Mayor ups ante on Crosby

It's nothing personal, just hardball politics — that's how several Boston city councilors viewed Mayor Martin J. Walsh's decision to call out state gaming czar Stephen Crosby this week, pressuring him to step down from deliberations over who gets the eastern Massachusetts casino license.

"I'm not aware of any bad blood between Walsh and Crosby, but having worked with (the city law department), they always felt the Gaming Commission has not been fair to the city of Boston," said Councilor Sal LaMattina of East Boston. "I've told the commissioner himself that I'm frustrated with how the commission has treated Boston, and not allowing us to be a host community."

City Councilor Michael Flaherty said he was not aware of any prior dust-ups between the mayor, a former state rep, and Crosby when both men served on Beacon Hill. Crosby was secretary of administration and finance under governors Paul Cellucci and Jane M. Swift.

"Marty, as the CEO of the city, has a responsibility to fight for the best deal for Boston, particularly for the impacted communities of East Boston or Charlestown, and the City Council supports his efforts," Flaherty said.

Boston is demanding host community status to proposed casinos on its borders in Revere and Everett, and has rebuffed offers from the commission to hold a hearing to decide the matter. Walsh has called for votes in East Boston and Charlestown on the Mohegan Sun-Suffolk Downs and Wynn Resorts projects because of the impacts Boston would face despite the gaming parlors not being within city limits.

In a letter to the commission Thursday calling on Crosby to remove himself from the greater Boston casino vote, a city lawyer accused the chairman of making "prejudicial" statements critical of the city for asserting its host status. It also cited a lawsuit against Crosby by Caesars Entertainment that claims he favored the Wynn casino proposal that would be built on property in Everett owned in part by Crosby's former business partner.

"I think emotions are running high, probably higher than is warranted. The chairman is a good man. The mayor is a good man. And we want a good solution," Gov. Deval Patrick said yesterday. "I wish there was, frankly, kind of a cooling-off period, and there are days when I wish that they would start over."

Elaine Driscoll, spokeswoman for the Gaming Commission, said Crosby has no plans of recusing himself. "At this point, the chairman will be continuing with his participation," she told the Herald, declining to discuss the matter further.

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Nucci: Walsh shows resolve on casino issue

Just in case anyone is still wondering what kind of a mayor Marty Walsh will be, he just sent the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and its Chairman Stephen Crosby a very clear answer. He'll be a mayor who won't back down, and Boston is not going to be a city to be trifled with or dismissed.

So now is the time to see a similarly strong stance from those who would be our next governor. Our current governor is taking the position that the process is playing out just fine, and he has shown zero interest in getting involved.

And while the gubernatorial candidates have made broad statements about gambling in general, they too have walked away from the all-important licensing process. It's easier to just say, "Not my job — call the Gaming Commission."

The process of awarding a casino license in Greater Boston has been amended and twisted into a mysterious patchwork mess created by a gaming panel that has apparently been making it up as they go along. Nobody even knows the rules anymore.

Walsh believes that Boston should be considered a host community to either casino, and he wants his position dealt with seriously. At Suffolk Downs it seems abundantly clear that the casino complex straddles both Boston and Revere. The Everett project may also be using Boston land. Both projects should then require an opportunity for Boston voters to have their say at the polls.

But the commission has seemed annoyed by, and somewhat dismissive of, Boston's stance. Big mistake. The city has now asked Crosby to step aside, charging him with setting up a process which "stack(s) the deck" against the city, and creating "a cloud over the proceedings."

Hello! Get the message? This will not be a "nice-to-see-you; see-you-later" exercise. Not if Marty Walsh can help it.

Yet from the gubernatorial candidates, there is the deafening sound of crickets on this issue. This is not a casino complex that will be in some out-of-the-way location deep in the woods. This is an urban mega-project. Boston is the capital city and economic engine of the commonwealth.

Do the candidates think the decision on an urban casino, with all its burdens and negative impacts, should rest only with Steve Crosby and the other four commission members?

Which casino makes more sense, the Wynn or the Suffolk Downs plan?

Should Boston get a say on these projects, both of which throw huge burdens on the city?

There should be no ducking behind "the process."

So who will it be? Which candidate wants to weigh in first? Mayor Walsh is stepping up. Who's ready to take a stand? We're all ears.

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CarSmart: Jeep shines 
in all seasons

So the snow is gone for the season — we hope — but that doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy all the exceptional year-round on- and off-road features of the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Diesel.

Long popular with New England automotive writers as a top winter vehicle, the Grand Cherokee features the Quadra-Trac II 4-wheel-drive system with the Selec-terrain system linked to the Quadra-lift air suspension. That means you can use just about any combination of traction, height and engaged wheels to conquer any terrain you encounter, or you can leave it in auto mode.

Jeep has long been one of the leaders of off-roading and the Grand Cherokee is the king of the brand. Our dual-tone, leather-clad, 
contrast-stitched seats comfortably put me in a commanding driver's position with all controls at my fingertips. The Bluetooth integrated voice command system ran the Uconnect infotainment system well.

But the intriguing part of this vehicle was the impressive 3.0-liter V-6 ECO diesel powerplant. This engine, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, easily powered this SUV through a classic dose of New England weather. What really stuck out was its good fuel mileage. Rated at 21 miles per gallon around town and a nifty 28 on the highway, I easily averaged 26 mpg — making running the more expensive diesel fuel worth it. The acceleration is smooth and powerful and the only time you hear the familiar diesel growl is when you pop the hood. And guess what? No plumes of blue smoke belching down the road.

The truck handles very well and is managed by electronic stability control. Body-roll for this full-sized vehicle is minimal, but as always, respect that it is a truck. The ride was quiet, solid and compliant with excellent sightlines. You really feel in command of the truck and have a good sense of its dimensions. Storage with the seats down is very good and the power liftgate is standard.

The Overland also tricks out with a full array of safety features, such as front and rear cameras, and with the Advanced Technology Package you bump up to adaptive cruise control, collision and lane-drift warning and blind-spot monitoring.

Absolutely add the Off-Road package to get the 18-inch tires, skid plates and the limited-slip rear differential to complete the powerful array of trail-driving features.

This rugged machine dresses up nicely. Attention to detail, fit and finish are much improved at this level. The plastics and leather blend nicely and the soft touch surfaces are well-placed. The combination of brushed aluminum and wood trim creates a modern look but holds some of Jeep's woodsy heritage. The large sunroof gave the car an airy feel and the tint managed the heat and glare well.

This big, handsome rig starts at $46,195, and fitted out with the upgrade packages runs $54,780. You'll find this a very competitive price in a powerful field of competitors such as the Mercedes ML350, Range Rover, Infiniti QX 80 and Lexus LX570.

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Finish line to see tight security

The parties will go on this year along the Boston Marathon route, but attendees can expect tighter security at some of the more popular bashes in the wake of last year's bombings — especially those near the race's Boylston Street finish line.

Hosts have hired security contingents and are requiring RSVPs and names on lists for entry to parties that in year's past maintained more of a drop-in, open-house policy.

A "significant" show of security, including city and state police, will be at 
Forum on Boylston Street, outside of which the first bomb exploded last year in the middle of the Joe 
Andruzzi Foundation's marathon fundraising party.

