Movie co. hack is the great cyber whodunit

LOS ANGELES — Everyone has a theory about who really hacked Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.

Despite President Obama's conclusion that North Korea was the culprit, the Internet's newest game of whodunit continues. Top theories include disgruntled Sony insiders, hired hackers, other foreign governments or Internet hooligans. Even some experts are undecided, with questions about why the communist state would steal and leak gigabytes of data, email threats to some Sony employees and their families and then threaten moviegoers who planned to watch "The Interview" on Christmas.

"Somebody's done it. And right now this knowledge is known to God and whoever did it," said Martin Libicki, a cyber security expert at RAND in Arlington, Va., who thinks it probably was North Korea. "So we gather up a lot of evidence, and the evidence that the FBI has shown so far doesn't allow one to distinguish between somebody who is North Korea and somebody who wants to look like North Korea."

Perhaps the only point of agreement among those guessing is that even the most dramatic cybercrimes can be really, really hard to solve convincingly. When corporations are breached, investigators seldom focus on attributing the crime because their priority is preventing it from happening again.

"Attribution is a very hard game to play," said Mike Fey, president of security company Blue Coat Systems Inc. and former chief technology officer at McAfee Inc. "Like any criminal activity, how they get away with it is a very early step in the planning process, and framing another organization or individual is a great way to get away with something.

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Booting Up: Sony runs with chance to test new marketing model

Sony Pictures has pioneered a new model for marketing films, bypassing big theaters and instead looking to a startup and streaming services to distribute the movie that sparked an unprecedented North Korean cyber attack.

Reversing its decision to pull the plug on distribution of the satirical comedy "The Interview," which depicts a group of young guys trying to assassinate the North Korean dictator, Sony this week turned to a streaming startup called Kernel, as well as Google and Microsoft, to show the film. (It's nice to know that Google and Microsoft aren't afraid of the North Koreans. Not Apple, which reportedly passed on distributing the movie through iTunes.)

The film costs $5.99 to rent and $14.99 to own an HD copy. The monetary success or failure of this effort will be watched closely by everyone with a stake in live-streaming video.

Kernel runs seethe
interview.com, which is just what it sounds like: a portal for buying and viewing the movie. Kernel was a virtual unknown until a few days ago, but Sony tapped the company to distribute "The Interview" because they were already working on a pilot project with the startup to promote and distribute films differently. Both companies have taken the opportunity to lift the curtain on their project for "The 5th Wave," a screenplay due out in 2016, the first in a series of books about a teenage girl fighting against the end of humanity.

Kernel's role is to pre-sell exclusive, behind-the-scenes content such as bonus downloads, VIP experiences and tickets to "The 5th Wave." Packages go all the way up to $1,000, which includes two tickets to a yet-to-be-scheduled movie premiere.

With an entire subculture of movie buffs, it's a wonder we haven't found a better way than overpriced tickets and popcorn to monetize the industry. Kernel and Sony may be onto something.

YouTube, Google Play and Xbox have all begun distributing "The Interview," along with some small independent theaters such as Apple Cinemas near Fresh Pond in Cambridge.

I got to have my Christmas viewing of "The Interview" after all, and if enough people do the same, Google and Microsoft will become a much more viable option for movie distribution in the future.

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High-end digs dominate Boston in ’14

Real estate in Greater Boston this year has been somewhat of a paradox.

The market saw a huge influx of luxury apartment complexes, with high rents and lots of amenities, and construction is under way on some of the city's most expensive condos.

Yet there's been a shortage of inventory, especially mid-priced properties, and sales have slowed. And Boston has yet to solve a major problem — there are not enough condos or apartments that average city dwellers can afford.

Several thousand new luxury apartments — more than any in the city's history — opened this year in areas ranging from the Seaport District to the Greenway to Back Bay. Some of the first wave of high-rent digs, such as the Kensington and 315 on A, leased up well, but others have struggled, offering anywhere from one to three months of free rent, with fears that there may be a glut of upscale apartments on the market.

Looking for rental relief, some have opted to lease in places like Chelsea, where One North over the Mystic Bridge and new apartments in the Box District have done well. In an industrial area of Everett, apartments were carved out of a former Charleston Chew candy factory.

Two new apartment buildings at Assembly Row developed by AvalonBay Communities have leased up well, part of a successful urban village in East Somerville with 40 outlet stores and a dozen restaurants next to a newly completed Orange Line Station.

On the condo side, Boston has seen higher prices but lower condo sales this year because of low inventory, with midpriced units snapped up quickly. Meanwhile, the upper end of the condo market is going gangbusters driven by foreign buyers and local empty nesters. Preconstruction sales at condo projects now going up, such as the Ink Block's Sepia in the South End, Twenty-Two Liberty on Fan Pier and downtown's Millennium Tower have been brisk.

The highest price condo and single family sold in Boston this year were on the same Beacon Street block across from the Public Garden — at 96 Beacon St., a 6,337-square-foot, four-bedroom penthouse condo went for $13 million in March, and 74 Beacon St., a redone 6-bedroom, five-story, single-family townhouse with its own rooftop lap pool, sold for $12.5 million in October.

This year saw the highest price condo ever listed in Boston, a 12,000-square foot penthouse at the Millennium Tower that's asking $37.5 million.

The market in Somerville and Cambridge remains hot, with prices increasing and not enough inventory to meet demand. But the Alewife area of Cambridge saw several new apartment developments this year.

Along the banks of the Charles River in Watertown, several luxury apartment complexes have opened this year, and new rental properties have also sprung up near Orange Line stops in Malden Center and over the Melrose line near Oak Grove.

In the city, East Boston saw the first phase of Portside At East Pier, a luxury waterfront apartment complex.

South Boston real estate stayed hot this year, with dozens of high-end apartment and condo projects opening, a number around West 1st on D Street such as the Flats on D, West Square and Seaport Crossing that helped to knit together the gap between the Seaport District and the West Side.

To spur construction of more housing for moderate-income residents, the city has just designated corridors along Dorchester Avenue between the Broadway and Andrews Red Line T stations in Southie, and around the Forest Hills T station area in Jamaica Plain for higher density, transit-oriented development. But high labor, land and materials costs remain a challenge.

Next week we'll take a look at the real estate prospects for 2015.

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Post-Christmas shopping spree

A perfect post-Christmas shopping storm of blowout sales and gift card mania is brewing, according to retail analysts.

Expect stores and malls across the region and nationwide to be flooded today and parking lots packed as eager buyers hunt for the best deals.

"It's usually in the top 10 shopping days of the year, but I wouldn't be surprised if it cracked the top five this year," said Ken Perkins, analyst at Retail Metrics Inc. in Swampscott, predicting today will be "a very sound day for retail."

Big sales — many stores boasting 60 percent off deals even before Christmas — combined with the popularity of gift cards this holiday season mean big profits for retailers, Perkins said.

Today will cap off an already successful shopping season, Perkins said. The retail scene has been packed with promotions since the beginning of November, and Super Saturday saw $23 billion in sales nationally, surpassing Black Friday's $20 billion this year.

Norwell's Retail Concepts owner Michael Tesler said the plummeting popularity of clothes-centered gifts — a negative for stores going into the holiday season — will be a positive this weekend. It means fewer returns and more competitive sales to clear out lingering merchandise.

"There has been a shift from apparel to things like toys and electronics, which are less likely to be returned," Tesler said. "With the markdowns and sales, you'll see more shoppers than in previous years."

The unseasonably high temperatures in the Northeast will also serve as an "incredible plus," Tesler said, as will the upcoming weekend days.

"You have a Friday, Saturday, Sunday grouping coming up, so a larger percentage of people will probably be free after Christmas than usual," he said. "This is like a Black Friday weekend, everyone's got the time off."

