Current Events in December 2019

While recent studies have focused on breast cancer risk factors like diet and weight loss, a new study found that popular hair treatments could also pose a threat to consumers. 

Researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) discovered that permanent hair dye and straighteners could increase consumers’ risk of developing breast cancer. 

“Researchers have been studying the possible link between hair dye and cancer for a long time, but results have been inconsistent,” said researcher Alexandra White, PhD. “In our study, we see a higher breast cancer risk associated with hair dye use, and the effect is stronger in African American women, particularly those who are frequent users.” 

Identifying the risk factor

To understand the risks associated with hair treatments, the researchers analyzed over 46,000 responses to the NIEHS’ Sister Study. The sample was unique in that the women who took the survey were cancer-free, but they had sisters who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Participants reported on how often they dyed their hair, the frequency with which they have their hair permanently dyed, and other questions that assessed the hair products they used and treatments they received. 

The survey revealed that the more frequently women used permanent hair dye or received permanent straightening treatments, the more likely they were to develop breast cancer. 

As Dr. White explained, the risk for breast cancer was stronger for black women when it came to using hair dye products. Using permanent hair dye every eight weeks was associated with an eight percent increased risk of the disease for white women but a 60 percent increased risk for women of color. 

This demographic difference didn’t extend to permanent straightening treatments, as all of the women involved in the study were approximately 30 percent more likely to develop breast cancer when they received such treatments every eight weeks. 

While the study also revealed that temporary or semi-permanent dyes didn’t pose as great a risk for breast cancer, the researchers don’t want to be prescriptive when it comes to avoiding certain hair care options. However, they do want consumers to be aware of the potential risks associated with such treatments. 

“We are exposed to many things that could potentially contribute to breast cancer, and it is unlikely that any single factor explains a woman’s risk,” said researcher Dale Sandler, PhD. “While it is too early to make a firm recommendation, avoiding these chemicals might be one more thing women can do to reduce their risk of breast cancer.”  

Around 6.2 million middle and high school students used tobacco in the past 30 days, according to data released Thursday in the 2019 National Youth Tobacco Survey from the CDC. The latest figures are up 3.6 million from last year and represent the highest level since 2000. 

CDC officials attributed the spike in tobacco use among teenagers to e-cigarettes. For the sixth consecutive year, e-cigarettes were the most commonly used tobacco product among teenagers, the survey found. 

More than half of students (55 percent) who took the survey reported using e-cigarettes only. Other tobacco products used by adolescents included cigars, cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, hookahs, and pipe tobacco. Around 31 percent of high schoolers and 12 percent of middle school students said they had used some type of tobacco product within the past 30 days. 

“Given the evolving variety and availability of tobacco products, surveillance for all forms of youth tobacco product use and associated factors is important to inform action at the national, state, and community levels,” the CDC said in a statement.

Increases in youth tobacco use

The CDC said curiosity and misperceptions of health risks have played a role in the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among adolescents. To counter their rise in use among teens, CDC Director Robert R. Redfield said it’s “incumbent” to increase education surrounding the health risks of the products.  

“Our Nation’s youth are becoming increasingly exposed to nicotine, a drug that is highly addictive and can harm brain development,” he said in a statement. “Youth use of any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe. It is incumbent upon public health and healthcare professionals to educate Americans about the risks resulting from this epidemic among our youth.”

E-cigarettes come in flavors that have been found to appeal to youth users. Nearly a quarter (22 percent) of middle and high school students who participated in the 2019 poll said they used e-cigarettes because “they are available in flavors, such as mint, candy, fruit, or chocolate.” 

The products have also been marketed in a way that health officials have deemed problematic, as it appeared to speak directly to youth users. Nearly 9 in 10 students reported having been exposed to tobacco product advertisements from at least one source.

Juul recently agreed to stop marketing its products altogether in an effort to minimize its appeal to teen users. Lawmakers are also considering banning flavored products and raising the minimum age to buy the products.  

In September, President Trump said the FDA would soon release some "very strong recommendations" regarding the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. An official policy has yet to be announced. 

In its first safety report released Thursday, Uber disclosed that it’s received 5,981 reports of sexual abuse and 464 reports of rape over 2017 and 2018. During these years, 19 deaths were caused by physical assault among those who used the service.

Uber said more than 3.1 million trips took place each day in the U.S. during this time frame, making the rate of safety incidents statistically “extremely rare.” Nonetheless, the ride-hailing giant said it considers even one critical safety incident “unacceptable because it represents the lived experience of someone in the Uber community.” 

CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who commissioned the report two years ago, said he firmly believes that “companies who are open, accountable, and unafraid are ultimately the companies that succeed.” Uber plans to release a safety report every two years.

Preventing incidents

Uber detailed a number of steps it’s taken to increase the safety of both passengers and drivers, such as the addition of an in-app emergency button and a feature that lets riders verify their driver with a four-digit PIN code. The company will also be sharing the names of deactivated drivers with other platforms to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents. 

Additionally, the firm said it’s partnered with RAINN to offer sexual misconduct education training for drivers. Under the partnership, Uber is creating a Survivor Support hotline that it says will “provide confidential crisis support and specialized services to survivors."

“Our work on safety is never done, and we’re constantly raising the bar,” Uber said. 

Ride-hailing companies have faced significant criticism over the way they handle sexual assault cases. Just yesterday, a group of women sued Uber's competitor Lyft, accusing it of not doing enough to protect them against sexual assault. 

The women claim Lyft allowed “known sexual predators” to work as drivers. The lawyer handling the case described the company’s response to sexual assaults over the past four years as "appallingly inadequate.” 

Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car venture, announced on Thursday that it has launched an app on the App Store. The rollout of the iOS app comes exactly a year after the ride-hailing firm launched a public self-driving ride service in Phoenix, Arizona. 

iPhone users in Phoenix can use the Waymo app to be added to a waitlist to use the service. Once accepted, users can request a ride in one of the company’s self-driving Chrysler Pacifica minivans. 

Phoenix residents pulled off the waitlist will be the first to be invited to join Waymo’s early rider program. The company uses its early rider program to test new features, such as the ability to let riders play their own music through the car’s speakers. Participants in the early rider program are asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement. 

Users can eventually move on to the public arm of Waymo One, said Waymo chief product officer Dan Chu. 

“In the last year, we’ve accomplished a lot and learned even more,” Chu wrote in a blog post. “Through customer surveys and feedback, we hear a lot about what our riders expect from self-driving technology and how we can continue to improve our service to meet those expectations.”

1,500 active riders 

In its announcement of the iOS app, Waymo shared some of its latest metrics. The self-driving car service said it has amassed roughly 1,500 monthly active riders, up from just a few hundred when the service was still in its infancy. Waymo said it has provided more than 100,000 rides since the early rider program launched in 2017. 

An app for Android devices was launched back in April. The company said it’s made several improvements to the app over the past few months, including capabilities intended to simplify the ordering process and a feature that lets users honk a car’s horn from the app.  

Going forward, Waymo says it will continue to focus mainly on expanding access to its driverless ride service. The company plans to eventually deploy its driverless vehicles in places other than Phoenix. 

“Over time, we hope to make Waymo One available to even more members of the public as we add vehicles and drive in more places,” Chu said. “Self-driving technology is new to many, so we’re proceeding carefully with the comfort and convenience of our riders in mind. At first, Waymo-trained drivers will supervise our Waymo One vehicles.” 

While some brick-and-mortar retailers are languishing, one name is putting up impressive numbers. Dollar General reports third-quarter earnings topped estimates, making it one of America’s fastest-growing retailers.

The company reported that its net sales rose 8.9 percent while its operating profit increased 11.1 percent. Earnings per share rose 12.7 percent to $1.42.

“The quarter was highlighted by our best customer traffic and same-store sales increases in nearly five years, as well as double-digit growth in both operating profit and diluted EPS,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO. “We continue to execute well on many fronts while maintaining our focus on delivering value and convenience for our customers.”

Because of how well the company did in the first three quarters of 2019, it’s raised its expectations for the year as a whole and announced an ambitious expansion plan. In a conference call with analysts, the company said it plans to open 1,000 new stores next year, repeating the pattern of growth of the last few years.

Currently, Dollar General operates around 16,000 stores in the U.S. By comparison, Walmart operates fewer than 5,000 stores.

Filling the role of rural grocery store

Unlike most retailers, Dollar General operates stores in urban, suburban, and rural areas. While most supermarket chains avoid rural areas because of a lack of customers, Dollar General has filled that gap. Its rural stores are stocked with food items that make it a primary food retailer in many underserved locations.

The strategy appears to be paying off. In the third quarter, Dollar General reported same-store sales were up 4.6 percent, suggesting it has found a way to keep customers coming back.

