Bow-front duplex is decked out

This stylish duplex condo in the Eight Streets area of the South End has had a recent high-end makeover and includes two private decks as well as an outdoor parking space.

The three-bedroom condo at 38 Upton St. No. 4, on the market for $1,995,000, occupies the top two floors of a 1899-built bow-front brownstone that was redone into four condos in 2012.

Unit 4 has a reverse layout, with the living spaces on the top floor — leading up to a private roof deck —and the bedrooms a floor below. The levels are connected by stylish oak staircases with modern iron railings.

The top floor is a contemporary-style open kitchen/dining/living area with new walnut-stained oak floors and recessed lighting.

The high-end kitchen, with two windows and a skylight, features 16 custom white cabinets, including large pantry ones, honed Absolute black granite counters and a glass-mosaic-style backsplash. There's a separate island that seats three with a prep sink, a U-Line wine cooler and built-in microwave. Stainless-steel Thermador appliances include a double-door refrigerator, gas cooktop and wall oven. There's also a cabinet-faced Bosch dishwasher.

Off the kitchen is a half bathroom with a wall-­mounted sink and there's an adjacent utilities/storage closet.

The living/dining area has a built-in gas fireplace with black-honed granite surround, and there's a dining nook in the bow-front with three windows. The far corner of the room has a full wall of built-in bookcases and a window seat with storage.

Stairs lead up to a skylight door opening onto a 25-by-14-foot private roof deck with panoramic Boston views. The deck has gas, electric and water lines.

The unit's three bedrooms are on the third floor, all with walnut-stained oak floors. The front-facing master bedroom has a bow-front window, as well as a large walk-in closet with built-in storage. The en-suite master bathroom has radiant-heated marble-tiled floors as well as marble walls and surround for a glassed-in steam shower. There's a double-sink vanity topped with white quartz countertops.

The rear-facing second bedrooms are off an oak hallway with two closets, one for storage and the other­ holding a stacked Frigidaire washer and dryer.

The second bedroom, which has a built-in Murphy bed, is on the small side. And the narrow third bedroom, which has a built-in desk and bookcase, is even smaller, better suited to its current use as a home office. But there is a glass door from this bedroom out to a private balcony with views over the South End.

A second full bathroom features slatted marble floor tiles and surround for a deep soaking tub, as well as a floating vanity.

The unit has a new two-zone gas-fired heating system with Nest thermostats and a porthole central air-conditioning system. It has a central humidification system as well as a security system.

Unit 4 also comes with a deeded oversized parking space behind the building with access to an electric charging station.

Home Showcase

• Address: 38 Upton St. No. 4, South End
• Bedrooms: Three
• Bathrooms: Two full, one half
• List price: $1,995,000
• Square feet: 1,784
• Price per square foot: $1,118
• Annual taxes: $16,246
• Monthly condo fee: $286
• Location: Block from restaurants and shops along Tremont Street, the South End's main retail district; one block in other direction to offerings on Washington Street and Silver Line stop
• Built in: 1899; redone in 2012
• Broker: Michael Harper of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage at 617-480-3938

Pros:

• Stylish kitchen with custom cabinets, center island, Thermador, Bosch appliances
• Open living area with gas fireplace, bow-front dining nook and library area
• Private roof deck with panoramic city views and second deck off guest bedroom
• Comes with one outdoor parking space near electric charging station

Cons:

• Lots of stairs to climb
• Guest bedrooms on the small side

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Nevada considering strict condom regulation for porn films

LAS VEGAS — Adult film production migrated from California to Nevada after voters in Los Angeles County approved a law requiring condom use on set. Now, a condom use requirement could follow.

Nevada health officials said Friday that they're considering strict brothel-style regulations for a booming adult film industry following the announcement last month that two male performers tested positive for HIV following a video shoot in the state.

"The potential exists to require condoms and other barrier options in all sexual contact," state Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Mary Woods said in a statement.

The idea that porn stars might have to wear protection in productions filmed in Nevada generated a buzz among some of the 25,000 attendees collecting autographs from porn stars posing in fishnet stockings and bustiers at this week's Adult Video News Expo at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

"I prefer no condoms," said Rob Tatka, a 29-year-old tourist from Chicago who collected a bag full of posters of his favorite stars to take home. "Porn is about fantasy," he said, "and honestly, no man wants to use one in real life."

Condoms can cause friction, irritation or even infection during scenes that take hours to film before being edited, said Keiran Lee, a veteran male performer who lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.

Lee, 31, said he sometimes shoots 22 scenes a month. "I have the option to use them, but I don't," he said.

Woods, in the health department statement, said it could take up to two years to collect data and public comment about the Nevada proposals, and she called it too early to know the outcome of the process.

But for conference attendees enjoying a city synonymous with sin — and a state home to the only legalized prostitution in the nation — the idea of putting condoms on actors and categorizing adult entertainment production with brothels drew criticism.

Porn actors aren't prostitutes, said Diane Duke, chief executive of the Free Speech Coalition, an industry trade group that administers strict HIV testing and a database showing pass-fail results. Duke said the database lists 6,000 porn performers since 2011.

"In a brothel, you're talking about people coming in from outside," she said. "We have performers on a closed set who go through a testing protocol."

Duke said that since 2004, there have been no documented cases of HIV transmission during scenes between professional actors in the FSC database.

The two men involved in last year's case weren't in the FSC database, Duke said. Authorities have said it appeared likely one infected the other during an unprotected gay sex scene. Details haven't been made public.

Actress Ariana Marie, 21, said she trusts the results. She said she's been in scenes with and without condoms, and called it distracting to have her partner stop to take one off at the end.

"We get tested every 14 days," Marie said. "I trust my performer."

Prostitution is legal in rural Nevada counties but not in Las Vegas and Reno. Nevada health officials say a strict testing regimen prevents transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and has never resulted in a documented case of HIV transmission in a brothel.

If porn production is regulated under the same rules, condom use would be required for all sex acts, including oral sex. Adult film performers, like Nevada's licensed prostitutes, would be required to undergo weekly testing for the sexually transmitted diseases chlamydia and gonorrhea, and monthly testing for HIV and syphilis.

Nevada currently has no rules specifically covering pornography production. And no permit is needed to film on private property, a home or in a hotel room, according to the state film office.

That made Nevada attractive to West Coast adult film producers worried about losing fans like Tatka following the adoption in Los Angeles of strict rules requiring condom use in adult film sex scenes filmed there.

After voters in Los Angeles County approved the condom requirement in 2012, the number of permits for adult films in Los Angeles dropped dramatically, from 485 in 2012 to 40 in 2013.

Meanwhile, the number of general permits for all film productions in Clark County, including Las Vegas, jumped more than 50 percent, from 226 in 2012 to 343 in 2013.

Nevada Film Office analyst Kim Spurgeon in Las Vegas said officials don't tally the number of adult film productions by category. There were 400 film production permits issued in Clark County in 2014, she said.

Problems were inevitable, said Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that serves California and Nevada.

Although the foundation was a catalyst for passage of the Los Angeles law, Weinstein professed no desire to kill the adult film industry.

"We're not against porn," Weinstein said in a telephone interview. "We want it to be safer. We think porn sends the wrong message to young people that the only kind of sex that's hot is unsafe sex."

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Governor reassures leaders local aid won’t get cut

Gov. Charlie Baker has vowed not to cut local aid to close a $765 million budget gap, and the head of the Massachusetts Municipal Association says he expects the state's chief executive will leave alone the money that is vital to cities and towns in coming years too.

"Certainly the governor and lieutenant governor have made their impressions and their thoughts known," said Kevin Dumas, the mayor of Attleboro and president of the MMA. "That would have to be a dire last circumstance. That's not something that's even being discussed right now."

Baker yesterday spoke to a crowd of roughly 900 local leaders at the MMA's annual meeting. He reiterated his pledge not to plunder local aid as he grapples with how to eliminate the 
$765 million budget shortfall.