In the week leading up to Super Saturday, retail sales increased 3.1 percent from the same week last year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

The weekend prior to Christmas saw $42 billion in shopping sales, compared to $41 billion last year, according to research firm Customer Growth Partners.

According to Perkins, lower unemployment numbers across the country help to account for some of the shopping boom, particularly in more affluent areas like Boston.

Massachusetts shopping numbers going into Super Saturday weekend pointed to the best Christmas for state retailers since 2006, according to Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, which expects statewide holiday sales to climb 3.9 percent to $15.4 billion.

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Sony says online PlayStation disrupted

TOKYO — Sony's online PlayStation store and Microsoft's Xbox site suffered disruptions to users on Christmas Day in the latest possible cyber-attacks on the companies.

The PlayStation Store Twitter feed said Friday that some users were having trouble logging into its network. It said engineers were investigating.

A notice on Microsoft's Xbox website said it knew some users were having trouble signing in. it said, "We're aware of this issue, and we're working to find a fix ASAP!"

The problems were affecting Xbox Live Core Services, though most other applications were up and running, it said.

Earlier this month the PlayStation store also experienced spells of inaccessibility. That followed a cyberattack on computer systems of Sony Pictures Entertainment that led to the release of confidential information on the Internet.

A hacker group calling itself Lizard Squad appeared to take responsibility for the disruptions on its Twitter account.

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Honda recalls 1,252 Crosstours over side air bags

NEW YORK — Honda is recalling 1,252 Crosstour vehicles due to a faulty side air bag made by troubled air bag supplier Takata.

The Honda recall is for 2015 model year Crosstours. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the side air bag may not inflate properly because of a problem with its inflator tube. Crosstour owners will receive a letter in the mail asking them to take their car to a Honda dealer and have the side air bags replaced free of charge.

Honda said no injuries were reported. Takata Corp. declined to comment.

Takata, a Japanese air bag maker, is at the center of massive recalls around the world. Several automakers have recalled vehicles with air bags made by the company because they can explode and send shards flying at drivers and passengers. In response to the recalls, Takata on Wednesday apologized to those killed or hurt by its faulty air bags and announced it was reshuffling its executives.

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Sony tries to save face with 'Interview' flip-flop

ATLANTA — Sony's flip-flop on releasing "The Interview" shows the studio is working furiously to try to chart the right course through political and public-opinion minefields.

Although analysts don't believe the decision will have any effect on Sony's image, it will at least give the movie-going public a chance to vote with their wallets and send North Korea a protest message.

Last week, Sony canceled the Christmas Day release of "The Interview" in the wake of an extensive hacking attack and release of confidential emails by a group linked with North Korea. The movie stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as journalists tasked by the CIA with killing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The hackers threatened violence if Sony didn't pull the movie. Sony did so after major theater chains decided not to screen it.

But the company then wavered in the face of public outcry and criticism from President Barack Obama. On Tuesday, Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said Seth Rogen's North Korea farce "will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day."

The film is set to open in over 200 theaters, down from an original release planned in 3,000. Atlanta's Plaza Theater and 16 theaters that are part of the Alamo Drafthouse chain in Texas are among those that plan to show it.

Lynton said Sony also is continuing its efforts to release the movie in more theaters and through more platforms — namely digital channels, such as Internet streaming or video on demand on cable systems. But Sony isn't offering specifics. Starz, which has first pay TV and streaming rights to Sony releases, didn't respond to requests for comment. Streaming service Netflix declined comment, while YouTube didn't respond to requests.

Plaza Theater owner Michael Furlinger said he was thrilled to be showing the movie. He canceled plans to fly to Long Island, New York, to see his parents for the holidays.

"We play a lot of controversial pictures, things I don't necessarily agree with, but I will never censor them," he said. "It's not for me to decide. It's for the customer to decide. If they want to come, they'll spend their money. If they don't, that's their choice. It should not be the choice of somebody from North Korea or China or anywhere else."

Atlanta Police spokesman Sgt. Greg Lyon said police will monitor the location for potential threats, but he wouldn't discuss specifics. Furlinger said the theater will take some precautions, though he said he wasn't worried about the threats.

If anything, the controversy has raised awareness about the movie. Although fewer theaters are showing it, those theaters might be more packed than they would have been otherwise.

Anthony LoRusso, 54, of Atlanta, thought the premise of the movie was "silly" and initially planned to wait for the DVD. Now, he plans to see it at The Plaza.

Colby Cohen, 29, of Atlanta said he probably would have seen it anyway, but the brief cancellation made him want to see it more.

"I'm going to get to fight terrorism on Christmas Day now," he said.

Because Sony has been wavering on its release of "The Interview" since last week, deciding to release it after all should not have a major effect on its image. Laura Ries, president of Atlanta-based branding consulting company Ries & Ries, said most moviegoers don't tie movies with the studio that makes them in the first place.

If Sony ends up expanding the theatrical release and sells the movie through digital channels, it could end up recouping some of its box offices losses. Doug Stone, president of film industry newsletter Box Office Analyst, had estimated domestic box office for the movie would be $75 million to $100 million, of which Sony keeps about 55 percent. But the release is too limited so far to give Sony much of a financial bump.

Furthermore, costly damage from the email leaks to relationships and future projects cannot be recouped, and there is a threat of more leaks as Sony plans on releasing the film now.

"Panic-based decisions are not sound crisis management," said Jonathan Bernstein, president of Los Angeles-based crisis management company Bernstein Crisis Management. The studio is making decisions too quickly and could face more embarrassment if hackers leak additional documents and emails in retaliation for showing the movie, he said. He said Sony should have waited until it is sure it can protect itself.

Still, moviegoers seemed enthusiastic Tuesday. Isaac Sokol, a 21-year-old university student in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, bought two tickets for a Christmas night show at the Alamo Drafthouse theater in Richardson.

"The only way to tackle world conflicts and human rights violations and all of the dreaded things around the world is to take them with a grain of salt," he said. "If you don't, it's going to just be sadness."

The Alamo Drafthouse said many showtimes across the chain were selling out for Christmas Day, but the company did not provide specifics.

Once James Wallace, the Richardson theater's creative manager, received word Tuesday morning that the movie was back on, the theater got to work preparing for several shows. Among other touches, the theater will offer a patriotic menu featuring burgers, "freedom fries" and apple pie.

"You better believe it's going to be all-American," Wallace said.

___

AP Film Writer Jake Coyle in New York and AP writers Kathleen Foody in Atlanta, Nomaan Merchant in Dallas, Joseph Pisani in New York and Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report.

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Mayor Marty Walsh makes Dorchester tour

It was a merry Christmas Eve day in Dorchester yesterday as the mayor and police commissioner went on a goodwill tour of businesses.

The event began with a gathering at the Teen Center at St. Peter's where neighborhood kids received presents from police and seasons greetings from community leaders including Mayor Martin J. Walsh, police Commissioner William B. Evans and state Rep. Evandro C. Carvalho.

Walsh and police officers then took to Bowdoin Street towards Geneva Avenue to shake hands and wish happy holidays to shoppers along the boulevard.

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Single-family home sales fall in Nov.

Single-family home sales fell last month while the median price rose, particularly in Greater Boston, driven by a continuing shortage of inventory, according to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors.

Statewide, the number of closed sales dropped by 6.7 percent, from 3,817 in November 2013 to 3,560 last month, while the median price increased 4.4 percent, from $316,000 to $330,000 over the same period, MAR statistics show.

Condominium sales fell even more precipitously — by 10.2 percent — from 1,494 to 1,342, but the median price increased only 1 percent, from $299,000 to $302,000.

