Current Events in May 2021

Twitter is reportedly planning to roll out a subscription plan that will give those willing to pay for the service access to a number of premium features. 

Jane Manchun Wong, who is known for finding new features before companies officially announce them, found evidence that Twitter is planning a subscription service called Twitter Blue. It will initially be priced at $2.99 per month. For that price, subscribers will reportedly get the following features: 

• “Undo Tweets.”When a user posts a tweet, an “Undo” button with a timer will appear, allowing users a few seconds to change their mind and stop the tweet from appearing on the live feed. 

• “Collections.” This feature gives users the ability to save and organize their favorite tweets into folders dubbed “Collections,” with the aim of making them easier to find later. 

Finding different revenue streams

Wong said Twitter is working on a tiered subscription pricing model, which suggests that other tiers could have even more features than the two named above. She shared a screenshot in which Twitter stated that the service would auto-renew each month and could be canceled any time. 

The rumored new subscription model comes as the free-to-use social media site explores new ways of making money. Last July, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey told analysts that it could eventually launch a subscription service. He told investors that there is a "a really high bar" for when Twitter would ask users to "pay for aspects of Twitter." 

"We want to make sure any new line of revenue is complementary to our advertising business," Dorsey said in July. "We do think there is a world where subscription is complementary, where commerce is complementary, where helping people manage paywalls ... we think is complementary."

A new study conducted by researchers from Edith Cowan University explored the benefits associated with consistently eating fruits and vegetables. The researchers found that eating 470 grams of fruits and vegetables each day, which is about one pound, was linked with lower stress levels. 

“Vegetables and fruits contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and carotenoids that can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and therefore improve mental well-being,” said researcher Simone Radavelli-Bagatini. “Inflammation and oxidative stress in the body are recognized factors that can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and lower mood.

“We found that people who have higher fruit and veggie intakes are less stressed than those with lower intakes, which suggests diet plays a key role in mental well-being,” she added. 

Improving diet and stress

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 8,600 people enrolled in the Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle (AusDiab) Study. Throughout the study, participants reported on their diets and general stress levels so the researchers could determine what role fruits and vegetables had on long-term stress. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that regularly consuming fruits and vegetables was linked with lower stress levels. Compared to those who ate around a half-pound of fruits and vegetables per day, those who ate a full pound every day reported 10% less stress. 

These findings are important because of the long-term consequences associated with stress disorders. The researchers explained that adding more fruits and vegetables to consumers’ diets could be a good way for them to maintain healthy stress levels.

“Long-term and unmanaged stress can lead to a range of health problems including heart disease, diabetes, depression, and anxiety so we need to find ways to prevent and possibly alleviate mental health problems in the future,” Radavelli-Bagatini. “The study’s findings emphasize that it’s important for people to have a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to potentially minimize stress.” 

Over the weekend, a number of states followed federal guidance from government health officials and dropped their statewide mask mandates.

For consumers, that produced a fair amount of confusion as stores and restaurants followed their own policies. Some continue to require customers and employees to wear masks, others don’t.

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance saying people who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks in most public settings. By the weekend, dozens of states ended their mask requirements.

But businesses have not responded uniformly. Executives at some large chain stores with many employees and customers said they are still analyzing the guidance and deciding what to do. Others acted almost immediately.

By the weekend, two of the largest retailers -- Walmart and Costco -- announced ends to their requirement that all shoppers wear masks, but only in states that have lifted their mask mandates. Walmart’s policy won’t go into effect until Tuesday. Costco’s policy apparently took effect immediately.

“In Costco locations where the state or local jurisdiction does not have a mask mandate, we will allow members and guests who are fully vaccinated to enter Costco without a face mask or face shield,” the company said in a statement. 

Won’t require vaccination proof

Costco also said it won’t require proof of vaccination but asked that customers cooperate with its revised policy. That policy says consumers can shop without a mask in most areas of its stores but will require face coverings in healthcare settings, including pharmacy, optical, and hearing aid departments. 

“Costco continues to recommend that all members and guests, especially those who are at higher risk, wear a mask or shield,” the company said.

Many businesses with multiple locations are currently reviewing their policies before deciding what to do. They point out there are many issues to consider, including how comfortable their employees feel about working in crowded stores.

