Monthly Archives: <span>September 2016</span>

Tesla’s Software Update Stops Automatic Steering if Driver is Inattentive

Tesla Motors says a software update to its Autopilot system will disable automatic steering if drivers don’t keep their hands on the wheel. The update also adds multiple features, including improved radar, better voice commands and an industry-first temperature control …

Greenland Ice Loss 40 Trillion Pounds More Than Previously Thought

Greenland is losing about 40 trillion pounds more ice a year than scientists had thought, according to a new study that used GPS to help estimate how much is melting. So instead of losing on average 550 trillion pounds of …

Torchmark Rulings Provide Framework for Successful Defense of California Insurance Trade Practices Actions

After a four year battle between the Torchmark Group (Globe Life et al) and the California Department of Insurance (CDI) over the CDI’s action alleging 697 claims settlement violations, the CDI dismissed the action on August 29, 2016. The dismissal …

Oklahoma Geoscience Center Receives Earthquake Sensor

With no signs earthquakes will stop rumbling in the state anytime soon, Oklahoma museums and schools are being targeted to participate in a nationwide citizen science project that tracks – or catches – seismic activity to learn more about quakes …

Blue Bell Supplier Denies Listeria in Product Before Going to Ice Cream Maker

A supplier of cookie dough that Blue Bell Creameries blamed for a possible listeria contamination of some of its ice cream said Thursday that its product tested negative for the pathogen before it was sent to the Texas-based company. Blue …

The Science Behind Chirps and Chimes Inside Modern Cars

Whether it’s the pleasant greeting when you slide into the driver’s seat or a loud, annoying beep that warns you of an imminent crash, there’s science behind the noises that your car makes. Nearly all automakers have engineers and others …

Penn State, Insurer Settle Fight That Revealed Sandusky Scandal Details

Penn State has settled a court fight with its insurer over payments to victims of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, a case that revealed new allegations about how early late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno knew of …

Though Strapped for Cash, New Mexico Missed $193M in Insurance Taxes

New Mexico failed to collect at least $193 million in taxes on insurance premiums over the past five years, even as the state struggles this year to close a major budget shortfall, according to an independent review of collections. New …

Chipotle Ads Attempt to Convince Consumers Food is Safe

Chipotle is making another push to convince people that its food won’t make them sick, with plans to run more newspaper and digital ads outlining the safety steps it has taken since last year’s E. coli outbreak. The ads beginning …

Washington Agency Proposes Small Increase in Workers’ Comp Rates for 2017

The rate paid for workers’ compensation coverage in Washington would rise by an average of 0.7 percent next year under a proposal released by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). Last year, L&I covered nearly 93,000 work-related …