"Both the falling numbers of sales and the increasing median prices are a reflection of low inventory," said MAR President Peter Ruffini. "There's a lack of affordable housing for first-time buyers. It's very rare to see new construction priced at under $400,000. That's simply not a viable price point for most people looking to enter the housing market."

In the Metro Boston area, the median selling price for a single-family home rose even more dramatically — by 9.4 percent, the largest percentage increase since April — from $480,000 in November 2013 to $525,000 last month, the highest median home price ever recorded for November in the area, according to the Greater Boston Association of Realtors.

"Even at these prices, what is available is being jumped on pretty quickly," said Michael DiMella, the association's president and managing partner of Charlesgate Realty Group in Boston. "We're still seeing some multiple offers and bidding wars, although not as much."

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Quincy residents to be left with emergency facility only

The long-struggling Quincy Medical Center will permanently close its doors tomorrow, leaving Quincy residents without an official health facility sooner than originally planned, which could spur legal action from the Attorney General's office.

"Because of significant declines in patient volume, the department has determined that this closure timeline is necessary and appropriate to protect the health and safety of patients served by QMC and the department waives the remainder of the 90-day closure notice period," Department of Public Health official Sherman Lohnes wrote Tuesday in a letter to QMC owner Steward Health Care System.

Hospitals are obligated to give 90 days' notice before closing, which would have required the medical center to stay open until February if DPH had not waived the requirement.

The for-profit company previously agreed in a contract with Attorney General Martha Coakley to keep the 196-bed center open until at least 2017, and Coakley's office has raised the possibility of taking legal action if the hospital's emergency services did not stay open past Dec. 31.

Although AG spokesmen declined to specifically comment on whether that still may be in the cards, talks with Steward were said to be ongoing.

"We have made clear that any efforts to close Quincy Medical Center must maintain emergency services beyond Dec. 31," said Brad Puffer, spokesman for Coakley. "This is an important step in that process and we are continuing our discussions with Steward."

According to a press release, Steward QMC will close at 11:59 p.m. tomorrow, and the Steward Satellite Emergency Facility will officially open at midnight.

Steward said it will keep the emergency facility open until Dec. 31, 2015, through Carney Hospital's license.

The center has been fraught with financial woes and a dwindling patient base for several years.

But the closing of the center leaves Quincy residents without a hospital and the center's health care workers in employment limbo.

Brooke Thurston, a spokeswoman for Steward, said many of the center's employees will be paid and receive benefits through Jan. 6, and that a majority will be transferred into new positions within the Steward network.

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Bitcoin now available at local stores

You can now pick up some bitcoin with that bottle of soda and bag of chips at the store down the street.

LibertyX, a company that originally made and operated bitcoin vending kiosks, has expanded to let any store sell bitcoin for cash at the register, just like anything else they have in stock.

"You hand over cash, you get a code," said Kyle Powers, co-founder of LibertyX, formerly known as Liberty Teller. A cashier gives the customer a pin number, which can be redeemed for bitcoin. LibertyX is working with 2,500 stores, mostly local businesses including convenience and computer stores, across the country in the obvious places — Cambridge and San Francisco — and some less obvious, such as Lowell and Missoula, Mont.

The move away from dedicated ATMs that sell bitcoin came from overwhelming demand, Powers said.

"We had people driving for hours," Powers said. "The whole thing was to reach areas that we couldn't otherwise."

The ATMs are still operational, including the one at South Station.

"We're doing the same thing (as the ATMs), just cheaper, faster, more convenient," Powers said.

To help LibertyX expand, the company has raised a little more than $400,000 in private investment. Project 11, the venture capital firm headed by Katie Rae, Reed Sturtevant and Bob Mason, formerly of TechStars Boston, led the investment.

Powers said much has been made of bitcoin's ups and downs, but he continues to have faith in the online currency.

"Bitcoin is like gold, except the market is a thousand times younger" he said. "What we're doing is a fundamental, foundational piece of the bitcoin ecosystem."

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Single-family home sales fall in Nov.

Single-family home sales fell last month while the median price rose, particularly in Greater Boston, driven by a continuing shortage of inventory, according to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors.

Statewide, the number of closed sales dropped by 6.7 percent, from 3,817 in November 2013 to 3,560 last month, while the median price increased 4.4 percent, from $316,000 to $330,000 over the same period, MAR statistics show.

Condominium sales fell even more precipitously — by 10.2 percent — from 1,494 to 1,342, but the median price increased only 1 percent, from $299,000 to $302,000.

"Both the falling numbers of sales and the increasing median prices are a reflection of low inventory," said MAR President Peter Ruffini. "There's a lack of affordable housing for first-time buyers. It's very rare to see new construction priced at under $400,000. That's simply not a viable price point for most people looking to enter the housing market."

In the Metro Boston area, the median selling price for a single-family home rose even more dramatically — by 9.4 percent, the largest percentage increase since April — from $480,000 in November 2013 to $525,000 last month, the highest median home price ever recorded for November in the area, according to the Greater Boston Association of Realtors.

"Even at these prices, what is available is being jumped on pretty quickly," said Michael DiMella, the association's president and managing partner of Charlesgate Realty Group in Boston. "We're still seeing some multiple offers and bidding wars, although not as much."

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The Ticker

Pier 4 owner cashes out

Pier 4 master developer New England Development has cashed out of the 1-million-square-foot South Boston waterfront project, selling 130 and 140 Northern Ave. to the deeper-pocketed Tishman Speyer, the New York owner of properties including Rockefeller Center, Chrysler Center and Yankee Stadium.

The Newton company sold the two Seaport District parcels, which had been slated for an office building, a separate condominium building and waterfront public park, for $70 million, according to Registry of Deeds documents filed yesterday.

New England Development executives could not be reached for comment. Tishman Speyer, which also owns 125 High St. and One Federal St. in Boston, declined comment, but is expected to move faster with the development of the two parcels.

New Balance seeks sneaker design ruling

Boston's New Balance has filed pre-emptive court action against Massachusetts rival Converse to protect its ability to continue selling its 77-year-old PF Flyers brand of sneakers.

The federal lawsuit follows the North Andover-based Converse's October trademark infringement lawsuits against Wal-Mart Stores Inc., H&M, Skechers, Ralph Lauren and 27 other retailers and companies for allegedly knocking off the design of its iconic Chuck Taylor All-Star sneakers that date to 1917.

New Balance, which wasn't included in that round of lawsuits, is asking for a U.S. District court ruling that its PF Flyers don't infringe on Converse's trademark and that Converse doesn't have exclusive rights to use the design.

"Converse brought its case to the International Trade Commission to prevent consumer confusion, to protect its legitimate intellectual property rights, and to stop the sale of knockoff Chucks, all of which remain unchanged," Converse said in a statement.

Quincy hospital to close midnight Friday

The Department of Public Health yesterday signed off on the proposed closure of Quincy Medical Center, set for midnight Friday.

Steward Health Care, the owner of the hospital, said Quincy Medical will halt operations Dec. 26, at 11:59 p.m., with a satellite emergency facility set to open in the same location at 12 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 27.

Steward said that Quincy Medical, as of yesterday, no longer has any inpatients.

Local elected officials have criticized Steward for the speed with which the for-profit company has moved to close the hospital after it claimed in November that it suffered financial losses and a decreasing number of patients at the Quincy hospital.

Cornerstone Pub to be redeveloped

The Cornerstone Pub and Restaurant in South Boston will soon be history as a developer has filed a project notification form with the city to build a mixed-use development on the 14 West Broadway site. The Southie landmark, which sits across from the Broadway T station, will be razed and replaced with a complex that would include 47 residential units, commercial and retail space, a ground-floor restaurant and garage parking.

