Current Events in August 2021

The last time Microsoft issued a major upgrade to its Windows operating system was six years ago. A lot has changed since then, and on October 5, the company will roll out a brand new Windows 11. The company says the new offering will be a "new Windows experience, bring you closer to the people and things you love."

If its preview video is any indication of what users can expect, Microsoft might be finally giving Apple a run for its money. On the surface, Windows 11 is very Apple-like -- sleek and modern. Internally, it has the ability to go toe-to-toe with Apple by giving users the ability to move applications across a range of devices and in the most contemporary of ways from touch to pen to voice.

Game on

Where Microsoft can possibly hurt Apple is in the growing and lucrative gaming segment. Leveraging Xbox, the company says that Windows 11 will take gaming to “a whole new level”  with the kind of graphic power that rivals reality. Microsoft hopes to tap into gamers with Xbox Game Pass, giving them access to 100+ games.

On an earnings call earlier this year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed that Xbox Live has more than 100 million people actively using Xbox every month. If Microsoft can convince a portion of those to buy a new Windows 11 machine, the estimated $8 billion Microsoft is expected to earn annually by 2025 should be a piece of cake.

What Windows users need to know

At the top of Windows users’ need-to-know list is the following: 

When: The free upgrade to Windows 11 starts on Oct. 5. The release will be phased in, meaning that new eligible devices will be offered the upgrade first. After that, the upgrade will then roll out over time to “in-market devices based on intelligence models that consider hardware eligibility, reliability metrics, age of device and other factors that impact the upgrade experience.” In other words, newer devices will probably get the updates before older ones. 

Consumers who want to buy a new computer so they can get a jump on Windows 11 have several options. For one, they can buy a new computer that has Windows 10 and wait just a few weeks for the automatic Windows 11 update to come out. Alternatively, they can wait until October and purchase a device that comes preinstalled with Windows 11. 

The companies that Microsoft is partnering with on those OEM models include Dell, Acer, Samsung, Asus, and Lenovo, 

How will you find out: Microsoft will be sending out notices to its users, but consumers can also check to see if Windows 11 is ready for their device by going to the Windows Update tab in their settings and selecting "Check for Updates."

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 39,076,637 (38,818,764)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 639,050 (637,658)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 217,359,371 (216,664,634)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,514,209 (4,505,400)‌

CDC finds vaccines’ protection declines slightly over time

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that the COVID-19 vaccines’ effectiveness against more severe symptoms appears to decline among older adults after a few months.

That said, it’s still pretty strong. CDC researchers found that seniors aged 75 and older who got the vaccine at the beginning of the year had an 80% chance of staying out of the hospital at the end of July.

The agency’s finding confirms previous research that suggests the vaccine’s protection against the virus declines, especially among people with underlying conditions. It may provide ammunition to health policymakers who have suggested that booster shots may be needed to increase the vaccines’ durability.

Five states are running out of ICU beds

As the Delta variant continues to sweep the nation, hospitals in states with a large percentage of unvaccinated residents are reaching a breaking point. Five states are reportedly at 90% capacity or more in their intensive care units (ICU).

Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows that Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Arkansas are down to 10% ICU capacity. In Georgia, one hospital is so full of COVID-19 patients that it is adding beds in hallways.

Dr. Matthew F. Daley, a CDC vaccine adviser, told CNN that the hospitalization rate is 16 times greater in the unvaccinated population than in those vaccinated.

"This to me seems to be a strong indication that the current epidemiologic curve that we're seeing is really a reflection of failure to vaccinate, not vaccine failure," he said.

More NFL players in COVID-19 protocols

As the National Football League (NFL) prepares to kick off the 2021 season, the toughest opponent appears to be COVID-19, which has been made stronger in the offseason by the acquisition of the Delta variant.

The Indianapolis Colts report that quarterback Carson Wentz, center Ryan Kelly, and wide receiver Zach Pascal have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after coming in contact with a staff member who tested positive for the virus.

ESPN reports that the move suggests the three players are not vaccinated since vaccinated players would only be placed on the list for a positive test result. The NFL has said that if unvaccinated players force a game to be canceled, their team will forfeit the game and the players on both teams will give up a week’s pay.

