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            <title>Is it safe to give babies water?</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/is_it_safe_to_give_babies_water__979990949?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
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            <description>Kerin writes: I know it&#39;s important to stay hydrated in the hot summer months. My older kids carry water bottles on outings, but what about my 5-month-old? Should I give her water, too? During the summer, your baby needs to...</description>
            
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Is it safe to give babies water?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;img title=&#34;Baby_bottle_image&#34; alt=&#34;Baby_bottle_image&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/27/baby_bottle_image.jpg&#34; border=&#34;0&#34; style=&#34;FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 5px 5px&#34; /&gt; Kerin writes: &#34;I know it&#39;s important to stay hydrated in the hot summer months. My older kids carry water bottles on outings, but what about my 5-month-old? Should I give her water, too?&#34;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;During the summer, your baby needs to stay well-hydrated too, but don&#39;t give her water or water down her formula, even on the hottest days. During the first year of life, breast milk or formula is all she should have. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In fact, giving infants water can be dangerous because they can easily suffer from water intoxication, a condition in which their developing kidneys can&#39;t excrete water fast enough. As a result, water builds up in the body and dilutes the electrolyte balance of the blood, which can cause seizures, coma, or even death. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you sense your baby&#39;s thirsty, give her a little extra breast milk or formula (mixed according to manufacturer&#39;s directions) instead of water.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;See our report on &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/is_it_safe_to_give_babies_water__979990949?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WgZE7Wnb9SOAv755CzvH7gYRFWomSnbV8slGPrqK4uS7k5Sj5ewRJs0k-tgcxl3Rh6WDJNiYwIAyuMvGQWCH5y&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;baby bottles and nipples&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/is_it_safe_to_give_babies_water__979990949?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WgZE7Wnb9SOAv755CzvH7gI0KR7sUCvaPbArBBYlAJyE3E3QZDRHKp44tkzUFNL1UMXbG55lqExg**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;breast pumps&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/is_it_safe_to_give_babies_water__979990949?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34;  color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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                <category>Babies</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>Sunscreen tips for a safe summer</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/sunscreen_tips_for_a_safe_summer__88547475?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/sunscreen_tips_for_a_safe_summer__88547475?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>The days of sprawling in the sunshine slathered in baby oil are long gone; these days sunscreen is an essential part of any outdoor routine. But although we use it all the time, sunscreen is a bit of a mystery. Recently the European Commission outlawed the use of the term sunblock because no sunscreen can completely block the sun. Here in the United States, there are no labeling restrictions, meaning that terms like blocks all harmful rays and all-day protection may often be misleading. The advocacy group Environmental Working Group, as part of their Skin Deep database, has ranked a...</description>
            
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Sunscreen tips for a safe summer&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img border=&#34;0&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/18/sunscreens.jpg&#34; alt=&#34;Sunscreens&#34; title=&#34;Credit: Masterfile&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; float: right;&#34; /&gt;
The days of sprawling in the sunshine slathered in baby oil are long gone; these days sunscreen is an essential part of any outdoor routine. But although we use it all the time, sunscreen is a bit of a mystery. Recently the European Commission &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/sunscreen_tips_for_a_safe_summer__88547475?h=sxCLAuoyTfvpLifuvap1uWKyz6Z8wRYY6A9l9Hk-gBMWu1bbiodIN2RARkapwu_YGIzV_N_TFDaGGjhYEqlbaEk3-SIvopivawheQVK0y9QcKABRgDAZqRWG5XVIF-Vp&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;outlawed the use of the term &#34;sunblock&#34;&lt;/a&gt; because no sunscreen can completely block the sun. Here in the United States, there are no labeling restrictions, meaning that terms like &#34;blocks all harmful rays&#34; and &#34;all-day protection&#34; may often be misleading. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The&#160; advocacy group Environmental Working Group, as part of their &#34;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/sunscreen_tips_for_a_safe_summer__88547475?h=lkghb5dLhNGZ7ctiL6bNNQA5wUfPxZndZrH1ikmgNQAgiMJzd5NjnPvTU1lKxR13&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Skin Deep&#34; database&lt;/a&gt;, has ranked a wide variety of sunscreen products. One important thing to keep in mind is that SPF only refers to UVB rays and doesn&#39;t include UVA rays which also can cause cancer and wrinkles. A high SPF may not be enough to offer good protection. You can look up your favorite products in the Skin Deep database and see how they rank.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;It&#39;s important not just to buy a good product but to use it well. This month&#39;s ShopSmart &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/sunscreen_tips_for_a_safe_summer__88547475?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3VCn1pgqx9MLbwQB_cnbeYcBsGKI_xR1NooWNY-HmfUHwMRi-A6I54xrwosfvCDW5yc0Chk7O9oURHhT36WxwmHljzCBbcEMCoB5V9tV0KyEAkVtrylgpLejQYrB6zTKi6Ajhs1_Sy7ow**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;has some basic tips&lt;/a&gt; that should be kept in mind. People often do not use enough suncreen or forget to reapply. Missing spots like the back of your neck or your feet is also a common problem.&#160; But perhaps the most important tip of all is just to bring the sunscreen with you wherever you go this summer.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-size: 0.6em;&#34;&gt;&lt;span class=&#34;xphoto&#34; style=&#34;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);&#34;&gt;Photo Credit: Masterfile&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/sunscreen_tips_for_a_safe_summer__88547475?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34;  color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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                <category>Shopping</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Sat, 28 Jul 2007 01:05:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>Rosemary Shahan: from a lemon she made ... lemon laws</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/rosemary_shahan_from_a_lemon_she_made_lemon_laws_214790655?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/rosemary_shahan_from_a_lemon_she_made_lemon_laws_214790655?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>Consumer activist Rosemary Shahan was at one time so inexperienced that the posters she used to picket an auto dealer were completely illegible. This is the same Shahan whose tireless campaigns have led to lemon laws around the country, airbag requirements for every car sold in the U.S., numerous auto recalls, and a car buyer&#8217;s Bill of Rights in California. Since 1979, Shahan has worked aggressively to expose deceptive and illegal practices, recall unsafe or defective vehicles, and improve auto safety technology. (For example, we can thank Shahan for making car manufacturers install height adjusters for seat belts). Currently, she is working to get California and other states to participate in the National Motor Vehicle Titling Information System. This national information-sharing database allows law enforcement agents, and buyers and sellers of motor vehicles to track car histories. Doing so could curtail fraud involving vehicles damaged in wrecks or floods as well as identify stolen vehicles. Shahan well deserves to be on this blog&#8217;s list of Safety Crusaders. Like many of our previous crusaders, she didn&#8217;t deliberately set out to be a consumer activist. It all happened by chance&#8212;and somewhat spontaneously&#8212;after a California auto dealer repeatedly failed to fix her car, damaged in a collision, in a timely fashion. They kept saying it would be done and it wasn&#39;t, Shahan recently recalled. &#8220;After three months, they admitted they hadn&#8217;t even ordered all the parts yet ... and said if we complained, they would put bad parts in the car. They even showed us samples of bad parts.&#8221; Shahan, then an English teacher, started to picket the dealership. &#8220;I was a terrible picketer. At first, people couldn&#8217;t read my signs.&#8221; But over time, her signs improved and more and more people approached Shahan to tell her their own car horror stories. That was in 1980, when California&#8217;s state law said consumers had to give manufacturers a &#8220;reasonable&#8221; number of repair attempts before a car could be considered a lemon. &#8220;But nobody knew what was reasonable and at one hearing, Ford said it would take up to 30 tries&#8221; before it deemed a car a lemon, Shahan said. That acknowledgement led to the drafting of a state lemon law in California that served as a model for similar laws across the country. Now, Shahan says, car manufacturers have four chances in California to repair a new car before it is labeled a lemon and the consumer is entitled to a full refund or replacement vehicle. Shahan never got her wrecked car back, but she used a financial settlement from the dealer to launch a consumer advocacy group, now called CARS for Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, that has been on the leading edge of many auto-safety issues. For the record, Shahan drives a 1988 Volvo, which she bought new because it had a driver&#39;s side airbag -- a new feature at the time. It now has 230,000 miles on it. &#8220;It&#8217;s a workhorse,&#8221; says Shahan. So too is Shahan -- and for that we are safer, and most grateful. You can find out more about Shahan and her crusade at the CARS Web site. Do you know any Safety Crusader candidates? Please let us know....</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/rosemary_shahan_from_a_lemon_she_made_lemon_laws_214790655?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/rosemary_shahan_from_a_lemon_she_made_lemon_laws_214790655/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Rosemary Shahan: from a lemon she made ... lemon laws&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Consumer activist Rosemary Shahan was at one time so inexperienced that the posters she used to picket an auto dealer were completely illegible. This is the same Shahan whose tireless campaigns have led to lemon laws around the country, airbag requirements for every car sold in the U.S., numerous auto recalls, and a car buyer&#8217;s Bill of Rights in California. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Since 1979, Shahan has worked aggressively to expose deceptive and illegal practices, recall unsafe or defective vehicles, and improve auto safety technology. (For example, we can thank Shahan for making car manufacturers install height adjusters for seat belts). Currently, she is working to get California and other states to participate in the National Motor Vehicle Titling Information System. This national&amp;nbsp; information-sharing database allows law enforcement agents, and buyers and sellers of motor vehicles to track car histories. Doing so could curtail fraud involving vehicles damaged in wrecks or floods as well as identify stolen vehicles. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Shahan well deserves to be on this blog&#8217;s list of Safety Crusaders. Like many of our previous crusaders, she didn&#8217;t deliberately set out to be a consumer activist. It all happened by chance&#8212;and somewhat spontaneously&#8212;after a California auto dealer repeatedly failed to fix her car, damaged in a collision, in a timely fashion. &#34;They kept saying it would be done and it wasn&#39;t,&#34; Shahan recently recalled. &#8220;After three &lt;br /&gt;months, they admitted they hadn&#8217;t even ordered all the parts yet ... and said if we complained, they would put bad parts in the car. They even showed us samples of bad parts.&#8221; Shahan, then an English teacher, started to picket the dealership. &#8220;I was a terrible picketer. At first, people couldn&#8217;t read my signs.&#8221; But over time, her signs improved and more and more people approached Shahan to tell her their own car horror stories.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;That was in 1980, when California&#8217;s state law said consumers had to give manufacturers a &#8220;reasonable&#8221; number of repair attempts before a car could be considered a lemon. &#8220;But nobody knew what was reasonable and at one hearing, Ford said it would take up to 30 tries&#8221; before it deemed a car a lemon, Shahan said. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;That acknowledgement led to the drafting of a state lemon law in California that served as a model for similar laws across the country. Now, Shahan says, car manufacturers have four chances in California to repair a new car before it is labeled a lemon and the consumer is entitled to a full refund or replacement vehicle. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Shahan never got her wrecked car back, but she used a financial settlement from the dealer to launch a consumer advocacy group, now called CARS for Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, that has been on the leading edge of many auto-safety issues. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;For the record, Shahan drives a 1988 Volvo, which she bought new because it had a driver&#39;s side airbag -- a new feature at the time. It now has 230,000 miles on it. &#8220;It&#8217;s a workhorse,&#8221; says Shahan. So too is Shahan -- and for that we are safer, and most grateful. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;You can find out more about Shahan and her crusade at &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/rosemary_shahan_from_a_lemon_she_made_lemon_laws_214790655?h=lkghb5dLhNGqfCFvR_HzSrLc72_Z5kseh2uDLaCgFQEmUHSEdUfdWw**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;the CARS Web site&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Do you know any Safety Crusader candidates? Please let us know. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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                <category>Safety</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jul 2007 19:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>Chrysler offers lifetime powertrain warranty</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>Chrysler Group has announced a lifetime powertrain warranty on most new Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles purchased from dealer inventory and delivered on or after July 26, 2007. The warranty program covers 88 percent of the retail models sold, excluding fleet sales, SRT variants, Dodge Sprinters, and other vehicles with diesel engines. This bold warranty announcement follows the trend that has seen many automakers extend their warranty protection as a means to shore up brand image and customer confidence. Clearly, it will be hard for another manufacturer to one-up the length of Chrysler&#8217;s warranty, though other makes do shine in other areas of protection, such as Chevrolet with its 100,000-mile roadside assistance (5 years) and rust warranty (6 years).Chrysler&#8217;s warranty initiative was motivated by multiple factors, according to a company spokesperson, including dealers reporting that the latest Chrysler Group products were the highest quality they had seen and customers stating that vehicle warranty, specifically powertrain, is a chief purchase consideration. This program precedes involvement from Cerebrus, the investment group that is acquiring Chrysler Group from DaimlerChrysler. The new warranty is available only to the new-vehicle buyers; it is non-transferable. That caveat alone significantly decreases the how many years will actually be covered within the vehicle&#8217;s &#8220;lifespan.&#8221; With the previous 7-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty, there was a low instance of warranty transfer from the first to second owner, according to a company spokesperson despite the process being a simple paperwork sign off. Because of this, Chrysler expects costs associated with the change in the warranty coverage to be less dramatic than the marketing-friendly name may suggest.And with all seemingly good news there&#8217;s always the &#8220;fine print.&#8221; For example, while the lifetime warranty does not require owners have the car serviced at a dealer, it does demand that maintenance adhere to recommended intervals and be documented. To continue the warranty coverage, the owner must have the powertrain inspected (for free) within 60-days of each five-year purchase anniversary. We suspect that once the total eligible vehicle pool is filtered out by those who sell their vehicle within five years, lose their paperwork, and/or forget to have this inspection performed, there will be a very modest original-owner group come year six. And those leasing will not reap the benefits at all, as most contracts are for just two to three years. However, for those drivers who like to hold on to their vehicles, such as those in the unofficial 200,000-mile club, there could be real financial benefit from this program. Of course, that only matters if you truly want a Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep model for the long haul.For such a broad product portfolio, there are precious few Chrysler Group models that meet the stringent standards of a Consumer Reports Recommendation:Chrysler 300 (V6)Chrysler PT CruiserDodge DurangoDodge Ram 1500 Jeep Liberty Several models are too new for us to have any reliability data and/or haven&#8217;t been tested. Looking closer at the Recommended models, those vehicles don&#8217;t shine in their respective classes. The Durango, for instance, did...</description>
            