The restaurant will host the foundation's party again this year.

"There's going to be a significant presence there as opposed to years past," 
Forum spokeswoman Nicole Russo said. "Forum will have their own security on hand, but they also have been working with city and state authorities, and they will have a presence as well."

Marlo Marketing/Communications, whose office overlooks Boylston Street, hired a security team for the first time for its seventh annual party that typically attracts up to 200 over the course of the day.

"We've never done security before, we've never even done a formal RSVP," owner Marlo Fogelman said. "This year we asked for an RSVP, and have security guards at the front door. I (will have) people down there who will be checking names as well. It's just going to give us some control and a sense of safety with who's in the office."

The two-level office of the firm — one of many Boylston Street businesses that were shut down for more than a week following the bombings — is right next to Forum, and shrapnel from the first bomb hit its windows.

"Nothing incredibly damaging ... pictures were off walls, and our sign fell off. Tons of dust and smoke and debris came in," said Fogelman, who never gave a thought to not hosting the party again this year.

"(The security) was just something I wanted to do for the safety of our guests and the safety of everybody."

Meanwhile, the Charlesmark Hotel, which will be holding its 14th annual marathon party on its Boylston Street patio, plans no extra security this year beyond its usual door people and management staff.

"Business as usual for us," said operating partner Mark Hagopian, who felt the blast of the first bomb last year and captured the immediate chaos on video. "We're open to the public, and we're calling it a marathon celebration party, same as we do every year."

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Boston-to-Beijing flights set for June takeoff

Gov. Deval Patrick yesterday welcomed to Boston the founder of Hainan Airlines, which will begin nonstop flights between the Hub and Beijing in June.

"We've been having this conversation about a direct flight to Beijing for seven years now," the governor told HNA Group Co. Chairman Chen Feng, a Harvard Business School alumnus he met on a trade mission to China in 2007. "But good things come to those who wait."

On June 20, China's fourth-largest airline will begin flights between the two cities four times a week.

"I hope with this flight, HNA builds a new bridge between Beijing and Boston," Chen said at yesterday's Harvard Club reception.

From July 21 to the end of August, Hainan will have daily flights between the two cities before reverting back to four weekly, said Joel M. Chusid, Hainan's executive director in 
the U.S.

"We want to go daily," he told the Herald, "but we have to watch demand."

Massport CEO Thomas Glynn said the new service will be key for business travelers, tourists and the more than 10,000 students from China who study at one of New England's 270 colleges and universities. It will also be key to the nearly 120,000 Chinese citizens who live in the region — the fifth-highest number in the U.S., Glynn said.

"Each year, about 212,000 passengers fly between Boston and China — the sixth most in the United States," he said, "but we are also the largest market to Beijing and Shanghai without nonstop service."

Boston will become Hainan's fourth North American destination, after Seattle, Chicago and Toronto, and the first on the East Coast.

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Tapping into the Great Outdoors

Even if you live in an urban building, you can still have access to the outdoors.

A number of new residential buildings in Boston are creating outdoor spaces — roof decks, garden terraces, courtyards and pools — to connect those who live there with nature.

Copley Wolff Design Group, a Hub landscape architecture firm, is designing outdoor spaces in more than a dozen new buildings, including the Kensington, The Victor, 315 on A, West Square and upcoming work at the Lovejoy Wharf, the Ink Block, One Canal and 101 Seaport.

"Apartment units have gotten smaller and to attract tenants you need to have a lot of common space that's like an extension of their apartments, where they can hang out," said John Copley, principal at Copley Wolff. "Outdoor spaces flowing off these rooms have become an important part of marketing new buildings."

Copley Wolff works with the architects and marketers to create unique concepts for each building,

At the Kensington, Copley and landscape architects Michael D'Angelo and Cortney Kirk created an outdoor lounge and pool area on the sixth floor. The outdoor lounge has a gas fireplace, a built-in flat screen TV and comfortable couches. The deck steps up to a swimming pool with an ipe wood deck, lounge chairs, a trellis for shade and city views.

Fred Goldberg, general manager of the Kensington, said the pool and outdoor lounge, which will open for the season next week, proved popular with tenants last fall.

"It's a huge wow factor to show to prospective tenants," Goldberg said.

At 315 on A, Copley Wolff created an entirely different feel with a 20th floor common roof deck with views over the Seaport District to Boston Harbor. The ipe-decked space has large sliding doors that connect it to a common kitchen/lounge area, and there's two infrared gas grills and dining tables. On the ground level, Copley lined a long entry driveway with upright hornbeam trees and ornamental grasses.

At The Victor apartment complex in North Station, the firm put in larger trees on one rooftop terrace and grass on another.

They've also created an interior courtyard at West Square in South Boston so first-floor units open onto a landscaped area with grass and shrubs.

"Interior courtyards help in leasing what could be seen as less-desirable units without city views," Copley said.

Copley is designing a large pool, plaza and roof decks for the Ink Block now under construction and a park-sized 15,642-square-foot fifth-floor landscaped roof deck at 101 Seaport Square with Boston Harbor views that will be open to the public.

"Roof decks let people get outside quickly, rather than having to walk four or five blocks to a park," said Kirk. "Nature in the city has become a building amenity."

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Judge: GM doesn’t have to ‘park’ recalled cars

A federal judge yesterday denied a move to force General Motors to immediately pull 2.6 million recalled cars off the road as U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey slammed the company for failing to voluntarily issue a "park it now" emergency alert for the vehicles with faulty ignition switches linked to fatal crashes.

"GM's culture appears to have been driven by costs over consumer safety, which continues today by refusing to tell drivers to stop operating its defective vehicles until they're fixed," Markey said. "This so-called new GM has the same old values of profits over people that has endangered lives and caused grief to American families."

The car company has come under fire for failing to alert consumers sooner about faulty ignition switches that suddenly shut off the engine and disabled the power steering, power brakes and front air bags.

GM has also avoided issuing "park it now" emergency alerts — unlike other automakers, which have voluntarily issued the notices in the past for problems such as fires.

Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos of the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas ruled yesterday that any decision to issue an emergency alert for GM owners to "park it now" should be left up to the federal government through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"The Court is of the opinion that NHTSA is far better equipped than this Court to address the broad and complex issues of automotive safety and the regulation of automotive companies in connection with a nationwide recall," Ramos wrote.

The judge's ruling is a death sentence for GM drivers, said Robert C. Hilliard, who filed the motion and represents more than 100 people injured and the families of 16 fatal crash victims, including a Massachusetts man whose sister died behind the wheel of a 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt in South Carolina.

"Somewhere in America tomorrow a family will lose a loved one in one of these defective vehicles. A life, needlessly ended and a family forever changed," Hilliard said in a statement to the Herald. "Meanwhile, GM celebrates winning on a technicality and feeling that they have permission to keep 2 million dangerous cars on the roads of America."

GM spokesman Jim Cain said, "We're obviously pleased with the ruling."

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Brighton women arraigned in elder scam

A probate lawyer urged seniors to give power of attorney only to someone they know well after two Brighton women were arraigned yesterday on a 63-count indictment accusing them of stealing more than $450,000 from a disabled elderly neighbor by leveraging the woman's cat to gain control of her finances.

