JP condos have energy to spare

New contemporary townhouses in the Woodbourne section of Jamaica Plain are designed to create more energy than they use so that utilities cost nothing.

Part of Boston's Energy Positive Green Building Program, GFC Development partnered with Hub architecture firm Utile to build the just-completed two-unit attached townhouse at 64-66 Catherine St. on land owned by the city. The purpose of this and other such projects in the city is to show that housing can be designed to be both completely energy independent and stylish without costing a huge amount more to build. This project meets the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum designation, the highest rating.

The three-story townhouses on Catherine Street are on the market for $595,000 each. They feature high-end white kitchens, tiled bathrooms, 8-foot doors throughout and third-floor master bedroom suites with cathedral ceilings and a skylight.

The exterior of the building is dark-brown Hardie Plank, with unfinished shiplap cedar clapboard accents and a rear sloped roof pointed 42 degrees south that holds 21 photovoltaic electric panels for each unit.

These panels provide all the energy needed for the electric-only townhouses, producing 8 percent more energy than they use, according to preliminary testing. Homeowners will earn credits from electricity given back to the grid.

The townhouses are 
superinsulated, with 8 inches of icynene foam insulation in the walls, Alpen windows and a multilayered rubber roof. Windows are deep-set to attract winter sun and the first-floor concrete floor acts as a thermal mass to retain heat. The condos are heated and cooled when needed by wall-mounted Mitsubishi electric AC/heat pumps.

We took a look at staged model Unit 1, a 1,416-square-foot three-bedroom that has a fenced-in backyard and a driveway that will fit two cars.

You enter the unit through a foyer with polished cement floors, a wood bench and a closet holding the unit's 80-gallon solar hot water heater.

To the right sits an open living/dining area with large windows and a glass back wall with a door to a cedar fence-enclosed backyard. There's a patio with Hanover permeable pavers and a rainwater irrigation system.

Back inside, an adjacent open kitchen has recessed compact fluorescent lighting and polished cement floors. There's Parapan high-gloss white cabinets, many pantry sized, above and below white quartz countertops. There's an island with a stainless-steel sink and Mirabelle single-handle faucet. The white appliances are high end, including a Kitchen Aid refrigerator, a Jenn-Air oven, a Whirlpool electric stovetop with a Cristal range hood and a Bosch dishwasher.

Behind the kitchen sits a half bath with a white solid-surface IKEA vanity.

Stairs with white ash treads lead to the second floor where there are two ash-floored bedrooms and a full bathroom off a hallway that holds a closet with a high-efficiency Bosch washer and dryer.

The recessed-lit bedrooms on this floor have big windows with transoms, but are on the smaller side. Between them is a bathroom with beige porcelain tile floors and surround for a Grohe showerhead and deep soaking tub. There's also a white IKEA vanity with Grohe fixtures and a built-in linen closet.

The entire third floor of the unit is a master bedroom suite that features a good-sized bedroom with large windows with transoms, recessed lighting and a skylight. There are three closets, one a large walk-in that could serve as a nursery.

The en-suite master bathroom has slate-colored porcelain tile floors and surround for a walk-in shower with a glass partition. There's a linen closet built in and a white IKEA vanity with Grohe fixtures.

The townhouse is built on slab and does not have a basement.

But there is a dedicated driveway that will hold two vehicles next to the unit, with permeable Hanover pavers that allow grass to grow between the stones. The yard will be landscaped with low-water-use plants and grass.

• Address: 64-66 Catherine St., Unit 1, Jamaica Plain
• Bedrooms: Three
• Bathrooms: Two full, one half
• List price: $595,000
• Square feet: 1,416
• Price per square foot: $420
• Annual taxes: To be determined
• Monthly condo fee: $240
• Features: Architect-designed two unit townhouse designed for high energy efficiency; lots of large windows with transoms; open living/dining area with glass wall and door to back yard; kitchen with high-gloss cabinets, white quartz countertops and high-end appliances; third-floor master bedroom suite with ash floors, cathedral ceiling, skylight and large walk-in closet; porcelain-tile bathrooms; ash floors on top two floors; 40 solar panels on south-facing sloped roof; cedar-fence-enclosed backyard with rainwater irrigation system; driveway holds two vehicles L Location: About a mile from Forest hills Orange Line T station and retail offeringsalong Hyde Park Avenue; two miles from Jamaica Plain centerL Built in: 2013
• Broker: Coldwell banker agents Ellen grupert at 617-256-8455 and Janis Lippman at 617-869-0496

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wall St. loves Obamacare bunglers

The Montreal-based IT firm behind the troubled federal and state Obamacare portals may be getting bad reviews on Beacon Hill and on Capitol Hill, but it's been a darling of Wall Street, which has sent its stock price soaring 45 percent this year.

State Health Connector officials this week said they would hold CGI Group accountable for its "persistent under-performance," even as federal officials this week called for the inspector general to review the company's work.

"The overall system performance is far from where it needs to be," said Roni Mansur, deputy executive director and chief operating officer of the Health Connector.

But analysts continue to rate CGI's stock, which closed yesterday at 33.75, as a buy, and some investors remain bullish on Canada's largest tech company.

"We don't plan on selling any stocks," said Marc L'Ecuyer, portfolio manager for Quebec financial firm COTE 100, citing strong margins and capable management.

Brandon Snow, a portfolio manager for Cambridge Asset Management in Toronto, said negative publicity won't hurt CGI's long-term potential. "Our opinion of the company has not been affected because of the recent events," he said.

Still, officials from Ontario to Hawaii have pointed the finger at CGI for poor performance.

CGI was awarded a 
$46 million contract in Ontario to build a diabetes registry, but repeatedly missed deadlines, according to an auditor's report.

"It was payable upon delivery, and they failed to deliver, and we canceled," Ontario eHealth spokesman Rob Mitchell told the Herald.

Hawaii is paying $32 million to rebuild a tax collection system built by CGI between 1999 and 2011, and Vermont has experienced poor performance on its CGI-built health exchange.

CGI began competing for government contracts about a decade ago when it bought Virginia-based American Management Systems, keeping many of its employees even though the company had a troubled track record, according to published reports.

Snow said CGI has a history of acquiring poorly performing companies and turning them around.

"It seems like their M.O.," Snow said.

Larry Allen, a Virginia-based government contract expert, said CGI has since done a lot of work for the feds, including more than 
$1 billion in contracts in fiscal year 2012 for "a host of government agencies."

Political pressure over CGI's high-profile health exchanges may have played a role in their poor performance, Allen said. "I've seen several projects go off the rails when there has been a lot of pressure."

John Zaremba contributed to this report.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Corolla’s a true compact contender

The roomier and more fuel efficient 2014 Toyota Corolla makes it a true contender in the compact sedan segment.

The redesigned Corolla has an aggressive appearance with a longer, lower, and wider stance. Our $19,510 tester painted in a brown sugar metallic looked sharp and was trimmed with Toyota's LE eco package.