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Chrysler offers lifetime powertrain warranty&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=128,height=30,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivJkVKTsSHX6pPVgM052EJPQOVfL2S0uqN0*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=130,height=25,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivIn2hyyN7VmE_7iTWZgAyj-XcAJXQsRiD8*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=800,height=153,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivKRpHVRfMfnBoKIcGprZRxY1gO1X8ZLgBsQhw-ETpGteg**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img title=&#34;Orangewarrantylog2&#34; height=&#34;24&#34; alt=&#34;Orangewarrantylog2&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/images/2007/07/27/orangewarrantylog2.jpg&#34; width=&#34;128&#34; border=&#34;0&#34; style=&#34;FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 5px 5px 0px&#34; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Chrysler Group has announced a lifetime powertrain warranty on most new Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles purchased from dealer inventory and delivered on or after July 26, 2007. The warranty program covers 88 percent of the retail models sold, excluding fleet sales, SRT variants, Dodge Sprinters, and other vehicles with diesel engines. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This bold warranty announcement follows the trend that has seen many automakers extend their warranty protection as a means to shore up brand image and customer confidence. Clearly, it will be hard for another manufacturer to one-up the length of &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?h=lkghb5dLhNF91tXbpxUn_-9rv7fUH5lBnEQ5NAThGv-Z22AjJn184A**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Chrysler&#8217;s warranty&lt;/a&gt;, though other makes do shine in other areas of protection, such as Chevrolet with its 100,000-mile roadside assistance (5 years) and rust warranty (6 years).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Chrysler&#8217;s warranty initiative was motivated by multiple factors, according to a company spokesperson, including dealers reporting that the latest Chrysler Group products were the highest quality they had seen and customers stating that vehicle warranty, specifically powertrain, is a chief purchase consideration. This program precedes involvement from Cerebrus, the investment group that is acquiring Chrysler Group from DaimlerChrysler. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The new warranty is available only to the new-vehicle buyers; it is non-transferable. That caveat alone significantly decreases the how many years will actually be covered within the vehicle&#8217;s &#8220;lifespan.&#8221; With the previous 7-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty, there was a low instance of warranty transfer from the first to second owner, according to a company spokesperson despite the process being a simple paperwork sign off. Because of this, Chrysler expects costs associated with the change in the warranty coverage to be less dramatic than the marketing-friendly name may suggest.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And with all seemingly good news there&#8217;s always the &#8220;fine print.&#8221; For example, while the lifetime warranty does not require owners have the car serviced at a dealer, it does demand that maintenance adhere to recommended intervals and be documented. To continue the warranty coverage, the owner must have the powertrain inspected (for free) within 60-days of each five-year purchase anniversary. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;We suspect that once the total eligible vehicle pool is filtered out by those who sell their vehicle within five years, lose their paperwork, and/or forget to have this inspection performed, there will be a very modest original-owner group come year six. And those leasing will not reap the benefits at all, as most contracts are for just two to three years. However, for those drivers who like to hold on to their vehicles, such as those in the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?h=bn89cQazhsjfypZWMjY3_N6BFA48j0FmFKo1CIKDc2htQWn_DW6WRatWJzuqxfYPzksWnJFi_KnKtCtLAEWXgM6YzuEwOU4AOK7F6NNSvew*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;unofficial 200,000-mile club&lt;/a&gt;, there could be real financial benefit from this program. Of course, that only matters if you truly want a Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep model for the long haul.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For such a broad product portfolio, there are precious few Chrysler Group models that meet the stringent standards of a &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTbs9LHj9iYuV_ve7oTVjPIW4nXh_AVnSNiTl7FSOu2j0TcTdBkNEcqnji2TNQU0vVQxdsbnmWoTG&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Consumer Reports &lt;/em&gt;Recommendation&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Chrysler 300 (V6)&lt;br /&gt;Chrysler PT Cruiser&lt;br /&gt;Dodge Durango&lt;br /&gt;Dodge Ram 1500 &lt;br /&gt;Jeep Liberty&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Several models are too new for us to have any reliability data and/or haven&#8217;t been tested.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Looking closer at the Recommended models, those vehicles don&#8217;t shine in their respective classes. The Durango, for instance, did earn a Good overall score, though it is the lowest-rated model in the full-sized SUV class and has just average predicted reliability. Likewise, the Liberty qualifies as Good, though it ranks near the bottom of the class. The Dodge Nitro and Jeep Wrangler score even lower.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In a brand comparison, Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep each rank below average in predicted reliability, based on analysis of the 2006 &lt;em&gt;Consumer Reports &lt;/em&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTUn8gWJzGEUXsfGoi3uxspXadyJDdzYWQ83xCppO_2laEOOiSiDemmymmYiNYeeiHURR1RpmwU2fDWpMb6Zj-nV6DlYXtpacfRCy42RX0-J-piAjNiiEO-E*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;car reliability survey&lt;/a&gt;. Jeep ranks 32nd among 36 tracked brands.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These numbers show that the Chrysler Group vehicles could use the type of image enhancement that such a well-promoted warranty can offer. After all, the 10-year warranty has worked wonders for Hyundai--once the punch line for reliability. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Either way, more protection can only aid the customer and motivate the manufacturer to focus on quality. In the end, consumers should focus on buying the best vehicles for their needs, weighing reliability more heavily than warranty protection. After all, the best deal is not having to visit the dealer for unscheduled maintenance, rather than have it performed for free. But, clearly, Chrysler needs to get people into its showrooms. But it&#8217;s too early to tell whether this warranty announcement will do the trick.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;--&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chrysler_offers_lifetime_powertrain_warranty__463627809?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTaTRmVMXg_P5sSZm7fOBOhw46R0ZLxXeoJL9dnsK0ROn6nO5CsEw1B_lSsQreKDcMaEKDC7e48rUsHxLe74DIiTSg8_ZCBkbcwxdsbnmWoTG&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Jeff Bartlett&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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</content:encoded>
            
            
                <category>Cars</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:32:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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        <item>
            <title>New presidential candidate for tire-wear testing</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>George Washington is legendary for many reasons, but he may be adding a new posthumous distinction as a tire tool, based on recent tests. Traditionally, tire-wear advice has been to measure the tread depth using a penny, with Abe Lincoln&#8217;s copper head at 2/32-inch being the universal signal to replace a car&#8217;s rubber. However, Consumer Reports general advice has been for people routinely driving in heavy rain or winter conditions to consider replacing the tires closer to the 5/32-inch groove depth, which marks the half-tread point on many tires. Recent testing by retail giant The Tire Rack confirms our long-standing guidance, and their recent PR campaign is getting this important advice to consumers. As they put it, using Washington&#8217;s head on a quarter (which represents 4/32-inch tread depth) may be a better gauge of when a tire&#8217;s traction has diminished significantly. We agree. Using a 2006 BMW 325i and 2006 Ford F-150 Super Cab 4x2, The Tire Rack tested original fitment tires in new, 4/32-inch, and 2/32-inch conditions. The wet braking results show a dramatic difference that should be a real wake-up call for motorists. (Read the full report.) While most states consider 2/32-inch to be the legal limit, lead by the federally mandated tread-wear indicators, we recommend replacing tires sooner for those typically driving through poor weather. Right now, our tire engineers are validating data from an extensive tire-wear performance test to be posted online in the weeks ahead. In addition, the latest ultra-high performance tire tests to be published, and posted, in a couple months will report on the most extensive tread-wear testing performed by a North American consumer publication. From the combined results, we&#8217;ll provide advice not only on when to buy, but also how to select a tire that will give the best performance and most miles for your application. To learn more about tread-wear safety, read our updated report &#8220;How safe are worn tires? --Jeff Bartlett...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;New presidential candidate for tire-wear testing&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;&lt;a onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=128,height=80,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivL5EX8IOgQe0R66W3Wxqd0eEIcPhE6RrXo*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img title=&#34;Tireblog_2&#34; height=&#34;80&#34; alt=&#34;Tireblog_2&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/images/2007/07/27/tireblog_2.jpg&#34; width=&#34;128&#34; border=&#34;0&#34; style=&#34;FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 5px 5px 0px&#34; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; George Washington is legendary for many reasons, but he may be adding a new posthumous distinction as a tire tool, based on recent tests.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;Traditionally, tire-wear advice has been to measure the tread depth using a penny, with Abe Lincoln&#8217;s copper head at 2/32-inch being the universal signal to replace a car&#8217;s rubber. However, &lt;em&gt;Consumer Reports&lt;/em&gt; general advice has been for people routinely driving in heavy rain or winter conditions to&lt;span style=&#34;COLOR: black&#34;&gt; consider replacing the tires closer to the 5/32-inch groove depth, which marks the half-tread point on many tires.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;Recent testing by retail giant The Tire Rack confirms our long-standing guidance, and their recent PR campaign is getting this important advice to consumers. As they put it, using &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;Washington&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;&#8217;s head on a quarter (which represents 4/32-inch tread depth) may be a better gauge of when a tire&#8217;s traction has diminished significantly. We agree.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;Using a &lt;span style=&#34;COLOR: black&#34;&gt;2006 BMW 325i and 2006 Ford F-150 Super Cab 4x2, The Tire Rack tested original fitment tires in new, 4/32-inch, and 2/32-inch conditions. The wet braking results show a dramatic difference that should be a real wake-up call for motorists. (Read the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?h=lkghb5dLhNEuz6BIiG1SajRxLkQtNZofHOtIbWLQUPLZa9KUbWCfNlBuQsnxk-qZ0KHzpTxhomo5FGyiaXwknA**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;full report&lt;/a&gt;.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;While most states consider 2/32-inch to be the legal limit, lead by the federally mandated tread-wear indicators, we recommend replacing tires sooner for those typically driving through poor weather. Right now, our tire engineers are validating data from an &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc6rPOKpb9JZ3tteFZVaJ8DDP196GS6iA5uHzQSeB8T4JcnmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;extensive tire-wear performance test&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt; to be posted online in the weeks ahead. In addition, the latest ultra-high performance tire tests to be published, and posted, in a couple months will report on the most extensive tread-wear testing performed by a North American consumer publication. From the combined results, we&#8217;ll provide advice not only on when to buy, but also how to select a tire that will give the best performance and most miles for your application.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;To learn more about tread-wear safety, read our updated report &#8220;&lt;span style=&#34;COLOR: black&#34;&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTfxO4YOInL7cZy0qjb4--mgqceGSxxySjBqM6bFZcyxGqDLAefcCDdDZPuGddCF-Vbf5qXHBaAJg&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;How safe are worn tires?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&#34;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoNormal&#34; style=&#34;MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica&#34;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;color: #000000;&#34;&gt;--&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTaTRmVMXg_P5sSZm7fOBOhw46R0ZLxXeoJL9dnsK0ROn6nO5CsEw1B_lSsQreKDcMaEKDC7e48rUsHxLe74DIiTSg8_ZCBkbcwxdsbnmWoTG&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Jeff Bartlett&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34; color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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<img src="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/p/1/auto/new_presidential_candidate_for_tirewear_testi_394537461?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921" border="0" width="1" height="1"/>