"We've made very clear from the beginning, and we're pleased to see the Senate president and the speaker support us on this, that the path to balancing the commonwealth's budget is not going to run through local aid for the cities and towns," Baker said.

The governor also announced that Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will head up a new community compact cabinet to cut red tape for cities and towns.

"Sometimes it takes the commonwealth four, five, six, seven, eight months to respond to cities and towns on relatively simple requests that (cities and towns) need to be able to move and make decisions on," Baker said.

Dumas said he expects Baker to follow through and to be a strong partner for local communities.

"I think the governor's going to be fantastic to work with really building that strong partnership between cities and towns in Massachusetts," he said.

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Train operator fines piling up

MBTA commuter rail operator Keolis Commuter Services continues to rack up fines for delayed trains and other performance issues, with penalties totaling $1.62 million for November and December.

The MBTA, which awarded the French transportation giant an eight-year, $2.7 billion contract last January with a July start date, said 
84.37 percent of commuter rail trains arrived on time in November, with a rate of 89.82 percent in December, resulting in maximum contractual penalties of $434,425 each month.

Keolis penalties for other infractions, including station maintenance, train capacity, cleaning and staffing, were the maximum allowable $434,425 in November and $325,750 in December.

The new fines are in addition to the more than $800,000 in penalties Keolis racked up in its first five months of operations.

"While certain indicators are trending in the right direction, the penalties make it clear that there is much room for improvement," MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said. "The MBTA will continue to work with its commuter rail partner to improve service delivery and enhance our customers' overall experience."

In a statement, Keolis said it is focused on improving the reliability of the service.

"We are seeing increases in on-time reliability system-wide and will continue to work on all levels to strengthen that performance," Keolis spokesman Mac Daniel said.

It's not acceptable that Keolis' performance has been so poor, according to Greg Sullivan, former state inspector general and now the research director for the Pioneer Institute.

"They've got the management skills and ability to have our system run on time," he said. "I'm confident that they will improve their performance after paying this kind of money."

But Sullivan gave kudos to the MBTA for including a zero-tolerance policy in Keolis' contract.

"Under the prior contract, more than half of the late trains were forgiven and not reported as late even though the commuters were late for work," he said. "Under the new contract, the MBTA is holding the commuter rail operator's feet to the fire, and it should. It's the only way to get the attention of the company."

Keolis won the contract over Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co., which had run the commuter rail since 2003.

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NASA spacecraft almost to Pluto: Smile for the camera!

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — It's showtime for Pluto.

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has traveled 3 billion miles and is nearing the end of its nine-year journey to Pluto. Sunday, it begins photographing the mysterious, unexplored, icy world once deemed a planet.

The first pictures will reveal little more than bright dots — New Horizons is still more than 100 million miles from Pluto. But the images, taken against star fields, will help scientists gauge the remaining distance and keep the baby grand piano-sized robot on track for a July flyby.

It is humanity's first trip to Pluto, and scientists are eager to start exploring.

"New Horizons has been a mission of delayed gratification in many respects, and it's finally happening now," said project scientist Hal Weaver of Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory.

"It's going to be a sprint for the next seven months, basically, to the finish line," he said Friday. "We can't wait to turn Pluto into a real world, instead of just a little pixelated blob."

Launched from Cape Canaveral in January 2006 on a $700 million mission, New Horizons awoke from its last hibernation period early last month. Flight controllers have spent the past several weeks getting the spacecraft ready for the final but most important leg of its journey.

"We have been working on this project, some people, for over a quarter of their careers, to make this mission happen," said project manager Glen Fountain of the Applied Physics Lab, "and now we're about to hit the mother lode."

The spacecraft's long-range reconnaissance imager will take hundreds of pictures of Pluto over the coming months. It snapped pictures last summer, before going into hibernation, but these new ones should be considerably brighter. It will be a few days before the new images are beamed back to Earth; scientists expect to release them publicly in early February.

By May, New Horizons' photos should equal and then surpass the ones taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, with pictures of the plutoid and its moons improving with each passing day.

The real payoff will come when New Horizons flies by Pluto on July 14 at a distance of 7,700 miles and speed of nearly 31,000 mph. It will whip past Charon, Pluto's largest moon, from 18,000 miles out.

Scientists have no idea, really, what Pluto looks like way out in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune's orbit, home to little icy objects galore.

Pluto is the biggest object in the Kuiper Belt. Together with mega-moon, Charon, roughly half Pluto's size, the two orbs could fit inside the United States with room to spare. Five moons have been found so far around Pluto. More could be lurking out there, awaiting discovery by New Horizons.

The Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, Maryland, designed and built New Horizons, and is now managing the mission for NASA.

Pluto was still officially a planet, No. 9 in the solar system lineup, when New Horizons departed Earth. It was the only planet in our solar system yet to be explored. But seven months later, the International Astronomical Union stripped Pluto of its planethood, classifying it instead as a dwarf planet. Later came the term, plutoid.

Some scientists are hoping Pluto's upcoming close-up — and expected cosmic buzz — may prompt the group to reverse its decision. The nature of science, after all, is fluid, as even the astronomical union maintains.

Streator, Illinois, — hometown of Pluto's discoverer, the late astronomer Clyde Tombaugh — already has declared 2015 the "Year of Pluto." Tombaugh spotted Pluto in 1930.

New Horizons may, indeed, "turn the tide in some people's opinions into the other camp," Weaver said. "But that's not really so important."

More important, he said, is finding out "what does Pluto really look like."

___

Online:

Johns Hopkins University: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/

International Astronomical Union: http://www.iau.org/

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Measles outbreak casts spotlight on anti-vaccine movement

LOS ANGELES — A major measles outbreak traced to Disneyland has brought criticism down on the small but vocal movement among parents to opt out of vaccinations for their children.

In a rash of cases that public health officials are rushing to contain, at least 70 people in six states and Mexico have fallen ill since mid-December, most of them from California. The vast majority of those who got sick had not gotten the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine.

While still a scourge in many corners of the world, measles has been all but eradicated in the U.S. since 2000 because of vaccinations. But the virus has made a comeback in recent years, in part because of people obtaining personal belief exemptions from rules that say children must get their shots to enroll in school.

Others have delayed getting their children vaccinated because they still believe now-discredited research linking the measles vaccine to autism.

"Some people are just incredibly selfish" by skipping shots, said Dr. James Cherry, a pediatric disease expert at the University of California, Los Angeles.

As cases mount, several newspapers have criticized the anti-vaccine movement.

Measles "is a disease that has been beaten by modern medicine. That makes it all the more frustrating that anti-science stubbornness has proven, in the case of the Disneyland-related measles, that when it comes to contagious diseases, it's a small world after all," the Los Angeles Times said in an editorial last week.

Barbara Loe Fisher, director of the National Vaccine Information Center, a Virginia-based nonprofit that favors letting parents decide whether to vaccinate, said, "I don't think it's wise or responsible to blame" unvaccinated people for the Disney outbreak. She noted that a small number of those stricken had been fully vaccinated.

Health authorities believe the outbreak was triggered by a measles-stricken visitor to one of the Disney parks who brought the virus from abroad last month.

As one of the world's biggest tourist destinations, Disney was a perfect spot for the virus to spread, with large numbers of babies too young to be vaccinated and lots of visitors from countries that do not require measles shots. The disease has since spread beyond Disneyland.

The infected ranged from 7 months to 70 years old, including five Disneyland workers.

"It's tragic to see measles making a resurgence," said Deanne Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Health Care Agency. "When our immunity falls, it creates a problem for the whole community."

While all states require certain vaccinations for schoolchildren, parents in certain states such as California can opt out if they sign a personal belief waiver.

In the past five years, the percentage of kindergartners in California who are up to date on all vaccinations has held pretty steady from 90.7 percent in the 2010-11 school year to 90.4 percent in 2014-15. But there are some wealthy communities in Los Angeles and Orange counties and in Northern California with double-digit vaccination exemption rates.

To control this latest outbreak, those who are not vaccinated were warned this week to stay away from Disney theme parks. Disney employees who have no proof of immunization and may have come into contact with sick colleagues were placed on paid leave until they are given the medical all-clear.