Around the nation

• Minnesota: Just five days into the new school year, education officials in Albert Lea are confronting a worst-case scenario.  Superintendent Dr. Mike Funk reports that 36 people have tested positive for COVID-19, and 290 students are currently quarantined from exposure to the virus following a "large virus spread within our community."
• Mississippi: Dolly Monceaux, who’s 82 and lives in Pascagoula, was unvaccinated when she got COVID-19 and was admitted to the hospital. She’s one of the lucky ones. After an ordeal, she’s left the ICU and has convinced her unvaccinated family to get inoculated. "All my family wasn't going to get the shot, but now we are," Monceaux told CNN. "All my family." 
• New York: Newly sworn-in Gov. Kathy Hochul has revised the state’s COVID-19 death toll, adding more than 12,000 names to the list of the virus’ victims. The previous reporting system did not factor death certificate data submitted to the CDC, which included deaths in any location, including at home.
• California: Rural counties in Northern California are seeing the same spikes in COVID-19 cases that erupted in early August in urban areas of the state. Health officials in some counties say the spike is the worst so far during the pandemic. Making matters worse, the smaller hospitals in those areas are reaching capacity.
• Arkansas: Some state prison inmates have been given the drug ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has strongly advised against its use to treat or prevent the virus. The drug is approved for use in animals to treat parasitic infections.

While several studies have emphasized the importance of consumers receiving both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, a new study conducted by researchers from Northwestern University explored the role that antibodies play for the vaccinated and unvaccinated. 

Their findings suggest that following up with the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines is very important because consumers’ antibody levels lower naturally over time, as does protection from the vaccines. They also learned that prior exposure to COVID-19 doesn’t necessarily impart higher antibody levels that will be maintained long-term -- but it does improve the odds.

“Many people, and many doctors, are assuming that any prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 will confer immunity to re-infection,” said researcher Thomas McDade. “Based on this logic, some people with prior exposure don’t think they need to get vaccinated. Or if they do get vaccinated, they think that they only need the first dose of the two-dose Pfizer/Moderna vaccines. 

Understanding the body’s immune response

For the study, the researchers analyzed the antibody levels of more than 8,000 participants who had previously been infected with COVID-19. Participants utilized at-home antibody tests three times: two weeks before their first dose of the COVID vaccine, two weeks after their second dose, and two months after their second dose. 

While the researchers observed higher antibody levels after the first dose of the vaccine, by the time they had reached the final antibody evaluation, antibody levels were declining by about 20%. They explained that over time, immunity to infection -- even after vaccination -- gets lower. This highlights the importance of consumers getting both doses of the vaccine to ensure that they’re as protected from the virus as possible. 

The researchers also learned that participants who had been infected with COVID-19 before getting vaccinated had higher antibody levels than those who hadn’t tested positive for the virus. Additionally, those who were symptomatic had more antibody protection than those who were asymptomatic. 

Staying protected against the delta variant

As the Delta variant continues to spread around the world, staying protected from COVID-19 continues to remain a priority. 

“As far as protection goes after vaccination, the story is the same for all the variants, including delta -- the vaccine provides good protection, but not as good protection as the original version of the virus for which the vaccine was designed,” McDade said.

“Combine that with the fact that immunity wanes over time, you get increased vulnerability to breakthrough infection. So, it’s two strikes right now -- delta plus waning immunity among the first wave of the vaccinated.”

Tesla added to its list of accidents with emergency vehicles over the weekend when one of the company's vehicles hit a parked police cruiser in Florida. This continues to be a developing issue for the automaker because the car was reportedly in Autopilot mode.

The incident further raises concerns about Tesla vehicles that tend to hit vehicles that have flashing lights or are near scenes with flares, road cones, and illuminated arrow boards.

The chain of events

Just before daybreak on Saturday, a consumer driving a Tesla was driving along Interstate 4 in Orange County when they encountered a hobbled Mercedes-Benz that had come to a stop in a travel lane. Right behind the Mercedes was a police car on the scene with its emergency flashers on. The Tesla first plowed into the side of the cruiser, then ran into the parked Mercedes.

"The driver stated that [the Tesla] was in Autopilot mode," said the report from the Florida Highway Patrol.

There were no serious injuries reported, but the Tesla came dangerously close to hitting a Florida state trooper as he left his vehicle to check on the driver of another car that had stopped.

Heads up, Tesla drivers

Regulators say these problems may indicate that the automated system may have difficulty seeing parked emergency vehicles -- particularly after dark. The finding has led the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to recently launch a probe into Tesla’s automated driving system. 