THE SHUFFLE

Emmanuelle Debouverie has joined Boston-based criminal defense firm Rankin & Sultan as an associate. Debouverie was previously an associate at Clifford Chance.

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Record Dow, U.S. growth spurs biz, consumer hopes

Business is booming again, the economy is going "gangbusters" and there's no end in sight, as even recession-weary economists are taking heart from yesterday's record high Dow and a revised report showing the biggest quarterly growth in the U.S. in more than a decade.

"This market is on a tear. There's momentum in place that will continue. All good things are happening right now," said Christine Armstrong, a senior vice president at Morgan Stanley in Boston.

"We have kicked and clawed and scratched our way to these record highs," Armstrong said. "We don't have anything that's taking our focus away from what's a good, solid, strengthening economy that looks good in the future as well."

The Dow closed at an all time high of 18,024.17, up 0.36 percent, after the government revised gross domestic product growth in the July-September third quarter to a whopping
5 percent — the largest quarterly gain since the summer of 2003. The GDP was revised upward from 3.9 percent.

"The higher numbers instill greater consumer or business confidence to add some credence to the durability and sustainability of the recovery," said Doug Handler, chief U.S. economist for IHS Global Insight. "It was really gangbusters."

The Standard and Poor's 500 index also posted a record high — its 50th record high this year, according to Armstrong.

The third-quarter growth came on the heels of 
4.6 percent growth in the GDP in the April-June second quarter.

"The revisions were reflective of a stronger consumer, and more business investment," said Lindsay Piegza, chief economist of Stern Agee, in a research note. "In a word, wow!"

The Commerce Department yesterday also reported that consumer spending increased 0.6 percent in November, the most in three months, and income rose 0.4 percent, the biggest gain in five months. Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of the GDP, so that increase is likely to contribute to strong economic growth in the fourth quarter.

"It's pointing to a better fourth quarter than anticipated," said Handler. "November looks like it was a really good month."

Consumer spending has been buoyed in large part by a strengthening job market and plunging gas prices. According to AAA, gas prices have fallen for 88 straight days, the longest stretch on record, and cheaper fuel has acted as an unexpected tax cut for consumers, experts said.

In its research note, IHS said third-quarter GDP did not include a bump from lower gas prices, but Armstrong sees a bright forecast for the economy in the new year.

"It continues to be a good market and we'll probably have another few good years left," she said. "We're going to be seeing these big ups and big downs. It's going to be two or three steps forward, one step back."

Sal Guatieri, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, said he expects consumer spending to fuel economic growth of 2.6 percent in the current October-December period. Guatieri also foresees solid growth of 3.1 percent next year, which would be the best performance since the economy grew 3.3 percent in 2005.

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Sony tries to save face with 'Interview' flip-flop

ATLANTA — Sony's flip-flop on releasing "The Interview" shows the studio is working furiously to try to chart the right course through political and public-opinion minefields.

Although analysts don't believe the decision will have any effect on Sony's image, it will at least give the movie-going public a chance to vote with their wallets and send North Korea a protest message.

Last week, Sony canceled the Christmas Day release of "The Interview" in the wake of an extensive hacking attack and release of confidential emails by a group linked with North Korea. The movie stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as journalists tasked by the CIA with killing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The hackers threatened violence if Sony didn't pull the movie. Sony did so after major theater chains decided not to screen it.

But the company then wavered in the face of public outcry and criticism from President Barack Obama. On Tuesday, Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said Seth Rogen's North Korea farce "will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day."

The film is set to open in over 200 theaters, down from an original release planned in 3,000. Atlanta's Plaza Theater and 16 theaters that are part of the Alamo Drafthouse chain in Texas are among those that plan to show it.

Lynton said Sony also is continuing its efforts to release the movie in more theaters and through more platforms — namely digital channels, such as Internet streaming or video on demand on cable systems. But Sony isn't offering specifics. Starz, which has first pay TV and streaming rights to Sony releases, didn't respond to requests for comment. Streaming service Netflix declined comment, while YouTube didn't respond to requests.

Plaza Theater owner Michael Furlinger said he was thrilled to be showing the movie. He canceled plans to fly to Long Island, New York, to see his parents for the holidays.

"We play a lot of controversial pictures, things I don't necessarily agree with, but I will never censor them," he said. "It's not for me to decide. It's for the customer to decide. If they want to come, they'll spend their money. If they don't, that's their choice. It should not be the choice of somebody from North Korea or China or anywhere else."

Atlanta Police spokesman Sgt. Greg Lyon said police will monitor the location for potential threats, but he wouldn't discuss specifics. Furlinger said the theater will take some precautions, though he said he wasn't worried about the threats.

If anything, the controversy has raised awareness about the movie. Although fewer theaters are showing it, those theaters might be more packed than they would have been otherwise.

Anthony LoRusso, 54, of Atlanta, thought the premise of the movie was "silly" and initially planned to wait for the DVD. Now, he plans to see it at The Plaza.

Colby Cohen, 29, of Atlanta said he probably would have seen it anyway, but the brief cancellation made him want to see it more.

"I'm going to get to fight terrorism on Christmas Day now," he said.

Because Sony has been wavering on its release of "The Interview" since last week, deciding to release it after all should not have a major effect on its image. Laura Ries, president of Atlanta-based branding consulting company Ries & Ries, said most moviegoers don't tie movies with the studio that makes them in the first place.

If Sony ends up expanding the theatrical release and sells the movie through digital channels, it could end up recouping some of its box offices losses. Doug Stone, president of film industry newsletter Box Office Analyst, had estimated domestic box office for the movie would be $75 million to $100 million, of which Sony keeps about 55 percent. But the release is too limited so far to give Sony much of a financial bump.

Furthermore, costly damage from the email leaks to relationships and future projects cannot be recouped, and there is a threat of more leaks as Sony plans on releasing the film now.

"Panic-based decisions are not sound crisis management," said Jonathan Bernstein, president of Los Angeles-based crisis management company Bernstein Crisis Management. The studio is making decisions too quickly and could face more embarrassment if hackers leak additional documents and emails in retaliation for showing the movie, he said. He said Sony should have waited until it is sure it can protect itself.

Still, moviegoers seemed enthusiastic Tuesday. Isaac Sokol, a 21-year-old university student in the Dallas suburb of Richardson, bought two tickets for a Christmas night show at the Alamo Drafthouse theater in Richardson.

"The only way to tackle world conflicts and human rights violations and all of the dreaded things around the world is to take them with a grain of salt," he said. "If you don't, it's going to just be sadness."

The Alamo Drafthouse said many showtimes across the chain were selling out for Christmas Day, but the company did not provide specifics.

Once James Wallace, the Richardson theater's creative manager, received word Tuesday morning that the movie was back on, the theater got to work preparing for several shows. Among other touches, the theater will offer a patriotic menu featuring burgers, "freedom fries" and apple pie.

"You better believe it's going to be all-American," Wallace said.

___

AP Film Writer Jake Coyle in New York and AP writers Kathleen Foody in Atlanta, Nomaan Merchant in Dallas, Joseph Pisani in New York and Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report.

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Sony threatens legal action against Twitter after users post hacked emails

Sony Pictures Entertainment is threatening Twitter with legal action and is calling on the social media platform to prevent its users from posting emails exposed during the recent hack of the studio.

In a letter sent to Twitter's general counsel by Sony Pictures' attorney David Boies, the company threatens that if "stolen information continues to be disseminated by Twitter in any manner," Sony will "hold Twitter responsible for any damage or loss arising from such use or dissemination by Twitter."

One letter cited musician Val Broeksmit, in particular, whose Twitter feed includes screenshots of emails by Sony execs including Michael Lynton, Amy Pascal, Clint Culpepper, Hannah Minghella, Doug Belgrad and Dwight Caines, among others.