The Corolla boasts a 35-miles-per-gallon average despite its slightly larger size. The eco package attaches drag reducing panels to the underbody and includes low-resistance 15-inch tires. A 1.8 liter, four-cylinder engine produces 140 horsepower and is mated to a continuously variable transmission. These tweaks stepped our test Corolla's highway fuel economy up to 42 mpg.

The Corolla has an improved CV transmission that provided a smooth power transition when accelerating, unlike past versions of the CVT that have been anything but smooth. The sedan handled modestly and braking was solid. I found an adequate amount of power even with two adults and three children in the back.

I was surprised at how easily our three children with their boosters and backpacks fit in the back seats. I was even more surprised by the amount of space when I climbed in the back to photograph the interior. The sedan had an abundance of backseat foot- and leg-room for a compact. The Corolla's trunk space is limited, but the 60/40-split folding rear seats do provide some added capacity for moving large items.

I found the Corolla's 6.1-inch touch screen with a backup camera a useful size that didn't overwhelm the cockpit. A Bluetooth smartphone connection not only provided hands-free use of my phone, but also allowed me to play my music wirelessly through the sedan's audio system. Steering wheel-mounted controls also were included. Despite these features, the Corolla's interior had a spartan feel.

Toyota starts the Corolla out at $16,800 and does offer a manual transmission. Heated and power adjustable front seats can be found on the LE Premium edition. The Corolla's roomy back seat and fuel economy do give it a slight edge within the compact sedan market and it's definitely worth a look when considering a Camry. Other cars to consider are the Chevy Cruze, Honda Civic, Ford Focus or Kia Forte.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Get your mall buys delivered

Massachusetts mall-goers, who don't want to be saddled with their shopping bags, soon may have a new way to get their purchases home.

California startup Deliv has jumped into the same-day delivery fray, offering the service to malls through crowdsourced drivers.

And Simon Property Group, the largest owner of malls in Massachusetts, hopes eventually to roll out same-day delivery to its customers at Bay State retail centers.

Shoppers at Simon's Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, Calif., now have two options for shopping hands-free.

They can have their purchases from participating mall retailers sent to their homes for $10, as long as they're within 15 miles of the center.

Or they can have them sent to a central mall location and pick them up when they're done shopping, or have them loaded into their cars curbside, for free.

Simon started the service Monday to "elevate" its customer service, according to spokesman Les Morris.

"Our expectation is that it will be successful, and we can roll it out to more properties," Morris said. "At the end of the day ... if, because of this delivery system, there are stores that are even more productive, it's a win-win."

Approximately 50 retailers are participating in Deliv's same-day service, which also is offered online.

At the Stanford Shopping Center, they include Sony, Hugo Boss, Lucky Brand, Bose, Johnston & Murphy, Kate Spade, Crate & Barrel and White House/Black Market, Morris said.

Founded in 2012, Deliv has raised $7.8 million in venture capital funding from companies including Cambridge's General Catalyst Partners.

Its service is now offered in nine malls in California and Chicago.

Deliv generates revenue from fees paid by the retailers and malls — currently $5 to $15 per delivery — who can opt to charge customers or offer free deliveries, according to founder and CEO Daphne Carmeli.

The key to the business model is getting as many packages and as many stops per route, so the cost of delivery comes down, said Carmeli, whose company hires the drivers.

"What I wanted to do was build a company where we would not have to be a two-sided marketplace, where we would have to acquire demand in every city," Carmeli said.

"We wanted to find an opportunity where we could immediately plug into a demand stream."

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wash. leaders press for union vote on Boeing offer

SEATTLE — National, state and local political leaders called for a vote Friday on a proposed contract between Boeing and Puget Sound machinists, even though local union leaders have already rejected the company's latest offer in the high-stakes negotiations to keep thousands of jobs in the state.

The contract would secure work on Boeing's new 777X airplane at a time when 22 states are competing for those jobs. Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement that union membership gives each worker a say in his or her future and they should have the opportunity to exercise that right.

"That should happen soon, as I have become increasingly concerned that we are at a perilous point in our effort to bring the 777X to Washington state," said Inslee, who was endorsed by the local Machinists union in his campaign for governor last year.

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen echoed those comments, expressing concern about the region's aerospace future if no labor agreement is in place and saying "the time to vote is now." Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson and Snohomish County Executive John Lovick also urged the Machinists in their area to hold a vote and also urged them to approve the contract.

State Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom, a Democrat, and Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler sent a joint letter Friday to local union leaders, urging a vote.

"We trust that your members will make the best decision," the two senators wrote. "We respectfully ask, however, that you allow them to make that choice for themselves."

Leaders in the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers publicly differed Friday on whether to bring Boeing's latest contract offer to a vote, exposing tensions within the union over how to handle the negotiations.

National union spokesman Frank Larkin said Friday that officials were exploring the idea of a vote after hundreds of members demanded an opportunity to have a say on the contract to secure work on the 777X. Larkin said members have always had the final say and they have every right to vote on the terms of the offer.

But local union officials said Friday they don't see any point in bringing it to a vote because it's too similar to a contract the union rejected a month ago by a 2-to-1 margin.

"So, until Boeing changes its conditions, we don't have an offer to vote on," District 751 President Tom Wroblewski said in a statement.

The latest round of contract talks collapsed Thursday after local Machinists officials said they could not recommend Boeing's latest proposal to members. Local union spokesman Bryan Corliss said Boeing has withdrawn the contract offer.

Boeing Co. spokesman Doug Alder said, however, that the offer was rejected by the union, not withdrawn. He declined further comment Friday.

Local union officials have seemed to disagree with their national leaders in recent weeks on how to handle Boeing's offers. That division was clear last month, when local members voted to reject a contract negotiated by Machinists leadership.

Boeing made changes this week to its original contract offer, backing away from a proposal that would slow the rate at which employees rise up the pay scale and adding an additional $5,000 in bonus pay. The biggest sticking point appears to be the company's insistence that workers move from a traditional defined-benefit pension to a defined-contribution savings plan.

The local Machinists said the company's latest proposal was too high of a price to pay to secure the 777X.

"I think you'll agree these were very minor changes, and not nearly enough to offset the things Boeing was trying to take away from you, and for the Machinists who will join us in the future," Wroblewski wrote in a message to members Friday morning.

Looming over the talks is the prospect that the company could build the airplane elsewhere. Chicago-based Boeing said it has received proposals from 22 states eager for the 777X jobs, with some proposing multiple sites. The company said 54 sites are now being evaluated.

In its own bid to win the 777X jobs, Washington state recently approved tax breaks for Boeing valued at $9 billion over the coming years, along with legislation to improve aerospace training programs and the permitting process.

Boeing began offering the 777X in May, but it's still finalizing plans for the plane and aiming to deliver the first aircraft by the end of the decade. Boeing has said it is expected to carry as many as 400 passengers and be more fuel efficient than the current 777.