All told, the number of accidents involving Teslas and emergency vehicles or crash scenes has now eclipsed a dozen. Until the NHTSA solves this puzzle, it asks that Tesla owners using Autopilot mode stay focused and at the ready just in case they need to take over control of the car and avoid veering off towards emergency vehicles or scenes.

"NHTSA reminds the public that no commercially available motor vehicles today are capable of driving themselves," the agency said in a statement. "Every available vehicle requires a human driver to be in control at all times, and all state laws hold human drivers responsible for operation of their vehicles."

Tesla has already sided with the agency's point of view, stating that the Autopilot feature requires "active driver supervision" and does not "make the vehicle autonomous."

Officials work to make things better

The NHTSA fully realizes that autopilot features are the wave of the future, but we’re not to the point where automotive technology can handle the whole task of driving when we don’t want to or can’t do it ourselves. 

The agency has developed an AV TEST initiative that gives automated driving systems developers like Tesla an opportunity to improve their systems -- on real, public roads. The ongoing effort gathers information from states, local jurisdictions, and companies to share with the public.

The advantage for Tesla and other automated vehicle owners is that they can get email alerts when new information is released. Consumers can visit this site to see the results of autonomous vehicle tests or to sign up for updates, it’s just a  away.

Unions have long viewed the fast-food restaurant industry as fertile ground, but they have yet to make much headway. So what’s happening in Buffalo, N.Y., has the industry’s attention.

About 50 Starbucks employees have announced plans to form a union at several Buffalo-area locations. The group announced that it has formed "Starbucks Workers United" and will seek to organize a union.

In a letter to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, the employees made clear that their actions are not motivated by grievances. 

“We are forming a union to bring out the best in all of us,” the employees wrote. “Our organizing committee includes Starbucks partners from across the Buffalo region. Many of us have invested years of our lives at Starbucks while others have recently become partners. We all have one thing in common -- we want the company to succeed and we want our work lives to be the best they can be.”

The letter was signed by 15 members of the organizing committee, including Alexis Rizzo, one of the founding members. She said she began working at the store six years ago at the age of 17.

“We’ve been called Starbucks partners and we want to become real partners, to be able to have a voice to make our job better and to make our customers’ experience better,” Rizzo told the London Guardian.

Consumers appreciate good employees

The employees said they are the face of the company, and many ConsumerAffairs reviewers agree. When posting Starbucks reviews they often mention the baristas in a favorable light.

“I want to take a moment to acknowledge Natatia at the Cottage Grove Minn., location,” wrote M, of Cottage Grove. “Natatia always has a very positive attitude and I look forward to having her take my order when she is working. It is employees like Natatia that take the customer experience at Starbucks to the next level.”

Sara, of San Antonio, has nice things to say about the entire crew at her neighborhood Starbucks.

“As soon as he sees me walk in the door he has my croissant warming up,” Sara wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. “This group is always nice, friendly, and knowledgeable, they work very well as a team, great job!!!! They all know my name, I feel at home.”

The Buffalo Starbucks employees say they are seeking to organize a union as a way to have a sustainable career. In their letter to Johnson, they said their effort is not a reaction to any company policy, but rather a way to help Starbucks fulfill its mission of “improving communities one coffee at a time.”

In the age of COVID-19, the new fast-food business model is based on drive-thru and delivery. That’s not great news for lovers of french fries.

The burger may be still warm by the time it arrives at your home, but french fries are made to be eaten immediately. The more time that passes, the less appetizing they can be.

To remedy that problem, Wendy’s says it has re-engineered its fries. To retain heat and crispness, Wendy’s fries will retain more of the potato skin and spend a little extra time in the fryer.

“These fries are a cut above the rest – literally,” Emily Kessler, Wendy’s senior specialist of culinary and innovation, told USA Today. “One side is built for heat retention and the other for crispiness.”

This will be good news for at least one ConsumerAffairs reviewer. Regina, of Richmond, Va., recently posted her disappointment in her last Wendy’s meal, making special note of the french fries.

“The fries were terrible! They were cold and tasted like they were cooked in old oil,” Regina told us. “Tried to give fries to pet piglet and he grunted and turned up his snout and walked away!”

Wendy’s new "Hot & Crispy Fries" have already started appearing at some restaurants. The company said they should be available nationwide by the middle of September.

The time between purchase and consumption is increasing

Other restaurants may make similar adjustments to their recipes for french fries and other menu items to keep them fresher for longer periods of time between purchase and consumption.

