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Arnold lease hits the spot

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 13 April 2013 | 18.38

Arnold Worldwide's announcement that it will relocate to the Millennium Tower/Burnham Building complex next year is expected to heighten interest in Downtown Crossing office and retail space in addition to jump-starting the project's construction.

The advertising agency's lease for 125,000 square feet in the former Filene's building will inject a 700-strong youthful, creative workforce that will help set the tone for the district's revitalization, observers say.

Arnold's move will prompt other "world-class" companies to look at the area, said Rosemarie Sansone, president of the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District. "They had been courted by property owners in many different locations across the city for many years," she said. "A tenant of this magnitude and this stature is very, very important and sets the tone for all of the other pieces falling into place."

Leaks of developer Millennium Partners/Boston's talks with Arnold — headquartered at 101 Huntington Ave. for 15 years — already had sparked interest in Downtown Crossing from companies seeking office space, said developer Ron Druker, a major Downtown Crossing property owner.

"It's a real boost to the area," he said. "We've been attracting interest from tenants priced out of the Innovation District because of its great success and Kendall Square. We've seen this in our buildings on Kingston Street, where we recently rented space. Some of (the tenants) are startups, some of them are established companies, architects, high-tech."

Arnold and sister agency Havas Media hope to move into the fifth through eighth floors of the 1912 Burnham building on Sept. 1, 2014.

"They do things that are really cutting-edge, and it sets the tone for a workplace that is not your father's office building," said Anthony Pangaro, principal at Millennium Partners, which took over the long-stalled project last year.

Restoration of the Burnham building, the only Boston building by legendary Chicago architect Daniel Burnham, likely will start within a month. Construction of the adjacent 625-foot Millennium Tower will overlap and begin once the Burnham building's missing outer wall is replaced, Pangaro said,

Millennium has yet to sign other leases for the project, which includes 75,000 more square feet of office space and 135,000 square feet of retail space in the Burnham building, and 95,500 square feet of retail space in Millennium Tower, which will include 450 luxury residences.

In addition to a grocer, Millennium is seeking innovative retail companies.

"The Apple store has told us we don't build stores that you can't see into anymore, so we are looking for companies that are visually interesting, that tell the story of what they do on the street, through the facade," Pangaro said. "There's a lot of interest."

Arnold Boston president Pam Hamlin would like to see businesses move in that cater to the tastes and interests of the company's young employee base.

"We're the first company that is really a creative organization that's able to move into the area to help shape what this part of Boston looks like," she said.


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New Explorer packs some kick

Remember when Ford introduced the Explorer in the 1990s?

It was a handsome and useful replacement to the Bronco II and it hauled kids, gear and the family dog around with a hint of elan.

Now after delivering the kids to practice the 2013 Sport can lay down a reasonable patch of rubber and rocket to 60 in 6 seconds!

Powered by a 3.5-liter twin turbo-charged 365-horsepower V6, the same as the SHO, this Explorer has aggressive and bold lines, sport-tuned independent suspension and 20-inch wheels. Not that Ford is emphasizing the sport over the utility, as in SUV, but this vehicle and its price go nose to nose with many of the luxury imports.

Trimmed out with the navigation upgrade, our tester priced out at $45,670 on a $40,500 MSRP base. Packed full of nice standard features, the interior, although not as refined as some of the imports, is very nicely adorned with cross-stitched leather seats, tight and modern trim that doesn't feel cheap. I'd like a beefier steering wheel because it would complement the sports feel of the vehicle. And thank you engineers for finally sorting out the MyFord Sony infotainment center. Recently a true nightmare of non-functionality and complicated drill-downs, I found my way around the new version without having to pull over to read the instructions just to change the channel. Don't do this while driving, though.

You'll need another upgrade to get the luxury extras like parking assist, lane departure warnings and sunroof. This is a premium transporter in the elite class. It does offer the Terrain management system, a la Land Rover; a simple turn of the knob on the console and traction and height adjustments kick in to tackle your driving needs.

The dash is fitted with a simple single speedometer gauge augmented with electronic car data, information readouts and entertainment options that are operated from the steering wheel. Voice command responded well, making some functions, like a phone call, a snap.

The handling and ride are superb. A quiet cabin belies the powerful engine and although steering feel was muted, the nearly 5,000 pounds of truck had minimal body roll and cornered calmly. Heavier springs and larger brakes on this model make short work of the road. The six-speed automatic transmission on this all-time four-wheeler is tuned for speed and torque. A quick tap on the accelerator and the downshift is instant and powerful. It has the manual paddles for the enthusiast.

Where does the Explorer fall down?

It's the seats. They're just not very comfortable. Let's just forget the third row for anyone over 3 feet tall and give the adults in the second row some legroom. Because of the jamming, my passengers said they couldn't see out the windows because of the door pillars. They did, however, really like the independent rear climate control. Although manually flipping the two sets of rear seats down is a cumbersome process, it creates a solid 81 cubic feet of cargo space.

The Ecoboost engine squeezed almost 18 miles per gallon on average, which landed in the middle of the EPA estimates of 16 city and 22 highway.

This is a bold, fast and sure handling vehicle that will make short work of weekend chores and still deliver plenty of driving nuance for a spirited romp to work.

Measure this truck up against the Land Rover HSE, BMW X5, Audi Q5, Grand Cherokee and the Mercedes Benz ML 350 and it'll hold its own for performance and is the least expensive of the class.


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Medicare hike could also hit some in middle class

WASHINGTON — Retired as a city worker, Sheila Pugach lives in a modest home on a quiet street in Albuquerque, N.M., and drives an 18-year-old Subaru.

Pugach doesn't see herself as upper-income by any stretch, but President Barack Obama's budget would raise her Medicare premiums and those of other comfortably retired seniors, adding to a surcharge that already costs some 2 million beneficiaries hundreds of dollars a year each.

More importantly, due to the creeping effects of inflation, 20 million Medicare beneficiaries would end up paying higher "income related" premiums for their outpatient and prescription coverage over time.

Administration officials say Obama's proposal will help improve the financial stability of Medicare by reducing taxpayer subsidies for retirees who can afford to pay a bigger share of costs. Congressional Republicans agree with the president on this one, making it highly likely the idea will become law if there's a budget deal this year.

But the way Pugach sees it, she's being penalized for prudence, dinged for saving diligently.

It was the government, she says, that pushed her into a higher income bracket where she'd have to pay additional Medicare premiums.

IRS rules require people age 70-and-a-half and older to make regular minimum withdrawals from tax-deferred retirement nest eggs like 401(k)s. That was enough to nudge her over Medicare's line.

"We were good soldiers when we were young," said Pugach, who worked as a computer systems analyst. "I was afraid of not having money for retirement and I put in as much as I could. The consequence is now I have to pay about $500 a year more in Medicare premiums."

Currently only about 1 in 20 Medicare beneficiaries pays the higher income-based premiums, which start at incomes over $85,000 for individuals and $170,000 for couples. As a reference point, the median or midpoint U.S. household income is about $53,000.

Obama's budget would change Medicare's upper-income premiums in several ways. First, it would raise the monthly amounts for those currently paying.

If the proposal were already law, Pugach would be paying about $168 a month for outpatient coverage under Medicare's Part B, instead of $146.90.

Then, the plan would create five new income brackets to squeeze more revenue from the top tiers of retirees.

But its biggest impact would come through inflation.

The administration is proposing to extend a freeze on the income brackets at which seniors are liable for the higher premiums until 1 in 4 retirees has to pay. It wouldn't be the top 5 percent anymore, but the top 25 percent.

"Over time, the higher premiums will affect people who by today's standards are considered middle-income," explained Tricia Neuman, vice president for Medicare policy at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "At some point, it raises questions about whether (Medicare) premiums will continue to be affordable."

Required withdrawals from retirement accounts would be the trigger for some of these retirees. For others it could be taking a part-time job.

One consequence could be political problems for Medicare. A growing group of beneficiaries might come together around a shared a sense of grievance.

"That's part of the problem with the premiums — they simply act like a higher tax based on income," said David Certner, federal policy director for AARP, the seniors lobby.

"Means testing" of Medicare benefits was introduced in 2007 under President George W. Bush in the form of higher outpatient premiums for the top-earning retirees. Obama's health care law expanded the policy and also added a surcharge for prescription coverage.

The latest proposal ramps up the reach of means testing and sets up a political confrontation between AARP and liberal groups on one side and fiscal conservatives on the other. The liberals have long argued that support for Medicare will be undermined if the program starts charging more for the well-to-do. Not only are higher-income people more likely to be politically active, they also tend to be in better health.

Fiscal conservatives say it makes no sense for government to provide the same generous subsidies to people who can afford to pay at least some of the cost themselves. As a rule, taxpayers pay for 75 percent of Medicare's outpatient and prescription benefits. Even millionaires would still get a 10 percent subsidy on their premiums under Obama's plan. Technically, both programs are voluntary.

"The government has to understand the difference between universal opportunity and universal subsidy," said David Walker, the former head of the congressional Government Accountability Office. "This is a very modest step towards changing the government subsidy associated with Medicare's two voluntary programs."

It still doesn't sit well with Sheila Pugach. She says she's been postponing remodeling work on her 58-year-old house because she's concerned about the cost. Having a convenient utility room so she doesn't have to go out to the garage to do laundry would help with her back problems.

"They think all old people are living the life of Riley," she said.


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Feds give up to 1 year break on mortgage payments

NEW YORK — Federal mortgage payment relief has been extended up to one year for more than 200,000 homeowners whose houses were damaged by Superstorm Sandy.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced the extension for homeowners with Federal Housing Administration-insured loans on Friday.

A previous mortgage payment extension for federally-backed home loans was set to expire on April 30. About 286,000 homeowners with FHA-insured loans were affected by the late October storm, with nearly 96,000 in New York.

Donovan said the 12-month extension was meant to help homeowners still struggling to rebuild avoid foreclosure.


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Presses rolling on Herald site revamp

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 12 April 2013 | 18.38

National Development, which yesterday marked the start of the $200 million redevelopment of the former Boston Herald headquarters into the Ink Block, is finalizing plans for the mixed-use project's fourth and final building.

"We hope to make an announcement in the next 60 days on when we'll start and what we plan to do," managing partner Ted Tye said.

The Newton company this week will begin tearing down the Herald's former 54-year-old home to make way for 471 apartments, a 50,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market and 35,000 square feet of restaurants, shops and entertainment options.

A February 2015 opening is targeted.

City officials said the Ink Block will reconnect two neighborhoods split by the MassPike extension.

"It's taking the connection between Chinatown and the South End and bringing them together," Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said. "Projects like the Ink Block foster a sense of neighborhood vitality and vibrance."

The Chinese Progressive Association hopes Chinatown residents will have access to some of the project's 400 construction and 100 permanent jobs. It's seeking a first-source hiring pact for development projects in Chinatown and the surrounding area. "The good jobs are needed to help people continue to be able to live in the neighborhood and the city of Boston as a whole," deputy director Mark Liu said.

Herald publisher/owner Patrick J. Purcell sold the 6.6-acre site to National Development in 2007 for undisclosed terms and has a minority stake in the new development.

The Herald moved to new headquarters in South Boston's Innovation District last year.

When the former Herald building goes down, "there will be a lot of nostalgia that goes down with it," Tye said, noting the "heart and spirit" and "roll-up-your-sleeves" attitude of Herald workers.

The "B" and "H" from the Boston Herald sign that topped the building were revamped by Roxbury artist Cyrille Conan and will hang in the common area of the Ink Block apartments.


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Broadcasters display mobile TV dongles at NAB Show

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 11 April 2013 | 18.38

LAS VEGAS — The key weapon in TV broadcasters' fight with Internet video upstart Aereo is something inelegantly known as a dongle.

The miniature TV antenna picks up free, mobile broadcast signals. It attaches to iPhone and iPad power ports and extends about 7 inches, allowing users to view live local TV channels at not-quite-high-definition quality.

The device scans the airwaves for signals with the help of an app. The antenna doesn't sap a user's data plan or rely on Wi-Fi signals, but it does need to be recharged.

"If you're at a ball game or a Starbucks and everyone's trying to access the news, you're not going to get (video stoppages)," says Karen McCall, a marketing representative with Dyle Mobile TV, the venture backing the devices.

The dongles are on display at the annual gathering of broadcasters, the NAB Show, taking place this week at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Dyle says it plans to release units for Android devices soon.

Dyle is a coalition of 12 major broadcasters and networks such as Fox and NBC. The networks, along with ABC and CBS, are waging a legal fight against Aereo, a service that pulls down broadcast station signals with thousands of tiny antennas and sends the signal to mobile devices or computers over the Internet. Aereo users don't require a dongle, just a wireless Internet or cellphone connection.

Broadcasters contend that Aereo illegally steals signals from the air without paying for the rights before reselling them to customers. Aereo has prevailed so far. It won a preliminary ruling in an appeals court last week that allowed it to continue offering its service in the New York City area. It plans to expand to Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington and 18 other U.S. markets this spring.

Dyle began selling its dongles, made by companies such as Elgato and Escort, late last year on Amazon.com.

Elgato's EyeTV Mobile sells for $83.98 or more, while Escort's Mobile Digital TV lists for $119.99.

Compared to the $8-per-month streaming service by Aereo, the price seems high, but the dongles have the backing of major broadcasters.

The Elgato and Escort devices were designed before Apple reduced the size of the power ports on its newer iPhones and iPads. As a result, people who use the latest iPad and iPhone 5 will need to employ an adapter, which can make the contraption extend somewhat precariously.

The gadgets receive signals only from stations that specifically broadcast to mobile devices. So far, the dongles will work for the signals from 116 stations in 39 markets including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Signals come from affiliates of NBC, CBS, Fox, Univision and Telemundo, among others.


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PC outlook darkens as sales slump deepens in 1Q

SAN FRANCISCO — The ailing personal computer market is getting weaker, and it's starting to look as if it will never fully recover as a new generation of mobile devices reshapes the way people use technology.

The latest evidence of the PC's infirmity emerged Wednesday with the release of two somber reports showing unprecedented declines in sales of desktop and laptop machines during the first three months of the year.

As if that news wasn't troubling enough, it appears that a pivotal makeover of Microsoft's ubiquitous Windows operating system seems to have done more harm than good since the software was released last October.

"This is horrific news for PCs," said BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis. "It's all about mobile computing now. We have definitely reached the tipping point."

First-quarter shipments of PCs fell 14 percent worldwide from the same time last year, according to International Data Corp. That's the deepest quarterly drop since the firm started tracking the industry in 1994. Another research firm, Gartner Inc., pegged the first-quarter decline at 11 percent.

The deviation stemmed in part from the firms' slightly different definitions of PCs.

No matter how things are parsed, the PC market is in the worst shape since IBM Corp. released a desktop machine in 1981. PC sales have now fallen from their year-ago levels in four consecutive quarters, a slide that has been accelerating even amid signs that the overall economy is getting healthier.

PCs are going out of style because they typically cost more than smartphones and tablets, and aren't as convenient to use. Most PCs sell for $500 to $1,500 while the initial out-of-pocket expense for a smartphone runs as low as $99 while an array of tablets sell for $200 to $300.

Apple's late CEO Steve Jobs, whose company propelled the mobile computing revolution with the 2007 release of the iPhone, declared that the world was entering a "post-PC era" shortly after the iPad came out three years ago.

In a June 2010 appearance at a technology conference, Jobs likened challenges facing the PC industry to what happened to trucks in the U.S. decades ago as a shift away from farming caused more people to move into cities where they wanted to drive cars instead. "I think PCs are going to be like trucks," Jobs predicted at the time. "Less people will need them."

The traditional PC still has a long way to go before it becomes obsolete.

Despite the dismaying start in the first quarter, more than 300 million PCs are still expected to be sold worldwide this year. Tablet computers, a category that was insignificant until the iPad came along, is catching up rapidly: Nearly 200 million of those deices could be sold this year. Meanwhile, worldwide smartphone sales could surpass 1 billion units this year, Gillis predicted.

PC sales could be undermined even more during the next few years with the release of "wearable computing" devices that connect to the Internet through voice-activated equipment attached to glasses and wristwatches.

The growing reliance on mobile devices is creating new opportunities and tensions throughout the technology industry. Internet companies such as Yahoo Inc. and Facebook Inc. that initially designed their digital services to be primarily consumed on PCs have been scrambling to tweak things so they work better on smartphones and tablets.

But the companies most threatened by the mobile upheaval are those that depend on PCs to make most of their money. This group includes technology heavyweights such as Windows maker Microsoft, PC makers Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc. and PC chip maker Intel Corp.

"It's time for these companies to make some critical decisions and ask themselves, 'How are we going to turn this ship around?'" said technology industry analyst Patrick Moorhead.

Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer thought he had come up with a tonic last fall when his company released a radical new version of Windows last fall. Windows 8 has a completely new look that's similar to the design of the software running the most popular smartphones and tablet computers. The overhaul requires a relearning process, a leap that many consumers and corporate buyers aren't ready to take.

All signs so far point to Windows 8 being a flop.

"Unfortunately, it seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only didn't provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market," IDC Vice President Bob O'Donnell said.

The newest version of Windows is designed to work well with touch-sensitive screens, but the displays add to the cost of a PC. Together, the changes and higher prices "have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices," O'Donnell said.

In a statement, Microsoft described the PC market as "evolving and highly dynamic." Referring to a number that it has previously released, the company said it has sold more than 60 million copies of Windows 8 so far. That is "a strong start by any measure," Microsoft said. "Along with our partners we continue to bring even more innovation to market across tablets and PCs."

In its tally, IDC excludes tablets, even if they run PC-style software. It also excludes any device that has a detachable keyboard. With the release of Windows 8, PC makers have been reviving their experiments with tablet-laptop hybrids, some of which have detachable keyboards. Consumers are likely to have shifted some of their buying away from traditional laptops and toward these new devices, which means that the total sales decline of Windows-based devices might not be quite as drastic as IDC's numbers suggest.

Windows 8's poor sales start could amplify periodic calls for Microsoft to replace Ballmer, who replaced company co-founder Bill Gates as CEO nearly 13 years ago. "This puts a lot more pressure on Ballmer because Windows 8 is at the epicenter of all this," Moorhead said.

Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Wash., will take questions from industry analysts April 18 when it's scheduled to release its latest quarterly results. Ballmer usually doesn't participate in those sessions.

Microsoft shares fell 55 cents, or nearly 2 percent, to $29.73 in extended trading, after the release of the sales reports.

Hewlett-Packard., the world's largest PC maker, saw a 24 percent drop in shipments in the first quarter compared with the same period a year ago. That was HP's steepest quarterly decline since the company bought rival PC maker Compaq a decade ago.

HP shares fell 60 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $21.72 in extended trading.

Meanwhile, the industry's No. 2, China's Lenovo Group, is benefiting from sales to first-time buyers in China and other developing countries. As a result, it held sales steady, alone among the world's top 5 PC makers, according to IDC's figures.

Dell Inc., the third-largest PC maker, suffered an 11 percent decline in the quarter. The bad news could be helpful to the Round Rock, Texas, company's attempts to sell itself for $24.4 billion to a group that includes CEO Michael Dell. Some shareholders believe the proposed sales price of $13.65 per share is too low, but Dell's board has argued it's a generous offer, given the deteriorating conditions in the PC industry — a point that may carry more weight now that the latest sales numbers are out.

Dell's stock dipped a penny in extended trading to $14.20.

___

Svensson reported from New York.


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Takeover of Weymouth hospital moves forward

BOSTON — The state Public Health Council has voted to grant a license to transfer ownership of South Shore Hospital in Weymouth to Partners HealthCare System.

Council members, on a 9-to-1 vote with one abstention, approved a "determination of need" certificate under which Boston-based Partners, the state's largest hospital and physicians' organization, would become sole corporate owner of the 378-bed regional hospital.

The vote was the first step in an ongoing regulatory process.

The Boston Globe (http://b.globe.com/10VE2gs ) reports that takeover critics questioned whether Wednesday's vote would trump federal and state agencies' scrutiny of the deal. The U.S. Justice Department examines antitrust implications of proposed acquisitions.

Partners, which owns Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's hospitals in Boston along with seven other hospitals, is cooperating with the Justice Department inquiry.

___

Information from: The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/globe


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China's ex-train boss charged in bribery case

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 10 April 2013 | 18.38

BEIJING — The ex-railways minister who led the rapid expansion of China's bullet train network has been charged with taking bribes and abusing his power in one of China's biggest graft investigations.

A court press office official said they had received the lawsuit against Liu Zhijun from prosecutors on Wednesday morning. "The date of the trial will be released in due time," said the official at the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court, who refused to give his name, as is common with Chinese officials.

Liu was appointed railways minister in 2003 and dismissed in February 2011 for unspecified discipline violations.

News reports suggested charges against him might include taking kickbacks and bribes, illegally awarding contracts and engaging in sexual liaisons.

Liu led the rapid growth of China's bullet train network, which has become the world's biggest. Following his firing and a fatal crash in July 2011 that killed some 40 people, the government scaled back ambitious expansion plans.

Even before the 2011 disaster, the bullet train was a target of critics who said it was dangerously fast and too expensive for a society where the poor majority need more low-cost transportation, not record-setting speeds.


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NH jury: Exxon Mobil owes $236M over gas chemical

CONCORD, N.H. — An order for Exxon Mobil to pay $236 million in damages for groundwater contamination is by far the largest verdict in state history but represents only about two days' worth of profit for the energy company, an industry analyst said.

Fadel Gheit, managing director of oil and gas research and a senior analyst at Oppenheimer & Co., said the verdict won't put a dent in Exxon Mobil's bottom line.

"Exxon will probably make close to a $40 billion profit this year," Gheit said. "That's two days' work."

He said it's no surprise that Exxon Mobil would take the state's 10-year-old contamination lawsuit to trial, saying the company "will make you sweat for every dollar you think you're going to get." Company leaders view it as a matter of principle, he said.

The jurors reached their verdict against the Irving, Texas-based energy company in less than 90 minutes after sitting through nearly three months of testimony. Lawyers on both sides were stunned by the speed with which they reached the verdict on liability and even more stunned when they took barely 20 minutes more to fill out the damages verdict.

Juror Dawn Booker, of Pembroke, said all 12 jurors felt "very, very confident about our decision."

"It was just cut and dry," Booker said. "We all pretty much had our own decision before we went in there."

Although the state's burden of proof was a preponderance of the evidence, or 51 percent, as the judge explained, Booker said it was "way more than 51 percent for New Hampshire."

Lawyers for Exxon Mobil Corp. say they will appeal and file motions that could land the case back to the courtroom before month's end. A motion to set aside the verdict is common in civil liability cases.

Exxon Mobil lawyer David Lender said "erroneous rulings" prevented the jurors from hearing all the evidence and deprived the company of a fair trial.

"We have strong legal and factual arguments to make on appeal," he said.

Attorney General Michael Delaney called the verdict and award "historic" and said the state will vigorously defend them on appeal.

The panel awarded the state all $236 million it was seeking from Exxon Mobil to monitor and remediate groundwater contaminated by MTBE, a chemical added to gasoline to reduce smog but found to travel farther and faster in groundwater than gasoline without the additive. A teaspoon, experts testified, can cause widespread contamination.

The verdict is more than twice the $105 million jurors awarded the New York City Water District in 2009 in its case against Exxon Mobil over MTBE contamination. That case is on appeal.

California law firm Sher Leff, which won the New York City verdict, was hired by New Hampshire near the outset of its 2003 lawsuit to try its case against Exxon Mobil.

Jurors found that Exxon Mobil was negligent in adding MTBE to its gasoline and that MTBE was a defective product. They also found Exxon Mobil liable for failing to warn distributors and consumers about its contaminating characteristics.

The jury found damages in the amount of $816 million, but that award was reduced to 28.9 percent of the total, reflecting Exxon's market share of gasoline sold in the state between 1988 and 2005.

Lawyers for Exxon Mobil argued the company used MTBE to meet federal Clean Air Act mandates to reduce air pollution and should not be held liable for sites contaminated by other retail businesses.

Exxon Mobil was the sole remaining defendant of the 26 the state sued in 2003. Citgo was a co-defendant when the trial began in January, but it began settlement negotiations with the state and withdrew from the trial. Citgo ultimately settled for $16 million, bringing the total the state has collected in MTBE settlement money to $136 million.

Attorney Matt Pawa, of the Pawa Law Group in Boston, has been involved in the case from the start and brought in the Sher Leff firm. He said perseverance paid off.

"When you seek justice against one of the world's biggest corporations, you have to stick it out for the long haul," he said.

Jurors had more than 400 exhibits to sift through, including memos and reports dating back decades. Those memos included some in which Exxon Mobil researchers warned against using MTBE gasoline because of the extensive harm it can do to groundwater.


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Dockworkers ratify new 6-year contract

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — Dockworkers along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico have ratified a new six-year contract, ending more than a year of negotiations.

The International Longshoremen's Association, AFL-CIO, posted news of the ratification on its website late Tuesday. It said vote totals from its 14,500 longshoremen were still being tallied but that the contract was "overwhelmingly approved."

The contract between the longshoremen and the U.S. Maritime Alliance originally expired Sept. 30, 2012. Federal mediators negotiated extensions to avert possible strikes that could have crippled operations at major ports along the East Coast.

The union said the contract includes wage increases totaling $3 an hour spread out over the life of the agreement. By the final year of the new contract the hourly pay rate will be $35 an hour.

The progressive pay scale for lower tiered workers also will be shortened to six years from nine years. A new union member earning a base pay of $20 an hour at the start of the new contract will earn $35 an hour by the end of the six years.

Among the job protections won was contract language that "strongly protects" union workers who have been displaced due to new technology and automation, and terms that restrict outsourcing or subcontracting of Longshoremen's Association jobs to non-union employers.

No charges will be made to the health care plan.

"We all worked very hard, achieved landmark improvements and protected our members and our union for many years," said ILA President Harold J. Daggett.

Members of the Maritime Alliance, an alliance of container carriers, direct employers, and port associations serving the East and Gulf Coasts, will vote to ratify the contract on April 17.


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China recovery dogged by doubt as data questioned

BEIJING — China reported stronger trade in March in a possible positive sign for its recovery but analysts said the data might be inflated and give a distorted picture of the economy's health.

Imports rose 14.1 percent after growing 5 percent rate for the combined January-February period, customs data showed Wednesday, suggesting Chinese manufacturers and consumers might be buying more.

Export growth slowed to 10 percent from the previous two-month period's 23.6 percent. That could add to challenges for newly installed Communist Party leaders as they try to sustain the rebound from China's deepest downturn since the 2008 global crisis and avoid job losses.

Analysts said, though, the data might be distorted by companies misreporting trade or government manipulation, clouding the picture of whether an economic recovery is gaining traction.

Exports probably are lower than reported, based on what is known about shipments into Hong Kong, which Beijing lists as its biggest trading partner, said Francis Lun, chief economist of GE Oriental Financial Group. Hong Kong is Chinese territory but is treated as a separate customs region.

"The figures in Hong Kong to and from China do not add up," he said. "Instead of 10 percent growth, you have 2 or 3 percent."

China's economic growth rose to 7.9 percent in the three months ending in December, up from the previous quarter's 7.4 percent. Analysts say the recovery from the country's deepest downturn since the 2008 global crisis is being propped up by government spending and could be vulnerable if trade or state-driven investment weakens.

Commentators raised questions after China's strong trade data failed to match up with much lower figures reported by its trading partners.

Some suggested companies might be reporting phony exports to get tax rebates or to evade Beijing's strict capital controls and move money into China with fictitious billing of foreign customers. Others say Beijing might have exaggerated trade volume to make the economy look healthier during the transition to new Communist Party leaders in recent months.

"Today's trade data release has not instilled any more confidence in either the quality of data or the strength of the recovery," said IHS Global Insight analyst Alistair Thornton in a report.

Other indicators show economic activity recovering but at a slow pace. A survey of manufacturing by a Chinese industry group showed activity improved in March but by only a fraction of one point on a 100-point scale.

Also in March, inflation fell, suggesting consumer demand might be weaker than authorities hoped.

Referring to February's explosive reported export growth, Alaistair Chan of Moody's Analytics said in a report, "It now seems that it was probably due to some issue with the reporting of exports, or possibly over-invoicing as firms evaded capital controls to bring in more foreign capital."

Chinese customs officials defended their data Wednesday at a news conference.

"Every dollar that is listed in the customs trade data can be traced back to an actual declaration form," said Zheng Yuesheng, a spokesman for the bureau. "The exported or imported goods listed on the declaration form have to be something shipped across the border, either in or out."

Beijing's capital controls and tax breaks and other privileges for foreign investors give Chinese companies an incentive to covertly bring in money from abroad. Economists believe a large share of China's reported foreign investment is money sent abroad by Chinese companies and "round-tripped" back into the country.

China's trade is volatile in the first few months of each year as companies shut down for several weeks during the Lunar New Year and then buy raw materials to resume production.

March exports rose to $182.2 billion while imports were $183.1 billion, leaving a rare monthly deficit of $900 million, according to the General Administration of Customs.

The trade surplus with the United States narrowed by 34 percent from a year earlier to $11 billion. The surplus with the 27-nation European Union shrank 35 percent to $5.3 billion.

Exports to Germany, China's biggest European trading partner, fell 7 percent while shipments to France declined 6.7 percent.

Analysts have warned Beijing also faces possible risks from a rapid rise in bank lending and local government debt, part of which paid for the stimulus that helped China rebound quickly from the 2008 crisis.

The ratings agency Fitch cut its rating on China's long-term local currency sovereign debt late Tuesday, citing potential risks from rapid growth in credit and local government debt loads. The rating was cut from AA- to a still healthy A+.

The change is unlikely to cause trouble for the government because it has relatively low debt levels compared with other major economies. Fitch left its rating on China's foreign-currency government debt unchanged.

Fitch said its analysts believe China's total credit may have risen to the equivalent of 198 percent of gross domestic product by the end of 2012 from 125 percent in 2008. It said that includes bank credit and informal lending used by entrepreneurs who often cannot get loans from the state-owned financial industry.

Debt of local governments rose to 25.1 percent of GDP at the end of 2012 from 23.4 percent a year earlier, Fitch said.

"Risks over China's financial stability have grown," said a Fitch statement. It warned that "underlying structural weaknesses" including relatively low economic development despite rapid growth "weigh on China's ratings."

___

AP Business Writer Pamela Sampson in Bangkok and researcher Flora Ji in Beijing contributed.

___

General Administration of Customs of China: www.customs.gov.cn


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The Ticker

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 09 April 2013 | 18.38

J.C. Penney's CEO fired

J.C. Penney's board of directors has ousted CEO Ron Johnson after only 16 months on the job as a risky turnaround strategy backfired and led to massive losses and steep sales drops.

The department store chain said that it has rehired Johnson's predecessor Mike Ullman, 66, who was CEO of the department store chain for seven years until November 2011.

The announcement comes as a growing chorus of critics including a former Penney CEO, Allen Questrom, called for Johnson's resignation as they lost faith in an aggressive overhaul plan that included getting rid of most discounts in favor of everyday low prices and bringing in new brands.

Mass. gas prices drop again

Bay State gas prices are down another three cents this week, according to AAA Southern New England.

Self-serve, regular unleaded gas is currently averaging $3.56 a gallon, three cents lower than the national average of $3.59. Local prices are down 13 cents over the past month.

A year ago at this time the Massachusetts average price was $3.87.

