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Q. My husband is getting a drinker’s nose. He reminds me of W.C. Fields. But my husband doesn’t really drink more than an occasional beer. I don’t get it.

13% increase in risk for neighborhoods with lots of fast food outlets

Living down the street from the golden arches could be hazardous to your health, according to a new study.

Bills on the rise for various ailments

Hospital admissions for the uninsured increased by a third between 1997 and 2006, rising from 1.7 million to 2.2 million stays, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The 34 percent increase is more than double the 14 percent rise in overall hospital admissions during the same period.

New treatment prevents overcharged immune system from causing blindness

A work accident leaves a woman blind in one eye. As she copes with the loss, within months the vision in the other, previously uninjured eye begins to blur, and the eye becomes red and inflamed.

30-year rates hit tempting levels for new buyers

Though the housing market remains a wreck, mortgage rates are making buying a home more tempting. The 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 5.16 for the week ending February 12, according to a survey by Freddie Mac.

Mortgage rescue plan aims to help responsible, troubled homeowners
By recent spending standards, its a fairly modest price tag; $75 billion to help distressed homeowners avoid foreclosure. But so far, the Obama plan to modify mortgages is winning applause from consumer advocates who say it could make a difference.

Wealthy Japanese got organs ahead of needy Chinese

China has banned all organ transplants for foreigners while it investigates reports that 17 Japanese tourists received illegal kidney and liver transplants while 1.5 million Chinese languished on waiting lists.

So much for antioxidant therapies; studies find no significant effect

Face it. There's no turning back the hands of time.

For more than 40 years, the prevailing explanation of why we get old has been tied to what is called oxidative stress. This theory holds that when molecules like free radicals, oxygen ions and peroxides build up in cells, they overwhelm the cells' ability to repair the damage they cause, and the cells age.

Filing for bankruptcy is not a decision most people take lightly, especially because it affects access to new credit, home loans and even employment opportunities, not to mention the emotional impact filing for bankruptcy can have.

GM could run out of money next month, Chrysler warns of bankruptcy

When Congress agreed in December to loan billions of dollars to Detroit automakers, it required them to submit a plan in March for turning around their failing business. The plan appears to be borrowing more money from the government.

Mortgage rescue plan aims to help responsible, troubled homeowners

If you're a homeowner struggling to make monthly payments and fight off foreclosure, you may have been heartened by the news Wednesday that President Obama has unveiled a "mortgage rescue" plan. But how, exactly, does it affect you?

Lack of concern by government agencies "criminal," say patients who fear the new inhalers will kill them

A ConsumerAffairs.com investigation about the new ban on chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) albuterol inhalers — and the problems many consumers are experiencing with the environmentally-friendly hydroflouroalkane (HFA) inhalers — has generated an outpouring of response from asthma patients nationwide.

Diseased gums can lead to endocarditis, other dangerous infections

If you're over 65, there's a very good reason to take good care of your teeth: It could save your life.

But not for coffee-drinkers who smoke

Go ahead, have that second, or even third, cup of coffee. Just don't have a cigarette while you're doing it.

Company will donate $10 million to establish new nationwide database

New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo's drive to clean up healthcare reimbursement has added CIGNA to its arsenal.

13 closed so far this year

Federal and state regulators were busy last week, closing insolvent banks in Florida, Illinois, Nebraska and Oregon. That brings to 13 the number of banks closed so far in 2009, and more than 80 since 2000.

Scam artists try to capture ATM, credit card numbers

Most scams go through cycles. The emerge as something new, claim a lot of victims, then go dormant for a while. When they resume, they normally target a whole new group of victims.

Chris Dodd's bill would speed reforms set for 2010

The Federal Reserve last year adopted new credit card rules that ban practices often cited as unfair to consumers, such as raising the interest rate on an existing credit card balance when the consumer is paying the credit card bill on time.

Do new rules pit human life against the ozone layer?

Victoria O. knew it the moment she took the first puff of her new inhaler. A burning sensation blistered the back of her throat. It moved down to her windpipe and into her lungs.