Last November, researchers at Upserve noted that 60% of consumers ordered meals for delivery or takeout at least once a week. These numbers are not likely to go down anytime soon.

In December of 2020, the NPD Group reported that drive-thru lanes accounted for 44% of off-premise orders across the entire restaurant industry.

Most fast-food dining rooms remain closed, not just because of COVID-19 but because of a lack of staff. Industry experts believe fast-food franchises will continue to struggle to hire workers, even with increased pay and benefits.

A new study conducted by the European Society of Cardiology explored a diet change that may benefit consumers’ long-term heart health.  

According to their findings, swapping salt for low-sodium alternatives may be effective at lowering the risk of stroke for those with a history of stroke or high blood pressure. 

“This study provides clear evidence about an intervention that could be taken up very quickly at low cost,” said researcher Bruce Neal. “A recent modeling study done for China projected that 365,000 strokes and 461,000 premature deaths could be avoided each year in China if salt substitute was proved to be effective. We now have shown that it is effective, and these are the benefits for China alone. Salt substitute could be used by billions with even greater benefits.” 

Heart health benefits of low-sodium options

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 20,000 participants enrolled in the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS) from 2014 through 2015. All of the participants were either struggling to maintain healthy blood pressure levels or had experienced a stroke. One group of participants was instructed to use a salt substitute when cooking, and another group carried on with their normal diets as usual. The researchers evaluated the participants' heart health over the course of nearly five years and paid particular attention to cardiovascular events, potassium levels, and mortality rates. 

The study showed that the risks of stroke, cardiovascular events, and death were all lower when the participants used a salt substitute. Replacing full-salt seasoning with the reduced-salt alternative contributed to the greatest heart health and longevity outcomes for the participants. 

“The trial result is particularly exciting because salt substitution is one of the few practical ways of achieving changes in the salt people eat,” Neal said. “Other salt reduction interventions have struggled to achieve large and sustained impact.” 

The researchers are excited about these findings because of the low cost associated with low-salt substitutes. Not only are there health advantages to consuming less salt, but this option would also be realistic for consumers from low-income backgrounds. 

“Importantly, salt substitute is very easy to manufacture and it is not expensive,” said Neal. “A kilo of regular salt, which lasts for months, costs about $1.08 in China. The price for a kilo of salt substitute is $1.62/kg. It is primarily lower-income and more disadvantaged populations that add large amounts of salt during food preparation and cooking. This means that salt substitute has the potential to reduce health inequalities related to cardiovascular disease.” 

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 12,060 model year 2021 ID4s.

Incorrect rear outboard seat belt assemblies without an automatic locking retractor (ALR) function may have been installed, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.

An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect, and replace -- as necessary -- the rear outboard seat belt assemblies, free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 1, 2021.

Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at (800) 893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CQ.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 38,818,764 (38,756,508)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 637,658 (632,275)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 216,664,634 (216,213,175)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,505,400 (4,498,657)‌

U.S. deaths continue to climb

Analysts poring over data from the COVID-19 Tracking Project at Johns Hopkins University report that news about the coronavirus continues to get worse. They say death rates increased in 42 states last week. In 14 states, deaths increased by more than 50%.

Alabama state health officer Dr. Scott Harris told CNN that so many people have died that some hospitals have run out of morgue space for the bodies of COVID-19 patients.

"We have enough people dying that there is no room to put these bodies," Harris said. "We are really in a crisis situation. I don't know how much longer we're going to be able to do this."

Florida remains an epicenter

The COVID-19 situation remains grim in Florida, but hospitalizations decreased over the last week. However, demand for beds in intensive care units (ICU) continues to climb, suggesting that cases not requiring hospital treatment are more severe.

Officials report that more than 53% of ICU beds in the state are filled with COVID-19 patients. State records show there have been more than 3,000 COVID-19 patients in the ICU each day since Aug. 9.

Meanwhile, a Florida judge has blocked the state from enforcing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ order that prohibits school districts from requiring masks to be worn in classrooms. A handful of larger school districts in the state have defied the governor’s order and challenged it in court.

Anti-vaccine radio host dies of COVID-19

Conservative talk show host Marc Bernier, who criticized the COVID-19 vaccines and urged his listeners not to get vaccinated, has died of COVID-19. His death was reported by WNDB Radio in Daytona, Fla., where he had been on the air for more than 30 years.

