uMazda Adds 540,000 Vehicles To Takata Airbag Recall Listr

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  (frankieleon)

  The roster of vehicles recalled for Takata-produced airbags found to spew pieces of shrapnel with enough force to injure or kill occupants continues to grow. This time, the list increased by nearly 540,000 Mazda automobiles.

  The Associated Press reports that Mazda will recall 503,000 cars with defective driver’s side airbags and 35,000 small trucks with defective passenger side airbags in the U.S. and Canada.

  Vehicles affected by the recent recall include: model years 2003 to 2008 Mazda 6; model years 2006 to 2007 MazdaSpped 6; model years 2004 to 2008 RX-8 and model years 2004 to 2006 B-Series pickup trucks.

  The company says that some of the vehicles were part of a previous recall last year.

  Automakers – including Ford, BMW, Chrysler Fiat and Honda – have been scrambling over the last week to identify which of their models should be included in the recall of nearly 34 million vehicles equipped with Takata airbags.

  The expanded recalls come just a week after Takata declared that nearly 33.8 million vehicles sold in the United State should be recalled for the defect.

  While about 17 million of those vehicles had already been part of recalls by major automakers, millions of others had yet to be identified, leaving consumers wondering if they’re driving around with what some people have likened to an explosive device in their steering wheel.

  Consumers looking to see if their vehicles are part of the largest auto recall in history can check by entering their 17 digit VIN on the SaferCar.gov website, which produces a list of all recalls associated with a particular vehicle.

  Mazda adds cars, pickups to massive Takata air bag recall in US and Canada [The Associated Press]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uFDA Closer To Approving Twice-Rejected Female Libido Drugr

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  (Adam Gerard)

  Yesterday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended that the agency approve a new drug, flibanserin, which would be marketed under the brand name Addyi. In headlines and in news reports, you see references to the drug as a “pink Viagra” or “Viagra for women.” Yet the drug works on the brain, not the genitals, and critics say that its side effects may not be worth its proven benefits. The FDA has already rejected the drug twice.

  Low sexual desire is a common problem, according to Sprout Pharmaceuticals, owner of flibanserin/Addyi. They estimate that one-third of women experience it, and for about 10% of women, the condition is actually distressing, causing problems in their lives and their relationships.

  One of groups lobbying to gain approval for flibanserin or a similar drug is called Even the Score, which makes a gender-equality argument by accusing the FDA of sexism: “There are 26 FDA approved drugs to treat various sexual dysfunctions for men (41 if you count generics!),” declares the group’s website, “but still not a single one for women’s most common sexual complaint.”

  In addition to medical associations such as the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals and the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the supporters of Even the Score include, yes, Sprout Pharmaceuticals.

  During yesterday’s meeting, the FDA’s director of the division of bone, reproductive and urologic products countered that there are no approved drugs that solely treat low sexual desire in either men or women.

  The diorder that is called Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder, and is defined as a recurring lack of sexual fantasies and desire in women who haven’t yet reached menopause. Critics say that the disorder was simply invented so that drug companies could invent treatments for it. With a potential market of 10% of all women required to take a pill every day, that’s a potentially lucrative market.

  Reserachers have tried different treatments for HSDD, and flibanserin has come the closest to FDA approval. Yet its possible side effects, which include dizziness, nausea, and dangerously low blood pressure, are worrisome. The main reason why flibanserin really isn’t LadyViagra is that it affects levels of neurotransmitters in the brain rather than the flow of blood to the genitals. It also has to be taken every day, not just before the patient plans to have sex.

  “The unmet need seems to be so strong that even for a drug with rather modest benefit, I think approving the product with strong limitations seems to be the right step at this point,” one committee member told the New York Times. That means doctors would be required to undergo special training before they could prescribe the drug, and that patients would need special counseling before it’s prescribed for them.

  Advisers To FDA Recommend Agency Approve Drug To Boost Female Libido [NPR]
  ‘Viagra for Women’ Is Backed by an F.D.A. Panel [New York Times]
  Raleigh’s Sprout hears good news on women’s sexual dysfunction drug [Triangle Business Journal]
  Even the Score: Women’s Sexual Health Equity [Official Site]

  
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by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

uYahoo Ditching Maps, Discontinuing Support For Other Products In New Prioritization Planr

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• If you’re a stalwart user of Yahoo Maps we’ve got some bad news: The company plans to shut down the site and other tools this month in a revamp of its priorities.