Bob O'Regan, a partner in the Boston law firm Burns and Levinson, said before seniors become frail and dependent, they should grant someone they know is trustworthy "durable power of attorney," or written authorization to act on their behalf in private, business or legal matters, even after they lose the mental capacity to supervise the person.

"Too often, you have a senior citizen who lives alone, whose family is far away or not in much contact with them, and they become dependent on the wrong people," O'Regan said. "As their health declines, they sign documents to make life easier. That's a license to steal."

That's what prosecutors allege Randi Berkowitz, 63, did to a 74-year-old neighbor with progressive dementia after Berkowitz and her roommate, Patricia DiGiacomo, 58, ingratiated themselves with the woman by caring for her 7-year-old tabby, "Puddy Cat."

Berkowitz and DiGiacomo then used the woman's money to buy a 2010 Mini Cooper, an iPad, exercise equipment, meals, specialty kitchen supplies and other items for themselves and ultimately got her to transfer ownership of her condominium to Berkowitz, prosecutors said.

Berkowitz's attorney, Susan Rayburn, said the defendants had a "loving relationship" with their elderly neighbor, and authorities' pursuit of them has been a "witch hunt."

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Feds: Freeze didn’t stop spendthrift schemer

Even after he was indicted last year for running a Ponzi scheme that bilked dozens of people out of more than $10 million, a West Roxbury man flouted an asset freeze and other court orders by taking cash advances on new credit cards and spending money on lavish meals, rare coins and shopping excursions to Bloomingdale's and Barney's, federal prosecutors said yesterday.

Steven Palladino, who was sentenced in January to 10 to 12 years in state prison, now faces 25 counts of criminal contempt, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, with a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted.

"He's been thumbing his nose at the system for years," said Dr. Ronald Nasif, 62, of Roslindale, who lost his life savings — close to $2 million — to Palladino's scheme. "This is too little too late."

From May to November 2013, Palladino violated court orders in the civil case brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission by incurring thousands of dollars in credit card charges for collectible coins and meals at Strega, Tartufo, and Smith & Wollensky, prosecutors said. He failed to deposit thousands more in cash advances, as well as $9,500 from the sale of his 2004 Ford truck, into a court-established escrow account, prosecutors said.

Palladino, 57, also violated a court order to undo his transfers of a 2012 Mercedes, a 2012 Range Rover and a 2013 Audi to his wife, Lori, and about $137,000 in new loans on those vehicles by last November, prosecutors said.

In January, Lori Palladino was sentenced to two years, suspended for five years, and their son, Gregory Palladino, was sentenced to two years, with five years probation. All three were ordered to pay restitution for convincing dozens of people to loan Viking Financial Group more than $10 million, promising high returns, and then transferring the money into their personal accounts.

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Big cuts at UMass hospital

Worcester-based UMass Memorial Health Care, the biggest hospital system west of Boston, is slashing hundreds of jobs and cutting services in an attempt to close a gaping budget hole.

The 103 job cuts come on top of 285 positions eliminated since October. UMass Memorial Medical Center President Patrick Muldoon told the Herald the changes are needed because the hospital has seen a dip in patient volume. He didn't rule out future cuts.

"We continue to look at lots of options," Muldoon said. UMass Memorial posted a $55 million budget deficit last fiscal year.

The changes announced yesterday include the closing or consolidating of operating rooms, inpatient rooms, endoscopy services, IV therapy and more. UMass Memorial CEO Eric Dickson said in a blog post that the big Worcester hospital can't be all things to all people any more and must shrink its footprint.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association blasted the changes, which it said would cause 81 nurses to lose their jobs. The union negotiated contracts last year that forced the hospital to hire more nurses.

"All the gains we made with the hospital over the year — we are in fear of being undermined by this constant barrage of cuts," union spokesman David Schildmeier said. "We believe this is going to have a really negative impact on the quality of care for the patients."

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U.S. Sen. Ed Markey: GM stand ‘morally wrong’

U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey blasted embattled General Motors yesterday for seeking immunity against lawsuits stemming from faulty ignition switches tied to at least 13 deaths, even after accepting the $50 billion in government bailout money that saved the company.

"Given the fact that the company is solvent only because of taxpayers, it's morally wrong for them to turn and to say they have no responsibility for the harm that was done to families all across the country, driving around in unsafe vehicles that General Motors knew was unsafe," Markey told the Herald.

GM filed a motion late Tuesday in U.S. District Court to shield the company from lawsuits against actions before its 2009 bankruptcy, which critics argue is a blatant attempt to block claims over defective ignition switches that disabled engines and airbags and prompted the February recall of 2.6 million vehicles.

"I think they'll lose a full generation of customers ... because that's the definition of corporate cowardice," said Robert Hilliard, a Texas attorney who has filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of accident victims, including the sister of a Boston College graduate assistant football coach. "To me, it's the old GM whispering in the new GM's ear."

GM took a further hit yesterday as two safety advocates claimed in a letter the automaker rejected a safer ignition switch design because it was too pricey.

"General Motors picked a smaller and cheaper ignition switch that cost consumers their lives and saved General Motors money," wrote Clarence Ditlow of the Center for Auto Safety and Joan Claybrook, formerly of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Markey noted GM is now rocketing to record-high profits.

"GM has a responsibility to make sure that they take care of those families that are harmed from the affected vehicles they had been making," Markey said.

GM CEO Mary Barra two weeks ago apologized for the botched recall and told a congressional panel: "Today's GM will do the right thing."

GM spokesman Jim Cain said an internal review by former U.S. Attorney Anton Valukas will explore the switches and is expected within 45 to 60 days.

He declined to comment on the filings seeking a shield from lawsuits.

"GM has both civic and legal obligations in regard to this matter," he said. "It is why we have retained Kenneth Feinberg to help us explore our options as we move through this recall process."

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Both sides weigh in on South End biolab

The battle between supporters and opponents of BU's controversial South End biolab continued at a hearing yesterday during which city councilors considered a ban on some research, fearing it could lead to deadly disease outbreaks.

"The type of research that will be done in this facility could pose a very serious risk to the health and safety of the public," City Councilor Charles Yancey said. "I don't want to see our first responders in harm's way because of a catastrophic event taking place in the Level 4 lab."

Boston University's National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories on Albany Street already are conducting research, but want to expand to what falls under the designation of "biosafety level 4" — dangerous and exotic viruses such as Ebola and Marburg.

"The Roxbury community has enough challenges," Councilor Ayanna Pressley said. "I see no reason to be inviting in those other threats ... 
I am pro-science, but more than anything I am pro-community."

But Ronald Corley, BU's associate provost for research, said the lab is a national resource that can be used for good. "We know this work can be done safely in the South End ... This is public health," he said.

BU Police Chief Thomas Robbins displayed the vials and cases that samples would be locked inside.

The room was packed with people on both sides of the issue, with lab supporters wearing stickers that said "I stand for cures."

Waiting to testify, Robert Coughlin, president and CEO of the industry group MassBio, told the Herald, "Banning this research would send a chilling message to the global research community, which is contrary to Boston's standing as a research leader."

