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Consumer News & Alerts

November 19, 2007

KMART REMOVES 'LEAD-FREE' JEWELRY
Kmart is removing all jewelry marked "lead-free" from its shelves. Why? Well, many of the supposedly lead-free pieces tested turned out to have high concentrations of lead. One charm reportedly was 52 percent lead. This is a big problem, since lead is toxic and is especially dangerous to children, who tend to put small objects -- like charms -- in their mouths. The Kmart fiasco is the latest in a long string of lead-lined screw-ups this year.

The rash of recalls casts something of a pall over Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that's the traditional kick-off to the holiday shopping season. Not only are Santas worried about unsafe toys, there's no runaway must-have gift this year. However, there is a must-not-give list -- the 10 worst toys of 2007, compiled by a child safety group.

You can't even give a gift card without feeling bad about it, now that research shows more than a quarter of gift cards are never used.

RECALLS
This week's recalls:

• Child Dies; Wooden Storage Racks Recalled
• Hobby Lobby Halloween Baskets
• 'Roost' Birch Bark Candles
• Bon Ton Children's Bath Robes

Remember, you can always find a complete list of safety recalls in our Recall Section. They're listed by category or you can use our Google-enabled search box.

FDA INTERVENES
This isn't exactly a recall, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized 12,682 tubes of Age Intervention Eyelash, a product the FDA says could lead to decreased vision. The treatment is supposed to make your eyes look younger -- or something -- but the FDA say it could cause optic nerve damage.

A TRYING TIME TO TRAVEL
Crowded highways, packed planes, high gas prices, it all spells holiday travel time. This year, Thanksgiving travelers are being treated to near-record gas prices, our Gas Price Round-Up finds.

President Bush isn't promising to do much about the high gas prices but he has opened up military air space for use by civilian airliners during the peak travel period. That should help ease congestion and keep flights on time. Meanwhile, a federal court has ruled that the White House had its thumb on the scale when it drew up new mileage standards for SUVs and other light trucks.

One gift we're bequeathing our children, grandchildren, etc. is the massive debt we've incurred by driving around in SUVs. Think they'll be thankful?

Top Auto Safety Picks The number of top awards more than doubled this year, going to 34 cars, SUVs and a pickup. This list is worth reading, especially if you're getting a car for a new driver in your family. Young drivers are more likely to have accidents, so it's important to put them in the safest vehicle you can find.

FORECLOSURE EPIDEMIC SPREADS
A new report finds that Stockton, Detroit and Riverside have the country's highest foreclosure rates, as the number of homeowners forced from their homes continues to climb. And it's not over yet. Many more homeowners face higher interest payments in the months ahead. How bad is it? Well, Wells Fargo's CEO says the housing collapse is the worst since the Great Depression.

In Congress, the House last week passed a bill promoted as coming to the rescue of beleaguered homeowners, even though poverty and consumer groups said it would leave homeowners worse off.

Consumers' Trust in Business Falls With toys, beef and pet food being recalled, home prices collapsing, foreclosures climbing and energy prices spurting upward, it's perhaps not surprising that consumers' trust in business is falling. A new study finds that only 12% have 'a great deal of confidence' in business.

LONGEVITY INSURANCE
We normally think of life insurance paying off when we die. But a new type of annuity pays off if we don't die by a certain age. If you make it to, say, 85, this so-called "longevity insurance" begins paying you a pre-set monthly amount. It's one way to be sure you don't outlive your money. But wait! Don't rush out to sign up. This type of insurance -- basically a delayed annuity -- has a lot of drawbacks and isn't right for everyone. It may be best to cut back on the daily Starbucks run and put that money in a mutual fund, IRA or other investment.

WINTER TIME IS HEART ATTACK SEASON
We like winter as much as anyone but it has its downside. For one thing, the risk of having a heart attack doubles during the winter months. The body deals with cold weather by constricting the blood vessels, which can raise blood pressure and cause clotting problems. Then there are all the other risks, like shoveling snow and over-eating.

More health notes ...

• More Alcoholism in Retirement Communities? Alcoholism widespread but often misdiagnosed in seniors.

• FDA Orders New Warning For Avandia Agency toughens warning about potential risk of heart attack.

• FTC Renews Call for Cigarette Testing Current tar, nicotine ratings 'may be misleading'.

SCAMS & OUTRAGES

• Virginia Seeks Victims Of Computer Layaway Scam State hopes to get restitution for Financing Alternatives customers.

• Feds Scam Vets, Lawsuit Charges AAFES illegally calculating military credit card payments.

• Scam Targets Elderly Seeking Tax Help Victims lose money and risk identity theft.

• Charities Get Less from Phone Solicitors Solicitors keep two-thirds, study finds.

GADGETS & GAMES

• iTunes Upgrade Hits Sour Note With Users Music disappears, iPod transfers fail.

• Comcast Sued Over Internet Blocking Lawsuit alleges deceptive marketing and misleading of customers.

• Sony: Dust Voids PlayStation 3 Warranty Dust damage falls under 'Act of God' clause, Sony claims.

WE'RE THANKFUL FOR ...
We spend our days writing about what's wrong with the world, but that doesn't mean there aren't things we're thankful for. For one thing, we're thankful for Martin H. Bosworth, who has taken over the writing of this weekly newsletter (except this week). We're thankful for all the extra readers we've picked up since Martin took over from your editor whose snide comments are so damned annoying. We're thankful for all the consumers who take time out to share their gripes with us and we're thankful for the 1.3 million readers who visit our site each month.

We're thankful for our Spanish-speaking friends who visit NoticiasparalosConsumidores.com and for our reporters, writers, editors and geeks and, oh yes, we're thankful for our many lawyers who work so hard to defend us against the frivolous lawsuits filed by businesses who think you shouldn't have the right to share your experiences with other consumers via the Internet. Most of all, we're thankful for you. Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday.

The Daily Consumer will not publish Thursday and Friday. We'll be back next Sunday. Cheers ...

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