Current Events in June 2021

If you haven’t yet received a COVID-19 vaccine, Walgreens has a new offer that might entice you to get one.

The company announced today that it will be giving away $25 store gift cards to people who get vaccinated at one of its stores from now until Saturday, June 26. The company says the incentive is being made to support the government’s push to protect more people from the coronavirus.

“Walgreens is providing the added incentive to encourage more individuals to get a COVID-19 vaccine in support of President Biden’s National Month of Action,” the company said in a statement.

Receiving rewards

Consumers who have a myWalgreens account will have immediate access to the $25 cash rewards after they are vaccinated; those who do not have an account will be able to opt for a physical gift card after getting their shot.

While younger children are not eligible to receive rewards, parents of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 can redeem the offer on their behalf if they are vaccinated at a store within the eligible time frame. 

To help bolster the vaccination effort, the company said it will also be extending pharmacy hours on Friday, June 25, at 4,000 locations so that more people have a chance to come in for their shot. 

Amazon’s annual Prime Day event has officially started, and many consumers are flocking online to find the best deals on the products they’ve had their eyes on. While the Better Business Bureau has already issued a warning about the threat of scammers, the FTC is publishing its own tips on what consumers should think about when shopping online.

At the top of the agency’s advisory is a plea for consumers to do some comparison shopping before they commit to buying anything online. This will help ensure that you’re getting the best deal and not buying something based on accidental or intentional misinformation. Reading reviews for a product can also help you identify potential problems, but the FTC warns that you’ll often need to do some extra homework to verify any claims being made. 

“Reading other people’s opinions about a product can help you make a decision. But some reviews are downright fake or not completely honest. You may not know when a reviewer got something — like a free product — in exchange for the review,” warned Alvaro Puig, an FTC Consumer Education Specialist.

Be mindful of how you pay and your personal information

Two other focus areas that the FTC says consumers should consider are how they’re paying for their online purchases and what information they’re giving away when they use a particular website or app. 

In general, the agency says consumers should always try to pay with a credit card when they can. “That way, if you get billed twice for the same item, or you get billed for something you never got, you can dispute it,” Puig said. 

When it comes to shopping apps, it’s always best to know what personal information a site or service is collecting when you choose to interact with it. Things like your name, phone number, email address, or other identifying information should always be safeguarded. If an app or site has historically been loose with consumer information, then it may be better to avoid it.

Google has been served with another antitrust allegation by the European Union (EU). 

Just two years ago, EU regulators opened a probe into how Google handled user data. Now, it is alleging that Google abuses its power as the leader in the online advertising segment. By all indications, it will be the most sweeping investigation yet into that sector of the company.

The EU is focusing primarily on whether Google favors its own online display advertising technology services over offerings from other companies.

Antitrust investigations into U.S. companies are becoming old hat for the EU. It’s already gone after Apple for breaking antitrust rules and unfair dominance with its App Store policies. Amazon was also put under scrutiny for antitrust violations over how it uses its Marketplace data.

Creating a level playing field

The most recent Google investigation will take a hard look at whether the company is distorting competition by restricting third-party access to user data for advertising purposes on websites and mobile apps while reserving that data for its own purposes. Google currently has a distinct advantage in this competitive space because it provides advertising technology services that work as a hand-off between advertisers and publishers in order to display ads on websites or mobile apps.

“Online advertising services are at the heart of how Google and publishers monetise their online services. Google collects data to be used for targeted advertising purposes, it sells advertising space and also acts as an online advertising intermediary. So Google is present at almost all levels of the supply chain for online display advertising,” explained European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager, who is in charge of competition policy.

Vestager said what’s important is that there’s a level playing field that affords every company the same opportunities.

“Fair competition is important -- both for advertisers to reach consumers on publishers' sites and for publishers to sell their space to advertisers, to generate revenues and funding for content. We will also be looking at Google's policies on user tracking to make sure they are in line with fair competition,“ she said.