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China's growth slows to 7.4 percent in 1Q

BEIJING — China's economic growth slowed further in the latest quarter but appeared strong enough to satisfy Chinese leaders who are trying to put the country on a more sustainable path without politically dangerous job losses.

The world's second-largest economy grew 7.4 percent from a year earlier in the January-March quarter, down from the previous quarter's 7.7 percent, government data showed Wednesday. It matched a mini-slump in late 2012 for the weakest growth since the 2008-09 global crisis.

Beijing is trying to guide China's economy toward growth based on domestic consumption instead of trade and investment following the past decade's explosive expansion. The top economic official, Premier Li Keqiang, last week ruled out new stimulus and said leaders will focus on "sustainable and healthy development."

"Chinese growth held up better than expected last quarter and there are signs that downwards pressure on growth has eased somewhat," said analyst Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics in a report.

Retail sales and factory output were weaker than in the previous quarter but improved in March. On a quarter-to-quarter basis, economic growth from January to March slowed to 1.4 percent from the previous period's 1.8 percent.

The data reflect official efforts to shift emphasis from investment-intensive industry to services such as restaurants and retailing that generate more jobs.

Credit growth slowed in March and the expansion of China's overall money supply rose at its slowest rate since 1997. Housing sales in the first quarter declined 5.7 percent from a year earlier.

"The continued slowdown in money and credit growth is likely to keep exerting relentless downward pressure on China's economic growth," said Societe Generale economist Wei Yao in a report. "Without re-acceleration of debt growth, the economy is unlikely to stabilize for another quarter at least."

Stock markets in Asia and Europe were mostly higher, shrugging off the Chinese figures because growth didn't slow as much as forecast by analysts.

The latest economic growth is below the official annual target of 7.5 percent announced last month. But Chinese leaders appear willing to miss that target so long as the economy creates enough jobs to avoid potential unrest. In a sign of concern about employment, they launched a mini-stimulus in March of higher spending on building railways and low-cost housing.

"Policymakers appear comfortable with the current pace of growth," said Pritchard. "The policy response to today's numbers is likely to be muted."

Some analysts said that with inflation relatively subdued at 2.4 percent in March, the central bank might respond by easing monetary policy and inject extra money into credit markets.

Domestic consumption is rising but more slowly than Beijing wants. In October, the government said consumption accounted for 55 percent of growth and investment for most of the rest. A government spokesman, Sheng Laiyun, said Wednesday the ratio for the latest quarter still was being calculated.

The quarterly expansion matched the third quarter of 2012, when growth tumbled after global demand for China's exports weakened unexpectedly while the government was tightening lending and investment controls to cool surging inflation.

The past decade's rapid growth, which peaked at 14.2 percent in 2007, was driven by an export boom and spending on factories, apartment towers and other assets. But that model is losing its ability to drive growth. It also left China with badly polluted air and water.

Chinese leaders have promised sweeping changes to make the economy more competitive and efficient, including opening more industries to private and foreign competitors.

They have issued a steady drumbeat of minor changes in recent months such as making it easier to register a business but more basic change such as in the state-controlled banking system is politically fraught and could take years.

So far this month, Chinese leaders have approved a tax cut for small businesses and agreed to create a railway development fund to receive 200 to 300 billion yuan ($35-50 billion) per year.

Last year's economic growth of 7.7 percent was the strongest of any major economy but tied 2012 for China's slowest expansion since the 1990s.

Weaker growth could have global repercussions, hurting Asian economies and others such as Australia and Brazil for which China is the leading market for iron ore, other commodities and industrial components.

Chinese imports suffered an unexpectedly sharp contraction of 11.3 percent in March in a sign of weak demand for raw materials in manufacturing and construction.

___

National Bureau of Statistics (in Chinese): www.stats.gov.cn

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World shares rise, shrug off slower China growth

TOKYO — World stock markets rose Wednesday as China's slowdown in the first quarter was less severe than expected.

Germany's DAX rose 0.6 percent to 9,234.84 and France's CAC 40 added 0.8 percent to 4,378.67. Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 0.6 percent to 6,578.19.

Wall Street looked headed for an upbeat start, with Dow Jones and S&P 500 futures were both 0.4 percent higher.

Investors took heart from the fact the slowdown in China's growth in the first quarter was a bit less marked than expected. The world's second-largest economy expanded 7.4 percent from a year earlier, the slowest expansion since the third quarter of 2012, but better than the average forecast of 7.3 percent growth.

"The more frequent monthly data points — fixed asset investment, industrial production and retail sales — were mixed but on the whole improved," said IG chief strategist Chris Weston in a market commentary.

China's economy grew 7.7 percent in the final quarter of last year. Beijing is targeting 7.5 percent growth for 2014

In Asia, Japanese stocks were still in recovery mode after last week's global rout in technology shares. T

The Nikkei 225 index jumped 3 percent to 14,417.68 as a weaker yen boosted exporter stocks and Softbank Corp. shares surged 8.5 percent after Chinese e-commerce Alibaba Group Holding Co., in which it holds a 37 percent stake, reported strong earnings.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.1 percent to 22,696.01 and South Korea's Kospi was steady at 1,992.21.

Elsewhere in Asia, the Shanghai Composite added 0.2 percent to 2,105.12. Markets also rose in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, but fell in India.

The price of oil rose Wednesday as Ukraine took action against pro-Russian separatists in its east. Benchmark U.S. crude for May delivery was up 83 cents at $104.58 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It closed Tuesday at $103.75, down 30 cents.

In currencies, the dollar was trading at 102.32 yen, up from 101.86 yen late Tuesday. The euro was trading at $1.3849, compared with $1.3814.

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Record 1 million pay to access WWE's 'WrestleMania 30' in U.S.

"WrestleMania 30" was available in a record 1 million households in the U.S., WWE said Tuesday.

WWE announced that there were 667,000 subscribers to its all-digital streaming WWE Network following the company's biggest pay-per-view event April 6 in New Orleans, while the event also generated nearly 400,000 PPV buys.

That means roughly 1.067 million people in the U.S. had paid to access a "WrestleMania" for the first time domestically, WWE said.

It's a clever crunching of numbers for WWE, but one worth noting, considering "WrestleMania" typically generates around 1 million PPV buys overall through traditional cable and satellite PPV providers worldwide.

WWE is charging $10 a month for its WWE Network with a six-month commitment. WWE's goal is to sign up 1 million subscribers by the end of 2014. The network was already turning a profit, according to WWE, with just 400,000 subscribers. The network will make all of WWE's 12 PPVs available to subs.

PPV providers typically charge around $70 to watch the four-hour "WrestleMania" in HD.

WWE Network launched Feb. 24 in the U.S. and streamed six hours of live coverage of "WrestleMania 30" on April 6. The company also said more than 7.1 million hours of video content was viewed on the WWE Network during "WrestleMania" week, from April 1 through April 8.

The company plans to launch its network in Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Nordic countries in late 2014 and early 2015.