Maskless at Publix and Trader Joe’s

Two supermarket chains acted quickly to drop their mask rules. Publix said shoppers in states where masks are no longer required my shop without them. Trader Joe’s adopted a similar policy.

 “We encourage customers to follow the guidance of health officials, including, as appropriate, CDC guidelines that advise customers who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear masks while shopping,” Trader Joe’s said in a statement.

At Starbucks, masks are “optional,” except in states and communities where they are still required.

But as of today, the majority of brands continue to enforce the mask mandate, even in states where it has been discontinued. Among the stores where consumers will need to continue wearing masks are Target, Home Depot, Macy’s, Walgreens, and JC Penney. 

Automakers General Motors and Toyota said they are sticking with their current mask policies until they get clearer direction from other government agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Chrysler is recalling 18,800 model year 2021 Jeep Cherokees.

The transmission oil cooler hose may have been incorrectly cured, allowing transmission fluid to leak and increasing the risk of a fire..

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the hose free of charge.

Owners notification letters are expected to be mailed June 23, 2021.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y18.

Hempstead Foodservice of Hempstead, N.Y., is recalling approximately 972 pounds of pork chops.

The product contains hydrolyzed soy protein, an allergen not declared on the label.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following heat-treated fresh item, produced between April 6, 2021, and April 30, 2021, is being recalled:

• 10-41 lb. carboard boxes containing the product in clear plastic bags with “Hempstead Foodservice” on the box and “PORK CHOPS” marked from the list on the side of the box.

The recalled product, bearing establishment number “EST. 47142” inside the USDA mark of inspection, was shipped to grocery stores and restaurants in New York, cooked at these retailers and then further sold to consumers.

What to do

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

Consumers with questions may contact Edgar Puello at (516) 385-1212 or by email at info@hempsteadfoodservice.com.

Kolcraft Enterprises of Chicago, Ill., is reannouncing its earlier recall of about 51,000 inclined sleeper accessories included with Kolcraft Cuddle ‘n Care 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleepers and Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleepers

Infant fatalities have been reported with other manufacturers’ inclined sleep products, after the infants rolled from their back to their stomach or side, or under other circumstances.

No incidents or injuries have been reported involving the Kolcraft product.

This recall involves the inclined sleeper accessory sold with the Kolcraft Cuddle ‘n Care 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleeper (model number starting with KB063) and the Kolcraft Preferred Position 2-in-1 Bassinet & Incline Sleeper (model number starting with KB061).

Model numbers are located on the metal bar between the bassinets’ legs.

The inclined sleeper is the only portion of the product that is being recalled.

The inclined sleepers, manufactured in China, were sold at juvenile product stores and mass merchandisers nationwide from March 2011, through December 2017, for about $140.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled inclined sleeper accessory and contact Kolcraft for a $35 voucher to be used on www.Kolcraft.com or a $20 refund. The voucher can be used until February 20, 2022.

Kolcraft is contacting all registered owners and known purchasers directly via a postcard by mail.

Consumers may continue to use the bassinet without the inclined sleeper accessory.

Consumers may contact Kolcraft at (800) 453-7673 Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (CT), by email at customerservice@kolcraft.com, or online at www.kolcraft.com and click on “Safety Notifications” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Consumers have lots of options when it comes to travel lodging. In addition to the multitude of hotels and motels, short-term apartment and house rentals are growing in popularity, boosted lately by a desire to travel after facing restrictions linked to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

What both Vrbo and Airbnb offer travelers are additional space and more privacy than a typical hotel. In some cases, a traveler may pay the same or less for an entire house or apartment than they would for a nice hotel room.

The business models of the two companies are similar. Neither owns the properties they book. Instead, they act as the agents for property owners offering their homes for short-term rental. They collect “transaction” or “service” fees and provide a platform that consumers can use to select and book properties. While Airbnb properties may include a portion of a private home or apartment, Vrbo says it limits its offerings to entire houses.

Customers posting reviews at ConsumerAffairs found a lot to complain about with both companies. But a reading of the reviews posted so far in 2021 suggests that many of the complaints have more to do with the individual property owners than either company.