According to Politico, he is the third conservative radio vaccine opponent to die of the virus. Another Florida conservative radio host who had criticized the coronavirus vaccine, Dick Farrel, died Aug. 4. Phil Valentine, a conservative radio host in Nashville who had questioned the need for the vaccines, died last week.

In Texas, Caleb Wallace, who led a campaign against face mask mandates, died Saturday of COVID-19. ABC News reports that Wallace wrote a letter to the local school district in April, demanding that it rescind all its COVID-19 protocols.

Around the nation

• Massachusetts: People in Boston are now required to wear face masks in all indoor public spaces. Officials have declined to issue a statewide mask mandate and instead have left it up to local jurisdictions to decide. This week, Newton and Cambridge will also require masks.

• Texas: More than 8,000 medical workers have arrived in the state in recent days to help overwhelmed hospitals cope with the surge in COVID-19 cases. The reinforcements include nurses, respiratory therapists, and other contract staff.

• North Carolina: Classes have just resumed, but two state universities, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and North Carolina State, are reporting a surge in COVID-19 cases. Officials from both schools insist that the spread is not occurring in classrooms.

• Ohio: While cases of COVID-19 are increasing across the state, wildlife officials say they have determined that some wild white-tailed deer have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Virus experts say people with COVID-19 should be careful around pets because humans can transmit the disease to animals.

• Nevada: State health officials say case levels are still high, but they note that the numbers are trending in the right direction. A total of seven counties --  Pershing, Humboldt, Eureka, White Pine, Lincoln, and Lander -- have been removed from Nevada’s “high risk” list.

Exercise equipment manufacturer Peloton was hoping that the worst of its recall issues was behind it, but that doesn't appear to be the case. The company is now being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security over how it reported injuries suffered by customers who used its products. And that’s just for starters. 

In a recent financial filing with the SEC, Peloton said it had been named in several lawsuits related to the recalls. In one of those cases, a Peloton member filed a class action lawsuit over alleged violations of various California state laws related to the Tread+ and matters contained in a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warning. 

That CPSC admonition came on the heels of the death of one child and 72 other injuries involving Peloton’s treadmills, including incidents involving adult users, children, pets, and objects being pulled under the rear of the treadmill. There were around 30 reports of injuries to children, including second- and third-degree abrasions, broken bones, and lacerations.

Bad initial reaction

When the CPSC issued its warning and advised consumers to immediately stop using the recalled Tread+ and contact Peloton for a full refund, the company apparently wasn’t responsive enough -- quite possibly because those recalls were estimated to cost Peloton $165 million in lost revenue.

Clayton of Bentonville, Ark., pointed out in a ConsumerAffairs review that the treatment he received as a customer was far from what he expected.

“Suppose this is the way a customer is treated before they have even received their order. How is a customer going to be treated if they have an issue with one of their products?" he wrote. 

“Does this level of miscommunication, dishonesty, and incompetence exist at all levels of the business; do engineering, quality, safety, and warranty suffer from the same level of deception as sales and customer management. Given my experience and the fact they are currently in the middle of a recall for their Tread product, which literally kills children, I think so.”

Peloton tries to move forward

Peloton has now decided to face the music and admit that it made a mistake to reject the CPSC's recall request.

"I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the CPSC's request," Peloton CEO John Foley said. "We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologize."

Following the CPSC’s recalls, Peloton eventually dropped the Tread and Tread+ products from its product lineup. The company’s website now sports a new Tread that “empowers you to run farther, train better and recover smarter with a range of total body workouts that keep you motivated every step of the way.”

Peloton appears ready to work with any consumer that bought a recalled product. The company states on its site that it will send technicians to customers' homes for a free service to complete repairs. 

A complete guide on how to obtain a refund or repair is available here.

It’s a good time for consumers to look for a loan. As competition in the finance sector increases, new survey findings suggest that many banks are swimming in cash and lowering the bar on lending standards.

For loans to homeowners, banks eased standards across most categories of residential real estate (RRE) loans and reported stronger demand for most types of RRE loans over the second quarter. The Federal Reserve's July 2021 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices Banks shows that banks also eased standards and reported stronger demand across other major consumer loan categories like credit card loans and auto loans.

The impact on residential real estate lending

Digging deeper into what that means for the consumer, the survey findings suggest that banks have lightened up on their lending standards for most mortgage loan categories and for revolving home equity lines of credit (HELOCs)

“The two exceptions were for government-sponsored enterprise (GSE)-eligible mortgages—for which standards were basically unchanged on net—and for subprime mortgages, which few banks reported as originating,” Fed officials said.

