Current Events in November 2021

Several studies have highlighted the risks for consumers associated with exposure to smoke and pollution from wildfires. Now, a new study published in eLife suggests that these pollutants could be especially harmful to pregnant women and their unborn children.

According to their findings, when women are exposed to wildfire smoke during pregnancy, it may increase the risk of low birth weight for their infants. 

“Babies with low birth weight are at higher risk of a range of diseases in later life compared to normal weight newborns,” said researcher Jiajianghui Li. “Several studies have shown the effects of landscape smoke on acute lung and heart conditions, but the health impacts of these pollutants on susceptible pregnant women are not well known. We wanted to explore the association between birth weight and exposure to fire source pollution across several countries and over a long time period.” 

Newborn health risk

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from nearly 110,000 siblings from more than 50 low- or middle-income countries. They also looked at information collected by the Global Fire Emission Database to determine how the participants were directly impacted by forest fires and evaluated survey responses from women involved in the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

Ultimately, the researchers identified a direct relationship between exposure to wildfire smoke pollutants and low infant birth weight. 

“The effect was even more pronounced when we looked at whether exposure to fire smoke was linked to low or very low birth weight; for every microgram per cubic meter increase in particulate matter, the risks of low and very low birth weight increased by around three and 12 percent, respectively,” said researcher Tianjia Guan. 

The team took the findings a step further by looking at individual families to see if any factors impacted the infants’ low birth weight. They learned that those with a family history of low birth weight were at the greatest risk and were more likely to have newborns with very low birth weight when exposed to wildfire smoke. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more work can be done to protect consumers from these harmful pollutants. 

“Our global, sibling-matched study has identified a link between exposure in pregnancy to landscape fire pollution and reduced birth weight in low- and middle-income countries,” said researcher Tao Xue. “Newborns from families where lower birth weights were more common were the most susceptible. It is essential to develop steps that reduce the frequency of landscape fires, for example through climate change mitigations, to protect maternal and infant health in these vulnerable populations.” 

Ford Motor Company is recalling 553 model year 2021 Broncos. During passenger airbag deployment, an air bag vent could open prematurely and result in an improper deployment.

Improper air bag deployment increases the risk of an injury in a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the passenger airbag free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on November 15, 2021.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C23.

ProSource Produce of Hailey, Idaho, is recalling whole raw onions (red, yellow, and white) shipped from Chihuahua, Mexico, from July 1, 2021, to August 31, 2021.

The products may be contaminated with salmonella.

No onions marketed through ProSource have tested positive for salmonella.

The recalled products, whole raw onions (red, yellow, and white), were distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as Ontario and Quebec, Canada.

They were shipped to wholesalers, broadline foodservice customers, and retail stores in 50 lb., 25 lb., 10 lb., 5 lb., 3 lb., and 2 lb. mesh sacks; and 50 lb., 40 lb., 25 lb., 10 lb., and 5 lb. cartons, by the following distributors and/or under the following brands:

Big Bull, Peak Fresh Produce, Sierra Madre, Markon First Crop., Markon Essentials, Rio Blue, ProSource, Rio Valley, and Sysco Imperial.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them. Instead, they should discard or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (208) 928-4959, Monday through Friday, from 8 am – 5 pm (MDT).

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 46,182,380 (46,099,376)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 748,943 (747,296)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 247,799,743 (247,286,553)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,017,977 (5,009,199)‌

CDC clears Pfizer vaccine for kids five to 11

Just hours after a committee advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the Pfizer vaccine for children aged five to 11, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky gave agency approval. Shots for young children are being administered today.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the vaccine for children last week, but it was left to the CDC to determine at what age children should receive it. Children 12 to 17 have been eligible for several months.

Walensky gave her approval within hours of receiving the advisory committee’s unanimous recommendation, making 28 million American children eligible to receive the vaccine. Millions of doses have already been shipped to states, doctors’ offices, and pharmacies.