Boeing received orders for 225 such planes from three airlines at the Dubai Airshow last month.

___

Contact Mike Baker on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikebakerap

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Orange County Register owner plans daily LA paper

LOS ANGELES — The parent company of the Orange County Register plans to expand with a daily paper in Los Angeles, looking to further stretch its regional reach to nearly all of Southern California.

The new, seven-days-a-week paper will be known as the Los Angeles Register, Freedom Communications CEO Aaron Kushner told The Associated Press on Thursday night, a few hours after announcing the move to his staff in the Orange County Register's newsroom.

Kushner didn't give many specifics about plans for the paper but said it will be launched "quickly" and will be widely distributed in print in Los Angeles County. The Register's story on the launch said it would come early next year.

Kushner said the paper will share Orange County Register content in sports and other areas with regional relevance, but he emphasized it will be a distinct entity with a Los Angeles office and a staff made up of existing Register employees and new hires.

"It will be the LA Register, not the Orange County Register," Kushner said in a phone interview. "We're not a national paper, we are a local community-building paper, so that means having local people in the community they're covering."

Shortly after the announcement, Orange County Register staffers received an email asking about their interest in covering Los Angeles.

The move represents the first time in years that a newspaper has sought to challenge the area's dominant daily, the Los Angeles Times.

The Times' last citywide daily competitor, the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, folded in 1989, and plans for startups have been frequently proposed since, but all have faltered. Los Angeles County's other newspapers have largely chosen to focus on their local area instead of the region.

Kushner said he believes there is a place for a paper with a different emphasis and perspective.

"We think the LA Times is a great national newspaper. We are a very different kind of newspaper," Kushner said. "Obviously, we have a very different political perspective. We're not liberal and we're not reactionary. We believe in free markets."

Asked to respond, Times spokeswoman Nancy Sullivan said in an email, "Our first and foremost mission is serving Southern California, as we have for 132 years."

Last month, Freedom Communications Inc. bought the Riverside Press-Enterprise, the region's biggest inland newspaper, for $27.2 million from Dallas-based A.H. Belo Corp., a month after the deal was announced.

That acquisition combined with a new Long Beach daily and the move into Los Angeles means Freedom's papers will have vast reach in a heavily populated region.

But it means an increasingly large gamble that the millions of potential readers will turn into lots of actual customers at a time when the newspaper business is generally shrinking.

Ken Doctor, a newspaper industry analyst with Outsell Inc., said the move may be an attempt to find new revenue to cover Freedom's fast-growing costs, but it's bold nonetheless.

"Aaron Kushner and Freedom Communications are making the most contrarian play in American newspapers," Doctor said. "While newspapers overall are receding and retracting and cutting, he is in expansionist mode."

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hospitals get $25M NIH grant

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a group of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Medical Center and Brigham and Women's Hospital a $25 million grant to determine the most effective treatment for the most severe form of peripheral artery disease, which can lead to amputation.

The four-year trial will enroll 2,100 patients at 120 clinical centers in the U.S. and Canada and will compare traditional bypass surgery with the less invasive alternative of endovascular treatment for patients with critical limb ischemia, or CLI.

"This is a huge deal because CLI affects thousands of people in this country alone," said Dr. Alik Farber, chief of the division of vascular and endovascular surgery at BMC and one of the trial's principal investigators. "The problem is it's unclear which procedure is better in terms of saving legs."

Endovascular treatment is a smaller procedure with less risk, Farber said, but it also is thought to be not as durable, meaning that the patient may have to have it done more than once.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boutique buildings fill Hub niche 
with distinction

While a lot of attention has been given to the larger residential projects in the Hub, there are a number of new, smaller boutique buildings that promise buyers and tenants something more distinctive.

"In a smaller-scale building you can pay much more attention to the quality of the design and the details," said Damian Szary, a principal at Boston-based Redgate Real Estate Advisors, whose Gate Residential unit is developing a nine-story condo complex along Congress and Farnsworth streets in the booming Seaport District. With its floor-to-ceiling glass windows all around, Zero Farnsworth will be strikingly contemporary in an area of brick warehouses.

"We are pushing our architects (Boston-based CBT Architects) to go above and beyond in terms of design and style," added Szary, who expects construction to begin in the second half of next year. "Our goal is to create a product that Boston hasn't seen before."

There's no question that new units in boutique buildings elsewhere in the city are selling for a premium. The five-unit Chevron on Tremont in the South End sold out in preconstruction, commanding $3-million-plus prices. And three units have sold in a six-condo complex above a Chanel store at 
4-6 Newbury St., dubbed Chanel No. 6, with prices ranging from $5.5 million to almost $8 million.

"Some buyers and renters would rather be one of 10 people in a building rather than one of 250," said Szary, whose company also developed the 184-unit Maxwell's Green luxury rental complex in Somerville.

A high-end rental project at 22-26 West Broadway in Southie looks like it was designed for a European city. The three mini-tower complex is the brainchild of local developer Jason Cincotta and architect Michael LeBlanc of Hub-based Utile.

"We want to provide a different kind of rental experience, something not mass-produced, that creates a feeling of a small community," said Cincotta, owner of Evergreen Property Group, adding that the 31 units in the floor-to-ceiling glass-faced towers will have 16 different floor plans, luxury condo finishes and common spaces that will encourage residents to get to know one another.

LeBlanc, whose firm also designed the successful First & First 23-unit townhouse condo development, thinks there is a pent-up demand for high-design units in smaller buildings.

"And with a thoughtful use of space and materials and attention to design, you can provide a great residential experience without a lot of added cost," LeBlanc said.

With some 6,000 new rental units expected to come on line in the city over the next several years, boutique buildings differentiate themselves from larger projects designed to appeal to a wider segment of renters.

Take the Fox Residences, a 14-unit rental building that for many years housed the Strawberries record store on Washington Street downtown. Before that it was the Art Deco design headquarters of furrier I.J. Fox. An affiliate of Hub developer Core Investments is refinishing the building's two-story black granite exterior that's framed by a brass ziggurat. And they have uncovered and are refinishing an interior vestibule that features a fox head in relief on bronze panels, brass moldings as well as a stylish Art Deco skylight. Upstairs are 14 two- to four-bedroom units with Brazilian cherrywood floors and Silestone counters, priced from $2,650 to $5,600 a month, many with great downtown views through large windows.

"It's unique," said Alicia Ingalls, a principal at Bulfinch Boston Realty. "It doesn't feel like a vanilla box or a hotel. Boutique buildings like this feel more personable."

Broker Ralph Aucella of Keliher Real Estate, who is handling rentals for the Fox building that opens next month, said boutique buildings are popular for other reasons, too.

"They have a little more character and a little more privacy," Aucella said. "They're good places to be if you don't want a concierge in your business 24 hours a day."

