These days I’m a frequent flyer on American Airlines. I switched from Alaska because the number of flights to Miami, where I travel often, was drastically reduced.The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $24.2 million civil penalty against American Airlines for failing to correctly follow an airworthiness directive on the... Read more →
Toyota is recalling about 1.13 million Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles, 2005-2008 model years, because some engine control modules may have been improperly manufactured and could cause hard shifting or stalling. On vehicles equipped with the 1ZZ-FE engine and two-wheel drive, a crack may develop at certain solder points... Read more →
Which consumer experiences cheered you recently and which ones made you want to scream or weep? Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week: My best: Getting photos from a wedding My cousin’s granddaughter was married Friday in Yakima, Wash. It was fun to attend and take photos.... Read more →
Seattle and other cities are experiencing problems with grease from households and restaurants collecting in sewer pipes and causing backups. Part of the problem is what consumers scrape off their dishes. If you don't thoroughly scrape the grease and other stuff into the trash or a food recycling bin, it... Read more →
Although cruise ships bring big tourist dollars to many areas, they’re also responsible for significant amounts of environmental damage. In the article, "Big Cruise Ships Pollute Big Time and Can Sail Away From Regulation," the Seattle Post-Intelligencer lays out the problems cruise ships are causing in the Pacific Northwest. In... Read more →
More than a half billion shell eggs have now been recalled, with a second Iowa firm announcing on Friday the recall of 170 million eggs after tests confirmed the presence of Salmonella. Eggs affected by the Hillandale Farms recall were distributed to grocery stores and foodservice companies which service or... Read more →
Which consumer experiences cheered you recently and which ones made you want to scream or weep? Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week: My best: Selling things on Craigslist Craigslist worked well once I got the hang of it. At first, I thought you had to wait... Read more →
Baby boomers love music, and technically savvy boomers, like younger generations, are using the latest gadgets to hear the tunes they love. But watch out. A recent study found that one in five teenagers had lost some hearing. Most of the hearing loss was "slight," defined as inability to hear... Read more →
What do you think of a study that suggests baby boomers could live longer than their offspring? A University of Michigan study shows that a generational shift in obesity rates is setting the younger generation up for shorter life and poorer health in comparison to their parents. Researchers found that... Read more →
Bedbugs can cause itchy bites on people and pets. Unlike most public-health pests, however, bedbugs aren’t known to transmit or spread diseases. An approach that includes prevention and non-chemical treatment of infestations is the best way to avoid or eliminate a bedbug problem. Examples of non-chemical methods of bedbug control... Read more →