To boost numbers, WWE is now offering a free one-week trial of WWE Network that will give users access to "WrestleMania 30" as well as its lineup of original series and vast library of programming and PPVs.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Did Comcast raise cable-TV rates 68% in the past four years? Not exactly

The eye-popping claim certainly got some headline play: Comcast raised basic-cable rates 68% from 2009-13, while Time Warner Cable -- the target of Comcast's proposed $45 billion acquisition -- actually reduced them by 2.5% over the same time period.

That's according to an analysis of rates for several providers conducted by Free Press, a public-interest group that vehemently opposes the MSOs' combination. Cablevision basic rates climbed 47% over that time frame, while those for AT&T U-verse TV didn't increase at all.

"If the Obama administration signs off on the merger, you can bet your bottom dollar -- while you still have it -- that Comcast's vast market power will allow it to dictate prices no matter which company is your actual cable and Internet access provider," Free Press editor Amy Kronin wrote in a blog post Monday.

Comcast did not have a response to Free Press's claims by press time.

But there are some big caveats attached to the Free Press analysis of SNL Kagan data.

First, the organization's analysis looked only at data from individual markets for wireline providers: Boston for Comcast, Rochester, N.Y., for TW Cable, Chicago for AT&T's U-verse and Long Island for Cablevision.

Why did the study look only at those markets? In an email, Free Press research director Derek Turner said his choices were based on which markets had complete data for nonpromotional prices of basic and premium packages. Total video revenue per subscriber for all pay-TV providers is on the rise, he acknowledged, but Comcast "is near the top, so it's not as if Comcast over all its franchises is somehow a better company for consumers, which is the point of our original infographic," he wrote.

SEE ALSO: Comcast, TW Cable Execs Grilled By Skeptical Senators at Merger Hearing

Still, it's not clear how reflective the rate changes in those markets are for Comcast, Time Warner Cable or AT&T across the board.

Meanwhile, the term "basic cable" doesn't really mean "cable TV" at all -- it refers to the entry-level packages operators are required to offer that include broadcast networks, without pay channels like ESPN or Fox News.

For basic cable, the biggest factor in cost increases are retransmission-consent fees paid to broadcasters - which more than tripled from $758 million in 2009 to $3 billion in 2013, according to SNL Kagan. So in Boston, Comcast was apparently socked with considerably higher retrans fees than Time Warner Cable in Rochester, while AT&T appears to have locked in retrans rates in Chicago over that time period. (In citing the 11% price increase for Dish Network's "basic" service from 2009-13, Free Press used the satcaster's America's Top 120 rates -- which isn't an apples-to-apples comparison, as Dish doesn't offer a broadcast-only tier.)

In addition, basic-cable fee increases come off lower price points than expanded basic or other premium TV packages. The average monthly price of basic TV in 2012 was $20.55 for the industry at large, according to the FCC's 2013 video competition report.

Now, the Free Press analysis also compared price increases of "premium" TV packages. Here Comcast rates increased 21% from 2009-13, not too out of line with Time Warner Cable (+17%), Dish (+17%) and Cablevision (+15%), while AT&T rates rose 8%. But again, with the exception of Dish, those are specific to individual markets; the study didn't look at average increases across all subscribers.

Finally, the rates Free Press studied were for standalone TV services, whereas most cable and telco customers buy video in a bundle with broadband and/or phone service -- and operators offer discounts as an incentive for subscribers to take multiple services.

To be sure, pay-TV rates are indeed rising, and they will continue to for the foreseeable future. But they're increasing among all pay-TV providers, not just Comcast.

For its part, Comcast continues to insist that its takeover of Time Warner Cable won't result in higher consumer bills: "I will make one firm commitment that there is absolutely nothing in this transaction that will result in an increase in prices for Comcast customers," exec VP David L. Cohen said at a Senate hearing last week.

That carefully worded statement is not meant to imply that cable TV prices will decline. In fact, as Cohen told reporters when the deal was announced in February, "We're certainly not promising that customer bills are going to go down or even that they're going to increase less rapidly." Comcast blames programmers, of course, saying programming costs of Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications have increased, on average, by 54% in the last five years.

Sure, Comcast may be the biggest, greediest cable company in the biz. It's worth noting that both Comcast and Time Warner Cable engage in the customer-unfriendly practice of charging a one-time fee of up to $6 to downgrade to a lower-priced TV package. That's just one of many things that go toward explaining why Comcast and Time Warner Cable rank near the bottom of the pay-TV industry in customer satisfaction, according to a survey by Consumers Union (although -- another caveat -- that group also is actively lobbying against the proposed deal). But claiming Comcast boosted cable TV prices 68% whereas TW Cable actually dropped them is misleading.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Bowman: Preparation key to business lunch

In today's fast-paced global world, timeless people skills are more important than ever — and becoming more scarce. You need to stand apart to get ahead.

This column will showcase business situations and how to leverage them. The goal is to inspire trust, forge relationships and advance professionally.

We start with the business lunch. Many business transactions are either strengthened or shattered during lunch. When you demonstrate attention to detail at lunch, it could translate into showing you'll have the same savvy in business dealings.

Here's some tips on a successful lunch:

•   Email the day before to confirm and exchange cellphone numbers.

•   Observe "The 15-Minute Rule" — arrive 15 minutes early to meet the wait staff; learn names and select a good table; review seating (the most important person sits to host's right); and review order of ordering. (First, person of honor. Second, ladies. Third, gentlemen. Last, host orders.)

•   Arrange for the check in advance so it is never presented at the table.

•   Stand in the waiting area and personally greet guests and offer easy "small talk."

•   Do a "time check" with your guests and honor their schedule.

•   Suggest looking at menus to get ordering under way and share uninterrupted time together.

•   Match dining companion course-for-course; it's not necessary to match alcohol, but consider anything but tap water.

•   Eat when your guest eats and focus on the speaker, not your food.

•   When holding glasses, use the first three fingers and avoid "The Death Grip!"

•   Taste before seasoning your food, to avoid being viewed as rushing to judgment.

•   When it comes to the bread, break off one bite-sized piece at a time; "you touch it, you own it!"

•   When it comes to table talk, engage with those seated on either side; contribute, be inclusive.

•   Write down personal information discussed and use it in subsequent communication to advance relationships.

•   Send "Thank you" notes either as an email or, my favorite, the timeless "thank you" note. Remember repetition is reputation. Enjoy this time getting to know the other person who has invested their time with you.

•   And don't send food back, ask for "doggie bags" or share food.

Follow these simple rules, and lunch will pay for itself.

Judith Bowman is president of her own consulting company. Visit her website protocolconsultants.com to learn more.

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Healey backs repeal on casinos

Attorney general candidate Maura Healey is backing efforts to repeal the state casino law — a notable break from her former boss Martha Coakley, whose office has tried to keep it off November's ballot — in what could prove a looming issue in the race and for Coakley's successor.

"I come down on the side of the voters here," Healey told the Herald yesterday after first posting her position on the liberal blog Blue Mass Group. "I don't discount the legal arguments. There are close calls and jump balls, and you do the best you can to make a thoughtful and informed decision. ... I would have come down on the side of letting this go forward on the ballot."