The Federal Reserve says “jumbo loans” -- a stricter type of loan when a regular mortgage isn’t enough -- felt a particularly strong easing of standards. 

And on consumer lending?

Over the second quarter of 2021, a “significant net share” of banks (greater than 20 and less than 50%) reportedly softened their stance on credit card loans. At the same time, a moderate number of banks (greater than 10% and less than or equal to 20%) lessened standards for auto loans and for other consumer loans. A significant number of banks also increased credit limits on credit card accounts.

At the end of the day, analysts say it’s not a historic, earth-shattering event. It's merely banks easing their loan standards closer to where they were in pre-pandemic 2019. Nonetheless, consumers will no doubt appreciate the increased leniency.

“Clearly this is a sign of confidence in the U.S. economy,” especially in the aftermath of last year's recession," wrote Bank of America analysts in a research note.

Previous studies have highlighted the health risks associated with the use of pesticides. Now, researchers from McMaster University explored how a commonly used pesticide may be impacting obesity rates around the world. 

Their work showed that chlorpyrifos  --a pesticide banned in Canada that is used to clean fruits and vegetables -- may prohibit the body from burning calories, leading to weight gain. 

“Lifestyle changes around diet and exercise rarely lead to sustained weight loss,” said researcher Gregory Steinberg. “We think part of the problem may be this intrinsic dialing back of the metabolic furnace by chlorpyrifos.” 

The impact on metabolism

The researchers conducted a study on mice to determine how pesticides can impact metabolism, weight gain, and obesity. They gave the mice high-fat diets and then analyzed how exposure to chlorpyrifos affected their health outcomes. They also paid close attention to brown fat cells, which are the cells that aid in burning calories and weight loss. 

Ultimately, the researchers found that chlorpyrifos altered the normal function of brown fat cells. Rather than burning calories, exposure to the pesticide made the mice more likely to store extra calories, which is likely to contribute to weight gain and obesity. 

“Brown fat is the metabolic furnace in our body, burning calories, unlike normal fat that is used to store them,” Steinberg said. “This generates heat and prevents calories from being deposited on our bodies as normal white fat. We know brown fat is activated during cold and when we eat.” 

Though the study was conducted on mice, the researchers believe the findings can translate to human metabolisms. They explained that an extra five pounds of weight gain each year can greatly increase the risk of obesity. Unfortunately, putting on that much weight isn’t hard. Storing only 40 extra calories per day through chlorpyrifos exposure would be enough to do the trick.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies have highlighted the ways that consumers’ mental health has taken a hit. 

Now, researchers from Georgia State University found that survivors of COVID-19 may have an increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

“When we looked within the COVID-19 survivor group, we also found a significant relationship between the severity of their post-traumatic stress symptoms and how often their brain patterns are in that state,” said researcher Vince Calhoun. “If they spend more time in that state, they tend to have higher values on those symptom scales.” 

Long-term impacts on brain function

For the study, the researchers analyzed fMRI scans from 50 COVID-19 survivors six months after they were infected with the virus to see if there were any noticeable changes to brain function. The participants also answered questions about their mental health and PTSD-related symptoms.

Ultimately, the participants reported several symptoms associated with PTSD, and the risk for the condition was highest when participants also experienced changes to brain connectivity patterns. 

The researchers explained that brain connectivity patterns can change over time in major ways. The said COVID-19 survivors were more likely to experience a wide variety of different connections between visual capabilities and sensorimotor functions that ultimately increases their risk for developing PTSD. 

Although anxiety symptoms were common among all recovered COVID-19 patients, the team found that women were more likely than men to develop PTSD-related symptoms. Moving forward, the team plans to do more research to better understand how brain function changes before and after a COVID-19 infection. 

Hurricane Ida slammed New Orleans as it roared ashore Sunday, and motorists in many parts of the nation will feel the impact at the gas pump this week.

Gulf Coast refineries from Louisiana to Texas shut down operations in advance of the storm to limit the damage. The Colonial Pipeline, which moves gasoline from those refineries to wide areas of the eastern U.S., was also shut down as a precaution.

The company reported on Twitter that it had temporarily shut down its Lines 1 and 2 systems from Houston to Greensboro, N.C. Colonial said the rest of the network from North Carolina to New Jersey would continue to operate normally.

Gas prices likely to rise

The move will almost certainly increase the price of gasoline -- more in some areas than others. Patrick DeHaan, head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy, was busy on Twitter overnight, posting his estimates for the cost of fuel.