</content:encoded>
            
            
                <category>Cars</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:17:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>Tip of the day: Sharpen your mower blade</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>If your lawn is looking a bit ragged&#8212;perhaps the tips of the grass have turned brown&#8212;the blade on your mower or tractor might be the culprit. A dull blade can damage the grass, which stresses the plants and makes your...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Tip of the day: Sharpen your mower blade&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;If your lawn is looking a bit ragged&#8212;perhaps the tips of the grass have turned brown&#8212;the blade on your mower or tractor might be the culprit.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;A dull blade can damage the grass, which stresses the plants and makes your yard look less attractive. What&#8217;s more, a blade that&#8217;s not properly honed will cause your mower to burn more fuel&#8212;and make the job harder for you.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Bring your blade to your local hardware store or power-equipment shop and get it sharpened. While you&#8217;re there, buy a second blade if you don&#8217;t already own a backup. Then you&#8217;ll always have a sharp blade on hand. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Change you blade once a month or more frequently for heavy cutting conditions.&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Essential information: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9s2kopT1XXvxVC-iNTNEi5IoFAZghzDEQqcVkttG8lVVnuGWXeW29hRShyUzPwao5NxRbWwpjEggiYL0YmOrlfggKe3WiEpkX&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Mow safely&lt;/a&gt;, and read &#8220;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9s2kopT1XXvwce4MgN4JUuZNrtnpIRCwVWlrXJpjMRKB8HhNX37dEzAR2R-ETwoIw4S_d8iZEAWYsV8M5HRc9HrWQII7NeFA5TU5GEFdUzVVl-4WzEmpMUj47ZINk8Gcby61pq9iR3ZEJbj5UCAXZ_Tpi41ga38qbSZfwBMIYGZOfIg_UMt3d2w**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;How to fix the top 10 lawn problems&lt;/a&gt;&#8221; for expert advice on how to get a great-looking lawn. If you need to replace your mower or tractor, check out &#34;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9s2kopT1XXvxVC-iNTNEi5IoFAZghzDEQqcVkttG8lVWyMKYIrhxHt5dqj-hSj00WOkiCqUdlAy7eIpNSffQAyDnU1abn25ApYk3Oc5xSFYGtcnN-kluLjFQGj7Gqqol2AykUHm4kpnXsWwQf-XhOswD3kf5E3EcW6n9VTASi89b4X_jfH8ZTMA**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Faster and friendlier&lt;/a&gt;,&#34; our latest report on this outdoor power equipment. Then use our Ratings for &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9s2kopT1XXvyMICFNQd9gDgYKsHgh0B_sarwIlDef1_BJ6kxjxoOyQqdfSnf-zZOO1mSyvzXYl9Oj97oF7nuh5w**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;push mowers&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9s2kopT1XXvyiF5zW5EIBWDLElR9AhItc-XgDp4kUZuL7krqOjhqJEobfYfMdwmsNht9h8x3Caw20AkSWEIGbBYCOGzX9LLuj&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;self-propelled mowers&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9s2kopT1XXvwce4MgN4JUuXZaRasfIH-gPj22wTUbg4rgmP8NXA-ctuCY_w1cD5y22T7hnXQhflW3-alxwWgCYA**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;tractors&lt;/a&gt; (Ratings are available to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3VG3tt0L4qtR2tq4O9g9KOdQk61NMwki_uX2n8feEXXWKmzd3MwQnVmLFfDOR0XPR61kCCOzXhQOXucjXgLS3w5y8thNRkVcaqI-qgATCgu9YqSyMp76FsTidi2rGRM624*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;subscribers&lt;/a&gt;) to find the best model for your yard.&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tip_of_the_day_sharpen_your_mower_blade__948780363?h=x_TXVAUbx2jrjO0Ov4AApK3OffGRZgQnM4VcwsDG2Ls*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&#160;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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                <category>Home</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>New-home sales slide again</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/newhome_sales_slide_again__981223166?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/newhome_sales_slide_again__981223166?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>Sales of new homes fell again in June, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 834,000, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Commerce. That figure represents a 6.6 percent decline in new-home sales from May 2007 and a...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/newhome_sales_slide_again__981223166?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/newhome_sales_slide_again__981223166/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;New-home sales slide again&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sales of new homes fell again in June, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 834,000, according to estimates from the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/newhome_sales_slide_again__981223166?h=lkghb5dLhNHGlkEHAhyxjIfCr-o1YB4RbRfr23kPyEGbWmGDvQuzR3WhqO7Qs2xcS0QFfZzRVWQ*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;U.S. Department of Commerce&lt;/a&gt;. That figure represents a 6.6 percent decline in new-home sales from May 2007 and a 22.3 percent drop from June 2006. The Commerce Department puts the number of new homes for sale nationwide at 537,000, a 7.8-month supply. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&amp;quot;Home builders continue to trim prices and offer large nonprice sales incentives,&#8221; said David Seiders, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, &#8220;but many prospective home buyers obviously are reluctant to sign on the bottom line.&#8221;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Essential information:&lt;/strong&gt; If you&#39;re in the market for a new home, read&#160; &#34;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/newhome_sales_slide_again__981223166?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3V4W1J_ScLB2onfHHJSXQwLUApKgBculJTfhisFamn7kbdhBS6NUdpqzdHMXu5euEZNxN0GQ0RyqeOLZM1BTS9VDF2xueZahMY*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Housewrecked&lt;/a&gt;&#34; to avoid purchasing a new house with hidden defects. Also watch our &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/newhome_sales_slide_again__981223166?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3V4W1J_ScLB2onfHHJSXQwLUApKgBculJTfhisFamn7kbdhBS6NUdpqzdHMXu5euEbU6-ujpO4Zt6rbBpFDPO2S1mSyvzXYl9Oj97oF7nuh5w**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;exclusive interactive on the warning signs of shoddy homebuilding&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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                <category>Home</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:05:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>Avoid television tip-overs</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on July 25, 2007, announced the recall of about 414,000 Sauder Woodworking television stands (shown). Read more on the recall in the Consumer Reports On Safety Blog. While this recall was based on the...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Avoid television tip-overs&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=359,height=359,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivKJE_OpSCaXlCg-gskSGL5xVnzlTGn9qto*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img width=&#34;124&#34; height=&#34;124&#34; border=&#34;0&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/images/2007/07/26/sauderstand.jpg&#34; title=&#34;Sauderstand&#34; alt=&#34;Sauderstand&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; float: left;&#34; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
The &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=lkghb5dLhNECmT1wWWYKqdikaJR-GyBbPYHcWp1RYfTSLYH3a9NSig6sFb5rH5u0i8UOWGlIHOw*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission&lt;/a&gt; on July 25, 2007, announced the recall of about 414,000 Sauder Woodworking television stands (shown). Read more on the recall in the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc4Eqdtj5kUCRpX2z1BXFRJZelWD6xlzRfOEBfJXfGUp5V8jYqaN2gx9&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Consumer Reports On Safety Blog&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;While this recall was based on the collapsing hazard of the Sauder stands and not on the risk of a furniture tip-over, it highlights the potential danger many television stands pose.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;As the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3X__E3T1f6kgpPGbYjUIWrdaDSw7Q_8Ci7pCkDZQPFZx4GCFF8HszdANky-_R_GicEIAJGdHx6QmtCS6YvwUkOtXyNipo3aDH0*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;video&lt;/a&gt; from our &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4oZmAy6qeFqNnd6pMwpYOoF0QLG7Gyi6p79xp0aLbxy4Yh0gGFlxnC2MdhTk-IJvgAbdiFkblVk5dDPeVzyvQlR6WDJNiYwIAyuMvGQWCH5y&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;March 2006 safety alert&lt;/a&gt; shows, unstable furniture can pose a real risk, and tip-overs often occur because consumers are not taking necessary safety precautions at home. Here&#39;s what you can do to prevent a dangerous, even fatal, accident:&lt;br /&gt;&#8226; Ensure that the furniture on or in which you place your TVs is stable. Do not place TVs on dressers, chests, or other types of furniture with drawers that young children can pull out and use to climb.&lt;br /&gt;&#8226; Place your TV as far back as possible on or in the furniture--tip-over is more likely if the set is too far forward.&lt;br /&gt;&#8226; Do not store items on top of the TV that will grab a child&#39;s attention--a small kid might try to climb on a piece of furniture in an effort to get the remote. &#34;The predictable thing about kids is that they are unpredictable,&#34; says Julie Vallese, director of public affairs for the CPSC. She adds that parents should never assume that their children who tend not to be &#34;climbers&#34; won&#39;t use the drawers in a dresser as a stepladder, for example.&lt;br /&gt;&#8226; Keep all cables and wires behind the TV or furniture. This way, no one will trip over them and potentially pull over the TV or furniture.&lt;br /&gt;&#8226; Anchor any potentially unstable furniture more than 30 inches tall to the wall or floor with straps or other restraints. And keep heavy objects off of dressers.&lt;br /&gt;&#8226; Look for TV carts and stands that meet Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards.&lt;em&gt;&#8212;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=x_TXVAUbx2jrjO0Ov4AApK3OffGRZgQnM4VcwsDG2Ls*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Steven H. Saltzman&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Essential information: &lt;/strong&gt;To learn how to stay on top of the latest recalls, see &#8220;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc528BpKiAPRdeAFDtm7wMAnJArvhZnTxuZT5nutLEmwQ8nmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;CPSC steps out with million-consumer march&lt;/a&gt;,&#8221; and subscribe to the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/avoid_television_tipovers__199922727?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc733J9CunIjew**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Consumer Reports On Safety blog&lt;/a&gt; for in-depth news on important product-safety issues.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jul 2007 21:26:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>TV stand prone to toppling recalled by CPSC</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Sauder Woodworking Co. have issued a voluntary recall of 414,000 TV stands given to collapsing if fasteners were not tightened properly during assembly. As of the recall date, the Archbold, Ohio-based manufacturer had received 43 reports of the stands collapsing. A 6-year-old girl injured her shoulder when a stand collapsed and the TV on top of it fell on her. In separate incidents, three adults trying to prevent a television from falling off the stand received injuries that required medical treatment, including a broken arm, a torn rotator cuff with a concussion, and an injured finger. Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, has long warned about the dangers of television tip-overs and says that the growing size of televisions makes these warnings even more urgent. In most cases, the tip-over occurs because the television set was placed on top of unstable furniture, or the furniture was not intended to hold a TV. Children who climb on furniture to reach the TV can cause it to tip over. If the stand is faulty, the risk is even greater. The recalled Sauder stand ($90) has a maple finish and wrought-iron legs. It was sold at Wal-Mart stores nationwide and on Walmart.com from January 2005 through May 2007. The model number of the recalled stand is 400205; the UPC number&#8212;42666 01958&#8212;is printed on the product&#8217;s carton and instructions. If you have one of the recalled stands, stop using it immediately if it moves from side-to-side. This recall does not involve return of the product. Instead, the manufacturer will provide owners with detailed instructions on checking the tightness of the fasteners. For more information on how to properly assemble the stand. go to Sauder&#39;s Web site or call 866-218-8312 (7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Saturday). See also:Babies, children, and TV tip-over accidents Fatal TV tip-overs: The CPSC reports a troubling increase in tip-over-related deathsVideo: Safety alert -- furniture fails to meet tip-over standards Stay safe on Super Sunday...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;TV stand prone to toppling recalled by CPSC&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;The
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Sauder Woodworking Co. have issued &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?h=lkghb5dLhNECmT1wWWYKqdikaJR-GyBbPYHcWp1RYfTSLYH3a9NSig6sFb5rH5u0i8UOWGlIHOw*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;a voluntary&lt;img border=&#34;0&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/26/072512.jpg&#34; title=&#34;072512&#34; alt=&#34;072512&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; float: right;&#34; /&gt;

recall&lt;/a&gt; &lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;of
414,000 TV stands given to collapsing if fasteners were not tightened properly
during assembly. As of the recall date, the Archbold, Ohio-based manufacturer&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;had
received 43 reports of the stands collapsing.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;





&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34;&gt; &lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;A
6-year-old girl injured her shoulder when a stand collapsed and the TV on top
of it fell on her. In separate incidents, three adults trying to prevent a
television from falling off the stand received injuries that required medical
treatment, including a broken arm, a torn rotator cuff with a concussion, and
an injured finger.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer
Reports, has long warned about the dangers of television tip-overs and says
that the growing size of televisions makes these warnings even more urgent. In
most cases, the tip-over occurs because the television set was placed on top of
unstable furniture, or the furniture was not intended to hold a TV.&lt;/span&gt; Children
who climb on furniture to reach the TV can cause it to tip over. &lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;If the stand
is faulty, the risk is even greater.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;The
recalled Sauder stand ($90) has a maple finish and wrought-iron legs. It was
sold at Wal-Mart stores nationwide and &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;on
Walmart.com from January 2005 through May 2007. The model number of the
recalled stand is 400205; the UPC number&#8212;42666 01958&#8212;is printed on the
product&#8217;s carton and instructions.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;If you have one of
the recalled stands, stop using it immediately if it moves from side-to-side.
This recall does not involve return of the product. Instead, the manufacturer
will provide owners with detailed instructions on checking the tightness of the
fasteners. For more information on how to properly assemble the stand. go to
&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?h=lkghb5dLhNFVi_HuPtevh2xSjE1werOO_aJoHwcX2Jpd4jIoddz13nxt-smibFHR&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Sauder&#39;s Web site&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/span&gt; or
call &lt;span style=&#34;font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;866-218-8312 (7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
ET, Monday through Friday; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Saturday).&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;











