The Ticker

Kmart hit by data breach

Retailer Sears Holdings Corp. said the payment data systems at its Kmart stores had been compromised, the latest in a series of computer security breaches to hit U.S. companies in recent months.

The U.S. Secret Service confirmed it was investigating the breach, which occurred in September and compromised the systems of Kmart, which has about 1,200 stores across the United States. The breach did not affect the Sears department store chain.

Sears said it believes hackers made off with some credit and debit card numbers.

More e-cig regs eyed on planes

Federal regulators should consider further regulations on electronic cigarettes on airplanes, the state's top fire official said after his office recently concluded one of the devices caused a small fire on a plane at Logan International Airport.

The Aug. 9 fire, confined to a single piece of luggage in the cargo hold, forced an evacuation of the plane. It was extinguished before the JetBlue aircraft took off. State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said his office's investigators confirmed that an e-cigarette in a passenger's checked luggage turned on, causing the fire.

Coan sent a letter to the FAA this week about the incident, and U.S. Sen. Edward Markey said he'll ask the FAA to investigate whether e-cigarettes should be allowed on airplanes at all.

Corcoran Jennison files hotel plan

Corcoran Jennison Co. has filed a project notification form with the city to expand the DoubleTree Club by Hilton hotel in Dorchester's Columbia Point.

The Boston developer proposed a six-story, 89,500-square-foot addition that would include 96 new rooms for a total of 187 rooms, an expanded ground-floor restaurant, kitchen and back-of-house space, function rooms and a ballroom.

The addition would take the place of a parking lot on the northeast side of the Mount Vernon Street hotel, which is next to the former 20-acre Bayside Exposition Center site that Corcoran Jennison lost to foreclosure in 2009 and is now owned by the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

Raytheon, UMass Lowell open center

Raytheon and the University of Massachusetts Lowell yesterday officially opened a new collaborative research facility that will advance innovative technologies in a state-of-the-art setting.

The Raytheon-UMass Lowell Research Institute is located at the university's Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center. Raytheon has committed $3 million with options to $5 million throughout the next 10 years to establish the facility. Initial research will focus on technologies for radar and communication systems.

Boston-based Phoodeez catering services has hired three new employees: Ian Danielson as director of business development, Brian Vicente as director of operations, and Tyler Smith as part of the business development team.

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Designer Regatta unit boasts luxury, views

This designer-created 20th-floor unit at the Regatta Riverview in East Cambridge has great views of the Zakim Bridge, the Charles River, NorthPoint Park, Charlestown and the Boston skyline.

The 436-unit two-tower Regatta was built on land across from the Museum of Science in 1998 as high-end apartments, and conversion to condos began in 2004. Unit 2003-2004 is actually two condos combined in 2007 as a contemporary-styled staged model by Mitchell Freedland Design. The 1,853-square-foot two-bedroom plus den is on the market for $1,549,000, which includes two deeded parking spaces­ in the complex's underground garage.

The unit opens into a light-colored marble foyer that leads to a smallish galley kitchen with Absolute black granite counters, light wood cabinets, a stainless steel Fisher Paykel refrigerator and a Bosch dishwasher, electric stovetop and oven with a matching microwave. An opening out to the living/dining space has a two-seat breakfast bar.

The open living/dining area features walnut floors and large windows on two sides with great views of the Zakim Bridge and NorthPoint Park. The living­ area has a wall-length media center built-in with a white marble-­encased gas fireplace. There's also a large dining area with a built-in wet bar featuring black lacquered cabinets, a stainless-steel sink and a wine cooler.

There's a half bath off one side of the living area that has light marble floors, bamboo wall covering, a black-marble topped vanity and a closet with a stacked washer/dryer.

Off the dining room is a small den, currently used as a home office, with glass doors out to a side balcony with views of Charlestown.

There are also sliding-glass doors out to the same balcony in the adjacent master suite, which has a carpeted bedroom with built-in glass shelving in recessed niches. A large walk-in closet has built-in wardrobe storage, and the en-suite bathroom has a marble-surround deep soaking tub and walk-in shower, a two-sink vanity and a closet with a second washer and dryer.

The second bedroom suite is off the foyer behind the kitchen and its big window offers great views of the Charles River and downtown Boston. There's a frosted-glass sliding door closet and an en-suite bathroom with black marble tile floors and tub/shower surround.

The condo fee includes heat and hot water and building amenities such as 24/7 concierge staff, a lap pool, gym, business center, clubroom and movie theater. The two deeded garage spaces include valet parking, and the unit also comes with two basement storage cages.

Home Showcase: 

• Address: 8 Museum Way, 
Unit 2003-2004, Regatta Riverview 
Residences, East Cambridge
• Bedrooms: Two, plus a den
• Bathrooms: Two full, one half
• List price: $1,549,000
• Square feet: 1,853
• Price per square foot: $836
• Annual taxes: $9,210
• Monthly condo fee: $1,398 (includes heat and hot water)
• Location: In East Cambridge across from the Museum of Science and a quarter mile from the Science Museum stop on the Green Line. About a half mile to CambridgeSide Galleria and Cambridge Street restaurants and retail.
• Built in: 1998; converted to condo 2007
• Broker: Nikki Dinari of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at 617-620-261

Pros:

• Great views of Zakim Bridge, Charles River, NorthPoint Park, Charlestown and downtown Boston
• Contemporary interiors by Mitchell Freedland Design with living room, dining area, and master bedroom built-ins
• Two bedroom suites with en-suite marble bathrooms and two washers and dryers
• Comes with two deeded garage spaces, two basement storage cages

Cons:

• Galley kitchen on the small side

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Bowman: Microsoft CEO’s comments on awaiting raises thoughtless

Some men just don't get it.

Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, is one of them.

More than 8,000 people from all over the world traveled to Phoenix this week to attend a conference to celebrate women in technology and to hear Nadella speak on the topic, "Building the Career of Your Dreams."

When he was asked to give his advice to women who are uncomfortable requesting a raise, Nadella told them to "have faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go along." He also said "not asking for a raise was good karma that would help a boss realize the employee could be trusted and should have more responsibility."

Nadella's comments were obviously thoughtless and irresponsible, and they set off a predictable firestorm. And naturally he apologized.

But was Nadella really sorry? Would he have apologized had there not been all this hoopla?

I don't think so. I believe Nadella went into CYA mode and said sorry to save face.

As a woman in business who has worked, fought, lobbied and negotiated for every raise, promotion, advancement, praise, new title (often in lieu of more money) — and helped pave the way for my sisters — it was hard for me to read Nadella's words.

In light of Cheryl Sandberg and others who encourage women to "lean in," Nadella's advice was unworthy of a man and a technology leader, all the more so because he was addressing a historic conference for women.

"Smile and everything will be fine"… "believe in destiny and karma" — and we will all get our raises?

Sorry, karma doesn't cut it in the real world. If a woman is self-confident and projects a positive attitude, she will advance. But it's up to all of us, women and men, to manage our own careers. If you make it clear that you are team-oriented, adaptable, flexible, passionate and capable of building relationships, you will advance. That's the cornerstone of success in the business world.

Satya Nadella's faux pas has circled the world. He's apologized. We've been warned. Let's forgive him perhaps, but let this incident serve as a reminder — we expect more from our leaders.

Next time, Mr. Nadella, a gentle suggestion: prepare your remarks, don't wing them.

Judith Bowman is president of her own business protocol consulting company.

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State report asks business to close gender wage gap

Gov. Deval Patrick is challenging businesses to close the wage gap and recruit more women to senior positions as a task force yesterday released a report showing women still earn less than men in comparable positions.

The "Successful Women, Successful Families" task force, led by state Secretary for Labor and Workforce Development Rachel Kaprielian, outlined recommendations, including promoting science, math and technology careers to young women, and developing training programs to increase the number of women executives.

It also called for more family-friendly policies such as flexible work schedules.

"This is an ongoing, important issue, and will become an even greater issue over time," said Kaprielian. "To have the kind of talent we need to compete in a global economy, we need to have all our players dressed and ready to play."

The report found that women earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men in the state, creating a $12.2 billion wage gap.

Patrick yesterday said that 14 businesses had agreed to take part in a corporate challenge and work with Bentley University's Center for Women and Business to close the wage gap and put more women in leadership roles.

"I appeal to other business leaders to participate in this program and help break down the barriers facing women in the workplace so we can even the playing field and ensure that Massachusetts strengthens its leadership position in our global economy," Suffolk Construction CEO John Fish said in a statement.

C.A. Webb, executive director of the New England Venture Capital Association and a task force member, said it's up to the private sector to address workplace inequality.

"The governor and his staff are only in office for a few months ... We have to see what efforts private entities can take on," Webb said. 'We can't just keep talking about this stuff."

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Artists for Humanity to be big draw

A South Boston nonprofit that pays Hub teens to work with professional artists and designers is planning a major expansion of its flagship facility that's a model for economical green building.

The Artists for Humanity EpiCenter would nearly quadruple in size under an approximately $25 million, 63,500-square-foot expansion that would create an "energy-positive" building.

"We'll create more energy than we'll use, using a lot of solar and geothermal and some wind and really illustrating some of the great and progressive technologies that are out there," executive and artistic director Susan Rodgerson said. "It's a big challenge, but I think we can do it."