To help landlords stay flush and renters out of legal trouble, the Associated Press reports that the state of California will pay off the mound of unpaid rent that residents incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And piled up it did. Only about 2% of Californians who applied for rent assistance during the pandemic have received part of the $2.6 billion the state set aside for that purpose. Supporters of the plan lay the blame at the feet of California officials, suggesting that the state’s program is riddled with confusion and red tape.

Critics say all those problems have caused significant slowdowns. There’s been a sufficient amount of finger-pointing toward the state when it comes to delays in distributing the rent assistance checks. Since receiving $490 million in requests through the end of May, officials have reportedly only written checks for $32 million -- covering about 6.5% of the total requests.

Wiping the slate clean

California officials felt that the quickest way over this hurdle was to utilize a variety of federal aid packages to set things straight, and that’s exactly what they did to the tune of $5.2 billion.

However, there appears to be a hitch in that process -- the state’s eviction moratorium. As things stand now, it’s set to expire on June 30, but state officials haven't decided whether or not to extend that or let the rental pay-off be the stopping point. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers are reportedly holding closed-door discussions about the moratorium issue, but a firm decision has yet to be made. If the state decides to extend the moratorium, then it would buy itself sufficient time to distribute the funds to pay off unpaid rents past the June 30 deadline.

States putting surplus COVID-19 assistance to good use

A year ago, when the eradication of COVID-19 was a big fat question mark, states were cutting back all they could and using any of the pandemic relief money they received cautiously. Now that things are looking up, many states are sitting on a sizable chunk of the $1.25 billion allocation that they received and are trying to find the best way to use it.

Take Idaho as an example. While it has distributed millions to assistance programs, parks and recreation departments, and small businesses, it’s on course for an $800 million surplus at the end of June. Other states like Georgia are putting that money towards food delivery and sick leave. 

Technology upgrades are getting a particularly good boost. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that Oklahoma has allotted $161 million to distribute 50,000 wireless hotspots among 175 school districts to give them a great way to kick off the upcoming school year. Connecticut’s doing much of the same -- with $164.5 million earmarked for education improvements, including bridging the technology gap.

A new study conducted by researchers from Rice University explored the ways that employers can get the most creativity out of their employees. 

The findings showed that having a rewards system in place was associated with the best creative outcomes. Companies that offered their workers several different incentive options got the best results. 

“Organizations spend a lot of resources and exert a great deal of effort in designing incentive schemes that reward employees who exhibit creativity at work,” said researcher Jing Zhou.

“Our results showed that the effort may be a bit misplaced. Instead of discovering one reward type that is particularly effective at promoting creativity, what is more effective is to provide the employees with the opportunity to choose from several reward types, if they submit one or more ideas that are among the top 20% creative ones.”  

What sparks creativity?

The researchers conducted a two-part study to determine how workplace reward systems can impact employees’ creativity. In the first study, employees at a company were offered to choose one of three rewards: a donation made to a charity of the employees’ choice, monetary compensation, or getting priority for days off. The workers then went about their usual routines, but they prioritized the generation of creative ideas.

The researchers learned that incentivizing creativity was a successful way to generate fresh ideas in the workplace. When employees felt like their ideas were being supported and encouraged by their bosses -- so much so that they would be rewarded for them -- they were more likely to think outside the box. 

The study also showed that the rewards system prompted the employees to come up with more ideas than they had been before the incentive program. Those ideas were also more creative than they previously were.

In the second part of the study, the researchers expanded their reach to a dozen companies to see if the results held up. Ultimately, the findings were the same; employees’ creativity increased when a rewards system was in place. 

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 5,680 model year 2020 GLB250s.

Water may enter through the wheel well area into the front occupant foot wells, potentially damaging certain electrical components.

This may result in the instrument cluster going blank, an engine stall while driving, or the vehicle may not start.