Sony also demanded Twitter "comply with all future requests with regard to any other account holder seeking to disseminate the Stolen Information via Twitter. In addition, we ask that you provide the Account Holder with a copy of this letter, and request that the Account Holder cease publication of the Stolen Information on Twitter."

"SPE does not consent to Twitter's or any Twitter account holder's possession, review, copying, dissemination, publication, uploading, downloading, or making any use of the Stolen Information, and to request your cooperation in suspending the Account Holder's Twitter account and the account of any other user seeking to disseminate the Stolen Information via Twitter," according to an email.

In response, Twitter sent Broeksmit a message letting him know that the platform "cannot provide legal advice" and that he "may wish to contact your own attorney about this matter."

While Twitter does not let its users post another person's private information via text or images, it does not prevent users to link to that kind of information through posts.

Reddit currently bans users who post links of emails and other documents stolen from Sony's computer servers, but does not prevent them from posting news stories of the hacks. It already had taken down a forum that included links to the hacked documents.

Earlier this month, Sony's attorneys demanded press destroy any information it may have obtained after information and emails were leaked online and emailed to journalists.

The letter, sent from Boies to Twitter's general counsel, Vijaya Gadde, and subsequent emails to Broeksmit, were first reported by Motherboard.

Broeksmit has told Vice that "I'm not with a newspaper and I think I can get away with it. It's important -- the reason is it's so new and different from anything we've seen before."

The musician started posting images of Sony emails after hackers, calling themselves the "Guardians of Peace," posted data and films stolen from SPE online, including salaries of top execs and personal info for thousands of current and former employees, forcing the studio to ultimately pull the Christmas Day release of the comedy "The Interview," starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, in which North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is assassinated.

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

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Business Protocol: Toe the line in kissing under mistletoe at holiday parties

Hung over a doorway during Christmas, mistletoe remains one of the season's most beloved traditions.

They say mistletoe has spiritual and healing powers. It is also said to be a sexual symbol and an aphrodisiac. One legend states couples kissing underneath mistletoe will have good luck but a couple not performing the ritual will have bad luck. And while mistletoe is widely viewed as a symbol of love, it was traditionally a symbol of peace. Enemies who encountered each other underneath mistletoe-bearing trees are supposed lay down their arms, embrace and agree to a truce until the next day. This gesture of goodwill evolved into the custom of kissing as we know it today.

Finding yourself underneath the mistletoe can be festive and fun, especially after a few cocktails, but be careful not to get cornered … or carried away! For starters, full "lip lock" should be reserved for your spouse/significant other.

Here are some options to consider before you get near those innocent-looking dangling sprigs:

• Consider kissing at least one other person before an office crush, to conceal your true intentions!

• Men should consider offering a female co-worker the hand kiss, showing the ultimate respect.

• Rest your hands on the other person's shoulders to help respect personal space/comfort zone issues:

• The cheek kiss — always appropriate.

• The "never wrong" air kiss, even better, while simultaneously shaking the other person's right hand, and squelch any budding office rumors.

• The corner to corner kiss — allowing the corner of your lips to just barely touch their lips.

• The motherly forehead kiss.

• Finally, you will never go wrong with the old-fashioned handshake.

Some other things to bear in mind: Your mistletoe should be real — with white berries. Fake mistletoe is tacky. If the berries are red, it's probably holly. Hang it from the ceiling — beforehand! Don't walk around with it, holding it over people.

And tradition calls for men to remove a berry when they kiss a woman. When all the berries are gone, the kissing is over.

Bottom line: Treat other people with respect and defer to their wishes while protecting your own dignity and reputation. And if you're uncomfortable with any of this ... steer clear of the mistletoe!

Judith Bowman is the president and founder of Protocol Consultants International and author of "Don't Take the Last Donut: New Rules of Business Etiquette" and "How to Stand Apart @ Work ... Transforming '"Fine'" to Fabulous!" Email her at Judith@ProtocolConsultants.com.

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Two top execs leaving MassChallenge

Two members of MassChallenge's executive team are stepping down.

In emails yesterday, Akhil Nigam, president and co-founder of the Boston-based startup accelerator and competition, and Karl Buttner, chief mentorship officer, said they will remain advisers to the organization but did not say what their next career move would be or who would replace them.

"Akhil and Karl are two of the most dedicated, sincere, enthusiastic and fun people I know ," John Harthorne, co-founder and CEO, said in a separate email. "We've been planning for this moment for a while now. MassChallenge has made some new hires, reorganized the team and worked to ensure a smooth transition. We'll announce more in the coming months as we head into an exciting 2015."

Nigam, a Harvard Business School alumnus and former Bain and Co. employee, did not say why he is leaving. Buttner, an MIT graduate, said he is trading his "lengthy car commute" to spend more time with his family.

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Netflix cuts CEO Reed Hastings salary

Netflix said co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings' baseline salary would be $1 million in 2015 -- down from $3 million this year -- in a regulatory filing.

At the same time, Hastings had an annual stock-option allowance worth up to $13.7 million of shares, per Netflix's filing.

Also in the 8-K filing, Netflix said CFO David Wells would receive $2 million in salary and up to $1.675 million value in the company's stock-option allowance. Chief content officer Ted Sarandos, with a $1 million salary, will receive $9.6 million value in stock options as well as up to $2 million in bonus for 2015.

In other compensation: Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt stands to receive $1 million in salary as well as $1.87 million worth of stock options and up to $5 million in bonus. Greg Peters, chief of Netflix's streaming and partnerships office, will earn $1 million as well as 2.725 million stock options and a potential $1 million bonus, according to the company's regulatory filing.

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

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Keurig recalls 'Mini Plus' coffee makers

WASHINGTON — Keurig is recalling some 7 million of single-serve coffee brewing machines because of reported burns.

Keurig says its Mini Plus Brewing Systems, with model number K10, can overheat and spray water during brewing. Keurig says it had received about 200 reports of hot liquid escaping from the brewer, including 90 reports of burn-related injuries.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission released details on the recall Tuesday. The recalled brewers have an identification number starting with "31" printed on the bottom. They were sold online and in stores in the U.S. and Canada between 2009 and 2014.

Consumers are being urged to call Keurig Green Mountain Inc. of Waterbury, Vermont, at 1-844-255-7886 to arrange for free repair.

___

On the Web:

http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2015/Keurig-Recalls-MINI-Plus-Brewing-Systems/

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Cambridge frets over business climate

Two of Cambridge's top priorities — supporting biotech companies and being green — are in a tug-of-war as the city mulls tougher emissions standards for new construction.

A city task force has been meeting for nearly a year to come up with a way for new buildings in Cambridge to be "net zero" to significantly reduce emissions. But some of the most energy-intensive buildings in Cambridge are biotech labs, which require a significant amount of specialized infrastructure, including high-powered ventilation systems to deal with any potentially hazardous gases.

"We want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment," said Susanne Rasmussen, director of environmental and transportation planning for Cambridge and co-chairwoman of the task force. "The actions we take could have much broader impact than in our own community."

Joe McGuire, vice-president of development for Alexandria Real Estate Equities, one of the largest developers of lab space in Cambridge and also a member of the task force, said, "There are less than a handful of cases where a lab can be made net zero. (Labs) could be five or six times more expensive (to power) than an office building."

He said his own company makes energy efficiency a priority, but developing a net-zero emissions lab in Cambridge would be nearly impossible.

Because Cambridge is so densely packed, particularly in Kendall Square where most labs sit, there is less room for renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar panels.

McGuire estimates roughly half of Cambridge's commercial office space is taken up by laboratories, a far greater percentage than anywhere else in the world.