In August, Dollar General -- along with Family Dollar and Dollar Tree -- was cited by the New York Attorney General’s Office for allegedly selling expired products, including over-the-counter drugs and motor oil.

New York Attorney General Letitia James levied a total of $1.2 million in fines against the three discount retailers, saying the retailers in question need to update their business practices.

Hiring has exceeded expectations for another month, further diminishing concerns that a recession could be right around the corner.

The Labor Department reports the economy added 266,000 jobs in November, well ahead of the consensus estimate of 187,000. The unemployment rate fell back to 3.5 percent, the lowest level in a half-century.

Employment numbers for September and October were both revised higher. That added 41,000 jobs to the two-month total.

As in most recent months, the biggest job gains occurred in health care and in professional and technical services. Even manufacturing employment showed a nice gain, thanks to the end of the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike.

Wages still rising

Workers’ wages continued to tick higher last month. Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by seven cents to $28.29. Wages have increased at a rate of 3.1 percent over the last 12 months.

With one more month to go in 2019, U.S. job growth has averaged 180,000 per month. Hiring has accelerated in the second half of the year at a time when some economists were warning of an economic slowdown caused by the trade war with China.

In November, people seeking jobs in health care had the most success. Health care added 45,000 jobs last month. Over the last 12 months, health care hiring has added 414,000 jobs. Hiring in professional and technical services increased by 31,000 in November. That’s up from the monthly average of 23,000 jobs created over the last 12 months.

Manufacturing plays catch-up

Manufacturing jobs surged by 54,000 jobs last month, but most of that was catch-up. Manufacturing employment plunged by 43,000 in October as many people were idled by strikes. With those strikes over, those workers returned to their jobs last month.

Leisure and hospitality, transportation and warehousing, and financial services all continued their upward trend in employment last month.

Hiring among retailers was essentially flat in November, suggesting some retailers bucked the historical pattern of bringing on temporary help for the holidays.

Gasoline prices have remained fairly stable in the wake of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, with prices at the pump rising in states where gas has been cheapest and going down in the most expensive states.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the national average price of regular gasoline is $2.59 a gallon, at about the same level as last week. The average price is now 15 cents a gallon higher than at this time last year.

The average price of premium gas is $3.18 a gallon, also the same as last Friday. The average price of diesel fuel is a penny lower than last week -- $3 a gallon.

In a meeting in Vienna that could be important to the future of gas prices, OPEC ministers agreed Thursday to significant cuts in oil production next year in an effort to boost prices. The oil markets greeted the news with some skepticism, with oil prices barely moving.

One interesting trend over the last week was the rise in prices in states like Louisiana and Tennessee, where prices are typically among the lowest in the nation. At the same time, prices fell in most of the western states, typically the most expensive in the nation.

California still has the most expensive gas of any state, but the statewide average is down seven cents a gallon in the last week and is 32 cents cheaper than a month ago. The result has been a stable national average.

AAA says that stability has been aided by growing stockpiles of gasoline, which have risen for four consecutive weeks. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports gasoline demand fell to just over 9 million barrels a day, only slightly higher than at this time last year.

The states with the most expensive regular gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey:

• California ($3.75)

• Hawaii ($3.66)

• Washington ($3.29) 

• Nevada ($3.25)

• Oregon ($3.16) 

• Alaska ($3.12)

• Idaho ($2.93) 

• Arizona ($2.90)

• Utah ($2.90)

• Pennsylvania ($2.81)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

The survey found these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Texas ($2.22)

• Mississippi ($2.23)

• Missouri ($2.24)

• Oklahoma ($2.25)

• Louisiana ($2.26)

• Alabama ($2.28)

• South Carolina ($2.29)

• Arkansas ($2.29)

• Kansas ($2.30)

• Virginia ($2.31)

DaVinci of Pico Rivera, Calif.., is recalling about 3,300 DaVinci Bailey bassinets sold in the U.S., and Canada.

The bassinet’s support legs can break, posing a fall hazard.

The firm has received 19 reports of the bassinet legs breaking. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves wooden DaVinci Bailey Bassinets for infants sold in the following four colors, with corresponding product numbers – gray (M0934G), espresso (M0934Q), natural (M0934N) and white (M0934W).

The model number “0934” is printed on a white label attached to the mattress support board and on the external product package.