&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34; style=&#34;margin-bottom: 14.15pt;&#34;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&#160;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Arial;&#34;&gt;See also:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WgZE7Wnb9SOAnUPf5kY5nseO7a5PTlbXcw0cUU9UKRrdZZkbaS0dIlzx-Jjy-EcIvma3MsM8M8NOwJ8B061x9MCCb20LLH54Wutiu8BJzU9k3E3QZDRHKpfcwIC7Oa7xoVpf8LIIpK2fI5_e13-rYQ&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Verdana;&#34;&gt;Babies, children, and TV tip-over accidents&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Verdana;&#34;&gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4oZmAy6qeFqNnd6pMwpYOoF0QLG7Gyi6p79xp0aLbxy4Yh0gGFlxnC2MdhTk-IJvgAbdiFkblVk5dDPeVzyvQlR6WDJNiYwIAyuMvGQWCH5y&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Verdana;&#34;&gt;Fatal TV tip-overs: The CPSC reports a troubling
increase in tip-over-related deaths&lt;br /&gt;Video: Safety alert -- furniture fails to meet
tip-over standards&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Verdana;&#34;&gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc4Eqdtj5kUCRvQ8i05vIegvT-DNrHARBlYteREyUVWyxV8jYqaN2gx9&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Stay
safe on Super Sunday&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&#160;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34;  color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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<img src="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/p/1/_/tv_stand_prone_to_toppling_recalled_by_cpsc__807230935?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921" border="0" width="1" height="1"/>

</content:encoded>
            
            
                <category>Safety</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jul 2007 21:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>Toyota Sienna AWD run-flat tires wear well for us</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>The extended tread life test on CR&#8217;s Sienna AWD continues. And so far, so good. But let&#8217;s recap&#8230; Toyota Sienna all-wheel-drive owners clearly have a beef with the short tread life of the standard run-flat tires and continue to share complaints in letters and Cars forums posts, especially in Tire Talk, the online-subscriber-only tire forum at ConsumerReports.org. We&#39;ve also covered the frustration of Sienna owners regarding fast-wearing tires here in the Cars blog: Toyota extends run-flat tire warranty and Toyota Sienna run-flat tires? Spare us. As we&#8217;ve said before, most owners were pleased with the overall performance of their AWD Sienna--one of the top-rated models in Consumer Reports tests--but few are satisfied with the run-flat tire tread life, cost of replacement, and limited models from which to choose (two OE suppliers). Some even have psychological fears about not having a spare tire on board. To recap, many owners have complained that the run-flat tires wear out much quicker than expected or unevenly--often within 15,000 to 20,000 miles. Some owners found themselves facing an aggravating annual tire replacement, costing $700 or more. Toyota finally addressed the issue last year with an extended warranty on 2004 to some 2006 model-year vehicles, mostly addressing the irregular wear condition. Later-model vehicles came with a revised tire intended to eliminate the wear condition. Our AWD SiennaWe purchased a new 2007 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD (ratings available to online subscribers) with the Dunlop SP Sport 4000 Self-Supporting Technology tires (DSST). After the road test was completed, we purchased a new set of Dunlop SP Sport 4000 DSST tires for a tread life evaluation on the Sienna AWD. The evaluation started at the end of March and at this point in July, we have a little more than 11,200 miles on the tires. We&#8217;ve been checking inflation pressures religiously, aligning the wheels, rotating the tires, and measuring the average tread depth in no less than16 test points around each tire every 2,000 miles. Now, most consumers are not likely to follow our frequent alignment and rotation schedule, but we&#8217;re giving the tires the best opportunity to wear optimally. So what have we found up to now? In short, not much yet--the tires are less than 20 percent worn-out to the tread wear indicators, the wear is relatively even across the tread width, and we&#8217;re not observing any abnormal wear condition. At this early stage, the tires appear to be able to last more than 45,000 miles, even exceeding Toyota&#8217;s estimate of 40,000 miles noted in their Tire Information booklet. Still, we recognize that to get a more accurate picture of projected tread life, we&#8217;ll need more miles. We plan on doing just that with the hopes of reaching 20,000 or more miles by the end of summer. That shouldn&#8217;t be a problem, with many of our colleagues taking the minivan on extensive summer trips. We promise an update in September. Stay tuned&#8230; --Gene Petersen Related blog posts:Toyota Sienna AWD tires - patience wearing thinToyota extends run-flat tire...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Toyota Sienna AWD run-flat tires wear well for us  &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;The extended tread life test on CR&#8217;s Sienna AWD continues. And so far, so good. But let&#8217;s recap&#8230;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Toyota Sienna all-wheel-drive owners clearly have a beef with the short tread life of the standard run-flat tires and continue to share complaints in letters and &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=bn89cQazhsjfypZWMjY3_N6BFA48j0FmFKo1CIKDc2htQWn_DW6WRatWJzuqxfYPzksWnJFi_KnsGYifbTG31Dyvc25ly6GH2r2yPSmoqe6K20I9LM6E3A**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Cars forums&lt;/a&gt; posts, especially in &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=bn89cQazhsjfypZWMjY3_N6BFA48j0FmFKo1CIKDc2htQWn_DW6WRatWJzuqxfYPzksWnJFi_KkIO9BdD897unyFrkORDWrdyrQrSwBFl4CmEPPavJoqXaqxya545ovd&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Tire Talk&lt;/a&gt;, the online-subscriber-only tire forum at &lt;strong&gt;ConsumerReports.org&lt;/strong&gt;. We&#39;ve also covered the frustration of Sienna owners regarding fast-wearing tires here in the Cars blog: &#34;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc6rPOKpb9JZ3gzEtwODWi3knupyVaNcxo6VIXKQ2hzOm8nmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Toyota extends run-flat tire warranty&lt;/a&gt;&#34; and &#34;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc6rPOKpb9JZ3gzEtwODWi3kZjGAFOe3RsPjuqXZU4sf9MnmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Toyota Sienna run-flat tires? Spare us&lt;/a&gt;.&#34;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;As we&#8217;ve said before, most owners were pleased with the overall performance of their AWD Sienna--one of the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTTILnI95m1Z8CLqt4VwALBuzIWcu_oIY67F3-MBoxlcBb_9Gr1PBberj4SphKXjKjfuta3NVy8lEbl-GQYPb9BSAjhs1_Sy7ow**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;top-rated models&lt;/a&gt; in &lt;em&gt;Consumer Reports&lt;/em&gt; tests--but few are satisfied with the run-flat tire tread life, cost of replacement, and limited models from which to choose (two OE suppliers). Some even have psychological fears about not having a spare tire on board. To recap, many owners have complained that the run-flat tires wear out much quicker than expected or unevenly--often within 15,000 to 20,000 miles. Some owners found themselves facing an aggravating annual tire replacement, costing $700 or more. Toyota finally addressed the issue last year with an extended warranty on 2004 to some 2006 model-year vehicles, mostly addressing the irregular wear condition. Later-model vehicles came with a revised tire intended to eliminate the wear condition.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Our AWD Sienna&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We purchased a new &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTSSytL7jx4nCh2YzsLahkoWtThXn2b_3Ks132z-vqUOctMj70JKkTSVYqfMmdymWcaP3ugXue6Hn&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;2007 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD&lt;/a&gt; (ratings available to online subscribers) with the Dunlop SP Sport 4000 Self-Supporting Technology tires (DSST). After the road test was completed, we purchased a new set of Dunlop SP Sport 4000 DSST tires for a tread life evaluation on the Sienna AWD. The evaluation started at the end of March and at this point in July, we have a little more than 11,200 miles on the tires. We&#8217;ve been checking inflation pressures religiously, aligning the wheels, rotating the tires, and measuring the average tread depth in no less than16 test points around each tire every 2,000 miles. Now, most consumers are not likely to follow our frequent alignment and rotation schedule, but we&#8217;re giving the tires the best opportunity to wear optimally.&#160; &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;So what have we found up to now? In short, not much yet--the tires are less than 20 percent worn-out to the tread wear indicators, the wear is relatively even across the tread width, and we&#8217;re not observing any abnormal wear condition.&#160; At this early stage, the tires appear to be able to last more than 45,000 miles, even exceeding Toyota&#8217;s estimate of 40,000 miles noted in their Tire Information booklet. Still, we recognize that to get a more accurate picture of projected tread life, we&#8217;ll need more miles. We plan on doing just that with the hopes of reaching 20,000 or more miles by the end of summer. That shouldn&#8217;t be a problem, with many of our colleagues taking the minivan on extensive summer trips. We promise an update in September. Stay tuned&#8230;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;--&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTaTRmVMXg_P5sSZm7fOBOhw46R0ZLxXeoJL9dnsK0ROn6nO5CsEw1B_lSsQreKDcMUxT3zNKZ0-DfA8PZFqRLArfy2GKTOKcVAxdsbnmWoTG&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Gene Petersen&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Related blog posts:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc6rPOKpb9JZ3uxLYA-EhqatZjGAFOe3RsPP-n1B3e_rR8nmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Toyota Sienna AWD tires - patience wearing thin&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc6rPOKpb9JZ3gzEtwODWi3knupyVaNcxo6VIXKQ2hzOm8nmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Toyota extends run-flat tire warranty&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc6rPOKpb9JZ3gzEtwODWi3kZjGAFOe3RsPjuqXZU4sf9MnmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Toyota Sienna run-flat tires? Spare us.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc6rPOKpb9JZ3jh1-jNs0mYzSjgQZh-2TOIF6G5Fj7XCt8nmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Run-flat tires go flat with our readers&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/toyota_sienna_awd_runflat_tires_wear_well_for_503371463?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34; color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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                <category>Cars</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:38:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>&#34;Market research reveals the &#34;nine types of consumers</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/market_research_reveals_the_nine_types_of_consum_979271132?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
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            <description>I always love these articles on how advertisers and marketers view consumers and general trends. We are forever being broken down into new categories. Soccer moms and metrosexuals, it now appears, are old labels. The marketing firm Consumer Eyes has identified nine new ones, in a new book called Karma Queens, Geek Gods, and Innerpreneurs by Ron Rentel and Joe Zellnick. You can download the PDF from an article in Advertising Age but here is the basic breakdown: 1. Karma Queens: These are the baby boomer ex-hippie women who are susceptible to quirky design, body-mind-spirit advertising and companies that have...</description>
            
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&#34;Market research reveals the &#34;nine types of consumers&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img border=&#34;0&#34; alt=&#34;Karmagods&#34; title=&#34;Karmagods&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/25/karmagods.jpg&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; float: right;&#34; /&gt;
I always love these articles on how advertisers and marketers view consumers and general trends. We are forever being broken down into new categories. &#34;Soccer moms&#34; and &#34;metrosexuals,&#34; it now appears, are old labels.&#160; The marketing firm Consumer Eyes has identified nine new ones, in a new book called&#160; &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/market_research_reveals_the_nine_types_of_consum_979271132?h=lkghb5dLhNFDFeKwmrYfPUNSW0s_tmxuo6ZGfwKiiCvlZDRmCSs0wyknSoli2JMPxZSWx_ehQ5zYXtAdqaVE2ZQKG8_dqx-f4xAZ48KBJ421At4zXbJKMPSuvUpchvBBZeTGyvK3f7nsEExYkrIUWQZfgidK7PNZgGhx3StSCznYRdi0qktnaQ**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&#34;Karma Queens, Geek Gods, and Innerpreneurs&#34; &lt;/a&gt; by Ron Rentel and Joe Zellnick.&#160; You can &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/market_research_reveals_the_nine_types_of_consum_979271132?h=EHFXuUtUn0gOSAi-aa2D1XMGqkQ2Zy4hSb2pxjTLEuoIdsD_-3Ct23C3U2bBhgxn&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;download the PDF&lt;/a&gt; from an &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/market_research_reveals_the_nine_types_of_consum_979271132?h=K8na31_CtWgFX-N1LpTcg6qOLThXpmo48QhUkeBtJWZslCZY14YE4XNHFLBLvxpm&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;article in&#160; Advertising Age&lt;/a&gt; but here is the basic breakdown:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;1. Karma Queens:&#160; These are the baby boomer ex-hippie women who are susceptible to quirky design, body-mind-spirit advertising and companies that have a woman-to-woman connection.&lt;br /&gt;2. Culture Crossers: These trendsetters cherry pick their favorite things from a variety of continents and sources like their idol Gwen Stefani.&lt;br /&gt;3. Denim Dads: The modern stay-at-home dad is a music-loving guy who is also handy around the house.&lt;br /&gt;4. E-Litists: These are those who are interested in green products in a moderate way. They shop at Whole Foods, drive a Prius and idolize Al Gore. &lt;br /&gt;5. Ms. Independents: These are the power single women with disposable income and a taste for the finer things. &lt;br /&gt;6. Innerpreneurs: Brainstorming entrepreneurs who seek brands that are involved with causes. &lt;br /&gt;7. Geek Gods: Early adopter geeks, the ones who have the latest hot gadgets. &lt;br /&gt;8. Parentocrats: The obsessive parents, the multitasking, busy couples seeking the best products for their children.&lt;br /&gt;9. Middlemen: The slacker men, ages 21 to 35, who are working dead-end jobs and are passionate about video games.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;I can see myself in a couple of these categories (a little bit karma queen, a little bit innerpreneur, etc.) so I don&#39;t think these are hard and fast separations. Also I don&#39; think these list covers everything; it seems to be focused on the 20-50 age range, leaving out the teens and the deep-pocketed retirees. But if you find yourself looking at a patchouli-scented, hemp-based iPhone case the next time you&#39;re shopping for gear, you&#39;ll know just why the marketers thought you&#39;d want it.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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</content:encoded>
            