Coakley's office shot down a ballot initiative to repeal the state's gaming law last September, arguing casino developers had paid millions in application fees and other costs. Repeal advocates have appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court, which will hear arguments next month.

Healey, who oversaw two bureaus under Coakley when the AG's office denied the ballot initiative, said she didn't have a role in the decision. But she said she opposes gambling as an economic engine and warned of the social ills casinos could spur.

"I don't want people to get hurt," she said.

Former state Sen. Warren Tolman, who is running against Healey on the Democratic ticket, said he's against repeal and noted he's heard "a lot of support" for the economic development Springfield residents hope a casino would spur.

"It's not a decision that I would make for my own hometown of Watertown but it's one that a number of communities have made," he said.

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China Film takes 1st stake in Hollywood movies

HONG KONG — China's state-owned film distributor is making its first investment in Hollywood movies by taking a stake in two Legendary Entertainment productions.

China Film Co. will make an "eight-figure equity investment" in two upcoming films, "Seventh Son" and "Warcraft," the Chinese unit of Legendary Entertainment said Tuesday.

The exact amount of the U.S. dollar investment was not specified.

"Seventh Son" is a fantasy adventure starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore that's scheduled for release on Feb. 6, 2015. "Warcraft," based on a popular video game series, is slated for release March 11, 2016.

If approved for release in China, China Film would distribute the movies under current rules and regulations for foreign films, which are limited to just 34 a year. The deal calls for China Film to be credited on the movies.

China Film, which is planning to go public, owns stakes in movie theater chains that make up half of the country's box office receipts. Its parent, China Film Group, is the gatekeeper for foreign studios because it controls film imports and co-productions.

The projects are the first since Legendary and China Film teamed up about a year ago to produce global blockbusters. It's one of a number of recent tie-ups between companies in the world's two biggest movies markets.

As box-office revenue growth flattens out at home, Hollywood studies are keen to move into China, now the world's second biggest movie market with $3.6 billion in ticket sales last year. China's leaders hope that entertainment companies can benefit from the joint ventures by acquiring know-how to develop their own cultural industries in order to expand influence abroad.

Legendary Entertainment's films include "The Dark Knight" and "Hangover" trilogies and last year's sci-fi action adventure "Pacific Rim."

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World stocks mostly down on Ukraine, China jitters

TOKYO — World stock markets were mostly lower Tuesday as Ukraine tensions continued to bubble and jitters about China's economy resurfaced.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 1.6 percent at 22,671.26 as a drop in China's money supply unnerved investors ahead of first quarter economic growth figures due Wednesday. China's Shanghai Composite Index shed 1.4 percent to 2,101.60.

China's leaders are targeting growth of 7.5 percent this year for the world's second-biggest economy. But exports and imports have been weak in the first quarter, suggesting the economy is slowing and raising the risk of job's losses. China's growth of 7.7 percent last year tied 2012 for the slowest since 1999.

In early European trading, France's CAC 40 was down 0.3 percent at 4,371.80 and Germany's DAX fell 0.7 percent to 9,275.32. Britain's FTSE 100 shed 0.2 percent to 6,568.48.

Futures augured a down session on Wall Street. Dow Jones and S&P 500 futures were both down 0.1 percent.

Global stock markets suffered last week over concerns that technology stocks are overvalued and nervousness about the crisis in the Ukraine.

In the latest Ukraine development, two pro-Russian politicians have been attacked by pro-Ukrainian activists in the capital Kiev as tensions grow over unrest in eastern parts of Ukraine, where pro-Russian gunmen have seized government buildings in nearly 10 cities.

Ukrainian and Western officials have accused Moscow of instigating a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine. That raised the prospect of more sanctions against Russia, possibly affecting the valuable energy trade.

In Asia, South Korea's Kospi fell 0.2 percent to 1,992.27 while Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 0.6 percent to close at 13,996.81. The dollar holding close to 102 yen levels also helped underpin Tokyo share prices. A weak yen is a plus for many Japanese companies because they rely on exports.

Stock markets in Southeast Asia were mostly higher and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.6 percent to 5,388.20.

In addition to China's GDP figures, analysts said players were cautious ahead of key data and news in coming days including U.S. consumer prices and a speech by the Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.

"No one is likely to get too carried away given the spate of potential game changing data and announcements pending in the next 48 hours," William Leys, sales trader at CMC Markets in Sydney said in a report.

The dollar was trading at 101.88 yen, inching up from 101.83 late Monday. The euro fell to $1.3799 from $1.3823.

Benchmark U.S. crude for May delivery was down 90 cents at $103.15 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 31 cents Monday to settle at $104.05.

___

Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at twitter.com/yurikageyama

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Startup Spritz enhances reading speed

Reading lengthy and even tedious content is about to get a lot quicker, if one Boston startup has its way, with technology that makes it less work for your eyes.

Spritz, a technology that can be built into websites and mobile apps, has launched on the mobile websites of two international news outlets in Germany and Ireland, with many more to come, said CEO and co-founder Frank Waldman.

"These first two are just the beginning," Waldman said. "Our goal is to get a million as quick as possible, and then a billion readers."

Spritz's method of speed-reading flashes the words one at a time in the same place, cutting down on time spent moving eyes around a screen. The company says 80 percent of time spent reading is moving eyes around the page. Spritz suggests users start at the 250 word-per-minute setting, but goes up to 600 words-per-minute. Various studies estimate the average reading speed is between 200 and 300 words per minute.

Visitors to the German news site bild.de — Maik Maurer, Spritz's CTO and co-founder, is German — or newstalk.ie's mobile site can "stream" articles, with many more coming. Earlier this month, Spritz opened up its technology to developers, and has already seen 25,000 requests to use it. Those requests, slowly being filled by Spritz, include everything from small blogs to e-commerce sites to a major U.S. newspaper that Waldman is not allowed to identify.

The demand, Waldman said, is because Spritz can increase engagement on news sites, a key driver of advertiser dollars.

"We're expecting people will read more of their content," he said. Waldman said Spritz's research shows that people read twice as much content using the technology.

"If you read twice as fast, you'll read the same amount of time, but twice as much," he said.

Still, Waldman knows there are many who love their books and could be 
resistant to speeding through everything.

"It's not for everybody," he said. "It's perfect for certain kinds of content that you have to read, you just want to consume it, get the facts and move on."

Another use for Spritz, Waldman said, is in the rapidly emerging wearable technology industry.

Spritz is included in Samsung's Gear 2, which went on sale last week. With a 1.63-inch screen, the smartwatch doesn't offer room for in-depth reading, but Spritz lets users do it anyway, Waldman said.

"Our mission is to get the world to change how they read, one word at a time," he said.

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Samsung rolls out spiffy new Galaxy

Samsung Galaxy S5 ($199.99 with a two-year contract, AT&T, Verizon Wireless)

Another year, another Galaxy smartphone from Samsung. Running the latest version of Android on a super-fast quad-core processor, the Galaxy S5 includes a fingerprint scanner and a heart-rate monitor for fitness buffs.

The Good: With a 5-inch screen, a variety of color options and a sleek, metal-rimmed design, the S5 comes as close to a perfect form factor as you'll find for an Android phone. Added conveniences include the ability to use the touchscreen while wearing gloves and air-gestures that recognize when you're hovering over your phone. It's also super-resistant to wear and tear, with the ability 
to survive being dunked under water.