There currently are no such buildings on the East Coast that are 50,000 square feet or larger, according to the organization.

The expansion would allow the 23-year-old Artists for Humanity — which counts itself as the largest single employer of Boston teens — to double the number of youths served. This year 250 teens are working with artists to create fine art, industrial design and provide digital graphic services.

"The need to create jobs for teens is really important," Rodgerson said. "And the fact that there will be this space in the Innovation District providing access to technology and maker space and innovation … is really important for the kids in the city who don't really have access to that kind of stuff."

The teens, who work on projects ranging from a video for National Grid to public art for State Street Corp., are paid wages plus commissions. Last year they received close to $1 million.

The expansion also would add a "maker's studio," new gallery, meeting and conference space, a retail store and a cafe in addition to 25,000 square feet of leasable space for creative industry tenants.

Artists for Humanity plans a capital campaign to raise funds for the expansion, which will take advantage of a 9,000-square-foot parking lot donated by Gillette last year. It already has received some funding commitments, which Rodgerson declined to divulge.

The group moved into the 23,500-square-foot EpiCenter, built at a cost of $7 million, in 2004.

The Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified facility has become a popular place for weddings and other events.

"It was built on a budget, and we've become a really popular place for folks to come and see sustainability at a value," Rodgerson said.

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Asian stocks sink after Wall Street plunge

BANGKOK — Asian stocks sank Friday after Wall Street suffered its worst day of the year and weak German trade data fueled worry Europe is sliding into recession.

KEEPING SCORE: Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index plunged 1.3 percent to 15,286.25 points and Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.6 percent to 23,144.81. China's Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.6 percent to 2,375.28. Seoul fell 1.3 percent and Sydney and Singapore also declined.

WALL STREET: Volatility returned to U.S. markets as stocks had their worst day of the year just 24 hours after recording their best. Prices fell after members of the Federal Reserve board expressed concern about inflation, tempering suggestions in minutes of a recent Fed meeting released Wednesday that suggested interest rates would not be raised for now. The Dow Jones industrial average and Nasdaq composite both lost 2 percent and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 fell 2.1 percent.

EUROPE: Concerns Europe is headed for recession rose after Germany, the continent's biggest economy, reported its weakest year-on-year export growth in five years. The president of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, gave no indication of any further monetary stimulus, suggesting in a speech in Washington that governments need to do more on the fiscal side.

ANALYST'S TAKE: "Markets are markets are rather unimpressed with the state of global growth (EZ in the most unflattering state) and equally unimpressed with potential policy response," said Mizuho Bank in a report.

HONG KONG: The government called off talks with pro-democracy protesters, possibly extending demonstrations that have blocked streets for almost two weeks. The protesters want a bigger public voice in the selection of the territory's next leader in 2017. The impact on this Asian financial center's economy has been limited but analysts warn it could rise if protests erode its appeal to foreign companies and investors.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude plunged $2to $83.77 per barrel on concerns slowing global economic growth will reduce demand while production stays high. The contract lost $1.56 on Thursday to $85.77. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost $2.08 to $88.29.

CURRENCY: The dollar declined to 107.78 yen from Thursday's 107.87. The euro held steady at $1.27.

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Boston Public Market gets fresh start

Chefs, fishermen, farmers and local specialty food producers yesterday joined public officials and benefactors to mark the start of construction of the Boston Public Market — the Hub's first indoor public food market since Quincy Market was built in 1825.

The year-round Boston Public Market, more than a decade in the making, is set to open next summer above the Haymarket MBTA station. It was hailed yesterday for its prospects of increasing city-dwellers' accessibility to fresh, local food and being a boon for New England vendors who'll supply it with fresh produce, meat and poultry, fish and shellfish, bakery and dairy products, flowers and prepared foods.

"Today is a milestone for this project," said market CEO Elizabeth Morningstar. "For many of us here, it's been 13 years of advocacy."

Organizers raised more than $15 million in public and private funds for the 28,000-square-foot market. And it's gaining national attention from the likes of the Conservation Fund and the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the first in the nation of its size to have a local focus and the potential to greatly affect farmers by generating increased consumer demand for their products, Morningstar said.

The market will have 40-plus permanent vendors, including Boston Smoked Fish, which operates as the Amazing Smokehouse. The Sudbury company makes small-batch, hot-smoked local fish, including bluefish pate and salmon fillets.

"The Boston Public Market is a game-changer for the city, but absolutely for businesses like ours in terms of exposure and business opportunity," said Chris Avery, who runs the company with Matt Baumann. "This is going to give us the financial support to build our new processing facility on the Fish Pier."

The market will be a "showcase" for the city, and allow people to meet vendors and learn more about the food supply system, Mayor Martin J. Walsh said. "It shouldn't have taken 13 years," he said. "Food is obviously a key to a healthy city as well."

The Trustees of Reservations, a nonprofit conservation group, will handle programming such as educational workshops for the market, which will have a 3,000-square-foot demonstration kitchen.

Gov. Deval Patrick asked Boston Public Market supporters to "remember it's for everybody."

"Make it a place where everybody feels welcomed and encouraged," he said. "I'm a foodie, so I look forward to using (it)."

The market will accept SNAP/EBT and WIC benefits from low-income customers and give them incentives to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. It also will offer nutrition classes and information on how to shop on a budget.

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Taxi interests, Uber rep clash at meeting

A group of transportation leaders met for the first time yesterday to start hashing out the differences between ride-sharing services, such as Uber, and taxis, and try to come up with new guidelines, but much of the session was dominated by finger-pointing.

"We are pitted against each other by nature," said James Endicott, representing large medallion owners.

"This is an illegal, unlicensed industry," said Donna Blythe-Shaw, representing the taxi drivers union, of Uber and other ride-sharing companies. "You want to play ball here in the city, you need to play the same way."

Meghan Joyce, general manager of Uber Boston, called for an end to hyperbole.

"I implore all of you that when we have this conversation, it is rooted in facts, in data," Joyce said.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh put together the Taxi Advisory Committee and charged it with overhauling the city's for-hire transportation regulations.

"The issues that exist in the industry today are significant," said Christopher English, chairman of the commission and part of the mayor's office of intergovernmental relations. "We have a lot to do, and we don't have a defined timeline when we want to get it done, because we want to have a comprehensive approach."

English said the regulations will center on equity for drivers and companies, access to transportation options for riders and drivers, and safety.

"This is something that's very important to us, very important to the future of the city," said Daniel Koh, Walsh's chief of staff. "Every single city in the country is thinking about how to move forward with these issues."

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HubSpot’s shares soar on first trading day

Shares of Cambridge-based software company HubSpot shot up on their first day of trading yesterday, marking the third successful initial public offering for a Boston tech company in the past three weeks.

HubSpot shares closed up 20 percent, valuing the company at nearly 
$914 million. HubSpot raised $125 million.

"We don't really see it as the finish line, we see it as a start line," said Dharmesh Shah, HubSpot co-founder and chief technology officer. "We're thinking ahead now to continue to grow our business."

HubSpot, which makes software for marketers and salespeople, has been one of the fastest growing companies in the area.

It's the second largest Boston tech IPO in the past week after online home goods retailer Wayfair, which went public Oct. 2 and raised more than 
$300 million.

Neeraj Agrawal, a partner at venture capital firm Battery Ventures in Boston, said the HubSpot IPO and recent successful public offerings from Wayfair and other companies will have a ripple effect for the Boston tech community.

"Two, three years from now you should see a wave of startups created by some folks who might cash out over time," Agrawal said. "There's a virtual cycle between successful companies, IPOs and new startups."

Chief operating officer J.D. Sherman said HubSpot wants to become a major global tech company.

"Our goal is to not only be an IPO, but be a real tech business, make a dent in the tech business and do it from Boston," he said.

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The Ticker

Dow down 334 points, its worst day of 2014

Just one day after the market had its best day of 2014, it had its worst day of 2014.

The Dow Jones industrial average plunged 334 points yesterday as a decline in energy stocks and worries about the global economy sent investors fleeing out of the market. It was the biggest point drop since June 2013.

It was also the third straight day investors have been taken on a wild roller coaster ride. On Tuesday, the Dow fell 272 points, only to jump 275 points on Wednesday.

By the end of the day yesterday, the Dow had lost 334.97 points, or 2 percent, to 16,659.25. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 40.68 points, or 2.1 percent, to 1,928.21 and the Nasdaq composite fell 90.25 points, or 2 percent, to 4,378.34.

Worries about the global economy, particularly in Europe and Asia, were again center stage.

Providence Phoenix closing down

The Providence Phoenix, a 36-year-old alternative news and entertainment weekly, is ceasing publication next week.

Stephen Mindich, the Phoenix Media/Communications Group's owner and publisher, announced yesterday the last issue will be distributed Oct. 16.

Chief Operating Officer Everett Finkelstein said shrinking print advertising revenue and increasing production costs led to the decision.

The paper had survived for more than a year after the closing of the Boston Phoenix, the group's flagship publication. According to its website, the publication began as NewPaper and was acquired by the Phoenix in 1988. The group also publishes the Portland Phoenix in Maine.

Developers propose 94 housing units on East Boston property

Two local developers, Michael Merullo and Joseph Ricupero, who own Revere-based EZ Disposal and Recycling, have filed notice with the city to build a 126,000-square-foot mixed use project at 135 Bremen St. in East Boston, which would have 94 residential units, 7,700 square feet of commercial space and 126 parking spots.

