman vehicles.

The steering gear tie rod may have been assembled incorrectly, which may result in excessive wear of the tie rod end, eventually causing it to break.

A broken steering tie rod would lead to a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the tie rods and ball joints as necessary free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin October 7, 2019.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at (800) 525-7417 or MINI customer service at (866) 825-1525.

Hurricane Dorian, which remains stationed over the Bahamas as of early Tuesday, is expected to start heading towards Florida later today. Officials forecast that the storm will have begun inching towards the coasts of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina by late Thursday.

In light of the fact that the powerful storm has already killed at least five people and damaged thousands of homes in the Bahamas, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is warning those in the anticipated path of the storm to heed the advice of local emergency officials. 

“Life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds are expected along portions of the Florida east coast and the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina, regardless of the exact track of Dorian’s center,” the NHC said Monday. “Residents in these areas should follow advice given by local emergency officials.” 

Several states -- Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and most recently, Virginia -- have declared a state of emergency. Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, has recommended that Floridians “monitor this storm closely.” 

“Every Florida resident should have seven days of supplies, including food, water and medicine, and should have a plan in case of disaster," DeSantis said in a release. "The state stands ready to support all counties along the coast as they prepare."

Preparing for a hurricane

To get ready for a hurricane, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends taking the following steps: 

• Establish an emergency plan with your family. Make sure everyone in the family knows what the warning system in your area sounds like and what to do in case it goes off. 

• Keep important phone numbers handy. Write down important phone numbers and keep them in your wallet; cell phones may die during a disaster.

• Put together an emergency kit. It should include cash, prescription medicines, and at least several days’ worth of food and water (for people and pets). 

• Ready your home. Make sure patio furniture, propane tanks, bikes, and other large objects are brought inside, and cover up windows and doors outside. The CDC recommends using storm shutters or nailing pieces of plywood to the window frames to protect your windows.

• Fill your car’s gas tank. Make sure your vehicle’s tank is filled before the storm arrives in case you need to leave your house. 

• Evacuate only if officials recommend or require it. Find out where the nearest shelter is and the different routes you can take to get there if you have to leave your home. If you have pets, be sure to ask if pets are allowed at the shelter.

• Avoid driving or walking through floodwaters. Floodwaters can be electrically charged because of downed power lines or dangerous due to debris or contamination. Moving waters also pose the risk of destabilization, for both people and vehicles. 

While consumers were in the middle of a relaxing this Labor Day weekend, a new round of tariffs on Chinese goods went into effect. Unfortunately, an industry group warns that the move spells trouble for consumers.

On Sunday, President Trump imposed a 15 percent tariff on $112 billion worth of Chinese imports, mostly consumer goods. U.S. industry leaders, who have mostly reserved comment on the escalating trade war, are becoming more vocal.

Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), said consumers will soon feel the effects of these tariffs, which were originally set at 10 percent.

“This new tariff list taxes consumers on $52 billion worth of their favorite tech products, including TVs, digital cameras, Bluetooth earbuds, smartwatches and fitness trackers,” Shapiro said. “American consumers were already going to pay higher prices for their holiday gifts. Now, the president’s decision to hike tariffs even higher means even more pain for American businesses, workers and families.”

‘Unpredictable tariff policy’

Like many U.S. business leaders, Shapiro acknowledges serious trade issues with China that need to be addressed. But he says Trump’s “unpredictable tariff policy” is the wrong approach.

"Continuous threats of more tariffs and occasional promises that trade talks are progressing mean whiplash for global stock markets,” he said. “That uncertainty hurts every American with a pension, retirement fund or college savings plan.”

Besides electronics, clothing will also carry a higher tariff, which may be passed onto consumers, depending on the retailer. The higher tariffs have also been placed on food imports, diapers, books, and appliances. In short, much of the inventory of your average discount store could quickly begin to cost more.

Will tariffs harm the economy?

Trump says he has pursued the tariff policy in a bid to secure a trade agreement with China that would protect U.S. intellectual property and American jobs. Shapiro worries that escalating tariffs -- China has already imposed them on U.S. goods in retaliation -- will end up harming the economy. He also thinks Trump may have overstepped his authority.

