While a debate is ranging in America about whether gas stoves should be banned due harmful indoor emissions, one brand is expanding its recall of dangerous stoves. ZLINE is recalling about 30,000 30-inch, 36-inch, and 48-inch RG gas ranges including the 28,000 ZLINE 30- and 36-inch gas ranges recalled in December 2022. The oven of the gas ranges can emit dangerous levels of carbon monoxide or CO while in use, posing a serious risk of injury or death from CO poisoning. The firm has received 44 reports of carbon monoxide emission, including three reports of consumers seeking medical attention. The... Continue Reading
Posts Tagged With ‘ Government ’
I’ve written about antibiotic resistance a number of times, and I have a section on it in the draft book on my journalism work. What is antibiotic resistance? Antibiotic resistance happens when germs such as bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs aren’t killed and continue to grow. Resistant infections can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat. The misuse of medically important antibiotics is contributing to the rise and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It’s a growing public health crisis that’s responsible... Continue Reading
I’m now a T-Mobile customer. Darn. I switched because I was upset that Verizon wouldn’t give me a deal on a new iPhone and I wanted to be in a family plan with my grandson from Spain who’s going to college in Massachusetts. T-Mobile announced last week that its customer records have been hacked again. This time, it affects about 37 million accounts. The disclosure came in a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The breach was discovered two weeks before the announcement. T-Mobile, one of the big three cell phone companies, said “a bad actor” obtained “limited... Continue Reading
It’s positive to see government agencies working to curb monopoly power. The U.S. Department of Justice and eight states filed a lawsuit on Tuesday charging Google with operating an unfair monopoly scheme in markets for advertising technology. The lawsuit alleges Google leverages control over advertising technologies that web display ads are bought and sold through, driving out competition and receiving profits that far exceed what could be realized in a competitive market. This scheme hurts advertisers, small businesses, website creators, and consumers, and deters innovation in... Continue Reading
One thing that financial writers recommend when you’re having money problems is to review your subscriptions. Sometimes subscriptions that you aren’t using anymore keep renewing or you didn’t realize you had signed up for one. “Negative option” programs include subscription services that automatically renew unless the consumer cancels, and trial marketing programs that charge a reduced fee for an initial period and then automatically begin charging a higher fee. “Consumers shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to cancel subscriptions they don’t want, and they shouldn’t have to... Continue Reading
If you have a child or grandchild or are a caregiver, you need to know about the dangers of infant sleepers. More than 100 deaths have been reported in Rock ‘n’ Play Sleepers, which were recalled in April 2019. However, although 4.7 million were recalled, as of March 2022, only 9.5 percent of the sleepers had been accounted for, according to information from Fisher-Price’s parent company, Mattel. At least eight deaths have occurred after the recall, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC. The agency has reannounced the recall of Rock ‘n’ Play Sleepers. Deaths... Continue Reading
Last week, I received an email from the U.S. Postal Service suggesting I might want to pay for my post office box before the rates go up on January 22. The email said I could pay on the website or at my local post office. Being well informed, I didn’t click on the link in email. On the website, however, my payment wasn’t accepted. Thursday at the post office and I tried again to pay with no luck. The clerk said you can only pay for your mail box 30 days in advance; mine is due later. Darn. However, while I was there I spent $155 on stamps: Mississippi river boats, flowers, celebration dots,... Continue Reading
As always, there’s a lot to consider on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I’m so glad that King Day was finally established. After a 15-year battle, legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking King’s birthday. The federal holiday was first observed in 1986, making 2023 the 37th anniversary of the King federal holiday. The holiday has been recognized in each state since 2000. In 2019, a survey showed that 45 percent of employers give all or most employees a paid day off for King Day. That percentage doubled since 1990, according to the survey. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day... Continue Reading
Another issue that should have been adequately addressed decades ago was also included in the congressional end-of-year spending bill. Starting in mid-2023, all new dressers and other clothing storage furniture in the United States will have to meet strong stability requirements before going to market. Tip-overs of unstable dressers have taken the lives of hundreds of children since 2000. “This hard-fought victory would not have been possible without the courageous parent advocates who shared their stories, transformed their grief into action, and successfully urged Congress to ensure that... Continue Reading
Today I received an email saying that my Social Security number was going to be suspended. Scam. Ironically, it was “signed” by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I wonder if he was chosen for the scam because he’s a Tea Party conservative from Texas who people may think would come after them in other states. I checked for other documents with Paxton’s signature. It was an exact copy. Social Security recipients may be seeing a big increase in this old government imposter scam because in their benefits are going up this month. Don’t take the bait. Your Social Security number is never... Continue Reading