Amazon to open first physical store

Online retailer Amazon.com Inc. plans to open its first physical store in midtown Manhattan, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The store will be located at 7 West 34th St., across from the Empire State Building, the Journal reported. The store, expected to open in time for holiday shopping, would function as a mini warehouse with limited inventory allowing for same day delivery within New York City, product returns, exchanges and pickup of online orders, according to the report.

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McGladrey LLP, a provider of assurance, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, with 550 employees in Boston, recently announced the promotion of 39 employees to partner and principal roles. Three of those employees are based in the firm's Boston office: Chris Goguen, principal, Chris Ladue, partner, and Greg Natalucci, partner.

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The Ticker

HubSpot prices shares at $25 for today's IPO

Cambridge-based HubSpot, an inbound marketing and sales software company, last night priced its initial public offering at $25 a share, above the expected range of $22 to $24 a share.

The 5 million common shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange today under the ticker symbol "HUBS."

Stock market has best day of the year

The stock market surged yesterday, erasing a steep loss from the day before, as investors reacted to minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting, which showed that the central bank wants to keep interest rates extremely low for the time being.

The Dow Jones jumped 274.83 points, or 1.6 percent, to 16,994.22. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 33.79 points, or 1.8 percent, to 1,968.89 and the Nasdaq composite rose 83.39 points, or 1.9 percent, to 4,468.59. All three indexes had their biggest point and percentage gains of the year. The Dow's jump was its biggest gain of the year.

AT&T to pay $105M for phone charges

AT&T Inc. agreed to pay $105 million, including $80 million in consumer refunds, to settle federal and state investigations that the company illegally billed mobile phone customers for unauthorized charges for ringtones and other services, officials said.

The practice, known as mobile cramming, involved hundreds of millions of dollars in charges for third-party services, the Federal Trade Commission said.

Massachusetts will receive more than $327,000 as part of the settlement.

Newton couple charged in $5.4M fraud

Secretary of State William F. Galvin has charged a Newton couple with fraud for allegedly failing to disclose important information to real estate investors, including their lack of experience and conflicts of interest.

Eileen and Lawrence Schwartz and their investment firm E. S. Schwartz & Co. allegedly misled clients into thinking they had experience in various real estate markets, causing investors to lose $5.4 million, Galvin said.

TODAY

• Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.
• Commerce Department releases wholesale trade inventories for August.
• Woburn-based MKA Executive Planners, which provides personalized retirement income planning for executives, business owners and professionals, announced the appointment of Dennis Sexton, left, as senior vice president. He previously managed the employee benefits division of IIG Inc.SentiCare Inc. and WorldClinic Inc.

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Report: Mass. makes 60 percent of N.E. requests for H-1B visas

Although New England accounts for only a small share of the national requests for visas for highly skilled immigrants, it has some of the highest demand for such visas relative to total employment, according to a new report from the Boston Fed's New England Public Policy Center.

New England accounted for 25,000, or about 
7 percent, of the more than 370,000 requests for so-called H-1B visas in 2012, exceeding the region's 5 percent share of national employment, according to the center, and Massachusetts accounts for roughly 60 percent of New England's H-1B visa requests annually. Of those visa requests, 55 percent come from the Boston area, which accounts for just 37 percent of New England's employment.

But despite the demand for highly skilled workers, on Capitol Hill the Republican-controlled House failed to act on a bill the Senate passed last year to raise the cap on H-1B visas from 65,000 to as many as 180,000 per year.

"It's the anti-economy, shoot-yourself-in-the-foot strategy," said Jeffrey Bussgang, general partner at Flybridge Capital in Boston and senior lecturer at Harvard Business School. "I have (international) students in my class who want to start and grow their business here, but are forced to leave. We train them, and then we chase them out the door to create jobs outside the U.S."

To stem that flow of talent, the state enacted the Global Entrepreneur in Residence Program with $3 million from the 2014 Jobs Bill. Under the three-year, pilot program, UMass Boston and UMass Lowell will help foreign entrepreneurs, who started businesses while they earned advanced degrees here, get H-1B visas, said Maeghan Silverberg Welford, chief of staff at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. In return, the entrepreneurs will work for the universities part time, helping students launch their own businesses, for 18 months, after which it will be up to the entrepreneurs to apply for another visa or a green card if they want to stay here longer.

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City orders one-day suspension of club’s license

The Boston Licensing Board yesterday slapped a local nightclub with a one-day license suspension for failing to call police about an alleged sexual assault on its dance floor.

Mac Dauber, the Royale's security director, told the board Tuesday that the alleged victim never told him she had been groped Aug. 10.

But the board unanimously agreed yesterday that Dauber erred when he told the 24-year-old woman the police didn't need to be called because he worked closely with them.

"It's clear she made at least some people aware of exactly what transpired," Chairwoman Nicole Murati Ferrer said.

Dauber was not at yesterday's meeting and could not be reached for comment.

Licensing Board records show the Royale has a history of failing to call 911 for emergencies, a charge it denies.

The board issued the Tremont Street club a warning on May 19, 2011, after a patron said he was stabbed, and staff gave him bandages instead of calling for an ambulance. On Jan. 20, 2011, the board suspended the club's license for two days for failing to call 911 after a man reported he was beaten.

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TD Garden goes gourmet

The TD Garden showed off the first phase of its 
$70 million renovation yesterday — including digital screens that show fans' tweets and fancier food options such as a surf and turf burger — hours before the Bruins took to the ice for their home opener.

Construction crews renovated the fourth floor loge concourse over the summer, giving it a completely new look along with new technology and concession stands.

"(The fans) are going to love it," said Amy Latimer, president of TD Garden. "It's clean, it's bright ... they're going to have a great time."

The walls now boast pictures from notable events at the Garden, everything from ice skating championships to the Beatles' 1964 concert.

The concourse also has more than 200 digital screens for a flashier fan experience, including a video board that shows fans' tweets and live shots from the game and four 92-inch touch screens that can direct fans to their seats or the closest concession stand.

"Instead of waiting until we get outdated, we decided to be ahead of the curve," Latimer said.

More than 400 Wi-Fi antennas have been installed throughout the Garden, including some in the hockey boards, so fans at ice-level don't miss out on Tweeting or Snapchat.

Legends, the Garden's season ticket holder club, also has undergone a makeover, with a new raw bar, pizza oven and digital Celtics and Bruins banners that appear to blow in the wind. The original yellow Boston Garden sign is mounted on the wall and incorporated into the new design.

Eight of the 16 concession stands on the loge level also have been redesigned from top to bottom, with new menus and new kitchen equipment. Latimer said there has not been an arena-wide equipment upgrade in 20 years.

Patrick Kilduff, the Garden's executive chef, said the new concession stands are designed so fans can see their food being cooked.

"You can see the products being made in front of your eyes," he said. "It doesn't just come out of a drawer."

Starting yesterday, fans can get a "surf & turf double" burger — one beef patty and one crab and lobster patty — or pick something out from the mac and cheese bar.

"We're trying to get that ultra premium product to the guests," Kilduff said.

Of course, ultra-premium concessions come with a price tag — that surf and turf burger costs a cool $22. The Garden says the price of concession stand basics, such as hot dogs and pretzels, will not rise.

Said Latimer: "I think we've covered any taste for any person."

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Activist shareholder demands EMC act to boost stock price

An activist shareholder has made public its calls for data storage giant EMC Corp. to spin off its VMware virtualization software unit or pursue merger opportunities with other companies.

New York's Elliott Management Corp., which has a 2.2 percent EMC stake, said EMC's structure of four independently run companies "obscures" its "enormous value" and won't be viable when Joe Tucci — EMC's CEO since 2001 — retires in February, according to a letter signed by Elliott portfolio manager Jesse Cohn sent to EMC's board yesterday.

"EMC's stock price has under-performed its ... peers and the market ... while this structure has been in place," Cohn said. EMC bought VMware in 2004, and they are now "competing against one another, confusing customers, employees, Street analysts and shareholders," he said.

Since Elliott's July announcement of its EMC stake, it has "learned of acquisition interest in EMC's assets on the part of several large companies that make strategic sense," the letter said.

EMC has held advanced talks to sell to Hewlett-Packard and failed to reach a deal, primarily on price, Bloomberg News reported.

EMC said its board "regularly reviews and rigorously evaluates the company's strategy" to enhance shareholder value.

"Over the past few months, EMC's leadership has met with representatives of Elliott several times and has listened carefully to their ideas, as we do with all of our shareholders," it said.

Herald wire services contributed to this report.

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NBC wins second week of season in demos; CBS rolls in total viewers

CBS got the NFL overrun on Sunday, but it wasn't quite enough to enable the net to catch NBC last week, as the Peacock opened the season with a second straight demo victory.

With "Sunday Night Football" and "The Voice" accounting for three of the week's top five broadcasts in adults 18-49, NBC won Monday, Tuesday and Sunday among the broadcasters. It also drew its largest overall audience for the second week of a season in seven years, according to Nielsen.

CBS figured to be more competitive in the few weeks this fall when it had both "Thursday Night Football" and the Sunday NFL overrun, and that was indeed the case last week. The net pulled to within two tenths of NBC in adults 18-49 and one tenth in adults 25-54 while opening up a bigger-than-usual advantage in total viewers.