Company's bankruptcy won't necessarily derail litigation efforts

The peanut butter salmonella outbreak has already had wide-ranging and, in some cases devastating, consequences. It is likely only a matter of time before a class-action lawsuit is filed against the Peanut Corporation of America (“PCA”), the company whose contaminated peanuts are believed to be the source of the outbreak.

Recalls push scandalized company into Chapter 7

There's more bad news for the peanut processing company linked to the nationwide salmonella outbreak, which has sickened more than 600 people nationwide and may have caused the deaths of nine others.

Ruling not likely to end debate over widely-diagnosed disorder

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims has exonerated vaccines in the debate over the causes of autism.

Stock market surges on report of mortgage workout plan

As the government threw money at the banks to prevent an economic meltdown, millions of Americans asked, "hey, where's my bailout?" For struggling homeowners, it may be on the way.

Finding could make diagnosis more precise

Researchers have determined that a molecule produced by the body's metabolism could be used to differentiate between benign prostate tissue vs. localized and metastatic prostate cancer.

If you're in the market for a new GM or Chrysler product, it may be a good idea to join a credit union.

But numbers fall ten percent from December's high

Home foreclosures were up 18 percent in January over January 2008, but fell ten percent from December. RealtyTrac, which markets foreclosure data, said a moratorium by government agencies and lenders helped reduce January's numbers, but total foreclosures remain above 250,000, and significantly higher than last year.

Recession, slumping auto sales contribute to satellite broadcaster's woes

Struggling satellite broadcaster Sirius XM may be on the verge of bankruptcy. The New York Times reports the company is meeting with restructuring advisers in advance of a bankruptcy filing.

Silverado, Ram, Titan do poor job of protecting passengers

While the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Dodge Ram 1500, and Nissan Titan are billed as workhorses, tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that the side crash protection these 2009 model large pickups provide is wimpy, at best.

More Americans getting sent home the same day

Surgery once meant spending several days recuperating in a hospital, but increasingly Americans are getting sewn up and going home the same day. The number of outpatient surgery visits in the United States increased from 20.8 million visits in 1996 to 34.7 million visits in 2006, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Healthier eating can reduce risk of Alzheimer's

Eating a Mediterranean diet may slow one of the ravages of aging — mild memory loss. A report published in the Archives of Neurology says the diet appears to be associated with less risk of mild cognitive impairment — a stage between normal aging and dementia — or of transitioning from mild cognitive impairment into Alzheimer's disease.

Dear Credit Card Adviser,
I have at least three calls on my answering machine per week from companies telling me they can lower my credit card debt. I answered one such call and the person said they negotiate a lower rate. I replied, I can do the same if I call them myself; but he then claimed if I had $10,000 in debt, they could get that reduced to $5,800.

When it comes to saving money these days, even those expenses normally thought of as fixed are fair game -- like auto insurance.

Wall Street distinctly unhappy with latest government proposal

The Obama administration's proposed bank bailout plan, which landed with a resounded thud on Wall Street Tuesday, also contains money targeted at consumers.

Waiting for the government to act isn't the solution

We are hearing a lot these days about Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Personal Health Records (PHR) making health care more efficient and effective.

Daily vitamin pills show little effect in postmenopausal women

In a blow to the vitamin supplement industry, another clinical study suggests daily vitamin pills have little effectiveness in fighting off heart disease and cancer. On the heels of a study suggesting vitamins are of little help to men and another study finding that most children don't need supplements, the latest study focuses on postmenopausal women.

In a worsening economy, almost everyone is trimming the family budget. But don't be so quick with the scissors. Certain cuts might save you $25 or $50 today but cost you thousands later.

Study finds 70% higher risk in marijuana users

Using marijuana, either frequently or over a long time period, may significantly increase a man's risk of developing the most aggressive type of testicular cancer. That's the conclusion of researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, who have published their finding in the journal Cancer.

Lender to pay nearly $341,000 to homeowners facing foreclosure

Countrywide Financial Corporation, Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., Countrywide Home Loans Servicing, LP, and Full Spectrum Lending, Inc. have settled charges stemming from their subprime loan practices in West Virginia.

Study of California families finds bad examples set by adults

There may be a reason teenagers eat more burgers and fries than fruits and vegetables — their parents.

Nine closed so far this year

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has closed three more banks, bringing the total closed so far in 2009 to nine. Two of the banks are in California, the other is in Alabama.