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

B.R.A. to give ‘blighted’ tax break to Garden complex

The Boston Redevelopment Authority is set to approve a $950 million redevelopment of the former Boston Garden site next week — including $7.8 million in tax breaks for the city-designated "blighted" area — despite neighborhood objections to a 600-foot tower among the three-building complex.

The Menino administration confirmed a 15-year tax deal yesterday and that a Star Market supermarket will be part of Boston Properties and Delaware North's project near the TD Garden.

The tax deal was reached to "secure the critical tenant and create tax certainty" during the first phase of the 1.87 million-square-foot mixed-use project, the announcement said.

"It's a mistake to offer any tax breaks for economic development purposes," said David Tuerck, executive director of the Beacon Hill Institute. "The better policy would be to have a tax rate that is low enough to encourage economic development without having to provide special favors to every supplicant who comes along wanting a subsidy."

The project includes a 497-unit, 600-foot residential tower; a 20-story, 306-room hotel; a 25-story office building; 235,000 square feet of retail space; a 40,000-square-foot TD Garden expansion; and an expansion of the North Station parking garage.

"The tax certainty provided by the 121A agreement will benefit our tenants, securing the mix of uses and public benefits long desired by the community," Boston Properties senior vice president Bryan Koop said in a statement.

Menino and BRA director Peter Meade weren't made available for comment. Meade met with the Boston Garden Impact Advisory Group yesterday to inform the neighborhood stakeholders of the news.

Six of 13 members who favor a 400-foot tower instead of a 600-foot tower and object to the "blighted" status wrote to Menino this week, alleging their concerns weren't given serious consideration. Member James Zahka said he still feels ignored. "If you live near a transportation node, get ready for 600-foot buildings," he said.

The project will generate $32.3 million in revenue over 15 years, versus 
$5 million in property taxes should the land, vacant since the 1990s demolition of the old Boston Garden, remain undeveloped, BRA spokeswoman Melina Schuler said. "This is an opportunity to have a signature building in this part of the city," she said. "We feel that a tower up to 600 feet would be appropriate."

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Retail sales ring up hikes

Retail sales nationally rose each of the past two months, according to figures released yesterday, but a snowstorm forecast for this weekend has Massachusetts retailers worried they could lose critical holiday sales.

The Commerce Department said November retail sales rose 0.7 percent — the biggest gain in five months — and October's figure was revised higher to 
0.6 percent. But although two straight months of healthy sales suggest steady hiring is encouraging Americans to spend more this holiday season, this weekend's storm is raising concerns, particularly at small businesses.

"It's worrisome," said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts. "We have three weekends before Christmas this year, compared to four last year, and that's where most of the sales occur. And the closer you get to Christmas, the more important those weekends become."

National Weather Service meteorologist Charlie Foley said this weekend's storm is expected to dump two to four inches on the Boston area, one to three inches on the Cape and islands, and five to eight inches on the Merrimack Valley into northern Worcester County.

"It won't be a blockbuster, but it'll be the first significant snowstorm of the season," Foley said.

Alissa Eck, owner of Exclusive Jewels on Beacon Hill, worried that even a light snowfall in Boston might keep people home.

"Right now, it's so close to Christmas," said Eck. "It will definitely hinder how many people come out."

Herald wire services
contributed to this 
report.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boston credit card data theft bigger than thought

BOSTON — Boston police say the credit card data theft that affected about 300 people who attended conventions in the city in the fall is more widespread than at first thought.

Detective Steven Blair says the thefts were not limited to people who attended conferences at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, and extends through other areas of the city.

He tells The Boston Globe that based on interviews with credit card companies, the tally of victims could be "hundreds" more than those who have already reported unauthorized or fraudulent charges on their credit cards.

Blair says the scope of the crime suggests the thieves hacked into the computer system of a business or businesses.

The convention center and several nearby hotels and restaurants have denied being the source of the breach.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fears of Fed tapering weighs on world markets

LONDON — Growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut its monetary stimulus as early as next week weighed on markets Thursday, a day after U.S. shares had one of their worst days in weeks.

Signs that U.S. lawmakers are poised to agree on a U.S. budget deal reinforced those expectations that the Fed will decide to start reducing its $85 billion worth of financial asset purchases at next week's policy meeting.

"Coupled with the better economic data emanating from the U.S. recently, this does tend to cement the viewpoint that asset purchasing could be scaled back this month," said Brenda Kelly, senior market strategist at IG.

Since the U.S. stimulus has helped buoy stocks over the past few years, its potential reduction has jolted markets periodically in recent months. However, any tapering is expected to be accompanied by a renewed commitment by the Fed to keep interest rates low. That, analysts say, helps explain why stock markets are still trading at relative highs and why bond markets aren't getting too excited.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 1.1 percent at 6,438 while Germany's DAX fell 1 percent to 8,890. The CAC-40 in France was 0.8 percent lower at 4,056.

Wall Street was poised for a steadier opening following Wednesday when the S&P 500 fell 1.1 percent. Both Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures were 0.1 percent lower.

The focus will likely remain on the Fed until that decision next Wednesday. The future of the Fed's stimulus has been the main driver in markets since May, when chairman Ben Bernanke first mooted the possibility.

"Between now and the meeting next week, the moves in the markets are going to continue to be largely driven by investors' interpretation of what the Fed will do next week," said Craig Erlam, market analyst at Alpari.

The negative tone was set earlier in Asia, where Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 1.1 percent at 15,341.82 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 0.5 percent to 23,218.12. China's Shanghai Composite eased 0.1 percent to 2,202.80. Markets were also down in Australia, India, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

Trading in currency markets was more muted. The euro was flat at $1.3782 and the dollar was 0.2 percent higher at 102.73 yen.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Service may have hidden cost

A grocery delivery service new to Boston promises groceries on your doorstep in an hour, but the reliance on a part-time, crowdsourced workforce may be bad for the economy, according to one expert.

Instacart, a San Francisco-based grocery delivery service, officially arrived in Boston yesterday.

"You are able to jump on your phone and be able to get groceries delivered in under an hour," said Aditya Shah, head of expansion of Instacart and interim head of Instacart Boston. Right now, the service will only deliver from Shaw's, but the company hopes to expand to chains such as Whole Foods.

Using a mobile app or website, users submit an order, which is sent to one of Instacart's trained shoppers.

"We have basically managed to have a crowdsourced fleet of personal shoppers," Shah said. He plans to have 30 to 40 shoppers in Boston by the end of the week, ranging from students trying to make some extra money to "people who genuinely like grocery shopping." Workers will be paid a commission based on the items in each order, and can earn up to $25 an hour, the company says.

Thomas Kochan, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Institute for Work and Employment Research, noted crowdsourced employment is a growing trend with Internet-based services, but it's "not the kind of thing that is going to build high quality jobs in the economy. Most of them aren't going to pay a living wage unless you work very long hours."