“The president does not have unilateral authority on trade,” Shapiro said. “Congress should pass the Reclaiming Congressional Trade Authority Act of 2019, reasserting Congress’ role in trade policy and protecting Americans from unending trade wars and retaliatory tariffs.”

Retailers are also showing signs of impatience. Last week, David French, senior vice president for government relations at the National Retail Federation, asked where the current trade war will end.

“It's impossible for businesses to plan for the future in this type of environment,” he said. “The administration’s approach clearly isn’t working, and the answer isn’t more taxes on American businesses and consumers.” 

Walmart said on Tuesday that it will be limiting sales of guns and ammunition in the wake of a series of deadly shootings.  

In a company memo, Walmart announced that it will cease sales of short-barrel rifle ammunition and handgun ammunition after it’s current inventory is gone. The retailer will also end handgun sales in Alaska, which will mark Walmart’s "complete exit from handguns."

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said the chain’s decision to reduce sales of guns and ammunition was spurred by a mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, as well as an incident just a few days earlier at another location in Southaven, Mississippi.

"In a complex situation lacking a simple solution, we are trying to take constructive steps to reduce the risk that events like these will happen again," he said. "The status quo is unacceptable."

Still catering to hunters and sportsman

While Walmart will be halting the sale of certain types of ammunition, the retailer said it will continue to “treat law-abiding customers with respect” with a “very non-confrontational approach.” 

"Our remaining assortment will be even more focused on the needs of hunting and sport shooting enthusiasts,” McMillon said.

Going forward, the retail giant is asking shoppers not to openly carry firearms at any of its stores, including those located in states that allow open carry. 

Walmart is also urging Congress to develop “common sense” gun safety measures in light of recent incidents, which have included mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and Midland and Odessa, Texas. 

"We encourage our nation's leaders to move forward and strengthen background checks and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to pose an imminent danger," McMillon said. "Congress and the administration should act. Given our decades of experience selling firearms, we are also offering to serve as a resource in the national debate on responsible gun sales."

Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 update is impacting performance in a major way, users say.

Windows Latest reports that the new update, which is available to any user who clicks the “Check for updates” button, fixes several bugs but degrades the overall performance of the systems. 

“Windows 10 KB4512941 fixes the broken Windows Sandbox, black screen issue hitting Remote Desktop connections and several other bugs,” the site said. “However, some users have run into serious problems after installing the latest update that advances PCs to Build 18362.329.” 

The update apparently contains a flawed Cortana fix, which is causing the service to consume up to 40 percent of users’ CPUs. Insiders say Microsoft was warned about this issue before the release shipped to the public, but the company has yet to acknowledge or fix the issue.

On the page for the optional update, the company says it’s “not currently aware of any issues with this update.“ 

Windows 10 problems

Earlier this year, Microsoft promised increased transparency regarding the Windows 10 update experience, but issues have continued to crop up. 

Microsoft 10 users have been warned about a number of issues in recent months. In June, the cybersecurity division of the Department of Homeland Security urged Windows users to patch their operating system to prevent attackers from taking advantage of a wormable vulnerability. Shortly thereafter, bluetooth connection issues were also uncovered.

The following month, Microsoft’s tech support team warned that the version 1903 update could break the platform’s RASAM (Remote Access Connection Manager).

The notion of Big Tech paying developers to find holes in their systems and software is starting to gain some pivotal traction. 

Word out of Google’s headquarters is that the company is amping up its bug bounty program -- Google Play Security Reward Program (GPSRP). The company hopes to improve the security level of apps available on its Google Play store, possibly in response to the recent news that one app spread malware to more than 100 million phones.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to further improve the security and privacy of our products, and the ecosystems they support,” noted Google in a blog post. 

“At Google, we understand the strength of open platforms and ecosystems, and that the best ideas don’t always come from within. It is for this reason that we offer a broad range of vulnerability reward programs, encouraging the community to help us improve security for everyone.”

It takes a village

If Google can get independent, white hat security researchers to help it find vulnerabilities before their black hat adversaries do, it’s a win-win-win for Google, the researcher, and the consumer.

Regarding that consumer front, Google’s GPSRP’s refresh has bounties for finding vulnerabilities relating to phishing, email, device (e.g. Android phone), and classified user data -- all pain points for the everyday tech user.

