Current Events in January 2020

It’s something that many consumers might have experienced when going to see their doctor. Your blood pressure could be reading low on one day, but it could spike up on a separate visit several months later. No big deal, right? 

Maybe not, according to researchers from Duke Health. The team found that big swings in blood pressure readings for younger consumers could point to future cardiovascular problems. 

“If a patient comes in with one reading in December and a significantly lower reading in January, the average might be within the range that would appear normal. But is that difference associated with health outcomes in later life?” asked Dr. Yuichiro Yano, the lead author of the study. “That’s the question we sought to answer in this study, and it turns out the answer is yes.”

Each reading matters, not just the average

The researchers came to their conclusions after analyzing data on nearly 3,400 people who took part in a study in the mid-1980s. The team looked at variations in blood pressure readings for each subject over a 10-year period and isolated those who experienced systolic blood pressure readings that were above 130 on individual visits, which would be an indicator for hypertension.

The researchers then tracked health outcomes for these individuals over the next 20 years and found that many of them wound up being affected by cardiovascular disease. In total, 182 subjects died over the 20-year period and there were 162 cardiovascular events. 

Diving deeper into the data, the researchers found that each 3.6 mm spike in systolic blood pressure equated to a 15 percent increase for cardiovascular events. This was true regardless of the average readings that subjects had when they were younger. 

The researchers say their findings indicate that doctors need to look more critically at individual blood pressure readings in order to deliver proper treatments, especially when their patients are younger.

“Current guidelines defining hypertension and assessing the need for anti-hypertensive therapies ignore variability in blood pressure readings. I think there has been a belief that variability is a chance phenomenon, but this research indicates maybe not. Variability matters,” Yano said. 

The full study has been published in JAMA Cardiology.

Apple has tangled with the FBI on some occasions over refusing to unlock suspects’ iPhones. But an investigation by Reuters claims the company shelved plans to let customers fully encrypt the backups of their devices when the FBI objected.

Reuters cites six sources for its story. The news agency says Apple declined to comment, and the FBI did not respond to news media requests for comment.

The Reuters report suggests Apple is now much more willing to aid law enforcement in gaining evidence against suspects, especially in cases involving violence and terrorism. While Apple has been a staunch defender of user privacy, law enforcement has called on the company to help bring criminals to justice.

Last week, Attorney General William Barr called on Apple to remove encryption from two iPhones used by a Saudi Air Force officer who shot and killed three Americans at a Pensacola, Florida naval base last month.

In congressional hearings, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have criticized the tech giant for preserving encryption on the accounts of people suspected in human trafficking and carrying out crimes against children.

2015 terrorist incident

Apple’s conflict with law enforcement burst into the open following the December 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernadino, Calif. One of the shooters had an iPhone, and the FBI asked Apple to unlock it so law enforcement could see if the attack was part of a wider operation. Apple refused.

The government took Apple to court to force the company to unlock the phone but later withdrew the complaint after it found an expert who was able to unlock the phone.

Since then, Apple and law enforcement have apparently had a less adversarial relationship. The Reuters report says Apple informed the FBI two years ago that it planned to launch end-to-end encryption when storing iPhone data on iCloud.

That meant Apple would no longer have the ability to unlock users’ encrypted data, so it would not be able to assist law enforcement in gaining access to suspects’ phones, even if it wanted to.

Reuters reports that the FBI objected to the plan, warning Apple that the move would prevent law enforcement from protecting the public from criminals who used iPhones to communicate. According to sources, Apple dropped the encryption plan the following year.

With flu season well underway and experts urging consumers to get vaccinated, a new study is encouraging parents to make sure that their children also get a flu shot. 

According to the researchers, the number of flu-related hospital visits could drop by over 50 percent if more children are vaccinated.

“Children vaccinated according to government guidelines are much better protected from influenza than those who only receive one vaccine,” said researcher Dr. Hannah Segaloff. “Over half of our study population had underlying conditions that may put them at high risk for severe influenza-related complications, so preventing influenza in this group is critically important.” 

Steering clear of the flu -- and the hospital 

To understand how the flu shot can improve children’s health outcomes and limit their time in the hospital, the researchers analyzed over 3,700 hospital records of kids between the ages of six months and eight years old. The researchers monitored their vaccination status and health records for three consecutive flu seasons, starting in 2015 and ending in 2018. 

The results only further encourage parents to get their young ones a flu shot, as doing so proved to reduce the number of hospital visits for flu-related symptoms by 54 percent. 

