The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Watch out for toxic, dangerous toys, consumer group warns

This holiday season, watch out for dangerous and toxic toys. WashPIRG Foundation’s 33rd annual "Trouble in Toyland" report found toxic amounts of boron in slime products and a failure by Amazon to appropriately label choking hazards. Boron can cause nausea, vomiting, and other health issues.

“No one should worry about whether or not the toy they’re buying is toxic or dangerous," said Elise Orlick, director of the WashPIRG Foundation. "But in 2018, we’re still finding hazards in some of the most popular toys. Toy manufacturers must do better to ensure their products are safe before they end up in children’s hands and mouths.” 

For more than 30 years, Trouble in Toyland has issued toy safety guidelines and has provided examples of toys currently on store shelves that pose potential safety hazards to small children. Key findings from this year’s report include:

Tips for Black Friday shopping

When I went to the mall the other day, I saw Macy's had some pre-Black Friday sales. Unfortunately, the jacket I'd seen there about a week earlier wasn't there anymore. I have some Macy's bucks to spent because the sales associate charged me for a pair of pants that I told her I didn't want. The store manager said she couldn't refund my money because there wasn't an item to return. Strange. If I didn't get the item, I should have received a refund.

I'm not a big Black Friday fan since I went shopping once with my daughter in Sacramento, and we didn't find any deals.

Baby boomers pondering the holidays, travel, and change

Thanksgiving has always been nice celebration for me and my family. However, in recent years, I’ve been thinking more and more about the criticisms of the holiday.

Meryl Baer of Six Decades and Counting sheds some light on Thanksgiving. Baer did research and discovered some historical facts not taught in school, at least not when she went to school. Her “A Thanksgiving Story for Adults” isn’t X-rated, but includes details that might shock kids and many adults, too.

Carol Cassara at A Healing Spirit reminds us it's not Thanksgiving yet, and it’s still early in the holiday season. Cassara offers a gift guide for the special people in your life.

Rebecca Olkowski with BabyBoomster.com has updated her holiday gift guide for 2018. Look and see what she recommends for fun gifts you can order online for family, friends, and colleagues. And if you’re looking for something tasty to make for Thanksgiving check out her "Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup" of family favorites.

Tom Sightings of Sightings Over 60 is visiting Charleston, South Carolina, billed as America's most historic city. Take a look at “Discovering the Lost Cause” for a glimpse of the city – and a look at what really went on in its gilded past.

Jennifer Koshak of Unfold And Begin reminds us we’ve all been through change. Some easy. Some hard. But imagine finding out that not only is your husband leaving you for his mistress but that he’s lost all of your money and is leaving you in massive debt. That's what happened to Lee Gaitan who is the most recent Starting Over interview on Koshak’s blog.

Laura Lee Carter of the Adventures of the New Old Farts suffered a close call this past summer with wildfires in southern Colorado. Carter shares her thoughts about those caught in California's recent firestorms, and those who simply don't understand how it feels.

This is the Best of Boomer Blogs #573. Click on the links and see what boomer bloggers have to say. And, be sure and join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2018, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Mowers and compact tractors recalled by Kubota due to burn hazard

Kubota is recalling about 121,100 mowers and compact tractors.

Hot coolant can spray out onto consumers from the overheated and pressurized coolant reservoir tank, posing a burn hazard.

Kubota has received three reports of burn injuries from coolant ejecting.

This recall involves model year 2014 to 2018 Kubota with model numbers BX, GR, ZD, and ZG, diesel and gasoline-powered zero turn mowers, compact tractors, and ride-on mowers.

USDA needs to identify turkey brands linked to deadly, antibiotic-resistant salmonella outbreak, Consumer Reports says

The U.S. Department of Agriculture should identify the brands of turkey that have been linked to a drug-resistant strain of Salmonella that has sickened consumers across the nation, Consumer Reports said Wednesday. The outbreak in raw turkey products has been going on for a year, but neither the turkey industry nor the USDA has released any information about which brands are making people sick. 

“The USDA should immediately make public which turkey producers, suppliers, and brands are involved in this outbreak – especially with Thanksgiving right around the corner,” said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives for Consumer Reports. “This information could save lives and help ensure consumers take the precautions needed to prevent anyone in their home from getting sick.”

The outbreak of the drug-resistant Salmonella strain, known as Salmonella Reading, has been linked to 164 illnesses in 35 states, including one death in California, and about half of those sickened have been hospitalized. The outbreak has been found in live turkeys and many kinds of raw turkey products, and that it “might be widespread in the turkey industry,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has identified the Salmonella strain in samples of raw turkey products collected from 22 slaughterhouses and seven processing plants but hasn’t disclosed these facilities or the names of the companies that operate them.

Is it true that half of older people have diverticulosis?

A friend of mine called and told she’s spent the better part of the day in a clinic due to an attack of diverticulitis. She wanted to know if I knew about half of older adults have diverticulosis. She said I should write about it.

Half sounded like it was too big of a number. However, my friend was right.

One American in 10 over the age of 40 has diverticulosis, and about half of all people age 60 and older have it, according to the National Institute of Health.

The institute offers the following information on diverticulosis:

Skip illegal ‘Secret Sister’ gift exchanges

The online “Secret Sister” gift exchange and similar invitations are illegal and should be ignored, the Better Business Bureau warns. The campaign, which made a big splash in 2015, is again being circulated on social media sites, especially Facebook. 

The post claims that participants will receive up to 36 gifts in exchange for sending one gift valued at $10. Users are encouraged to invite others to participate in the holiday gift exchange, where they’ll receive information on where to mail gifts. 

However, there’s a big problem with gift chains such “Secret Sister” – they’re pyramid schemes. Gift exchanges are illegal gambling and participants could be subject to penalties for mail fraud, according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Services. Pyramid schemes are illegal, either by mail or on social media, if money or other items of value are requested with assurance of a sizeable return for those who participate.

Will you be going into debt for holiday spending?

The 2018 holiday shopping season, like many before it, will be paid for largely by credit card debt.

After spending more than $1 trillion from November 2017 to January 2018, U.S. consumers began the new year owing more than $1 trillion to credit card companies for the first time. And even though credit card debt levels are going down a little each year, this holiday shopping season could change that.

What are consumers saying about their holiday shopping plans?  Thirty-five percent of people plan to spend more than $500 this year, according to WalletHub’s “2018 Holiday Shopping Survey.” In 2017, 33 percent said they spent that much.

Baby boomers spending time with families and getting ready for the holidays

What do you do in November?  I’ve started getting ready for the holidays. I’ve shipped books to my daughters and nieces and got together with my sisters to give them their holiday presents. Safeway had nice pointsets, so I bought one for my sister’s caregiver who does a good job of helping my sister.

I also found a great book for Lady Elizabeth who runs the bed and breakfast where my sister and I stay when we visit our older sister in Bellingham. It’s called “United Cakes of America: Recipes Celebrating Every State” by Warren Brown. She said she’d bake me a cake on one of our upcoming visits.

This week, I’ll pick out photos for my holiday cards. I’ve got some great ones from a family get-together in August.

Hammer drills recalled by Black & Decker due to possible injuries

Black & Decker is recalling about 641,000 Bostitch and Porter-Cable hammer drills and drill drivers in the United States and about 18,000 in Canada.

The side handle sold with the drill can slip or break, leading to a loss of control of the tool, posing an injury hazard.

Black & Decker has received 11 reports of side handles slipping or breaking and one report of a torn rotator cuff injury.