Antidepressant may be effective COVID-19 treatment

A clinical trial using fluvoxamine, an antidepressant, found that the existing drug significantly reduces the chances of hospitalization and death in high-risk patients with COVID-19. The researchers determined that if the drug is taken right after diagnosis, it may prevent the immune overreaction, or “cytokine storm,” that’s often responsible for severe disease and death.

As many Americans refuse to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, therapeutic treatments take on added importance. The researchers say fluvoxamine is cheap, widely available, and has been shown to be safe, making it a potential weapon against the virus.

“Identifying inexpensive, widely available, and effective therapies against COVID-19 is therefore of great importance, and repurposing existing medications that are widely available and have well-understood safety profiles is of particular interest,” said Edward Mills, Ph.D., a health researcher at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

Poll shows differences in seniors’ attitudes about vaccinations

A new poll shows that a majority of people aged 50 and older have gotten COVID-19 vaccinations and flu shots, or plan to. But the survey from the National Poll on Healthy Aging found differences in opinion among older consumers.

The poll found that one in three older adults feel it is more important to get vaccinated against the flu this year than in years before the COVID-19 pandemic. But among that age group, Democrats were more likely to have been vaccinated than Republicans, and Black people were slightly more likely to be vaccinated than white people.

Health experts are concerned about the combined threat of flu and COVID-19 this winter and have stepped up efforts to encourage seniors to get both vaccinations. Flu season is just getting started, and COVID-19 activity in most of the country is still above the CDC’s high level, though the daily number of new cases is dropping in many states.

Around the nation

• Missouri: Health officials in Missouri are celebrating a pandemic milestone. For the first time in several months, there are fewer than 200 COVID-19 patients being treated in intensive care units (ICU) across the state, putting ICU capacity at 23%. It hasn’t been that low since June 19.

• Nevada: Cases of the virus have leveled off across the state, but the effects are still being felt, especially in Nevada’s public schools. NPR reports that the pandemic has made it difficult to fill jobs in Las Vegas schools, with some principals filling in as substitute teachers.

• Montana: State health officials have released a report showing that the state’s Native American population appears to be more vulnerable to COVID-19. The report shows that Native American populations are not only more susceptible to COVID-19 than white Montanans, but the mortality rate among this group is also four times higher.

• South Carolina: Gov. Henry McMaster has joined a federal lawsuit filed by several other states that aims to stop a COVID-19 vaccination requirement that will apply to state and local government workers, including public school teachers and staff. The suit claims that President Biden overstepped his authority when he issued a vaccination mandate.

• Pennsylvania: As vaccination mandates draw opposition and resignations, Gov. Tom Wolf is taking a different approach. He’s offering five paid days off to state workers who get vaccinated before the end of the year. The state treasurer objected to the plan, citing its potential cost.

Just as you shouldn’t rely on social media for credible news, you shouldn’t take investment advice from someone posting on Facebook and Instagram. Authorities are warning consumers that scammers are using these platforms to ensnare victims.

The scheme first hooks victims by helping them realize actual profits, a move that builds credibility and earns trust. But once the victim has earned some cash, the scammers encourage them to transfer the money to a fake trading platform. In reality, it’s a bank account controlled by the scammers, who steal the money.

The scam has popped up in Florida within a large population of retired people. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody says her office has received about 100 complaints in the last month.

“The allure of quick profits has drawn millions to cryptocurrency trading, with many new investors joining the market daily,” Moody said. “Where there is opportunity though, there are also scammers, baiting victims with early success, then prompting them to transfer their profits to fraudulent trading platforms.”

Victims get scammed after making some money

Moody said investigators are seeing a sharp uptick in complaints that coincide with recent gains in cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin. Moody said it’s important for people to understand how these criminals operate.

After a victim clicks on an ad promoting investments in a cryptocurrency website, they are prompted to set up an account with a legitimate cryptocurrency exchange. After they have made some money on trades, the victims are told to transfer their profits to other cryptocurrency websites that are fraudulent, imposter platforms. 