Either a blank instrument cluster display or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will seal the vehicle body in the wheel well area and inspect the front foot wells for water intrusion, repairing -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 27, 2021.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Online shopping scams on Prime Day? You bet. 

While Prime Day might be an Amazon-branded event, the online retail giant isn’t the only company trying to attract customers. Walmart, Target, Kohl’s, and others are also trying to draw in consumers with special deals during the annual shopping event. 

Consumers have been hot on the trail of all the deals being offered. Google reports that searches for “show Prime Day deals” were up 600% in the 24 hours leading up to Prime Day’s official start. Searches for “Walmart Prime Day deals” were up 90%, and searches for “Target Prime Day deals were up 50%.

Unfortunately, more deals mean more chances for scammers to capitalize on the hoopla and bamboozle shoppers. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says there are several scams that consumers should be on the lookout for. 

Phishing expeditions lead the way

First on the BBB’s list is phishing scams -- a type of fraud in which an attacker sends a fraudulent message designed to trick a victim into revealing sensitive information like a credit card number. 

“Phishing scams increase during busy shopping times, such as Prime Day or Black Friday,” the BBB warns. “When you are making a lot of purchases, it’s easy to lose track of exactly what you bought and where you shopped. That makes you more likely to fall for a phishing scam posing as a big name store.”

Phishing attacks don’t only come in the form of emails. They can also be delivered via text messages and phone calls. In some instances, attackers will try to entice you to click on a link or give up personal information so that you can receive a gift. If you see that kind of offer, then you should stop right then and there because it’s likely a scam. 

One recent phishing con the BBB reported on involved a scammer who claimed to be an Amazon representative who was calling to fix an issue with the victim’s account. This is a favorite ruse because a scammer can load up on personal data -- credit card information, account login details, and remote access to your computer -- in one fell swoop.

Phony websites and fake ads are also in vogue

The BBB says misleading ads and copycat websites are also a favorite tool of hackers.

“When searching online or browsing social media, watch out for ads that point to scam websites,” the BBB advises. “Con artists often create lookalike websites that, at first glance, appear to belong to a trusted retailer. But when you look more closely at the URL, you’ll notice that the domain name is slightly different (i.e., Instead of Popularstore.com, the URL might be PopvlarStore.com or PopularStoreOnline.com).”

Some other telltale signs to look out for include bad spelling and grammar used on the fake website and deals that sound too good to be true. The BBB says consumers should remain a little cautious when looking at special sales on Prime Day. If a company claims to be selling the hottest item of the year at a super low price, then it’s possible that they’re trying to pull a scam.

The agency says smart consumers will also pay attention to deals advertised on social media and regard them with a grain of salt.

“The Blessing Loom” is back for a summer rerun. On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the state of Arkansas sued the operators of a “blessing loom” investment program -- a pyramid scheme-like scam that pitches an enormous return on investment to unwitting victims. 

The scheme involved operators convincing consumers to pay $1,400 to join their program, with the promise that the investment could lead to a potential 800% return if they could get other people to join. 

However, some victims of the scheme ended up paying over $62,000 to participate, and all of their money was allegedly used by the organizers when no more members were willing to join. In total, the FTC said the operators of “Blessings in No Time” (BINT) defrauded thousands of victims out of tens of millions of dollars. 

The couple was charged with violating the FTC Act, the Consumer Review Fairness Act, and Arkansas state consumer protection laws. 

Targeting vulnerable consumers

The agency accused BINT of taking advantage of many consumers early on in the pandemic when they were financially vulnerable. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic attacked Americans’ health and their wallets,” said Daniel Kaufman, Acting Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “These scammers, who specifically targeted Black communities, used false promises of wealth to deceive consumers out of money at a time that Americans could least afford to lose it.”

To help convince more skeptical victims, the FTC’s complaint alleges that the defendants assured participants that they wouldn’t lose a single dime and that they could withdraw at any time and receive a full refund for everything they invested.