"It's impossible with technology that's currently available to build a 200k-square-foot lab building that's net zero," said Peter Abair, director of economic development for the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.

McGuire said increased costs to developers will be passed on to companies, some of which may start to look outside of Cambridge if the cost gets too high.

"I'm concerned that what Cambridge does is so aggressive that it makes other communities more attractive," he said.

The task force is anticipating that there will be significant technological breakthroughs in the coming years for renewable energy.

Under current plans, which have not been finalized, the task force would require new lab space to have net-zero emissions by 2030.

"We recognize that laboratory buildings have unique circumstances that make them at least right now have a higher energy consumption," Rasmussen said.

The task force plans to reevaluate the timeline and other regulations every five years.

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Sony lawyer says 'The Interview' 'will be distributed'

"The Interview" will see the light of day, according to Sony lawyer David Boies.

Boies appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday and claimed that Sony's controversial comedy "The Interview" "will be distributed." How it will be distributed, however, he admitted is unclear right now.

"Sony only delayed this," Boies told "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd. "Sony has been fighting to get this picture distributed. It will be distributed. How it's going to be distributed, I don't think anybody knows quite yet. But it's going to be distributed."

On Wednesday, the same day Sony pulled the Christmas Day theatrical release of "The Interview," the studio said it has "no further release plans" for the comedy, which stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as a duo attempting to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

On Friday, Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton said Sony "immediately began actively surveying alternatives" to release the film on a different platform.

Boies also touched on President Obama's comments on the aftermath of the Sony hack attack.

"I think that what we have to do is use the President's recognition of the importance of this issue as a rallying cry, so that all Americans can unite against what is really a threat to our national security," said Boies. "If state-sponsored criminal acts like this can be directed against Sony, it can be directed against anybody."

Obama has been critical of Sony's decision in the last week, saying the studio "made a mistake" in pulling the theatrical release of the film.

"We can not have a society in which some dictator some place can start imposing censorship in the United States, because if somebody is able to intimidate us out of releasing a satirical movie, imagine what they start doing once they see a documentary that they don't like or news reports that they don't like," Obama said. "That's now who we are. That's not what America is about."

Obama also called the hack attack "cyber vandalism," rather than an act of war.

"I'm not debating whether it ought to be called 'criminal,' 'vandalism,' 'terrorism.' What we know is that that was a state-sponsored attack on the privacy of an American corporation and its employees," Boies said.

Sony pulled "The Interview's" theatrical release after a number of large theater chains refused to show it, due to threats in which hackers evoked the memory of 9/11 in claiming they would attack theaters that showed the film.

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

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Global markets gain as oil rebounds

SEOUL, South Korea — Global markets were mostly higher Monday after the Federal Reserve's pledge not to rush to raise interest rates prompted investors to add risky assets ahead of the year-end holiday. A rise in the price of oil boosted energy stocks.

KEEPING SCORE: Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1 percent to 6,607.17 while Germany's DAX gained 0.8 percent to 9,862.75. France's CAC 40 advanced 1.1 percent to 4,288.34. Wall Street appeared to be headed for another day of gains, with futures for the Standard & Poor's 500 and Dow Jones industrial average both up 0.3 percent.

ASIA'S DAY: China's Shanghai Composite Index was up 1.6 percent to 3,158.94. South Korea's Kospi added 0.7 percent to 1,943.77 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.5 percent to 23,452.25. Japan's Nikkei 225 dipped 0.1 percent to 17,610.33 while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1.9 percent to 5,422.00. Stocks in Southeast Asia and Taiwan also rose.

ANALYST'S TAKE: "Our markets have opened firmer after the strong rebound in energy prices," said Tony Kwok, a sales trader in Sydney for CMC Markets. "Oil futures in particular, jumped 3.3 percent, despite Saudi Arabia refusing to cut production, which is seen as a very positive sign for the recently battered commodity."

OIL REBOUND: Saudi Petroleum Minister Ali Naimi said Sunday that he was certain the oil market would recover with the improvement of the global economy. Oil peaked at $107 a barrel in June but has plunged since then due to weak demand, especially after Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries agreed to maintain production levels. Naimi, in a speech at an energy summit in Abu Dhabi, denied his government was trying to suppress oil prices.

ENERGY STOCKS: Shares of energy companies, which have underperformed benchmarks, made gains as crude prices rebounded after the Saudi petroleum chief, Naimi, expressed confidence the market would stabilize. State-owned Chinese oil and gas producer PetroChina Co. jumped 4 percent while another state-owned energy company, Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co., advanced 2.6 percent.

FED PLEDGE: Last week's volatile stock movements found an upward direction after the Federal Reserve reassured investors on Wednesday it was in "no hurry" to hike interest rates and that a rate hike will not take place during the first quarter of next year. The news emboldened investors and the U.S. dollar rose against other major currencies.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude was up 56 cents to $57.69 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $2.77 on Friday to settle at $57.13 a barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose $2.03 to $62.04 per barrel in London.

CURRENCIES: The dollar strengthened to 119.838 yen while the euro rose to $1.226 from $1.2230.

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'The Interview' fallout: theater owners angry at Sony for shifting blame

Theater owners are incensed that Sony Pictures Entertainment has insisted in public statements that they are the major reason the studio canceled the release of "The Interview."

Exhibitors believe that they are being made the scapegoat for the cancellation when many of them only wanted the film's premiere to be delayed or modified, three theater industry executives tell Variety.

After hackers threatened theaters that screened "The Interview" and moviegoers who bought tickets to the film while evoking the memory of 9/11, Sony said in a statement last week that the majority of exhibitors cancelled their bookings. That characterization has been disputed in exhibition circles. The exhibition executives said that several chains asked only to delay playing the movie until the authorities could discover who was behind the message or had apprehended the criminals who hacked the studio.

Authorities have since said that North Korea is behind the hackings as punishment for Sony backing "The Interview," which centers on a plot to kill the country's leader Kim Jong-un.

In an interview with CNN on Friday, Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said, "The only decision that we have made with respect to release of the film was not to release it on Christmas Day in theaters, after the theater owners declined to show it...Without theaters, we could not release it in the theaters on Christmas Day. We had no choice."

His remarks came after President Barack Obama said Sony had made a "mistake" in pulling the film because it emboldened the North Korean hackers who have tormented the studio for weeks. Lynton said Sony still hopes to release the film.

Following his interview on CNN, Lynton reached out the heads of major theater chains such as Carmike, Regal and AMC by phone to say that he had not meant to imply they were wholly responsible for the film being pulled and that he understood their safety concerns. Those conversations were civil on both sides, according to individuals with knowledge.

His words may not have done enough to assuage feelings across the exhibition industry. Among the repercussions being weighed are that some exhibitors will refuse to pay Sony the film terms they once did or will decline to guarantee the same screen counts for its lower profile films. They may also be more lax when it comes to promoting Sony films on their websites or in their theaters with posters and other materials. These potential measures have yet to be communicated to Sony.

Sony Pictures still hopes to release "The Interview" by the end of 2014, but the comedy will likely forgo a theatrical release, according to a source close to studio.

Instead, the film will be made available through a patchwork of electronic sell through, video on demand and other home entertainment platforms, the source said. There may be some road blocks. No major distributor has signed on yet and some have expressed concerns that they will be targeted by the hackers who have terrorized Sony for weeks if they carry the picture.

Even if the film secures enough distribution platforms, it may have difficulty recouping the roughly $75 million the studio spent to make and market the picture.

There will also be ruffled feathers to smooth over with theater owners, particularly those that dispute Sony's claims that their refusal to show the picture led the studio to pull the film. Some theater chains, including Canadian chain Cineplex, suggested opening the film in limited release in a few key markets over the holidays in order to gauge if threats were real. Others, such as Carmike, were careful to say in public statements that they were delaying the release.