These fraudulent websites may only operate for a short time, and then the victims are blocked from signing in. They are also blocked from contacting any financial or investment planner they were paired with earlier on in the process.

Seek advice from trusted sources

Moody says there are simple ways to avoid these scams:

• Always be wary of unsolicited offers to invest.

• Know that if scammers request payment in cryptocurrency for the right to recruit others into a program and promise rewards paid in cryptocurrency, it is a scam.

• Be wary of fake cryptocurrency trading platforms that may resemble legitimate ones.

• Finally, do some independent research before investing—never wire money or provide personal or financial information until properly researching a platform and an opportunity.

If you are new to investing, seek the advice of someone you trust. If you open a trading account at one of the major platforms like ETRADE, TD Ameritrade, or Schwab, you will find plenty of research tools. Most companies have advisers who can answer your questions.

“Trades have no or small fees,” Michael, of Tulsa, Okla., wrote in a recent ConsumerAffairs review of Schwab. “You can build your own portfolio or use an advisor and let them do all the work for you based on your final goals.”

ConsumerAffairs has collected thousands of verified reviews of online investment companies to help you get started.

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Utah Health explored the likelihood of both children and adults contracting COVID-19. According to their findings, the risk of being infected with the virus is about the same among all age groups; however, kids are less likely to get sick than adults. 

“Often, it seemed like children weren’t sick because they didn’t have any symptoms,” said researcher Christina Porucznik, Ph.D. “But some were actually infected, and they could still spread COVID-19.” 

Understanding infection risk

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 310 households enrolled in the Coronavirus Household Evaluation and Respiratory Testing (C-HEaRT) study between September 2020, and April 2021. Over 1,200 participants were involved in this report, and they all answered questions about their COVID-19 symptoms and were tested for infection on a weekly basis. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that children and adults were equally as likely to become infected with COVID-19. This was true regardless of how old the children were; all age groups -- between birth and 17 years old -- had similar infection rates over the course of the study. 

However, in terms of those who were experiencing symptoms, adults were more likely than kids to feel sick when they tested positive for COVID-19. Nearly 90% of adults were symptomatic, compared with around half of the children involved in the study. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more work can be done to better understand kids’ immune response to COVID-19. In the meantime, the team hopes consumers do their part to protect their children from infection. 

“We know that until kids can be vaccinated, it’s still important for them to wear masks when they’re in groups and to keep them apart,” Dr. Porucznik said. “And most of all, when they are sick, keep them home.” 

To try to regain its footing coming out of the pandemic, United Airlines is dropping three small U.S. cities from its flight schedule and pulling back on service to another.

Over the weekend, the airline filed plans to pull out of Pierre, S.D., Watertown, S.D., and Twin Falls, Idaho, over the next two months. According to a report by ThePointsGuy, Pierre’s service will cease on Jan. 3, 2022. Flights in and out of Twin Falls will end on Nov. 30, 2021, and service to Watertown will stop on Jan. 3, 2022.

United will also end service to Joplin, Mo., out of Houston, Texas, later this month, but there will continue to be flights into Joplin from other markets, mostly Chicago. SkyWest told ThePointsGuy that demand patterns were the reason for the cut.

Flights to small markets continue to shift

The two airports in South Dakota qualify as Essential Air Service (EAS) markets, meaning that the federal government provides subsidies to a chosen airline to guarantee service to these cities. By opting out of service to those cities, United may be leaving a pile of cash on the table. 

ThePointsGuy reported that a total of $7 million had been awarded to Skywest Airlines, United’s service partner on those routes. However, that contract expired in April 2021, and United continued those routes without government funding. 

When the Department of Transportation solicited proposals from carriers interested in providing service to these markets, United decided not to submit one. However, Colorado-based Denver Air Connection stepped in and won the contract, albeit at $2 million less than United was getting.