However, Vrbo gets a 1.1-star rating based on 344 reviews and ratings, while Airbnb scores 3.6 stars based on 1,527 reviews and ratings. Does one company perform better than the other? According to our reviewers, Airbnb has an edge.

Customer service

What appears to be the biggest knock on Vrbo is the company’s customer service; the issue was mentioned often. The platform, which is owned by Expedia Group, says customer service has always been a point of emphasis but concedes that it has faced recent challenges in that area.

“In the past year, customer service volume has been unusually high due to the pandemic and an influx of requests and questions related to cancellations and refunds,” the company said in an email to ConsumerAffairs. “We continue to ramp up the phone lines and field requests as quickly as possible. We’ve also enhanced our self-service tools significantly over the past year and encourage customers to use the Virtual Agent chat feature on our site to manage their bookings.”

We reached out to Airbnb for input to this article but had not heard back by the time of publication.

We searched for reviewers who had used both services and found Iyonna of Newark, New Jersey. She told us there wasn’t much difference between Vrbo’s and Airbnb’s properties. However, she gave the edge to Airbnb’s customer service department.

But Matilda, of Houston, had a bone to pick with Airbnb’s customer service. She told us she was unable to get into her rented home and couldn’t contact the host. She said she contacted Airbnb’s customer service.

“They aren't able to contact the host and let me know they will reimburse me,” she wrote in her post. “It's 8 pm on a Saturday and my family has nowhere to stay. I'm sent a link from customer service to find another host that can accommodate me, no one can.”

Consistency could be an issue

David Fiorenza is an associate professor of Practice at Villanova University who developed and teaches a course called Economics of Tourism. He says most travelers are not only price-conscious but also fickle.

“Most consumers like consistency and at the least want the new experience to be equal to the last experience, if not a better experience,” he told ConsumerAffairs. “Older travelers may not have a comfort level with Airbnb or Vrbo if their experiences in the past have been with a travel agency or group travel.”

Marla -- a reader from Mount Hermon, California, who had generally nice things to say about Airbnb -- agrees. She suggests that some of the people complaining about bad experiences might have unrealistic expectations about what Airbnb and Vrbo offer.

“It is not like the hotel circuits, and the hosts are not wealthy business moguls (as a rule),” she wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. “This is more like a hostel situation since 9.5 times out of 10 you will be sharing a bathroom with several other rooms but you'll sometimes also have things like a full kitchen, food that the host brought or someone else left, and free washer/dryers.”

Fiorenza’s advice to travelers is to think about their budget and desired experience before they book. He says Airbnb is good for those on a budget, since you may be booking a spare room. Vrbo, he says, is better if you are looking for a private vacation home.

About our reviews

ConsumerAffairs verifies all reviews before they are published, and we require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real. We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews, and our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 32,860,353 (32,819,878)

Total U.S. deaths: 584,570 (583,779)

Total global cases: 161,310,781 (160,566,700)

Total global deaths: 3,347,409 (3,334,194)

The CDC’s new mask guidelines: What they mean

There was widespread celebration Thursday when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines that said fully vaccinated people didn’t need to wear a mask except in a few settings. But does that mean you can take off your mask immediately?

The guidelines are just that -- guidelines. Requirements to wear a mask in public are set by the states -- and until states act, they remain in effect.

In the meantime, people should continue wearing masks in public spaces until policies have officially been changed. Otherwise, there could be awkward encounters at stores, restaurants, and other public venues.

Mask guidelines remain in effect for travel

Even if your state changes its policy on masks, don’t discard your face covering just yet. The CDC guidance has some exceptions to its finding that fully vaccinated people don’t need a mask indoors.

If you are planning a trip on a commercial aircraft, the guidance continues to call for everyone aboard to wear a mask. The requirement to wear masks during travel -- on buses, trains, planes, and public transportation -- still stands. The CDC said guidance for travel will be updated as science emerges.

Masks will also be required in health care venues. The CDC said people with autoimmune deficiencies may also want to continue wearing a mask.

Pandemic-induced chip shortage costing automakers $110 billion

The shortage of computer chips that led to a shortage of new cars and trucks is expected to cost the world’s automakers $110 billion this year in lost sales. 

The New York-based consulting firm AlixPartners has upwardly revised its estimate of the loss from around $60 billion, an increase of more than 81%. Losses are mounting as fully assembled vehicles sit on lots waiting for the installation of vital semiconductors before they can be sold.