At Huntington Beach High School in Orange County, two dozen unvaccinated students were ordered home until the three-week incubation period is up.

More than 30 babies in Northern California's Alameda County have been placed in home isolation after possible exposure.

"I'm terribly upset that someone has made a choice that not only affects their child but other people's children," said Jennifer Simon, whose 6-month-old daughter, Livia, was isolated after it was learned she may have been exposed to measles during a visit to the doctor's office.

___

Contact Alicia Chang at http://twitter.com/SciWriAlicia

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Hands-on with Microsoft's hologram device

REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft didn't use skydivers or stunt cyclists to introduce what it hopes will be the next big leap in computing technology. Instead, with its new HoloLens headset, the company is offering real-world examples to show how you might use three-dimensional digital images — or holograms — in daily life.

And that might be what it takes to get people to buy a computer they wear on their face.

I got a brief peek at what wearing the HoloLens could be like in different scenarios: performing a simple home repair, pretending to be a scientist studying the surface of Mars and exploring a colorful, animated game that added new dimensions to an unremarkable room.

Microsoft unveiled HoloLens at its headquarters this week, on the same day the company touted its upcoming Windows 10 software release. What I saw of the device seems unfinished, but it shows potential.

___

A CROWDED FIELD:

Some of the world's biggest tech companies are working on wearable devices that aim to create realistic, three-dimensional representations of alien worlds or imaginary creatures.

Google's computerized eyewear, Glass, isn't technically a virtual-reality device, but it shows the challenges of winning consumer acceptance. Google introduced Glass in 2012 with a Vegas-style stunt that included mountain bikes and skydivers landing on the roof of a convention center. Last week, it suspended consumer sales after many people balked at the notion of wearing a digital camera and Internet-connected device on their head.

Meanwhile, Google has invested in a secretive start-up, Magic Leap, that's working on virtual reality. Samsung and Oculus VR — which Facebook bought for $2 billion last year — are developing gaming headsets that essentially block the wearer's view and replace it with an imaginary world. Smaller companies have developed headsets for industrial or business uses.

Microsoft's HoloLens was built by engineers who created the Kinect motion-sensing system for Xbox games. It projects a realistic image on a screen in front of your eyes, but the screen is transparent, so you can still see what's in front of you. The holograms respond to gestures and spoken commands, detected by cameras and other sensors in the device.

___

WALKING ON MARS:

The most striking demonstration involved a project in which Microsoft partnered with scientists from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They've created a vividly realistic, three-dimensional landscape by knitting together photographs and data collected by NASA's Curiosity rover.

When I moved my head, the landscape shifted as if I was actually walking on the planet. I peered under a rock outcropping. I was joined by a digital avatar, playing the part of a JPL scientist. We spoke and used hand gestures to place digital markers on different rocks, in an exercise simulating how scientists might use the system to direct the rover's exploration.

A more whimsical demonstration involved the Microsoft-owned "Minecraft" game. In a small living room, the HoloLens projected three-dimensional structures and animated creatures on an actual coffee table. I summoned imaginary tools and blasted a simulated hole in the room's actual wall — and was surprised to see cartoon bats fly out.

But another exercise brought home how useful the gadget might be. I was guided through the process of installing an electric light switch. I saw a woman who showed me a series of sketches and talked me through each step. She was working in real time in another room, drawing sketches on a tablet computer and using Skype to talk with me. I could see the sketches, super-imposed over an actual wall outlet and protruding wires, while her face appeared to one side.

___

WHAT'S THE POTENTIAL?

Microsoft engineer Alex Kipman said the company has built programming tools so outside developers can use Windows 10 to create more holographic apps. Kipman called HoloLens "the next step" in moving "beyond today's digital borders." Meanwhile, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said virtual reality will be the next major wave in computing and communications.

Microsoft executives talked about other uses — from helping a surgeon learn a new operating technique to designing objects for 3-D printers. I could also see applications in the kitchen, classrooms and retail shops.

But it's not yet clear when HoloLens will be out, or how much it will cost. While executives showed off a sleek prototype, they used a heavier, clunkier version for up-close demonstrations. It had cumbersome straps, wires and extra gear stowed in a pouch around the wearer's neck.

Still, if Microsoft can produce a working product at a reasonable price, it might help move computing to another level.

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Prof: Globe site should retract story

The Harvard professor accused by the Boston Globe's Boston.com of sending a racist email to a Chinese restaurant in a dispute over a food bill says "good journalistic practices" dictate that the website should officially retract the story.

Harvard Business School professor Ben Edelman said then-deputy editor Hilary Sargent, demoted after the website said it could not verify that Edelman had written the racist email, never contacted him before posting the story.

"My sense is that good journalistic practices would call for both a retraction and an admission that they didn't follow the procedures understood to be appropriate — for example, publishing the piece without even attempting to reach me first," Edelman told the Herald yesterday in an email.

"A deleted tweet from Hilary Sargent indicates that she had doubts about the authenticity of the emails, but published the piece anyway — which I found particularly puzzling," Edelman wrote.

But the professor said he would "leave it to Boston
.com readers" to demand a retraction. Asked if he was considering taking legal action, Edelman said he didn't "have any specific plans at this time."

In an email response to the Herald, Boston.com General Manager Corey Gottlieb said, "We're more than happy to speak with Professor Edelman directly."

Sargent's story was pulled from the site shortly after it was posted and replaced by an editor's note saying that Boston.com could not verify Edelman had sent it. The professor denies writing or sending the email containing a racial slur, which was sent through an online forum on the restaurant's website.

Edelman came under intense social media fire after Sargent wrote about his emails demanding a refund from Sichuan Garden in Brookline over a $4 difference between his food bill and the restaurant's prices as advertised online.

Sargent was later suspended for five days after she created T-shirts mocking Edelman and put them up for sale online.

Sargent declined to comment yesterday. Mike Sheehan, CEO of Boston Globe Media Partners, which includes both the broadsheet and its two main websites, did not return calls seeking comment.

Sheehan was forced to apologize to U.S. House Speaker John Boehner last week for what he admitted was a "tasteless" Boston.com story that mocked death threats aimed at the Ohio Republican. The associate editor who wrote that story was fired.

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New AG: Casinos should follow consumer laws

Attorney General Maura Healey yesterday made a series of recommendations to the state Gaming Commission, including re-examining part of its proposed gambling regulations that would allow casinos to seek exceptions from the rules.

"We believe that no casino should be allowed to deviate from important consumer protection regulations and that any other variance should be sought subject to a full and transparent public process," she said.

On her first full day as the state's chief law enforcement officer yesterday, Healey testified before the commission, which also reviewed new renderings of Wynn Resorts' planned Everett casino, a curved, 629-room tower with bronze-colored glass that Commissioner Enrique Zuniga called "iconic."

Citing "significant ambiguity" over whether existing law prohibits the placement of ATMs in casinos, Healey also urged the commissioners to explore the issue through a "standalone public process" and, should they conclude that the law does allow ATMs in casinos, to consider a "wide range of protections," including requiring that the machines be placed a certain distance from the casino floor, prohibiting credit card cash advances and capping withdrawals.

Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said the state Division of Banks interpreted the law as allowing ATMs inside casinos, provided they are not in the "gaming area." Proposed regulations restrict ATMs from being closer than 15 feet to the area. But Crosby said the commission may reconsider that, given all the comments it has received.

Healey also urged the commission to add to its proposed prohibition on placing a lien on a homeowner's primary residence to collect outstanding gambling debt, and explicitly ban casinos from selling consumers' gambling debt.

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Berkshire Partners, New Balance buying Rockport

BOSTON — Private equity firm Berkshire Partners and athletic shoe maker New Balance are buying The Rockport Co. from the Adidas Group.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Rockport, based in Canton, Massachusetts, sells men's and women's shoes and boots.

As part of the deal, New Balance affiliate Drydock Footwear LLC will join with The Rockport Co. to create The Rockport Group. Drydock's brands include Cobb Hill, Aravon and Dunham.