Just to be sure the scheme had a chance of remaining out of sight of authorities, the FTC said the defendants asked participants not to use certain payment processors or apps due to those processors having previously flagged BINT transactions. The complaint also alleges that the defendants illegally prohibited participants from posting anything about BINT on social media or the internet.

The FTC’s complaint seeks to permanently enjoin BINT’s illegal operation and provide compensation for victims who were bilked out of their money. Officials are also asking for civil penalties to be levied against the defendants under Arkansas state law.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 33,542,425 ‌(33,538,571)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 601,825‌ ‌(601,780)‌

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ ‌178,572,940 ‌(178,308,964)‌

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 3,‌868,089 (3,862,031)‌ ‌

Moderna is preparing for vaccine booster shots

Moderna, which produces one of the three coronavirus vaccines being used in the U.S., plans to add two production lines in preparation for the distribution of booster shots for people who have already been vaccinated.

The company said the production expansion is designed to help Moderna increase overall production capacity by 50% at its plant in the Boston suburb of Norwood. Production is also being expanded in other countries.

“Our plan and our hope is that, as soon as the U.S. has enough doses, we’re allowed to export so we can help as many countries as we can around the world,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel told the Wall Street Journal.

A few states may see a spike in cases

The pace of vaccinations has slowed in recent weeks, primarily because a handful of states are recording lower inoculation rates. Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wyoming have fully vaccinated less than 35% of residents.

That compares to a national average of around 45%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health officials worry that states with low vaccination rates could see a spike in cases of the virus.

Officials are particularly worried about the spread of the Delta variant because it appears to be easier to transmit. It may also cause more severe infections among people who are not vaccinated.

CDC finds ‘troubling’ increase in severe cases in teens

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised concerns about teenagers who have yet to be vaccinated. It found a “troubling” increase in the hospitalization rate of people aged 12 to 17 years old in March and April, a group that was only beginning to be vaccinated.

Among those young people, over 31% were admitted to an intensive care unit and nearly 5% were placed on ventilator support. All of the patients recovered, the report said.

Health officials believe the severity of the illnesses may be traced, in part, to the virus variants that have been circulating in the U.S. since the beginning of the year. Not only are they more transmissible, but they seem to cause more severe illnesses among some younger patients who have not been vaccinated.

One-third of older Americans delayed health care 

Health researchers warn that the pandemic, which has lasted for well over a year, may have health repercussions down the road. A poll by the University of Michigan (UM) found that one-third of older Americans put off seeking regular medical treatment because of COVID-19 concerns.

The percentage was even higher among older people who have asthma, who are Black, and who report that their mental health is fair or poor. Men, and those over 65, were less likely to say they’d delayed care, with 27% of both groups saying they had put off seeing a doctor, nurse, or other health professional due to COVID-19 concerns.

“What these findings suggest is that health care providers and older adults both need to make a concerted effort to get back on track with the care that can help manage chronic conditions and spot complications, as well as regular preventive care,” said Preeti Malani, M.D., poll director and a Michigan Medicine infectious disease physician. 

COVID-19 survivor wins the U.S. Open

As we noted last week, PGA golfer Jon Rahm expressed regret that he didn’t get vaccinated sooner because he tested positive during the final round of the Memorial tournament last month and had to drop out. At the time, he was cruising to a victory and a $1.7 million purse.

He made up for it over the weekend. After a 14-day quarantine and a pair of negative COVID-19 tests, Rahm returned to the course and won the U.S. Open by six strokes. He doesn’t dwell on what happened two weeks earlier.

“I believed from the biggest setbacks we can get some of the biggest breakthroughs,” Rahm told reporters. 

Around the nation

• New York: Music and sports venues were busy over the weekend because many of these entertainment locations lifted capacity restrictions. All restrictions expire today at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.

• Arizona: While cases of the virus continue to fall in most states, Arizona is an exception. State health officials are reporting a small spike in coronavirus cases in the last seven days. Arizona reported 600 new cases on Saturday alone.

