Monday, August 10, 2009
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Free program to save money and electricity
From Kim Komando's Download Of The Day
Edison is a free power management program from a company called Verdiem. It has helped people the world over reduce the waste of energy from IT devices. It is available for Windows XP and Vista.You can learn more about Edison and download it here. Please also be sure to visit Kim Komando's site. She is a computer expert and has a ton of great, free advice and downloads and she has several different emails you can subscribe to. You can also find out what radio station near you hosts her weekly show.
I am not affiliated with Kim Komando or Verdiem in any way, nor am I being paid to post this.
~Sandy G.
Phony Debt Collectors Calling Consumers Nationwide
Scamsters loaded with personal info
By James Limbach, ConsumerAffairs.com
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has put out a national alert about phony debt collectors that are calling consumers nationwide, warning of imminent arrest if they don't pay on a defaulted payday loan immediately.Claiming to be lawyers, the scammers say they are with the "Financial Accountability Association" or the "Federal Legislation of Unsecured Loans" and are equipped with a disconcerting amount of personal information about their potential victims.
"Because the scammers have so much information about potential victims, BBB is concerned that this may be the result of a data breach," said Randall Hoth, president and CEO of the Wisconsin BBB. "Thousands of people may have had their personal information compromised, and given the scammers' tactics, it appears that those who have previously used payday loan services could be particularly at risk."
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Recalls
Spalding In-Ground Basketball Hoops Recalled
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.Black & Decker Reissues Trimmer/Edger Recall
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.Ross Stores Recalls Plant Stands
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.Polaris Recalls Ranger Side-by-Side Vehicles
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.Kaplan Recalls Baby Hammocks
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.Nova Natural Toys Recalls Baby Hammocks
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.~Sandy G.
High Cholesterol In Midlife Raises Risk Of Late-Life Dementia
Study shows even moderately elevated cholesterol level boosts dementia risk
By James Limbach, ConsumerAffairs.com
Elevated cholesterol levels in midlife -- even levels considered only borderline elevated -- significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia later in life, according to a new study by researchers at Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research and the University of Kuopio in Finland.The four-decade study, appearing in the journal Dementia & Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, found that having high cholesterol in midlife (240 or higher milligrams per deciliter of blood) increases, by 66 percent, the risk for Alzheimer's disease later in life.
Even borderline cholesterol levels (200-239 mg/dL) in midlife raised risk for late-life vascular dementia by nearly the same amount: 52 percent. Vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, is a group of dementia syndromes caused by conditions affecting the blood supply to the brain. Scientists are still trying to pinpoint the genetic factors and lifestyle causes for Alzheimer's disease.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
CDC Makes Recommendations For Use Of Swine Flu Vaccine
Five key populations targeted for vaccine against novel influenza A (H1N1)
By James Limbach, ConsumerAffairs.com
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is out with its recommendations on who should be vaccinated against swine flu.The recommendations determine which groups of the population should be prioritized if the vaccine is initially available in extremely limited quantities.
The committee recommended the vaccination efforts focus on those who are at higher risk of disease or complications, those who are likely to come in contact with novel H1N1, and those who could infect young infants.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Findings May Explain Gap in Cancer Survival
By RONI CARYN RABIN, The New York Times
Scientists say they have made a discovery that may help explain the racial gap in cancer survival, providing clues to why white patients often outlive blacks even when they have what appear to be the same cancers.The insights come from research at the University of Maryland into throat cancer and squamous-cell cancers of the head and neck, which have been increasing sharply in recent years, apparently because of the human papillomavirus — the same sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer and is the target of a vaccine for girls.
The virus can also be spread through oral sex, causing cancer of the throat and tonsils, or oropharyngeal cancer.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Lack of Study Volunteers Hobbles Cancer Fight
By GINA KOLATA, The New York Times
Not long ago, at a meeting of an advisory group established by Congress to monitor the war on cancer, participants were asked how to speed progress.“Everyone was talking about expanding the cancer work force and getting people to stop smoking,” said Dr. Scott Ramsey, a cancer researcher and health economist, who was participating in that January 2008 meeting of the President’s Cancer Panel. “Lots of murmurs of approval.”
Then it was his turn.
The biggest barrier, in his opinion, was that almost no adult cancer patients — just 3 percent — participate in studies of cancer treatments, mostly new drugs or drug regimens.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Feds Announce New Food Safety Strategies
Steps outlined for leafy greens, tomatoes, melons and ground beef
By James Limbach, ConsumerAffairs.com
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack have announced new strategies designed to safeguard the food Americans eat every day.Three draft guidances prepared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency within HHS, are aimed at minimizing or eliminating contamination in leafy greens, tomatoes, and melons that can cause foodborne illnesses.
"These proposed controls provide a guide for growers and processors to follow so they may better protect their produce from becoming contaminated," Sebelius told a group of growers, consumers, businesses, food safety advocates, and others gathered at the Eastern Market, a public fresh-food market in Washington, D.C.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Recalls
Crosley, Frigidaire, Kelvinator, Kenmore, Wascomat, and White-Westinghouse Clothes Washers Recalled
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Little Tikes Recalls Clubhouse Swing Sets
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Domestications Recalls Bed Steps
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
~Sandy G.