DeHaan said there is a 75% chance that the national price of gasoline will rise five cents a gallon over the next couple of weeks; he said there was a 60% chance of a 10 cent increase. The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey already showed a one-cent per gallon increase by Monday morning, reversing a trend that had pushed prices lower by three cents a gallon during the previous week.

“Keeping in mind the storm hasn't cleared the area and storm assessments could change this, I still feel pretty confident in these figures,” DeHaan wrote. “Again, Hurricane Ida isn't likely to lead to drastic price increases, but some increases are likely over the next two weeks.”

The movement of fuel has stopped

The Colonial Pipeline shutdown is expected to be temporary, but even a brief interruption in the flow of fuel is likely to have some impact on prices. The pipeline supplies nearly half the fuel for East Coast markets.

Pipeline executives have not provided a date to resume operations, saying only that the fuel will flow again when it is safe to do so. In mid-May Colonial’s main pipeline was shut down by a ransomware attack that sent gasoline prices sharply higher.

Retail gasoline prices may also be further affected by a reduction in refinery production. Major refineries suspended an estimated 95% of their production Sunday as the storm approached the Gulf Coast.

The storm, which hit New Orleans on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, caused widespread property damage and knocked out power to most of the city. However, the city escaped the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 45,496 of the following vehicles:

• Model year 2021 Volkswagen ID4s and
• Audi A4 Allroads, A4 Sedans, A5 Cabriolets, A5 Coupes, A5 Sportbacks, A6 Allroads, A6 Sedans, A7s, A8s, E-Tron Quattros, E-Tron Sportback Quattros, Q3s, Q5s, Q5 Sportbacks, Q7s, Q8s, RS5 Sportbacks, RS5 Coupes, RS6 Avants, RS7s, RSQ8s, S4 Sedans, S5 Cabriolets, S5 Coupes, S5 Sportbacks, S6 Sedans, S7s, S8s, SQs5, SQ5 Sportbacks, SQ7s, SQ8s, and
• Model year 2021-2022 Audi S3 Sedans.

The rear seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect, and replace --as necessary -- the middle-rear seat belt assemblies free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 1, 2021.

Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at (800)893-5298 and Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69CR (VW) and 69CS (Audi).

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations is recalling 21,513 of the following tires:

• Firestone Destination LE3 tires in size 225/65R17 with DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) Code 17X 2Y LE32 2821;
• Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia tires in size P245/60R18 with DOT TIN Code 7X VD 423 2821;
• Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza tires in size 275/55R20 with DOT TIN Code 7X Y1 DH7 2821;
• Bridgestone Turanza EL440 tires in size 235/60R18 with DOT TIN Code 7X 45 JB2 2821; and
• Bridgestone Ecopia H/L 422 Plus tires in size 235/55R20 with DOT TIN Code 7X 8A EC1 2821.

These tires may have been manufactured with a pinhole in the outboard side of the tire.

Tires containing a pinhole may slowly leak air, and the continued loss of air may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

What to do

Bridgestone will notify owners and replace affected tires with a comparable Bridgestone or Firestone brand tire free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 17, 2021.

Owners may contact Bridgestone customer service at (800) 847-3272.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 38,422,999 (38,249,118)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 633,870 (632,475)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 214,962,872 (214,185,805)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,479,309 (4,468,507)‌

Study finds COVID-19 is linked to blood clots

News reports of rare cases of blood clots forming after people got vaccinated may have contributed to vaccine hesitancy. But a new study puts those reports in a different light.

Researchers at Oxford and other British universities have concluded that you have a greater chance of suffering blood clots from catching COVID-19 than from being vaccinated. They analyzed data from more than 29 million people who got either the AstraZeneca vaccine or the one produced by Pfizer and BioNTech.

They compared the rate of blood clotting after the first dose of a vaccine with clotting after a positive COVID-19 test. The researchers say the risk of blood clots was “substantially higher” following infection than it was after receiving either vaccine.

More companies consider penalizing unvaccinated employees

Delta Air Lines was the first to hit unvaccinated employees with a $200 a month health insurance surcharge. The Wall Street Journal reports that other companies are edging closer to following its example.

Human resources experts say the financial penalty allows companies to pressure their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 without mandating vaccinations.

“The measures [businesses] have taken so far aren’t leading to the levels of vaccination in the workforce that they want,” Wade Symons, a regulatory resources consultant, told the Journal. “They are starting to think about some of the more strict measures they can take.”