            
                <category>Shopping</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:41:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>FDA expands recall of chili and other products linked to botulism cases</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>Toss the chili sauce and trash the hash and other canned meat products and pet foods from Castleberry&#39;s ... that&#39;s the latest message from officials at the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture, who aren&#39;t getting much of a summer break with the steady stream of food-poisoning outbreaks that have occurred recently. This contamination was home grown, after meat and meatless chili products and a variety of other canned-meat products from Castleberry&#39;s Food Company, based in Augusta, Georgia, were found to contain botulinum toxin, the agent that causes botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning. Officials are urging consumers to immediately discard any of the recalled products or any foods made with these products, placing them in tightly-closed doubled plastic bags before putting them in the trash. The contamination was discovered after two people in Texas and two in Indiana were hospitalized after eating Castleberry&#39;s Hot Dog Chili Sauce. Telltale symptoms of botulism are serious and can begin 6 to 12 hours after eating contaminated foods. Symptoms can include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and muscle weakness that gradually affects the whole body moving from the shoulders through the legs. Paralysis can affect breathing and quickly become fatal, so seeking prompt medical attention is imperative. There are also some pet foods included in the recall. Dogs and ferrets are vulnerable to botulinum toxin and should get prompt treatment if they show symptoms such as progressive paralysis, difficulty breathing or chewing, or general weakness, which can occur as soon as two hours or as late as two weeks after eating contaminated food. Food poisoning from botulism is normally rare, with about 30 cases occurring each year, often attributed to home canning. It occurs when the bacteria known as Clostridium botulinum, widely present as harmless spores in normal garden soil and the general environment, grow and produce a potent nerve toxin when contaminated foods are stored in airtight containers. Heating the foods to the proper temperature before storage is key to killing the spores and any harmful toxins that may be present. However, once food is contaminated it&#39;s impossible to be sure that all the toxins are eliminated. That&#39;s why it&#39;s important to throw away all contaminated products. The recall affects many different products and Castleberry&#39;s voluntarily took the commendable step of expanding the recall to cover all products that may have been made on the defective production line over the past two years, which could include millions of cans. Consumers should heed the warnings and discard any products that may be affected by the recall. You can find a full list of the recalled products on Castleberry&#39;s Web site at: www.castleberrys.com or call the company&#39;s hotline at 1-800-203-4412. The FDA&#39;s report on the recall can be found on the agency&#39;s web site and the federal Centers for Disease Control has a helpful QA on botulism on its site....</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;FDA expands recall of chili and other products linked to botulism cases&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-family: Verdana; font-weight: normal;&#34;&gt;Toss the chili sauce and trash the hash and other
canned meat products and pet foods from Castleberry&#39;s&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; ...
that&#39;s the latest message from officials at the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?h=lkghb5dLhNG3m6AZK1uVyUaEHpKoyzZUy-Y-JziXmdGWEBe7tspgJrgr0zrSmq0aS0QFfZzRVWQ*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Food and Drug
Administration&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?h=lkghb5dLhNGbm_KSQ4i8H9wls3UOrd_cCRswTOs0PSjeI1ESAMA8eUy8RcSZ6Wx70z0Wv83-j7zok2LxdFq66XZKjtcxMI6C9TR7kAQ3x7w*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Department
of Agriculture&lt;/a&gt;, who aren&#39;t getting much of a summer break with the steady stream
of food-poisoning outbreaks that have occurred recently. This contamination was
home grown, after meat and meatless chili products and a variety of other
canned-meat products from Castleberry&#39;s Food Company, based in &lt;st1:place w:st=&#34;on&#34;&gt;&lt;st1:city w:st=&#34;on&#34;&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;Augusta, Georgia,
were found to contain botulinum toxin, the agent that causes botulism, a
potentially fatal form of food poisoning. Officials are urging consumers to
immediately discard any of &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?h=lkghb5dLhNFkvSQivrQthDgyrXC5IjQlR_fMaB6O6fKRkarw5noAIENZK8V1Zs59nzEbWTsyBa4*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;the recalled products&lt;/a&gt;
or any foods made with these products, placing them in tightly-closed doubled
plastic bags before putting them in the trash. 

&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The contamination was
discovered after two people in &lt;st1:state w:st=&#34;on&#34;&gt;&lt;/st1:state&gt;Texas and two
in &lt;st1:place w:st=&#34;on&#34;&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;Indiana
were hospitalized after eating Castleberry&#39;s Hot Dog Chili Sauce. Telltale
symptoms of botulism are serious and can begin 6 to 12 hours after eating
contaminated foods. Symptoms can include double or blurred vision, drooping
eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and muscle weakness that gradually
affects the whole body moving from the shoulders through the legs. Paralysis can
affect breathing and quickly become fatal, so seeking prompt medical attention
is imperative. 

&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34; style=&#34;margin-bottom: 14.15pt;&#34;&gt;There are also some pet
foods included in the recall. Dogs and ferrets are vulnerable to botulinum
toxin and should get prompt treatment if they show symptoms such as progressive
paralysis, difficulty breathing or chewing, or general weakness, which can
occur as soon as two hours or as late as two weeks after eating contaminated food.
&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34; style=&#34;margin-bottom: 14.15pt;&#34;&gt;Food poisoning from botulism
is normally rare, with about 30 cases occurring each year, often attributed to
home canning. It occurs when the bacteria known as &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?h=lkghb5dLhNGx_DueW3sb_493z6FnxKSssp79BzBqkTXMorncbWPNb17toA9Wiqt-ZsF1lQsEUcqAjhs1_Sy7ow**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Clostridium
botulinum&lt;/a&gt;, widely present as harmless spores in normal garden soil and the
general environment, grow and produce a potent nerve toxin when contaminated
foods are stored in airtight containers. Heating the foods to the proper
temperature before storage is key to killing the spores and any harmful toxins
that may be present. However, once food is contaminated it&#39;s impossible to be
sure that all the toxins are eliminated. That&#39;s why it&#39;s important to throw
away all contaminated products. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34; style=&#34;margin-bottom: 14.15pt;&#34;&gt;The recall affects many different
products and Castleberry&#39;s voluntarily took the commendable step of expanding
the recall to cover all products that may have been made on the defective
production line over the past two years, which could include millions of cans.
Consumers should heed the warnings and discard any products that may be
affected by the recall. You can find a full list of the recalled products on
Castleberry&#39;s Web site at: www.castleberrys.com or call the company&#39;s hotline
at 1-800-203-4412. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34; style=&#34;margin-bottom: 14.15pt;&#34;&gt;The &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?h=lkghb5dLhNG3m6AZK1uVyUaEHpKoyzZUy-Y-JziXmdGWEBe7tspgJrgr0zrSmq0aS0QFfZzRVWQ*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;FDA&#39;s report on
the recall&lt;/a&gt; can be found on the agency&#39;s web site and the federal Centers
for Disease Control has a &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?h=lkghb5dLhNGx_DueW3sb_6AR1OOMYn0m3AVtnLPBCB13p_cTJ51pPnOqKMtlQAsf&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;helpful
Q&amp;A&lt;/a&gt; on botulism on its site.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p class=&#34;MsoBodyText&#34; style=&#34;margin-bottom: 14.15pt;&#34;&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&#160;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fda_expands_recall_of_chili_and_other_products_l_123941157?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34;  color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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                <category>Safety</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:22:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>U.S. home sales drop again</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>A pattern is starting to form for sales of existing homes&#8212;and it&#8217;s not a good one. The National Association of Realtors reported today that existing-home sales in June dropped for the fourth month in a row, to a seasonally adjusted...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;U.S. home sales drop again &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;A pattern is starting to form for sales of existing homes&#8212;and it&#8217;s not a good one. The &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?h=lkghb5dLhNHcdFwR-ULhN8IsQbDF0eiSn23biiTfldL934-XhG52MuhjACONmWOv--wYKhh1DbaCzNutQguJUAam6eXM_YdL&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;National Association of Realtors reported today&lt;/a&gt; that existing-home sales in June dropped for the fourth month in a row, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.75 million units. Sales of single-family homes, town homes, condos, and co-ops slid 3.8 percent from May and 11.4 percent from June 2006. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&#8220;Home buyers have been getting mixed signals about the housing market, which is causing some of them to hesitate,&#8221; said Lawrence Yun, senior economist for the NAR. &#8220;Mortgage interest rates have risen recently, and tightening lending standards are continuing to hamper sales, but fewer risky loans will put the market on a healthier path. Although general buying conditions remain favorable for long-term home buyers, it appears some buyers are looking for more signs of stability before they have enough confidence to make an offer.&#8221; The national average commitment rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 6.66 percent in June, according to Freddie Mac, up 0.4 percent from May and about the same as the June 2006 rate of 6.68 percent.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&#8220;Two bright spots in the June report are a decline in housing inventory and a modest gain in home prices,&#8221; said Yun. &#8220;Although we&#8217;ve seen seasonal month-to-month price increases over the past four months, this is the first time in 11 months that the median home price is higher than the year-ago price.&#8221; The inventory of existing homes fell 4.2 percent in June, though that still represents an 8.8-month, according to the NAR, which also reported that national median sales price for all existing homes rose slightly, to $230,100 in June, up 0.3 percent from June 2006.&lt;em&gt;&#8212;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?h=x_TXVAUbx2jrjO0Ov4AApK3OffGRZgQnM4VcwsDG2Ls*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Steven H. Saltzman&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Essential information: &lt;/strong&gt;Read &#8220;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc528BpKiAPRdbmPtjCbF_s6d8hBm3uhtcnm9WaXYbJrGsnmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;How to sell your home in a down market&lt;/a&gt;&#8221; for advice on increasing the odds that you&#39;ll find a buyer for you house. And if you&#39;re considering buying a new home, check out &amp;quot;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3V4W1J_ScLB2onfHHJSXQwLUApKgBculJTfhisFamn7kbdhBS6NUdpqzdHMXu5euEZNxN0GQ0RyqeOLZM1BTS9VDF2xueZahMY*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Housewrecked&lt;/a&gt;,&#34; which explains how to avoid purchasing a new house with hidden defects. Also watch our &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3V4W1J_ScLB2onfHHJSXQwLUApKgBculJTfhisFamn7kbdhBS6NUdpqzdHMXu5euEbU6-ujpO4Zt6rbBpFDPO2S1mSyvzXYl9Oj97oF7nuh5w**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;exclusive interactive on the warning signs of shoddy homebuilding&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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						Subscribe to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoG2hBewCMmSQ*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34; color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ConsumerReports.org&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt; for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products.
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/us_home_sales_drop_again__563888813?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34;  color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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</content:encoded>
            