Instacart shopper Ivana Castillo, who is going back to school, said, "I wanted to do it because it was very flexible. I get to choose the hours that I want to work and it was very convenient."

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

The Ticker

U.S. budget deficit $135.2B in November

The U.S. government ran a much smaller deficit through the first two months of the budget year than the same period last year, signaling further improvement in the nation's finances.

The November deficit — the gap between what the government takes in and what it spends — totaled $135.2 billion, the Treasury Department said yesterday. That's 21.4 percent lower than November 2012.

Red Sox propose 'street furniture'

The Red Sox will seek city approval next week to provide and maintain "street furniture" — illuminated retired numbers of former players — on the Yawkey Way extension from the MBTA's commuter rail station to Fenway Park.

"We hope this will enhance the experience as fans walk from the newly improved commuter rail station to the ballpark, and that the gesture helps encourage fans to use public transportation on game days and throughout the year," Red Sox spokeswoman Zineb Curran said.

Comcast Center gets new name

The concert venue in Mansfield formerly known as the Comcast Center will now be the Xfinity Center, the company said. Comcast says the name change "reflects the Xfinity brand's strong awareness and resonance with consumers."

Bids in on Schilling co.'s assets

Bidders made their final offers yesterday on the intellectual property of former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's bankrupt video game company. The results of the telephone auction of 38 Studios' assets will
be released in the coming days, according to Nick
Jimenez, executive vice president at the Heritage Global Partners auction house.

TODAY

• Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.
• Commerce Department releases retail sales data for November.
• The global airline industry issues its annual profit forecast and outlook for the coming year and reports on its financial condition, including what's expected to be a modest improvement in global net profits to $10.6 billion for 2013.
• Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts announced that member Daniel J. Galli, left, has been named as its president and will assume responsibilities on Jan. 1. Galli will help guide the policy and direction of the 900-member association that seeks to foster the value of financial planning and advance the profession within Massachusetts.

THE SHUFFLE

• Highland Capital Partners, a venture capital firm, announced consumer media and technology expert Walt Doyle has joined the firm as a Venture Partner in its Cambridge office.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Economic growth could net $1B for state

The slowly improving economy could pump $1 billion in new revenue into the state system next fiscal year — but watchdogs warn the cash could be eaten up by debt, Medicaid and pension costs.

Growth is projected to be between 4.3 percent and 5.2 percent over what was expected, Department of Revenue Commissioner Amy Pitter told lawmakers. Other projections went as high as 7.9 percent.

The housing market and other improved economic fundamentals and investment decisions in response to federal tax law changes caused tax collections to improve "significantly" in fiscal year 2013 and the first five months of fiscal 2014, Pitter said.

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation urged the governor to use the extra cash to stabilize the pension system and warned the economy could slow again next year and transportation costs could add up fast.

State House News Service contributed to this report.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Futures head lower for second consecutive day

NEW YORK — U.S. stock futures are heading lower as investors continue to take profits.

Dow Jones industrial futures are down 11 points to 15,697 on Wednesday. S&P futures have lost 1.9 points to hit 1,801.20. Nasdaq futures are down 4.75 points to 3,511.25.

Many people are also moving to the sidelines ahead of the next meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve, which begins Tuesday.

Economic data has been stronger than expected on almost every front, especially when it comes to job creation.

That has many believing that the U.S. will begin pulling back on its monthly $85 billion bond buying program, so the Fed statement that will be released next Wednesday will be getting a lot of attention.

The Treasury reports on the budget deficit for November at 2 p.m. Eastern time.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Panel sets up casino battle

The state gaming commission's 5-0 vote to keep a Suffolk Downs casino alive by calling for a new referendum in Revere preserves competition with Wynn Resorts for the sole greater Boston casino license — which a leading gambling expert says is crucial to ensuring the Bay State rakes in as much as possible.

Boston College professor Richard McGowan, who advised Boston on its defunct casino pact with Suffolk Downs, said competition allows the state to command higher-end amenities that will attract more gamblers, win commitments from casinos to keep their resorts up to date and viable, and compel applicants to plan for higher gaming revenues, 25 percent of which will be collected by the state. Suffolk Downs projected up to $1 billion in annual gaming revenue under its prior plan.

"Let's face it, if there's competition, it forces them to up the ante and build a better facility," McGowan said of casino developers. "I would say yes, they do want competition, and therefore they want both Suffolk Downs and Wynn going for that license."

But opponents say the insistence on competition swayed commissioners to bend the rules.

"If this law and this process and this commission were as robust as they purported it to be, there would be a scenario where potentially neither applicant gets approved," said Celeste Myers, leader of the group No Eastie Casino. "But they're orchestrating things and rigging things so that they have as many applicants — no matter how feeble — standing, so it gives the appearance of robust competition or a robust process. It's just false. And oh, by the way, we can all see it. It's very apparent what's happening here."

Commissioners yesterday took pains to cite the importance of competition.

"The message to Steve Wynn is that we're glad that he's here, we're glad he's in the competition, we look forward to seeing him next week," commissioner James McHugh said. "The fact that he's here is good for the commonwealth and good for the competition and good for the process."

A new Revere-only casino referendum will likely occur in February, with an exemption from the Dec. 31 deadline. On Nov. 5, Revere voted yes, East Boston no on a casino planned almost entirely in East Boston. Wynn, meanwhile, faces a hearing on its Everett land deal Friday and a suitability hearing next week. A final decision on who gets the Boston-area license will be made in May.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Red Sox eye more booze sales

The Red Sox hope to ramp up the availability of alcohol at games and other Fenway Park events.

The team wants to hike the number of concession stands selling liquor and extend sales until the end of the seventh inning. That would include adding liquor sales outside on Yawkey Way — in addition to the already-offered beer and wine — and expanding sales of all three to Fenway concerts and other events.

The request comes less than three months after the Boston Redevelopment Authority inked a controversial $7.3 million deal that lets the team shut down part of Yawkey Way for concessions during games and other city-approved events.

"Within a month, they're finding a way of making more revenue from the deal," said Matthew Cahill, executive director of the Boston Finance Commission, a city watchdog group that's been critical of the deal because there was no public bidding process and the city failed to extract a yearly base payment and revenue-sharing from the Red Sox. "This is why the BRA should have crafted a better-worded document. I certainly hope the police are being brought into this conversation."

Red Sox spokeswoman Zineb Curran said the team wants the same conveniences for all events at Fenway Park. "One improvement we are pursuing is reducing concession lines with enhanced efficiency at existing points of sale in high-traffic areas around the park," she said.

The team is slated to appear before the Licensing Board today to increase the number of concession stands selling liquor from five to eight.

Fenway Park starts selling alcohol when park gates open — usually 90 minutes before game time. Liquor sales stop two hours after a game's start or at the bottom of the seventh inning, whichever is earlier, while beer and wine sales stop 2.5 hours after a game's start or at the end of the seventh, whichever comes first. The team now wants to stop selling all three at the end of the seventh or "earlier, at "management's discretion."