Lawsuit Seeks Warning Labels for Hot Dogs
Dangers of processed meat cited in class-action suit
By Jon Hood, ConsumerAffairs.com
Many modern-day baseball stadiums prohibit smoking, but cancerous danger apparently still lurks around the corner: an anti-meat consumer group alleges in a class-action that hot dogs pose serious health risks and need to carry warning labels.The lawsuit was filed by The Cancer Project in Essex County, New Jersey on Wednesday. Among the named defendants are Nathan's Famous, the well-known hot dog chain; Kraft Foods, which manufactures Oscar Mayer wieners; Sara Lee; ConAgra, which makes Hebrew National franks; and Marathon, manufacturer of Sabrett, “the frankfurter New Yorker's [sic] relish.”
The plaintiffs envision a warning label similar to the one currently on cigarette packages. The wording would look something like: “Warning: Consuming hot dogs and other processed meats increases the risk of cancer.”
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
House Passes Food Safety Bill
Measure to improve FDA wins on second try
By Martin H. Bosworth, ConsumerAffairs.com
The House of Representatives voted 283-142 to pass the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 (aka H.R. 2749), designed to improve the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) ability to police food suppliers and processors for signs of foodborne illnesses and unsafe practices.The bill was originally introduced on June 29, but failed on a vote of 280-150 as the rules required a two-thirds majority for passage. The bill was reintroduced today only requiring a simple majority to pass the chamber.
229 Democrats and 54 Republicans voted to pass the bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called "strong legislation that will protect lives and prevent illness."
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
"Cash For Clunkers" Suspended
Program ran out of funding after four days
By Martin H. Bosworth, ConsumerAffairs.com
The much-vaunted "Car Allowances Rebate System" (CARS)--more popularly known as "Cash For Clunkers"--where buyers could trade in their old gas-guzzler for a $3,500 or $4,500 voucher towards a more eco-friendly car, has been suspended after less than a week and roughly 250,000 cars sold.The program certified 22,782 car trades since Monday, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but a survey of automobile dealers found that there was a backlog of 25,000 trades still awaiting clearance. The agency also rejected many claims due to illegible or incomplete paperwork, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Many auto dealers around the country were reporting brisk business as a result of the program, while others were claiming the procedure for approval was too difficult and was leaving them unable to make transactions.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Apple: Jailbreaking Could Knock Out Transmission Towers
By JEREMY KIRK of IDG News Service\London Bureau
Apple has told the U.S. Copyright Office that modifying the iPhone's operating system could crash a mobile phone network's transmission towers or allow people to avoid paying for phone calls.The claims are Apple's contribution to the Copyright Office's regular review of the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a law that forbids the circumvention of copy control mechanisms.
Apple says that modification of the phone's software, a process known as jailbreaking, could lead to major network disruptions. Jailbreaking gets around the copyright control features that prohibit, for example, the installation of applications unapproved by Apple.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Extra '&' in Microsoft development code gave hackers IE exploit
Company's security development expert confirms reports by outside researchers
By Gregg Keizer, ComputerWorld
Microsoft yesterday confirmed that a single superfluous character in its own development code is responsible for the bug that has let hackers exploit Internet Explorer (IE) since early July.A pair of German researchers who analyzed a vulnerability in a Microsoft-made ActiveX control came to the same conclusion three weeks ago.
"The bug is simply a typo," Michael Howard, a principal security program manager in Microsoft's security engineering and communications group, said in a post Tuesday to the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) blog. Howard, who is probably best known for co-authoring Writing Secure Code, went on to say that the typo -- an errant "&" character -- is the "core issue" in the MSVidCtl ActiveX control.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Researcher reveals massive 'professional thieving' botnet
A nasty piece of malware that's infected up to a million PCs is stealing financial information from consumers and businesses at an alarming rate, a noted botnet researcher said today.
By Gregg Keizer, ComputerWorld
A ferocious piece of malware that's infected up to a million PCs is stealing a "tremendous" amount of financial information from consumers and businesses that log on to their bank, stock broker, credit card, insurance, job hunting and favorite e-shopping sites, a noted botnet researcher said today."Clampi is the most professional thieving pieces of malware I've ever seen," said Joe Stewart, director of malware research for SecureWorks' counter-threat unit. "We know of few others that are this sophisticated and wide-ranging. It's having a real impact on users."
The Clampi Trojan horse has infected anywhere between 100,000 and 1 million Windows PCs, said Stewart -- "We don't have a good way of counting at this point," he acknowledged -- and targets the user credentials of 4,500 Web sites.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
False-positive swindles grow rapidly online
Fake anti-virus programs set to rule the roost
By John E. Dunn, Techworld
The phenomenon of fake anti-virus (AV) software is growing at such a pace that it could grow to eclipse all other types of malicious software, one security company has suggested.The Business of Rogueware, the latest threat report from PandaLabs, the research wing of Spanish AV company Panda Security, contains the usual round of statistics on malware growth found in all such vendor reports, but it is the section on rogue anti-virus that should make PC users sit up and pay attention.
In the first quarter of 2009, the company detected more bogus anti-virus files or variants than in the whole of 2008, 111,000 in total. Unconfirmed second quarter figures show that this rose during the second quarter to 374,000. This rise accords with similar statistics published last week by rival Sophos, which said that it was now detecting 15 new bogus AV sites a day, compared to five a day in the latter half of 2008.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
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