            
                <category>Home</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:19:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>Q&amp;A: Are &#8220;multimedia&#8221; refrigerators worth considering?</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>We&#8217;re planning a remodel of our kitchen. Since counter space for a TV is somewhat limited, we&#8217;re thinking about getting a fridge with a built-in video monitor. Is a multimedia model a worthwhile buy?&#8212;Roy S., via e-mail Multimedia refrigerators are...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Q&amp;A: Are &#8220;multimedia&#8221; refrigerators worth considering?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivLxp_F5ZgPl4bBace5wWYgAwLEMMb1307I*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=568,height=426,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34;&gt;&lt;img width=&#34;125&#34; height=&#34;93&#34; border=&#34;0&#34; alt=&#34;Qaquestionmark&#34; title=&#34;Qaquestionmark&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/images/2007/07/25/qaquestionmark.jpg&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; float: left;&#34; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
We&#8217;re planning a remodel of our kitchen. Since counter space for a TV is somewhat limited, we&#8217;re thinking about getting a fridge with a built-in video monitor. Is a multimedia model a worthwhile buy?&lt;em&gt;&#8212;Roy S., via e-mail&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Multimedia refrigerators are becoming more common as high-tech models with TVs and gizmos like electronic organizers and calendars aim to keep you entertained as you cook and promise to help you keep track of your life . . . and your leftovers.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivJxzSCoLRjXonW1a_NqfowaVnzlTGn9qto*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=175,height=311,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34;&gt;&lt;img width=&#34;74&#34; height=&#34;133&#34; border=&#34;0&#34; alt=&#34;Wirelessice&#34; title=&#34;Wirelessice&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/images/2007/07/25/wirelessice.jpg&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; float: right;&#34; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
The $3,500 &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3U2DiwgXuhgN3vPQZppUfUGxCl5D9pcIG6B3QtQk7JN_1_XRY6kQDWcnxEW0QG3IzZ8fhz4g5uIq8SMSp6odxq3rsK4Ehe9mmZOEKxcgNtY4U81LccFtUZx79C6tMathC8mvjBXZ_gJnn7OjhyCh11Zo_e6Be57oec*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Samsung Wireless ICE&lt;/a&gt; (shown), for instance, is equipped with a detachable 10.4-inch LCD screen that can receive video from your TV, DVD player, or VCR via a wireless transmitter. But the picture is mediocre.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Other brands eschew the TV to provide you with different multimedia functions. The $2,300 LG LSC27970[ST] side-by-side has a fixed screen that offers recipes, digital photos, a five-day weather forecast, and a programmable calendar. As we report in &#8220;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3U2DiwgXuhgN3vPQZppUfUGxCl5D9pcIG6B3QtQk7JN_1_XRY6kQDWcnxEW0QG3IzZ8fhz4g5uIq8SMSp6odxq3WlrXJpjMRKBzWQP53ehdzg9GfW2i2REzD36tDSbdACg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Cool choices that work&lt;/a&gt;&#8221; (available to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3VG3tt0L4qtR2tq4O9g9KOdQk61NMwki_uX2n8feEXXWFiwRqBgsTOI&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;subscribers&lt;/a&gt;), the technology was unimpressive.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Our recommendation: &lt;/strong&gt;Save yourself a lot of money by buying a top-rated refrigerator from our latest Ratings of &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3U2DiwgXuhgN3vPQZppUfUGxCl5D9pcIG6B3QtQk7JN_1_XRY6kQDWcnxEW0QG3IzalmGZgLN6pdGxZ7dKXTwUkR9NIhs51uZx99BzfpAb49-kynL7gsMaFAplrXopsbm6G32HzHcJrDbQCRJYQgZsFgI4bNf0su6M*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;top-freezers&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3U2DiwgXuhgN3vPQZppUfUGxCl5D9pcIG6B3QtQk7JN_1_XRY6kQDWcnxEW0QG3IzbRiTwf5ZVTq48ICMqlnv4-48G2cyf8n_HRvIkdSnOZY1c_O2yQPieO3nK1rnLVnosUWVLrYkGIVB6LifZLnNIUK4y8ZBYIfnI*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;bottom-freezers&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3U2DiwgXuhgN3vPQZppUfUGxCl5D9pcIG6B3QtQk7JN_1_XRY6kQDWcnxEW0QG3IzY6dBKrHkR6f5n90IJvrWeJaavKqkdRVrZYC-bDJeeWtFiSKjqI_rgZHciH9BjsfW7gmP8NXA-cttk-4Z10IX5Vt_mpccFoAmA*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;side-by-sides&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3U2DiwgXuhgN3vPQZppUfUGxCl5D9pcIG6B3QtQk7JN_1_XRY6kQDWcnxEW0QG3IzbRiTwf5ZVTq0ALGUPsXVRMht9h8x3Caw3b5lFWipO4sKG4nbFh3gvoaeFnj5-mWWImVEirk865OgxdsbnmWoTG&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;built-ins&lt;/a&gt; (available to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3VG3tt0L4qtR2tq4O9g9KOdQk61NMwki_uX2n8feEXXWFiwRqBgsTOI&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;subscribers&lt;/a&gt;) and a separate TV for the kitchen. Also read our &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3U2DiwgXuhgN3vPQZppUfUGxCl5D9pcIG6B3QtQk7JN_1_XRY6kQDWcnxEW0QG3IzZvxw9TZ6H_aLp0umq_IjgZBWGl3AJs2s6t2T0Gqu_5sg**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;free buying advice for refrigerators&lt;/a&gt; and learn more about which TV to buy with our &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/qa_are_multimedia_refrigerators_worth_considerin_558915237?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3W1F6Tz72Pp5WOd-wcEb45bJuYUVN-YosgHIXePRT7ir63ZPQaq7_my&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;television buying guide&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jul 2007 16:20:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>Chinese trucks soon to be on the American menu</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>Of the roughly 100 different manufacturers currently building cars in China, Bill Pollack predicts somewhere between three and five will be peddling their low-cost wares in the U.S. within five years. The New Jersey-based entrepreneur has no problem with that; he just wants his company to be first. Pollack is CEO of China America Cooperative Automotive (aka Chamco), an organization with ambitious plans to import Chinese vehicles to North America. Speaking at a recent New York City press lunch, he showed photographs of the company&#39;s first two models, an SUV and a four-door pickup. Chamco is planning to be selling both vehicles in Mexico within a few months, followed by an introduction to U.S. customers at the 2008 New York Auto Show in April, and appearing in showrooms throughout the country within a year from now. And--drum roll please--both are going to be priced around $13,500--a number Pollack says will be 20 percent less than competing models already on sale here. Chamco faces myriad hurtles to accomplishing these goals, such as ensuring the vehicles meet U.S. emissions and safety requirements, establishing dealer networks, and competing with well-established car brands. Adding to the challenges is the fact that Pollack has no prior experience in the automotive biz. Maybe that&#39;s a bad thing. But, maybe not. Certainly, the two-pronged launch strategy defies expectations. While the intent may be to import cars directly to the States, Chamco seeks to build a factory in Mexico. This south-of-the-border plant would supply Mexico and South America. Should Chamco face cost-prohibitive tariffs on its Chinese imports, U.S.-market models could be sourced from Mexico. Prior to the factory being completed later this decade, the company is looking to bring in 50,000 units duty free to Mexico to start sales, according to Pollack in an Automotive News report reproduced on the company Web site. Looking slightly rumpled on a humid New York summer afternoon in a Chinese suit he said he bought on a recent trip when his luggage got lost, Pollack is something of a refreshing alternative to the polished, media-trained talking heads normally introducing cars. He didn&#39;t use the word robust once during his spiel--always a plus in my book. Pollack&#39;s presentation was certainly a sign that this won&#39;t be car business as usual. As for Chamco&#39;s first two offerings, they&#39;re, well, familiar. If not groundbreaking, at least they don&#39;t have the clown-car look we&#39;ve seen from some other prospective Chinese importers lately, and they don&#39;t look like they were constructed in somebody&#39;s basement. However, the headlights, rooflines, creases, and other styling cues all look like we&#39;ve seen them before--whether on a Mitsubishi or a Toyota. Even the logo looks like it was more-than-inspired by Opel. Already on sale in some 50 countries around the world--none of which have the safety and emissions standards, to say nothing of customer quality expectations--of the United States or Europe, Chamco has a thing or two to do before making it big in Peoria. To help ready the cars for U.S....</description>
            
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Chinese trucks soon to be on the American menu&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Of the roughly 100 different manufacturers currently building cars in China, Bill Pollack predicts somewhere between three and five will be peddling their low-cost wares in the U.S. within five years. The New Jersey-based entrepreneur has no problem with that; he just wants his company to be first.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Pollack is CEO of China America Cooperative Automotive (aka &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=lkghb5dLhNEkM7yn6mduK86teOrlIy_x-RwsJvDnsi41Sbqbv_uNXg**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Chamco&lt;/a&gt;), an organization with ambitious plans to import Chinese vehicles to North America. Speaking at a recent New York City press lunch, he showed photographs of the company&#39;s first two models, an SUV and a four-door pickup. Chamco is planning to be selling both vehicles in Mexico within a few months, followed by an introduction to U.S. customers at the 2008 New York Auto Show in April, and appearing in showrooms throughout the country within a year from now. And--drum roll please--both are going to be priced around $13,500--a number Pollack says will be 20 percent less than competing models already on sale here.&#160; &#160;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Chamco faces myriad hurtles to accomplishing these goals, such as ensuring the vehicles meet U.S. emissions and safety requirements, establishing dealer networks, and competing with well-established car brands. Adding to the challenges is the fact that Pollack has no prior experience in the automotive biz. Maybe that&#39;s a bad thing. But, maybe not. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Certainly, the two-pronged launch strategy defies expectations. While the intent may be to import cars directly to the States, Chamco seeks to build a factory in Mexico. This south-of-the-border plant would supply Mexico and South America. Should Chamco face cost-prohibitive &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=lkghb5dLhNEkM7yn6mduK86teOrlIy_xC2UxTBkujyrvj3LkU7z97V8gaBJYdRZx&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;tariffs&lt;/a&gt; on its Chinese imports, U.S.-market models could be sourced from Mexico. Prior to the factory being completed later this decade, the company is looking to bring in 50,000 units duty free to Mexico to start sales, according to Pollack in an &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=lkghb5dLhNEKSz48dUcRERzpCrmcKEhZSS78URX_G4XUsq1J1j9csntaia0nWwlonyJZ5XGOJMuuSpbrLZaZPI5Vgpm9NN3YhhmPZCqgfkO8eRUu3cVqP4qkPfcvd51Ro_e6Be57oec*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Automotive News&lt;/em&gt; report&lt;/a&gt; reproduced on the company &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=lkghb5dLhNEkM7yn6mduK86teOrlIy_xC2UxTBkujyqL5AKWtX8AUUUAfiS6zLa7&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Web site&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Looking slightly rumpled on a humid New York summer afternoon in a Chinese suit he said he bought on a recent trip when his luggage got lost, Pollack is something of a refreshing alternative to the polished, media-trained talking heads normally introducing cars. He didn&#39;t use the word &#34;robust&#34; once during his spiel--always a plus in my book. Pollack&#39;s presentation was certainly a sign that this won&#39;t be car business as usual.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;As for Chamco&#39;s first two offerings, they&#39;re, well, familiar. If not groundbreaking, at least they don&#39;t have the clown-car look we&#39;ve seen from some other prospective &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=KfQj-H-S60S0zEgN8CnqQ-Z-wHywiVkxMFuTbEcKVVuIYKoN8kjyVAEKVTuT8xCpw4h30DmP9jk_wejtnWuWOqrDcRdp30oZcN5PuTyVh-g*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Chinese importers&lt;/a&gt; lately, and they don&#39;t look like they were constructed in somebody&#39;s basement. However, the headlights, rooflines, creases, and other styling cues all look like we&#39;ve seen them before--whether on a Mitsubishi or a Toyota. Even the logo looks like it was more-than-inspired by &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=lkghb5dLhNG_Qf6qT_zvfe4QvgR-RqlG3VPf0a4_PW0*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Opel&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Already on sale in some 50 countries around the world--none of which have the safety and emissions standards, to say nothing of customer quality expectations--of the United States or Europe, Chamco has a thing or two to do before making it big in Peoria.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;To help ready the cars for U.S. sale, Pollack &amp; Co. have enlisted the help of Mustang tuner and car builder Steve Saleen, who reportedly signed on after tearing around Chamco&#39;s parking lot in a non-U.S.-certified model. While no plans for a Stage 1,2, or 3 hot-rodded version of the Chinese SUV have been announced, Chamco hopes to tap into Mr. Saleen&#39;s entrepreneurial experience making his own &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=lkghb5dLhNEDOm0rdrT-MwaVs_Hm_txd&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;specialty cars&lt;/a&gt; street legal.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Once the first two models roll out, plans call for bringing over a sedan, a &#34;crossover&#34; SUV, a sports car, and even a hybrid model within a few years. And rather than partnering with a single manufacturer to do this, Bill plans to call on a number of different carmakers from the 100 or so at his disposal, cherry picking (or is that &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=lkghb5dLhNE3zrO8UMpVQq3K7yI_BVyuh49Eu9zpkfk*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Chery&lt;/a&gt;picking?) from their myriad offerings. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;But how the logistics of branding and servicing a line of cars from different makers will work remains to be seen, with parts inventories and service technician training yet to be worked out. Frankly, a lot of stuff is yet to be worked out, from crash testing to what engines will be under the hood when the first Chamcos land on U.S. soil. For now, Bill has some 40-plus dealers signed up, and he&#39;s busying himself getting his first two models ready. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Can he do it? We&#39;ll see. But one thing is certain, even if he can&#39;t, somebody will.&#160; &#160;&#160; &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;--&lt;em&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3WckRriFW9aTaTRmVMXg_P5sSZm7fOBOhw46R0ZLxXeoJL9dnsK0ROn6nO5CsEw1B_lSsQreKDcMeQYq6ZaR_QgZOm6cD__Fsu0AkSWEIGbBYCOGzX9LLuj&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Jim Travers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Read &#34;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/chinese_trucks_soon_to_be_on_the_american_men_136728695?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc6rPOKpb9JZ3g_irdXO1_WvQC5j5M1NHQ__VY6wfAVUksnmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Everybody Changfeng tonight&lt;/a&gt;.&#34;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;&#160;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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                <category>Cars</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:10:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>Fix common lawn problems</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
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            <description>A little midsummer maintenance will keep your yard looking its best If your lawn has lost some of its luster, your yard might be suffering from some of the common problems listed below. But before you take any corrective action,...</description>
            
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Fix common lawn problems&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-size: 1.2em;&#34;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A little midsummer maintenance will keep your yard looking its best&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=459,height=307,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivJTOR9j2PJT4i2nR8RdbTxIEIcPhE6RrXo*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img width=&#34;125&#34; height=&#34;83&#34; border=&#34;0&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/images/2007/07/24/summerlawn.jpg&#34; title=&#34;Summerlawn&#34; alt=&#34;Summerlawn&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; float: left;&#34; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
If your lawn has lost some of its luster, your yard might be suffering from some of the common problems listed below.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;But before you take any corrective action, raise the cutting height on your mower one notch or a half-inch. By not cutting your grass too short, you&#8217;ll allow your lawn to better survive summer heat--taller grass blades have longer roots and provide more shade to retain moisture.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thin, weak, or yellowish lawn. &lt;/strong&gt;Nitrogen-rich fertilizer is the usual cure for this problem. But the cause can also be too little iron or magnesium, especially in the West, where alkaline or high-pH soils are common.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Iron sulfate or iron chelate will turn the lawn green within two days if it&#39;s low on iron. Be especially sure to keep iron sulfate on the lawn, since it can stain paving. If the lawn doesn&#8217;t respond, mix 2.5 tablespoons of Epsom salts into a gallon of water and spray it over a test area. The area should turn green within two days if the problem was too little magnesium.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Dead spots. &lt;/strong&gt;Most of these withering areas are caused by dog urine, spilled gasoline, or spilled fertilizer rather than by disease. Soak the area with water to wash the salts or chemicals into the soil and minimize their damage. Next, cover the area with a layer of new soil followed by new grass seed and starter fertilizer. Remember to keep the area well watered.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mushrooms. &lt;/strong&gt;These annoying fungi typically--and, it seems, magically--appear after a rain and often indicate dead tree roots or decaying wood. You can&#39;t eliminate them without removing and replacing the soil in which they live, but you can mow or rake them away as they appear.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Water runs off and won&#39;t soak in. &lt;/strong&gt;This situation is caused by poor or compacted soils or by sprinklers that apply water faster than the soil can absorb it. Sloping ground worsens the problem.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Sprinkler heads that water more slowly are one possible solution. Aerating the lawn, which involves extracting narrow cores of soil, can also boost water absorption and reduce runoff. Top-dressing the area with peat moss will also help.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;To avoid common watering mistakes, learn the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9-uhH9LRc3mJ6UnA0k-LfGLDKEoZt3BF94UF8gv-fBX9tK8M3dLSD8Nf4Lmx11KZptaV_vanQWITTsR6rWWNQGHOqKMtlQAsf&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;ABCs of irrigation&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Moss. &lt;/strong&gt;Too much shade is a prime culprit. Other causes include compacted, infertile soil and soil acidity, or pH, that&#39;s too high or low.&lt;/p&gt;