Pulling out of more cities and eliminating certain flight options in the heart of the U.S. may ultimately impact United’s standing with consumers. Frederick of Watkinsville, Ga., recently told ConsumerAffairs that the carrier canceled his flight and wasn’t able to provide other options. 

“United cancelled a leg of our return trip, stranding us in the middle of the country. They offered no alternative flights, even from three other major airports in the region. We incurred significant out-of-pocket expenses to return home on time,” they wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review.

People who have shied away from Facebook over privacy issues will be happy to know that it’s shutting down its facial recognition system. The company announced that the recognition technology that automatically recognized when a member appears in a photo is officially going away…for now.

Facebook’s active daily users who had previously opted into allowing the technology won’t have to lift a finger; they’ll simply no longer be automatically recognized in photos and videos on the platform. The company said it’s not going to archive anything it has in its system. It will delete more than a billion people’s individual facial recognition templates. 

Facebook users who were hoping to continue using the facial recognition technology to see suggested tags with their names in photos and videos are out of luck. The company says those people will have to tag posts the old-fashioned way -- manually. 

“We need to weigh the positive use cases for facial recognition against growing societal concerns, especially as regulators have yet to provide clear rules,” Jerome Pesenti, VP of Artificial Intelligence, said in a blog post.

The change will likely save Facebook some money in the long run. Over the past few years, the company ran afoul of its users when it launched its '10-Year Challenge'  promotion, and it has forked over hundreds of millions of dollars to settle facial recognition lawsuits.

One of the largest shifts in facial recognition history

Pesenti said Facebook’s move is momentous on a privacy level and represents one of the largest shifts in facial recognition usage in the technology’s history. 

However, the company still believes that facial recognition has a place in the world -- like at airports where the Department of Homeland Security uses facial recognition to identify people wearing face masks because of the pandemic. Because of that, it left the door slightly ajar for using the technology again on some level in the future.

“Looking ahead, we still see facial recognition technology as a powerful tool, for example, for people needing to verify their identity, or to prevent fraud and impersonation,” Pesenti said. “We believe facial recognition can help for products like these with privacy, transparency and control in place, so you decide if and how your face is used. We will continue working on these technologies and engaging outside experts.”

Struggling retailer Bed Bath & Beyond is linking up with supermarket chain Kroger to sell its home and wellness products directly to Kroger shoppers online and in select stores. In 2022, the company will launch a small-scale physical store pilot at select Kroger-owned stores.

“Kroger is a leader in fresh food and innovation,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. “Every day, we look for new and differentiated ways and experiences to meet our customers’ evolving needs and elevate and celebrate the moments that matter most to our customers.

McMullen said Kroger was attracted to the deal by Bed Bath & Beyond’s “compelling portfolio of products” that will complement merchandise that Kroger already offers its customers.

“This strategic online collaboration and in-store pilot will provide Kroger shoppers easy access to essential home and baby products alongside their favorite grocery staples – continuing to fulfill our commitment of providing our customers with anything, anytime, anywhere,” he said.

Business reset

Bed Bath & Beyond has faced declining sales over the last couple of years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company closed its stores for weeks in 2020, which was a harsh blow to its bottom line. Under CEO Mark Tritton, the company has worked to streamline operations by closing some of its unprofitable stores.

The company says its collaboration with Kroger will include a number of popular items, from bedding and storage to baby furniture and gear. It will include merchandise from Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy Baby’s assortment, including the company’s private label Owned Brands and other national brands.

“Our collaboration with an exceptional retailer like Kroger underscores Bed Bath & Beyond’s authority in the home and baby categories,” Tritton said. “Today’s announcement is a key milestone, bringing Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy Baby products to reach more customers than ever before. Our product assortment combined with Kroger’s customer base will present extensive opportunities for current and future customers.”

Kroger sees the deal as a way of helping its bottom line as well. Stuart Aitken, Kroger’s top marketing officer, says the deal gives the retailer a way to reach a growing number of consumers who have recently purchased their first house by offering them products that will make them feel more at home.