• Vermont: Vermont is the first state in the nation to reach an important vaccination milestone, reporting that more than 80% of the eligible population has received at least one shot. As a result, the state has lifted all remaining COVID-19 restrictions.

A new study conducted by researchers from Michigan Medicine explored the health care costs associated with women giving birth. 

According to their findings, there are several reasons why consumers could be burdened with thousands of dollars in medical bills following the birth of a child -- even when covered by private health insurance. The team found that when infants require extra medical care or women deliver via C-section, it could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. 

“Many privately insured families believe that if they have health insurance, they’re protected from the costs of childbirth hospitalizations. Unfortunately, this is simply not true for many families, particularly if their baby needs NICU care,” said researcher Dr. Kao-Ping Chua. “Having a healthy baby is expensive enough given the costs of diapers, childcare, and baby equipment. Adding a $10,000 hospital bill on top of this can devastate some families,” Chua added.

The cost of childbirth

The researchers analyzed private insurance claims from across the country and focused their study on nearly 400,000 childbirths. The team looked at how much of the process was covered by insurance and what consumers had to pay out of pocket. 

While health insurance covered a portion of childbirth, the majority of the participants in the study were left with more than $3,000 in medical bills. When women delivered vaginally and their babies were healthy, delivery and hospital costs were nearly $3,100. 

As the cases became more specialized, the out-of-pocket costs increased. Medical bills reached nearly $5,000 -- and in some cases as much as $10,000 -- when infants spent time in the NICU. Similarly, women that delivered via C-section had nearly $4,000 in medical bills. 

The researchers explained that many in-hospital services for infants are necessary for overall health and wellness. Moving forward, the team hopes that insurance companies consider ways to reduce these costs for consumers so that a significant financial burden can be alleviated.

“Maternal and childbirth hospitalizations are essential to families’ health and well-being, with some babies needing longer stays because of complex or unexpected medical conditions,” said researcher Dr. Michelle Moniz. “These services are vital to ensuring the best possible outcomes for moms and newborns. We should be looking at ways to improve childbirth coverage to avoid sending families home from the hospital with thousands of dollars in debt.” 

Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb says schools could face higher transmission rates of the Delta coronavirus variant when they reopen this fall. 

“I think the reality is that kids are becoming more likely to be vectors of these new variants,” the former FDA commissioner said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

The Delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, was first discovered in India, and it’s known for spreading more quickly than other variants. Gottlieb said that since vaccination rates are lower among children, variants like Delta could prove to be a problem. 

“The old assumptions about children and children [not] driving community spread were based on the original strain of this virus,” Gottlieb added. “With these new, more contagious variants, I think we’re going to see that children and schools do become more of a focal point of spread.”

Gottlieb, who stepped down from his role at the FDA in 2019, said public health campaigns focused on getting eligible kids vaccinated may need to be treated with more urgency due to the Delta variant. 

“I think trying, especially, [to get] teenagers vaccinated is going to be important because the schools will become more focal points of spread and a more transmissible strain that infects more children, even if it’s not more dangerous, you’re going to see more bad outcomes,” Gottlieb said. “It’s just math that if more kids get infected, even if the rate of bad outcomes in kids is very low, more kids are going to have bad outcomes because more of them are getting infected.” 

Limiting the spread

Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was cleared for use in kids between the ages 12 and 15 last month, and Moderna has asked the FDA to expand its emergency use authorization to cover adolescents from 12 to 17. Pfizer said it expects to have data for children 5 to 11 months sometime this summer.

Regardless, Gottlieb expects schools to have appropriate virus mitigation measures in place by the time students are welcomed back. 

“Whether it’s masks or just some distancing and good prudent practices within the schoolhouse, I think smart schools are going to start the school year with some form of mitigation until they figure out which way this goes,” he said. 