&lt;p&gt;If a soil test shows low pH, adding limestone in the form of palletized (powdered) lime will help. Your local Cooperative Extension System office can test the soil for you. &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNFVp0HChHn06eBQOvdzqlohN_0s0QlfpZPbYWKrlc97dhanmNVfUykG&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Click here&lt;/a&gt; to get contact information for the extension service in your area.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can also apply moss killers, which contain a form of iron sulfate to burn the moss. But unless you address the underlying problem, the moss will return.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Thinning trees at least annually will let in more light and help the tree when done correctly. (See &#34;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9-uhH9LRc3mJVhpq6AVvOLZp46KsWvXs2d_abP-8-PvAMXFuaHlGtE0ty4tE7-TiK1mSyvzXYl9Oj97oF7nuh5w**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;How to prune trees&lt;/a&gt;,&#34; available to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3VG3tt0L4qtR2tq4O9g9KOdQk61NMwki_uX2n8feEXXWFiwRqBgsTOI&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;subscribers&lt;/a&gt;.) Removing or mulching fallen leaves also helps, as does mowing grass beneath trees slightly higher and fertilizing it a bit less. Also consider replacing grass beneath trees with wood chips or other ground cover.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Use our &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9-uhH9LRc3mLkzdhe8G8uqBpTlp43g0fcvGcAcFoGb53Yk9H0L_776MryecjNaU5hXvYFJs7fv1nWZLK_NdiX06P3ugXue6Hn&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;exclusive interactive tool&lt;/a&gt;, available to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3VG3tt0L4qtR2tq4O9g9KOdQk61NMwki_uX2n8feEXXWFiwRqBgsTOI&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;subscribers&lt;/a&gt;, to identify--and control--the weeds, pests, and diseases that are damaging your lawn.&lt;/p&gt;





&lt;p&gt;Having quality equipment is an essential part of yard maintenance. Our &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9s2kopT1XXvxVC-iNTNEi5IoFAZghzDEQqcVkttG8lVWyMKYIrhxHt5dqj-hSj00WOkiCqUdlAy7eIpNSffQAyKP3ugXue6Hn&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;mower and tractor&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4t-og2qfSSe52E3INqVN3z47xWUxAGYQNrFliOOAoQNzc7UgD10ViNY6ZHVRgYatxk3E3QZDRHKp44tkzUFNL1UMXbG55lqExg**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;string trimmer&lt;/a&gt; product guides will help you make the right choices.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Essential information: &lt;/strong&gt;Read our in-depth &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/fix_common_lawn_problems__91821389?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4kyJhhyOOYQ9s2kopT1XXvwce4MgN4JUuZNrtnpIRCwVWlrXJpjMRKB8HhNX37dEzAR2R-ETwoIwPwXoO1HzSoU*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;primer on lawn care&lt;/a&gt;, from the May 2007 issue of &lt;em&gt;Consumer Reports&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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                <category>Home</category>
                        
            
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            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jul 2007 19:04:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>iPhone Hacking Raises Security Concerns for all Smartphone Users</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>Security analysts have long predicted that hackers who routinely pester computer users would eventually target smart phones, whose advanced network connections and operating systems continue to become more computer-like. Indeed, smart-phone virus outbreaks have been reported in Europe and Asia. This week Independent Security Evaluators (ISE), a U.S. independent testing lab, dramatized the looming danger by piercing the defenses of the much-vaunted iPhone. (ISE is the lab whose help Consumer Reports seeks for our evaluations of security software. See our report on how we test antivirus software and look for our 2007 State of the Net report, which posts to ConsumerReports.org in early August.) See our complete coverage on: Apple&#39;s iPhone Internet and online security risks Some telecom experts believed the iPhone was relatively immune from such attacks because of the limited access Apple granted third-party developers to iPhone&#39;s operating system (a stripped-down version of the one that runs on Macs), and because iPhone&#39;s Safari Web browser lacks the ability to use plug-ins, such as Flash, a primary entry point for Web-borne attacks. Yet ISE was able to hack into a New York Times reporter&#8217;s iPhone when it (voluntarily) visited a special Web site they created, which uploaded malicious software and gave the hackers unlimited access to files and phone functions. (Note: The embedded link will take you to the New York Times Web site, which may display an online ad before presenting its story on hacking the iPhone.) Besides downloading contact information and recent text messages, ISE claims it was able to seize control of the phone, and program it to dial any number, send any text message&#8212;-even turn the iPhone into a bugging device to eavesdrop on anyone within earshot. More important, while ISE&#8217;s focus was the iPhone, their main point is cell-phone providers need spruce up their security act. More details of ISE&#8217;s iPhone effort are available on http://www.exploitingiphone.com/. ISE has sent its recommendations for security patches to Apple. In the meantime, it offers these tips for iPhone and other smart-phone owners to minimize risk: Only visit Web sites you know Only use Wi-Fi networks you trust Don&#8217;t open Web links from e-mails --Mike Gikas...</description>
            
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;iPhone Hacking Raises Security Concerns for all Smartphone Users&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img border=&#34;0&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/24/eyespy.gif&#34; title=&#34;Eyespy&#34; alt=&#34;Eyespy&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px; float: right;&#34; /&gt;
Security analysts have long predicted that hackers who routinely pester computer users would eventually target smart phones, whose advanced network connections and operating systems continue to become more computer-like. Indeed, smart-phone virus outbreaks have been reported in Europe and Asia. 
&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;This week &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=42ns3XNFVsg2CfRMoK2gksboZwaWF8HXOrbIoFhEZlk*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; target=&#34;blank&#34;&gt;Independent Security Evaluators&lt;/a&gt; (ISE), a U.S. independent testing lab, dramatized the looming danger by piercing the defenses of the much-vaunted &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3W1F6Tz72Pp5WOd-wcEb45bJuYUVN-YosjnauGyansw7EurwDOp750PgZDUfOTgqTo6O9D07lvGeKP3ugXue6Hn&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; target=&#34;blank&#34;&gt;iPhone&lt;/a&gt;. (ISE is the lab whose help &lt;em&gt;Consumer Reports&lt;/em&gt; seeks for our evaluations of security software. See our report on &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3W1F6Tz72Pp5WOd-wcEb45bJuYUVN-YoshOE9Vj6ci4wk4ce0OHo9VGyWo8J23EuLEILzTJRVQOvmR_DrNkm4hwxRzJH_zvMop-4G4Y9FU4WZzro2KKBLsfZ46gEWxKH3PnT5msD9eFSbf5qXHBaAJg&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; target=&#34;blank&#34;&gt;how we test antivirus software&lt;/a&gt; and look for our 2007 &lt;a target=&#34;blank&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3W1F6Tz72Pp5WOd-wcEb45bJuYUVN-YosjrxritKRSy7lbQJ9HI_mJuj8Whhm1ZNAqoMsB59wIN0GjKGYE7qdXWAnDOGb8YQ39xtu_KHzyMRICOGzX9LLuj&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;State of the Net report&lt;/a&gt;, which posts to &lt;a target=&#34;blank&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ConsumerReports.org&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; in early August.)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;See our complete coverage on:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3W1F6Tz72Pp5WOd-wcEb45bJuYUVN-YosjnauGyansw7EurwDOp750PgZDUfOTgqTo6O9D07lvGeKP3ugXue6Hn&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; target=&#34;blank&#34;&gt;Apple&#39;s iPhone&lt;/a&gt; 
&lt;/li&gt;

&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3W1F6Tz72Pp5WOd-wcEb45bJuYUVN-YosjljDZADMx4JYlt2IJi5oraUggwAqL5jLebDKhQ_Xy1ovjzuNDwd7uQt_mpccFoAmA*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; target=&#34;blank&#34;&gt;Internet and online security risks&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Some telecom experts believed the iPhone was relatively immune from such attacks because of the limited access Apple granted third-party developers to iPhone&#39;s operating system (a stripped-down version of the one that runs on Macs), and because iPhone&#39;s Safari Web browser lacks the ability to use plug-ins, such as Flash, a primary entry point for Web-borne attacks.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Yet ISE was able to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNHztpCyKEYSG1VPO7LwofFc2Sxy2Th1T5Xhn_CcQfPEd0Yby2ZZfPYGT0Jv53PhdlPJ5rFJOmoddg**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; target=&#34;blank&#34;&gt;hack into a &lt;em&gt;New York Times&lt;/em&gt; reporter&#8217;s iPhone&lt;/a&gt; when it (voluntarily) visited a special Web site they created, which uploaded malicious software and gave the &#34;hackers&#34; unlimited access to files and phone functions. (Note: The embedded link will take you to the &lt;em&gt;New York Times&lt;/em&gt; Web site, which may display an online ad before presenting its story on hacking the iPhone.)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Besides downloading contact information and recent text messages, ISE claims it was able to seize control of the phone, and program it to dial any number, send any text message&#8212;-even turn the iPhone into a bugging device to eavesdrop on anyone within earshot. More important, while ISE&#8217;s focus was the iPhone, their main point is cell-phone providers need spruce up their security act. More details of ISE&#8217;s iPhone effort are available on &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNF9ead6qRdwXet-yaczsdLBBzdBbRVEVu-j97oF7nuh5w**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34; target=&#34;blank&#34;&gt;http://www.exploitingiphone.com/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;ISE has sent its recommendations for security patches to Apple. In the meantime, it offers these tips for iPhone and other smart-phone owners to minimize risk:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Only visit Web sites you know 
&lt;/li&gt;

&lt;li&gt;Only use Wi-Fi networks you trust 
&lt;/li&gt;

&lt;li&gt;Don&#8217;t open Web links from e-mails &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;--Mike Gikas&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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						Subscribe to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoG2hBewCMmSQ*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34; color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;ConsumerReports.org&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt; for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products.
						&lt;hr/&gt;
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34;  color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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<img src="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/p/1/_/iphone_hacking_raises_security_concerns_for_all__193885288?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921" border="0" width="1" height="1"/>