The pay-off

Google’s bounty enhancement could be quite a field day for white hat researchers. “The tempting inclusion of all apps with 100 million (or more) downloads will make Google’s Play Store bug bounty program even more attractive for the researcher community,” commented technology blogger, Abeerah Hashim.

To Hashim’s point, ConsumerAffairs found one researcher who’s scored more than $75,000 in the last 90 days alone for finding Google-related flaws.

Big Tech’s reward system for finding system and application flaws is becoming almost lottery-like. Tesla gave a pair of hackers a Tesla 3 after they found a vulnerability in the vehicle’s infotainment system. Apple, Facebook, and Hewlett-Packard are also in on the hack-and-win idea, awarding as much as $1.5 million.

As consumers look to incorporate more eco-friendly habits into their daily routines, a new study evaluated the effectiveness of making the switch to a plant-based diet. 

According to researchers, though there are health and environmental benefits, many of these diet plans are depriving consumers of nutrients that are vital to brain functioning. 

“This is...concerning given that current trends appear to be towards meat reduction and plant-based diets,” said Dr. Emma Derbyshire. 

Getting the proper nutrients

Switching up regular diet plans to include more plant-based options has become popular among consumers, and reducing the intake of things like red meat and dairy can lead to better overall health. 

However, several studies have found that prioritizing the environment can also have its drawbacks. In this study the researchers found that plant-based diets are lacking in one crucial nutrient: choline. 

Brain development is most affected by choline levels, particularly for newborns and infants. That’s why experts recommend that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume around an extra 100 mg of choline per day to ensure proper brain functioning. 

Though naturally produced in the body, our systems require that baseline level to be supplemented by foods that contain choline in order to receive the full benefits, such as eggs, meat, or whole milk. Eating fewer animal-based foods, while beneficial to the environment, can lead to a reduction in choline levels, which can ultimately affect consumers’ liver function and metabolism. 

Moving forward, the researchers suggest that consumers look for ways to incorporate foods or supplements of some kind to help offset lower levels of choline when following traditional plant-based diets. 

“More needs to be done to educate healthcare professionals and consumers about the importance of a choline-rich diet, and how to achieve this,” Dr. Derbyshire wrote. “If choline is not obtained in the levels needed from dietary sources per se then supplementation strategies will be required, especially in relation to key stages of the life cycle, such as pregnancy, when choline intakes are critical to infant development.” 

Researchers continue to analyze the various facets of the opioid epidemic, and a new study conducted by researchers from Thomas Jefferson University focused on withdrawal symptoms. 

The study revealed that withdrawal from opioids can leave consumers’ experiencing inflammation, most frequently in the brain and gut. 

Understanding the inflammation

To understand how drug dependence can lead to inflammation, the researchers conducted trials on rats, isolating cells in the amygdala of the brain and bacteria from their guts. Each test contained rats that were either going through opioid withdrawals, had never been exposed to the drug, or were dependent on opioids. 

The amygdala is the source of our emotional responses, including our “fight or flight” response, and the researchers found that this part of the brain often works hand-in-hand with how the gut functions. 

The researchers discovered that withdrawal from opioids led the brain to produce higher levels of molecules known as cytokines, which create inflammation throughout the body. Moreover, the study found that the gut was similarly affected because bacteria that typically fight against inflammation were reduced following opioid withdrawal. 

Because the amygdala controls emotions, and inflammation was found in both the brain and the gut, the researchers hypothesize that this was the body’s way of responding to the emotional aspect of drug withdrawal. 

Treating opioid withdrawal

According to the researchers, knowing how intense withdrawal symptoms can be often makes it more difficult for addicts to quit. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Lucemyra, a drug that would help treat opioid addict’s withdrawal symptoms, easing the pains of agitation, vomiting, and other symptoms known to crop up during withdrawal. 

The drug was found to be successful in long-term treatment plans, and it actually encouraged many patients to continue sobriety during detox regimens. 

“The fear of experiencing withdrawal symptoms often prevents those suffering from opioid addiction from seeking help,” said Scott Gottlieb, FDA commissioner. "As part of our commitment to support patients struggling with addiction, we're dedicated to encouraging innovative approaches to help mitigate the physiological challenges presented when patients discontinue opioids.