ABC was third, comfortably ahead of Fox -- which tumbled without a big football lead-in on Sunday and saw low debuts (3 shares) for "Gracepoint" and "Mulaney."

Football claimed the top three spots in the same-night program rankings with NBC's "Sunday Night Football" (7.4/21 in 18-49, 19.39 million viewers overall for Cincinnati-New England), CBS and NFL Network's "Thursday Night Football" (5.9/19 in 18-49, 16.54 million viewers overall for Minnesota-Green Bay) and ESPN's "Monday Night Football" (5.3/15 in 18-49, 14.43 million viewers overall for New England-Kansas City).

The Eye's current Monday anchor, "The Big Bang Theory," was again the week's top entertainment series in 18-49 (4.8/15), and "Sunday Night Football" drew more total viewers than any other primetime show (19.39 million).

Looking at the new shows, CBS had good news for its "Scorpion" (3.1/8 in 18-49, 13.36 million viewers overall) and "NCIS: New Orleans" (2.3/7 in 18-49, 16.57 million viewers overall), both of which retained more than 90% of their week-earlier premieres -- even with reduced lead-ins. And in its third week, "Madam Secretary" was up (1.6/4 in 18-49, 12.20 million viewers overall), and figures to oscillate more than weeknight shows, depending on if early-evening football can provide a boost to lead-in "60 Minutes."

The net also bowed "Stalker" to solid but unspectacular numbers on Wednesday (2.0/6 in 18-49, 9.05 million viewers overall). It retained about 75% of its lead-in from "Criminal Minds" (2.7/8, 11.65 million viewers overall), which had a nice return as it kicked off its 10th season.

NBC introduced comedies "Bad Judge" (1.3/4 in 18-49, 5.84 million viewers overall) and "A to Z" (1.2/3 in 18-49, 4.79 million viewers overall) to low numbers Thursday. The net's only other rookie show, Wednesday's "The Mysteries of Laura," continues to do OK (1.5/5 in 18-49, 8.98 million viewers overall) and held at its previous week's level.

ABC had the week's top first-year show in demos for a second straight week with "How to Get Away With Murder" (3.3/10 in 18-49, 12.15 million viewers overall), which held 85% of its week-ago premiere score, and looks to be a great fit with "Scandal" (3.4/10 in 18-49, 10.70 million viewers overall), which was the frame's top drama in demos.

The net's "Selfie" (1.6/5 in 18-49, 5.31 million viewers overall) and "Manhattan Love Story" (1.5/5 in 18-49, 4.70 million viewers overall) didn't open to great numbers Tuesday, but it's not easy to launch half-hours without any support, as NBC found out Thursday.

"Once Upon a Time" also continues to pop early in its fourth season (3.3/9 in 18-49, 9.24 million viewers overall), again standing as Sunday's top series among under-50 viewers.

At Fox, "Gotham" continues to look pretty good on Monday (2.8/8 in 18-49, 7.45m) and is generating a lot of time-shifted playback. But the net has plenty of problem spots across the week.

Thursday drama "Gracepoint" was slow out of the gate (1.2/3 in 18-49, 4.76 million viewers overall), and Sunday comedy "Mulaney" opened meekly (1.0/3 in 18-49, 2.30 million viewers overall), retaining just a little over half its "Family Guy" lead-in and delivering the lowest premiere score for any new series this fall.

"Red Band Society" isn't doing much on Wednesdays (1.1/3 in 18-49, 3.33 million viewers overall) but at least is holding the audience it has through three weeks. And then there's "Utopia," which has been pulled off the net's Tuesday schedule after another weak showing (0.8/3 in 18-49, 1.99 million viewers overall) and will air solely on Fridays going forward.

CW returned its Thursday drama lineup to depressed numbers, as "The Vampire Diaries" (0.9/3 in 18-49, 1.81 million viewers overall) was down 25% from last year's opener, and "Reign" (0.4/1 in 18-49, 1.01 million viewers overall) barely registered.

At TBS, the Major League Baseball postseason was averaging 3.9 million viewers through the completion of the American League Division Series, up 15% from last year. Its most-watched game was Tuesday's A.L. Wild Card game between Oakland and Kansas City (1.7 rating in 18-49, 5.21 million viewers overall).

Elsewhere in cable, FX's "Sons of Anarchy" (2.1/7 in 18-49, 4.04 million viewers overall) and VH1's "Love & Hip Hop Hollywood" (1.3/4 in 18-49, 2.29 million viewers overall) were the top non-sports series in 18-49.

At Showtime, "Homeland" kicked off its fourth season with 1.61 million viewers for its regular-timeslot airing, down 14% from last fall's premiere (1.88 million) and 32% lower than the show's peak with its season finale in December (2.38 million). That same night, FX's "The Strain" wrapped its first season as that night's top cable drama (0.9/2 in 18-49, 2.09 million viewers overall).

Fox News Channel, which this week is celebrating its 18th anniversary as well as the first anniversary of its revamped primetime lineup, was again in the top five among cable networks -- something it's done 50 times over the past 52 weeks. The week of Sept. 22-28 marked its first time of being No. 1 in 7-11 p.m. primetime total viewers in all of cable since it launched in 1996.

LIVE PLUS SAME-DAY NETWORK RANKINGS

Adults 18-49
NBC 2.7/8
CBS 2.5/8
ABC 2.0/6
ESPN 1.3/4
Fox 1.2/4
UNI 1.1/3
TBS 1.0/3
Adult Swim 0.6/2
USA 0.6/2
FX 0.5/2

Total Viewers 2+
CBS 11.36 million
NBC 8.99 million
ABC 7.46 million
ESPN 3.75 million
Fox 3.41 million
TBS 3.12 million
UNI 2.84 million
Disney 1.88 million
USA 1.79 million
Fox News 1.69 million

LIVE PLUS SAME-DAY PROGRAM AVERAGES

Adults 18-49
1. Sunday Night Football (NBC), 7.4/21
2. Thursday Night Football (CBS), 5.9/19
3. Monday Night Football (ESPN), 5.3/15
4. The Big Bang Theory (CBS), 4.8/15
5. The Voice-Tuesday (NBC), 4.1/13
6. The Voice-Monday (NBC), 4.0/11
7. Modern Family (ABC), 3.7/12
8. Scandal (ABC), 3.4/10
9. How to Get Away With Murder (ABC), 3.3/10
9. Once Upon a Time (ABC), 3.3/9

Total Viewers (in millions)
1. Sunday Night Football (NBC), 19.39
2. NCIS (CBS), 18.84
3. NCIS: New Orleans (CBS), 16.57
4. Thursday Night Football (CBS/NFLN), 16.54
5. The Big Bang Theory (CBS), 16.38
6. Monday Night Football (ESPN), 14.43
7. 60 Minutes (CBS), 14.23
8. The Voice-Tuesday (NBC), 13.73
9. Scorpion (CBS), 13.36
10. The Voice-Monday (NBC), 12.94

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

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Bruins’ practice rink striking glass

The Boston Bruins' new practice facility at New Balance's Boston Landing project complements the high-glass design of the athletic footwear company's adjacent headquarters, according to preliminary renderings filed with the city.

The rink's glass facade will allow travelers along the Massachusetts Turnpike, which it fronts, to see into the Brighton practice facility for peeks of its stands and ceiling banners.

The preliminary designs by Boston's Elkus Manfredi Architects show the NHL team's trademark spoked B logo figuring prominently on the building's exterior.

The rink, which will include about 650 seats, concessions and Bruins locker room and training space, is set for completion in 2016.

— DONNA GOODISON

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Monsanto misses 4Q profit forecasts

ST LOUIS — Monsanto Co. (MON) on Wednesday reported a loss of $156 million in its fiscal fourth quarter.

The St. Louis-based company said it had a loss of 31 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to 27 cents per share.

The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 24 cents per share.

The agriculture products company posted revenue of $2.63 billion in the period, beating Street forecasts. Analysts expected $2.42 billion, according to Zacks.

Monsanto expects full-year earnings in the range of $5.75 to $6 per share.

Monsanto shares have declined 7 percent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index has increased almost 5 percent. The stock has risen slightly more than 3 percent in the last 12 months.

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This story was generated automatically by Automated Insights using data from Zacks Investment Research. Full Zacks research report: MON

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Keywords:Monsanto,Earnings Report

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Viacom chief vows to beef up Channel 5, expand U.K. presence with Spike TV launch

LONDON -- Viacom is set to launch Spike TV in the U.K. as part of its strategy to beef up its British presence following the purchase of terrestrial network Channel 5.

Spike will arrive in Blighty next spring in what will mark the first rollout of the channel outside the U.S.

"This launch has been made possible by our recent acquisition of Channel 5, which gives us ownership of a pipeline of quality factual content," said Viacom president-CEO Philippe Dauman.

Spike's U.K. schedule will combine repeats of Channel 5 shows alongside U.S. content. The move is another example of the synergies Viacom hopes to achieve in Britain in the wake of buying a U.K. free-to-air terrestrial network.

Viacom paid $725 for C5 in May amid bidding from other U.S. media groups including Discovery and NBCUniversal.

Asked Wednesday at a Broadcasting Press Guild breakfast why Viacom bought the broadcaster this year when it could have paid a lot less for it in 2010 Dauman replied: "I always look forward, I don't look back. We study opportunities and look at various possibilities."

The Viacom chief stressed how "excited" he was by the ownership of C5 and how it and channels such as MTV, Comedy Central and, especially Nickelodeon would develop partnerships with the British net. He promised a bigger program budget for C5 but declined to be specific.

Viacom is determined to shift C5's audience target to a younger demographic, he said. Reality juggernaut "Big Brother" is one of C5's biggest shows.

But Dauman implied the network is not dependent on the program because of Viacom's status as a content powerhouse.

The exec said C5 and its sister channels would make it a priority to provide their content and services via mobile devices, cross promote C5 on pay nets and vice versa. As Viacom does in the States, Dauman said there is extra coin to be made from licensing consumer products aimed at tykes; C5 at present runs tyke block "Milkshake."
One of the attractions of buying C5 - the firm's biggest acquisition since Dauman was tapped as Viacom CEO eight years ago - was as a free-to-air network it enjoys 100% reach in the U.K. Cable channels like MTV are only available to around half of U.K. homes.

The British government and much of the local media community have welcomed Viacom's new status as the owner of a U.K. free-to-air channel.

However, rival broadcaster Channel 4 recently warned that Britain's strong tradition of public service television risked being undermined by moves like Viacom's ownership of C5.

"We've been here (in the U.K.) almost as long as Channel 4," Dauman observed, noting that MTV launched in London in 1987.

"We recognize our responsibilities as a broadcaster and are happy to broadcast news and (other) public service categories. As a company we are very public service oriented. We can be a force for positive change," Dauman said. "It is not about cost cutting, it is about growing the business...We are going to own Channel 5 forever."

Asked if he thought C5 could overtake C4 in the ratings Dauman was unequivocal: "That's the first step...We do not put any boundaries on our ambition."

While Viacom said it intends to continue investing significantly in the U.K. Dauman ruled out buying ITV, the market's biggest free-to-air network, which is seen as a prime takeover target for a U.S. media giant. He also suggested acquiring local producers was not in the cards for Viacom.

"We don't want any distractions," he said. "Viacom has enough scale in the U.K."

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

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Company recalls floor mats fitting GM trucks

DETROIT — A company that makes after-market floor mats for General Motors full-size pickup trucks and SUVs is recalling more than 45,000 of them because they can interfere with the gas pedal.

Omix (AH-Mix) Ada of Suwannee, Georgia, says the recall covers Cabela's Custom Fit, Line-X Truck Gear, Rugged Ridge All-Terrain and Tread Lightly mats. They can move forward unintentionally and stop the gas pedal from returning to the idle position. That can increase the risk of a crash.

The mats fit Chevrolet and GMC trucks and SUVs from 1999 through 2014. The mats were made from Nov. 1, 2009 to Aug. 27, 2014. Most were sold at O'Reilly Auto Parts stores.

The company will furnish an anchor and hook system to fix the problem. People with questions can call (844) 642-7625.

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US health providers expand their Ebola precautions

NEW YORK — Public hospitals in New York City are concerned enough about Ebola that they've secretly been sending actors with mock symptoms into emergency rooms to test how well the triage staffs identify and isolate possible cases.

A small hospital in the Ohio countryside has hung up signs imploring patients to let nurses know immediately if they have traveled recently to West Africa.

And across the U.S., one of the nation's largest ambulance companies has put together step-by-step instructions on how to wrap the interior of a rig with plastic sheeting while transporting a patient.

There hasn't been a single confirmed case of someone being infected with Ebolaon U.S. soil — the one confirmed case here involves a man who contracted the virus overseas. But health care providers are worried enough that they are taking a wide variety of precautions.

It isn't yet clear whether those preparations are overkill, or not nearly enough. But medical officials and health experts say that, at the very least, the scare is giving them a chance to reinforce and test infection control procedures.

"The attention has been, in a sad way, very helpful," said Dr. Richard Wenzel, an epidemiologist at Virginia Commonwealth University and a former president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.

He said even small hospitals far from international travel hubs should be reviewing their protocols and screening questions now, and potentially buying protective equipment such as face masks and protective suits. This will help them avoid repeating the problems that occurred at a hospital in Dallas, where a man with Ebola was sent home only to be readmitted two days later.

"The debacle in Texas should stimulate improved awareness and responses," Wenzel said.

Hospitals around the country are already getting ample opportunities to test their infection control procedures due to a growing number of false alarms.

In New York, 24 patients have been put into isolation over the past eight weeks in city-owned hospitals because of fears that they might have Ebola, according to Dr. Ross Wilson, the chief medical officer at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.

None had the disease (some patients had malaria and one had typhoid), but Wilson said the point has been to isolate possible cases quickly so there is no chance for the virus to spread.

"We're taking this very seriously," he said.

Some staff has been retrained on how to properly put on and remove protective gear. At the city's flagship public hospital, Bellevue Hospital Center, technicians are assembling a lab that will exclusively handle Ebola blood tests so that samples won't contaminate equipment in other parts of the hospital. A small number of beds have been set up in an isolation ward for any confirmed cases. So far, nobody has had to use it.

City 911 operators have been told to ask certain people calling for an ambulance whether they've been to West Africa recently.

That question is also becoming the norm at AMR, which operates private ambulances in 40 states. It has told its staff of 19,000 paramedics and EMTs that patients with certain symptoms should be asked about travel to certain parts of Africa. If they answer yes, emergency service workers are supposed to don extra protective gear, including shoe coverings, a mask and goggles, and alert health authorities that the patient might have Ebola.

"We don't want to respond with a presumption that everyone in the field has Ebola," said Dr. Ed Racht, AMR's chief medical officer. But he said extra precautions are warranted.

"The idea is, if the travel question is positive with the symptoms, it gives us a yellow flag ... It doesn't mean immediately putting on the space suits."

That said, the company has also put together a guide for transporting patients who have tested positive for the virus. It includes step-by-step instructions on how to use plastic sheeting, garbage bags and duct tape to protect the ambulance and the driver from contaminants.

Step No. 2: "Place sheeting on the floor of the rig and affix to bench seat, jump seat and walls to create a bowl affect in an effort to channel any body fluids toward the center of the floor causing fluids to collect in one area."

A more commonplace precaution has popped up at the Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater, Ohio, a village of 4,400 people near the Indiana state boarder. Nicole Pleiman, an infection prevention and control nurse, said the hospital posted signs at entrances about a month ago telling patients to notify the staff immediately if they've traveled recently to African countries hit by the outbreak. Other hospital protocols are under review, she said.

"We will definitely revisit that to see if we need to do anything additional," she said.

Three major hospitals in Dallas have established isolation units and consulted with staff members about how to handle the next Ebola patient, if one arises.

With eight children sent home from school because they had direct contact with the lone confirmed Ebola victim, Children's Memorial Hospital in northwest Dallas is preparing to treat any pediatric Ebola patients.

Doctors at the other two facilities, Parkland Memorial Hospital and Baylor University Medical Center, have identified doctors and nurses ready to treat any Ebola patient. As has become commonplace nationwide, the Dallas hospitals are screening incoming patients to see if they've traveled to West Africa within the last three weeks.

Officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, while urging providers to be prepared, also have repeatedly said that they don't believe the country is likely to see the type of outbreak that has killed thousands of people in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Mortality rates are likely to be much lower in the U.S., due to more sophisticated care, experts say. Ebola also isn't nearly as contagious as the flu, which can be spread through the air, or HIV, which can be transmitted by people who have no symptoms.

Still, there is concern in some quarters that not enough is being done.

National Nurses United, a union that says it represents about 185,000 nurses nationwide, has been distributing a survey on Ebola preparedness to its members. Union spokesman Charles Idelson said many respondents have said they don't feel nurses at their hospital have gotten enough training about how to handle a patient who might have the virus.

Many of the nurses said they weren't even aware of whether their hospital had protective gear, he said.

"It's not enough to post a link to the Centers for Disease Control on the hospital's website," he added.

Wenzel, the infectious disease specialist at Virginia Commonwealth University, said that to truly be prepared against the virus, officials may want to think beyond health care facilities.

For instance, he suggested that cab drivers might be given pamphlets urging them to ask sick passengers on the way to the hospital the same question being posed now by ambulance drivers and triage nurses: Have you traveled to West Africa lately?

"I wouldn't put it in terms that are going to make people panic," he said. But he said that, at the very least, drivers should know that cleaning up a mess left by a sick passenger could carry a health risk.

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Associated Press writers Nomaan Merchant in Dallas and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.

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The AP National Investigative Team can be reached at investigate@ap.org

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SodaStream says it's losing fizz in US

NEW YORK — SodaStream says it isn't winning over enough new customers in the U.S. and reported preliminary sales results that fell short of Wall Street expectations.

The company's stock tumbled 17 percent to $22.88 in premarket trading. Over the past year, its stock has lost more than half its value.

CEO Daniel Birnbaum said Tuesday that the Israeli company's U.S. business underperformed in the third quarter because of lower-than-expected demand for its soda makers and flavors. While it successfully established a base of repeat users in the U.S., Birnbaum said SodaStream isn't attracting new users at the rate the company would like.

SodaStream International said revenue for the third quarter is expected to be about $125 million. Analysts expected $153.6 million, according to FactSet.