Telehealth visits have become much more common since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but are consumers sold on this new way of receiving health care? A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Cambridge explored how consumers feel about this new way of seeing their doctors. 

According to their findings, telehealth visits have mixed reviews from consumers. For some patients, having this kind of access to their doctors comes with convenience. However, others are questioning the accuracy of the health advice given during these sessions.

“The pandemic has had a major impact on the ability of health care professionals to see their patients face-to-face, and this has led to a significant increase in the number of telemedicine consultations,” said researcher Melanie Sloan. “While these are undeniably safer in terms of COVID risk, there had been little research previously on the impact of patient care, particularly for more complex conditions.” 

Pros and cons of telemedicine

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 1,340 rheumatology patients who completed online surveys from April 2021, to July 2021 about telemedicine visits. The team also interviewed another 31 patients and 29 health care providers about their experiences with telehealth. 

Ultimately, the reviews for telemedicine visits were both positive and negative. While nearly 70% of patients said that virtual doctors’ visits impact the connection they have with their physicians, more than 60% of patients and doctors thought this was a more convenient way to schedule and attend appointments. 

Some of the other worries surrounding telemedicine included limitations to the kinds of care that doctors can provide, as well as the fear that it would be difficult to get immediate assistance with an urgent medical issue. Patients also believed that virtual visits may limit access to care for consumers from certain backgrounds. 

“We’ve had some local practices only allowing contact through econsult, so that means if you can’t use it, you’re elderly, English [is] not your first language, you’ve got learning difficulties...it’s not fair,” one general practitioner said. “They’re doing that whole barrier to protect their time.” 

Doctors worry about telehealth becoming more widespread

Many patients noted the positive aspects of seeing their doctors this way. Not only did they feel this was a safer and healthier option, but for consumers balancing work and home life, virtual visits cut down on wait times and traveling. 

However, only 3% of clinicians involved in the study believed that telemedicine was better than in-person visits. Many professionals said they were worried that the trend has become too widely used in an effort to save money and time. 

“Our research exposes the inherent risks and benefits of telemedicine for patients with complex conditions, which may have important implications for patients who have other serious or unpredictable long-term conditions,” said Sloan. “...We hope there will be a thorough assessment of the clinical and psychological risks and steps taken to mitigate those risks, as well as action to address the possibility of worsening existing health inequalities for those less likely to be able to benefit from remote consultations.” 

Keeler Family Farms of Deming, N.M., is recalling red, yellow, and white onions shipped from Chihuahua, Mexico.

The products may be contaminated with salmonella.

No onions marketed through Keeler Family Farms have tested positive for salmonella.

The onions -- distributed to wholesalers, restaurants, and retail stores in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 25lb/50lb mesh sacks -- contain a label marked as MVP (product of Mexico). However, they were processed at Keeler Family Farms.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not eat them. Instead, they should discard them and disinfect any surfaces that came into contact with the onions.

Consumers with questions may contact the firm at (575) 652-5405, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 181 model year 2022 Odysseys with Bridgestone tires.

The vehicles may have a tire that contains a pinhole, causing a slow air leak.

A slow air leak can affect tire performance and increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect all four tires and replace them if a pinhole is found, free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on November 18, 2021.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at (888) 234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is HBL.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 46,099,376 (46,006,251)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 747,296 (746,289)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 247,286,553 (246,929,884)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,009,199 (5,003,404)‌

CDC panel considering Pfizer vaccine for kids

After getting a green light from one advisory committee, a panel of experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is preparing to take up the issue of using the Pfizer vaccine to inoculate children between the ages of five and 11.

A committee advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already endorsed the vaccine for that use. Backing from the CDC panel of experts would likely clear the way for millions of young children to get the shot.

Many states have already obtained supplies of child-sized vaccine doses in anticipation of approval. Children would get a much smaller dose of the vaccine than adults have received.