Ironically, demand for new cars has never been greater, as nearly every American family has received stimulus money from the government. Cox Automotive’s survey of buyers found that 40% are willing to pay above MSRP for the new vehicle of their choice.

Experts see post-pandemic move to ‘cashless’ commerce

If you’ve been to a Major League Baseball park this season, you will have noticed that the concession stands don’t accept cash. You must place your orders online and pay electronically.

Researchers at Arizona State University say we’ll likely see more of that even after the pandemic recedes in the rearview mirror. And while going cashless will not be a major inconvenience for people who already use their debit or credit cards almost everywhere, it does raise some issues regarding privacy and equity.

“It’s more hygienic because there’s less contact and you’re not sharing bills and change,” said Geoffrey Smith, clinical associate professor of finance at ASU. “Things have been heading toward cashless, but this is a good time for businesses to roll it out, when consumers are more accepting of it under the guise of safety.”

Real Time with Bill Maher canceled after host tests positive

Comedian Bill Maher, host of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, has tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in the cancellation of the next show. 

According to HBO, Maher has been fully vaccinated and has no symptoms of the virus. His infection was revealed by PCR testing ahead of the show’s recording. 

“Real Time production has taken every precaution following COVID CDC guidelines. No other staff or crew members have tested positive at this time. The show will be rescheduled at a later date,” an HBO spokeswoman told Deadline, an entertainment industry publication.

Around the nation

• Texas: The state legislature has approved a bill to throw a lifeline to music venues throughout the state that were shut down for more than a year by the pandemic. Qualifying venues could get up to $100,000 each in tax rebates on alcohol sales. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the bill into law.

• Massachusetts: State officials say the CDC’s new guidance on masks has not changed the state’s official policy. The statewide mask mandate remains in effect. State health officials say they are still looking at the new guidance before deciding if the indoor mask requirements will be lifted in Massachusetts.

• Louisiana: As businesses struggle to find employees, Republicans in the state legislature have proposed offering residents currently on unemployment $1,000 to go back to work. But there’s a catch -- workers would have to give up their right to claim jobless benefits for six months.

To demonstrate how serious it’s taking the opportunity to be flying again, Delta Air Lines will require all new employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The airline’s move makes it one of the few major corporations to mandate that hiring requirement.

“Any person joining Delta in the future, a future employee, we’re going to mandate they be vaccinated before they can sign up with the company,” Ed Bastian, the airline’s chief executive, said in a CNN interview on Thursday evening.

Bastian said Delta’s current staff is exempt, but he said 75-80% of employees have already been vaccinated and that he would “strongly encourage” the others to step up as well. 

Now that Delta has made the first move, it’s possible that other airlines may follow suit. But, for the time being, Delta is flying solo in this effort. United’s president Scott Kirby floated the idea to employees back in January, but he said the carrier could not “realistically be the only company” to do so. 

Vaccination requirements for employees are starting to grow

Should — or much less, can — companies require employees to be vaccinated to get or keep a job? “For large corporations, such decisions are thorny,” postured the New York Times’ Niraj Chokshi. “On one hand, requiring vaccinations for all employees would lower the anxiety of workers returning to the office and help the country reach herd immunity, which would support the economic rebound. On the other, it raises privacy concerns and could risk a backlash or even litigation.”

Nonetheless, companies are starting to lean toward a pro-vaccination requirement. A new survey, conducted by Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, found that nearly 70% of U.S. and U.K. employers currently perform COVID-19 testing for their employees, and 90% intend to motivate or require vaccination. 

Those in favor of the requirement say they’ve seen one impressive payoff — that productivity and morale are up. A majority of employers said their employees’ engagement and productivity have gone up since the pandemic, and 44% report that employee morale has gone up. That’s compared to 26% indicating that morale went down since the pandemic began. 

Mental health and employee burnout had a devastating impact during the pandemic. Close to 80% of employers said the mental health of their workers has become a top priority since the pandemic started. Half the employers said they’re stepping up and making available company resources related to mental health.

Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb believes the CDC’s new mask guidance will likely lead to an increase in COVID-19 vaccinations among people who were previously hesitant to get inoculated. 