Ultimately, the researchers found that forgoing the flu shot can be detrimental to little ones -- especially for those who already struggle with their health. Many pediatricians now recommend that children receive a flu shot starting at a young age, so it’s crucial to incorporate the flu shot into kids’ yearly routines. 

“Young children are at a high risk of hospitalization due to influenza complications,” said researcher Dr. Mark Katz. “Children with underlying illnesses such as asthma and heart disease have an even greater risk of getting the complications. It is important to prevent influenza infections in these populations.” 

Consumers hoping to purchase a home in 2020 may find the task more difficult than they thought. Despite predictions that more homes would come onto the market, Zillow reports that the inventory of available homes hit a seven-year low in December.

Actually, it might be longer than that since Zillow didn’t start collecting inventory data until 2013. For all practical purposes, inventory could be at an all-time low.

As we reported 11 months ago, there was growing optimism that inventory levels were rising. Zillow says there was a widespread belief that more homes for sale would reverse the falling inventory trend, but the increase just didn’t last. Zillow attributes inventory gains to a temporary stock market dip and a spike in mortgage rates, two trends that are keeping buyers out of the market.

But now mortgage rates have fallen to near-record lows, and consumer confidence posted gains throughout 2019. Realtors report a big increase in home traffic this month from buyers not willing to wait until spring. That might turn out to be a sound strategy since there may be fewer homes on the market by April.

Inventory levels already falling

Zillow reports inventory is down year-over-year in 31 of the 35 largest U.S. housing markets, with Seattle, San Diego, and Sacramento seeing the largest drawdowns. The exceptions to shrinking inventory are San Antonio, Detroit, Atlanta, and Chicago -- the only markets where inventory actually increased over the last 12 months.

"The end of 2019 looks a whole lot different than we might have expected at the beginning of the year," said Skylar Olsen, director of economic research at Zillow. 

Not only are there fewer homes for sale, Olsen says that decline will likely cause prices to rise faster than they did last year, making affordability an issue for more buyers.

The value of the median home grew 3.7 percent in 2019 to $244,054, a slight slowdown from the previous 12 months. Home values were up 6.5 percent in Phoenix, leading the nations. Columbus, Ohio and Charlotte, N.C. were close behind.

Home values fell in only two markets, but they happened to be the nation’s most expensive markets -- San Jose and San Francisco.

Continuing to rent is also an increasingly expensive option. Zillow reports the typical rent is $1,600, up 2.6 percent in 2019 but flat from November. Phoenix and Charlotte, two markets where home prices increased the most, also saw the biggest increases in rent last year.

While recent studies have assessed the genetic component of Alzheimer’s, a new study has determined yet another way that family history can play a role in the condition. 

The researchers found that high exposure to aluminum could be linked with an increased risk of familial Alzheimer’s, a strain of the disease that is entirely hereditary. 

“This is the second study confirming significantly high brain accumulation in familial Alzheimer’s disease, but it is the first to demonstrate an unequivocal association between the location of the aluminum and amyloid-beta in the disease,” said researcher Christopher Exley, PhD. “It shows that aluminum and amyloid-beta are intimately woven in the neuropathology.” 

Limiting exposure to aluminum

To understand how aluminum played a role in Alzheimer’s, the researchers compared the brain tissue of those with no history of a neurological disorder with those who had a specific mutation of familial Alzheimer’s. 

Using a special imaging technique, the researchers were able to pinpoint where the aluminum was located in the brain, and what effect it was having on cognitive function. 

Ultimately, the researchers discovered that aluminium was closely linked to the development of Alzheimer's, as those who were already diagnosed with the disease had staggeringly high amounts of aluminum in their brain tissue. 

Not only was the aluminum content higher in those with Alzheimer’s, but the researchers deemed the figures should cause concern across the board, as over 40 percent of the brain tissue tested was well above what is considered normal. 

This is risky for consumers because the aluminum found in the brain tissue was in close proximity to amyloid-beta, a brain protein that has been commonly linked to Alzheimer’s. 

Aluminum and Alzheimer’s

While the researchers are uncertain about the relationship between aluminum and amyloid-beta, it’s important for consumers and doctors to be mindful of these factors.

“One could envisage increased amyloid-beta in brain tissue as a response to high levels of aluminum content, or that aluminum fosters the accumulation of amyloid-beta,” said Dr. Exley. “Either way, the new research confirms my resolve that within the normal lifespan of humans, there would not be any AD if there were no aluminum in the brain tissue. No aluminum, no AD.” 

