Q. I know that if a plug-in hair dryer, radio or other electrical appliance falls in to a bathtub that can electrocute the person in the tub. Is a battery-operated radio or other appliance also dangerous?
A. I put your question to Robert J. Bailey, my electrical safety expert. He is a principal with Tangibl, an electrical consulting firm of Yardley, PA. Bailey says a battery-operated device would not generate enough voltage and current to cause any life-threatening shock. What's more, it would be difficult to get in the path of the electrical circuit in a battery-operated device, as the path is in the device itself. In the case of a plug-in appliance in a tub, the water is part of the path of the circuit.
He did note that a short-circuited battery could have what is called a mechanical failure, a sort of mini-explosion with the case rupturing. He also noted that even a small battery can generate heat and can erupt into mechanical failure if the positive and negative terminals are connected. That's why when throwing away batteries, you should make sure the terminals are covered, so they cannot generate heat or go into mechanical failure when in contact with metal.
2.
Q. Can a paralyzed person control wheel chairs or other devices with brain waves?
A. Battelle, which bills itself as being in the business of innovation, helped develop what is called BrainGate: “Battelle worked with Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, Inc., to develop the BrainGate Neural Interface system (BrainGate). BrainGate is designed to record and interpret signals directly from the brain that can be used to enable paralyzed people to control a wide range of external devices just by thinking, including a wheelchair or a computer cursor. In 2007, R&D Magazine awarded BrainGate the prestigious R&D 100 Award, as well as named BrainGate to receive the Editor’s Choice Award as the year’s Most Amazing Technology.” Battelle says it “pursues and applies science and technology to help solve real-world problems.”
3.
Q. Did you see the latest survey on Philadelphia? It is not only a tax hell, but according to one survey is one of the cities ranking low on the scale of sexual satisfaction?
A. I follow all the rankings of Men’s Health magazine and find their latest survey of “Sex in the Cities” interesting, but I don’t think there are any good metrics to prove what they are trying to prove – the cities with the most and least sexually satisfied populations. Men’s Health measured three things – the birth rate, the sale of condoms, and the sale of sex toys and other erotic ephemera from retailers. Of the 100 cities ranked, Philadelphia was #68. The highest ranking cities, from #1 on down, are Indianapolis, IN, Columbus, OH, Fort Wayne, IN, Cincinnati, OH, Salt Lake City, UT, SAN ANTONIO, TX, Denver, CO, Austin, TX, Boise, ID, and Chicago, IL. The 10 least sexually satisfied cities, from #91 on down to #100 are Jacksonville, FL, Greensboro, NC, Jersey City, NJ, Providence, RI, Newark, NJ, Montgomery, AL, Yonkers, NY, Manchester, NH, Birmingham, AL, and Lexington, KY. The one thing that struck me, for whatever it is worth, is that cities in the Northeast tended to be missing from the highest ranking, and predominant in the lower ranking.
3.
Q. I ran into you at the Senior Citizen’s Expo sponsored by the Delaware County Office of Services for the Aging (COSA) on Saturday, May 2, 2008, held at Harrah’s Casino in Chester, PA. What did you think of it?
A. The Expo was terrific, and it marked the release of the new Delaware County Elder Law Handbook and Resource Guide. It was prepared by editors Harris J. Resnick and Cynthia A. McNicholas, two elder law attorneys. The handbook is an excellent reference on elder law, despite the fact that I wrote a small part of it. So I give high marks to the Expo, but a flunking grade to Harrah’s. First, Harrah’s permits smoking, and I couldn’t adjust to the smell of tobacco smoke wherever I went. It might be deadly for someone with asthma or other respiratory disease. Second, I found it too noisy. I know it produces money to allow for tax relief in Pennsylvania, but when I look around a casino, I wonder if it is doing more harm than good. My instincts tell me the harm far outweighs the good…and that’s in terms of what gambling does to people. If Harrah’s at Chester is typical of Pennsylvania casinos, I’d have to say Pennsylvania is still far behind Atlantic City casinos in quality. And Atlantic City has just adopted a no-smoking policy in its casinos.
4.