The Biden administration has announced that it’s erasing $500 million in student loan debt for 18,000 former ITT Tech students. 

ITT Tech was shut down in 2017 after the government revoked its federal funding and decided that the for-profit institution had cheated students out of money. The Department of Education said Wednesday that the school misled students about how much they could expect to earn after graduating, as well as how their credits would transfer to other schools.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the action comes with a promise that the Department will continue to stand up for students who were misled by their schools. 

"Our action today will give thousands of borrowers a fresh start and the relief they deserve," Cardona said in a statement. "Many of these borrowers have waited a long time for relief, and we need to work swiftly to render decisions for those whose claims are still pending."

Entitled to relief

In March, the Department of Education announced that it would cancel $1 billion in student loan debt for about 73,000 defrauded students of Corinthian Colleges and ITT Technical Institute. 

An official said a review of Betsy DeVos’s guidelines dealing with student loan relief did not grant an “appropriate level of relief to borrowers” and added that there was “clear evidence” that they had been taken advantage of.

“It has been more than four years since the Department of Education first concluded that these students had been cheated by their institutions and were deserving of full debt relief,” Education Department Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) said. “Unfortunately, instead of simply processing loan forgiveness claims, the previous administration refused to accept the findings of its own staff and suspended action on behalf of these defrauded borrowers.”

A trial cruise filled with about 600 vaccinated passengers departed from Miami on Sunday evening. The cruise will span two nights, and the ship will dock at CocoCay in the Bahamas.

Cruises with volunteer passengers are intended to help pave the way for cruise operations to return to normal in the U.S., as they’ll help cruise lines test the efficacy of COVID-19 health and safety measures. Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas set sail from PortMiami at 7 p.m. on Sunday with a representative from the CDC on board. 

Under the CDC’s Framework for Conditional Sailing Order, a trial cruise is one of two options for a cruise ship to resume sailing. The agency said last month that a ship can either perform a trial cruise or agree to set sail with almost all fully vaccinated passengers and crew -- 95% for both groups. 

Vaccines strongly recommended

The entire cruise industry was forced to halt operations for about 15 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Royal Caribbean officials said the two-day voyage will serve as a way to observe quote “multi-layered health and safety measures” put in place by the CDC.

Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean announced that two passengers aboard another trial cruise tested positive for COVID-19. The passengers were asymptomatic. The company said it isolated the individuals and had them monitored by medical professionals. All close contacts of the individuals were also tested. 

“This situation demonstrates that our rigorous health and safety protocols work to protect our crew, guests and the communities we visit,” the cruise company said at the time. 

Royal Caribbean recently updated its website to state that vaccinations are strongly recommended for Florida sailings and "unvaccinated guests must undergo additional COVID-19 testing at their own expense.” 

"We do strongly recommend all the guests be vaccinated for sure for those who are eligible, but we have measures in place to keep the cruises safe," said Patrik Dahlgren, senior vice president of global marine operations for Royal Caribbean Group.

Florida has passed a law requiring gas stations to take added precautions against gas pump skimmers that steal consumers’ payment card information. Gov.  Ron DeSantis signed the legislation, which requires additional protection during fuel purchases while also mandating prompt reporting when crooks tamper with gas pumps.

Early gas pump skimmers were devices placed over the pump’s real card readers. When a customer inserted a card to pay for fuel, the scammer was able to retrieve the name, number, and expiration date from the card.

Today’s card skimmers are more sophisticated and harder to detect. Today’s scammers have the ability to install them inside the pump. Using Bluetooth technology, they can easily steal consumers’ card data.

In 2019, scammers were able to steal credit card data at Wawa convenience stores on the East Coast by launching a phishing attack that resulted in malware being downloaded onto the company’s network. Without having to physically tamper with the pump, criminals were able to steal millions of credit card numbers.

New requirements for stations

The Florida law specifically addresses physical gas pump tampering. When it takes effect in January, it will require gas stations to put in place a secondary security measure in addition to pressure-sensitive security tape at the pump. 

