The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Facts and figures for the 2018 holidays

It’s that time of year. The holidays are upon us. Hanukkah has been celebrated and today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the least daylight and the longest night. Christmas is approaching rapidly as is Kwanzaa, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

Celebrants

Nine-in-ten Americans — and 95 percent of Christians — say they celebrate Christmas, according to a Pew Research Center survey. These figures have generally held steady in recent years. Today, 46 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas as primarily a religious rather than cultural holiday.

Five companies settle charges that they had mobile apps that didn’t keep sensitive user information secure

Five companies settled charges Friday that their mobile apps failed to keep sensitive user information secure when transmitted over the Internet.

The mobile apps of Western Union Financial Services, Priceline.com, Equifax Consumer Services, Spark Networks, and Credit Sesame had a security problem that could have allowed sensitive information entered by users – such as passwords, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, and bank account numbers – to be stolen by eavesdroppers using simple techniques, tests by the New York Attorney General’s Office showed. Although each company told consumers that it used security measures to protect their information, the companies failed to determine whether their mobile apps had this problem.

The settlements with the New York agency require the companies to carry out comprehensive security programs to protect user information.

Comcast continues its poor customer service

On Wednesday evening, something happened to my Comcast internet connection. I was just starting to upload thousands of photos into iCloud which hadn’t been uploaded since early this year for some reason.

It was about bedtime, so I was hoping that when I woke up Thursday, it would be working. No such luck.

About 11 a.m., I noticed that my Comcast telephone wasn’t working either. Darn, darn, darn.

I called Comcast. An agent tried to reset my modem, telling me to wait 10 minutes to see if it worked. However, nothing happened.

FTC warns companies it’s illegal to say consumers must use specific parts or service providers for their warranties to be in effect

The Federal Trade Commission staff has sent warning letters to six major companies that market and sell automobiles, cellular devices, and video game systems in the United States.

The letters warn that FTC staff has concerns about the companies’ statements which say consumers must use specified parts or service providers to keep their warranties intact. Unless warrantors provide the parts or services for free or receive a waiver from the FTC, such statements generally are prohibited by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a law that governs consumer product warranties. In addition, such statements may be deceptive under the FTC Act. 

Each company used different language, but here are examples of questionable provisions:

Heart and brain tumors linked to cell phone radiation, Italian study shows

Laboratory animals exposed to cell phone radiation developed heart and brain tumors similar to the types seen in some studies of human cell phone users, according to an Italian study. The findings reinforce the need for people, especially children, to exercise caution when using cell phones and other radiation-emitting devices, the Environmental Working Group said.

The study by the Ramazzini Institute, published in the journal Environmental Research, supports the findings of the federal National Toxicology Program. Last month, the NTP reported that male rats exposed to radio-frequency radiation at levels including those emitted by cell phones had a greater chance of developing brain cancer and tumors in the heart and other organs.

The Ramazzini Institute’s research found that male rats exposed to radiation emitted by cellphones using GSM networks had a greater chance of developing heart tumors and increased reproduction of Schwann cells, which support the peripheral nervous system. Schwann cell tumors were also observed in human studies of tumors in cell phone users and in the NTP studies of lab animals.

Animal study links cell-phone radiation to increased cancer risk

The largest animal study on cell-phone radiation effects confirms earlier evidence from human studies that cell-phone radiation increases the risk of cancer. The study was conducted by the federal National Toxicology Program.

The research found that male rats exposed to radio-frequency radiation had a greater chance of developing malignant brain cancer, tumors in the heart, and tumors in other organs. Other tumors were also observed in mice exposed to radio-frequency radiation. The amount of radiation the laboratory animals were exposed to includes the levels emitted by cellphones millions of people use every day.

“This is the most authoritative study published that connects cancer with cellphone radiation – it should raise alarms for policymakers and awareness for all Americans,” said Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., senior science advisor at the Environmental Working Group. “These studies should have been done before more than 90 percent of Americans, including children, started using this technology day in and day out.”

Super Bowl 2018: Ads still mostly violent and ageism makes a comeback

A 30-second TV ad for the 2018 Super Bowl cost more than $5 million, down from $5.5 million last year. About 100 million people watched the big game, which is why advertisers are willing to pay so much for the ads.

Unfortunately, the ads again this year were violent, violent, and more violent. That was due, in large part, to the awful violent movie trailers and ads for TV shows. I just don’t know why children are allowed to watch so much of this kind of violence on television. I don’t go see horror movies and I don’t want to watch ads for them – ever.

Fortunately, Betty White or another person wasn’t tackled and thrown to the ground as happened in the 2010 Snicker’s ad or a man wasn’t slapped in the face because his sandwich was good.

However, the ad makers, and the companies that hire them, can’t resist using violence to sell.

Best ads

Ads for the Olympics featuring stories about how some of America’s top athletes became successful in their sports.

What is tax identity theft?

Monday is the start of Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week and the IRS’s tax filing season.

What is tax-related identity theft? It occurs when someone uses your Social Security number to claim your tax refund or earn wages. You might find out that it has happened when you get a notice from the IRS saying more than one tax return was filed with your Social Security Number, or IRS records show you have wage income from an employer you don’t know.

Last year, 22 percent of the identity theft complaints to the Federal Trade Commission were on tax-related identity theft, a decline from 33 percent in 2016, said Seena Gressin, attorney for the FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education. Total identity theft complaints to the FTC also were down, dropping to 371,157 complaints in 2017, from 399,223 in 2016. It was the second year in a row that identity theft complaints to the FTC declined.

How to avoid revenge porn and what to do if you’ve been targeted

Having nude photos of yourself put on the internet without your permission is extremely upsetting. One woman said photos of her were posted by an ex-boyfriend, not once, but twice, and included her name, her job, and the city she lives in.

To avoid being a victim of revenge porn, take these steps suggested by DMCA.com.

• Don’t take any photos or yourself or have others take them if you’re nude or partially dressed. That includes videos, too.

• Don’t send nude photos or partially nude photos of yourself to anyone. Cell phones and laptops can be easily stolen or hacked.

Baby boomers are cold, cold, cold – mostly – in the severe winter weather

If you are anywhere near the Northeast in the United States, then this past week has been freezing cold. With temperatures hovering near zero, when the wind blows it feels like it’s minus 30 degrees.

Jennifer Koshak of Unfold and Begin suggests thawing out with boomer blogs. Bloggers in our blogging group are writing about working after you’re retired, stopping the dangerous habit of talking on your cell phone when you’re walking, making a difference, creating a seasonal bucket list, dealing with computer problems, and getting abundance in 2018.

While most of us are cold, including me in the rainy, damp Seattle area, one of our new bloggers, Sue Loncaric of Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond, is enjoying summer. That's right. Loncaric lives in Brisbane, Australia. She's the one making a seasonal bucket list, and she's making it for the summer.

To read the boomer articles, see the Best of Boomer Blogs #529. And, be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers love to hear from readers.

Copyright 2018, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist