Telemedicine docs urged to get state license

Doctors who practice telemedicine in Massachusetts should be licensed by the state, especially if they're diagnosing patients without doing so in person, a lawyer for the Massachusetts Medical Society said.

"When you're talking about diagnosis, that's a really critical area," Bill Ryder, the group's legislative and regulatory counsel, told the state Division of Insurance yesterday. "Anybody who does that should have a full license in Massachusetts."

A law the state Legislature passed last year defines telemedicine as the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media — except telephone, fax or email — for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment.

Lawmakers left it to the Division of Insurance and the Board of Registration in Medicine to submit a report with recommendations for legislation to permit the use of out-of-state physicians for telemedicine. But before the agencies do that, they want to gather feedback from the medical community, insurers and other stakeholders.

"We realize we're at the starting point," Kevin Beagan, deputy commissioner of the division's Health Care Access Bureau, said at yesterday's "listening session" in Boston.

Ryder noted that the board lacks jurisdiction over anyone without a Massachusetts license. So requiring doctors who practice telemedicine here to have one would preserve the board's ability to act in cases involving complaints of misconduct or error, he said.

"Say you have a real physician, but they're not licensed in Massachusetts. They might not respond to a summons, and they might not have malpractice insurance, so the patient's kind of on their own," Ryder said. "Would that physician be governed by law in Massachusetts or their own state? That's up in the air."

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Deval signs repeal of 6.25 percent tech tax

Gov. Deval Patrick repealed the tech tax yesterday, a move welcomed by an industry leader who said "it never should have become law."

The governor's signature brought an end to a months-long debate over the 
6.25 percent software services tax, that was passed in July as part of a $500 million transportation package. House and Senate lawmakers, as well as Patrick, reversed course on the tax after the tech industry criticized it as a job killer and said it was too vague.

"Repealing the tech tax is a necessary step, but it never should have become law," Felix Browne, vice president of the Massachusetts High Tech Council, said yesterday.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Revenue said the state had collected $717,000 under the tech tax, and the 192 taxpayers who paid can file an abatement by Dec. 31 to get a refund.

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Boston biz leaders rally behind park ‘for Joey’

Business heavyweights John Fish of Suffolk Construction and Jeff Leiden of Vertex Pharmaceuticals came together with businessman and philanthropist Joe O'Donnell and his wife, Kathy, yesterday to kick-off a community effort to build a new playground named for O'Donnell's son, Joey, who died of cystic fibrosis in 1985.

Joey's Park, at Belmont's Winn Brook Elementary School, will replace the original playground built by the community after Joey died.

"It's so special to be able to do it all over again," Joe O'Donnell said. Kathy O'Donnell said the day was "very emotional."

The new playground was designed in part by Belmont children, and will be built by about 1,000 members of the community, including Joey's former classmates and volunteers from Suffolk Construction and Vertex, the Cambridge company that makes a leading cystic fibrosis drug. The playground will be finished by Columbus Day.

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Shutdown impact: Tourists, homebuyers hit quickly

WASHINGTON — A government shutdown would have far-reaching consequences for some, but minimal impact on others. The mail would still be delivered and Social Security and Medicare benefits would continue to flow. But vacationers would be turned away from national parks and Smithsonian museums. Low-to-moderate income borrowers and first-time homebuyers seeking government-backed mortgages could face delays.

Here's how services would — or would not — be affected if Congress fails to reach an agreement averting a government shutdown at midnight Monday.

AIR TRAVEL

Federal air traffic controllers would remain on the job and airport screeners would keep funneling passengers through security checkpoints. Federal inspectors would continue enforcing safety rules.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

The State Department would continue processing foreign applications for visas and U.S. applications for passports, since fees are collected to finance those services. Embassies and consulates overseas would continue to provide services to American citizens.

BENEFIT PAYMENTS

Social Security and Medicare benefits would keep coming, but there could be delays in processing new disability applications. Unemployment benefits would still go out.

FEDERAL COURTS

Federal courts would continue operating normally for about 10 business days after the start of a shutdown, roughly until the middle of October. If the shutdown continues, the judiciary would have to begin furloughs of employees whose work is not considered essential. But cases would continue to be heard.

MAIL

Deliveries would continue as usual since the U.S. Postal Service receives no tax dollars for day-to-day operations. It relies on income from stamps and other postal fees to keep running.

RECREATION

All national parks from Acadia National Park in Maine to Yosemite National Park in California would be closed, as would the Smithsonian museums, including the National Zoo in Washington. Visitors using overnight campgrounds or other park facilities would be given 48 hours to make alternate arrangements and leave the park. Among the visitor centers that would be closed: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Alcatraz Island near San Francisco and the Washington Monument.

HEALTH

New patients would not be accepted into clinical research at the National Institutes of Health, but current patients would continue to receive care. Medical research at the NIH would be disrupted and some studies would be delayed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be severely limited in spotting or investigating disease outbreaks, from flu to that mysterious MERS virus from the Middle East.

FOOD SAFETY

The Food and Drug Administration would handle high-risk recalls suspend most routine safety inspections. Federal meat inspections would be expected to proceed as usual.

HEAD START

A small number of Head Start programs, about 20 out of 1,600 nationally, would feel the impact right away. The federal Administration for Children and Families says grants expiring around Oct. 1 would not be renewed. Over time more programs would be affected. Several of the Head Start programs that would immediately feel the pinch are in Florida. It's unclear if they would continue serving children.

FOOD ASSISTANCE

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, could shut down. The program provides supplemental food, health care referrals and nutrition education for pregnant women, mothers and their children.

School lunches and breakfasts would continue to be served, and food stamps, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, would continue to be distributed. But several smaller feeding programs would not have the money to operate.

TAXES

Americans would still have to pay their taxes and file federal tax returns, but the Internal Revenue Service says it would suspend all audits. Got questions? Sorry, the IRS says taxpayer services, including toll-free help lines, would be shut as well.

LOANS

Many low-to-moderate incomes borrowers and first-time homebuyers seeking government-backed mortgages could face delays during the shutdown. The Federal Housing Administration, which guarantees about 30 percent of home mortgages, wouldn't underwrite or approve any new loans during the shutdown. Action on government-backed loans to small businesses would be suspended.

SCIENCE

NASA will continue to keep workers at Mission Control in Houston and elsewhere to support the International Space station, where two Americans and four others are deployed. The National Weather Service would keep forecasting weather and issuing warnings and the National Hurricane Center would continue to track storms. The scientific work of the U.S. Geological Survey would be halted.

HOMELAND SECURITY

The majority of the Department of Homeland Security's employees are expected to stay on the job, including uniformed agents and officers at the country's borders and ports of entry, members of the Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration officers, Secret Service personnel and other law enforcement agents and officers. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services employees would continue to process green card applications.

MILITARY

The military's 1.4 million active duty personnel would stay on duty, but their paychecks would be delayed. About half of the Defense Department's civilian employees would be furloughed.

PRISONS

All 116 federal prisons would remain open, and criminal litigation would proceed.

VETERANS SERVICES

Most services offered through the Department of Veterans Affairs will continue because lawmakers approve money one year in advance for the VA's health programs. Veterans would still be able to visit hospitals for inpatient care, get mental health counseling at vet centers or get prescriptions filled at VA health clinics. Operators would still staff the crisis hotline and claims workers would still process payments to cover disability and pension benefits. But those veterans appealing the denial of disability benefits to the Board of Veterans Appeals will have to wait longer for a decision because the board would not issue any decisions during a shutdown.

WORK SAFETY

Federal occupational safety and health inspectors would stop workplace inspections except in cases of imminent danger.

___

Associated Press writers Matthew Daly, Frederic J. Frommer, Kevin Freking, Andrew Miga, Deb Riechmann, Lauran Neergaard, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Mark Sherman, Stephen Ohlemacher, Lolita Baldor, Jesse Holland, Seth Borenstein, Mary Clare Jalonick and Alicia Caldwell contributed to this report.

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Delegation: Delay flood zone hikes

The state's congressional delegation is urging House and Senate leaders on Capitol Hill to fix a federal law they say could result in "devastating" increases to flood insurance premiums, while the state attorney general is vowing to explore every option to block those rate hikes.

A letter yesterday, signed by all 10 Bay State congressmen, asks for an affordability study mandated by the Biggert-Waters National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, which was designed to keep the National Flood Insurance program solvent.

The delegation also is asking for premium increases to be delayed for small businesses and
homeowners so that the Federal Emergency Management Agency can use that study's recommendations as FEMA adopts new flood zone maps.

"I want an affordability fix, not simply an affordability study about impacts of new flood maps," U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey, who organized the letter, said in a statement. "The fear of rising flood waters should not be compounded by the fear of an unaffordable spike in insurance premiums. We need immediate action to ensure that business and homeowners who cannot afford these potential increases are helped."

The letter came as state Attorney General Martha Coakley vowed to explore every legal avenue to stop exorbitant premiums, including going to court.

"If we can, we will," Coakley said. "We're going to try to move on as many fronts as possible."

The lawmakers also want FEMA to improve its outreach to inform
homeowners how the new maps will affect them, and to change its appeals process.

The rate hikes go into effect next Tuesday and FEMA has been rolling out the new flood zone maps and meeting with local officials as the law phases in this year, but the changes have caught many
homeowners off guard.

Before Chase White and his wife bought their Scituate home in July, he checked FEMA's website and made sure it wasn't in a high-risk flood zone. But they decided to buy flood insurance anyway because it was only $350 per year. Now, according to FEMA's redrawn maps, their house is at greater risk of a flood, and they expect their insurance to soar to $5,500.

"I feel duped," said White, 33. "We wouldn't have bought the house if we'd known this would happen."

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Bill to add FDA control over compounding pharmacies

A bipartisan committee on Capitol Hill has crafted a bill intended to prevent a public health crisis like the fatal meningitis outbreak last year that was linked to a Bay State compounding pharmacy.

The Drug Quality and Security Act would give the Food and Drug Administration greater authority over compounding pharmacies, which currently are regulated by states, by putting some in a separate category that would require them to register with the FDA, submit to inspections by the agency and notify authorities in the event of a problem.

"Compounding pharmacies have been governed by fragmented regulations for too long, leading to one of the worst public health disasters in recent memory," U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey said, referring to the New England Compounding Center debacle, which led to the deaths of more than 60 people and the sickening of another 700 nationwide. "We need to end this regulatory black hole by giving the FDA new, clear authority to protect patients and oversee these companies, and this bill is an important step."

However, the bill leaves it up to compounders "who wish" to register with the FDA as outsourcing facilities, while others would continue to be regulated by state boards of pharmacy.

"It'll be incumbent on physicians and hospitals to purchase drugs made under a higher quality standard from FDA-registered facilities," said Allan Coukell, a drug policy expert at the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The bill also would replace the current patchwork of state prescription drug tracing laws by creating a uniform framework for tracking drugs from the manufacturer to the pharmacy.

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Boston building boom creates 8,700 jobs

Greater Boston's development boom is putting more people to work, fueling one of the biggest recoveries in construction jobs in the nation, according to a new report.

The Boston, Cambridge and Quincy metro area has added 8,700 jobs since August 2012, a 16 percent jump that was second only to the 8,900 jobs added in the greater Los Angeles area, according to a report released yesterday by the Associated General Contractors of America. The report was based on an analysis of federal employment data, the AGC of America said.

Local construction groups weren't surprised by the numbers, citing big projects with both residential and commercial components that are sprouting up all over the place.

"You look at Assembly Row, you look at the Seaport District, there are cranes everywhere. The growth is tremendous," said Gerry-Lynn Darcy, CEO of the Builders and Remodelers of Greater Boston. "The demand has far surpassed the supply."

And, she expects the increase in construction jobs to continue, thanks to the large number of projects that are in the works.

"Everything suggests that we are now going into an expansion mode," she said.

So far this year, the Boston Redevelopment authority has approved 38.9 million square feet of development worth an estimated $13.5 billion, according to BRA figures.

"We have great resources in Boston," said Darcy, adding that the kind of development taking place now bodes well for the future of the city.

"We have a lot of mixed-use development," she said. "We're very cutting edge, as a community, as a city."

Mary Gately, director of market services for the AGC of Massachusetts, said developments in Kendall Square, Quincy center and the Seaport District are especially encouraging for the industry.

"These are big projects going on, and they take a lot of manpower," she said. "We have seen a remarkable increase since 2011."

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State Senate votes 38-0 to repeal tech tax

The state Senate followed the House's lead yesterday, unanimously voting to repeal the so-called tech tax and sending the bill to Gov. Deval Patrick for his signature.

"Today is corrections day," said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, (R-Gloucester). "We can correct this mistake of trying to impose a tax on our innovation economy, trying to impose a tax on one of our most promising sectors as we try to recover from a recession."

The Senate voted 38-0 to repeal the 6.25 percent tax on software services, which prompted an outcry from the tech industry after it was passed in July as part of the $500 million transportation financing bill.

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The Ticker

USPS wants to hike cost of stamps to 49 cents

It soon could cost 49 cents to mail a letter.

The postal Board of Governors said yesterday it wants to raise the price of a first-class stamp by 3 cents, citing the agency's "precarious financial condition" and the uncertain prospects for postal overhaul legislation in Congress.

The rate proposal must be approved by the independent Postal Regulatory Commission. If the commission accepts it, the increase would become effective Jan. 26.

Cambridge biotech shares soar in IPO

Shares of Cambridge-based Foundation Medicine surged yesterday after the company's initial public offering raised $106 million before expenses.

The stock rose 96.4 percent in its debut, closing at $35.35 a share. Foundation Medicine had offered 5.9 million shares at $18 per share, up from the expected range of $14 to $16.

Foundation Medicine offers diagnostic cancer analyses that provide patient-specific data for physicians.

MacArthur Foundation recognizes three Massachusetts 'geniuses'

Three Bay State residents — a Boston College professor and two Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists — were among 24 people named yesterday to receive a $625,000 "genius grant" from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Among the recipients are Robin Fleming, 57, a medieval historian at Boston College who's written extensively on the lives of common people in Britain in the years after the fall of the Roman Empire; Dina Katabi, 42, an MIT computer scientist who has worked at interfacing computer science and electrical engineering to improve the speed and security of data exchange; and Sara Seager, 42, an MIT astrophysicist creating a theoretical framework for determining the characteristics of planets outside our solar system.

The awards, given annually since 1981, are doled out over a five-year period.

THE OUTLOOK

TODAY

• Commerce Department releases second-quarter gross domestic product.
• Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.
• Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates.
• National Association of Realtors releases pending home sales index for August.

THE SHUFFLE

• Hill & Partners Inc., a full-service team of branded environment specialists, has announced Lauren DelCogliano, left, has joined the firm as sales manager. DelCogliano will develop contacts and introduce new companies to Hill & Partners, showcasing the design and management execution.

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World Bank to fund Myanmar power plant upgrade

YANGON, Myanmar — The World Bank is lending Myanmar $140 million to upgrade an aging power plant in southeastern Mon state in a small step toward overcoming the country's chronic power shortages.

Myanmar, which exports natural gas to neighboring Thailand under contracts signed by its former military government, has suffered an energy deficit for years.

The World Bank said Wednesday the interest free loan will fund a refurbishment of the Thaton gas-fired power plant, increasing its generating capacity by 250 percent without an increase in its gas consumption.

It is the first World Bank loan to Myanmar since the development lender forgave $440 million of unpaid debt in January.

Myanmar only recently emerged from a half-century of military rule and isolation, during which time its once promising economy withered. More than 70 percent of people are without electricity.

A lack of funds, rising demand for energy , aging hydroelectric plants and poor grid infrastructure have resulted in frequent power cuts and rationing of electricity during the hot summer months when hydro power generators cannot operate at full capacity due to depleted reservoirs.

"It affects industries, it affects common people, kids cannot study at night because they do not have electricity," said Kanthan Shankar, World Bank country manager for Myanmar.

The bank said the 106 megawatt Thaton plant will provide 5 percent of peak power demand for the entire country and 50 percent of peak demand in Mon state.

Power shortages led to protests early last year in several cities. The government made an uncharacteristic appeal for understanding, saying that rationing was required to cope with greater demand.

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Global stocks meander as US budget debate looms

BANGKOK — Worries about the U.S. economy and a looming budget battle in Washington kept global stock markets in check Thursday.

Data released Wednesday showed orders for long-lasting durable goods increased by only 0.1 percent in August after a sharp drop the month before, raising concerns that third quarter U.S. economic growth may not be as strong as anticipated.

Meanwhile, two financial deadlines for the U.S. government loom. Congress needs to pass a funding bill to keep the federal government operating after Oct. 1, when its new fiscal year starts. And the nation's borrowing limit needs to be raised before Oct. 17.

"The prospect of a U.S. Federal government shutdown is likely to undermine equity prices further in the coming days," said analysts at Capital Economics in an email commentary.

The White House and Republican lawmakers, who disagree on spending cuts and other key budget issues, have just days to reach a compromise. In 2011, a similar situation roiled markets at a time when Europe's debt crisis was flaring, and prompted Standard & Poor's to strip the U.S. of its triple A credit rating.

European stocks fell in early trading. Britain's FTSE 100 was down less than 0.1 percent to 6,547.49. Germany's DAX shed 0.2 percent to 8,646.49. France's CAC-40 lost 0.3 percent to 4,181.72.

Wall Street looked set to recover ground lost after five straight losing sessions. Dow Jones industrial future rose 0.1 percent to 15,231 and S&P 500 futures gained 0.2 percent to 1,688.90.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index overcame initial losses to advance 1.2 percent, closing at 14,799.12. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.5 percent to 2,007.32. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.4 percent to 5,294.50. Benchmarks in Indonesia and India rose, while those in Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines fell.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.4 percent to 23,125.03 and the Shanghai Composite Index dropped 1.9 percent to 2,155.81. Chinese banking shares fell after reports showed a sharp drop in total yuan deposits.

"The banks in China lost about 200 billion in deposits. The money probably went into shadow banking, which means they created a liquidity problem for banks," said Francis Lun, chief economist at GE Oriental Financial Group in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong-listed China Construction Bank fell 1.3 percent while Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the world's biggest bank by market value, lost 0.5 percent.

Benchmark oil for November delivery was up 15 cents to $102.78 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 47 cents to close at $102.66 a barrel on the Nymex on Wednesday.

In currencies, the euro fell to $1.3505 from $1.3517 late Wednesday. The dollar rose to 98.92 yen from 98.48 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

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Nissan recalls 908,900 vehicles for sensor problem

TOKYO — Nissan Motor Co. recalled 908,900 vehicles around the world Thursday for defective accelerator sensors that could cause the engine to stall.

The recall affects the Serena minivan, Infiniti M luxury model, X-trail sport utility vehicle and other models, the automaker said. No accidents have been reported related to the problem.

Most of the vehicles being recalled are in Japan. Others are in North America, Europe and Oceania, Yokohama-based Nissan said.

Sensors, manufactured in Japan, can malfunction, causing the vehicle to slow down and at times stop, it said.

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Boston Herald - Boston Herald

http://bostonherald.com/feed/4 en http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/mass_utilities_seek_more_wind_power <p>BOSTON — The largest utilities in Massachusetts have signed long-term contracts to buy wind-generated electricity at prices below the cost of most other sources, including coal and nuclear.</p><p>The contracts filed jointly with state utilities regulators by National Grid, Northeast Utilities and Unitil Corp. would buy 565 megawatts of electricity from six planned wind farms in Maine and New Hampshire, enough to power about 170,000 homes.</p> Business & Markets Mon, 23 Sep 2013 07:25:02 -0400 Associated Press 1063314211 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/long_strange_trip_ending_for_vws_hippie_van <p>SAO PAULO — It carried hippies through the 1960s, hauled surfers in search of killer waves during endless summers and serves as a workhorse across the developing world, but the long, strange trip of the Volkswagen van is ending.</p><p>Brazil is the last place in the world still producing the iconic vehicle, or "bus" as it's known by aficionados, but VW says production will end Dec. 31. Safety regulations mandate that every vehicle in Brazil must have air bags and anti-lock braking systems starting in 2014, and the company says it cannot change production to meet the law.</p> Business & Markets Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:26:53 -0400 Associated Press 1063313656 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/new_surface_expected_from_microsoft_at_nyc_event <p>NEW YORK — Microsoft Corp. is expected to announce new Surface tablet computers, including a version with a smaller screen to compete with Google's Nexus 7 and Apple's iPad Mini.</p><p>The company has an announcement event scheduled in New York on Monday.</p> Technology News Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:05:38 -0400 Associated Press 1063313626 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/iphone_5s_game_but_no_game_changer <p>At first blush, the iPhone 5S looks virtually identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 5. Apple's midcycle "S" upgrades are reserved for iterative changes. So while owners of the 5 might find themselves a bit let-down by Apple's promise that this new smartphone is its "most forward-thinking," consumers can rest assured that this is surely Apple's best iPhone to date.</p> Technology News Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jessica Van Sack, Booting Up 1063313051 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/color_us_meh_on_5c <p>IPhone 5C ($99 for 16GB, $199 for 32GB version, on contract):</p><p>The iPhone 5C is the iPhone 5 dressed up in five bright new color options, with a rounded plastic casing to complete this new look.</p><p><b>The Good: </b>Apple declared its new iPhone 5C as "beautifully, unapologetically plastic." And it is. Its rounded edges actually sit more comfortably in the palm than its predecessor, the sharp-cornered 5, and its exterior twin, the new 5S.</p> Business & Markets Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 herald.staff 1063313071 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/on_the_surface_seaport_boom_makes_parking_more_difficult <p>Booming Seaport District development comes at a price for South Boston waterfront and Financial District workers who park in the evaporating sea of surface lots there.</p><p>Construction projects have resulted in the loss of 630-plus parking spots since last November, and 160 more will soon be added to the list.</p> Business & Markets Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Donna Goodison 1063313106 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/greece_resumes_talks_with_its_creditors <p>ATHENS, Greece — Greece resumed talks with its creditors to review progress in stabilizing the indebted country's finances.</p><p>Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras met for more than four hours Sunday with representatives of the so-called troika of creditors — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. At stake is the continuation of the financing of Greece by the creditors, including a €1 billion ($1.35 billion) bailout installment to be paid in October.</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 17:24:56 -0400 Associated Press 1063310511 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/computer_mishap_delays_space_station_supply_ship <p>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A brand new commercial cargo ship making its orbital debut experienced navigation system trouble Sunday, and its arrival at the International Space Station was delayed at least two days.</p><p>The rendezvous was aborted less than six hours before the scheduled arrival of Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Cygnus capsule, packed with 1,300 pounds of food and clothes for the space station crew.</p> Technology News Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:59:59 -0400 Associated Press 1063310376 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/pope_offers_hope_to_sardinias_poor_unemployed <p>CAGLIARI, Sardinia — Pope Francis denounced what he called big business's idolatry of money as he traveled Sunday to one of Italy's poorest regions to offer hope to the unemployed and entrepreneurs struggling to hang on.</p><p>"Where there is no work, there is no dignity," he said.</p><p>Francis left aside his prepared remarks and spoke off the cuff to thousands of people in Sardinia's capital, telling them he knew well what it was like to suffer from financial crisis. He recalled that his Italian parents, who immigrated to Argentina before he was born, spoke about it often at home.</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:19:58 -0400 Associated Press 1063310211 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/tests_new_iphones_less_durable_than_iphone_5 <p>NEW YORK — As Apple pitches its newest smartphones, users may find something lacking compared with last year's model: They could break more easily.</p><p>SquareTrade, a provider of protection plans for gadgets, tested five smartphones, including Apple's new iPhones, to see if they could withstand drops, dunks and other common hazards. Its finding: The latest models aren't as durable as last year's iPhone 5.</p> Technology News Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:12:01 -0400 Associated Press 1063311426 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/ap_records_show_maine_gov_tried_to_jam_wind_plan <p>AUGUSTA, Maine — Before its public push to have Maine reconsider wind energy proposals, Gov. Paul LePage's administration worked behind the scenes to explicitly derail Norwegian company Statoil's multimillion-dollar agreement with the state for an offshore wind project, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 12:16:28 -0400 Associated Press 1063310861 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/casinos_tap_intelligence_network_to_beat_cheaters <p>UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The man at the poker table had a ball cap pulled down almost to his nose, but his glance up at a television screen revealed a familiar face to Mohegan Sun's surveillance cameras: A photograph of the known card cheater had been sent by bulletin to casinos around the country.</p><p>Within hours, the bettor was arrested, accused of marking cards with invisible ink.</p><p>"The officer who identified him, basically she had a 'Holy crap!' moment," said Jay Lindroos, the casino's surveillance director. "She saw the face and said, 'I recognize that guy!'"</p> Technology News Sun, 22 Sep 2013 11:11:22 -0400 Associated Press 1063310971 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/venezuelas_president_in_china_signs_agreements <p>BEIJING — China and Venezuela signed several agreements Sunday during a visit by the Venezuelan president that is meant to strengthen economic ties between the South American nation and its leading creditor.</p><p>President Nicolas Maduro told his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, that the main goal of his trip was to further consolidate and expand the strategic partnership between the two countries that late President Hugo Chavez began with Chinese leaders. Chavez died in March after 14 years in power.</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 10:22:01 -0400 Associated Press 1063310456 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/co_shows_how_garden_grows <p>Before this fall, Samantha Swanick had eaten vegetables many times, but the 8-year-old had never thought she would actually grow one.</p><p>"After a few days, you can see them get bigger and bigger," she said Friday at Centerville Elementary School in Beverly, where she and other third-graders carefully tend to three, raised-bed, organic vegetable gardens each week. "You have to put the tall stuff like tomatoes in the back and the small stuff in the front so all of them can have sun and grow. I like the lettuce."</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Marie Szaniszlo 1063308361 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/harvard_launches_a_record_65b_fundraising_campaign <p>Harvard University launched a $6.5 billion fundraising campaign yesterday, an effort that — if successful — will be the biggest fundraiser ever in higher education and will allow the Cambridge university to expand its mission, the university said.</p><p>"No institution of higher education has a more exciting opportunity for innovative growth," Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust told an audience of university officials, alumni and donors. "This campaign must help us support the structures and modes of academic inquiry."</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jordan Graham 1063308471 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/harvard_launches_65_billion_capital_campaign <p>BOSTON — Harvard University launched a $6.5 billion capital campaign Saturday that, if successful, would be the largest fundraising effort in the history of higher education.</p><p>The school said the campaign had broad goals spanning all its schools and would fund research into neuroscience, stem cell science and low-cost energy for the developing world.</p><p>The campaign would target major renovations of the university's undergraduate housing and increase its study of new learning and teaching strategies.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 19:02:35 -0400 Associated Press 1063306361 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/wal_mart_driver_honored_for_4_million_accident_free_miles <p>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A long-distance truck driver for Wal-Mart has been recognized for traveling 4 million miles without an accident.</p><p>Warren Greeno of Loveland, Colo., reached the milestone this year. Today, Wal-Mart executives in Arkansas presented him with a new rig painted red.</p><p>The 59-year-old rolled up the mileage over 31 years and four months, an average of about 500 miles each working day.</p><p>Greeno said in an interview this week that there were half-dozen near-collisions. He said he waited for "the thump and the crash" but they never came.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 15:49:52 -0400 Associated Press 1063306511 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/west_hollywood_institutes_nations_first_fur_ban <p>WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — West Hollywood is now the only city in America where it's a crime to sell fur apparel.</p><p>The Los Angeles Times reports that after years of debate, the ban took effect Saturday.</p><p>It only applies to apparel that's made to be worn, such as shoes, hats and gloves. Ugg boots can't be sold because they contain shearling, a sheepskin or lambskin pelt that's had limited shearing.</p><p>The Southern California city calls itself a cruelty-free zone for animals and is famous for animal-friendly laws.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 15:11:44 -0400 Associated Press 1063306406 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/chiquita_seeks_dismissal_in_colombian_case <p>MIAMI — Faced with potentially billions of dollars in legal liability, Chiquita Brands International is asking a federal appeals court to block lawsuits filed against it in the U.S. by thousands of Colombians whose relatives were killed in that country's bloody, decades-long civil war.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 13:57:43 -0400 Associated Press 1063305776 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/russia_warns_ukraine_against_eu_deal <p>YALTA, Ukraine — A top Russian official on Saturday warned Ukraine against signing a landmark trade and cooperation agreement with the European Union, saying Moscow would retaliate with trade restrictions that could push this ex-Soviet republic toward default.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 11:10:22 -0400 Associated Press 1063305806

http://bostonherald.com/feed/4 en http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/mass_utilities_seek_more_wind_power <p>BOSTON — The largest utilities in Massachusetts have signed long-term contracts to buy wind-generated electricity at prices below the cost of most other sources, including coal and nuclear.</p><p>The contracts filed jointly with state utilities regulators by National Grid, Northeast Utilities and Unitil Corp. would buy 565 megawatts of electricity from six planned wind farms in Maine and New Hampshire, enough to power about 170,000 homes.</p> Business & Markets Mon, 23 Sep 2013 07:25:02 -0400 Associated Press 1063314211 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/long_strange_trip_ending_for_vws_hippie_van <p>SAO PAULO — It carried hippies through the 1960s, hauled surfers in search of killer waves during endless summers and serves as a workhorse across the developing world, but the long, strange trip of the Volkswagen van is ending.</p><p>Brazil is the last place in the world still producing the iconic vehicle, or "bus" as it's known by aficionados, but VW says production will end Dec. 31. Safety regulations mandate that every vehicle in Brazil must have air bags and anti-lock braking systems starting in 2014, and the company says it cannot change production to meet the law.</p> Business & Markets Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:26:53 -0400 Associated Press 1063313656 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/new_surface_expected_from_microsoft_at_nyc_event <p>NEW YORK — Microsoft Corp. is expected to announce new Surface tablet computers, including a version with a smaller screen to compete with Google's Nexus 7 and Apple's iPad Mini.</p><p>The company has an announcement event scheduled in New York on Monday.</p> Technology News Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:05:38 -0400 Associated Press 1063313626 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/iphone_5s_game_but_no_game_changer <p>At first blush, the iPhone 5S looks virtually identical to its predecessor, the iPhone 5. Apple's midcycle "S" upgrades are reserved for iterative changes. So while owners of the 5 might find themselves a bit let-down by Apple's promise that this new smartphone is its "most forward-thinking," consumers can rest assured that this is surely Apple's best iPhone to date.</p> Technology News Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jessica Van Sack, Booting Up 1063313051 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/color_us_meh_on_5c <p>IPhone 5C ($99 for 16GB, $199 for 32GB version, on contract):</p><p>The iPhone 5C is the iPhone 5 dressed up in five bright new color options, with a rounded plastic casing to complete this new look.</p><p><b>The Good: </b>Apple declared its new iPhone 5C as "beautifully, unapologetically plastic." And it is. Its rounded edges actually sit more comfortably in the palm than its predecessor, the sharp-cornered 5, and its exterior twin, the new 5S.</p> Business & Markets Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 herald.staff 1063313071 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/on_the_surface_seaport_boom_makes_parking_more_difficult <p>Booming Seaport District development comes at a price for South Boston waterfront and Financial District workers who park in the evaporating sea of surface lots there.</p><p>Construction projects have resulted in the loss of 630-plus parking spots since last November, and 160 more will soon be added to the list.</p> Business & Markets Mon, 23 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Donna Goodison 1063313106 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/greece_resumes_talks_with_its_creditors <p>ATHENS, Greece — Greece resumed talks with its creditors to review progress in stabilizing the indebted country's finances.</p><p>Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras met for more than four hours Sunday with representatives of the so-called troika of creditors — the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. At stake is the continuation of the financing of Greece by the creditors, including a €1 billion ($1.35 billion) bailout installment to be paid in October.</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 17:24:56 -0400 Associated Press 1063310511 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/computer_mishap_delays_space_station_supply_ship <p>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A brand new commercial cargo ship making its orbital debut experienced navigation system trouble Sunday, and its arrival at the International Space Station was delayed at least two days.</p><p>The rendezvous was aborted less than six hours before the scheduled arrival of Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Cygnus capsule, packed with 1,300 pounds of food and clothes for the space station crew.</p> Technology News Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:59:59 -0400 Associated Press 1063310376 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/pope_offers_hope_to_sardinias_poor_unemployed <p>CAGLIARI, Sardinia — Pope Francis denounced what he called big business's idolatry of money as he traveled Sunday to one of Italy's poorest regions to offer hope to the unemployed and entrepreneurs struggling to hang on.</p><p>"Where there is no work, there is no dignity," he said.</p><p>Francis left aside his prepared remarks and spoke off the cuff to thousands of people in Sardinia's capital, telling them he knew well what it was like to suffer from financial crisis. He recalled that his Italian parents, who immigrated to Argentina before he was born, spoke about it often at home.</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:19:58 -0400 Associated Press 1063310211 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/tests_new_iphones_less_durable_than_iphone_5 <p>NEW YORK — As Apple pitches its newest smartphones, users may find something lacking compared with last year's model: They could break more easily.</p><p>SquareTrade, a provider of protection plans for gadgets, tested five smartphones, including Apple's new iPhones, to see if they could withstand drops, dunks and other common hazards. Its finding: The latest models aren't as durable as last year's iPhone 5.</p> Technology News Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:12:01 -0400 Associated Press 1063311426 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/ap_records_show_maine_gov_tried_to_jam_wind_plan <p>AUGUSTA, Maine — Before its public push to have Maine reconsider wind energy proposals, Gov. Paul LePage's administration worked behind the scenes to explicitly derail Norwegian company Statoil's multimillion-dollar agreement with the state for an offshore wind project, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 12:16:28 -0400 Associated Press 1063310861 http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/casinos_tap_intelligence_network_to_beat_cheaters <p>UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The man at the poker table had a ball cap pulled down almost to his nose, but his glance up at a television screen revealed a familiar face to Mohegan Sun's surveillance cameras: A photograph of the known card cheater had been sent by bulletin to casinos around the country.</p><p>Within hours, the bettor was arrested, accused of marking cards with invisible ink.</p><p>"The officer who identified him, basically she had a 'Holy crap!' moment," said Jay Lindroos, the casino's surveillance director. "She saw the face and said, 'I recognize that guy!'"</p> Technology News Sun, 22 Sep 2013 11:11:22 -0400 Associated Press 1063310971 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/venezuelas_president_in_china_signs_agreements <p>BEIJING — China and Venezuela signed several agreements Sunday during a visit by the Venezuelan president that is meant to strengthen economic ties between the South American nation and its leading creditor.</p><p>President Nicolas Maduro told his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, that the main goal of his trip was to further consolidate and expand the strategic partnership between the two countries that late President Hugo Chavez began with Chinese leaders. Chavez died in March after 14 years in power.</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 10:22:01 -0400 Associated Press 1063310456 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/co_shows_how_garden_grows <p>Before this fall, Samantha Swanick had eaten vegetables many times, but the 8-year-old had never thought she would actually grow one.</p><p>"After a few days, you can see them get bigger and bigger," she said Friday at Centerville Elementary School in Beverly, where she and other third-graders carefully tend to three, raised-bed, organic vegetable gardens each week. "You have to put the tall stuff like tomatoes in the back and the small stuff in the front so all of them can have sun and grow. I like the lettuce."</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Marie Szaniszlo 1063308361 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/harvard_launches_a_record_65b_fundraising_campaign <p>Harvard University launched a $6.5 billion fundraising campaign yesterday, an effort that — if successful — will be the biggest fundraiser ever in higher education and will allow the Cambridge university to expand its mission, the university said.</p><p>"No institution of higher education has a more exciting opportunity for innovative growth," Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust told an audience of university officials, alumni and donors. "This campaign must help us support the structures and modes of academic inquiry."</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jordan Graham 1063308471 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/harvard_launches_65_billion_capital_campaign <p>BOSTON — Harvard University launched a $6.5 billion capital campaign Saturday that, if successful, would be the largest fundraising effort in the history of higher education.</p><p>The school said the campaign had broad goals spanning all its schools and would fund research into neuroscience, stem cell science and low-cost energy for the developing world.</p><p>The campaign would target major renovations of the university's undergraduate housing and increase its study of new learning and teaching strategies.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 19:02:35 -0400 Associated Press 1063306361 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/wal_mart_driver_honored_for_4_million_accident_free_miles <p>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A long-distance truck driver for Wal-Mart has been recognized for traveling 4 million miles without an accident.</p><p>Warren Greeno of Loveland, Colo., reached the milestone this year. Today, Wal-Mart executives in Arkansas presented him with a new rig painted red.</p><p>The 59-year-old rolled up the mileage over 31 years and four months, an average of about 500 miles each working day.</p><p>Greeno said in an interview this week that there were half-dozen near-collisions. He said he waited for "the thump and the crash" but they never came.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 15:49:52 -0400 Associated Press 1063306511 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/west_hollywood_institutes_nations_first_fur_ban <p>WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — West Hollywood is now the only city in America where it's a crime to sell fur apparel.</p><p>The Los Angeles Times reports that after years of debate, the ban took effect Saturday.</p><p>It only applies to apparel that's made to be worn, such as shoes, hats and gloves. Ugg boots can't be sold because they contain shearling, a sheepskin or lambskin pelt that's had limited shearing.</p><p>The Southern California city calls itself a cruelty-free zone for animals and is famous for animal-friendly laws.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 15:11:44 -0400 Associated Press 1063306406 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/chiquita_seeks_dismissal_in_colombian_case <p>MIAMI — Faced with potentially billions of dollars in legal liability, Chiquita Brands International is asking a federal appeals court to block lawsuits filed against it in the U.S. by thousands of Colombians whose relatives were killed in that country's bloody, decades-long civil war.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 13:57:43 -0400 Associated Press 1063305776 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/russia_warns_ukraine_against_eu_deal <p>YALTA, Ukraine — A top Russian official on Saturday warned Ukraine against signing a landmark trade and cooperation agreement with the European Union, saying Moscow would retaliate with trade restrictions that could push this ex-Soviet republic toward default.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 11:10:22 -0400 Associated Press 1063305806

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http://bostonherald.com/feed/4 en http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/computer_mishap_delays_space_station_supply_ship <p>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A brand new commercial cargo ship making its orbital debut experienced trouble with a computer data link Sunday, and its arrival at the International Space Station was delayed at least two days.</p><p>The rendezvous was aborted less than six hours before the scheduled arrival of Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Cygnus capsule, packed with 1,300 pounds of food and clothes for the space station crew.</p><p>The Virginia-based company said it is working on a software repair, but it will be at least two more days until another approach is attempted.</p> Technology News Sun, 22 Sep 2013 07:17:08 -0400 Associated Press 1063310376 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/co_shows_how_garden_grows <p>Before this fall, Samantha Swanick had eaten vegetables many times, but the 8-year-old had never thought she would actually grow one.</p><p>"After a few days, you can see them get bigger and bigger," she said Friday at Centerville Elementary School in Beverly, where she and other third-graders carefully tend to three, raised-bed, organic vegetable gardens each week. "You have to put the tall stuff like tomatoes in the back and the small stuff in the front so all of them can have sun and grow. I like the lettuce."</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Marie Szaniszlo 1063308361 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/harvard_launches_a_record_65b_fundraising_campaign <p>Harvard University launched a $6.5 billion fundraising campaign yesterday, an effort that — if successful — will be the biggest fundraiser ever in higher education and will allow the Cambridge university to expand its mission, the university said.</p><p>"No institution of higher education has a more exciting opportunity for innovative growth," Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust told an audience of university officials, alumni and donors. "This campaign must help us support the structures and modes of academic inquiry."</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jordan Graham 1063308471 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/harvard_launches_65_billion_capital_campaign <p>BOSTON — Harvard University launched a $6.5 billion capital campaign Saturday that, if successful, would be the largest fundraising effort in the history of higher education.</p><p>The school said the campaign had broad goals spanning all its schools and would fund research into neuroscience, stem cell science and low-cost energy for the developing world.</p><p>The campaign would target major renovations of the university's undergraduate housing and increase its study of new learning and teaching strategies.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 19:02:35 -0400 Associated Press 1063306361 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/wal_mart_driver_honored_for_4_million_accident_free_miles <p>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A long-distance truck driver for Wal-Mart has been recognized for traveling 4 million miles without an accident.</p><p>Warren Greeno of Loveland, Colo., reached the milestone this year. Today, Wal-Mart executives in Arkansas presented him with a new rig painted red.</p><p>The 59-year-old rolled up the mileage over 31 years and four months, an average of about 500 miles each working day.</p><p>Greeno said in an interview this week that there were half-dozen near-collisions. He said he waited for "the thump and the crash" but they never came.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 15:49:52 -0400 Associated Press 1063306511 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/west_hollywood_institutes_nations_first_fur_ban <p>WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — West Hollywood is now the only city in America where it's a crime to sell fur apparel.</p><p>The Los Angeles Times reports that after years of debate, the ban took effect Saturday.</p><p>It only applies to apparel that's made to be worn, such as shoes, hats and gloves. Ugg boots can't be sold because they contain shearling, a sheepskin or lambskin pelt that's had limited shearing.</p><p>The Southern California city calls itself a cruelty-free zone for animals and is famous for animal-friendly laws.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 15:11:44 -0400 Associated Press 1063306406 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/chiquita_seeks_dismissal_in_colombian_case <p>MIAMI — Faced with potentially billions of dollars in legal liability, Chiquita Brands International is asking a federal appeals court to block lawsuits filed against it in the U.S. by thousands of Colombians whose relatives were killed in that country's bloody, decades-long civil war.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 13:57:43 -0400 Associated Press 1063305776 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/russia_warns_ukraine_against_eu_deal <p>YALTA, Ukraine — A top Russian official on Saturday warned Ukraine against signing a landmark trade and cooperation agreement with the European Union, saying Moscow would retaliate with trade restrictions that could push this ex-Soviet republic toward default.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 11:10:22 -0400 Associated Press 1063305806 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/gunmans_employer_sought_navy_consulting_work <p>WASHINGTON — A little more than 24 hours after an IT contractor shot dozen workers at the Washington Navy Yard, the company's CEO told the Navy secretary he had the experience to help improve military security.</p><p>The email from The Experts chief Thomas Hoshko, which included descriptions of his background and expertise, stunned some Navy leaders in the wake of the shootings Monday that left 13 people dead, including the gunman, former Navy reservist Aaron Alexis.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 11:03:33 -0400 Associated Press 1063305866 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/microloans_surging_in_silicon_valley <p>SAN JOSE, Calif. — A daycare provider needed cribs and high chairs. A coffee truck needed a generator. A couple renting party supplies needed to move into a storefront.</p><p>When these Silicon Valley small businesses needed cash, and fast, they didn't find help at a bank. They turned instead to a type of financing more commonly associated with buying a sewing machine for a Guatemalan tailor or a tractor for an African farmer.</p><p>Microlending, a decades old form of financing for the world's poorest, is now booming in Silicon Valley.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 10:51:07 -0400 Associated Press 1063305801 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/uk_charges_4_in_cyber_theft_from_barclays_bank <p>LONDON — British police have charged four men in connection with the theft of 1.3 million pounds ($2.1 million) from a Barclays Bank branch.</p><p>The men — aged between 26 and 47 — were arrested Friday and accused of installing a device on the bank's computer system made it possible to carry out the cyber theft.</p><p>Police said cash, jewels and thousands of credit cards were found in related searches of addresses in the greater London area.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 04:59:08 -0400 Associated Press 1063305441 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/bay_state_defense_firms_get_work_despite_cuts <p>Massachusetts companies that work with the U.S. Defense Department are still getting contracts in spite of federal budget cuts, but the firms say those contracts tend to be smaller.</p><p>The Defense Department this week announced more than $865 million in contracts, including $9.9 million to Boston Dynamics of Waltham for work on the Legged Squad Support System, or LS3, a legged robot to help service members carry their gear, following them through rugged terrain and interpreting verbal and visual commands.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Marie Szaniszlo 1063304391 http://bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/2013/09/cambridge_penthouse_could_be_your_castle <p>This four-bedroom duplex penthouse condo, the home of former Channel 4 meteorologist Mish Michaels, features a dramatic sweeping staircase that joins what were two separate units.</p><p>Part of the 113-unit Bay Square condo complex built in 1989, Michaels and her husband, Wes Atamian, combined two units in 2006 to create a showpiece custom-designed penthouse highlighted by a dramatic two-story vaulted turret with a living area overlooking a great room connected by a curving metal staircase.</p> Real Estate Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Paul Restuccia 1063304401 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/mit_study_us_needs_to_step_up_manufacturing <p>The nation's booming innovation economy is in danger of losing steam and moving overseas unless there is a significant increase in manufacturing in the U.S., according to a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but Massachusetts is poised to take advantage of such an increase, a state official says.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jordan Graham 1063304411 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/colonial_drug_departs_from_harvard_square <p>Another vestige of the much lamented Harvard Square of old will close its doors today.</p><p>Colonial Drug, known for its stock of more than 1,000 fragrances, is relocating after 66 years on Brattle Street to combine with the Stoddard's cutlery store in Newton at month's end.</p><p>"We did business with (Stoddard's owner David Marks') father, and his grandfather did business with our father," co-owner J.P. Botindari said. "We said someday we should get together, and we are. We complement each other."</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Donna Goodison 1063304531 http://bostonherald.com/business/automotive/2013/09/magnificent_jag_is_a_treat_for_all <p>It's the chicken or the egg conundrum: Do you want to be the driver of the sleek 2013 Jaguar XJL or the passenger in the elegant cabin?</p><p>The long wheelbase of the XJL affords rear passengers a playground of luxurious creature comforts. Start with the reclining soft leather seats, drop-down glass trays and personal remote controls for the headrest-mounted entertainment centers. Add a whisper-quiet ride, a footrest to leisurely stretch out your legs, cooled and heated massaging seats and you arrive at work or the weekend estate in style.</p> Automotive Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jim Mahoney 1063304386 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/pipe_had_leak_1_year_before_hawaii_molasses_spill <p>HONOLULU — A state inspector saw molasses dripping last year from the same spot where a pipe leaked up to 1,400 tons of the sugary substance into Honolulu Harbor earlier this month, killing more than 26,000 fish and other marine life.</p><p>Department of Transportation Deputy Director Randy Grune said Friday he sent a letter in July 2012 to Matson Navigation Co. notifying the company of the leak. The letter, provided to reporters Friday, asked Matson to tell the state when the pipeline was repaired.</p> Business & Markets Fri, 20 Sep 2013 22:27:32 -0400 Associated Press 1063303856 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/scheme_to_snag_iphones_leads_to_chaos_in_calif <p>PASADENA, Calif. — An overnight campout for the new iPhone turned chaotic Friday morning when two men were arrested for fighting outside an Apple Store and a man's plan to hire homeless people to wait in line for the coveted devices backfired, authorities said.</p><p>Dozens of people recruited at a downtown Los Angeles homeless shelter to buy iPhones at a Pasadena store were left unpaid, and they mobbed the man who had hired them, Pasadena police Lt. Jason Clawson said.</p> Business & Markets Fri, 20 Sep 2013 21:22:17 -0400 Associated Press 1063302971 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/blackberry_slashes_jobs_in_face_of_1b_2q_loss <p>TORONTO — It was once so addictive it inspired the nickname "CrackBerry." President Barack Obama confessed to being among the millions of devotees who couldn't bear to stop tapping feverishly away on its tiny keyboard. Madonna once said she slept with hers under her pillow.</p><p>Then came the iPhone.</p><p>Users newly addicted to Facebook and photo-sharing and Angry Birds started flirting with the opposition. And as more smartphones flooded the market with their supersize Samsung screens and thousands of apps, the BlackBerry failed to keep up with the flash.</p> Business & Markets Fri, 20 Sep 2013 20:06:10 -0400 Associated Press 1063303256 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/navy_suspends_company_implicated_in_scheme <p>WASHINGTON — The Navy suspended a Singapore-based company and its president from contracting with the federal government after the arrests earlier this week in a bribery conspiracy scheme.</p><p>The president and chief executive officer of Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd., Leonard Francis, and his company and its affiliates are barred from federal contracts and can't receive benefits from federal assistance programs.</p> Business & Markets Fri, 20 Sep 2013 19:52:00 -0400 Associated Press 1063304181

http://bostonherald.com/feed/4 en http://bostonherald.com/business/technology/technology_news/2013/09/computer_mishap_delays_space_station_supply_ship <p>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A brand new commercial cargo ship making its orbital debut experienced trouble with a computer data link Sunday, and its arrival at the International Space Station was delayed at least two days.</p><p>The rendezvous was aborted less than six hours before the scheduled arrival of Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Cygnus capsule, packed with 1,300 pounds of food and clothes for the space station crew.</p><p>The Virginia-based company said it is working on a software repair, but it will be at least two more days until another approach is attempted.</p> Technology News Sun, 22 Sep 2013 07:17:08 -0400 Associated Press 1063310376 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/co_shows_how_garden_grows <p>Before this fall, Samantha Swanick had eaten vegetables many times, but the 8-year-old had never thought she would actually grow one.</p><p>"After a few days, you can see them get bigger and bigger," she said Friday at Centerville Elementary School in Beverly, where she and other third-graders carefully tend to three, raised-bed, organic vegetable gardens each week. "You have to put the tall stuff like tomatoes in the back and the small stuff in the front so all of them can have sun and grow. I like the lettuce."</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Marie Szaniszlo 1063308361 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/harvard_launches_a_record_65b_fundraising_campaign <p>Harvard University launched a $6.5 billion fundraising campaign yesterday, an effort that — if successful — will be the biggest fundraiser ever in higher education and will allow the Cambridge university to expand its mission, the university said.</p><p>"No institution of higher education has a more exciting opportunity for innovative growth," Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust told an audience of university officials, alumni and donors. "This campaign must help us support the structures and modes of academic inquiry."</p> Business & Markets Sun, 22 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jordan Graham 1063308471 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/harvard_launches_65_billion_capital_campaign <p>BOSTON — Harvard University launched a $6.5 billion capital campaign Saturday that, if successful, would be the largest fundraising effort in the history of higher education.</p><p>The school said the campaign had broad goals spanning all its schools and would fund research into neuroscience, stem cell science and low-cost energy for the developing world.</p><p>The campaign would target major renovations of the university's undergraduate housing and increase its study of new learning and teaching strategies.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 19:02:35 -0400 Associated Press 1063306361 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/wal_mart_driver_honored_for_4_million_accident_free_miles <p>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A long-distance truck driver for Wal-Mart has been recognized for traveling 4 million miles without an accident.</p><p>Warren Greeno of Loveland, Colo., reached the milestone this year. Today, Wal-Mart executives in Arkansas presented him with a new rig painted red.</p><p>The 59-year-old rolled up the mileage over 31 years and four months, an average of about 500 miles each working day.</p><p>Greeno said in an interview this week that there were half-dozen near-collisions. He said he waited for "the thump and the crash" but they never came.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 15:49:52 -0400 Associated Press 1063306511 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/west_hollywood_institutes_nations_first_fur_ban <p>WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — West Hollywood is now the only city in America where it's a crime to sell fur apparel.</p><p>The Los Angeles Times reports that after years of debate, the ban took effect Saturday.</p><p>It only applies to apparel that's made to be worn, such as shoes, hats and gloves. Ugg boots can't be sold because they contain shearling, a sheepskin or lambskin pelt that's had limited shearing.</p><p>The Southern California city calls itself a cruelty-free zone for animals and is famous for animal-friendly laws.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 15:11:44 -0400 Associated Press 1063306406 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/chiquita_seeks_dismissal_in_colombian_case <p>MIAMI — Faced with potentially billions of dollars in legal liability, Chiquita Brands International is asking a federal appeals court to block lawsuits filed against it in the U.S. by thousands of Colombians whose relatives were killed in that country's bloody, decades-long civil war.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 13:57:43 -0400 Associated Press 1063305776 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/russia_warns_ukraine_against_eu_deal <p>YALTA, Ukraine — A top Russian official on Saturday warned Ukraine against signing a landmark trade and cooperation agreement with the European Union, saying Moscow would retaliate with trade restrictions that could push this ex-Soviet republic toward default.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 11:10:22 -0400 Associated Press 1063305806 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/gunmans_employer_sought_navy_consulting_work <p>WASHINGTON — A little more than 24 hours after an IT contractor shot dozen workers at the Washington Navy Yard, the company's CEO told the Navy secretary he had the experience to help improve military security.</p><p>The email from The Experts chief Thomas Hoshko, which included descriptions of his background and expertise, stunned some Navy leaders in the wake of the shootings Monday that left 13 people dead, including the gunman, former Navy reservist Aaron Alexis.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 11:03:33 -0400 Associated Press 1063305866 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/microloans_surging_in_silicon_valley <p>SAN JOSE, Calif. — A daycare provider needed cribs and high chairs. A coffee truck needed a generator. A couple renting party supplies needed to move into a storefront.</p><p>When these Silicon Valley small businesses needed cash, and fast, they didn't find help at a bank. They turned instead to a type of financing more commonly associated with buying a sewing machine for a Guatemalan tailor or a tractor for an African farmer.</p><p>Microlending, a decades old form of financing for the world's poorest, is now booming in Silicon Valley.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 10:51:07 -0400 Associated Press 1063305801 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/uk_charges_4_in_cyber_theft_from_barclays_bank <p>LONDON — British police have charged four men in connection with the theft of 1.3 million pounds ($2.1 million) from a Barclays Bank branch.</p><p>The men — aged between 26 and 47 — were arrested Friday and accused of installing a device on the bank's computer system made it possible to carry out the cyber theft.</p><p>Police said cash, jewels and thousands of credit cards were found in related searches of addresses in the greater London area.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 04:59:08 -0400 Associated Press 1063305441 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/bay_state_defense_firms_get_work_despite_cuts <p>Massachusetts companies that work with the U.S. Defense Department are still getting contracts in spite of federal budget cuts, but the firms say those contracts tend to be smaller.</p><p>The Defense Department this week announced more than $865 million in contracts, including $9.9 million to Boston Dynamics of Waltham for work on the Legged Squad Support System, or LS3, a legged robot to help service members carry their gear, following them through rugged terrain and interpreting verbal and visual commands.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Marie Szaniszlo 1063304391 http://bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/2013/09/cambridge_penthouse_could_be_your_castle <p>This four-bedroom duplex penthouse condo, the home of former Channel 4 meteorologist Mish Michaels, features a dramatic sweeping staircase that joins what were two separate units.</p><p>Part of the 113-unit Bay Square condo complex built in 1989, Michaels and her husband, Wes Atamian, combined two units in 2006 to create a showpiece custom-designed penthouse highlighted by a dramatic two-story vaulted turret with a living area overlooking a great room connected by a curving metal staircase.</p> Real Estate Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Paul Restuccia 1063304401 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/mit_study_us_needs_to_step_up_manufacturing <p>The nation's booming innovation economy is in danger of losing steam and moving overseas unless there is a significant increase in manufacturing in the U.S., according to a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but Massachusetts is poised to take advantage of such an increase, a state official says.</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jordan Graham 1063304411 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/colonial_drug_departs_from_harvard_square <p>Another vestige of the much lamented Harvard Square of old will close its doors today.</p><p>Colonial Drug, known for its stock of more than 1,000 fragrances, is relocating after 66 years on Brattle Street to combine with the Stoddard's cutlery store in Newton at month's end.</p><p>"We did business with (Stoddard's owner David Marks') father, and his grandfather did business with our father," co-owner J.P. Botindari said. "We said someday we should get together, and we are. We complement each other."</p> Business & Markets Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Donna Goodison 1063304531 http://bostonherald.com/business/automotive/2013/09/magnificent_jag_is_a_treat_for_all <p>It's the chicken or the egg conundrum: Do you want to be the driver of the sleek 2013 Jaguar XJL or the passenger in the elegant cabin?</p><p>The long wheelbase of the XJL affords rear passengers a playground of luxurious creature comforts. Start with the reclining soft leather seats, drop-down glass trays and personal remote controls for the headrest-mounted entertainment centers. Add a whisper-quiet ride, a footrest to leisurely stretch out your legs, cooled and heated massaging seats and you arrive at work or the weekend estate in style.</p> Automotive Sat, 21 Sep 2013 00:00:00 -0400 Jim Mahoney 1063304386 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/pipe_had_leak_1_year_before_hawaii_molasses_spill <p>HONOLULU — A state inspector saw molasses dripping last year from the same spot where a pipe leaked up to 1,400 tons of the sugary substance into Honolulu Harbor earlier this month, killing more than 26,000 fish and other marine life.</p><p>Department of Transportation Deputy Director Randy Grune said Friday he sent a letter in July 2012 to Matson Navigation Co. notifying the company of the leak. The letter, provided to reporters Friday, asked Matson to tell the state when the pipeline was repaired.</p> Business & Markets Fri, 20 Sep 2013 22:27:32 -0400 Associated Press 1063303856 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/scheme_to_snag_iphones_leads_to_chaos_in_calif <p>PASADENA, Calif. — An overnight campout for the new iPhone turned chaotic Friday morning when two men were arrested for fighting outside an Apple Store and a man's plan to hire homeless people to wait in line for the coveted devices backfired, authorities said.</p><p>Dozens of people recruited at a downtown Los Angeles homeless shelter to buy iPhones at a Pasadena store were left unpaid, and they mobbed the man who had hired them, Pasadena police Lt. Jason Clawson said.</p> Business & Markets Fri, 20 Sep 2013 21:22:17 -0400 Associated Press 1063302971 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/blackberry_slashes_jobs_in_face_of_1b_2q_loss <p>TORONTO — It was once so addictive it inspired the nickname "CrackBerry." President Barack Obama confessed to being among the millions of devotees who couldn't bear to stop tapping feverishly away on its tiny keyboard. Madonna once said she slept with hers under her pillow.</p><p>Then came the iPhone.</p><p>Users newly addicted to Facebook and photo-sharing and Angry Birds started flirting with the opposition. And as more smartphones flooded the market with their supersize Samsung screens and thousands of apps, the BlackBerry failed to keep up with the flash.</p> Business & Markets Fri, 20 Sep 2013 20:06:10 -0400 Associated Press 1063303256 http://bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2013/09/navy_suspends_company_implicated_in_scheme <p>WASHINGTON — The Navy suspended a Singapore-based company and its president from contracting with the federal government after the arrests earlier this week in a bribery conspiracy scheme.</p><p>The president and chief executive officer of Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd., Leonard Francis, and his company and its affiliates are barred from federal contracts and can't receive benefits from federal assistance programs.</p> Business & Markets Fri, 20 Sep 2013 19:52:00 -0400 Associated Press 1063304181

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