COVID-19 may be fueling the ‘Great Resignation’

Americans are continuing to quit their jobs, and economists attribute most of the resignations to people seeking a change in lifestyle after months of the pandemic. However, some people point to vaccination mandates as the main culprit. Under the mandates, employees who refuse to get the shot will lose their jobs.

Reuters did a deep dive and found that nearly half of the employees at two aircraft companies -- Textron Inc and Spirit AeroSystems -- are not vaccinated, despite a mandate. That’s about 5,000 people who could be headed to the unemployment line.

Cornell Adams, head of a local Machinists union district in Texas, said the vaccine itself is not the objection. He says workers are more upset about being ordered to get vaccinated. "We're going to lose a lot of employees over this," Adams said.

Scientists identify new virus-fighting antibody

Duke and North Carolina may be big rivals on the basketball court, but their scientists are working together on new treatments for COVID-19. Researchers from the two universities report that their collaboration has produced an antibody that limits the severity of infections from the virus.

The antibody was identified by scientists working at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI). It was then tested in animal models at UNC-Chapel Hill. Researchers published their findings on Nov. 2 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

“This antibody has the potential to be a therapeutic for the current epidemic,” said co-senior author Barton Haynes, M.D., director of DHVI. “It could also be available for future outbreaks, if or when other coronaviruses jump from their natural animal hosts to humans.”

Around the nation

• Florida: State health officials are optimistic that the state has turned the corner in its battle with COVID-19. The number of daily cases has dropped for nearly two weeks. The 12,880 cases reported from Oct. 22-29 is 92% lower than the daily caseload in August.

• New York: As many as 9,000 New York City employees are now on unpaid leave following yesterday’s deadline to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Mayor Bill de Blasio said about half that number of employees have submitted exemption requests that have not yet been processed.

• Nebraska: Gov. Pete Ricketts has ordered state agencies not to comply with the U.S. government vaccination mandate. Ricketts said Monday that Nebraska’s attorney general would seek an injunction as soon as the requirements were announced.

• Alaska: State Medical Examiner Dr. Anne Zink is calling on public officials to stop spreading misinformation about the virus and the vaccines. She said these officials should work toward building trust. “I think as scientists, as health care professionals, and as public health professionals, we need to do a better job about communicating the science in a way that people can understand, that they can feel comfortable asking questions,” she said.

• Maine: Hospitals across the state are working with fewer employees this week because a state mandate for hospital workers to be vaccinated took effect. Health officials say hundreds of employees quit or were fired at the end of last week but that the vast majority have been vaccinated.

There has been a shortage of new cars since early in the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a number of interrelated and cascading economic issues. More than a year and a half later, the economy is still trying to cope.

It all started when the U.S. economy abruptly shut down. Assembly plants closed for several weeks in April 2020, and struggled to catch up with demand when they reopened. The increase in demand was a surprise, but, in hindsight, it probably should not have been.

With mass transit shut down and fewer ridesharing options, consumers became more dependent on personal transportation. But supply chain constraints, notably the shortage of computer chips, limited auto production.

When auto plants close or reduce output, it doesn’t just mean that they need fewer workers; it also has an impact on plants that make tires, headlights, and other components. That causes municipalities where these plants are located to lose tax revenue. Some economists believe the effects could linger for years.

“It’s a very meaningful drag on growth and employment,” Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told DNYUZ.com.

Fewer bargains

With a limited number of vehicles to produce and sell, automakers are focusing on the most expensive trucks and SUVs that carry a higher profit margin. A consumer on a limited budget who is looking for a compact sedan is being confronted with smaller selections as well as higher prices.

Pamela, of Globe, Ariz., was able to find and purchase a 2022 Nissan Pathfinder, but they haven’t been able to drive it because of paperwork back up at the dealer.

“I took possession of a 2022 Nissan Platinum Pathfinder that I paid cash for on 8/24/21,” Pamela wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “To date, Nissan has not sent the MSO to my dealer so that I can get the title in my name. For nine weeks I've had to park my new car, DMV, my insurance, no one shows ownership. I've also had to get two extensions on my temporary plates from the dealer. I'm further insulted to get the Sirus notices saying my free trial is over when I haven't even been able to drive the car.”