Instead of postponing the release or doing a limited rollout, Sony said Wednesday that it had no further release plans for the film - a position it has since modified.

A spokesman for Sony declined to comment.

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

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Sony's hacking crisis: The film and television giant is powerless to stop a devastating barrage of information leaks

"We've already warned you, and this is just the beginning."

Those ominous words popped up on computer screens at Sony Pictures Entertainment November 24, when hackers calling themselves #GOP - Guardians of Peace - threatened to take the movie and TV production company's "top secret" info public. Although the note detailed no demands, it continued: "If you don't obey us, we'll release data . . . to the world."

It was no idle threat. Since December 1, #GOP has leaked wave after wave of confidential details about 47,000 employees and stars linked to Sony projects. No data is sacred: Files have included screeners (a downloadable Annie?), scripts (read the new Bond film!), sensitive medical info, stars' Social Security numbers, even unfiltered emails between execs and producers. (Sony cochair Amy Pascal and producer Scott Rudin, both 56, have issued apologies.) At presstime, the hackers hadn't been identified (one theory blamed North Korea, retaliating for The Interview's plot about assassinating leader Kim Jong-un, but the country has denied involvement). And a source says the Sony mood is tense: "People are trying to focus on work, but everyone is rattled." Us lays out the big reveals.

Re: "Spoiled Brat" Angelina Jolie

Corresponding with Pascal, Moneyball producer Rudin called Angelina Jolie, 39, "childish" and "a minimally talented spoiled brat" for allegedly trying to lure director David Fincher from his Steve Jobs biopic to her Cleopatra remake. "You better shut Angie down," Rudin warned. As for Jolie, she "tunes it all out," says a source. "She's been called every name."

Re: Presidential Picks

Discussing Barack Obama's attendance at a 2013 event, Pascal wrote the ugly comment: "Should I ask him if he liked Django (Unchained)?" Rudin's reply - "12 Years (a Slave)" - started them riffing on films with black stars. After a December 11 apology, Pascal contacted the Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Meanwhile, Shonda Rhimes took issue with the mea culpa, which referenced "insensitive" language without calling it "racist." Tweeted the TV producer: "U can put a cherry on a pile of sh*t but it don't make it a sundae."

Re: "Whore" Kevin Hart

The comic, 35, asked for cash on top of his $3 million salary to hype Think Like a Man Too on social media. "I'm not saying he's a whore, but he's a whore," Sony exec Clint Culpepper fumed to Pascal via email. Hart Instagrammed (for free!) December 11: "I look at myself as a brand and . . . will never allow myself to be taken advantage of."

Re: Secrets and Lies

The leaked files feature plenty of star cameos. Aliases for Jessica Alba ("Cash Money"), Natalie Portman ("Lauren Brown") and other A-listers were blown. In a January exchange, George Clooney begged Pascal for "protection" from poor reviews of his film The Monuments Men ("I haven't slept in 30 hours," he wrote. "I fear I've let you all down"). In May, ex-Sony actor Joel McHale requested a price break on an $8,000 Sony TV for his own use. And in September, Pascal dubbed Leonardo DiCaprio "despicable" for pulling out of Jobs. Now #GOP is promising a "Christmas gift" of even more secrets December 25. Says a source, "The worst is yet to come."

The Scandal's Key Figures: Amy Pascal

"I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy," the beleaguered Sony cochair told The Wrap.

Scott Rudin

Pascal's partner in ill-advised email said his "thoughtless" remarks were "meant only to be funny."

Seth Rogen & James Fanco

Their controversial flick The Interview was scrutinized as a possible cause. Then their pay was leaked!

(c)2014 Us Weekly. First published in Us Weekly Magazine.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Research shows owners coming up short on home values

WASHINGTON — Do American homeowners think their properties are worth less than the actual market value, as measured by professional appraisers?

Highly unlikely, you'd probably say. Everybody knows that owners tend to have optimistic impressions of what their homes are worth. They know how much money they've sunk into improving the place and they know — or think they know — the prices for houses in the neighborhood.

But provocative new research from the country's second-largest mortgage lender suggests the opposite may be true. According to new statistical analyses by Quicken Loans, owners on average now underestimate the value of their homes by 1.6 percent compared with appraisers' valuations.

Using massive databases of 50,000 to 60,000 new applications for mortgage refinancings per month, Quicken has created what it calls the Home Price Perception Index to measure the differences between owners' upfront estimates — routinely provided to loan officers as part of the application process — and the appraisals that are subsequently performed.

During November, owners seeking to refinance in roughly three-quarters of the major metropolitan areas covered by the index had lower estimates of their homes' worth than what turned out to be the appraised value, according to researchers. The dollar differences were not huge in most cases — between $2,000 and $4,000 on a $200,000 home. But in a few markets they were considerably larger. Owners in San Jose, Calif., estimated their houses to be worth 
6 percent less than the value subsequently determined by appraisers. With a median sale price of $860,000 for existing homes during the third quarter, a 6 percent perception gap translates into big bucks — $51,600.

In Los Angeles, applicants for refinancings underestimated values on average by 3.8 percent ($482,000 estimate versus $499,641 appraisal); in Seattle, the gap was 2.8 percent ($360,000 versus $370,080); Miami 2.3 percent ($270,000 versus $276,210); Boston 2.2 percent ($400,000 versus $408,880). In the Washington, D.C., area, the gap was 1.8 percent ($389,000 versus $395,885).

Owners overestimated values in a handful of major markets. In Philadelphia, the gap was 1.6 percent, Charlotte, N.C., 
1.3 percent and Chicago 0.3 percent. Quicken researchers found the widespread pattern of undervaluation is in distinct contrast with owners' estimates a few years ago, which often were far out of sync with appraisers' reports.

At the peak of the housing bubble in 2005-06, appraisals often came in below owners' estimates, in part because prices were spiraling upward at double-digit rates in overheated markets. In the recession years following the bust, the gap between what owners believed their homes to be worth and appraisers' valuations gradually narrowed, and by 2013, with the market rebounding solidly in many areas, it virtually disappeared. More recently, the trend has shifted to slight underestimations by owners.

Why are owners a little behind on pricing? Quicken chief economist Bob Walters attributes it in part to the fact that owners are more likely than professional appraisers to lag market trends. "Appraisers are looking at the market all the time," he said in an interview. Owners, especially those who are seeking to refinance but not sell, aren't as likely to stay on top of month-to-month changes.

Appraisers I contacted for reactions generally were skeptical of the Quicken index findings. Kenneth J. Mullinix of Laguna Beach, Calif., said "never" in 20 years in the business "have I done an appraisal where the owner has said to me, 'Wow, the appraised value is higher than I thought."

But one nationally known appraisal expert, Gary Crabtree of Bakersfield, Calif., thinks that Quicken may be on to something. "Today's homeowners have access to numerous (online) valuation tools and multiple listing service systems that they didn't have" until recently, he said in an email. As a result, they "tend to more closely track the market conditions in their neighborhood."

Does it matter much if you underestimate your home's worth by a percentage point or two? It definitely does if you plan to sell — you could end up leaving money on the table.

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US mulls putting NKorea on terrorism sponsor list

HONOLULU — The United States is reviewing whether to put North Korea back onto its list of state sponsors of terrorism, President Barack Obama said as the U.S. decides how to respond to the cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment that law enforcement has blamed on the communist nation.

Obama described the hacking case as a "very costly, very expensive" example of cybervandalism, but did not call it an act of war. In trying to fashion a proportionate response, the president said the U.S. would examine the facts to determine whether North Korea should find itself back on the terrorism sponsors list.