Birnbaum says the company has shifted its focus to play up SodaStream's "health and wellness" benefits.

SodaStream has touted its machines as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternative to buying bottled or canned drinks such as Coke and Pepsi. It has been trying to make a splash in the U.S. and advertised in the last two Super Bowls, with the latest commercial featuring actress Scarlett Johansson. Although the machines are in just 1 percent of U.S. homes, the company has noted it's in as many as 25 percent of homes in Sweden.

Depending on the model, SodaStream machines cost between $80 and $130 and are powered by CO2 cartridges, which cost about $30 and need to be replaced after a certain number of uses.

SodaStream's machines will soon face some formidable competition, however.

Keurig Green Mountain, which is known for its single-serve coffee makers, is expected to introduce a machine for cold drinks in coming months. Earlier this year, Coca-Cola Co. announced it was buying a stake in Keurig and that it would make some of its well-known beverage brands available for the "Keurig Cold."

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Follow Candice Choi at www.twitter.com/candicechoi

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Slower growth for US home prices in August

WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices increased in August, yet the pace of these gains continues to slow, helping to improve affordability for would-be buyers.

Prices rose 6.4 percent in August compared with a year ago, Real estate data provider CoreLogic said Tuesday. That marks a decline from an annual gain of 6.8 percent in July. Home prices had been rising as much as 12 percent yearly toward the end of last year.

Prices rose 0.3 percent in August from July. But CoreLogic's monthly figures aren't adjusted for seasonality, such as buying that occurs in warm weather.

Sales struck a plateau in the middle of last year and have remained subdued for much of 2014. As sales have slowed, so have price gains. That should eventually make it easier for would-be buyers to afford homes.

Much of any uptick in buying will depend on wage growth picking up. Wages are barely matching inflation, making it harder for families to save for making down payments and monthly mortgage payments.

Hourly wages have risen just 2.3 percent over the past 12 months, the Labor Department reported last week. And separately, median incomes for an entire household are 8 percent below their 2007 levels after adjusting for inflation, averaging just $51,939 in 2013, according to the Census Bureau. This has occurred as banks have tightened credit standards.

All states registered home price gains in August, except Arkansas where prices were flat. Home values in Michigan rose 11.1 percent, followed by gains of 9.2 percent in both California and Nevada. The Houston area saw home values rise 11.1 percent compared to the prior year, while Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas and Riverside, California enjoyed similarly large gains.

Still, prices nationwide are 12.1 percent below their peak average in April 2006.

As the pace of price gains has slowed, so have sales of existing homes.

Purchases fell 1.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.05 million in August, the National Association of Realtors said. Sales fell from a July rate of 5.14 million, a figure that was revised slightly downward. Overall, the pace of home sales has dropped 5.3 percent year-over-year.

Economists associate annual sales of 5.5 million with a healthy market.

The Realtors also said that median sales price had risen 4.8 percent over the past 12 months to $219,800, but that average slipped slightly in August compared to prices in July and June.

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AOL hires Viacom's Dermot McCormack head of video, as Ran Harnevo steps aside

AOL has tapped Viacom exec Dermot McCormack as president of its video division, replacing Ran Harnevo, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.

Harnevo has been with AOL since its September 2010 acquisition of 5min Media, the web-video startup he co-founded and led as CEO. After his exit, Harnevo will remain executive producer of AOL's first long-form original series, "Connected."

McCormack will lead AOL's video businesses, comprising about 200 employees. That includes AOL On, the Internet media company's 14 video channels; the Be On branded-content platform; and AOL Studios, which produces and distributes original programming. At Viacom, he most recently ran Viacom Music & Logo's Connect Content Group, in charge of all digital initiatives for MTV, VH1, CMT and Logo.

"Dermot is a game-changing talent with experience exactly where we need it -- building audiences through engaging programming -- and is the person I expect to take AOL's video efforts to the next level, building on our significant success to date and increasing the pace of our innovation and growth," AOL CEO Tim Armstrong said in announcing the hire.

Harnevo, in a statement provided by AOL, said, "Building 5min Media as a small startup and then getting acquired four years later to keep going full speed and reach our vision, was the best experience in my professional life... Dermot is the right person to lead AOL On forward, and now it's time for me to return to my entrepreneurial roots."

McCormack, 45, starts at AOL on Thursday, Oct. 9. He reports to Armstrong and Bob Lord, CEO of the AOL Platforms advertising and technology group, and will be based in both New York City and Los Angeles.

"I've been working in the emerging content space of (traditional) media companies for several years," McCormack said in an interview. "I feel like there's a whole reinvention that will happen over the next five to 10 years. It's an interesting evolutionary time."

McCormack will largely be based in NYC, also overseeing the video tech team in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Beverly Hills-based AOL Studios, which is headed by Nate Hayden following the departure of Gabriel Lewis, who joined Disney's Maker Studios in August.

Before joining Viacom in 2008, McCormack was Cablevision Systems' SVP of interactive product management and was co-founder and chief technology officer of online-gift currency startup Flooz.com. Prior to that, McCormack, was one of the first executives at iVillage.com, where he led advertising products and strategy.

Since 2011, AOL has launched nearly 50 original series since 2011, and its library of curated and original video content is now distributed on 15 connected devices, including Apple TV and Roku.

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

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Astronauts resume routine spacewalks for NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Two astronauts are taking a spacewalk 260 miles up. They're performing NASA's first routine maintenance outside the International Space Station in more than a year.

American astronaut Reid Wiseman and German spaceman Alexander Gerst ventured out Tuesday morning to move a broken pump into its proper storage location.

U.S.-based spacewalks were curtailed in July 2013 after an Italian astronaut nearly drowned because of a flooded helmet. NASA solved the problem with the suit's water-cooling system. Then concern arose over the spacesuit batteries. New batteries arrived late last month.

The 780-pound pump on the move Tuesday is the size of a double-door refrigerator. It was placed in temporary storage during urgent spacewalking repairs to the station's ammonia-cooling system last December.

This is the first spacewalk ever for Wiseman and Gerst.

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Global stocks remain supported by US jobs data

SEOUL, South Korea — Global markets were mostly higher on Monday as investors continued to draw confidence from upbeat U.S. jobs data from last week.

KEEPING SCORE: Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.4 percent to 6,555.12 and Germany's DAX advanced 0.9 percent to 9,279.16. France's CAC 40 added 0.3 percent to 4,292.70. Futures augured another cheerful day for U.S. stocks, with futures for the Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 up 0.3 percent.

ASIA'S DAY: Japan and Hong Kong rose but the rest of Asia was subdued. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 1.2 percent to 15,890.95 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 1.1 percent to 23,315.04. South Korea's Kospi dipped 0.4 percent to 1,968.39 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.5 percent to 5,292.90. Markets in mainland China were closed for a holiday.

US HIRES MORE, PAY FLAT: Government data on Friday showed employers added 248,000 jobs in September, beating market expectations. Unemployment fell to a six-year low of 5.9 percent. The Labor Department said hiring in July and August also was stronger than initially estimated. But average hourly wages fell a penny last month. Lack of wage inflation might prompt the Fed to delay raising interest rates from near zero. Many economists expect the Fed to put off a rate hike until mid-2015.

LOWER GERMAN DATA: Trading sentiment in Europe was not affected by another weak economic report. German factory orders dropped 5.7 percent in August from the previous month, worse than the 2.5 percent drop forecast. Analysts blamed weak demand from eurozone markets and uncertainty over Ukraine and the Middle East. Investors, however, remain focused on the U.S. recovery and the stimulus being offered by the European Central Bank.

ANALYST'S TAKE: "On Friday, the U.S. once again showed that it is the best house on what seems to be a slowly deteriorating neighborhood," said Chris Weston, chief market strategist at IG Markets. "While Europe is sinking into a stagflation hole, money managers are seeing qualities in the U.S. that stand out by a country mile right now."

WEEK AHEAD: The Fed is due to release minutes on Wednesday of a meeting last month. Investors will be watching for clues about a timetable for rate hikes and discussion surrounding the decision to keep the "considerable time" phrase in its pledge to keep interest rates near zero. Markets will be particularly attentive to signs of "increased hawkishness," said Sebastien Barbe of Credit Agricole.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.30 to $89.70. On Friday, the contract lost $1.26 to settle at an 18-month low of $89.74 per a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

CURRENCIES: The dollar fell to 109.35 yen from Friday's 109.80. The euro inched up to $1.2558 from $1.2520.

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Disney sets $1.25 billion bailout plan for Disneyland Paris

Disney has unveiled a $1.25 billion bailout plan for Disneyland Paris as attendance slumps at the park.

Disney confirmed late Sunday that it has set a 1 billion Euro recapitalization plan for the park that has had a rocky performance since it opened in 1992.

"This recapitalization plan would improve Euro Disney Group's financial position and enable it to continue investing in the guest experience," Disney said in a statement. "With this effort, we are demonstrating the Walt Disney Company's continued confidence in Disneyland Paris, which remains the number-one tourist destination in Europe."

The plan calls for Disney to deliver a $526 million cash infusion and convert some $754 million in debt to equity. Disney will also defer payment from Disneyland Paris of certain loans until 2024. The recapitalization plan will hack its debt ratio down to six times annual cash flow, compared to 15 times cash flow at present.

At present Disney owns 40% of Disneyland Paris. Saudi Prince Alwaleed owns 10% while the remainder is publicly held and traded on the Paris Euronext exchange.