Manufacturing economy still growing

Despite these problems, the manufacturing economy is still growing, albeit more slowly. This week, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported that new orders were down 6.9% in October from the previous month. At the same time, the prices that consumers pay are rising. The ISM’s Prices Index registered 85.7%, up 4.5% from the month before.

In its latest report, Cox Automotive found a number of factors in the market that continue to work against consumers. Vehicle prices, both new and used, hit record highs in September and the middle of October. 

Meanwhile, the selection of new cars continues to shrink. New-vehicle inventory dropped below 1 million units, but used-vehicle inventory improved slightly.

You’re driving down the highway when your car skids off the road and into a ditch, knocking you unconscious. But help is on the way because your iPhone automatically dialed 911 to report the accident.

That’s the vision laid out in Apple documents reviewed by the Wall Street Journal. According to the documents, Apple plans to harness crash detection data built into Apple devices to detect car crashes. Apple engineers say it’s possible to do so by looking for a sudden increase in G-forces.

Industry analysts say it would be similar to the way Apple is able to detect hard falls by people carrying an iPhone or wearing an Apple Watch. The devices automatically dial 911 if the user doesn’t respond to an automatic query. In 2021, Apple added a new iPhone feature that analyzes how steady a user is walking and alerts them if it detects that they are about to fall.

No confirmation

Apple isn’t commenting on the report. Sources tell the Journal that Apple hasn’t decided on timing for adding the feature and could decide to table the project for a while. Privacy could be a complicating factor. Apple has built much of its public reputation around privacy, and it’s not clear how close monitoring of a user’s device would fit into that narrative.

Jarvia, of Los Angeles, gave Apple a 5-star review on ConsumerAffairs and likes the idea that the company is pushing the technology envelope. 

“While other cell phone manufacturers are making tremendous headway in this space, Apple continues to lead in innovation, technology, design, and practical functionality with its highly integrable iPhone lineup,” Jarvia wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “These phones are extremely user friendly, integrate and share data seamlessly across other Apple devices and take the guesswork out how to stay connected.”

Currently being tested

In tests of Apple’s crash-detecting technology, some users have anonymously shared data from their iPhones and Apple Watches. The company documents show that Apple devices have already detected more than 10 million vehicle accidents, with more than 50,000 calls to a 911 dispatcher.

Other devices currently monitor vehicle activity for signs of a crash. The first was General Motors’ OnStar, built into many GM models. Google provided a similar feature to its Pixel phone two years ago, and several apps do much the same thing.

Tesla is proving that there’s money in solar, not just in cars. After doubling its solar roof deployments over the last year, the company has good news for eco-conscious consumers. It says it’s looking to lower costs and improve its solar tiles by making them more efficient and powerful.

Getting to this point hasn’t been easy for Tesla. While it’s received hurrahs for the design of its solar tiles, it’s been hard to convert that support to something marketable on a large scale. Despite that, the company has continued to invest in solar and says installations are trending up.

More power per solar tile

When pitching solar to a consumer, Tesla claims that its new, more powerful solar tiles produce a 22% increase in max power output without increasing the size of the tile. Because of that, the company says it can supply sufficient solar power with fewer tiles. 

If you’re asking whether that means there’ll be fewer tiles installed, the answer is no. To make sure the roof looks consistent, Tesla will now install some tiles with solar power and some without. The company said it tries to optimize each roof by installing the tiles with solar cells where they would be more efficient.

As an added benefit, the new tiles can be installed over existing roofs, eliminating the need to pull all the old ones off. The tiles also come with a 25-year warranty and 24/7 outage protection. At least one consumer appears to be convinced that Tesla’s solar performance meets its promise.

“Tesla crew was professional and installed the Solar Roof and batteries without issues. The inspection and PTO happened quickly after completion. Many people come to look and ask about my new roof, always giving compliments,” wrote Lenford of San Diego, Calif., in a ConsumerAffairs review.