The Bad: If you don't get the fingerprint scanner just right each time, you'll end up relying on the old-
fashioned password.

The Bottom Line: This is a top-of-the-line smartphone with a top-of-the-line price. If you're an Android owner looking for an upgrade, look no further.

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Marathon app finishes first

The new Boston Marathon World Run app is technology at its best: forging connections that might not otherwise be possible, and leveraging those relationships for a good cause.

Produced by John Hancock and the Boston Athletic Association, the new app is summed up by its slogan: "This year, we're all Boston Marathoners." The app, available for iPhone and Android, is the backbone of the Boston Marathon World Run, which invites runners of all abilities and locations to form groups and pledge to run in support of Boston marathoners and The One Fund Boston.

One of the first things you'll do when you open the app is scroll through the names of already-established teams — such as "Texas is Boston Strong," "Malaysia Runs for Boston," "Sunshine State Beantown Runners" and "SF <3 Boston." Even just looking at all the names, it's apparent that this is more than just an app: It's an outlet for lots of good-hearted people around the globe who wanted to do something for our city in the aftermath of last year's bombings.

The app allows runners to set a goal and pledge money for the One Fund, which benefits bombing survivors and families of victims who lost their lives.

From a strictly technological standpoint, this is the epitome of good app design. In addition to fun little touches like virtual runners' bibs, every inch of the screen features sleek graphic design that is as intuitive as it is informative.

Users can upload media — pictures of their surroundings, video tributes to marathoners and inspirational graphics — and lots of people already have. There are some really artistic shots of people running all over the world, everything from their mud-mucked shoes worn to their GPS monitors and makeshift tributes to the victims. You'd be hard-pressed to delve deeply into this app and not come close to shedding a few tears.

But perhaps the coolest thing about this app is that you can see the location of each runner, and follow along with their progress, on an interactive map. It was cool to see, for instance, that Michelle from Madrid pledged $10 to the One Fund and will run a whopping 78 miles for the cause. You can also send a virtual "high-fives" to the runners, like I did yesterday to a man in Finland who had pledged $20 to the One Fund and already logged 15 of his 93.5-mile goal.

Facebook integration allows friends to cheer on runners as they progress toward a goal.

As of yesterday afternoon, there were some 632,721 total miles pledged by nearly 9,000 participants around the world. More than $14,000 had been raised for the cause. I hope and expect that figure will be dramatically higher one week from today. Until then, do yourself a favor and download this app or check out its website, BostonMarathonWorldRun.org.

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TV app Zeebox changes its name to Beamly, and hopes to grow by getting more social

Zeebox's original second-screen app was designed to let TV viewers follow a show, in real time, as they watched it. But with that narrow focus, the company -- which has fewer than 2 million monthly active users worldwide -- has not hit the mass scale it had hoped for.

Now the U.K.-based company has a new name, Beamly, and a new mission: to provide TV lovers a place to find info and jabber about their favorite shows 24-7. The app now provides personalized news and social feeds, updated continuously, and adds new features to help users find and follow other fans who share their interests.

But how can Beamly possibly compete with social bigfoots Facebook and Twitter? Beamly remains a relative small fry, and both Facebook and Twitter have boosted their energies on engaging TV fans and cutting deals with networks.

Jason Forbes, EVP and U.S. managing director, said the company's focus on building TV communities of interest is the key difference.

"There are lots of other social platforms there," Forbes said. "But we provide contextual relevance. If I say 'I can't believe so-and-so just did that,' that doesn't mean anything to general Twitter followers. But it does mean something on Beamly."

The goal with the Beamly relaunch is to drive up its user base and time spent with the app. The company has had a leg up on other so-called "second screen" TV app competitors: Its investors include NBCUniversal and Viacom, which along with other networks have promoted programming through the app.

The refocusing of Beamly as an around-the-clock TV watercooler is a response to usage patterns: 65% of the app's use is before and after the TV show, as opposed to when the TV show is actually on, according to Forbes. And about 60% of the app's audience is female and under 35, a demo more inclined toward social interactions.

"People's emotional engagement with TV spans the whole day," said co-founder Ernesto Schmitt.

The new name is also less tech-centric than the original moniker: "People thought Zeebox was a German Xbox competitor," Forbes said.

As part of the Beamly rebranding, the company has enlisted 100 pop-culture "influencers" who are hosting their own live "TV Rooms" -- dedicated discussion areas on specific shows or topics -- in the app to interact with users. Those are set to include Kandi Burruss, one of the stars of Bravo reality series "Real Housewives of Atlanta," and YouTube personalities Tyler Oakley and Kalel Cullen.

Other real-time interactive features, synced to TV, will still be a key part of Beamly, which will continue to provide games, voting and other features synced live to what's on the TV. Those are still attractive to programmers, which crave ways to spur live tune-in: NBCU's Oxygen, for example, will launch an integrated set of Beamly TV Room communities for each its major shows, including "Bad Girls Club," on Oxygen.com. Bravo, meanwhile, plans to introduce an audience mood-meter delivered by Beamly for "Watch What Happens Live" starting this summer.

Zeebox was founded in 2011 by Schmitt, a former EMI executive, and Anthony Rose, former CTO of BBC's iPlayer unit. The company has about 140 employees worldwide, including 20 at its U.S. headquarters in New York.

Beamly is available via Apple's iTunes App Store for iPhone and iPad devices, Google Play for Android, on the web at beamly.com. A Windows Phone client is in the works.

(C) 2014 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Signs to point way for downtown guests

Locals and visitors are getting additional assistance as they navigate downtown Boston on foot.

The Downtown Boston Business Improvement District is rolling out new directional signs that will help people identify where they are, points of interest inside and outside of the district — including tourist attractions, hotels, public parking and transit, and free Wi-Fi zones — and how many minutes it should take to walk to those destinations.

The organization, which is funded by property owners, already has two of the signs in place in front of Macy's on Washington and Summer streets, with more to come in June on existing street furniture and new structures under design.

The BID will spend approximately $750,000 on the way-finding project, which will take two to three years to complete to accommodate construction projects in the district.

"There's no question that everyone needs this assistance based on the feedback we have from our ambassadors," BID president Rosemarie Sansone said, referring to the paid BID employees who patrol the district's streets and handle cleaning and hospitality duties.

Those workers assist visitors with directions about 60,000 times per year, according to the BID, which has coordinated its efforts with WalkBoston and local hotels among others with tourist and map expertise.

"We want this system to help them get from one point to another as easy as possible," Sansone said.

The most frequently asked questions at the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau's Tremont Street visitor information center also involve directions, according to CEO Pat Moscaritolo.

"Now you're going to have current, up-to-date, user-friendly maps that will help both people who are new to our city, who are visitors to the city or haven't been down in the area for a while," he said.

Even with GPS technology in mobile phones, it's reassuring to see directional signs that tell where you are and whether you're on track, he said.

"It's all part of having a service-oriented focus in taking care of visitors. We need to replicate that across our city, not just for the area that the BID operates in."