“This is going to provide a pretty strong incentive for a lot of people who might’ve been on the fence about getting vaccinated to go out and get vaccinated,” Gottlieb said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

On Thursday, the CDC updated its mask guidance to state that people who have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks can go maskless in most indoor settings and in crowds. People will still be required to wear masks in some places, such as in hospitals, on airplanes, and on public transportation. 

Declining vaccination rates 

All adults over the age of 16 are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations, but the pace of U.S. vaccinations has been falling in recent weeks. People who were most eager to get vaccinated did so early on, and now the numbers are stagnating.

Experts say vaccine hesitancy will make it challenging for some states to achieve the goal set by President Biden of having 70% of adults vaccinated. 

Right now, 36% of the nation is fully vaccinated and about 47% of Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to CDC data. The White House recently announced new efforts to boost vaccination numbers, including making vaccines available on a walk-in basis and spending tens of millions of dollars on education and outreach campaigns through states, national organizations, and community groups. 

Gottlieb, who now serves on the board at Pfizer, stated that the CDC’s new guidance could in itself be effective in pushing vaccination numbers higher. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a bump up in the number of people going out to get vaccinated because now, being vaccinated provides more value. You can go around in a mask in an honest fashion,” he said.

No new shipments of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot COVID-19 vaccine will be sent to U.S. states next week, according to a Washington Post report. 

The delay stems from production problems at a Baltimore plant two months ago. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Emergent BioSolutions, a manufacturer of Johnson & Johnson’s and AstraZeneca’s vaccines, mixed up ingredients between two different products. The cross-contamination issue ruined 15 million Johnson & Johnson doses. The FDA also said the plant needed to fix other problems, including unsanitary conditions and peeling paint. 

Medical experts said states may have enough doses to ensure that local distribution won’t be affected for several weeks, as long as no other issues delay production. 

“Everybody’s just hoping that this is just a little period that we’re going through and things will get back to where they were previously,” Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, told the publication.

Scrambling to meet FDA standards

Emergent said Tuesday that it’s working with the FDA and Johnson & Johnson to fix the problems at the facility and get production back on track. 

“We have already started making improvements and we are fully committed to making the necessary short- and long-term enhancements to meet or exceed FDA’s standards,” the company said. 

More doses of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine will be available as soon as federal regulators certify that the Baltimore plant has mitigated the problems it cited. The CDC’s shipment schedule says shipments of the first and second doses of both Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines will continue next week uninterrupted. 

U.S. lawmakers have found a way around Canada’s ban on cruising that prevented cruise lines from running Alaskan voyages through its waters.

Driven by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Sen. Dan Sullivan’s (R-AK) undying effort to save their home state from a cruise-less summer and reverse its $3+ billion loss in tourism revenue, the pair convinced the U.S. Senate to pass the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act (ATRA). The bill provides a way for cruise ships to skirt the Canadian impediment and travel through Canadian waters en route to Alaska. 

Time to change the law?

ATRA might be just the leverage needed for the U.S. to nudge Canada into reframing its 135-year old Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA). The act states that foreign-flagged passenger vessels carrying more than 100 people can operate between American ports, but it requires them to include a stop at a foreign destination. For Alaska-bound cruise ships departing from Washington State, this means a stopover in Canada.

Most Alaska cruises depart from either Seattle or Vancouver, but Seattle has an edge for Americans because of the convenience of booking flights to and from the city.

“This shows that the health and restoration of our economy cannot be held up by Canada, especially since Alaska has led with vaccinations in the country and our communities are ready to welcome visitors back,” said Sen. Murkowski “Our hope is that the House will now promptly follow suit.”

“Given the CDC’s much-awaited loosening of mask guidelines today for vaccinated Americans, I am hopeful we will see progress on this front as well,” Sullivan added.

Cruisers must be patient

While cruise lines are probably breathing a sigh of relief, launching a cruise is not as easy as flipping a switch.

Before a ship sets sail, a cruise line still needs to market and sell cruises, position ships, and get crews together. Frank J. Del Rio, the president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Lines, told the Anchorage Daily News that his company’s ships would not begin operating in the U.S. until at least August.

Ralph Samuels, an executive with Holland America Line and Princess Cruises and a former Alaska state lawmaker, also estimated that it could take two months or more to prepare.