Deaths rise while new cases slow

Epidemiologists carefully watch the COVID-19 numbers compiled in real-time by the COVID-19 Tracking Project at Johns Hopkins University. The numbers have recently shown a rise in deaths from the virus, but the pace of new cases has slowed this week.

Over the last seven days, new cases have averaged around 152,000 a day -- the highest level since January. But that’s only an 11% increase, a decline from the 30% growth rate that the U.S. experienced just two weeks ago.

Dr. Bruce Farber, chief of infectious disease at Northwell Health in Manhasset, New York, told CNBC that unvaccinated and uninfected people have been fueling the latest wave. He says the combination of new cases and additional people getting vaccinated means the virus has fewer people to infect.

Around the nation

• Illinois: Gov. J.B. Pritzker has reinstated the state’s mask mandate and will require masks in indoor public places. He says the move is necessary as hospitals fill up with COVID-19 patients. "Illinois will join several other states that have reinstituted statewide indoor mask requirements, regardless of vaccination status, effective on Monday," Pritzker said. "Masks work. Period."

• Kentucky: Gov. Andy Beshear said Wednesday was a particularly bad day in the Bluegrass State. There were more than 5,000 new COVID-19 cases, the third-highest daily caseload since the pandemic began. He said the state’s inpatient, ICU, and ventilator rates are continuing to rise at an alarming rate.

• Texas: A 38-year-old army veteran near Houston died from gallstones because officials say there were no available hospital beds in the state. CBS News cites doctors as saying that the simple procedure to remove the stones could have been performed in minutes, but hospitals were full of mostly unvaccinated COVID-19 patients. They say his condition had become critical by the time a bed was secured at a VA hospital.

• New Jersey: The Wayne County School Board meeting this week was the scene of an emotional debate over COVID-19 protocols. One parent claimed that masks and vaccinations amount to “child abuse.” Other parents joined teachers in urging exceptional steps to contain the deadly virus.

• Iowa: Gov. Kim Reynolds remains a supporter of a state law barring mask mandates, telling reporters she’s not sure that masks would stop the spread of the virus. Most experts disagree. "There's definitely a benefit," Dr. Ashlesha Kaushik, a national spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics and a board member for the academy's Iowa chapter, told the Des Moines Register. "Scientific evidence is pretty strong in favor of masks." 

An FBI terrorist watchlist containing 1.9 million records mistakenly found its way onto the internet unguarded, allowing anyone and everyone to view it.

Volodymyr "Bob" Diachenko, Comparitech’s Head of Security Research, is the person who first stumbled onto the treasure trove. In sharing the details of his find, he said the watchlist came from the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC), a multi-agency group administered by the FBI -- the same agency that’s in charge of the U.S.’ no-fly list. 

Stopped in its tracks

Donning his white hat, Diachenko said he immediately reported the leak to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials before he went any further. He said DHS acknowledged the incident and thanked him for his efforts. However, the agency did not provide any further official comment.

Diachenko said a typical record in the list contained these details:

• Full name

• TSC watchlist ID

• Citizenship

• Gender

• Date of birth

• Passport number

• Country of issuance

• No-fly indicator

The name alone -- terrorist watchlist -- sounds ominous, and it is. According to PCMag’s investigation of the situation, the list consists of people who are suspected of terrorism but who have not necessarily been charged with any crime yet. 

“In the wrong hands, this list could be used to oppress, harass, or persecute people on the list and their families. It could cause any number of personal and professional problems for innocent people whose names are included in the list,” reported Matthew Humphries.

One of those "personal problems" made headlines in 2017 when consumers misidentified as terrorists won a $60 million verdict against TransUnion when it misidentified them in their credit reports as terrorists and drug traffickers. 

Could this happen to you?

The no-fly list has proven to be a double-edged sword. While the FBI can justify its reasons, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has long found fault with the list because people placed on it aren’t always notified. 

Could something like this happen to anyone? The short answer is yes. As an example, infants have been prevented from boarding planes at airports across the U.S. because their names happened to be the same as, or similar to, those of possible terrorists on the government's ''no-fly list."

The ACLU says both U.S. citizens and “lawful permanent residents” have rights that the DHS and TSC are supposed to review before any action is taken. The ACLU offers tips to anyone who is mistakenly caught in the no-fly snare. A complete list of dos and don’ts is available here.