Toxic flame retardant chemicals: Governor Brown’s fire safety regulation unveiled
Richard Holober: “…We are pleased Gov Brown has taken the important step forward to transform an obsolete regulation which follows the advice of safety experts, not chemical manufacturers.” Read More ›
California ballot prop would force state takeover of utilities
by Chris Clarke, KCET.org
The measure would abolish investor-owned power companies and replace them with the publicly owned California Electrical Utility District. Read More ›
California proposing new flame retardant regulations
by Jason Dearen, Sacramento Bee
California proposed regulations on Friday that would set new flammability standards and allow furniture and some children’s product manufacturers to stop using chemical flame retardants. Read More ›
Four online classes are deemed worthy of college credit
by Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times
The American Council on Education’s decision is viewed as as a reputation and financial boost for the emerging industry of massive open online courses. Read More ›
California may kill the use of flame retardants in furniture
The new draft is in response to a directive issued by Brown to improve fire safety while reducing exposure to toxic chemicals. Smoldering objects such as cigarettes, heaters, and extension cords, rather than open flames, are the biggest source of household fires. Read More ›
Medical Privacy and Your Rights
Personal information you give to your doctor is shared with insurance companies, pharmacies, researchers, and employers based on specific regulations. The privacy of your health records is protected by federal law, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA. Read More ›
Digital Privacy Protection
Enjoying online privacy can happen only if you know how to shield your online activity from outside predators that want to use your information primarily for financial gain. Read More ›
Retailers can demand personal data for downloads
by Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle
Richard Holober, executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, called the ruling “a gift to online businesses that have demonstrated a callous disregard for customer privacy.” Read More ›
Your employer may share your salary, and Equifax might sell that data
by Bob Sullivan, NBC News
The Equifax credit reporting agency has assembled what may be the most powerful private database of personal information ever created, containing 190 million employment and salary records. Read More ›
U.S. Postal Service to end Saturday delivery
by Lisa Rein and Ed O’Keefe, Washington Post
The financially struggling U.S. Postal Service said it will stop delivering mail on Saturdays but continue to disburse packages six days a week, an end-run around an unaccommodating Congress. Read More ›
California Supreme Court eviscerates credit card privacy law
The Supreme Court has given a gift to online businesses that have demonstrated a callous disregard for customer privacy. The decision is an affront to millions of Californians who care about privacy. Read More ›
California Supreme Court makes it easier for Apple, online businesses to collect personal data
by Howard Mintz, San Jose Mercury News
Online merchants can require consumers to furnish personal information to make credit-card purchases, a divided California Supreme Court ruled, delivering a blow to consumer advocates worried about privacy in cyberspace. Read More ›
Break over – California gas prices soar
by Mark Glover, Sacramento Bee
The break motorists received at gas pumps over the recent holidays is over. After generally stable at-the-pump costs, the price of gasoline in the Sacramento area spiked 21 cents over the past week to an average of $3.74 a gallon. Read More ›