In a con where life imitated art, Squid Game fans found out the hard way that a cryptocurrency based on the Netflix series was just as risky as the money contest the series is based on. 

After a team of cryptocurrency creators rolled out a digital currency called SQUID, investors rushed to buy assets worth more than $3 million. But those same investors woke up Monday to find that the creators had closed down their website and taken off with the cash.

For the un-Squided, the Squid Game project is a crypto play-to-earn platform inspired by the Korean hit series on Netflix about a deadly tournament of children's games, according to CoinMarketCap. “SQUID is the only token that can be used in Squid Game. You will need SQUID to participate in a game or get restart after you fail the game.”

Netflix was quick to say it had no part in this. The streaming service told CNN Business that it was not affiliated with the cryptocurrency and declined to comment any further.

A “rug pull”

Gizmodo reports that this type of scam is called a "rug pull." That means the cryptocurrency creators cashed out of their coins in exchange for real money, quickly devaluing the crypto's value.

Like many crypto darlings, SQUID took off quickly. The digital asset hit a high of $2,861 before falling to $0 as of Monday, as reported by CoinMarketCap. The scam could have actually netted more for the creators if they allowed it to gain more traction. CoinMarketCap data reviewed by ConsumerAffairs noted that SQUID was on 34,183 individual watchlists. 

It seems that this particular hustle was planned out in advance. Some SQUID owners told CoinMarketCap that because of an anti-dumping mechanism put in place by the developers, they were forced to the sidelines with little choice but to watch helplessly as the cryptocurrency’s value climbed. 

Despite the plunge in value, it appears that some investors are still trying to pump money into SQUID. As of 11 a.m on Tuesday, CoinMarketCap listed the live Squid Game price at $0.003467 USD, with a 24-hour trading volume of $14,445,122 USD. 

Several studies have highlighted the health benefits of intermittent fasting -- particularly for those with diabetes. Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of South Australia explored how women with gestational diabetes can use the diet to their advantage. 

According to their findings, adopting an intermittent fasting eating regimen may help women with gestational diabetes lose weight and prevent future health risks. They recommend the 5:2 plan, which includes five days of consumers eating normally and two days in which they significantly limit calories. 

“Healthy eating and regular physical activity are recommended to manage gestational diabetes, with continuous energy restriction diets -- or diets that cut calories by 25-30% -- being the most common strategy for weight loss and diabetes prevention,” said researcher Dr. Kristy Gray. “The trouble is, however, that new mums put themselves last -- they’re struggling with fatigue and juggling family responsibilities -- so when it comes to weight loss, many find it hard to stick to a low calorie diet. 

“The 5:2 diet may provide a less overwhelming option,” Dr. Gray said. “As it only cuts calories over two days, some women may find it easier to adopt and adhere to, as opposed to a consistently low-calorie diet requiring constant management.” 

The benefits of intermittent fasting

For the study, the researchers had nearly 70 women follow one of two diets for one year: either the 5:2 diet or a continuous energy-restricted diet of about 1500 calories per day. All of the women had previously been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and struggled with their weight after giving birth. 

The goal of the trial was to determine if intermittent fasting would emerge as another effective weight loss method for women who had gestational diabetes. The researchers learned that restricting calories in this way was equally as effective as the continuous energy-restricted diet. 

“Our research shows that the 5:2 diet is just as effective at achieving weight loss as a continuous energy-restricted diet in women who have had gestational diabetes, which is great, because it provides women with greater choice and control,” said Dr. Gray. 

In addition to weight loss, the researchers learned that following the intermittent fasting diet yielded similar results for the women’s fasting plasma glucose, blood sugar, and fasting serum insulin. Moving forward, they hope pregnant women with gestational diabetes consider these findings after giving birth. 

“Of course, women should seek advice from a health professional before commencing this type of diet, to make sure that it’s suitable for them,” Dr. Gray said.