“Progress is steady with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the passage of a solution to the Passenger Vessel Services Act issue in the Senate, with tremendous leadership from the Alaska delegation, should move things along,” Ball said.

Spending so much time indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic has made many consumers a little stir crazy. But a new study suggests that parks have proven to be an essential and safe escape over the last year. 

While many people thought gatherings in parks would lead to more COVID-19 cases, researchers from Drexel University found that the opposite was true. Outdoor spaces helped consumers feel less isolated during the pandemic without causing a massive spike in the number of infections. 

“Despite early speculation that parks could become gathering points for large groups of people and contribute to transmission of COVID-19, our research did not find a strong correlation between COVID-19 cases in neighborhoods near parks and the number of people using them,” said researcher Franco Monalto, Ph.D.

The benefits of outdoor gathering spaces

The researchers collected data from 15 parks in Philadelphia and seven parks in New York City between May 2020 and July 2020. They surveyed park-goers and also had residents from the area observe the typical park activity over the course of the pandemic. Then, they compared that data with COVID-19 cases in the surrounding areas of the parks to determine how activity at each of these locations impacted infection rates. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that parks proved to have more benefits for consumers than risks. Even in densely populated areas, where parks tended to be more crowded, the rates of COVID-19 remained stable; park-goers weren’t at an increased risk of being infected.

This could be because of the precautions taken by consumers who frequented the park. In both Philadelphia and New York City, less than 1% of people at the park engaged in high-risk behaviors like coughing or spitting without a mask on. Wearing a mask while at the park was common in both areas; less than 23% of Philadelphia park attendees and just over 1% of New York park attendees never wore masks. 

The researchers said parks gave consumers an important escape during the pandemic. They provided places for exercise, fresh air, nature, and small social gatherings. 

“While the municipalities that did close parks during the pandemic likely did so out of an abundance of caution, our work shows no evidence to support closing the parks during the pandemic,” said Dr. Monalto. “That people continued to visit parks during lockdowns and the early stages of the pandemic underscores the evident value of parks as a respite for urban residents during the early phases of the pandemic.” 

Spending time outdoors can have significant mental health benefits, and now a new study shows that kids might at least be somewhat aware of those advantages.

Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University conducted an experiment that asked children between the ages of seven and eight to draw a place where they feel happy. The majority of the children drew pictures of nature scenes, which indicates that the younger generation associates nature with well-being. 

“We wanted this study to explore children’s own perceptions of well-being, as most previous research has focused on adults,” said researcher Dr. Nicola Walshe. “This is despite a consensus that children’s perspectives differ significantly from adults.” 

The link between nature and well-being

The researchers had over 90 children from low socioeconomic backgrounds involved in the study. The goal was to have the children draw pictures of places that made them happy or were associated with positive memories and general well-being. 

More than half of the kids involved in the study drew pictures that were nature-related, with trees being one of the most commonly drawn elements in the pictures. The researchers were surprised by these findings because of how closely they aligned with adults’ views of happiness and well-being. 

However, it’s also important to note that even though nature was a consistent theme among the kids’ drawings, it wasn’t always the dominant part of the images. The researchers found that a lake or garden would often appear in the background of the drawing, but the people important in the children’s lives were featured more prominently. 

“We identified indicators of well-being that were made explicit in children’s drawings, such as the need for safety, happiness, and positive relationships,” said Dr. Walshe. “The drawings depicted nature and outdoor spaces as being interconnected with all aspects of well-being. For example, being able to play outside boosts physical well-being, while being able to stay calm and appreciate the beauty of nature can be linked to emotional or mental health.” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that more of an effort is made to strengthen the connection that kids have with both nature and art. 

“Previous research has shown that wealth affects access to nature, with children living in deprived areas significantly less likely to have access to green spaces and outdoor places to play,” Dr. Walshe said. “Our research suggests that nature and open spaces underpin these children’s consideration of well-being. 

“As such, making nature explicit, and restoring the interconnectedness between the arts and nature should be a key priority for research to help improve children’s well-being.” 

Consumers tend to do business with brands they like and trust, and each year the Axios-Harris Poll 100 ranks companies that consumers seem to like the most.