White confirmed to lead SEC

The U.S. Senate confirmed Mary Jo White's nomination as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, making her the first former prosecutor to lead the federal agency that oversees Wall Street.

White was approved by a Senate voice vote. She will replace Elisse Walter, who has been interim SEC chairman since Mary Schapiro resigned in December.

TODAY

 The Wentworth Institute of Technology hosts a "Pitchfest" event on campus where students present their startup ideas in the hopes of receiving funding.

TOMORROW

 The Federal Reserve releases minutes from its March interest-rate meeting.

 Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham break ground for the new Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center & Surgical Pavilion in Needham.

 IdeaPaint of Ashland has promoted John Stephans, left, to the position of president. Stephans, who succeeds outgoing president Bob Munroe and was formerly senior vice president of marketing, innovation and operations at the company. Prior to that, Stephans was senior vice president of strategic and product marketing at Monster.

 Boston-based Direxion has hired Eric Falkeis as president and chief operating officer of Rafferty Asset Management, the advisor to Direxion Funds and Direxion Shares. Falkeis was most recently chief financial officer and director of exchange-traded fund operations at U.S. Bancorp Fund Services.


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Amtrak ridership hitting record levels in FY 2013

NEW YORK — Amtrak says ridership has increased in the first six months of fiscal year 2013, with ridership in March setting a record as the single best month ever in Amtrak's history.

The railroad says ridership grew nearly one percent from October 2012 to March despite disruptions from weather, including Superstorm Sandy. Amtrak said 26 of 45 routes had rider increases.

Amtrak was expected to release full data on the ridership numbers on Tuesday morning.

The railroad says October, December and January also set individual monthly records.

Amtrak says it expects to end the fiscal year in September either meeting or exceeding last year's total of 31.2 million riders.


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JC Penney looks to old CEO to secure its future

NEW YORK — J.C. Penney is hoping its former CEO can revive the retailer after a risky turnaround strategy backfired and led to massive losses and steep sales declines.

The company's board of directors ousted CEO Ron Johnson after only 17 months on the job. The department store chain said late Monday, in a statement, that it has rehired Johnson's predecessor, Mike Ullman, 66, who was CEO of the department store chain for seven years until November 2011.

The announcement comes as a growing chorus of critics including a former Penney CEO, Allen Questrom, called for Johnson's resignation as they lost faith in an aggressive overhaul that included getting rid of most discounts in favor of everyday low prices and bringing in new brands.

The biggest blow came Friday from his strongest supporter, activist investor and board member, Bill Ackman, who had pushed the board in the summer of 2011 to hire Johnson to shake up the dowdy image of the retailer. Ackman, whose company Pershing Square Capital Management, is Penney's biggest shareholder, reportedly told investors that Penney's execution "has been something very close to a disaster."

On Saturday, Ullman received a phone call from Penney's chairman Thomas Engibous asking him to take back his old job, according to Penney spokeswoman Kate Coultas. The board met Monday and decided to fire Johnson.

Neither Johnson nor Ullman were available for an interview.

The early reaction to the shakeup was negative. J.C. Penney shares tumbled 96 cents, or 6.1 percent, to $14.91 in trading about three hours before the market opening on Tuesday.

Until early last week, some analysts thought the board would give Johnson, a former Apple Inc. and Target Corp. executive, until later this year to reverse the sales slide. A key element of Johnson's strategy was opening new shops featuring hot brands to help turn around the business. They began opening last year and had been faring better than the rest of the store.

"I truly believed that he had until holiday 2013," said Brian Sozzi, CEO and chief equities strategist Belus Capital Advisers. "Today's announcement is an indictment of his strategy."

Under Ullman, the chain brought in some new brands such as beauty company Sephora and exclusive names like MNG by Mango, a European clothing brand, but he didn't do much to transform the store's stodgy image or to attract new customers. He's expected to serve mostly as a stabilizing force, not someone who will make changes that will completely turn the company around.

"What they need is a little bit of stability and essentially adult supervision," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail consultancy. "(Ullman) did nip-and-tuck surgery," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail consultancy. "But this was a place that needed radical surgery."

Sozzi said he thinks that Ullman will only serve as an interim CEO. He expects the Plano, Texas company's board will hand off the job to another executive who may want to take the company private. Ullman is getting a base salary of $1 million and the company didn't sign an employment agreement, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Johnson's removal marks a dramatic fall for the executive who came to Penney with much fanfare. There were lofty expectations for the man who made Apple's stores cool places to shop, and before that, pioneered Target's successful "cheap chic" strategy by bringing in products by people such as home furnishings designer Michael Graves at discount-store prices.

Few questioned Johnson's savvy when it was announced in June 2011 that he was leaving his role as Apple's senior vice president of retail to take over the top job at Penney, a chain that had gained a reputation in recent years of having boring stores and merchandise.

But Johnson's strategy led to spiraling sales and losses. The initial honeymoon with Wall Street ended soon after customers didn't respond favorably to his changes. Johnson revised his strategy several times in an attempt to bring back shoppers with little success. The turnaround plan was closely watched by industry observers who wanted to see if Johnson could actually change shoppers' behavior. The plan failed and now worries are mounting about the company's future.

Penney's stock price Monday evening showed investors' frustration with Johnson and it's uncertainty about Penney's future. When news began to leak after the market closed that Penney was ousting Johnson, the stock, which had closed at $15.87 in the regular session, climbed nearly 13 percent to $17.88 in after-hours trading. But as pleased as investors were about getting rid of Johnson, they didn't appear impressed with his replacement. After Penney announced Ullman would take over, the stock reversed course falling as far as 11 percent from its regular closing price, to $14.10. That's 21 percent from its after-hours high.

Johnson's future at Penny became uncertain after the department store retailer reported dismal fourth-quarter results in late February that capped the first full year of a transformation plan gone wrong. Penney amassed nearly a billion dollars in losses and its revenue tumbled almost 25 percent, from the previous year, to $12.98 billion.

Under Johnson, 54, Penney ditched coupons and most of its sales events in favor of everyday low prices. It's bringing in hipper designer brands such as Betsey Johnson and updating stores by installing specialty shops devoted to brands such as Levi's to replace rows of clothing racks. Johnson's goal was to reinvent Penney's business into a trendy place to shop in a bid to attract younger, wealthier shoppers. Johnson, the mastermind behind Apple's profitable stores, rolled out his plan and it turned off shoppers who were used to heavy discounting. Once-loyal customers have strayed from the 1,100-store chain. It hasn't been able to attract new shoppers to replace them.

Initially, Wall Street supported Johnson's ideas. In a vote of confidence, investors drove Penney's stock up 24 percent to $43 after Johnson announced his vision in late January 2012. But as Johnson's plans unraveled, Penney's stock lost more than 60 percent of its value. Credit rating agencies downgraded the company deeper into junk status. On Monday, the stock closed down about 50 percent from when Johnson took the helm.

In one of the biggest signs of the board's disapproval of Johnson's performance, Johnson saw his 2012 compensation package plummet nearly 97 percent to about $1.9 million, according to an SEC filing last week. He didn't get any stock or option awards, or a bonus. In 2011, he had received a stock award worth $52.7 million on the day it was granted. The award was given to Johnson after he was named CEO and made a $50 million personal investment in the company.

In yet another blow to Johnson's turnaround strategy, Vornado Realty Trust, one of Penney's biggest shareholders, sold more than 40 percent of its stake in the company last month. The company's chairman and CEO, Steve Roth sits on Penney's board.

A court battle with department store Macy's Inc. over a partnership with Martha Stewart also has raised questions about Johnson's judgment. Macy's, which has had long-term exclusive rights to the Martha Stewart brand for products such as bedding and bath items, is trying to block Penney from opening Martha Stewart mini-shops, planned for this spring. Macy's contends that Penney's deal with Stewart infringes on its own deal with the home maven. If Penney loses, it will have to take a big loss on the products that it ordered from Martha Stewart Living.

During the fourth quarter that ended Feb. 2, Penney's loss widened to $552 million, or $2.51 per share, up from a loss of $87 million, or 41 cents per share a year ago.