Lipari Foods of Warren, Mich., is recalling various Premo and Fresh Grab wedge sandwiches.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The following products, which began shipping on December 31, 2019, are being recalled:

The products were distributed exclusively by Lipari Foods to food service and retail stores throughout Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

What to do

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

Consumers with questions may call Lipari customer service at (800) 729-3354, from 8:15 am – 4:30 pm (EST) Monday through Friday.

Chrysler is recalling 34 model year 2019 Ram 1500 trucks.

An incorrect Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensor could have been installed during production causing the sensor to not display the low tire pressure warning indicator.

Without a warning indicator, the driver may be unaware if low tire pressure occurs, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the TPMS sensor free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 31, 2020.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VE1.

The Takata airbag saga goes on, more than five years after it began. BMW has recalled nearly 375,000 older models sold in the U.S. to replace the inflators in Takata airbags.

These vehicles were recalled earlier and their airbag inflators were replaced with temporary ones until the permanent equipment became available. The permanent replacements are now ready to be installed.

The BMW recall affects BMW vehicles manufactured from 2000 through 2013. They include the X1, X3, X5, and X6 SUVs, and 1 Series and 3 Series sedans, wagons, coupes, and convertibles.

This recall follows one in December in which BMW recalled nearly 75,000 model year 1999-2001 323i, 325i, 328i & 330i, and model year 2000-2001 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, 323iT & 325iT vehicles with Non-Azide Driver airbag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata.

These vehicles may have also received temporary replacement inflators, but the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture due to a manufacturing issue. This could cause the inflator to rupture or the airbag cushion to underinflate.

Earlier this month, Takata recalled 10 million additional airbag inflators that were used as replacements, saying they could be subject to the same deadly flaws as the ones they replaced. 

BMW says consumers who had the temporary inflators installed in their airbags should take their vehicles back to the dealer right away to have the permanent equipment installed.

Five years and counting

In May 2015, Takata reluctantly agreed to recall 34 million airbags after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that the propellant in the inflators could degrade over time, causing them to spray bits of metal through the vehicle cabin when they deployed.

It was found that long-term exposure to high temperatures and extreme humidity makes the Takata airbag inflators even more unstable, meaning they are more likely to explode in cars driven mostly in southeastern states.

In the following years, nearly every major manufacturer was affected. In the most expensive and complicated recall in history, a total of nearly 42 million vehicles required modifications to their front-seat airbags.

Takata filed for bankruptcy protection two years after the initial recall, saying the step was necessary to enable it to complete the recall and repairs. The faulty airbags are blamed for 16 deaths in the United States and hundreds of injuries.

Tesla has disputed a claim that its cars are subject to instances of unintended acceleration as “completely false.”

The claim was made in a petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that pointed to 127 consumer complaints of the cars suddenly taking off on their own, leading to 110 accidents and 52 injuries.

In dismissing the claim, Tesla said the petition was filed by a person who is currently shorting Tesla stock, meaning they profit if the stock of the company goes down. Tesla stock is currently at record highs, with some analysts giving it a price target of more than $500.

In a blog post, Tesla said it reviews all complaints about its cars that are filed with NHTSA. In every case, it says there has been no evidence of unintended acceleration.

“While accidents caused by a mistaken press of the accelerator pedal have been alleged for nearly every make/model of vehicle on the road, the accelerator pedals in Model S, X and 3 vehicles have two independent position sensors, and if there is any error, the system defaults to cut off motor torque,” the Tesla Team wrote.

‘The car does what it’s told to do’

The bottom line, says Tesla, is that its cars only accelerate if the driver told it to do so, and it slows or stops when the driver applies the brake.

In the last decade, Toyota recalled about 10 million vehicles in the wake of hundreds of complaints about unintended acceleration. The recall, however, was to replace floor mats that safety investors concluded were the cause of the crashes.

But that didn’t stop reports of cars accelerating on their own. In 2015, federal safety regulators estimated there were 16,000 "preventable crashes caused by pedal error," attributing all the accidents to driver error.

It urged drivers to keep their feet in the middle of the accelerator and brake pedals and to wear suitable shoes. A NHTSA spokeswoman said footwear -- such as flip-flops, heavy boots, or high heels -- can contribute to pedal error crashes. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning job applicants that cyber crooks are running an updated ruse to try and make off with personally identifiable information (PII).

The scam is pretty straightforward. Cyber criminals pose as legitimate employers on online job sites, going as far as advertising on those sites, building out a website that smacks of something above board, and actually interviewing applicants. They give the job applicant just enough rope to give a false sense of security. Then, once they think the applicant is in their snare, the crooks go after PII and/or money from the job seeker.