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

App lets you pay parking tickets

Getting a parking ticket is never a pleasant experience, but a new app makes paying them in Boston a little less painful.

Terrible Labs has developed TicketZen, which can be used to pay parking tickets by scanning them with a smartphone camera.

"Three taps, you have paid your parking ticket and you are on with your day," said Cort Johnson, of Boston-based Terrible Labs.

The app is faster and easier that traditional methods, said Johnson, such as paying at city hall or online, or mailing in a payment.

"That experience is relatively antiquated and we wanted to make it a very user friendly experience," said Johnson.

The iPhone and Android app works by scanning a barcode already on Hub parking tickets and developing it was easier, he said, because of the cooperation of the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics.

Chris Osgood, co-chairman of the office, said they welcomed the outside support and innovation.

"Any way that we can work with people in the community to make Boston a better place to live, that's worth it for us to try out that experiment," Osgood said.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Female libido drug remains in limbo

WASHINGTON — The 15-year search for a pill that boosts sexual desire in women has hit another roadblock, raising questions about the future of efforts to develop a female equivalent to Viagra.

Sprout Pharmaceuticals said Wednesday it has reached an impasse with the Food and Drug Administration over its drug, flibanserin. The daily pill is designed to increase libido in women by acting on brain chemicals linked to mood and appetite.

The FDA questions whether the drug's benefits outweigh its risks, considering its "modest" effectiveness and side effects including fatigue, dizziness and nausea.

Sprout said it's appealing an October letter from the FDA that denied approval and asked for more information. But chances for approval appear slim: Of the 17 appeals FDA considered last year, 14 were denied, according to government figures.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Etsy.com artists pop up on Newbury St.

A group of crafts merchants who usually sell online have teamed up to open a brick and mortar store on Newbury Street for the holidays, saying they think Christmas shoppers will prefer having a place to go, to actually see and touch the goods — and where artisans can meet their customers.

"When you are shopping online, especially for something you are going to wear, you are unable to see it, you are unable to touch it," said Lara Gordon, who has organized The Newbury Handmade Market, a pop-up shop for local etsy.com sellers, at 301 Newbury St. Etsy.com is the premier online marketplace for independent artisans.

Gordon said most of the income from her jewelry business is done online, but it is hard to stand out there.

"There are many aspects of buying online that are not ideal," she said. "You can't see the exact color and sparkle of a gemstone."

Pam Kubbins, who will be selling her pashminas and scarves, said it makes more sense to sell her products in person.

"Your personality really comes through when you sell your own product," Kubbins said. "My business is my blood, sweat and tears, and to be able to share that with people, I really enjoy."

Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, said merchants, especially people selling handcrafted goods, need to have a presence both online and in person.

"Over the long haul, if you're brick and mortar you have to be online and if you are online you have to be brick and mortar as well," Hurst said. "That type of product line, people want to be able to feel and touch it before they make the judgment."

Open until Dec. 24, the shop sells products including jewelry, art and clothing.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

NY prosecutor: Calif. wine collector was greedy

NEW YORK — A prosecutor opened the fraud trial of a California wine dealer on Monday by saying greed motivated him to cheat wine collectors out of millions of dollars, but a defense lawyer said his client was the victim of widespread corruption in the resale market for vintage wines.

The differing views were offered to jurors in U.S. District Court in Manhattan during opening statements at the trial of Rudy Kurniawan, an Indonesian-born immigrant of Chinese descent who was arrested last year and accused of trying to sell more than $1.3 million worth of counterfeit bottles to other wealthy collectors.

"This is a case about greed," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hernandez said.

He said Kurniawan, 37, performed a classic bait-and-switch by letting his victims taste wines valued at tens of thousands of dollars at dinners he staged, only to later convince them to buy bottles of poor-quality French wine that he had poured into vintage-looking bottles in his Arcadia, Calif., kitchen.

Hernandez said Kurniawan, who's charged with mail fraud and wire fraud, was driven by an "unquenchable thirst for luxury cars, designer clothing and the finest food and drinks in the world." He said Kurniawan "loved living the high life and loved the attention."

The prosecutor said Kurniawan had lived in luxury in suburban Los Angeles even after he was ordered in 2003 to leave the country.

Hernandez said that as Kurniawan's fame grew in the business of rare wines, suspicions about him rose.

Some of his wines were pulled from a sale in 2007 after an auction house said they were fakes, and billionaire yachtsman, entrepreneur and wine investor William Koch sued him in 2009, saying several bottles he'd purchased from him were bogus.

Defense attorney Jerome Mooney portrayed his client as a scapegoat, saying he built a reputation as "the most prolific buyer of wines out there" before the dark side of the industry turned against him.

"In the wine market, there's a lot of counterfeits and a lot of alterations," Mooney said. "If you're buying a lot of wine, you're going to buy a lot of counterfeits. ... This poor guy ends up being the one who gets blamed for everything."

The millionaire businessman, held without bail, was deemed "responsible for all the horrible things that have happened to the wine market," the lawyer said.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Residents: Push growth for all

Nearly 200 people crowded into the first of Mayor-elect Martin J. Walsh's transition committee public hearings last night, and dozens of them urged the new administration to push economic development that benefits all city residents — not just Boston's big shots.

Shirley Kressel of the Back Bay said the new administration should look into the Boston Redevelopment Authority's practice of granting developers "blighted" status for marquee properties under an arcane law meant for low-income areas — an issue raised by the Herald in a Page One story.

"We need to investigate all the tax breaks we're giving to developers," Kressel said, "and we need to investigate how we can recoup that money."

Henry Yee of the Chinatown Residents Association said the city needs to encourage new housing that is affordable in more than name only.

"If we can't afford to live in affordable housing, how can we afford to live in Chinatown?" Yee said through an interpreter. "You need to look at the neighborhood's income level."

Beth Parkhurst of Codman Square said Boston's development has left many blacks and Latinos behind.

"Who exactly is the building boom going to benefit?" Parkhurst asked. "We don't have any major construction companies owned by people of color."

Edwin Argueta of Jobs with Justice wants a set of standards that multi-national companies would have to meet if they want to open a store in Boston.

The Transition Committee's next public hearing will be held on education from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. tonight at English High School in Jamaica Plain.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Clergy may sue if panel OKs bid

Clergy in Revere and East Boston are watching today's planned vote by the state Gaming Commission on a Suffolk Downs casino in Revere.

"If that happens, we will pursue legal means," said Tim Bogertman, associate pastor of First Congregational Church of Revere. "That's something we're considering."

Bogertman and 22 other clergy yesterday signed a letter urging the commission to honor the Nov. 5 referendums in East Boston and Revere, when Suffolk Downs was proposing a casino resort in both communities. Revere voted yes, but East Boston rejected it.