Congressional Oversight Panel finds TARP overpaid for assets

The Treasury paid substantially more for the assets it purchased under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) than the market value of those assets at the time the deal was announced, according to a report by the Congressional Oversight Panel.

During the heady days of the mid-2000s, consumers were seduced by easy credit and pay-later promises. But not everyone jumped on the credit bandwagon. People who weren't old enough to get credit, lived in another country or just didn't need any credit may have missed the easy-lending parade.

Women love Valentine's Day, and why not? It's all about love and relationships and life's wonderful intangibles. It's also the one holiday each year that validates their Chocophilia and precludes interaction with their mother.

Hundreds of thousands of homebuyers may have been victimized

A class action lawsuit alleges that lending giant Wells Fargo profited off an unholy scheme with an appraiser owned by Wells Fargo’s parent company.

Only if powerful magnets are involved. Seriously, your pacemaker is safe.

Businesses shift to wealthier customers as economy tanks

New data from Mintel Comperemedia, a provider of information for the direct marketing industry, shows only 5.4 billion credit card direct mail offers were sent to Americans in 2008. This is the lowest annual total the firm has reported since 2000.

Mutant gene dampens energy-burning ability while leaving appetite intact

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have discovered a gene that when mutated causes obesity by dampening the body's ability to burn energy while leaving appetite unaffected.

Two bad tastes that taste bad together

You know tobacco smoke is bad for you. So is drinking too much alcohol. But researchers at the University of Alabama Birmingham say exposure to both second-hand smoke and alcohol significantly raises the risk of liver disease.

When it comes to retirement, no nest egg is ever too big.
But with an economic crisis draining the life from 401(k)s, IRAs and pension plans, a lot of people are asking themselves if they can still afford to retire early, on time or at all.

Dispute with Fair Isaac leads to cutoff after February 15th

For years, consumers have had it drilled into them that it's essential to check credit scores from the three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union — before applying for a job or a loan of any kind. But come February 15th, Experian will no longer be selling its data to Fair Isaac, creators of the FICO credit score that the vast majority of lenders rely on.

Senate hopes tax credit will revive the housing industry

Responding to criticism that the economic stimulus bill making its way through the U.S. Senate does nothing to help the beleaguered housing industry, lawmakers adopted an amendment that would, in effect, pay people to buy a home.

Osteoporotic fracture data studied for signs of increased mortality

If you're over 60 and suffer a broken bone, it can increase your risk of death over the next five to ten year, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Consumers not lulled by current low gas prices
Even though gas prices are a lot lower than they were a year ago, car shoppers have learned their lesson. Fuel economy ranks near the top in sought-after attributes, according to a survey by Consumer Federation of America.

Lender charged with deceptive lending practices

Countrywide Financial, at one time the nation's largest subprime lender, has entered into a settlement with the State of Maryland, resolving charges stemming from the company's loan origination practices.

If you have or are thinking of establishing an IRA, give yourself a pat on the back. A great resource for retirement, an IRA allows you to enjoy the benefits of compounding growth and tax savings. But the language of finance sometimes makes simple concepts seem more complicated.

Tough economy raises interset in work-at-home jobs

The Better Business Bureau is warning job hunters to beware of opportunities to work from home processing rebates.

Study finds reduction in colorectal cancers among women

Food containing soy may be an effective line of defense against colorectal cancer, especially in postmenopausal women. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine researchers found that women who consumed at least 10 grams of soy protein daily were one-third less likely to develop colorectal cancer in comparison to women who consumed little soy.

Attorneys General call on Feds to prevent foreclosures

Attorneys General from a dozen states are calling on the Office of the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) to encourage national banks and federal thrift servicing operations to modify large numbers of mortgage loans that are becoming unaffordable for consumers.

Even small changes in behavior can save lives

Some 48 percent of Americans don't have a carbon-monoxide detector at home, 24 percent sometimes fail to fasten a seatbelt, and 39 percent often eat raw dough when making cookies, according to a nationally representative poll of 1,000 Americans conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

Federal lawmakers simply cannot resist tinkering with the tax code. By one estimate, more than 500 tax law changes were made last year alone.