The BID's way-finding program coincides with an initiative by the city's Geographic Information Systems Division to create new informational maps that are displayed in outdoor advertising stands and include information such as tourist destinations, hotels, hospitals, MBTA stations and public toilets.

But existing city maps are "very stagnant" and don't really help people navigate from one place to another, according to Sansone.

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NSC backs disclosing software vulnerabilities

WASHINGTON — Disclosing vulnerabilities in commercial and open source software is in the national interest and shouldn't be withheld from the public unless there is a clear national security or law enforcement need, President Barack Obama's National Security Council said Saturday.

The statement of White House policy came after a computer bug called "Heartbleed" caused major security concerns across the Internet and affected a widely used encryption technology, the variant of SSL/TLS known as OpenSSL, that was designed to protect online accounts. Major Internet services worked this week to insulate themselves against the bug.

The NSC, which Obama chairs, advises the president on national security and foreign policy matters. Its spokeswoman, Caitlin Hayden, said in a statement Saturday that the federal government was not aware of the Heartbleed vulnerability in OpenSSL until it was made public in a private sector cybersecurity report. The federal government relies on OpenSSL to protect the privacy of users of government websites and other online services, she said.

"This administration takes seriously its responsibility to help maintain an open, interoperable, secure and reliable Internet," she said. "If the federal government, including the intelligence community, had discovered this vulnerability prior to last week, it would have been disclosed to the community responsible for OpenSSL."

The president's Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies, which Obama appointed last year to review National Security Agency surveillance programs and other intelligence and counterterrorism operations, recommended in December that U.S. policy should generally move to ensure that previously unknown vulnerabilities "are quickly blocked, so that the underlying vulnerabilities are patched on U.S. government and other networks."

"The White House has reviewed its policies in this area and reinvigorated an interagency process for deciding when to share vulnerabilities. This process is called the Vulnerabilities Equities Process," Hayden said. "Unless there is a clear national security or law enforcement need, this process is biased toward responsibly disclosing such vulnerabilities."

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Seatbelt warning chimes in even though belt’s buckled

I really appreciated your response to the non-seatbelt wearer! I wear my seatbelt all the time, but a number of months ago the driver's side seatbelt light/warning chime in my 2006 Pontiac G6 started going off while the seat belt is buckled. The shop said it would be $400 to repair because they would have to take the seat out to get to the area to repair. The chime comes on immediately after starting the car, then again about five minutes later and always chimes five times. The light illuminates several times while I am driving and the chime does, too.

From the symptoms you describe, the problem could be as simple as the seatbelt switch located in the seatbelt buckle at your right hip or its harness connector under the seat. Or it could be a more serious issue with the SDM (sensing and diagnostic module) or IPC (instrument panel cluster).

I would suggest having the shop unplug and test the seatbelt switch to determine if it's the culprit. I think this can be done without removing the seat. If the switch is bad, have it replaced. If the switch is good and a scan tool confirms the SDM is telling the IPC the seatbelt is fastened — yet the light/chime are still indicating the seatbelt is unfastened — the problem is in the IPC. You'll have to decide if it's worth this level of repair.

Because of the somewhat intermittent nature of the light/chime coming on, my best guess is the seatbelt switch.

I have a 2014 Mitsubishi Lancer and was informed by the dealer service department that I need to use synthetic oil. I thought this was usually required for luxury or high-performance cars and an option for the rest of us. Do I really need to use synthetic oil in this car?

Without knowing which engine option is in your vehicle, my answer will have to be a bit generic. The maintenance recommendations from Mitsubishi call for API "SN" 0W-20 for their non-turbo engines and API "SN" 5W-30 for their turbocharged engines. Both petroleum-based and synthetic motor oils can meet these specifications, but why not use the best — a premium synthetic motor oil.

L L L

I am curious what your opinion is about using only DexCool antifreeze in our two Buick vehicles as recommended by GM. An auto mechanic and auto body repairman with 30 years experience advised me not to use this product as he found it clogged up the heaters/heating systems in vehicles.

DexCool coolant/antifreeze utilizes an organic acid anti-corrosion technology and claims a much longer service life than conventional antifreeze that utilizes phosphate/borate/silicate anti-corrosion technology. Both coolants are ethylene glycol-based for their antifreeze capabilities.

Is one type better than the other? That question has been and continues to be heavily debated. The biggest issue is oxidation of the coolant over time and mileage. As long as the coolant level is properly maintained and the coolant is flushed/replaced within recommended intervals, both work well.

I have a 2000 Buick Park Avenue. The driver's door refuses to open as easily as the others. It feels like there is a vacuum between the weatherstripping and the door frame. Please advise.

First, clean and lubricate the door seal/weatherstripping and seal area on the body with an aerosol silicone lubricant. If this does not help, perhaps the door has "sagged" on its hinges over the years and miles. A body shop may be able to realign the door for easier opening.

In the "old days" I used to do this by placing a piece of 2x4 below the hinges between the door and door frame and "push" the door toward close to slightly "readjust" the hinges.

If the hinge pins/bushings are worn, they can be replaced.

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 include a daytime phone number.

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Tracking Gambling’s impact

Members of the state Gaming Commission will meet with a UMass Amherst-led research team this week for a progress report on the first year of a groundbreaking study that will help shape how the commission and the Legislature respond to the social and economic impacts of casino gambling.

Chairman Stephen Crosby and Commissioner Enrique Zuniga will meet Tuesday with researchers the commission hired last spring to conduct the study, which will cost 
$3.5 million for the first three years, with one-year extensions possible at a cost yet to be determined.

"This is a unique study in the history of gaming," Crosby said, noting it is the first one to trace the impact of casinos in real time, from before they are built to years afterward. "If the research identifies problems emerging, that data will inform us as we try to identify strategies to mitigate any negative consequences."

By mid-May, the researchers expect to complete a baseline survey of 10,000 randomly selected adults to determine whether they gamble, drink or engage in other behaviors that have been linked to gambling, said Rachel Volberg, a UMass Amherst sociologist and the study's principal investigator.

"This is an attempt to take a snapshot of what gambling behavior looks like in Massachusetts before casinos," said Volberg, whose 15-member team includes researchers from MIT, the University of Nevada and the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada.

The team also is working with the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and the state Department of Public Health to evaluate services for problem gamblers over the past 10 years, she said. Future prevention and treatment services, as well as the study, will be paid for with casino revenues through a public health trust fund DPH will oversee.

"Every jurisdiction is unique, but in general, what we've seen elsewhere is an increase in the prevalence of problem gambling in the wake of the introduction or expansion of gaming," said Volberg, who has studied gambling in more than two dozen states and 15 countries. "But that's typically been followed by a reduction as individuals and communities adapt and as services are introduced."

Richard McGowan, a Boston College professor and expert on gaming, called the study worthwhile and said it should have been done sooner, even though it comes with some caveats.

"One of the problems is people are going to want to know what's the actual social cost of gambling, and it's virtually impossible to do," McGowan said. "How do you figure the cost of divorce (as a result of problem gambling)? I don't know."

Equally difficult, Volberg said, is how to start a conversation about problem gambling with an addict.

"We've learned a lot," she said, "but we're still learning."

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