Q. Exactly how much does inflation damage savings in the long run?
A. You have to assume a long-run time period and also assume a rate of inflation. But the bottom line is that a rate of inflation that seems relatively modest is devastating to savings in the long run. In a publication from Fidelity, the mutual fund company, they assume a 2%, 3%, and 4% rate of inflation. In 25 years, a $50,000 sum would be worth, respectively, $30,477, $22,880, and $18,756 due to inflation’s impact on the value of the dollar. So that is clearly a factor you must take into account in your retirement and savings plans.
5.
Q. I know you always advocate index funds. Is that becoming the conventional wisdom?
A. I’d say it is the conventional wisdom and the best of investment wisdom. AARP, the organization of senior citizens, recommends index fund investments as one of its five basic investment principles: “Indexing: a low cost option that offers broad diversification and risk management. Index funds, for example, are low-cost mutual funds that seek to mirror the performance of the broader markets they represent, such as ‘large company’ stocks or ‘technology’ stocks.” I’d say a good place to start for many people would be an all-market or Standard and Poor’s 500 index fund. I’d also recommend a low-expense rate company that features no-load funds such as Vanguard, located in the Philadelphia area, Fidelity, and T. Rowe Price.
6.
Q. I noticed Tiger Woods is helping advertise Lasik eye surgery. Does that suggest it is now a safe and almost routine operation?
A. A wise physician told me that the two kinds of surgery you want to approach with super-caution and super-conservatism are those involving the eyes and the hands.
There are important risks you face when undergoing Lasik surgery. In fact, I’ve often noted that those who do this kind of surgery tend to emphasize the benefits and downplay the risks. I noticed that a brochure featuring Tiger makes this same mistake. It spells out in detail the benefits, but then only offers “A Word about Risks” as follows: “LASIK has become one of North America’s most frequently performed surgeries. Any surgery, however, has risks. For more information about LASIK, as you TLC affiliate doctor.” TLC refers to a group of eye centers doing LASIK. Incidentally, just because an operation is frequently performed, that doesn’t mean it is somehow safe.
7.
Q. Can I really get a free credit report? I mean one that is really free.
A. Yes. The FTC in a February 2008 publication entitled “FTC Facts for Consumers: Your Access to Free Credit Report” explains how you can get one, as follows: “The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have set up a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report.
“To order, visit annualcreditreport.com, call 1-877-322-8228 or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348…You can print it [the form] from ftc.gov/credit. Do not contact the three nationwide consumer reporting companies individually. They are providing free annual credit reports only through annualcreditreport.com…The law allows you to order one free copy of your report from each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies every 12 months.”
8.
Q. What causes cataracts?
A. Here’s the answer from the American Academy of Ophthalmology:
“The most common type of cataract is related to aging of the eye. Causes of cataract include:
· Family history;
· Medical problems, such as diabetes;
· Injury to the eye;
· Medications, especially steroids;
· Radiation;
· Long-term, unprotected exposure to sunlight;
· Previous eye surgery;
· Unknown factors.”
9.
Q. Can companies sell tickets in foreign lotteries in the U.S.?
A. They can, but not legally. The FTC says, “These lottery solicitations [from places such as Australia and Europe] violate U.S. law, which prohibits the cross-border sale or purchase of lottery tickets by phone or mail.” And it points out once you pay for one of these lottery tickets, “You may never see a ticket.”
10.
Q. I know your liability is limited for unauthorized use of your credit card. But what if the thief just uses your number and not the card itself?
A. The FTC says then you have no liability. If the card is used, your liability is limited to $50. You also have no liability if the thief uses your card after you report it missing. In any event, you want to report any loss of your card or unauthorized use immediately. Some homeowner’s policies cover your liability. We’re talking about credit cards here. There are different rules for unauthorized use of debit cards and ATM cards.
11.
Q. Can a funeral provider refuse to use a casket purchased somewhere else?
A. According to the FTC, “The funeral provider may not refuse, or charge a fee, to handle a casket you bought elsewhere.”
12.
Q. Can a financial planner provide you with legal and accounting advice?
A. The financial planner, in the words of a MetLife publication, acts as a quarterback coordinating your financial plan with your lawyer and accountant, but not offering legal or accounting advice.