The Rockport Group will become a new stand-alone company. Drydock founder and President Bob Infantino will serve as CEO of The Rockport Group once the acquisition is complete.

The deal is targeted to close later this year.

Berkshire Partners and New Balance are both based in Boston.

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Occupational deaths rise sharply in 2013

Fatal occupational injuries in the Boston metropolitan area nearly doubled in 2013 compared to the previous year, when the number was the lowest in more than a decade, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said yesterday.

There were 42 such fatalities in 2013, the most recent year for which statistics are available, up from 22 a year earlier in the metro area, which includes Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk and Plymouth counties in Massachusetts and Rockingham and Strafford counties in New Hampshire.

"2012 was kind of an outlier," said Mark Maggi, a bureau spokesman, noting that since 2000, fatal work injuries have ranged from a high of 49 in 2005 to a low of 22 in 2012. "It was just a year in which there were fewer fatalities on the job. 2013 is a return to a more normal average."

Of the 42 fatalities, violence and other injuries by people or animals resulted in 15 deaths — seven of them suicides. Transportation incidents were responsible for nine deaths, as were falls, slips and trips. Contact with objects and equipment accounted for six deaths, exposure to harmful substances or environments resulted in two, and fire or explosion resulted in one.

The construction sector had the largest number, 12, five of which were caused by falls. Trade, transportation and utilities, grouped together as one sector, accounted for 11.

"It's no real surprise that construction is one of the most dangerous industries," said Mark Erlich of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters. "It's important that every stakeholder in the industry understands that there's no building, no amount of money, that's worth the loss of a life."

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Converse soups up Andy Warhol line

North Andover's Converse will launch a sneaker and clothing line celebrating late pop artist Andy Warhol's iconic imagery.

The Nike-owned brand's collection, set for a Feb. 7 release, will feature Warhol prints on Converse's own iconic sneaker — the Chuck Taylor All Star — which the artist had used as a canvas for his work.

Sneaker designs include reinterpretations of Warhol's Campbell's soup can screen print, and motorcycle and newspaper prints inspired by Warhol's mid-1980s Ads and Illustrations series. Graphic tees highlight Warhol's "Converse Extra Special Value" work that features the Chuck Taylor All Star.

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The Ticker

Bill would regulate sites like Airbnb

A bill filed in the state House of Representatives seeks to regulate the short-term rental industry made popular by websites such as Airbnb, requiring hosts to register with the state, obtain liability insurance and pay an excise tax.

"There would be a registration process to make sure consumers felt safe during their stays," said state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), co-author of the bill. "It's trying to create a safe and secure environment while allowing these operations to continue to thrive."

A spokesman for Airbnb said the company is reviewing the proposed legislation. The company claims short-term rentals through its website are responsible for $51 million in economic impact in Boston.

S&P settles with SEC, two states

Standard & Poor's agreed yesterday to pay the U.S. government and two states more than $77 million to settle charges tied to its ratings of mortgage-backed securities.

In its first enforcement action against a major rating agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission accused S&P of misconduct, saying the company loosened standards to drum up business in recent years. The agreement requires S&P to pay more than $58 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission, $12 million to New York and $7 million to Massachusetts. S&P said in a statement that it did not admit or deny any of the charges.

As part of its agreement with the SEC, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a division of McGraw Hill Financial, will take a "time out" from rating certain types of mortgage-backed securities for a year.

Power grid shifting to natural gas

New England's power system is increasingly shifting from aging oil- and coal-fired plants to natural gas, which relies on pipelines experiencing bottlenecks that drive up prices, the region's electric grid operator said yesterday.

ISO-New England officials said wind and solar resources are a small but growing part of the region's energy mix, though they are not always available when needed by the region's 14 million residents — peak demand for power in winter typically occurs after the sun has set.

"There's plenty of natural gas," said Gordon van Welie, president and CEO of Holyoke-based ISO-New England. "The problem we've had in the region is we've not matched the need for natural gas with infrastructure."

The proportion of natural gas in the region's energy mix was 44 percent in 2014, up from 15 percent in 2000. At the same time, coal- and oil-fired generation dropped to 6 percent from 40 percent.

TODAY

 
Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.

 Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, releases weekly mortgage rates.

TOMORROW

 National Association of Realtors releases existing home sales for December.

THE SHUFFLE

Christopher McLean has joined Boston-based Vanderweil Engineers as a project director for critical facilities. McLean most recently was director of data center design and construction with The Markley Group, where he was responsible for the design and construction of data centers and their infrastructure.

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Kickass Cupcakes stales, files bankruptcy

Another local cupcake company crumbled this week, filing for bankruptcy after closing its Somerville store in August.

Kickass Cupcakes filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, a proceeding used to liquidate a company's assets to pay off its debts. The company owes its creditors $263,000, according to court documents filed late Tuesday.

Kickass opened in Davis Square in 2007 and had moved to a new location on Highland Avenue in May before shutting down. It also had expanded to a food truck and was involved in several food truck "throwdowns."

Sara Ross, the company's owner who formerly wrote for the Herald's Fork Lift blog on food, fun and drink, could not be reached for comment.

The bankruptcy still leaves many cupcake options available in the crowded Boston-area market. Hub-based Sweet has six shops in Boston, Harvard Square and Chestnut Hill; Washington, D.C.'s Georgetown Cupcakes has a single Boston store on Newbury Street; and Treat Cupcake Bar has Natick and Chestnut Hill locations.

Cohasset's Wicked Cupcakes — which sells cupcakes in a jar and whose owners appeared on ABC's "Shark Tank" and paired with one of its investors, Kevin O'Leary — operates at Faneuil Hall Marketplace.

Crumbs Bake Shop also reopened in Boston last fall after the formerly public New York chain filed for bankruptcy in July and was taken over by Marcus Lemonis, an entrepreneur and host of CNBC's reality series "The Profit."

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City, startup develop online project forum

A new partnership between the city of Boston and a local startup will let residents keep tabs online on the development of city-owned land and chime in with questions and comments.

"You can see all those projects, you can see what's happening in your neighbor­hood, you can have a conversation with us, with your neighbors, about the impact," said Devin Quirk, director of operations for the Department of Neighbor­hood Development. "We want to take the same robust community conversations we're having and make that available to a wider audience by taking it online."

Working with coUrbanize, a Cambridge startup, DND has listed its 87 on­going projects, which include developments the city has selected after a request for proposals process, as well as city-funded public housing.

"As soon as we make a change to any of our properties, it's immediately updated on our website," Quirk said.

Each project has a place to submit feedback on the project, and lists the current status, details on the final proposal, and pictures and renderings.

"As part of the Boston 2030 housing plan, my administration committed to making the development of city-owned land even more transparent," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

CoUrbanize's Web platform is designed to increase access to details on new developments. The company was founded out of MIT's School of Architecture and Planning.

"Their mission really aligned with ours," Quirk said. "They want to have a robust conversation about development in neighborhoods."

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Japan central bank sees growth rebounding in coming year

TOKYO — Japan's central bank said Wednesday it expects the world's third largest economy to rebound in the coming fiscal year after contracting 0.5 percent this fiscal year, in an upbeat assessment that scuttled hopes for fresh stimulus.

The Bank of Japan ended a policy meeting without any major change to its ultra-loose monetary policy. Its massive asset purchases are injecting trillions of yen (billions of dollars) into Japan's economy each month to overcome deflation and economic stagnation.

"The bank's sanguine views suggest that the chances of near-term easing have diminished somewhat," Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics said in a commentary.

The central bank's decision to stand pat comes as the European Central Bank weighs whether or not to launch major stimulus measures of its own to ward off crippling deflation.

Japan's economy is in recession after a sales tax hike in April 2014 stifled demand. But the BOJ's statement said it was still on track for a moderate recovery.

The International Monetary Fund pointed to weakness in Europe and Japan, and the absence of a rebound in corporate investment in the advanced economies, as major concerns in an update of its economic outlook issued Tuesday.