The assembled bassinets measure 38 inches long by 20 inches wide by 30 inches high, and each weighs about 21 pounds.

They were sold with a 1-inch waterproof cradle pad.

“DaVinci” is printed on the product packaging, instruction manual and product registration card.

The bassinets, manufactured in Taiwan, were sold online at Amazon.com, Buybuybaby.com, Target.com, JCPenny.com and other online retailers from August 2018, through September 2019, for about $110.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bassinets and contact DaVinci for a free repair kit that includes new support legs.

In the meantime, parents should remove the support legs and use the bassinet on a safe space on the floor or to find an alternate, safe sleeping environment for the child, such as a crib that meets current safety standards.

DaVinci is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact DaVinci toll-free at (833) 932-0208 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PT) by email at bailey@milliondollarbaby.zendesk.com or online at www.davincibaby.com/baileyrepair or www.davincibaby.com and click on “Recalls” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Whole Foods Market is recalling one lot code of its Whole Foods Market Raspberry Cheesecake Italian Gelato.

The product contains egg, an allergen not declared on the label.

No allergic reactions are reported to date.

The recalled product, packaged in one--pint plastic containers with the UPC 9948248024 and a best by date of 6/11/2021, was sold at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled may bring a valid receipt into stores for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may call (844) 936-8255 from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (CST) Monday through Friday, or 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (CST) Saturday and Sunday.

The great winged migration of 2019 continues -- chicken has moved from the frying pan at home to the drive-in window.

In a market segment once dominated by Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) with only a handful of hopefuls picking up the scraps, there’s now 37 chicken-centric restaurant chains and 73 chicken-lickin’ fast food franchises. And with a failure rate only in the single digits, life in the hen house appears to be good.

McDonald’s thinks that clucking-up is the thing to do, and it wants back in on the action. Yep, hot on the heels of Popeye’s chicken sandwich bonanza, McDonald’s is jumping into the chicken sandwich wars…again.

Mickey D’s has lined up franchises in Houston and Knoxville to see if its Crispy Chicken Sandwich can steal some action from Popeye’s, Chick-fil-A, KFC, and an ever-growing list of competitors.

Different, yet the same

McDonald’s is no stranger to chicken. By our count at ConsumerAffairs, the chain has tried its hand with the bird at least a dozen other times, ranging from nuggets to wraps.

However, in this specific test, the fast-food king is going right after Popeye’s and Chick-fil-A by seemingly copying the best of both sandwiches, down to the foil bag the sandwich is served in. The only differentiator ConsumerAffairs could find is that McDonald’s is offering a deluxe version that adds in tomatoes, lettuce, and mayonnaise.

The consumer didn’t ask for this, but the franchisees sure did

The meteoric rise of Chick-fil-A has not only caught the fast-food world by surprise, but the chain is muscling in on everyone’s turf, recently becoming the third-largest restaurant chain in America (behind McDonald’s and Starbucks). 

With McDonald’s corporate brass busy with adding ordering kiosks and remodeling, they may not have heard the footsteps going elsewhere, but its franchisees certainly did and made no bones about how the chain’s chicken-centric competitors were stealing customers.

“Chick Fil A’s results demonstrate the power of chicken,” wrote the National Owners Association (NOA) board (a group of McDonalds’ franchisees) in an email sent to their operator peers back in July. 

“Yes, we have great Chicken Mcnuggets and our McChicken is a very good product. But we do not compete in the premium chicken sandwich category, either grilled or crispy. A Chicken Sandwich at McDonald’s should be our top priority. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We didn’t invent the drive-thru, we perfected it. Chick-fil-A invented the Chicken Sandwich, but we can do one better.”

Been there, done that

Particularly painful is the fact that McDonald’s rolled out its own “Southern Style Chicken” sandwich back in 2005 -- one remarkably similar to Chick-fil-A’s. But the chain took it off the menu in 2015.

“Our Southern Style Chicken sandwich was very close to category-leading,” the NOA claimed. “It needs some tweaks. We need to serve it in a foil bag and we need to butter the bun, but the patty recipe was excellent. It can be served in our existing kitchens within our existing service times (even faster). We should test it in the south and if successful, we should put it on OPNAD (Operator's National Advertising Fund) as soon as possible!”

How will consumers cast the deciding votes?