Attendance at the park reached about 14.1 million-14.2 million visitors during the September 2013-September 2014 period, down 700,000-800,000 from the year-ago frame. Its room occupancy rate is projected to drop from 79.3% in the 2013 period to 75%-76%.

There have been persistent rumors that Disney intends to eventually buy up all the equity in Disneyland Paris and take it private.

Disneyland Paris just saw a management shuffle in August as Phillippe Gas, who headed the park for six years, was tapped to oversee the launch of the Shanghai Disney Resort. Tom Wolber, a Disney parks vet who helped launch the Paris park in 1992, was elevated to prexy of Euro Disney.

"The ongoing economic challenges in Europe and our debt burden have significantly decreased operating revenues and liquidity," said Wolber in a statement. "This proposal to recapitalize the Euro Disney Group is essential to improve our financial health and enable us to continue making investments in the Resort that enhance the guest experience."

The bailout effort for Disneyland Paris comes as Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, has emerged as the front-runner to be named Disney chief operating officer under CEO Robert Iger next year. The launch of the Shanghai park and the stabilization of Disneyland Paris are seen as key tests for Staggs on the path to possibly taking the CEO reins from Iger, who last week extended his contract as Mouse House chairman-CEO to 2018.

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

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Hewlett-Packard splits off PC, printer businesses

NEW YORK — Hewlett-Packard is splitting itself into two companies, one focused on its personal computer and printing business and another on technology services, such as data storage, servers and software, as it aims to drive profits higher.

Hewlett-Packard, like other PC makers, has been facing changing consumer tastes — moving away from desktops and laptops and toward smartphones and tablets. It has also faced revenue declines 11 of the past 12 quarters. The company laid off tens of thousands of people in recent years as sales crumbled.

The planned breakup follows other big companies that have spun off business units in order to drive growth. EBay Inc. this month said it would spin off its fastest growing segment, payment service PayPal, into a separate and publicly traded company.

The shared hope is that the two units will be worth more separately and be able to grow more quickly apart than they can together.

HP said Monday that the PC and printer business will use the name HP Inc. The services business will be called Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. HP CEO Meg Whitman will lead the Enterprise business. HP PC and printer chief Dion Weisler will be CEO of HP Inc.

"The decision to separate into two market-leading companies underscores our commitment to the turnaround plan," Whitman said. "It will provide each new company with the independence, focus, financial resources, and flexibility they need to adapt quickly to market and customer dynamics."

Cantor Fitzgerald's Brian White said that there are numerous reasons why HP would want to split the businesses, including the slowdown of the PC market since the iPad debuted in April 2010. While the PC market has shown some improving trends this year, White said in a client note that separating into two companies gives HP the option to sell off one or both businesses if an attractive offer is made.

The split, if approved by the company board, is expected to close by the end of fiscal 2015. Once complete, HP stockholders will own shares of both companies.

During its most recent quarter HP reported revenue of $27.6 billion, a 1 percent annual gain. It marked HP's first year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue since late 2011. Printers and computers contributed 51 percent of the company's quarterly revenue, with the rest coming from technology services like consulting, software and financial programs.

HP is expected to complete the latest round of layoffs, between 11,000 to 16,000 people, this month. That is on top of the 34,000 people it had already jettisoned from its payroll.

Jim Suva of Citi Investment Research said that HP's announcement may be coming now partly because the stock market has been supportive of spinoffs of late. The analyst also believes the company's stronger balance sheet, stable PC margins, improving services margins, better financials and completion of the more difficult parts of its restructuring efforts played a role in its decision to act now.

HP maintained its guidance for fiscal 2014 adjusted earnings between $3.70 and $3.74 per share. Analysts polled by FactSet predict earnings of $3.73 per share.

For fiscal 2015, the company anticipates adjusted earnings in a range of $3.83 to $4.03 per share. Wall Street is looking for $3.96 per share.

Shares of Hewlett-Packard Co., based in Palo Alto, California, rose $2.11, or 6 percent, to $37.31 in premarket trading 75 minutes before the market open.

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APNewsBreak: Trump name coming off closed casino

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The Trump name will be coming off the shuttered Trump Plaza casino in Atlantic City.

Ivanka Trump tells The Associated Press that Trump Entertainment Resorts will begin removing letters spelling out the Trump name on the casino's exterior on Monday.

The action is part of a lawsuit Donald Trump and his daughter are pressing against Trump Entertainment — which they no longer control or are involved with — to have their name stripped from the Trump Taj Mahal casino, and the company itself. They claim the company let the two casinos fall into such disrepair that it violated quality standards agreed to by both sides. The company is in bankruptcy and threatening to shut its last casino — the Taj Mahal — next month.

"This is a very important step for us," Ivanka Trump said Monday morning. "It was pretty cut and dry: when we gave them a license to use our name, it was contingent on quality control and performance. They did not meet the high standards of luxury in every other asset in the Trump brand."

Trump Entertainment officials declined comment.

While simultaneously seeking to have the Trump name removed from the Taj Mahal, and from Trump Entertainment Resorts, Ivanka Trump said her father is still considering trying to acquire the Taj Mahal from bankruptcy court and save it.

In a statement, Donald Trump emphasized he has had nothing to do with the company other than licensing his name to it since 2009.

"I am saddened to see that the current managers and owners of the Trump Plaza and Trump Taj Mahal were unable to operate these properties to the highest standards of luxury and success as required under the license agreement and consistent with my name and reputation," he said. "Because of constant defaults of the standards stipulated in the license agreement, I had no choice but to terminate the license agreement and require TER to remove the Trump name from both buildings."

Trump Entertainment is in bankruptcy court in Delaware, seeking permission to terminate the pension plans of the 2,800 or so Taj Mahal employees. A judge last week refused to immediately let them do so, but scheduled additional hearings on that request and other cost-saving measures.

Trump Entertainment has said that without significant cost relief from the union, including the elimination of employees' pension and health care, and an injection of $100 million from billionaire investor Carl Icahn, it will close the Taj Mahal on or before Nov. 13.

Icahn holds most of the company's debt, and has said he will consider acquiring the Taj Mahal by converting its debt into ownership only if a series of governmental concessions are made. They include a request that Atlantic City drastically slash its tax assessment of the company's property — something Mayor Don Guardian has already ruled out.

Donald Trump retains a 9 percent stake in Trump Entertainment, which is virtually worthless with the firm in bankruptcy and threatening to close its last major asset. He and his daughter say the continued association of them with diminished or closed casinos harms their personal and professional brand.

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Wayne Parry can be reached at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC

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Mipcom: CBS, Germany's ProSiebenSat.1 extend deal

In the run-up to next week's TV content market Mipcom, CBS Studios Intl. and Germany's ProSiebenSat.1 Group have inked a multi-year extension of their content licensing agreement that will bring CBS's programming to ProSiebenSat.1 channels throughout German-speaking Europe.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ProSiebenSat.1 channels air CBS series such as "NCIS," "NCIS: Los Angelees," "Elementary," "Hawaii Five-0" and "Under the Dome." As part of the latest pact, ProSiebenSat.1 will also have rights to the event series "Extant," starring Halle Berry, as well as other CBS series such as "NCIS: New Orleans," the newest show in the "NCIS" franchise. "NCIS: New Orleans" recently debuted with 17.2 million viewers in the U.S., making it the most-watched new series during premiere week. Its second broadcast retained 95% of its premiere week audience.

"Germany is a key international market, and we are looking forward to continuing this long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship," said Armando Nunez, president and chief executive officer, CBS Global Distribution Group. "ProSieben is a terrific partner with quality channels that have been a great home for CBS programming in German-speaking Europe."

Ruediger Boess, executive VP group programming acquisitions, ProSiebenSat.1 Media, said, "This strengthens our position among the competition, as strong TV series are crucial for the success of a station."

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

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Robots to learn from nurses

On the labor and delivery floor of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, about 20 so-called ninja nurses use their sixth sense to efficiently assign staff and resources to patients to make sure everyone gets the care and attention they need.

Now, a doctor and an Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor are teaming up to use their medical and robotics expertise to improve how machines work with humans, and make hospitals a bit better in the process.

"What we're aiming to do is learn from people who are outstanding at these resource allocation jobs and potentially teach a machine," said Julie Shah, the professor who leads the Interactive Robotics group at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT.

Shah and her husband Neel Shah, an obstetrician at Beth Israel, will spend the next two years learning from these "ninja" nurses — officially called resource nurses — to try to understand how they make certain choices to improve decision making in the hospital and in machines.

The Shahs will develop a simulation test for the resource nurses, with the goal of translating instinctive decisions into specific explanations for certain actions. The project is funded by the Harvard Risk Management Foundation.

"If we can learn what these rules are that the best people are using, we'll be able to train people better," Neel Shah said.

The Shahs said they hope to have a training tool that can help other nurses make better decisions within two years, but eventually hospital floors could have intelligent machines to help hospital staff make decisions.

"Any tools we can give clinicians on the front line and control as best we can are really helpful and (can) make care safer," said Carol Keohane of CRICO, which awarded the grant. "It will help to hone in, and help people identify what resources are needed and take care of this population as well as possible."

There is no intent to take jobs away from hospital staff, Julie Shah said. Instead, the research will be used to help nurses make decisions and train new nurses to have the same "ninja" prowess.