Since then, Suffolk Downs has found a new casino partner, Mohegan Sun, and it has shifted the project onto the Revere portion of its property.

"We're concerned about what's happening to the democratic process," said the Rev. David Searles of East Boston's Central Assembly of God Church.

Trent Sheppard, a collegiate chaplain who lives in East Boston, said "all options are on the table," but he said the clergy might leave any legal action to the lay group No Eastie Casino.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Suffolk: We eyed Revere from start

Suffolk Downs casino officials are claiming in a memo to the state Gaming Commission — due to decide the project's fate today — that ballot questions were purposely crafted to let them build in Revere if East Boston voters rejected them.

Opponents say that shows the racetrack tried to deceive voters in both towns.

Sterling Suffolk Racecourse LLC and Mohegan Sun, in a Dec. 2 memo obtained by the Herald, cite the different wording of the two ballot questions. Eastie voters, who rejected the casino Nov. 5, were asked to approve a gaming establishment "to be located at Suffolk Downs in East Boston." Revere voters, who approved the casino, were asked to approve a gaming establishment on the "Suffolk Downs property off of Winthrop Avenue."

"Winthrop Avenue is in Revere," the memo reads. "A Revere-only gaming establishment fits precisely within the scope of this question. This was by design ... they wanted to ensure that if East Boston voted no, the ballot question in Revere would give Revere the opportunity still to be a host community for a property located only in Revere."

The question of voter intent is central to today's deliberations by the commission, which will decide if the Nov. 5 vote and related agreements can apply to the recently hatched plan to build only on the Revere side of Suffolk Downs.

Opponents say the idea was always that Eastie and Revere voters had to give a thumbs up for any casino to be built at the racetrack, and any argument to the contrary is disingenuous.

"It's a very, very far-fetched idea that people were aware and were fully cognizant that the intention of the developers was to build a casino no matter what," said Pedro Morales, lead organizer of anti-casino group Friends of East Boston. "First of all, if you did that and you didn't explain it to anybody, that's very deceptive. Everybody was led to believe that it was going to be one development that needed the approval of both communities."

Revere Mayor Daniel Rizzo said Suffolk Downs' posture toward Revere has long been "if this doesn't go the way we want in Boston, we'll be coming to talk to you."

"That has always been very, very clear to me," Rizzo said. "In fact, when they were getting eerily close to not being able to strike a host community agreement with Boston, they were getting very edgy and concerned that they might have to pivot back to Revere and work on a Revere-only project."

The Gaming Commission's decision on Suffolk Downs' Revere proposal comes amid a whirlwind of high-stakes activity. The commission received a thumbs up from its investigative arm yesterday on the suitability of MGM to pursue a license in Springfield, and will issue a decision soon after questioning casino executives for hours. On Friday, the commission will convene to discuss a land sale plan from Wynn Resorts, which wants to build in Everett. Monday, the commission will hold its first hearing to determine if Wynn is suitable to seek greater Boston's lone casino license.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hackers get crack at DOT traffic data

Members of the tech community will come together next weekend to sift through a trove of data from the state Department of Transportation, and brainstorm ideas focusing on how people get to their destinations.

"We recognize the immense potential the tech community in the commonwealth could bring to us," said Rachel Bain, project manager for big data in transportation for MassDOT.

The two-day hackathon, starting Friday and hosted by MassDOT at Cambridge tech event space Hack/Reduce, will give the 100-plus coders and developers expected to sign up a chance to turn raw transportation data into a usable visualization — an image, or interactive application, for example. The focus is on travel behavior, road and rail comparisons, and the energy, environmental, and social impacts of the method of transportation people choose, according to organizers who include Massachusetts Big Data and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

Participants will have access to some of the data DOT has collected, including real-time traffic information, fare and ridership information for the commuter rail and accident data.

"We hope the visualizations that people are able to produce will help inform us better about what is going on in our transportation system, about traffic in general and the way people move around the state," Bain said.

Marcela Rodriguez, an independent web developer, says she plans to participate in the hackathon because of the possibility of producing something that could have an impact on how people live their lives.

"There's a lot of opportunities to contribute and make a difference," she said. "Transportation and travel are just very interesting fields."

Rodriguez said she has a couple ideas for what she will produce, likely related to train routes.

Three prizes of $2,000 — provided by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative — will be awarded, one each to the project that best uses the DOT data, the project that is the most visually compelling and the crowd favorite.

Adriane Cochrane, executive director of Hack/Reduce, said hackathons that have a beneficial theme are more popular.

"Anything that is civic in nature definitely excites people," she said.

More than a week before the hackathon, spots were more than half full, she said.

"People aren't coming out for the prizes, it's about learning and collaborating and finding peers with the same interests," Cochrane said.

The state hopes to come away from the hackathon with new information about transportation trends, Bain said. "The hacker community could have a really positive impact in transportation planning," she said.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Obama taps former top aide to work on health law

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is bringing a former top aide with deep ties to Congress back to the White House to help get his health care overhaul back on track after a bungled rollout.

Officials say Phil Schiliro, who as Obama's top liaison to Capitol Hill helped push the Affordable Care Act through Congress, is taking on a short-term assignment to help coordinate policy surrounding the law.

He'll work with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, other agencies and members of Congress.

The Medicare agency oversees the federal website that uninsured people are supposed to use to buy government-subsidized health insurance. Starting next year, virtually all Americans will be required to have coverage or face fines. But a cascade of technical problems overwhelmed HealthCare.gov when it went live on Oct. 1, frustrating consumers and sending Obama's poll ratings into a dive.

After weeks of repairs, the administration announced last week that the worst of the technical problems had been fixed and that the site was working reasonably well for most users. But it's too really to say if the website has really turned a corner. It's also quite likely that the White House will stumble into another crisis as officials try to implement a complex, politically polarizing law with broad effects on society.

Schiliro's appointment is comparable to that of Jeffrey Zients, the management expert and former Obama administration official who returned in mid-October to oversee the rescue of the dysfunctional website. But where Zients is an organizational troubleshooter, Schiliro brings years of political connections and health care policy expertise to an insular White House. Prior to his first stint in the administration, he had been a longtime adviser to California Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman, one of the co-authors of the health care law.

Schiliro left the White House about two years ago and moved to New Mexico, where he opened a business consulting for nonprofits.

In a statement provided by the White House, Schiliro said he wants to help because the law is important to Obama.

The health care law is the signature domestic achievement of Obama's presidency, but it's been challenged every step of the way by congressional Republicans and other opponents.

The website woes took the White House by surprise, rattling Obama's own supporters and undermining their confidence in the administration's basic competence. Then Obama sailed into another political storm: millions of people who buy insurance individually were getting cancellation notices because their policies did not measure up to the standards of the health care law. Amid growing criticism, the president apologized and proposed a workaround involving temporary extensions of current policies.