The big questions for consumers are pretty simple: can the McDonald’s version of the chicken sandwich be that much better than Chick-fil-A’s or Popeye’s? Is McDonald’s so late to the party that the consumer is going to even notice? Can McDonald’s pry away some of Chick-fil-A’s disenchanted customers who are looking for an alternative because of the chain’s previously alleged anti-LGBTQ views? We’ll have to wait and see.

Responding to McDonald’s opening volley about the new sandwich, consumers were having a field day. Many complained that McDonald’s didn’t offer a spicy version, with one tweeting back, “Without a spicy version you just brought a knife to a gunfight.” 

Others purely mocked the chain for its lack of authenticity. “Where did you get that pickle idea? @ChickfilA would like to know,” piped one. And, questioning the age-old trick of cutting corners to save a few pennies, another projected that, “...over time, (McDonald’s will) start looking for ways to cut costs and pick the cheaper ingredients over the higher quality, tastier ingredients.”

Others make moves to try and create uniqueness

Not to say that Chick-fil-A has others scrambling, but it has. Chicken start-ups and product spins are happening all over the restaurant world. Because some are regional and some are in the testing phase, consumers may not see them in abundance. However, QSR went inside fast food’s fried chicken takeover and discovered these moves:

• Chick’nCone is a fairly new fast-casual restaurant that decided to renew chicken and waffles’ marriage vows by putting the chicken in a waffle cone and letting the customer pick their sauce.

• KFC is also mixing things up and trying its hand at bowled meals such as a Mac & Cheese Bowl -- a concoction made of mac and cheese, popcorn chicken, and topped off with a three-cheese blend. Consumers can also choose to add a Nashville hot sauce as an option. 

“The KFC food innovation team is constantly looking at food trends to bring craveable offerings to our customers, and we know bowl food is a trend that isn’t going away,” says Vijay Sukumar, chief food innovation officer at KFC U.S.

• By virtue of six chains either starting from the ground up or going the franchise route -- all centered around “hot chicken” -- that particular taste slant apparently hasn’t run its course, either.

What does chicken’s rise to stardom mean for the consumer?

In doing our research for this story, ConsumerAffairs found several pro and con arguments about chicken. Here are the things we found that can impact the consumer in one way or another.

Is there enough chicken at the grocery store with all the fast-food’ers grabbing all they can?

The short answer is “yes.”

When ConsumerAffairs put that question to Terrence O’Keefe, the Content Director at WATT Global Media, a company that provides business intelligence to the global Pet Food, Poultry and Animal Feed markets, his reply was emphatic. 

“Yes, the U.S. broiler industry has been in an expansion mode and 6 new complexes are opening over the next few years,” he said, adding that the chicken craze has zero impact on availability at the grocery store since there is “plenty to go around.”

Other industry observers agree with O’Keefe.

“There have been a series of production investments, some of which came online in 2019 and more to come in 2020,” Dr. Thomas E. Elam, President, FarmEcon LLC, told ConsumerAffairs. “McDonald’s new chicken offerings should help absorb some of this added capacity. In the big picture it’s welcome news to a broiler sector that has struggled with historically low prices for the past year.”

Will chicken prices rise?

The short answer here is “probably” if history is any indicator.

Over the last 19 years, chicken’s average annual inflation rate has been lower than overall inflation -- 2.02 percent vs. 2.10 percent. But the difference between 2000 and 2019 is considerable. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for chicken were 46.15 percent higher in 2019 versus 2000. 

”In other words, chicken costing $20 in the year 2000 would cost $29.23 in 2019 for an equivalent purchase” is how In2013Dollars boiled down inflation’s impact. 

Does this mean that the burger is dead?

All this poultry frenzy may have you asking if the bird has killed the burger.

The autopsy says no. Even though chicken has eclipsed beef as the “most consumed” meat -- 94 pounds vs. 57 pounds per capita according to the National Chicken Council -- one food industry advisor says that chicken gained that advantage because most of that consumption happens in the home and that, outside the home, the burger still rules.

“(Chicken is) a center-of-the-plate protein, in a casserole or a baked dish. We don’t consume them at home as chicken sandwiches,” David Portalatin, vice president and food industry adviser for NPD, in comments to the Washington Post. “I assure you the burger is alive and well and will be for the foreseeable future.”

A group of twenty women have filed a lawsuit accusing Lyft of not doing enough to protect them against sexual assault or rape. The women claim Lyft allowed “known sexual predators” to work as drivers.  