"As for risks, the most obvious ones involve stagnation in the eurozone, or Japan or both," Olivier Blanchard, the IMF economic counsellor and director of research, said in a webcast.

"Sustained growth in Japan requires sustained demand and higher potential growth in the medium run, but at this stage potential growth is very, very low," he said.

Still, the BOJ said in a policy statement that it believes housing investment and manufacturing have "bottomed out."

Despite lower energy prices thanks to the drop in crude oil import costs in recent months, "inflation expectations" remain intact, Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda told reporters. That will stimulate more economic activity, helping to push prices higher over time, he said.

The BOJ estimates the economy will contract 0.5 percent in the April 2014-March 2015 fiscal year. It previously forecast 0.5 percent growth. The bank cut its inflation forecast, excluding the tax hike, to 0.9 percent from 1.7 percent. It is targeting 2 percent inflation as part of its monetary stimulus goals.

The bank raised its growth forecast for the upcoming fiscal year to 2.1 percent from 1.5 percent.

Both the BOJ and the government are exhorting Japanese corporations, many of which are reaping record profits thanks to a weak yen and cheap credit, to boost wages. Such increases are needed to sustain growth by improving the purchasing power of Japanese households whose overall incomes have continued to fall.

"The upshot is that the chances of hitting the inflation target are slim without additional monetary stimulus," Thieliant said.

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Hong Kong airline has high hopes for Boston launch

Cathay Pacific Airways plans a full-court promotional blitz to get its brand and logo in front of New England travelers before its May 3 launch of nonstop flights between Boston and Hong Kong.

"The whole Cathay distribution machine will be out there telling people," corporate development director James Barrington said yesterday at a breakfast co-hosted by the Langham Boston and Hong Kong Association of Massachusetts. "It's been too long coming, because as we look at this market, it's going to be a pretty good one."

Boston is the largest U.S. market currently without direct Hong Kong service, and the new flights will open up business opportunities, leisure traffic — from tourists, students and their parents — and the flow of goods for New England, Barrington said.

"North America is where the future lies for our cargo business, and in particular capturing the huge two-way flows of goods between China and the U.S.," Barrington said. "While these trade lanes have been built largely on the outflow of goods from the key manufacturing regions in mainland China, now we are seeing more high-end consumer goods moving in the other direction as China's middle class grows in both numbers and spending power."

Larger and larger numbers of Asian investors are coming into Boston because of its high-tech sector and real estate, according to Johnny Ip, managing director of TW Capital Group LLC and president of the Hong Kong Association of Massachusetts. The group has been organizing trade missions from Hong Kong and China every quarter in the last few years to match businesses with U.S. corporations.

Cathay Pacific has seen 423 percent growth on its U.S. routes in terms of passengers carried to and from mainland China in the last eight years.

"Travel and tourism in the mainland are already substantial, and the projections for the future are staggering as urbanization continues and spending power continues to rise," Barrington said.

Chinese visitors are the biggest overseas spenders, plunking down $6,100 per person when they visit the United States, said Evan Saunders, CEO of Attract China, which helps hospitality businesses connect with independent Chinese travelers.

"It's a fantastically large deal," Saunders said of the Boston-Hong Kong flights. "It connects Boston and all of New England with a huge part of Asia, including much of southern China — cities below Beijing."

The Hong Kong airline's flights will leave both destinations four times a week.

"If it starts successfully and it works for us, we have the aircraft to move to daily (flights) in three to four months," Barrington said.

The direct Boston flights will shave about 4.5 hours off flights to Hong Kong that now stop in New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Round-trip tickets for the inaugural 15.5-hour flight from Boston, returning May 30, yesterday started at $1,170 for economy, $2,185 for premium economy, $7,560 for business class and $18,850 for first class on Expedia.

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Hyundai sues over subway cars

A losing bidder is accusing the Patrick administration of illegally giving a rail enterprise owned by the repressive Communist Chinese government an "inside track" on a lucrative contract to manufacture Red and Orange Line subway cars last year.

In a blistering lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court yesterday, Hyundai Rotem Co. alleges China CNR Corporation, which now has a $566.6 million contract with the MBTA to produce 284 subway cars, unfairly benefited during the bid process when former Gov. Deval Patrick and former MassDOT head Richard Davey met privately with officials from a CNR joint venture during a "trade mission" to Hong Kong.

Patrick and Davey also relaxed previous bid requirements to favor CNR, the suit alleges.

Massachusetts awarded China CNR its first major North American subway car contract last year.

In a statement, MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo defended the contract: "As part of a lengthy and thorough procurement process, the MBTA fully considered all materials submitted by each of the bidders, including Hyundai Rotem. Hyundai Rotem's bid was substantially higher than the successful bid and did not present the best value for the taxpayers of the Commonwealth, and so the MBTA did not award the contract to Hyundai Rotem. The MBTA does not believe that the complaint has any merit."

South Korea-based Hyundai Rotem, which claims it filed an administrative appeal with the state in November, demands in the suit that the contract be thrown out and that it be declared entitled to the contract because it produced the next lowest bid — $720.6 million.

"The procurement process was deeply and fundamentally flawed because the MBTA failed to put the bidders on equal footing, made arbitrary and capricious decisions, failed to adhere to the terms of the bid documents or do minimum due diligence of CNR, all in violation of Massachusetts General Laws," the suit contends.

Hyundai Rotem claims that during the December 2013 trade mission to Hong Kong, Patrick and Davey held "improper" private ex-parte discussions with officials from CNR's Chinese joint ventures regarding CNR's plans to build a North American headquarters in Springfield as part of the deal, but "no effort was made" to hold similar meetings with other bidders.

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Oscar de la Hoya to launch boxing tv channel

MIAMI -- Oscar de la Hoya is planning to launch a TV channel designed to take viewers behind the scenes of the boxing biz.

De la Hoya, a 10-time World Champion boxer, has partnered with Mexican boxing mogul Pepe Gomez to launch de la Hoya TV: Beyond Boxing. De la Hoya made the announcement Tuesday night in Miami Beach at the NATPE TV programming convention.

Victor Hugo Montero, CEO of de la Hoya TV, said he was at NATPE to pitch the channel to cable operators and digital distributors. The plan is to launch it by next month as an OTT offering and later as a cable VOD and hopefully linear channel.

De la Hoya said the channel would be Spanish-language "targeting toward Hispanics here in the U.S."

Programming plans include following top fighters as they prepare for bouts and other aspects of training. It will also have a Mexico-centric lifestyle component focused on destinations and hot spots in the country.

De la Hoya and his partners were short on other details but said they were confident the channel would begin rolling out in the next two months. "This business venture really excites me," de la Hoya said.

© 2015 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Microsoft to show off more Windows 10 features

REDMOND, Washington — Microsoft will use an event Wednesday to offer a wider glimpse of the next version of Windows.

The company is planning to show off new features of its flagship operating system — and possibly an improved Internet browser and more uses for Microsoft's voice-controlled digital assistant, Cortana. Executives will also demonstrate how the new Windows is designed to provide a more consistent experience and a common platform for software apps on different devices, from personal computers to tablets, smartphones and even the company's Xbox gaming console.

The company has invited journalists and industry analysts to Wednesday's event at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington. CEO Satya Nadella plans to talk about the new system and the company's battle to stay relevant in a world where PC users are increasingly shifting to mobile gadgets and Internet apps.

Microsoft gave only a limited preview of Windows 10 last fall. More features will be announced as Microsoft gets closer to releasing it later this year.

The stakes are high for Microsoft. Its last Windows release alienated users with a new interface that many found difficult to navigate. Microsoft is hoping to win them back with an interface that is more familiar. Microsoft has said Windows 10 will resemble earlier versions of Windows for personal computers, while additional features will emerge automatically on touch-controlled tablets or other gadgets

"It can't be overstated how important this is for Microsoft," Gartner tech analyst Brian Blau said. "They've positioned Windows 10 as the solution to all the problems they created with Windows 8."