"This is an area where long term it's not practical to have machines doing the work," Julie Shah said. "We still need people doing it, the question is how do we support people doing it."

For Julie Shah, the research will also help with what she calls "re-planning," making decisions and adapting to new scenarios without explicit instructions.

Her research focuses on the decisions that machines — largely robots — make autonomously, without having to be explicitly told to complete a task or alter a plan as well as how machines work with humans.

But, if machines have a better understanding of the decisions that humans make, the machines could re-plan and adapt to changing scenarios better.

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Anchorage asks court to stop ride-sharing company

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Anchorage is taking court action to stop ride-sharing company Uber from operating in the city.

The city requested an injunction and a temporary restraining order against Uber Technologies Inc. in civil superior court on Friday, KTUU (http://bit.ly/1pPqb62) reported.

Uber provides a smartphone app that allows people to order rides in privately driven cars instead of taxis.

The entry into the transportation marketplace by companies like Uber and Lyft has left legislators and local officials struggling to catch up with emerging technology that competes with traditional taxis and limos, but with less overhead. The drivers of the new companies, for example, use their personal cars and often do it for extra cash to supplement their income at other jobs.

A handful of state legislatures this year have tried and failed to pass bills to provide oversight for the so-called ridesharing companies. Taxi and limo companies have objected, arguing the web-based businesses have an unfair advantage and light regulation. Several municipalities nationwide are also grappling with the issue.

The service launched in Anchorage just over two weeks ago.

Uber didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about Anchorage's action that was made through its website on Saturday.

The city declined to comment on the municipality's filing. But Alaska Yellow Dispatch CEO Sloane Unwin said the local cab company plans to add its name to the request for an injunction.

The city did exactly what it should do to uphold its laws, Unwin said.

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Information from: KTUU-TV, http://www.ktuu.com

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Artisan’s Asylum seeks to reinvent mission

The "bang, bang, bang!" in the background at Artisan's Asylum sounds startlingly like gunshots, but Ecco Pierce assures that it's only one of her compatriots at work.

"Your first impression when you walk in here is overstimulation," says Pierce, a 28-year-old multimedia artist. "The place is never quiet. It's never empty. It's a 24-hour establishment inhabited by daytime professionals, evening hobbyists and nighttime fanatics."

Strange, blinking robots hold court alongside fine artists, engineers, welders, woodworkers and other craftsmen, many of whom offer classes in their 150 studio spaces in the old Ames Envelope building in Somerville.

This rapidly growing amalgam of talent began in 2010, when a mechanical engineer and a costume designer were looking for a place where they could make things in their spare time.

The two rented 1,000 square feet in the Taza Chocolate factory and, to keep costs down, invited their friends on Facebook to share the space, expecting a dozen or so to take them up on the offer.

When 100 people showed up at their first meeting, they knew they were on to something.

"We've evolved from being a clubhouse for fun to being a real small-business incubator," said Molly Rubenstein, director of education and outreach. "And we feel like there's a lot of potential to do even more."

MassChallenge, the world's largest startup accelerator, selected Artisan's Asylum and 127 other finalists to compete for a share of more than $1.5 million in cash prizes.

"We're not trying to get to market; we're already here," Rubenstein said. "What we came to MassChallenge looking for was help planning our long-term evolution."

Artisan's Asylum is exploring working with local schools to teach youngsters real-world skills in science, technology, engineering, art and math, or STEAM.

And it wants to expand the training it offers in advanced manufacturing, an industry that will need to fill an estimated 100,000 jobs in the state over the next decade.

"Part of what we want to do is bring back the appeal of being a skilled tradesman," Rubenstein said. "We want to make sure that once you have a prototype, you don't send it over to China to be manufactured when it can be made right here."

Artisan's Asylum is "one of a very small number of pioneers in the maker space" qualified to provide that kind of training, and it's looking for potential partners who can help it scale nationally and internationally, said Mark Allio, a MassChallenge mentor and regional director of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center at UMass Boston.

"I think they have a pretty clear vision of the value they add," Allio said, "and MassChallenge could help them expand to have an even bigger impact."

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Robots to learn from nurses

On the labor and delivery floor of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, about 20 so-called ninja nurses use their sixth sense to efficiently assign staff and resources to patients to make sure everyone gets the care and attention they need.

Now, a doctor and an Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor are teaming up to use their medical and robotics expertise to improve how machines work with humans, and make hospitals a bit better in the process.

"What we're aiming to do is learn from people who are outstanding at these resource allocation jobs and potentially teach a machine," said Julie Shah, the professor who leads the Interactive Robotics group at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT.

Shah and her husband Neel Shah, an obstetrician at Beth Israel, will spend the next two years learning from these "ninja" nurses — officially called resource nurses — to try to understand how they make certain choices to improve decision making in the hospital and in machines.

The Shahs will develop a simulation test for the resource nurses, with the goal of translating instinctive decisions into specific explanations for certain actions. The project is funded by the Harvard Risk Management Foundation.

"If we can learn what these rules are that the best people are using, we'll be able to train people better," Neel Shah said.

The Shahs said they hope to have a training tool that can help other nurses make better decisions within two years, but eventually hospital floors could have intelligent machines to help hospital staff make decisions.

"Any tools we can give clinicians on the front line and control as best we can are really helpful and (can) make care safer," said Carol Keohane of CRICO, which awarded the grant. "It will help to hone in, and help people identify what resources are needed and take care of this population as well as possible."

There is no intent to take jobs away from hospital staff, Julie Shah said. Instead, the research will be used to help nurses make decisions and train new nurses to have the same "ninja" prowess.

"This is an area where long term it's not practical to have machines doing the work," Julie Shah said. "We still need people doing it, the question is how do we support people doing it."

For Julie Shah, the research will also help with what she calls "re-planning," making decisions and adapting to new scenarios without explicit instructions.

Her research focuses on the decisions that machines — largely robots — make autonomously, without having to be explicitly told to complete a task or alter a plan as well as how machines work with humans.

But, if machines have a better understanding of the decisions that humans make, the machines could re-plan and adapt to changing scenarios better.

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Navy: Self-guided unmanned patrol boats make debut

NORFOLK, Va. — Self-guided unmanned patrol boats that can leave warships they're protecting and swarm and attack potential threats on the water could join the Navy's fleet within a year, defense officials say, adding the new technology could one day help stop attacks like the deadly 2000 bombing of the USS Cole off Yemen.

The Arlington-based Office of Naval Research demonstrated the autonomous swarm boat technology over two weeks in August on the James River near Fort Eustis in Virginia — not far from one of the Navy's largest fleet concentration areas. It said the Navy simulated a transit through a strait, just like the routine passage of U.S. warships through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

In the demonstrations, as many as 13 small unmanned patrol boats were escorting a high-value Navy ship. Then as many as eight of the self-guided vessels broke off and swarmed around a threat when a ship playing the part of an enemy vessel was detected, the office said, calling the demonstrations a success.

Robert Brizzolara, program manager at the Office of Naval Research, said that the boats can decide for themselves what movements to make once they're alerted to a threat and work together to encircle or block the path of an opposing vessel, depending on that vessel's movements and those of other nearby vessels.

The rigid-hull inflatable patrol boats can also fire .50 caliber machine guns if called upon to do so. However, a human will always be the one to make the decision to use lethal force, officials said. A sailor on a command ship would be in charge of each of the unmanned boats and could take control over any of the boats at any moment. And if communication between the unmanned boats and the sailor overseeing them were ever broken, the boat would automatically shut down.

"I never want to see the USS Cole happen again," said Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder, chief of naval research, speaking about the attack by a small boat packed with explosives that killed 17 sailors and injured 39 on that warship. "I can tell you the systems we just put out on the water would've prevented the Cole."

Brizzolara said the technology is intended to allow sailors who would ordinarily be manning such boats to stay out of harm's way while the self-guided boats seek to "deter, damage or destroy" enemy vessels.

Officials said while the Cole bombing was not the sole inspiration for the program, it was a significant one. Researchers have been working on the technology for about a decade. The kit can be placed on any small vessel and includes sensors and radar that tells it what's happening in the area. Advanced algorithms help the boat plan its route and determine its course of action and speed.

Klunder said that manpower can sometimes be an issue as to why more patrol boats aren't escorting larger ships, and that potential enemies may try to outnumber those boats. He said such technology could put more protective boats in the water, freeing up sailors for key roles aboard ship.

"We've really put our sailors back where they need to be anyway, which is back manning our combat systems, manning our weapons systems, steering our ships," Klunder said.

Klunder said the technology should be rolled out to fleet commanders within a year. He said the parts for the small, transportable kit cost about $2,000 and can be applied to existing patrol boats present at Navy installations and aboard many large warships.

The Navy said some of the components were adapted for from technology originally developed by NASA for the Mars Rover spaceflight programs. What made the August demonstration so important is that it showed that numerous boats could coordinate with each other, Klunder noted.

He said it's the first time the technology has ever been employed with more than one or two boats. And he spoke of possibly wider applications in the future outside military use.

"This is something that you might find not only just on our naval vessels, we could certainly see this utilized to protect merchant vessels, to protect ports and harbors, used also to protect offshore oil rigs," Klunder said.

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Brock Vergakis can be reached at www.twitter.com/BrockVergakis

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