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October 2023
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November 2023

Irritated over ‘junk’ fees? Let the FTC know the details

Junk fees – those hidden and bogus charges that have found their way into a wide variety of transactions – are on consumers’ minds. After receiving more than 12,000 comments about how these fees impact consumers and businesses, the FTC announced on Oct. 11, a proposed rule on deceptive fees. It's now looking for further feedback. Read more →


Stop using scooters whose battery was linked to a fire that killed two, safety agency recommends

It’s important to consumers to watch for announcements from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in addition to the agency’s recalls. The CPSC is warning consumers about the risk of fire from Toos Elite 60-volt electric scooters after two people died in a fire tied to the scooter’s lithium-ion battery. Read more →


Best wishes on Veterans Day

What are your plans for today? Visiting a national park? They’re free today. Attending a parade? Visiting a cemetery and putting flowers on the grave of a loved one? For Veterans Day, I’m remembering my family members who served in the military: Frank Gilliam, U.S. Army, World War II. He died in the Battle of the Bulge in Europe. Read more →


Should you limit your chocolate consumption since recent tests show high levels of toxins in some products?

On Thursday, I wrote about recent tests by Consumer Reports on high levels of lead and cadmium found in some milk chocolate products. Earlier tests last year by the advocacy organization found that a number of Hershey’s dark chocolate bars had some of the highest levels of lead or cadmium of all brands it tested.  Read more →


Many chocolate products have concerning levels of lead and cadmium, Consumer Reports says

Cocoa-containing foods – such as cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and milk chocolate bars – contain concerning levels of cadmium or lead in a third of the products tested, according to Consumer Reports. The organization is calling on the Hershey Co. to step up its efforts to reduce the levels of heavy metals from its chocolate products after its latest tests. Read more →


Vote this Election Day

In many states and cities, Tuesday, Nov. 7 is Election Day. The states with elections include Kentucky, Virginia, Mississippi, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota,... Read more →


How to reduce the transmission of diseases from pets to humans

On Saturday, I wrote about One Health Day. I hadn’t heard of it before, but it’s a global campaign that recognizes the close connection between the health of people, animals, and the environment and the role this connection plays in the spread of diseases. Several times, I’ve written that people shouldn’t allow pets to sleep in bed with them. Read more →


What you need to know about One Health Day

On Friday, I had a busy day and missed the announcement that it was One Health Day. It’s a global campaign that brings attention to the need for a coordinated approach to address shared health threats at the human-animal-environment interface. I’d never heard of One Health Day before, but it addresses health concerns I’ve written about over the years: Read more →


Nearly 1 million Insignia pressure cookers are being recalled by Best Buy due to burn risks

Best Buy is recalling about 930,000 Insignia pressure cookers. Inaccurate volume markings inside the pot can cause overfilling, resulting in hot food and liquid erupting when the pressure cooker is opened, posing a burn risk to consumers. Best Buy has received 31 reports of the contents erupting, including 17 reports of burn injuries. Read more →


What to buy and not buy at Black Friday deals for 2023

Although Black Friday is a few weeks away, you can find lots of deals available so you can start comparing prices now. Like last year, the 2023 holiday sale season started early, with major retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, and Target offering big sitewide events in early October. A difference is this year prices will remain steady through Black Friday. Read more →