Total revenue dropped 28.4 percent to $3.88 billion.

Penney's results for the full year were even more staggering. For the fiscal year, Penney lost $985 million, or $4.49 per share, compared with a loss of $152 million, or 70 cents per share, in the year ended January 28, 2012. Revenue fell 25 percent, to $12.98 billion, from the previous year's $17.26 billion.

While acknowledging that Penney made some mistakes during the fourth-quarter conference call with investors, Johnson said Penney would start offering sales in stores every week — about 100 of the 600 or so the chain offered each year prior to his turnaround plan. And it would bring back coupons.

Critics have said that one of Johnson's greatest missteps was that he didn't test the pricing plan with shoppers before rolling out the strategy. He argued that testing would have been impossible because the company needed quick results and that if he hadn't taken a strong stance against discounting, he would not have been able to get new stylish brands on board.

"Experience is making mistakes and learning from them, and I have learned a lot," Johnson said at the time. "We worked really hard and tried many things to help the customer understand that she could shop any time on her terms. But we learned she prefers a sale. At times, she loves a coupon."

During his tenure, Johnson had spoken of being around for the long-haul and referred to his plan as a multiyear strategy. His plans were only partially realized. Shops for Joe Fresh, featuring brightly colored clothes were launched last month. A new home area sporting names like Jonathan Adler and Michael Graves will be launching this spring. Other brands were expected to be unveiled in coming years as the stores transformed into a collection of up to 100 mini-shops.

But the company's board wasn't willing to wait to see how those plans would turn out after racking up such severe losses so quickly. Now, that Johnson is out, the worry on Wall Street is that Ullman won't be able to turn around business fast enough.

"Ullman is in a crisis zone," said Sozzi. "This is not a normal situation. He has a short window to get in and see what's wrong with the company and put a Band-Aid on the fundamental problems."

____

Associated Press Business Writers Candice Choi and Joseph Pisani contributed.


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Google target of Microsoft-led antitrust complaint

BRUSSELS — A group of companies led by Microsoft have called on European authorities to launch an antitrust investigation into Google and its hold over mobile internet usage on smartphones.

The "FairSearch" initiative of 17 companies — which includes Microsoft, Nokia, and Oracle —claims Google is acting unfairly by giving away its Android operating system to mobile device companies on the condition that the U.S. online giant's own software applications like YouTube and Google Maps are installed and prominently displayed.

"Google is using its Android mobile operating system as a Trojan horse to deceive partners, monopolize the mobile marketplace, and control consumer data," said Thomas Vinje, the group's Brussels-based lawyer.

Android operating systems have the largest share of the smartphone market worldwide, followed by Apple's iOS platform with systems from Blackberry, Microsoft and others far behind.

"Google's predatory distribution of Android at below-cost makes it difficult for other providers of operating systems to recoup investments in competing with Google's dominant mobile platform," FairSearch said in a statement.

The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's executive arm and antitrust authority, is not obliged to take any action other than reply to the group's complaint.

Google Inc. did not address the complaint's charges in detail. "We continue to work cooperatively with the European Commission," said Google spokesman Al Verney.

The U.S. company is already under investigation by Brussels for practices related to its dominance of online search and advertising markets.

That complaint, launched in 2010, alleges Google unfairly favors its own services in its Internet search results, which enjoy a near-monopoly in Europe. Google has proposed a list of remedies to address the Commission's concerns to achieve a settlement. The Commission is currently examining the proposed changes.

In China, Google has already come under official scrutiny because of Android's dominance of the mobile smartphone market there.

Several European data privacy regulators have also launched an investigation into Google's practices, alleging the company is creating a data goldmine at the expense of unwitting users.

Last year, the company merged 60 separate privacy policies from around the world into one universal procedure. The European authorities complain that the new policy doesn't allow users to figure out which information is kept, how it is combined by Google services or how long the company retains it.

The policy allows Google to combine data collected from one person as they use Google's services, from Gmail to YouTube, giving it a powerful tool for targeting users with advertising based on their interests and search history. Advertising is the main way the company makes its money.

___

Toby Sterling in Amsterdam contributed reporting.

___

Follow Juergen Baetz on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz


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Rhode Island's tallest building will soon go dark

Written By Unknown on Senin, 08 April 2013 | 18.38

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island's tallest building will soon be its most visible symbol of the state's long economic decline.

The 26-story Art Deco-style skyscraper, known to some as the "Superman building" for its similarity to the Daily Planet headquarters in the old TV show, is losing its sole tenant this month. No one is moving in, and the building, the most distinctive feature on the Providence skyline, will no longer be fully illuminated at night, if at all, its owner says.

It's a blow for the city and the state, which had 9.4 percent unemployment in February and has had one of the worst jobless rates in the nation for years.

Nicolas Retsinas, a senior lecturer in real estate at Harvard Business School, says 111 Westminster, as the building is also known, will be "the ultimate urban pothole."

At 428 feet, or about one-third the height of the Empire State Building, it was the tallest skyscraper in New England when it opened in 1928 as the Industrial National Bank Building. It has housed a bank ever since.

That 85-year run will end when Bank of America ends its lease for the building's entire 380,000 square feet and completes its move into more modern space nearby in the coming days. The bank most recently occupied only about 20 percent of the building, says Bill Fischer, a spokesman for its owner, High Rock Development of Newton, Mass.

High Rock says it does not want to use it as offices. The building represents such a large share of downtown office space, Fischer says, that it would flood the market to do that.

Instead, High Rock wants to turn it into about 290 apartments. But the company has offered no timetable for the project or said how much it might cost. High Rock says it will need to persuade state lawmakers to revive a program that gives tax credits for rehabilitating historic buildings.

Mayor Angel Taveras says he is disappointed the skyscraper will be vacant and he will do what he can to make sure it has a productive use. But he hasn't committed himself to any specific course of action.

In the meantime, the Superman building will stand dark and empty.

That's a mistake, says Retsinas, who lives in Providence. He likens the significance of the building in Providence to the Empire State Building in New York.

"Buildings like that are also advertisements about the city. It's sending a signal to the rest of the city that we're willing to write off this building," he says. Rather than turning off the lights and letting it sit empty, Retsinas suggests a phased transition: keeping the lights on and possibly putting something in on the ground floor.

In Detroit, which is hurting much more than Providence and has many more vacant large buildings, the government has worked to find tenants for some empty properties. For example, the state moved some of its offices into General Motors' old corporate headquarters after GM moved out.

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee last year suggested the state move employees into the Superman building, but that idea has gone nowhere.

Washington, D.C., has gone further. It taxes vacant and blighted properties at a higher rate, giving property owners a disincentive to sit on an empty building as they wait for a turnaround in the market or try to extract something such as tax breaks.

Rhode Island was once a manufacturing powerhouse and is still covered with old mill buildings, but many are vacant or have been turned into housing or office space. The state has struggled over the past 25 years or so to make the transition to a service and information economy.

The most recent attempt was a $75 million state loan guarantee handed out in 2010 to a video game company started by former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. The company declared bankruptcy last year, leaving taxpayers on the hook.

Given that debacle, it is unclear whether lawmakers have the appetite to grant what could be tens of millions of dollars in tax credits to get the Superman building back up and running, even given its significance to the state.

Brown University sits atop the city's College Hill and overlooks the skyscraper. Mike McCormack, an architect and assistant vice president for planning at the Ivy League school, says downtown is filled with beautiful, historic buildings, but the city needs to figure out how to "reoccupy" it.

"There needs to be life on the street. People have to walk around and feel like there's energy," he says. "Then it encourages investment, it encourages entrepreneurs."


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Focus on these photo apps

I've never been a great photographer, but my best friend, a professor of graphic design in Miami, is just that. So when on a recent trip to the Sunshine State she sang the praises of Hipstamatic, a retro camera app for iPhone, I paid attention.

I had heard of it before, but Hipstamatic got lost — and nearly folded — during the Instagram craze. The company claimed to have generated $10 million in revenue in 2012 and then laid off their entire staff a short time later. Terrible businesspeople; but I sort of like that.