  The Los Angeles Times reports that the tech company made the decision to axe the once popular service and other regional and genre-specific products in order to better concentrate on key product pillars: search, communications and digital content.

  “Part of that focus includes taking a hard look at our existing products and services, and ensuring our resources are spent smartly and with a clear purpose,” the company said in a blog post announcement. “Ultimately, we want to provide you with the best products, platforms and experiences possible.”

  The Yahoo Maps site is slated to close at the end of June. But it won’t be going away completely. Instead, the company will continue to support the service in the context of Yahoo search and on other properties including Flickr.

  In other announced changes, Yahoo will no longer support Yahoo Mail on older iOS devices.

  “In order to maintain focus on the security, speed and functionality of Yahoo Mail on the latest systems, we are no longer supporting Yahoo Mail on the built-in Mail app for devices prior to iOS 5 on June 15, 2015,” the company says.

  Individuals who use iOS4 and earlier versions can continue to use Yahoo Mail on their Safari mobile browser.

  The company will also discontinue support of Yahoo Contacts syncing for devices prior to Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion starting on June 15. Users with older systems can access contacts through their web browser.

  Additionally, the company will shut down several regional, genre-specific media properties to streamline editorial offerings, according to the blog.

  Products slated for closure during the month of June include: Yahoo Music in France and Canada; Yahoo Movies in Spain; Yahoo TV in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Canada; Yahoo Autos in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy; and Yahoo Entertainment in Singapore.

  The homepage for Yahoo Philippines and its genre-specific sites will also close and redirect to the Yahoo Singapore homepage.

  Yahoo to shut down Maps site, other products this month [The Los Angeles Times]
  Q2 2015 Progress Report On Our Product Prioritization [Yahoo]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uWalmart Cracking Down On Theft Because It Doesn’t Want To Lose Billions Of Dollars A Yearr

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  (JeepersMedia)

  When something is costing billions of dollars a year in lost revenue, you’re probably going to start paying attention and try to stop the leakage. That’s why Walmart is addressing a big problem at its 4,555 stores in the U.S. — shoplifting and other forms of “unknown shrinkage” that is causing the company to lose about $3 billion per year.

  Greg Foran, head of Walmart’s U.S. operations, told the media that he put theft and other factors (pants walking out on their own?) to a list of urgent items that the company is going to tackle at its stores, reports Reuters.

  He says that while the problem isn’t necessarily growing, cutting down on losses in that area could boost margins, as theft usually represents about 1% for any retailer’s sales. With nearly $300 billion in revenues in the U.S. in the past fiscal year, that adds up.

  “One percent of $300 billion is quite a lot of money. If you can save 10 basis points of it – boy I’ll take it every day of the week and put it into lower prices for customers,” Foran told Reuters (10 basis points would be equal to $30 million).

  As for that mysterious category of “unknown shrinkage,” that could mean simple mistakes in inventory record-keeping, as well as theft by customers or workers.

  Foran says the problem isn’t necessarily growing, but he decided to focus on it with the hopes of boosting profit margins.

  Wal-Mart’s U.S. chief takes aim at urgent item: theft [Reuters]

  
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by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

uPew Charitable Trusts Illustrates The Devastating Effects Of Payday Lending, How It Can Be Fixedr

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• Back in March, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau took its first long-awaited step in reining in the payday loan industry by releasing an outline for potential regulations over the small-dollar lines of credit known to thrust consumers into a devastating cycle of debt. While consumer groups were quick to applaud the steps, they also expressed concern that more could be done to protect people from the devastating consequences of such loans. This week, Pew Charitable Trusts released a video detailing the predicament nearly 12 million Americans face every year when taking out payday loans and how regulators might be able to find an answer.

  Pew Charitable Trusts, which has extensively studied the payday lending industry and its often negative effects on consumers, asserts in the video that the CFPB and state policy makers have an opportunity to make small loans safer and more affordable for cash-strapped individuals.

  According to Pew, 12 million Americans spend about $17 billion on payday loans each year in the 36 states where the small-dollar lending is legal.

  One of those borrowers is Jennifer – the star of Pew’s latest video – who takes out a $375 payday loan to help pay bills. Unfortunately, like many others in her position, the loan offers little help and instead ruins her budget.

  That’s because, Pew says, payday loans have unaffordable payment schedules and exceedingly high interest rates.