“Fake Job Scams have existed for a long time but technology has made this scam easier and more lucrative,” warns the FBI. “The PII can be used for any number of nefarious purposes, including taking over the victims’ accounts, opening new financial accounts, or using the victims’ identity for another deception scam (such as obtaining fake driver’s licenses or passports).”

Warning signs

There are some key elements job applicants should be on the lookout for so they don’t fall prey to the scam:

• After being interviewed by cyber criminals masquerading as department heads or recruiters, victims are usually offered a work-at-home gig. 

• To prove some legitimacy, the crooks will send the victim an employment contract to physically sign and request a copy of their driver’s license, Social Security number, direct deposit information, and credit card information. 

• Criminals have also reportedly asked victims to make an upfront payment for background checks, job training, start-up equipment, or supplies. These requests usually come with the promise that the job seeker will be reimbursed in their first paycheck. 

• Once the crooks get the money -- $3,000 on average -- they shut off all communication with the victims, leaving no way to be found.

The do’s and don’ts

When someone is looking for a job, they’re often in a tender trap thanks to needing the job to stay liquid or provide for their family. The FBI says that there are six things every job applicant should do to protect themselves:

1. Do a web search on the hiring company. If you see multiple websites for the same company (abccompany.com and abccompanyllc.com), that may indicate they’re fakers. 

2. Legitimate companies won’t ask for PII or bank account information for payroll purposes until AFTER someone is officially hired. 

3. Do not send any money to anyone, particularly by wire transfer.

4. Don’t give any so-called employer your credit card or bank account information without having them verify their identity.

5. Keep your Social Security number and any other personal info that could be used to access your accounts to yourself. Social Security numbers are NOT always required.

6. Before entering any type of PII online, look at the prefix of the website’s URL. If it’s secure, it should begin with “https://”, not “http://”.

And, while we’re not the FBI, ConsumerAffairs’ research has found that sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Monster also offer a layer of protection in making sure a job applicant’s search for a new gig is safe and secure.

And if you get hit?

If you are a victim of a hiring scam, the FBI says the following actions should be taken as quickly as possible:

• Report what happened to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or your local FBI field office (www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices).

• Report the activity to the website in which the job posting was listed. For example, if you saw the hiring post on Indeed, contact them.

• Report the activity to the company the cyber criminals impersonated. You can also do a reverse look-up of website ownership via a “WhoIs” search, which could give you official contact information for the company and/or the site’s registrar.

• The moment you see something suspicious, contact your bank ASAP and, a) direct them to stop or reverse the transactions, and; b) ask them where the fraudulent or suspicious transfer was sent.

New details are starting to appear in Uber’s switch to estimated ride prices in California in the wake of the state’s new gig labor law. According to the Wall Street Journal, Uber drivers now have the freedom to bump up fares as many as five times in 10 percent chunks.

The feature is effectively a bidding platform where the drivers who set the lowest prices get the first customers. Then, depending on supply and demand, other drivers will be paired with riders, as well. 

As an example, using Uber’s fare estimator, if someone wanted to take an Uber from the San Francisco Marriott Fisherman's Wharf to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, they would normally pay a “pool” price of $11.85. Now, with the fare cap lifted, a driver could ask as much as $59.25.

Uber is keeping the rollout of this initiative small and regional to start to make sure it gets things right and things don’t get testy between drivers. For the moment, the trial run includes drivers running airport routes in Palm Springs, Sacramento, and Santa Barbara. If and when all the kinks get worked out, the company will likely expand to Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.

More transparency, too

Uber’s refreshed California setup also has come with a couple of other additions, including the following:

• Drivers will be given more detailed information up front, including travel time, distance, estimated fare, and final destination.

• Drivers can outright reject a ride without suffering any penalties.

• Instead of an exact price, riders will see a range of prices instead, which will take into account hard-to-predetermine elements like the time it will take to complete the trip.

• Passengers who favor certain drivers will also be able to note them as “favorites” so they can request them again in the future.

The beginning of the end?

Gig economy companies have come under scrutiny in the last year, and a lot of their mojo and freedom to do whatever they please has been taken away.

California’s new gig law (AB5) is a prime example of that, moving gig’ers from contract status to employee status and telling companies like Uber that they’re no longer going to reap the benefits of contract labor while leaving laborers with close to nothing in benefits or other typical employee perks.

Does this mean an end to Uber as we know it? Hard to tell. What’s not hard to tell is that more changes are likely on the way. Whether those changes are manifested in mergers or cries of “Uncle,” regulators are watching the Ubers of the world like a hawk.

Uber may be its own undoing. It’s still unprofitable after 10 years and burning through money as fast as it can lay hands on it. Despite its innovative approach to getting from point A to point B, the company still fails to produce black ink for its investors.

“While Uber is a disruptive company, it’s a terrible business… and its stock is a horrendous investment,” writes Forbes’ Stephen McBride. “You don’t need a master’s degree in business to understand this…Every business has to eventually make more money than it spends. Period. Yes, you can sacrifice profit to win customers at the beginning… but eventually you have to make money to cover your expenses and reward investors.”

Recent studies have highlighted how food insecurity can negatively affect consumers’ health, in addition to hindering kids’ performance in school. Now, researchers have found that consumers who have limited access to quality food could be at an increased risk of premature death. 

“The significant correlations of all levels of food insecurity with potentially avoidable deaths imply that food-insecure adults benefit less from public health efforts to prevent and treat diseases and injuries than their food-secure counterparts,” the researchers explained. 

Protecting consumers from food insecurity 

The researchers analyzed over 500,000 responses to the Canadian Community Health Survey, which were collected between 2005 and 2017. 

Consumers experience food insecurity when their financial situation hinders them from purchasing food, and the researchers found that the number of households that experienced food insecurity increased over the course of the study. 

Findings showed that food insecurity was linked to premature death, with respondents dying nearly a decade earlier on average compared to food-secure peers. Overall, the researchers learned that food insecurity could increase consumers’ risk of premature death, from any cause aside from cancer, between 10 and 37 percent. 

More access needed

As both consumers and investors work to reduce food waste, the researchers hope that legislators can do their part to ensure that all consumers have access to quality food, as it could be life-saving. 

“The markedly higher mortality hazard of severe food insecurity highlights the importance of policy interventions that protect households from extreme deprivation,” said researcher Dr. Fei Men. “In Canada, policies that improve the material resources of low-income households have been shown to strengthen food security and health.” 

Chrysler is recalling 3,329 model year 2005-2006 Dodge Vipers.

The Occupant Restraint Control (ORC) module may inadvertently deploy the airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

The unexpected deployment of the airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners increase the risk of injury and a crash.

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ORC module free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 31, 2020.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VE4.

How secure is your smart home? It’s a question you might be asking after a hacker has published a list of Telnet logins for a half-million servers, as well as home routers and smart devices, sometimes referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT).

Telnet is an application protocol used on an internet network to provide text-oriented communication abilities using a virtual terminal connection.

According to tech site ZDNet, the hacker published the list on a hacker forum and included each device’s IP address, along with the username and password, potentially giving readers easy access to the compromised device.

That information can be used to take remote control of the compromised devices. Computers can be used to send out millions of spam emails. Smart devices, such as thermostats and garage door openers, can be used to carry out denial of service attacks on websites, making them inaccessible for short periods of time.

Denial of service attack

In 2016, hackers took control of millions of smart devices around the world to carry out such attacks against major websites, such as Amazon, Netflix, and Twitter.

Dyn, the sites' common DNS provider, conducted an investigation that showed that many of the compromised smart devices had been infected with a malware called Mirai, which is a botnet. This attack was directed at Dyn, but the threat to individual consumers is just as possible and, in many ways, more invasive. 

A year later, security software firm Trend Micro reported a steady increase in the number of attacks on smart appliances, interfering with individuals’ use of their lights, home security systems, thermostats, and even TVs and baby monitors.

The hacker who published the latest list said the login credentials were easy to come by because they had either not been changed from the factory default or had been changed to easy-to-guess passwords like “1-2-3-4.”

How to protect yourself

There are steps consumers should take to protect their smart devices and any device that connects to the internet. Norton Security reports the threat is much more personal than simply allowing your device to be taken over and used by a hacker.

It notes that smart devices in the home are data collectors and the personal information collected and stored with these devices, such as your name, age, health data, location and more, can aid criminals in stealing your identity.

You can protect yourself by installing reputable and highly rated internet security software on your computers, tablets, and smartphones. Use strong and unique passwords for device accounts, Wi-Fi networks, and connected devices. 

Also, do some research when you are shopping for a smart device. These devices collect a lot of personal data. While collecting data isn’t necessarily a bad thing, you should know about what types of data these devices collect, how it’s stored and protected, if it is shared with third parties, and the policies or protections they offer in the event of a data breach.