After a short introduction to the different lenses, filters and flashes of Hipstamatic, I was quickly using the program to take stunning pictures of my toddler son — they were in focus, a rarity when using my iPhone 5's native camera.

The photos resemble Polaroids, but the colors are more vibrant and saturated and can vary depending on the lens.

The best part, however, is Hipstamatic's excellent PrintLab.

I don't know of any other camera app that will easily and inexpensively send you prints of this quality. You order prints through the app and they arrive in the mail. Processed on archival paper using vintage chemistry techniques, this option is completely worth it. Prices for four-inch prints range from $4.99 for nine to $34.99 for 96.

For now, Hipstamatic is only available as an Apple app, and it costs $1.99.

I highly recommend Hipstamatic over Instagram. But there are more than a few ways to enhance your smartphone camera.

If you're starting to venture outdoors now that the snow has melted and are looking to explore your inner shutterbug, here are some of my other favorite camera apps to try:

GroupShot: For those times when one person is ruining an otherwise perfect group photo, this app takes a bunch of rapid-fire photos and allows you to pick the best features of each to create the perfect group shot. It's available for $.99 in the Apple app store. And it's worth noting that a similar feature comes native on new Nokia smartphones.

Iris: This is like Adobe Photoshop for your iPhone, with dozens of filters and textures, options for color balance and histogram controls. Also $.99 in the Apple store.

Camera ZOOM FX: This is the only camera app you need on Android, and it's $2.99 in the Google Play store. It's got a full range of shooting modes, focus metering, burst effects and a pinch zoom of up to 6X. Processing features include dozens of textures, vignette surrounds, overlays and even fun props.


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The Ticker

BlackBerry stops the music

BlackBerry says it is silencing its streaming music service barely two years after it launched.

The Canadian company emailed BlackBerry Messenger Music subscribers this week to notify them that the cloud-based service will stop working on June 2. BlackBerry said Thursday the decision follows a "strategic business review" of its offerings.

BBM Music launched in August 2011 as a $4.99-per-month service that allowed BBM users to swap song recommendations and share music with friends.

Grumpiness takes flight

Researchers say consumer complaints to the U.S. Transportation Department surged by one-fifth last year, even though other measures such as on-time arrivals and mishandled baggage show airlines are doing a better job. Here's why travelers are unhappy: Airlines keep shrinking the size of seats to stuff more people onto planes and more ticket-holding passengers are being turned away because flights are overbooked.

Today

 Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach is the keynote speaker at a seminar on combination medical device products at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington.

TOMORROW

 SeaChange International releases quarterly earnings reports.

 The Wentworth Institute of Technology hosts a "Pitchfest" event on campus where students present their startup ideas in the hopes of receiving funding.

 MassDOT Board and Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard Davey discusses the state's transportation overhaul plan at a community meeting in Walpole.

 HomeStart, a local nonprofit dedicated to ending and preventing homelessness in the greater Boston area, has announced that Lois Cornell, left, has joined its board of directors. Cornell, a Natick resident, is currently the senior vice president of human resources and general counsel at Tufts Health Plan.

 Spring Consulting Group has announced that Ryan Ralston has been elected secretary-treasurer of the Captive Insurance Companies Association. Ralston was elected during the organization's recent annual conference in Palm Springs, Calif.

 BIND Therapeutics of Cambridge has hired Dr. Gregory I. Berk as the company's chief medical officer. Berk previously served as chief medical officer of Intellikine, which was acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

 City Sports has hired Ted Manning as the company's new chief merchandising officer. Manning joins the company following nearly two decades with outdoor retailer Eastern Mountain Sports, most recently as their executive vice president.


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Startups ‘pop-up’ for marathon customers

A pair of fitness-savvy startups want to capitalize on the Hub's foot traffic during the upcoming Marathon weekend with a two-day pop-up shop inside a Newbury Street retailer.

Janji, a running apparel company based in Brookline, and Perfect Fuel Chocolate, a maker of raw chocolate energy snacks headquartered in the Seaport District, will occupy nearly 30 feet of space at the front of the Johnson Paint Co. this Sunday and Monday, to boost sales and raise awareness about their brands and wares.

"Boston's is not the biggest marathon in the world, but it's the most historic and competitive. People who come in identify themselves as runners," said Janji co-founder Mike Burnstein, 23. "If we can talk to a lot of these people and bring them to our team, then I think the impact can be pretty substantial."

Burnstein, a former athlete at Brookline High School and Washington University at St. Louis, added he is running this year's marathon to raise money for KickStart, an organization that makes irrigation pumps for Kenyans to have better access to water.

"(Running) gives me more energy in the day," he said. "It helps structure my life."

Bob Johnson, owner of the Johnson Paint Co., said he was intrigued by both companies' pitches and offered free use of his store, which is typically closed both days.

"I was lucky enough to have a helping hand when I started out," Johnson said, adding his son will run his 14th Boston Marathon this year. "I'm just kind of passing it forward a little bit."

Launched in May 2012, Janji — which means "promise" in Malay — sells athletic clothing inspired by troubled countries such as Haiti, Rwanda and Bangladesh in nearly 120 specialty stores nationwide. A portion of all sales benefits those nations.

This fall, Janji will add Peru to its lineup and expand its offerings to include pants, tights, sweatshirts, headbands and hats.

Founded by Nicolas Warren and Miles Masci, Perfect Fuel Chocolate sold its first health bite in January of last year. The company currently sells Perfect Fuel Endurance, a chocolate piece with 500 milligrams of ginseng, in more than 70 stores in New England, New York and California.

Two more varieties, Perfect Fuel Energy and Perfect Fuel Omega, will debut soon, and contain organic espresso bean and chia seed, respectively.

"This is our home and Janji and I are in agreement that we've got to own our home," Warren, 30, said. "We're both doing something that has a mission behind it, not just a company."

Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said pop-up stores are "win-wins for everybody," adding Marathon weekend will likely be a big boon for the city's retailers.

"You only have to look around … to know it's a great influx of new people coming into town," he said. "Stores (and) restaurants are all going to benefit, and it makes for a great kickoff to your spring selling season."

The pop-up store will be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday.


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Fenway hopes to ring in a homer

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 07 April 2013 | 18.38

Fenway-area businesses are hoping new, young Red Sox blood will deliver wins and customers after last year's worst season since 1965 proved a game-changer for their bottom lines.

"We're feeling really positive," said Garrett Harker, owner of Kenmore Square restaurant Eastern Standard. "We've gotten to know the manager, and I think he's going to be the polar opposite of the way things felt last year. And, clearly, the team has some scrappy young players."

Fan interest hit rock bottom last August and September, leading to a drop in business for Eastern Standard.

"There just wasn't the intensity for the pregame and around the ball games," Harker said. "Rather than the crowd that might order a rib eye and bottles of wine, it was more burgers and beers."

Ace Ticket, the Sox' official ticket reseller, expects that hangover from last season will end the team's sellout streak — in place since May 2003 — this month.

"People are just not enthusiastic enough to carry the team during a bad weather day in April," founder and CEO Jim Holzman said. "We find ourselves with some excessive inventory. These have been the lowest prices we've seen in three years."

Opening-day bleacher and right-field grandstand seats that were $95 last year are now $70, and box seats that were $150 are $125.

"People who buy now are going to be happy they bought them when it was a deal," Holzman said.

Tomorrow's home game against Baltimore will be the 66th year that 86-year-old Arthur D'Angelo, founder of the Red Sox Team Store on Yawkey Way, has worked Opening Day.

"Although the team finished poorly last year, there's always optimism, because you never know," said his son, Bobby D'Angelo.

D'Angelo acknowledges it's frustrating that the family's business is contingent on the Sox's performance, noting last year was "not fun."

"But it's our lives, and it's a marathon," he said. "You can't worry about one year. How many years were there before 2004?"

D'Angelo expects Jackie Bradley Jr. merchandise will be the top sellers this season, because fans gravitate toward youthful players. But if the Sox slide into another funk, the store has a fallback, particularly with fans of opposing teams.