  “It’s not hard to see why people like Jennifer are drawn to the loans,” the video states. “They look like two-week loans with a fixed fee of $55 but they’re not.”

  Instead, the loans have to be paid back in full within 14-days, a task that is difficult for consumers living paycheck-to-paycheck.

  “The reality is… that a typical borrower carries these loans for half the year,” according to the video.

  Pew then goes into the need and desire for payday improvements among consumers, noting that eight-out-of-ten Americans favor reform.

  “The CFPB can fix these problems with a strong ability to pay rule that allows borrowers to make smaller payments over longer periods of time,” Pew notes while referencing research that found consumers can often only afford to spend 5% of their paycheck repaying such loans.

  This reform would then allow Jennifer to maintain her budget while paying just $60 from each paycheck toward her $375 loan.

  As for states, Pew says they can work to rein in excessive interest rates; a step that has been taken in several states such as Colorado.

  In that state the loans are still available and widely used, they just work better. In fact, Pew says consumers in Colorado saved nearly $40 million after protections went into effect.

  “The point is there is a solution,” the video states. “A better small loan market is possible with lower prices and more time to repay. Policy makers of all levels need to act now to help borrowers like Jennifer get back on solid ground.”

  Payday Loans — And How to Fix Them [Pew Charitable Trusts]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

uHow Can I Avoid Getting Sick From Listeria-Contaminated Food?r

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  (Meggito)

  Listeria-contaminated food has been in the news lately due to massive ice cream recalls from regional companies Blue Bell and Jeni’s. Ice cream isn’t usually where you find listeria, but it’s possible to contract listeriosis from frozen treats because the bacteria can survive below-freezing temperatures, and you don’t cook ice cream. How can you avoid illness from listeria? There are no guaranteed ways to eradicate it from the food supply, but there are precautions that you can take.

  Our colleagues down the hall at Consumer Reports put together a great Q&A about where Listeria monocytogenes comes from originally, how it ends up in our food and most importantly how to keep it from multiplying. Stereotypical candidates to carry listeria are soft cheeses (whether they’re made from pasteurized or unpasteurized milk) and deli meats, but cross-contamination and other bacteria-carrying vectors mean that bacteria can go from fruits or vegetables to insufficiently-cleaned machinery, theoretically contaminating entire batches of prepared foods.

  Here’s one important thing to keep in mind: you should use up your meal leftovers within four days or so, but one thing that can affect the growth of Listeria in your refrigerated or frozen foods is the temperature of your fridge and freezer.

  Prevent food poisoning from listeria bacteria [Consumer Reports]

  
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by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

u4 Million Federal Employees Are The Latest Victims Of A Massive Data Breachr

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  (Flyinace2000)

  There are millions of federal employees in the country, and not just in Washington, DC. The government is a big bureaucracy and a big employer — and that makes it a nice, juicy target for a big data breach.

  The Office of Personnel Management — effectively, the HR/personnel department for the entire federal government — announced late yesterday that its systems had been hacked, and that as many as 4 million current and former federal employees’ personal data is at risk. Officials pointed the finger at Chinese hackers, the Washington Post reports.

  The breach was first detected in April. Neither the FBI, which is investigating the breach, nor OPM have yet said specifically what data was taken, but in May the FBI concluded that personal records had indeed been breached.

  OPM has said that the hackers no longer have access to the system, but that may not stop them from trying again. And in fact, this wasn’t the first time either. OPM was also the target of a data breach in 2014. In that instance, however, neither officials nor investigators confirmed what personal records had been accessed.

  OPM did make upgrades to their systems and policies in the wake of the 2014 attack. Those changes were what allowed them to discover this intrusion, the agency’s chief information officer told the Washington Post. The hackers also attacked a different system, using a previously undiscovered vulnerability, than in the 2014 intrusion.

  For a significant number of federal workers, this is the second time just this year their personal data has been stolen. The breach at health care provider Anthem, detected earlier this year, affected over 1.3 million federal employees as well. And that’s without even getting into other federal systems hacks, like the Russian-backed intrusion into State Department e-mail.

  A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry dismissed the accusations, saying, “It’s irresponsible and unscientific to make groundless accusations without deep investigation and research.”

  OPM will be notifying victims of the breach that their records were accessed and providing credit report monitoring and identity theft protection services to those affected. They will be sending out notices from June 8 through 19.

  Chinese breach data of 4 million federal workers [Washington Post]

  
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by Kate Cox via Consumerist