On Capitol Hill, Democratic lawmakers facing tough re-elections next year began wavering.

Word of Schiliro's return also comes as the White House seems to have realized that the success of the health care overhaul can't be taken for granted. The president himself has plunged into a renewed effort to promote the law.

"We moved to New Mexico to go in a new direction, but this is important to the president," Schiliro said in the statement. "A law that guarantees coverage to millions of Americans, improves quality and saves hundreds of billions of dollars is worth fighting for. I hope to help with that effort."

Schiliro will work with White House-based health care advisers, including Jeanne Lambrew and Chris Jennings.

The New York Times first reported on Schiliro's return.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

SpaghettiOs apologizes for Pearl Harbor tweet

Campbell Soup apologized Saturday for a tweet by its SpaghettiOs brand that marked the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks with a picture of its smiling mascot jauntily holding an American flag.

The Twitter account for the canned pasta brand had sent the message Friday night asking its followers to "Take a moment to remember #PearlHarbor with us." The cartoon mascot, drawn to look like an O-shaped noodle, sported orange sneakers and was licking his lip, with one hand on his hip.

The tweet spread rapidly, with thousands retweeting it and noting its jarring tone, given the gravity of the occasion. More than 2,400 Americans were killed in the Pearl Harbor attacks that prompted America's entry into World War II.

A representative for Campbell Soup Co., which owns SpaghettiOs, said Saturday that the message had been deleted. SpaghettiOs, which has more than 11,000 followers, sent out a follow-up tweet stating, "We apologize for our recent tweet in remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day. We meant to pay respect, not to offend."

Campbell said the Twitter account is managed internally, rather than by an agency.

The company, based in Camden, N.J., also owns Prego sauce, Pepperidge Farm cookies and V8 juices.

Follow Candice Choi at www.twitter.com/candicechoi .

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Camry keeps on humming along — and not in a good way

My wife's Camry is making a humming noise when in motion, not impacted by wheel turns or by brake application. It gets louder as you go faster. I have a feeling that I know what it is, but would appreciate another opinion.

Is this a setup? If you think you know, why not share it? So, to make sure I'm unlikely to miss, I'd suspect — in this order — tire noise, wheel bearing howl, air leak buzz around windshield or doors, serpentine belt/idler pulley/alternator or power steering pump whine, torque converter drone, transaxle/differential bearing howl, RF static from the audio system and last but not least, happy in-laws humming Christmas carols in the back seat!

We found a 2009 Honda Odyssey that had 14,000 miles on it. The previous owner had four cars and the van wasn't used much so he decided to sell it. The Carfax was clean and it's in excellent shape. We will probably put about 15K to 20K miles a year on it, meaning it will be driven more in the next 12 months than it was in its first four years. Would this van be a candidate for synthetic motor oil? The Honda onboard oil life monitoring system seems to be recommending changes at about 7,500 miles or so.

Yes, absolutely. In my opinion, virtually every automotive engine is a candidate for synthetic oil. Synthetics offer better performance over a wider range of operating temperatures and better viscosity stability over its service life. These benefits are small and the higher cost of synthetics is a very, very small increment of the overall cost of ownership, operation, maintenance and repair over the life of the vehicle. To me, that makes the decision to use synthetic lubricants an easy one.

But I'd be hard-pressed to go more than roughly 5,000 miles between oil changes. Call me old-fashioned, but I'm just not comfortable with longer intervals for my personal vehicles.

I drive a 2002 Honda CRV with 97,000 miles on it. A "Check engine" light diagnostic indicated an oxygen sensor heater was working intermittently and the recommendation was to replace the "b1s1o2." Neither an independent auto shop nor a Honda dealer could really explain why I should spend $500 ($350 parts, $150 labor) if the only issue is slightly decreased gas mileage. I drive less than 4,000 miles a year and 99 percent is city driving so my mileage hasn't been great. What is the worst downside of doing nothing and what would you recommend?

Honda recommends inspecting/cleaning/repairing any faults in the connectors, harness or circuit from the ECM to the "bank 1, sensor 1, oxygen" — the front oxygen sensor. Then have the DTC fault code cleared. If it comes back, I'd replace the O2 sensor. My Alldata database confirmed the cost for the OE sensor at over $350, but a quick Internet search found reputable brand name replacement sensors for your vehicle in the $50-$150 range. These units require harness splicing, but are significantly less expensive. Installation should take about 30 minutes.

The function of the electrical heater is to stabilize the sensor's operating temperature, allowing the engine management system to read and adjust the air/fuel ratio more accurately. This reduces the burden on the catalytic converter — an even more expensive component — and optimizes engine performance and economy.

Your question is valid. Since the sensor is heated by the exhaust it still may be supplying A/F ratio data, but because it triggered a fault code the data may not be accurate or the ECM may be substituting a default value, meaning less efficient operation and potentially more unburned fuel for the converter to catalyze.

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.

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dash-ER will deliver your christmas tree

In years past, Hadley Stephens had always gone Christmas tree shopping with her parents or bought a tree of her own that was small enough to carry. But this is her first year being married, so it was time for a change.

"My husband and I talked about going out to one of those farms to cut our own tree, but we didn't have time," said Stephens, 31. "We were also nervous about attaching it to our car. You never know what might happen."

So, in search of a convenient way to get a tree, her husband stumbled upon one on Foodler.com, the home of Dashed, a Boston-based food-delivery service they'd used a handful of times.

Less than one hour and $90 later, a 9-foot Balsam Fir was delivered to their door and erected in their South Boston loft.

"We definitely were not expecting to find that they deliver trees," Stephens said. "We were pleasantly surprised."

If all of this sounds almost Grinch-like to those of you who consider shopping for a tree a tradition not to be tampered with — even if it does leave a trail of scratches on the roof of your car — your numbers may be dwindling.

This is the second year Dashed has offered the service, which runs through Christmas Eve and costs a flat rate of $19.99, not including the cost of the tree.

"We saw such demand last year that we decided to offer it again," said Phil Dumontet, who started Dashed in 2009 by delivering meals from Maurizio's in the North End on his Trek mountain bike.

That first year Dumontet made $150,570. By last year, he had hired nearly 100 employees in five cities, and the company's revenue had grown to $4.6 million.

"We started to look at what else we could deliver," Dumontet said.

So the company began offering a menu of trees: a Balsam Fir and a Fraser Fir, both of which come in various sizes, and a potted, 2-foot Alberta.

This year, Dashed wasn't the only company to branch out into Christmas trees.

The ride-sharing app Uber did a one-day trial run last Thursday, delivering a
7- to 8-foot Fraser Fir for $135, including tree, stand and scarf.

"We were excited to roll it out and see how it did," said Meghan Verena Joyce, general manager of Uber Boston, declining to reveal how many trees were delivered. "Our bread and butter is giving people access to reliable transportation around the city. So this was an exciting experiment for us."

20.25 | 0 komentar | Read More