"The one great thing about our business is not only are we selling the Red Sox, we're selling Fenway Park," D'Angelo said.

Chef Tiffani Faison's season outlook may not be popular with fans.

"You hope for a great team every year, obviously, but there's some upsides when the team isn't so great," said Faison, owner of Sweet Cheeks barbecue restaurant. "When we're not as great, there's some hope that people hang out a little more, eat a little more, drink a little more, because they're not in a rush to get to the park. So we're hoping for late-season greatness after the All-Star break."


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BlackBerry’s time may be ripe in iPhone battle

One-time smartphone rivals Apple and BlackBerry face crucial tests in the U.S. market this year, the former to maintain its mobile device edge, the latter merely to survive.

In a reversal of fortunes, Apple's shares have dropped 23 percent this year, while BlackBerry has jumped 25 percent on word that it's readying several new products.

Google's Android operating system still dominates the market while globally Samsung and Nokia are top device makers. But BlackBerry is trying to carve out its niche in a now-crowded field and hold onto its loyal users.

"BlackBerry has one shot to become the third relevant OS (operating system) and so far, the signs are good," said N. Venkat Venkatraman, professor of management at Boston University. "I see it less as a threat to Apple. Apple's worst enemy is Apple itself. It needs a home run with 
iOS 7 and it cannot be incremental. I see the mobile OS wars very much alive with BlackBerry still struggling, but not quite dead. But, if enterprises do not adopt their devices (and OS) in significant numbers, it may be too late for it to survive."

Last month, BlackBerry announced it had sold about one million Z10 devices, the first smartphone to run the new BlackBerry 10 OS that the company announced earlier this year.

This month, BlackBerry will launch the Q10 device, which features keyboard.

Based on a leak via Twitter last weekend, the company appears also to have plans to release the B10, a wide-screen tablet that would compete against the iPad, and two "phablets" called the U10 and R10. The B10 and U10 may be released later this year, while the R10 may ship in 2014. But the company would not confirm those dates.

"It looks like they're going to try to claw back some of their lost market share by having an aggressive and expansive product launch," said Max Wolff, senior analyst at Greencrest Capital. "BlackBerry built up the modern smartphone movement. They were the undisputed champion of the space. Now, BlackBerry's a shadow of its former self. Apple and Samsung came in and ate their lunch. BlackBerry needs to rebrand themselves and demonstrate to the marketplace that they're totally new and cutting edge, while keeping the hard-core loyalists that haven't deserted them. They could become a threat to Apple, but not in the near future. They're probably more of a threat to Microsoft Windows 8 and Android. BlackBerry is trying to survive, and Apple is trying to stay dominant."

Apple reportedly plans to begin production soon of a refreshed iPhone similar to its present one, while it works on a less-expensive iPhone that could be ready later this year.


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The Ticker

Study: Home buyers leery

The housing markets are in recovery, but a lot of people are still asking: Why buy a home anyway?

The housing bust has created great skepticism about the traditional connection between homeownership and the American dream, a survey commissioned by the MacArthur Foundation has found.

The How Housing Matters Survey, released Wednesday, found that more than three-quarters of Americans believe we are still in the middle of the housing crisis or that the worst is yet to come. When it comes to remedies, two-thirds believe the nation's policy should be to encourage renting and homeownership equally.

More than 7 in 10 renters aspire to own a home someday, according to the telephone survey of 1,433 adults, conducted between Feb. 27 and March 10. But it also turned up a solid majority who believe renters can be just as successful as owners in achieving the American dream.

THE OUTLOOK

MONDAY

  • Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach is the keynote speaker at a seminar on combination medical device products at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington.

TUESDAY

  • SeaChange International releases quarterly earnings.
  • The Wentworth Institute of Technology hosts a "Pitchfest" event on campus where students present their startup ideas in the hopes of receiving funding.
  • MassDOT Board and Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard Davey discusses the state's transportation overhaul plan at a community meeting in Walpole.

WEDNESDAY

  • Bed, Bath & Beyond and Demandware report quarterly financial earnings.
  • The Federal Reserve releases minutes from its March interest-rate meeting.
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham break ground for the new Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center & Surgical Pavilion in Needham.
  • Boston Public Library officials hold a public forum in the Rabb Lecture Hall to discuss plans to transform the Johnson building on Boylston Street in Copley Square.

THURSDAY

  • Companies including Twin Rivers Technologies, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Raytheon Corp. and General Electric participate in a military veterans' job fair at Gillette Stadium.

THE SHUFFLE

  • Acella Construction Corp. has promoted Saul Schrader, left, of Weymouth to the position of senior project manager. Schrader, who has a degree in construction management from the Wentworth Institute of Technology, joined Acella in 2004 as a project manager after previously working at the Lee Kennedy Construction Co. in Boston.

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Oil flush won’t cut down on Monte Carlo’s high consumption

My daughter has a 2004 Monte Carlo SS with the 3.8-liter motor. It uses about two quarts of oil between 3,500-mile changes. At the last oil change, the shop wanted to flush the motor, saying it would reduce the oil consumption. Is this possible? Also, the power steering makes a rubbing sound when you turn either left or right. The same shop said this was normal for the Monte Carlo and to not worry about it.

The accepted standard for "normal" oil consumption is a maximum of one quart per 2,000 miles. So the oil consumption on your daughter's vehicle is high but not necessarily excessive. Depending on the engine's mileage, it's borderline. GM doesn't recommend any type of engine flushing and, of course, engine flushing isn't going to fix worn parts like valve seals, piston rings, etc.

I'd try treating the symptoms first. Adding a half-can of SeaFoam to the oil can help free sticky oil control rings and dissolve carbon and varnish from oil residue. Using a different brand or higher-viscosity multiweight motor oil, particularly in warm weather, may help reduce oil consumption on a higher-mileage engine. Full synthetic oils will lower oil operating temperature and may reduce consumption.

• • •

I have a 1970 VW Bug with an add-on external oil cooler and 20,000 miles on a new (not rebuilt) engine. It runs cooler on multiweight oil than with straight 30-weight, but with so many varieties of oil on the market, which is best?

Air-cooled engines are also oil-cooled engines, so a synthetic multiweight oil would be an excellent choice to control oil temperatures.

• • •

Settle an easy question: What was the old General Motors "pecking order" from least expensive to most expensive? I say it was Chevy, Pontiac, Buick, Olds, then Cadillac. My buddy says it was Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, then Buick, then Caddy.

That's not an easy question. Before General Motors, Ransom Oldsmobile and David Buick were building cars before 1900. Billy Durant formed GM with the purchase of Buick in 1903 and Oldsmobile in 1909. He also added Cadillac and Oakland Motors (which became Pontiac) that same year. And finally, Chevrolet was added in 1916. By the end of the 1920s, each GM "brand" had is own marketing and identity.

I'm not sure it's possible to identify an absolute pecking order for GM vehicles, but by the late 1940s, several different automotive platforms were in production. The more expensive "C-body" was used for Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles and eventually for higher-end Buicks. The less expensive "A-body" was used for Chevrolets, Pontiacs and lower-end Oldsmobiles. Even at this stage, there was a great deal of "sharing" among GM brands.

By the late 1960s and into the 1970s, Buick, Olds and Pontiac shared many of the same platforms, so the "B-O-P" moniker applied to many chassis, engines and components. Perhaps that was an insight into today, where only Buick survives along with Chevy and Cadillac as the GM car brands.

So was it Buick, then Olds? Or Olds, then Buick? I guess it depends on which is your favorite. I lean toward Buick as the more prestigious brand. My dad drove a '41 Pontiac until the mid-1950s; then we had a succession of Buicks until he could afford a used Cadillac in the early 1960s.

There was a '68 Pontiac Catalina in there for a year or two, but he never liked the car so it was back to Cadillacs, including his last — a 1972 Sedan DeVille. In fact, I took my driver's test in our '59 Sedan DeVille, a leviathan of an automobile that made the parallel parking test a real challenge. We figured out a clever way to make sure I parked between the white lines ­— but that's a story for another day.

Great memories.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paulbrand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number.


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