</content:encoded>
            
            
                <category>Electronics</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:08:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>Food safety hearing exposes lack of oversight</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/food_safety_hearing_exposes_lack_of_oversight__513953605?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/food_safety_hearing_exposes_lack_of_oversight__513953605?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>Three investigators working for the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation revealed some alarming findings about the government&#8217;s ability to conduct food safety oversight in a hearing last week. The day-long hearing, entitled Diminished Capacity: Can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of Our Nation&#8217;s Food Supply?, featured testimony from the subcommittee investigators as well as consumer advocates, scientists from five FDA laboratories slated for closing and Andrew von Eschenbach, the head of the FDA, and three of his department heads. David Nelson, Senior Investigator for the full Committee kicked off the hearing by describing how the number of FDA investigators has dwindled since 2003 while the number of food imports has nearly doubled. He said the FDA inspects less than one percent of all imported foods and samples only a fraction of those it inspects. On a typical day in the San Francisco office, he said, a reviewer may examine 600 food entries, 300 medical device entries, 25 reagent entries and 25 drug entries on a computer screen. This is one entry every 30 seconds, giving the reviewer little time to take action. &#8220;A single entry of Chinese herbs can take more than an hour to review,&#8221; he said. The FDA also &#8220;permits importers to take possession of even highly suspect goods and arrange for their testing by private laboratories,&#8221; Nelson said. These tests are then used as evidence that food is safe to enter the U.S. However, the laboratories are not certified by the FDA, despite the congressional investigators&#8217; findings that they often use incorrect methods or report incorrect results. FDA staff told investigators that certain independent labs were &#8220;scary&#8221; and others &#8220;shoddy,&#8221; arriving at results that are driven by financial rather than scientific concerns. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which inspects meat and poultry, allows these products to come into only 10 ports, the FDA must oversee imports coming into 326 ports, Nelson said. Unfortunately, the FDA has inspectors at only 91 of those ports. Importers know where their chances of avoiding inspections are greatest and work the system accordingly, the investigators said. Nelson described a disturbing finding related to Country of Origin Labeling: The true country of origin of imported wheat gluten and of vegetable protein is also a matter of some controversy. Committee staff was told that Europe generally, and the Netherlands specifically, is the principal source of wheat gluten imports. Staff witnessed, however, the unloading of wheat gluten declared as coming from China in 50-pound bags marked with the &#39;Wind Mill&#39; brand of a Dutch firm, Meelunie. The bags gave no indication that the product was from China, but indicated the supplier was in &#39;Amsterdam, Holland.&#39; Seven of the 13 FDA labs are slated for closure and the investigators visited all but one of them. In the process, investigators testified that they had tried repeatedly but were unable to get the FDA to provide analysis justifying what the investigators called a radical reorganization of the FDA. Representatives of five of the seven labs slated for closure came to the hearing to describe their work, which included testing for poisons in pet food, evaluating bioterrorism threats, checking for antibiotic contamination, and inspecting medical devices. They testified that they were being kept in the dark about the details of and the reasons for the proposed closings. Testifying last, FDA Administrator von Eschenbach argued that the FDA was working hard to improve its inspection system. The lab closings, he said, were part of an effort to consolidate resources and bring the FDA into the 21st Century. Von Eschenbach resisted the call from some members for mandatory standards for food safety practices, saying he preferred guidances. Several members of Congress have introduced legislation to overhaul the FDA&#39;s food inspection system, among them Senator Richard Durbin (D-Il), whose bill calls for fees on importers to be used for more and better inspections. Consumers Union is analyzing such proposals and will be weighing in on them in the near future....</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/food_safety_hearing_exposes_lack_of_oversight__513953605?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/food_safety_hearing_exposes_lack_of_oversight__513953605/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Food safety hearing exposes lack of oversight&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Three investigators working for the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation revealed some alarming findings about the government&#8217;s ability to conduct food safety oversight in a hearing last week. The day-long hearing, entitled &amp;quot;Diminished Capacity: Can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of Our Nation&#8217;s Food Supply?,&#34; featured testimony from the subcommittee investigators as well as consumer advocates, scientists from five FDA laboratories slated for closing and Andrew von Eschenbach, the head of the FDA, and three of his department heads. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;David Nelson, Senior Investigator for the full Committee kicked off the hearing by describing how the number of FDA investigators has dwindled since 2003 while the number of food imports has nearly doubled. He said the FDA inspects less than one percent of all imported foods and samples only a fraction of those it inspects. On a typical day in the San Francisco office, he said, a reviewer may examine 600 food entries, 300 medical device entries, 25 reagent entries and 25 drug entries on a computer screen. This is one entry every 30 seconds, giving the reviewer little time to take action. &#8220;A single entry of Chinese herbs can take more than an hour to review,&#8221; he said.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The FDA also &#8220;permits importers to take possession of even highly suspect goods and arrange for their testing by private laboratories,&#8221; Nelson said. These tests are then used as evidence that food is safe to enter the U.S. However, the laboratories are not certified by the FDA, despite the congressional investigators&#8217; findings that they often use incorrect methods or report incorrect results. FDA staff told investigators that certain independent labs were &#8220;scary&#8221; and others &#8220;shoddy,&#8221; arriving at results that are driven by financial rather than scientific concerns. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;While the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which inspects meat and poultry, allows these products to come into only 10 ports, the FDA must oversee imports coming into 326 ports, Nelson said. Unfortunately, the FDA has inspectors at only 91 of those ports. Importers know where their chances of avoiding inspections are greatest and work the system accordingly, the investigators said. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Nelson described a disturbing finding related to Country of Origin Labeling: &#34;The true country of origin of imported wheat gluten and of vegetable protein is also a matter of some controversy. Committee staff was told that Europe generally, and the Netherlands specifically, is the principal source of wheat gluten imports. Staff witnessed, however, the unloading of wheat gluten declared as coming from China in 50-pound bags marked with the &#39;Wind Mill&#39; brand of a Dutch firm, Meelunie. The bags gave no indication that the product was from China, but indicated the supplier was in &#39;Amsterdam, Holland.&#39;&#34;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Seven of the 13 FDA labs are slated for closure and the investigators visited all but one of them. In the process, investigators testified that they had tried repeatedly but were unable to get the FDA to provide analysis justifying what the investigators called a &#34;radical reorganization&#34; of the FDA. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Representatives of five of the seven labs slated for closure came to the hearing to describe their work, which included testing for poisons in pet food, evaluating bioterrorism threats, checking for antibiotic contamination, and inspecting medical devices. They testified that they were being kept in the dark about the details of and the reasons for the proposed closings. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Testifying last, FDA Administrator von Eschenbach argued that the FDA was working hard to improve its inspection system. The lab closings, he said, were part of an effort to consolidate resources and bring the FDA &#34;into the 21st Century.&#34; Von Eschenbach resisted the call from some members for mandatory standards for food safety practices, saying he preferred &#34;guidances.&#34; &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Several members of Congress have introduced legislation to overhaul the FDA&#39;s food inspection system, among them Senator Richard Durbin (D-Il), whose bill calls for fees on importers to be used for more and better inspections.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Consumers Union is analyzing such proposals and will be weighing in on them in the near future. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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						&lt;hr/&gt;
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/food_safety_hearing_exposes_lack_of_oversight__513953605?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34;  color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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</content:encoded>
            
            
                <category>Safety</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:47:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
        </item>
        
        <item>
            <title>Black &amp; Decker string trimmers/edgers recalled</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
            <guid>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</guid>
            <description>If you own a Black Decker GH1000 Grasshog XP String Trimmer/Edger, the following recall could affect you. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on July 20, 2007, recalled about 202,000 GH1000 Grasshog corded electric string trimmers/edgers. The spool, spool cap,...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Black &amp; Decker string trimmers/edgers recalled&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a onclick=&#34;window.open(this.href, &#39;_blank&#39;, &#39;width=102,height=160,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0&#39;); return false&#34; href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc7jyS6lYQSOMOOicEn9LrYh36JXU3teURZ1TguPN3-pnafFMNBspm-e1KWdojXZivLax2Ud3r1yNfzo9yqGN6c7xYwKTs4R_Yk*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img width=&#34;125&#34; height=&#34;196&#34; border=&#34;0&#34; src=&#34;http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/images/2007/07/23/grasshog.jpg&#34; title=&#34;Grasshog&#34; alt=&#34;Grasshog&#34; style=&#34;margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px; float: left;&#34; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
 If you own a Black &amp; Decker GH1000 Grasshog XP String Trimmer/Edger, the following recall could affect you.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on July 20, 2007, recalled about 202,000 GH1000 Grasshog corded electric string trimmers/edgers. The spool, spool cap, and pieces of trimmer string can come loose during normal use and become a laceration hazard; the GH1000 can also overheat, posing a burn risk.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;As of the recall date, Towson, Maryland&#8211;based Black &amp; Decker had received reports of 707 incidents, with 58 serious injuries that included two people receiving cuts on their legs requiring medical attention. Among the minor injuries, says the CPSC, were bruises, lacerations, and facial injuries; the manufacturer also received reports of property damage, including two broken windows.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The trimmers/edgers (about $70), made in China, were sold at major home centers and hardware stores nationwide from November 2005 through January 2007. They have date codes of 200546 through 200645, indicating manufacture dates of November 14, 2005, through November 6, 2006. You&#8217;ll find the date code on the underside of the handle. Note that only models with black spools caps are included in the recall; if yours has an orange spool cap, it is not part of the recall.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Stop using your Grasshog immediately and contact Black &amp; Decker at 888-742-9158 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday) for a free repair kit. For more information, including details on how to find the date code, go to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=lkghb5dLhNGRfyLoE6MMsd7_vS1Gk5LdpGLHSOSFAGllHGYOgzMTdvgWZO2NpQTiZdb5EX_cfAK4OgoRNHh9Iw**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Black &amp; Decker&#8217;s recalls page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Essential information: &lt;/strong&gt;If you&#8217;re in the market for a new string trimmer, read our &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4t-og2qfSSe52E3INqVN3z47xWUxAGYQNrFliOOAoQNzc7UgD10ViNa1v3DGExs3M3Ce_jFOFfWmV0ozdFNjgHSmzXcLRX9263OqKMtlQAsf&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;free buying advice&lt;/a&gt; and our report on this yard tool, &#8220;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4t-og2qfSSe52E3INqVN3z47xWUxAGYQNrFliOOAoQNzc7UgD10ViNY6ZHVRgYatxk3E3QZDRHKp44tkzUFNL1UMXbG55lqExg**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Better electrics for less&lt;/a&gt;.&#8221; The article includes &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3XJl0fLWUy_4t-og2qfSSe52E3INqVN3z47xWUxAGYQNrFliOOAoQNzc7UgD10ViNa1v3DGExs3M3UmeagyvHni652VBed8dfz9MSxKtUEMAa3ZPQaq7_my&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Ratings&lt;/a&gt; of three dozen gas and electric models (available to &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoAIdKA2gqi3VG3tt0L4qtR2tq4O9g9KOdQk61NMwki_uX2n8feEXXWFiwRqBgsTOI&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;subscribers&lt;/a&gt;). To learn how to stay on top of the latest recalls, see &#8220;&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc528BpKiAPRdeAFDtm7wMAnJArvhZnTxuZT5nutLEmwQ8nmsUk6ah12&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;CPSC steps out with million-consumer march&lt;/a&gt;,&#8221; and subscribe to the &lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=SQ7hXg4uOhivWSWaGOExPiAM1bgi8joz6HT52RUIBc733J9CunIjew**&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;Consumer Reports On Safety blog&lt;/a&gt; for in-depth news on important product-safety issues.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/font&gt;
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/_/black_decker_string_trimmersedgers_recalled__473498717?h=42ns3XNFVsghbYvvBdqvq7VmE1eJOXftMFuTbEcKVVvTRtbzVy1X173LUKyDYofs_vecXex9pemwy7qNeNa6bmP29Yd04_zvXFbMpB6UHUp5uivcMltaBbti0Kg8ni-5&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;font size=&#34;-1&#34;  color=&#34;#4682B4&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Update your feed preferences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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                <category>Home</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jul 2007 22:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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            <title>U.S. gas prices--Decrease</title>
            <link>http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/us_gas_pricesdecrease__688315242?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921</link>
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            <description>Gas prices decrease this week. National retail fuel price averages Regular gasoline/gallon $2.96 Diesel fuel/gallon $2.89Regional regular gasoline prices East coast $2.92 -New England $2.97 -Central Atlantic $2.94 -Lower Atlantic $2.90 Midwest $2.98 Gulf Coast $2.87 Rocky Mountain $3.04 West Coast $3.05 -California $3.12 Source: Energy Information Administration, 7/23/07...</description>
            
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						&lt;a href=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link/auto/us_gas_pricesdecrease__688315242?h=lkghb5dLhNHfZ0p8k80xQBSqNQiCg3NoPgzvTVhDuxg*&amp;f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&#34;&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/auto/us_gas_pricesdecrease__688315242/4.gif?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921&amp;s=AaxRW2aSfg39TykXEhMSkTEsbnVsbCwwLDA*&#34; align=&#34;left&#34; border=&#34;0&#34;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
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						&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;U.S. gas prices--Decrease&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
						&lt;font color=&#34;#333333&#34; size=&#34;-1&#34;&gt;&lt;div class=&#34;entry-body&#34;&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gas prices decrease this week.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;National retail fuel price averages&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;table bordercolor=&#34;#000033&#34; height=&#34;85&#34; cellspacing=&#34;0&#34; cellpadding=&#34;2&#34; width=&#34;29%&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#000000&#34; border=&#34;2&#34;&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=&#34;middle&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; width=&#34;72%&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;Regular gasoline/gallon&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td align=&#34;center&#34; width=&#34;28%&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$2.96&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td valign=&#34;middle&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;Diesel fuel/gallon&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;$2.89&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Regional regular gasoline prices&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;table cellspacing=&#34;1&#34; cellpadding=&#34;1&#34; width=&#34;29%&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#666666&#34; border=&#34;1&#34;&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width=&#34;67%&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;East coast&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; width=&#34;33%&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$2.92&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;&amp;nbsp; -New England&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$2.97&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;&#160; -Central Atlantic&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$2.94&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;&#160; -Lower Atlantic&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$2.90&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;Midwest&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$2.98&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;Gulf Coast&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$2.87&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;Rocky Mountain&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$3.04&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;West Coast&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$3.05&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;

&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td bgcolor=&#34;#eef6fb&#34;&gt;&#160; -California&lt;/td&gt;

&lt;td bordercolor=&#34;#cccccc&#34; align=&#34;center&#34; bgcolor=&#34;#deeef8&#34;&gt;$3.12&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style=&#34;font-size: 0.8em;&#34;&gt;Source: Energy Information Administration, 7/23/07&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

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                <category>Cars</category>
                        
            
            <author><![CDATA[info.rss@cro.consumer.org (Consumer Reports)]]></author>
            

            <source url="http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/link?f=4e420560-01dc-11dc-2662-0020ed73c921"><![CDATA[Consumer Reports]]></source>
            
            <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jul 2007 21:56:00 GMT</pubDate>
            
            
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