In the survey conducted during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Patagonia, Honda, Moderna, Chick-fil-A, and SpaceX emerged as the top-five best reputations in America in the 2021 Axios-Harris Poll 100 list.

On the flip side, brands that struggle with ethics, culture, and trust – especially in areas of data privacy – usually see their rankings fall, regardless of the products and services they offer. This year, The Trump Organization, Fox, Facebook, Wish.com, and Sears are at the bottom of the 22nd annual list.

"Products, performance, and – more than ever – purpose are driving the reputations of America's top companies and their leaders," said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll. "Today, data privacy is separating 'good tech' from social platforms, Americans are burning out on streaming overload, and pharma continues to set the benchmark for companies championing innovation to solve some of society's toughest challenges."

Four key attributes

The Axios-Harris Poll 100 has ranked reputations since 1999. The criteria include trust, vision, growth, culture, and the products and services the company provides.

The poll also measures corporate visibility. This year, Amazon and Walmart are the two most visible companies, perhaps because of their outsized role in 2020 in keeping homebound consumers supplied with essential products.

Apple, Facebook, Google, Target, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Nike, and McDonald's returned to the “most visible” list. Newcomers include Moderna -- which produced a successful COVID-19 vaccine -- and  SpaceX, Chewy, REI, Subaru, In-n-Out Burger, Wayfair, Kaiser Permanente, Goya, Reddit, Robinhood, GameStop, Huawei, My Pillow, TikTok, and Wish. For better or worse, the companies had a high profile in 2020.

"This year's reputation list reflects the 'new normal' for business,” said Ray Day, vice-chair of The Stagwell Group, which includes The Harris Poll. “To excel today, companies must deliver high marks on all three core drivers of reputation: business performance, corporate character, and trust."

Be sure to click on the links to see how ConsumerAffairs readers rate these companies.

Even though the Colonial Pipeline has started moving again after being shut down for six days by a cyberattack, gasoline prices are still rising. However, they’re not climbing as quickly as before.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows that the national average price of regular is $3.04 a gallon, 9 cents higher than last Friday but only a penny more than Thursday. The average price of premium gas is $3.62, up eight cents a gallon in the last week. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.16 a gallon, six cents more than a week ago.

Fuel prices in the Colonial Pipeline service area -- mostly the Southeast and mid-Atlantic states -- have stabilized after spiking in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Many gas stations in those states ran out of gas when panicked consumers began topping off their tanks.

States outside Colonial’s service area have seen only modest price increases this week. None have faced fuel shortages.

“The restart of the pipeline is very positive news for motorists,” said Jeanette McGee, a AAA spokesperson. “While impact won’t be seen immediately and motorists in affected areas can expect to see a few more days of limited fuel supply, relief is coming. Station pumps will be full of fuel in several days. This is an especially good update ahead of the Memorial Day holiday.”

Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, predicts that supplies in affected areas will be back to normal by the Memorial Day weekend in two weeks. He reported that North Carolina was the hardest-hit state as of mid-day Thursday, with nearly 70% of its stations completely out of fuel. Only 1% of New Jersey stations were without gas.

The states with the most expensive gas

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

• California ($4.12)

• Hawaii ($3.85)

• Nevada ($3.56)

• Washington ($3.52)

• Oregon ($3.36)

• Utah ($3.34)

• Alaska ($3.28)

• Illinois ($3.25)

• Idaho ($3.21)

• Arizona ($3.14)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

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

• Louisiana ($2.70)

• Mississippi ($2.71)

• Texas ($2.74)

• Arkansas ($2.75)

• Missouri ($2.76)

• Oklahoma ($2.78)

• Minnesota ($2.81)

• Alabama ($2.82)

• North Dakota ($2.82)

• South Carolina ($2.85)

Golden Medal Mushroom of Los Angeles, Calif., is recalling all cases of Enoki Mushrooms (Product of Korea).

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recalled product UPC 809165582015, which comes in a 200g/7.05-oz clear plastic and green package with the description “Enoki Mushroom” in English and labeled “Product of Korea,”was distributed to California, Illinois and Texas, by produce distributors, or through wholesalers to retail stores nationwide.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should not consume it, but return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with question may contact the company at (213) 892-9966. Monday – Friday, 6:30AM – 1:00PM.