At a press conference on Wednesday, the lawyer handling the case -- Attorney Mike Bomberger of Estey & Bomberger -- accused the ride-hailing firm of failing to enact policies and procedures designed to protect passengers.

"Lyft has allowed drivers that have sexually assaulted and raped their customers and their passengers to continue driving under their app and platform," Bomberger said. "This lack of zero-tolerance policy encourages sexual predators to join the Lyft platform."

The suit contends that the company’s response to sexual assaults over the past four years has been "appallingly inadequate.” 

Concealing the scope 

In addition to accusing the company of doing a poor job protecting passengers, the complaint accuses Lyft of concealing the scope of sexual assault issues. Bomberger said thousands of people have had similar experiences in Lyft vehicles.

"The numbers are in the thousands," he said in an interview with The Mercury News in San Jose. "This isn't a hundred, this is several thousand women we believe have been assaulted."

Lyft’s lack of transparency regarding the extent of the problem hampers police efforts to investigate cases and silences victims, according to the suit. The women also take issue with Lyft’s recent switch to a standardized response to misconduct claims. 

“Lyft’s newly announced standardized protocol for determining whether to ban drivers from the platform may pose a continued threat to passengers," the suit claims. “This new standardized protocol for dealing with complaints of sexual assault could, and likely will result in dangerous sexual predators remaining on Lyft’s platform until a more serious incident, like a rape occurs."

Lyft responds 

Lyft issued a statement in response to the claims presented in the suit in which it highlighted its efforts to improve the passenger safety over the years. 

"What these women describe is something no one should ever have to endure," a Lyft spokesman said. "Everyone deserves the ability to move about the world safely, yet women still face disproportionate risks. We recognize these risks, which is why we are relentless in our work to build safety into every aspect of our work."

The company noted that it screens drivers for offenses on a continuous basis and provides emergency tools for passengers, such as rapid access to 911. 

Bomberger called the features and policies rolled out by Lyft "gimmicks” which haven’t done enough to address the issue. He said eight of the women involved in the suit “had their incidents occur after these features were in play.” 

He said Lyft should, at a minimum, consider adding an audio recording device to all of its drivers’ cars to prevent unwanted behaviors and incidents. The women the suit was filed on behalf of are seeking unspecified damages for medical care, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.

On Wednesday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it plans to scrap its previous plan for a $4.5 billion program to provide federal support for 4G LTE support in underserved areas. Instead, the agency says it will launch a $9 billion fund to bring 5G to rural areas of the U.S. 

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the new fund will help carriers pay for 5G deployments in areas with “unique wireless connectivity needs,” such as farms, ranches, and other areas that tend to face difficulties in obtaining access to wireless services or the internet.

“5G has the potential to bring many benefits to American consumers and businesses, including wireless networks that are more responsive, more secure, and up to 100 times faster than today’s 4G LTE networks,” Pai said in a statement. “We want to make sure that rural Americans enjoy these benefits, just as residents of large urban areas will.” 

“We must ensure that 5G narrows rather than widens the digital divide and that rural Americans receive the benefits that come from wireless innovation,” Pai said. 

The proposal also involves allocating at least $1 billion to help bolster efforts to deploy precision agriculture tools that require 5G connectivity. 

The FCC said it plans to formally propose the new 5G fund early next year. The funding will come from its Universal Service Fund, which uses money from surcharges on telephone service and provides subsidies to schools and libraries.

Republicans and Democrats in Congress appear to have something they can agree on: they don’t like robocalls and are looking for ways to stop them -- or at least slow them down.

Sen. John Thune’s (R-S.D.) TRACED Act, which would direct providers to block more of these types of calls, has attracted 84 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle and has already been approved by the Senate by a vote of 97-1. The measure now goes to the House.

It would empower the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish rules for when a provider may block a voice call based on information provided by the call authentication framework. The purpose is to protect telephone customers from receiving unwanted calls or texts from a caller using an unauthenticated number.

If enacted into law, the measure would require telecom providers to develop call authentication technologies that could detect and distinguish between calls from your dentist confirming an appointment and calls from a disembodied voice threatening you with arrest or trying to sell worthless health insurance.

House-Senate compromise

In mid-November, lawmakers in the House and Senate worked out a number of compromises in the measure that they said would improve its chances of passage.

“It’s time to put Americans back in charge of their phones,” six lawmakers who worked on the compromise said in a statement.  “Our agreement will require telephone carriers to verify calls and allow robocalls to be blocked in a consistent and transparent way, all at no extra charge to consumers.”