Among the secondary security steps Florida gas stations can take are the installation of anti-skimmer devices, locks, and alarms. They can also make daily inspections on gas pumps or install tap-and-go payment systems that make it harder for skimmers to take your money.

Consumers are also responsible

Law enforcement officials say consumers should be more vigilant when they fill up and look for signs of tampering. The biggest giveaway that something is wrong should be when you notice the security tape that seals the opening to the pump is broken or missing.

Consumers can also avoid being victimized by this crime if they use gas pumps that are closest to the station’s building or in a highly visible area. Skimmers usually choose pumps that are out of the way to limit the risk of being observed.

A 2020 survey by CompareCards shows that this crime is widespread and getting worse. It found that 31% of credit card customers believe they have been a victim of a skimming incident at some point during the past year. That’s an increase from 23% in 2019 and 15% in 2018.

A new study conducted by researchers from Michigan State University found that not becoming a parent may not impact consumers’ life satisfaction. 

The team learned that one-quarter of adults in Michigan do not want to have children, and this group experienced similar levels of happiness and satisfaction as those who had children. 

“Most studies haven’t asked the questions necessary to distinguish ‘child-free’ individuals -- those who choose not to have children -- from other types of nonparents,” said researcher Jennifer Watling Neal. “Non-parents can also include the ‘not-yet-parents’ who are planning to have kids, and ‘childless’ people who couldn’t have kids due to infertility or circumstance.” 

How do children impact happiness?

For the study, the researchers wanted to identify the difference between adults that didn’t plan on having children versus those who were considered nonparents. The team then analyzed responses from more than 1,000 adults who participated in the Michigan State University State of the State Survey. The group answered questions about their personalities, general life satisfaction, and political ideology. 

The researchers were surprised to learn that one-quarter of the participants identified as child-free and didn’t have intentions of having children. However, this choice didn’t affect their overall happiness or life satisfaction.

“After controlling for demographic characteristics, we found no difference in life satisfaction and limited differences in personality traits between child-free individuals and parents, not-yet parents, or childless individuals,” said researcher Zachary Neal. 

In terms of personality, the study showed that parents and nonparents weren’t too different; however, the researchers learned that there was a divide between the groups. The study found that parents didn’t have great attitudes about those without kids, whereas nonparents were much kinder to each other. 

Another big difference was in political leanings. The majority of nonparents reported having more liberal preferences than participants with kids. The researchers believe that this particular finding can have important implications in future elections.

American Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights over the weekend as stormy weather battered parts of the South. The carrier also disclosed plans to trim its flight schedule by 1% through the middle of next month.

The cuts come amid a surge in travel bookings and that, apparently, is part of the issue. American is concerned its current schedule, beefed up in early spring as the economy began to reopen, will strain operations.

Not only does the airline have to make sure it has enough flight crew members to operate each flight, it also depends on mechanics, baggage handlers, and third-party service providers like caterers. With the current labor shortage, many of these jobs are unfilled.

Airline executives said the weekend’s bad weather underscored the difficulty of summertime operations, when planes are full but the weather is uncertain.

“The bad weather, combined with the labor shortages some of our vendors are contending with and the incredibly quick ramp-up of customer demand, has led us to build in additional resilience and certainty to our operation by adjusting a fraction of our scheduled flying through mid-July,” the airline told CNBC. “We made targeted changes with the goal of impacting the fewest number of customers by adjusting flights in markets where we have multiple options for re-accommodation.”

Cancellations began on Friday

Gary Leff, who writes “The View From the Wing” blog, said American began cancelling flights on Friday, with the number steadily rising through the weekend.

“Today is worse than yesterday with 176 cancels already,” Leff posted on Sunday. That’s nearly 50% more than Saturday. And there are already about 100 cancels on the books for Monday.”