"We're going to review those through a process that's already in place," Obama told CNN's "State of the Union" in an interview to air Sunday. "I'll wait to review what the findings are."

North Korea spent two decades on the list until the Bush administration removed it in 2008 during nuclear negotiations. Some lawmakers have called for the designation to be restored following the hack that led Sony to cancel the release of a big-budget film that North Korea found offensive.

Only Iran, Sudan, Syria and Cuba remain on the list, which triggers sanctions that limit U.S. aid, defense exports and certain financial transactions.

But adding North Korea back could be difficult. To meet the criteria, the State Department must determine that a country has repeatedly supported acts of international terrorism, a definition that traditionally has referred to violent, physical attacks rather than hacking.

Obama also leveled fresh criticism against Sony over its decision to shelve "The Interview," despite the company's insistence that its hand was forced after movie theaters refused to show it.

While professing sympathy for Sony's situation, Obama suggested he might have been able to help address the problem if given the chance.

"You know, had they talked to me directly about this decision, I might have called the movie theater chains and distributors and asked them what that story was," Obama said.

Sony's CEO has disputed that the company never reached out, saying he spoke to a senior White House adviser about the situation before Sony announced the decision. White House officials said Sony did discuss cybersecurity with the federal government, but that the White House was never consulted on the decision not to distribute the film.

"Sometimes this is a matter of setting a tone and being very clear that we're not going to be intimidated by some, you know, cyberhackers," Obama said. "And I expect all of us to remember that and operate on that basis going forward."

North Korea has denied hacking the studio, and on Saturday proposed a joint investigation with the U.S. to determine the true culprit. The White House rejected the idea and said it was confident North Korea was responsible.

But the next decision — how to respond — is hanging over the president as he vacations with his family in Hawaii.

Obama's options are limited. The U.S. already has trade penalties in place and there is no appetite for military action.

___

Reach Josh Lederman at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP

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Foreign-trained med workers need help

Massachusetts needs more centralized information on relicensing pathways, improved career supports at workforce-development and educational institutions, and a review of licensure regulations to help the state's more than 12,000 foreign-born health care professionals, according to a new report.

More than one in five foreign-trained health care professionals in Massachusetts are unemployed or working in low-wage, low-skill jobs because they have limited English proficiency, lack help navigating complex and costly relicensing requirements, or have trouble completing the relicensing process while holding down low-paying "survival jobs," according to the Governor's Advisory Council on Refugees and Immigrants' Task Force on Immigrant Healthcare Professionals.

And with an aging native-born workforce, a projected increase from 12 percent to 30 percent in statewide demand for clinicians in all fields by 2020, and an increasingly diverse state population in need of linguistically and culturally competent health care services, the state cannot afford to ignore these barriers to the skills foreign-trained health care professionals have to offer, the report says.

"This is an opportunity to help the commonwealth capitalize on these skills for our economy and our health care system," said Eva Millona, co-chairman of the Governor's Advisory Council and executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. "It's a win-win for everybody."

The report's recommendations include the creation of a user-friendly, centralized online portal featuring detailed relicensing information and career-development resources for foreign-trained immigrants in licensed professions, with an initial focus on health care; the promotion of pilot programs at one-stop career centers and community colleges that could offer these professionals expert career supports; collaborations with professional associations and philanthropies to pilot funding tools such as a microloan fund to help low-income, foreign-trained professionals cover the educational, testing and licensing costs of re-entering their fields; and the establishment of a staff position in the Office for Refugees and Immigrants to oversee immigrant integration policy, including career pathways for foreign-trained professionals.

Tim Buckley, a spokesman for Gov.-elect Charlie Baker, said Baker "will continue to pursue reforms that grow Massachusetts' economy and strengthen our health care system, and looks forward to reviewing the recommendations of MIRA and all stakeholders involved in the process."

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New radiator for Frontier a precaution worth taking

I have a 2008 Nissan Frontier with the 4-liter engine, automatic transmission and 88,000 miles. In checking the Internet, apparently 2005-2010 Frontiers, Pathfinders and Xterras have had an issue with the radiator/transmission cooler failing, which results in coolant getting into the transmission and ruining it. Nissan states that the problem will only occur with a small percentage of vehicles. Nissan has extended the warranty on the radiator to 100,000 miles albeit with a $2,500-$3,000 deductible. I am considering proactively replacing the radiator just for the peace of mind. Do you have any recommendations on whether I should replace the radiator proactively or take my chances?

I confirmed the information you provided and understand the dilemma you face. You have three choices. Recognizing that this problem apparently affects a relatively small number of vehicles, you could ignore the issue, continue to drive your truck and keep your fingers crossed. Or, you could check the coolant and transmission fluids for correct levels or contamination on virtually a daily basis, hoping to catch the problem before it damages the transmission.

Or, as you are considering, pre-empt the issue and replace the radiator now. Since a new radiator from Nissan lists for over $650 plus three hours of labor to install it, check with cooling system specialists for a quote on installing an aftermarket radiator. I found exact-fit aftermarket radiators for your vehicle priced in the $100-$250 range at local auto parts stores.

If it were my vehicle and I could have a new radiator installed for under $500 — or install it myself for about half that — I'd be seriously inclined to do so.

I have a 2009 VW Jetta TDI. VW recommends oil changes at 10,000 miles using a synthetic that is only available at the dealer. My dealer says that VW hasn't seen any long-term detriment to using such a long interval. I understand the oils today are really superior in their protection. What do you think?

I really tried on this one. I researched, compared, pondered and cogitated — the whole nine yards. And yes, VW does recommend 10,000-mile oil change intervals on the TDI diesel engine. And yes, I don't think there would be any significant issues in following VW's recommendation.

But I just can't. I change oil and filter on our 2010 Passat Wagon equipped with the 2-liter turbo gasoline engine every 4,000-5,000 miles. I would do the same if it were the TDI. In this case, I see no downside in being pro-active on oil changes. Besides, it's your vehicle. You're responsible for it and you're going to pay for any repairs or excess depreciation. On top of that, the added cost for the extra oil changes is such a very, very small percentage of the total cost of ownership, depreciation, maintenance, repairs, licensing and insurance over the life of the vehicle, I don't think it should be a factor in your decision.

I am 5 feet 3 and I really like my new 2014 Honda Civic LX five-speed manual, but my left knee is only one tiny speck away from the dash and I am not 10 inches from the steering wheel, which would be dangerous if the air bag deployed. I called my dealership, my regular mechanic and a well-known body shop but I cannot find anyone who will install pedal extenders for me — apparently it's a liability issue. Could a non-mechanic like me buy pedal extenders and put them on myself?

Yes, you could. Pedal extenders are not difficult to install and I'm sure you could successfully install a set in your Civic. But before you do, check with local handicap/mobility stores in your area, specifically a store that specializes in building or outfitting handicap-equipped vehicles.

Go online to the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association — NMEDA — at www.nmeda.com for a list of authorized handicap equipment installers in your area.

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Inspections show high pricing accuracy in Massachusetts

BOSTON — Last-minute holiday shoppers can shop with confidence that prices will be accurate.

A check on prices in 124 stores throughout Massachusetts showed the highest level of pricing accuracy in a decade.

The survey by the Massachusetts Division of Standards showed that of 3,150 items checked by inspectors, 99.94 percent were found to be accurately priced when compared with the lowest advertised price on the item or the shelf.

Division of Standards Director Charles Carroll said retailers who have installed in-aisle consumer price scanners are not required to individually price mark each item. That has eliminated some pricing errors.

The inspections were done in November in 27 communities, including Concord, Mansfield, Newburyport, Pittsfield, Plymouth and Springfield.

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