There won't be a Windows 9. Microsoft has skipped ahead in naming, from Windows 8 to Windows 10, as though to put more distance between them.

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Eateries to donate brunch proceeds

Nearly 20 Boston-area restaurants will give customers the chance to both eat well and do good this weekend by donating all of the proceeds from the 33rd annual Super Hunger Brunch to The Greater Boston Food Bank.

Diners can order from menus designed especially for the fundraiser and priced at $25, $35 or $50 per person. Every dollar spent will pay for three nutritious meals for people in need.

"For us, it's very simple just to do our part to help feed hungry people," said Jim Solomon, chef and owner of The Fireplace in Brookline, where the price will be set at $25 Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

"Super Hunger Brunch provides not only an opportunity for people to give back in a fun way," said Catherine D'Amato, president of The Greater Boston Food Bank, "but also a way for the chefs and restaurant community to come together to end hunger here in our community."

For a complete list of participating restaurants and prices, visit www.gbfb.org/events/super-hunger-brunch.php/.

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Contractors seek exemption from new sick-time law

A group of construction trade associations is asking a federal court judge to rule that the Bay State's newly passed sick-time law does not apply to them because it is pre-empted by the federal Labor Management Relations Act.

"When a state law comes out and establishes a working condition — and in this case also a wage — our argument is that those are exclusive to the bargaining parties under federal labor law," said James Grosso, an attorney for the trade associations, which include general, electrical and mechanical contractors. "They can't come in and dictate to employers and employees what they're going to have in their collective bargaining agreements."

The new sick-time law, which becomes effective July 1, requires employers with more than 10 workers to allow them to accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year.

The trade associations, which negotiate collective bargaining agreements with various labor unions, say the new law allows the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office to bring suits against companies in state court, while federal law requires those same disputes to be hashed out in federal court.

Meanwhile, Raise Up Massachusetts, the group that pushed for the sick- time law, said there had been many debates on how the new referendum would work, and the trade associations never came to the bargaining table.

"This was an issue that was debated for months, and it passed overwhelmingly by the voters of Massachusetts," said Steve Crawford, Raise Up's spokesman. "The people who are bringing this legal action were virtually silent throughout the process."

The AG's office, which had not yet been served with a copy of the petition, could not comment.

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Amazon movies may crack theatrical windows, but it won't break them

Amazon Studios is the latest digital player that aims to upend the film distribution business by releasing films in theaters and on digital platforms earlier than its big studio rivals.

Day-and-date and short theatrical windows have long been used for niche films by distribs including Radius, IFC and Magnolia. But Amazon's entry into the feature film business with Amazon Original Movies, led by veteran indie producer Ted Hope, is another major move by digital giants to disrupt the traditional Hollywood model.

It's one more way that the theatrical industry is fraying under pressure from new, deep-pocketed players and changes in public consumption habits. But Amazon's entry into feature films is unlikely to convince studios to try earlier windows, despite the $30 million Sony's "The Interview" made in its fire-sale release.

Major theater chains remain adamant that they will not show films that premiere simultaneously in the home or that ignore a 90-day delay between a theatrical premiere and a home entertainment debut. Amazon plans to ignore those parameters -- offering titles four to eight weeks online after they've played in theaters. Barring an "Interview"-style crisis, though, major studios can't play around much with windows without risking a theatrical boycott.

"You've seen the windows slip a little over the past several years and they may slip a little further, but it won't be that huge a change," said Marla Backer, an analyst with Ascendiant Capital Markets. "Studios have so much money invested in these huge films, they're not going to play games with their smaller budgeted ones. They need to stay on good terms for the health of their entire portfolio."

Representatives for the country's four largest theater chains -- Regal, AMC, Carmike and Cinemark -- did not respond to a request for comment, but an individual close to the exhibition industry said the expectation was they would not show films that did not adhere to a 90 day delay.

They may have their work cut out for them. Netflix has already challenged the model with a high-profile deal to distribute upcoming Adam Sandler films on its subscription platform and plans to release a sequel to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" simultaneously on Imax screens.

Moreover, the $30 million-plus "The Interview" made through digital sales and rentals after it had a day-and-date release shows the potential that films have to make money by shaking up distribution patterns.

"Even without Netflix and Amazon, you'd have windows compression," said Hal Vogel, a media analyst and CEO of Vogel Capital Management. "The public is no longer interested in waiting. The public wants things immediately. You can't expect things to stay like they did 10 years ago at the height of the DVD business."

But just how worried should exhibitors really be to Amazon's first foray into the theatrical market?

Amazon is clearly looking to make its Amazon Prime business more attractive to consumers. At $99 a year, the service offers up two-day shipping and unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows on more than 600 devices on which the Amazon Prime app is available. That includes smart TVs, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Yet Amazon finds itself in a content war with streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, not to mention all of the other VOD offerings run by cable operators like Comcast to Walmart's Vudu and Best Buy's Cinema Now -- each of which are selling the same movies and TV shows from Hollywood distributors.

In order to attract more paying subscribers to Amazon Prime, Amazon sees original content as the main attraction. Golden Globe-winner "Transparent" brought instant visibility to its content offerings -- the same way "House of Cards" boosted the profile of Netflix. And it's starting to attract notable filmmakers including Woody Allen, Whit Stillman, Steven Soderbergh, David Gordon Green, Paul Weitz and more to create TV shows through its Amazon Originals program.

Yet just as Netflix is edging into movies, Amazon could benefit from a buzzed-about film or two, as well. Whether Amazon's movies -- it wants to produce 12 films starting this year -- will get wide releases is another matter. With boosting Amazon Prime's numbers the main goal, Amazon will likely book limited theatrical runs as a way to raise awareness for SVOD offerings.

Amazon has the flexibility to experiment, because the kind of films it wants to make are in the $5 million to $25 million range -- possibly higher budgeted than many niche films, they could be the kind of creatively fulfilling projects that can attract top talent. They're also the kind of films that major studios have eschewed in favor of superhero extravaganzas.

"Despite Amazon's (and Netflix's) success with TV shows, it's very unlikely they're going to have a blockbuster movie on their hands," said James McQuivey, principal analyst at Forrester Research. "A nice niche picture, maybe. In the horror genre, easily; or perhaps something edgy and artsy, but not the kind of movie that's going to run two months in theaters anyway. So if theater owners protest Amazon's announcement it will mostly be instinct motivating their reaction, not any specific knowledge of Amazon's likely success at picking and financing hit movies."

Some analysts believe that there are steps Amazon could take to woo exhibitors, such as giving them a larger share of box office receipts.

"It all comes down to the economics," said Erik Handler, an analyst with MKM Partners. "Everything is open to negotiation."

"Consumers don't want and do not understand release windows," BTIG Research analyst Rich Greenfield said. "We live in a connected world where there is no reason for a 90-day window before home video -- as usual, innovation has to come from outside the traditional film industry."

Todd Spangler contributed to this report.

© 2015 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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The Ticker

Amazon.com selling $1M Japanese fighting robot

A robot that takes its cues from its operator's facial expressions to shoot at enemies is now for sale on Amazon, suggesting that you can buy just about anything on the e-commerce giant's website.

The Kuratas robot starter's kit is being offered on Amazon Japan for a little more than $1 million.

Standing nearly 13 feet tall and weighing 5 tons, Kuratas looks like something out of a Hollywood action movie.

While it may have the feel of a tank, the gasoline-fueled robot moves at a top speed of 6 mph.

The rider climbs on board the robot, presses a button and slips into the cockpit from which the robot is controlled. Kuratas can also be operated via a smartphone hooked to a 3G network.

The Kuratas doesn't come with weaponry, and some assembly is required, according to the website.

Oxfam: Richest 1 percent to hold half the world's wealth by 2016

Wealth accumulated by the richest 1 percent will exceed that of the other 99 percent in 2016, the Oxfam charity said yesterday, ahead of the annual meeting of the world's most powerful at Davos, Switzerland.

"The scale of global inequality is quite simply staggering, and despite the issues shooting up the global agenda, the gap between the richest and the rest is widening fast," Oxfam executive director Winnie Byanyima said.