This week, the proposed legislation won the backing of AARP, which noted that many robocalls are used to defraud seniors.

“Con artists frequently use illegal robocalls to deceive victims into paying money under false pretenses,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. “All Americans will benefit from the safety provisions of the Pallone-Thune TRACED Act.”

Caller ID spoofing

LeaMond says the lack of authentication is a current weakness used by scammers who often disguise or “spoof” Caller ID displays. A survey conducted by AARP earlier this year found a high consumer reliance on Caller ID when deciding whether to answer a call.  

Consumers almost universally hate robocalls, which consistently show up as the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) top complaint from consumers each year. 

The call-blocking app YouMail reported last month that consumers received 5.7 billion robocalls in October, a 25 percent jump from September and a 7 percent increase over the previous all-time high of 5.2 billion robocalls in March.

With the new year approaching, many consumers may be contemplating cutting back on their alcohol consumption. Based on several reports, doing this could have serious health benefits, particularly for those fighting cancer. 

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from Boston Medical Center found that tightening up alcohol regulations for cancer patients could also help reduce the mortality rate. 

“When thinking about cancer risk and cancer prevention, the focus tends to be on individual-level risk factors rather than environmental determinants of cancer, like public policies that affect the consumption of alcohol or tobacco,” said researcher Dr. Timothy Naimi. “Implementing effective policies to reduce alcohol consumption is a promising means of cancer prevention that merits further investigation.” 

Lowering the mortality rate

The researchers analyzed alcohol-related cancer deaths from 2006 through 2010 to determine how the substance affected overall health outcomes. For the purposes of the study, the researchers looked solely at cancers that could be linked with alcohol, including breast cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, and prostate cancer.  

From there, the researchers analyzed alcohol regulations across all 50 states to better understand the effect that the strictness of such regulations -- or lack thereof -- had on the cancer mortality rate. 

The study revealed that there was a close relationship between states’ alcohol regulations and the cancer death rate, as cancer-related deaths went down as much as 8.5 percent in states that had tighter policies.

These findings illuminate how alcohol can affect our health, as experts warn that there’s no amount of alcohol that’s safe for the body. The researchers say it’s important for consumers to know the risks associated with the popular beverage. 

The team also hopes that lawmakers understand how important these findings are so they can do their part to tighten up alcohol regulations and save lives. 

United Airlines passengers will soon be flying on Airbus jets instead of older Boeing 757 jetliners. The airline this week put in an order for 50 Airbus A321XLR aircraft.

Whether the airline would have considered the Boeing 737 MAX had it not been grounded was left unsaid, but it can’t be denied that Boeing’s problems have been good for its competitor’s business.

JetBlue and American have recently turned to Airbus when it was time to order new intermediate to long-range jets. The single-aisle jet is similar to the MAX and has an extended range, making it a versatile aircraft.

United plans to fly the new Airbus jets from its East Coast Hubs to Europe. They will replace its fleet of aging Boeing 757-200 jets that were produced between 1981 and 2004. At the time, it was the largest single-aisle passenger aircraft produced by any manufacturer.

Entering service in 2024

The new aircraft from Airbus are expected to enter service by 2024 for United’s transAtlantic routes from Newark and Washington.

"The new Airbus A321XLR aircraft is an ideal one-for-one replacement for the older, less-efficient aircraft currently operating between some of the most vital cities in our intercontinental network," said Andrew Nocella, United's executive vice president and chief commercial officer. "In addition to strengthening our ability to fly more efficiently, the A321XLR's range capabilities open potential new destinations to further develop our route network and provide customers with more options to travel the globe."

The newly-designed A321XLR offers modern amenities that include LED lighting, larger overhead bin space, and Wi-Fi connectivity. An added bonus, says United, is that the new aircraft will be much more fuel-efficient.

Related to 737 MAX problems?

While Boeing’s loss to Airbus can’t be directly traced to its problems with the 737 MAX aircraft, it certainly can’t be ruled out. As the company struggles to get the aircraft recertified after two crashes in five months, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has suggested that it won’t be rushed into giving Boeing a green light.

Boeing’s chief engineer, John Hamilton, who led Boeing’s efforts to investigate the two fatal 737 MAX crashes, announced his retirement Wednesday. Hamilton, along with Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg, testified before Congress at two hearings last month, defending the company’s actions in seeking certification of the jetliner.