For American and other airlines that may take a similar course of action, it’s a financial setback. After a year in which passenger traffic plunged, consumers are only now beginning to spend money on travel. 

For consumers, fewer flights mean more sold-out planes and more difficulty in getting to a destination. Fares may also rise.

Consumers should remember that when a flight on which they are booked is cancelled the airline is required to offer a refund. This became an issue early in the pandemic when airlines cancelled thousands of flights and encouraged passengers to accept a voucher for a future flight.

2. Think about cost

Caring for a kitten – or any pet – isn’t cheap. In addition to the initial adoption costs, you might also end up paying for:

• Vet visits
• Spaying or neutering (if not done at the shelter)
• Food and feeding supplies
• Grooming tools
• Toys
• Litter boxes and litter
• Flea and tick prevention
• Cat bed

These are the most common immediate costs, but this isn’t a comprehensive list. You can expect to pay several hundred dollars a year to provide great care for your new cat. Not everyone can fit this into their budget, especially all at once.

If your financial situation isn’t conducive to owning a kitten now, don’t give up. Take a little time to prepare first — you can save up or buy the stuff you’ll need one by one — if you need to.

3. Consider: One kitten or two?

Once you start looking for a kitten, you might find it difficult to adopt just one. Two kittens together can work well; they can keep each other company and encourage exercise and play. However, two at once means more cost and commitment.

It’s best to determine before looking whether you want just one kitten or more. If you know you only have room in your budget, home or life for one, harden your will, or you might give in at the shelter.

4. Determine if they’ll be an indoor or outdoor cat

Before you bring home a kitten, you need to decide whether you’ll keep it completely indoors or let it roam outdoors. Starting your kitten out in the space you plan for them to stay in is much easier than trying to transition later on.

Many experts suggest keeping your cat indoors, as they tend to live longer away from the elements. If you choose to keep them inside, though, it’s important that you keep them stimulated and provide plenty of toys. Window perches are also helpful.

5. Prepare your space

Before bringing your kitten home, it’s important to do a thorough cleaning.

• Make sure there’s nothing lying around they could swallow and choke on.
• Put away any chemicals so they don’t knock them over and get into them.
• Keep toilet seats closed to prevent them from falling in.
• Tie up any long cords they could strangle themselves with (or just tear to pieces!).

6. Load up your supplies

There are several things you might need or want in your home when your new kitten moves in. A few items you’re likely to appreciate having around:

Toys

You want to keep your kitten stimulated and engaged. There are several great options for this, such as the Petstages Tower of Tracks Interactive 3-Tier Toy or the Youngever Cat Toy Assortment. Additionally, a scratching post can help prevent your kitten from scratching at your furniture, clothes and other belongings.

Litter box and litter

There are countless options for litter boxes out there, including those with lids. These are great for larger cats, but kittens often have a difficult time getting into them because of the higher step threshold. It’s better to choose a litter box with a short side for a kitten, like the Suhaco Large Cat Litter Box with Lid or the KittyGoHere Litter Box.

Crystal litter or non-clumping clay litter tend to be easiest to deal with. It’s less likely to stick to the fur and paws, meaning there’s less of a chance your kitten will ingest it while grooming or spread it all over the house.

Food and bowls

Like human babies, kittens need specific nutrients to support the healthy development of the brain, eyes, teeth and bones. Kitten food should be high in protein and calories, preferably with natural ingredients. Hill’s Science Diet is one brand highly recommended by vets.

It’s also important to keep fresh water available as much as possible. A food bowl with an automatic water supply like the Aqueous Plastic Cat Bowl is excellent for keeping your furry friend hydrated, especially if you’re often on the go and can’t tend to a water bowl frequently. And cats love running water.

Cat bed

Your kitten will appreciate a comfortable and secure place to sleep. The Tempcore Cat Bed is a great choice — it has overstuffed walls, a dangling cat toy and a water-resistant bottom. It’s also machine-washable.