The richest 1 percent's share of global wealth increased from 44 percent in 2009 to 48 percent in 2014, the British charity said in a report, adding that it will be more that 50 percent in 2016.

The average wealth per adult in this group is 
$2.7 million, Oxfam said.

Of the remaining 52 percent, almost all — 46 per-cent — is owned by the rest of the richest fifth of the world's population, leaving the other 80 percent to share just 5.5 percent with an average wealth of $3,851 per adult, the report says.

Today

 National Association of Home Builders releases housing market index for January.

TOMORROW

 Commerce Department releases housing starts for December.

THE SHUFFLE

Hub-based law firm Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo is expanding its white collar defense practice with the addition of Mark E. Robinson a nationally recognized expert in government investigations and enforcement, cybersecurity defense and a former deputy chief of the criminal division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Bringing more than 30 years of experience in government and law, Robinson will serve as co-chairman of Mintz Levin's white collar defense practice.

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Business Protocol: Don’t wed business with personal events

Today, when many of us traverse in and out of companies and continents, the need to establish connections from business-related events and social settings is indispensable, but at personal events such as a wedding it can be hazardous.

Tact and discretion are absolutely key here. You are attending this wedding for a purpose. Engage your target with something pertaining specifically to the event — the reason you are both here. Make the conversation, your curiosity and excitement all about that event you are experiencing together. Look for points of connectivity with the other person through the prism of the event.

• Never ask for a business card — only at social events with a business undercurrent, such as charity auctions or softball tournaments, may cards be exchanged freely without concern of impropriety.

• Tell your target you have enjoyed meeting them and would like to stay in touch.

• Do not be one of those hangers on. Walk away!

• Ask your host — after the event — to connect you with the person of interest. Your host will no doubt delight knowing they were able to help forge a connection.

When you do follow up, mention the wedding; reference the connector. Remember, it's not about the business, it's about the connection.

Keep initial contact brief and reflective back to the event you both attended, with personal notes about where you met, where you shared the fact that you both always cry at weddings, where you enjoyed the beautiful music, admired the imported flowers, or laughed at the hysterical toasts. The wedding is your common denominator. Only then, explore business interests.

Underscore what's in it for them. Determine their receptivity level and proceed accordingly. If not, you'll always have Paris!

If you merely exchange contact information, subtly and quickly, by smartphone, you risk losing the opportunity to engage and connect on all the above points of confluence.

Judith Bowman is 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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New Hampshire delegation requests openness in pipeline plan

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire's congressional delegation is calling for an open and transparent process before a final decision is made about a proposed natural gas pipeline route in the state.

Texas-based Kinder Morgan wants to construct about 70 miles of pipeline through southern New Hampshire. About 90 percent of the project would be along an existing power line corridor.

In letters to Kinder Morgan and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte and Reps. Frank Guinta and Annie Kuster requested that New Hampshire residents have ample opportunity to express their views.

The letter, dated Wednesday, notes Kinder Morgan filed its latest proposal Dec. 8, which shifts much of the pipeline out of northern Massachusetts into a number of southern New Hampshire towns.

The towns include Winchester; Richmond; Troy; Fitzwilliam; Rindge; New Ipswich; Greenville; Mason; Milford; Brookline; Amherst; Merrimack; Litchfield; Londonderry; Hudson; Windham; Pelham; and Salem.

The delegation requests "that Kinder Morgan provide the public, municipal officials in potentially affected municipalities, and our offices with additional information on the timeline for the current pre-filing phase." It also urges the company "to extend that timeline to ensure that New Hampshire's residents have a full and equal opportunity to understand, assess, and comment on this project before any decisions are made finalizing the project or its route."

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Boston accelerator to help international firms take off

A Boston company whose long-term goal is to be a resource for all international entrepreneurs looking to break into the U.S. market will kick off Feb. 1 with a three-month accelerator for 15 Spanish startups.

For Dat Venture, Spain was the logical country from which to draw its first class. Two of its five founders are Spanish, and its parent company, Efron Group, a multinational consulting company with a Boston office, is headquartered in Madrid.

"Spain also is not exactly welcoming to innovators, even though the unemployment rate for people under 25 is over 50 percent," said co-founder Matt Hurley, a former Techstars associate. "So these young millennials who can't find work there are bootstrapping companies of their own and looking for access here."

Since starting Dat Venture in August, Hurley and his co-founders held a pilot accelerator for two Spanish companies, one of which is returning to Boston next month to open an office here. But the real test, he said, will begin next month with their first full class.

Dat Venture had three main prerequisites for the startups: They had to have traction, be fluent in English and have a great team, Hurley said.

The 15 companies he and his co-founders selected run the gamut of industries, from robotics to machine-learning to clean tech, with a combined revenue of more than $10 million.

Although Dat Venture does not take any equity in the startups, it charges $10,000 per CEO or whoever else the companies choose to represent them in the program. That fee covers airfare; office space at WeWork South Station; housing at Krash, a Boston co-living space for entrepreneurs; and a business class of their choice at Harvard Extension School.

Dat Venture will host seminars taught by guest lecturers on topics including what American venture firms look for in a pitch and how to market and sell to the American consumer.

The company also has taken pains to arrange matches between the startups and mentors who have deep knowledge of the teams' fields, something many accelerators do poorly, Hurley said.

"We see ourselves as temporary co-founders for these companies," he said. "We are totally dedicated to making sure they leave better off than they came."

The accelerator will culminate in a demo day, giving the startups the chance to pitch to local venture firms.

"The whole goal is to help them gain enough traction that they'll be able to open permanent offices here," Hurley said. "It will be an economic boost both for Boston and for Spain."

Dat Venture plans to hold three accelerators each year and is currently deciding whether its summer program will accept another group of Spanish startups or a mix of international companies, he said.

"Having a group that all speaks the same language is kind of cool, but I also see the benefit of having companies from many different countries working alongside," Hurley said. "Ultimately, our goal is break out and be a resource for entrepreneurs from around the world."

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Lampooned at creation, Golf Channel celebrates 20 years

HONOLULU — Twenty years ago on Saturday, Arnold Palmer flipped a ceremonial switch to launch a risky venture that cynics saw as an easy punch line.

The Golf Channel?

Tennis magazine mocked the idea as "24 hours of chubby guys in bad clothes speaking in jargon that only they understand." Rick Reilly, in his column for Sports Illustrated, suggested programming that included "Body by Jack," a workout session with Jack Nicklaus in which he "takes you through a 30-minute routine you can do without getting out of the cart."

Even the players had their doubts.

"I'm always stunned that there's enough golf stuff for 24 hours a day," Paul Goydos said. "I would have thought, 'Do we really need a Golf Channel? Is there enough viewership? Enough material?' I thought it would be a tough row to hoe, in my opinion. They've proven me wrong."

Players today can't imagine life without Golf Channel.

"That's all I watch," Jason Day said. "I say I don't watch much golf, but I do. Pretty much every day I'm watching Golf Channel."

The network was launched on Jan. 17, 1995, and could be seen in about 10,000 homes. It began as a premium fee ($6.95) and changed to part of a basic cable package by the end of the year, helping it to reach 1.4 million homes.

Twenty years later, Golf Channel can be seen in roughly 120 million homes in 83 countries and is broadcast in 12 languages around the world. Its offices in Orlando, Florida, have more than quadrupled to 160,000 square feet.

And there is no shortage of programming.

The first tournament it broadcast was the Dubai Desert Classic, which Fred Couples won in 1995. On its 20-year anniversary, Golf Channel will have four hours of live coverage from Rory McIlroy's season debut in Abu Dhabi; seven hours of taped coverage and four hours of live coverage from the Sony Open (including a pre-game show), along with its popular "Morning Drive" and a news show.

"It's a big deal," Palmer said Friday morning from his office at Bay Hill. "Everybody is excited and happy with the channel and all the stuff going on. Who would ever thought 20 years ago ... all the things that have happened with Golf Channel?"