13.
Q. How much do the driving courses required for those over age 55 to get discounts on their insurance policy cost?
A. It depends on who is giving them. I just noticed one provided at Riddle Memorial Hospital that costs $15 for the required eight-hour course. Riddle also offers a three-hour emergency care and first aid course for $30.
14.
Q. I know what to do if I’m having a stroke. But what should I do if I’m having a TIA?
A. Here’s the advice of the American Stroke association, a division of the American Heart Association: “TIA, or transient ischemic (TRAN-see-yt is-KE-mik) attack, is a ‘mini stroke’ that occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery for a short time. The symptoms of a TIA are like the warning signs of a stroke [for example, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, sudden severe headache with no known cause, and others], but usually last only a few minutes. About 10 percent of strokes are preceded by TIAs. TIAs are strong predictors of stroke risk. Don’t ignore them. Call 9-1-1 or seek emergency medical attention immediately!”
15.
Q. Where can I call to get information on how to stop smoking?
A. Here are a few numbers: American Cancer Society, 800-ACS-2345; National Cancer Institute, 800-4-CANCER; American Heart Association, 800-AHA-USA1; American Lung Association, 800-LUNG-USA; Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 404-488-5705; and Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 800-358-9295.
16.
Q. How do I get on the National Do Not Call Registry?
A. It is free and easy. To get information visit www.donotcall.gov or call toll-free 888-382-1222 (TTY: 866-290-4236).
17.
Q. I thought there were no early signs of glaucoma. But then I read that there are signs such as blurred vision, severe eye pain, headache, rainbow-colored halos around lights, and nausea and vomiting. Those sound like symptoms to me. What’s the story?
A. Those are symptoms of closed-angle glaucoma. There are no early symptoms of the other kind of glaucoma, chronic open-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form. Those who have it may eventually notice blank spots in vision, but by then there can already be significant damage to the optic nerve. This is information provided by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
18.
Q. What kind of judges would Senator Obama appoint if he were to be elected President?
A. He would appoint the most left-wing extremists who would make the law to suit their left-wing agendas rather than interpret the law and the constitution. You know that as his record his purely one of a highly partisan liberal, bordering on the radical fringe. You also know that by the law professor who is campaigning for him, Laurence Tribe of Harvard Law School, a committed left-wing judge. Mr. Tribe said that this is the first time he’s been campaigning, suggesting how far left Senator Obama is. So along with higher taxes, more regulation, retreat and defeat abroad, and a weak foreign policy and national defense, you would get lousy judges.
19.
Q. Why do some experts recommend taking pictures of a rental car before you return it?
A. In case the rental company claims that you dented the car and are responsible for the cost of repairs. Those pictures that can resolve that kind of controversy. You should also inspect the car when taking it out and when returning it for your own protection.
20.
Q. What’s the point of mulching plants?
A. There are four reasons:
· Mulching can provide an attractive border.
· Mulching helps hold in moisture.
· Mulching helps stabilize ground temperature.
· Mulching prevents weed growth.
21.
Q. Should you eat green potatoes? And what about potatoes that have sprouted?
A. Here’s what Dole has to say on the subject of green potatoes: “Greening is the result of prolonged light exposure and gives potatoes a bitter taste. It will not harm you, but if more than half a potato is green discard it. If there is just a small tinge of green on the potato, trim it off and use the potato.”
On sprouting here’s Dole’s answer: “Sprouts indicate that the potato has been stored for too long, in a warm temperature. As long as the potato hasn’t gone soft, just trim the sprouts off before cooking.” I’d add you might want to consider buying your potatoes elsewhere, to get those that have not been stored too long and that have been stored properly.
Herb Denenberg is a former Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner, professor at the Wharton School, and
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commissioner. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National
Academy of Sciences and is a board member of the Center for Safe Medication Use. He is an adjunct
professor of insurance and information science and technology at Cabrini College. You can write Herb
at POB 7301,St. Davids, PA e-mail him at hdenenberg@aol.com or reach him at his two Web sites:
thedenrep_archive.org or denenbergsdump.org