Palmer was a co-founder with TV mogul Joe Gibbs, who plans to make an appearance on Golf Channel on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary. Golf Channel began 18 months before Tiger Woods turned pro, so it was blessed with good timing. Comcast eventually bought out the network, and then acquired NBC Universal, which gave Golf Channel even greater resources and branding capabilities.

The most significant moment in its 20 years was when the PGA Tour signed it to a 15-year deal in 2006 that gave Golf Channel rights to Thursday and Friday rounds from the PGA Tour, along with full tournament coverage for the opening three events and the tournaments in the fall. Golf Channel previously had the European Tour and other global events, along with the other three U.S. tours (seniors, women and what is now Web.com).

But there was another turning point equally important in the infancy of the network, a time when even Palmer had his doubts about the future. The question was whether it was prudent for Palmer and his investors to get out and cut their losses.

"We were questioning what we were doing and the viability of what was happening," Palmer said. "And they said, 'How do you feel?' I said, 'Let me say this to you: If I didn't try to hit it through the trees a few times, none of us would be here.'"

The quote is now on a wall at Golf Channel headquarters, a daily reminder that when you hitch up your pants and go for broke, the reward can be immense.

"Even though we're now part of a big company, you still want the spirit of how this place was founded to be a living, breathing part of what makes it tick," Golf Channel President Mike McCarley said. "That culture and everything Arnold represented, that should be part of it."

McCarley said Golf Channel now is the most affluent network of those devoted to a sport, mainly because of the demographic of those watching.

Davis Love III smiled at the coincidence that a network co-founded by Palmer would benefit from the arrival of Woods, the two players who in different ways made golf appealing to the masses.

"It's make a big difference for our sport," Love said.

Golf Channel has kept the newspaper clippings from two decades ago that either panned the idea of a golf channel or predicted failure.

"That was an easy column to write," McCarley said. "It was the first of its kind. Now every sport has its own network."

Geoff Ogilvy of Australia was among the skeptics. He remembers when he first came over to America to play in events like the Western Amateur and the Porter Cup. Golf Channel was just getting started.

"Coming from Australia, we had four channels and we didn't have any cable," Ogilvy said. "I thought this was cool, but no chance anyone was going to watch. They had all these infomercials, like Orlimar Trimetal. Remember that? So I was like, 'Who's going to watch this?' But in the last 10 years when they got the tour deal, I think it really kicked on. Now it's a legitimate channel — really legitimate.

"ESPN was the same," he said. "I remember when they started, they showed Aussie Rules football because it was the only thing they could afford. ESPN only got there when they started showing real sport, and Golf Channel is probably the same. It's a big channel now. It's a big part of our tour."

How far has Golf Channel come?

There are sheer numbers. Golf Channel had the rights to 23 domestic tournaments when it began (mostly the LPGA and Nike tours) and 41 events from Europe, South Africa and Australia. This year, it will televise 189 events from the major tours around the world. It began with 180 employees and now has nearly 700; McCarley said 13 employees have been there from the start.

And there are intangibles. On the day before it celebrated its 20-year anniversary, Palmer watched his grandson, Sam Saunders, compete on the PGA Tour on a network that he helped to start.

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Dodgers star Yasiel Puig buys home in Sherman Oaks

Anyone who knows a thing about Your Mama knows we don't know a damn thing about professional baseball. So, when good ol' Yolanda Yakketyyak got in touch to let us know that Dodger outfielder Yasiel Puig quietly (and via trust) dropped $1.8 million on a gated micro-mansion in Sherman Oaks, CA, we said, "Ya-who?"

Turns out Mister Puig, just 24 years old, was a star player on Cuba's junior and national teams and -- so the scuttlebutt goes -- an occasional state informant. After a handful of thwarted attempts, a clearly very determined Mister Puig -- along with a boxer, a pinup girl and a Santeria priest -- was successfully smuggled out of Cuba in June 2012 by some pretty nefarious sounding characters and almost immediately signed by the L.A. Dodgers to a seven-year contract worth $42 million. By all accounts the franchise, now owned by the high-powered investment consortium Guggenheim Partners, is getting its money's worth from Mister Puig who was named to the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star team.

• BUYER: Yasiel Puig
• LOCATION: Sherman Oaks, CA
• PRICE: $1,800,000
• SIZE: 4,663 square feet, 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms

According to a report in L.A. Magazine, once signed to the Dodgers and flush with his new-found wealth, young Mister Puig initially moved in to a loft space in downtown Los Angeles but, so swears Yolanda, now has a big new house set behind elaborately scrolled iron gates in a leafy and affluent if nondescript Sherman Oaks neighborhood. Listing details call the 4,663-square-foot residence a "Grand Contemporary Mediterranean" -- we'd call it a quintessential and architecturally challenged San Fernando Valley macmansion -- with half a dozen bedrooms and as many bathrooms.

A stone-floored center hall entry has beige walls, beige inlaid stone tile floors and curved, wrought iron railed staircase that sweeps up to a circular second floor gallery with domed sky light. The pretty much all beige open plan living spaces at the rear include a built-in wet bar, a roomy dining area, formal sitting area and family room with bookshelf flanked and television surmounted fireplace and a built-in aquarium. The (also very beige) adjoining kitchen has a sizable center island, room for a breakfast table next to a sizable center island, speckled granite counter tops, completely average although probably custom-crafted raised panel cabinetry and medium-grade stainless steel appliances.

The second floor has an informal lounge area, four guest/family bedrooms -- two with private balconies, and a spacious master suite with sitting area, fireplace, elevated bed platform, two walk-in closets, a slender wrought iron railed balcony, and an all-beige bathroom with jetted garden tub separate stall shower.

The main living spaces on the lower level open to a fairly compact backyard with stamped concrete terracing around a circular spa that spills in to a small free-form swimming pool and a built-in barbecue center with stone-countered bar, wine fridge and warming drawer.

Listing photos: Sotheby's International Realty

© 2015 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Voxel8 sets tone for 3-D printing

A 3-D printed iPhone? It's not possible yet, but thanks to a new startup, custom gadgets spit out by a 3-D printer are on their way.

Voxel8, based in Somerville, recently unveiled its 3-D printer, which can print and layer conductive ink to act as internal wires and circuits, integrating electrical components into design in a way that would be impossible with traditional methods.

"It allows free-form geometries of electronics, where they've been really stuck in 2-D geometries for decades now," said Daniel Oliver, a co-founder of Voxel8. "We believe that electronics need to get more places and be more seamlessly integrated in the products they're already in, and this is a technology that does it."

3-D printing has taken off in recent years, but currently the most practical use for a 3-D printer is to make plastic objects with limited utility.

By integrating the electronics as part of the design, products can be designed more efficiently, Oliver said. Other products, including a smaller, more effective antenna, could only be designed using this method.

"Where this really fits in are those products that can't be made any other way," Oliver said.

Right now, the company is printing working quadcopters and LED lights to demonstrate what the technology can do. He said they plan to develop and create wearable devices using their system.

Future models of their printer, Oliver said, will be able to print single-piece custom hearing aids, a painstaking, delicate process today.

The company was spun out of Harvard University thanks to research by professor Jennifer Lewis. Her work with the conductive ink is what makes Voxel8's system work.

While the thick silver conductive ink acts as internal wires inside a gadget, it cannot replace other important components, including batteries and processors. To address this, Voxel8 has teamed up with Autodesk, a California company that is one of the leaders in design software.

"It enables a whole new category of objects to be created," said Karl Willis, principal research engineer for Autodesk's Project Wire. "It really just seemed like something we could contribute to on the software side."

Project Wire is Autodesk's software for systems like Voxel8, and includes a way for the printer to stop when necessary so the engineer can place a processor in the design. Autodesk has embedded an engineer in Voxel8's office to work on development of Project Wire. Willis said Project Wire and Autodesk's collaboration with Voxel8 is "an investment in the future."

"We don't know what's going to be made," he said. "We think it's going to be an amazing surprise to see the things that people make."

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