CNN's primetime ratings surge, but for how long?

CNN's beleaguered primetime is doing something unexpected: climbing in the ratings.

Over the past few days, on several occasions, the Time Warner-owned cable-news outlet has trumped its rivals among viewers between the ages of 25 and 54, the demographic most coveted by advertisers. To be certain, Fox News Channel remains the most-watched cable-news network, but CNN is enjoying an uptick.

For two nights, CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" has won more viewers in the 25-to-54 demo than Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor," according to data from Nielsen. On Thursday, Cooper attracted an average of 454,000 viewers in the demo compared to O'Reilly's 429,000, according to Nielsen. On Wednesday, Cooper won an average of 431,000 viewers in the demo, Nielsen said, compared to O'Reilly's 386,000.

On Thursday, "Erin Burnett Outfront" at 7 p.m. on CNN notched more 25-to-54 viewers than Greta van Susteren on Fox News at the same hour. And "Piers Morgan Tonight," the 9 p.m. program that CNN has already said will be canceled imminently, won more viewers in the demo than Megyn Kelly did on Fox News at the same hour. Fox News triumphed handily over CNN's second week of "Chicagoland" at 10 p.m., but CNN's lineup from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. also beat MSNBC's in the demo in every hour last night (MSNBC had more total viewers at 10 p.m. than "Chicagoland").

CNN's victory is a partial one at best. Fox News Channel won primetime overall on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, according to Nielsen, with its 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. lineup averaging more in total viewers and viewers between 25 and 54 than either CNN or MSNBC. And MSNBC's primetime lineup averaged more viewers overall than CNN's on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The question will be whether CNN's results are being boosted for the short term by breaking-news coverage of the recent disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, or if CNN's recent focus on primetime documentaries is gaining traction.

Like a broadcast network showing the finale of a beloved series or the annual Super Bowl, CNN's audience tends to swell during breaking-news moments that grip a good part of the nation. But the network has not been able to keep those viewers once the noise around recent big stories has died down.

CNN's New Primetime Faces?" href="http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/lawyers-lemon-and-real-life-are-these-some-of-cnns-new-primetime-faces-1201127868/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> CNN is in the midst of a weeks-long experimental effort in primetime, testing a legal-issues program, a new spotlight on weekend primetime anchor Don Lemon, and more hours of a group of documentaries and docu-series it has commissioned or acquired.

Some of those series have performed well. The Sunday premiere of "CNN Orignal Series: Death Row Stories" won more viewers in the 25-to-54 age range in the 9 p.m. hour than Fox News and MSNBC combined, though, again, Fox News had more viewers in that hour overall.

On Tuesday, "Weed 2: Cannibis Madness," a special report led by Dr. Sanjay Gupta at 10 p.m.,notched 354,000 viewers between 25 and 54, and 144,000 viewers between 18 and 34 - more in both categories than either Fox News Channel or MSNBC. That marked the first time CNN has notched more than 300,000 people in the 25-to-54 demo since an episode of the docuseries "The Sixties" aired January 30th. Fox News still had more viewers overall during that hour.

Others have not performed as robustly. "Chicagoland," a heavily promoted series Allstate's CEO Will Promote New CNN Series 'Chicagoland'" href="http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/in-ad-pact-allstates-ceo-will-promote-new-cnn-series-chicagoland-1201124349/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">that won ad support from Allstate, has come in second to Fox News Channel Thursdays at 10 p.m. in both overall viewers and viewers between 25-and-54 for both its weeks on the air. And while it has won more viewers in the demo than MSNBC on both weeks, MSNBC had more viewers overall.

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

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‘Dynamic’ $hift for Green Monster

Prices for seats and standing-room tickets for Fenway Park's Green Monster will be based on what the market will bear this season.

The Red Sox have adopted so-called "dynamic" pricing for the tickets, which means prices — much like those for airline tickets — will increase or decrease in real time based on demand and market conditions including the date of a game, the opponent and the weather.

The pricing model — a form of which is used by about 80 percent of Major League Baseball teams — is the latest Red Sox move to better align tickets with their market value, according to Red Sox chief operating officer Sam Kennedy.

"There's a lot of research ... that (shows) fans in other markets respond very well to it," he said.

Tickets for the 269 Green Monster seats were $165 last season, and the 150 standing-room tickets were $35. On Tuesday, when the tickets go on sale, initial prices could range from $30 for standing-room to as much as $300 for an Opening

Day seat, the team said.

It has no current plans to expand dynamic pricing to other parts of the ballpark next year, according to Kennedy. "We'll see how it goes and evaluate that middle to end of season or even next off-season," he said. "This is a big shift for us in 2014 for our ticket pricing in general."

The Sox moved to "variable" pricing for the rest of its regular-season tickets this season. Prices were organized into five tiers based on expected demand for each game, but were set in advance of the season. That led to a reduction in average prices for 32 games, according to the team.

The San Francisco Giants was the first MLB team to use dynamic pricing when it started testing it in 2009, according to MLB spokesman Matthew Gould. "Variable (pricing), in some capacity, dates back to at least 2002," he said. "Every MLB club currently does some form of price-shifting."

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Obama touts overhaul of rules on who gets overtime

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says it's not right that businesses that treat their employers fairly can be undercut by competitors who don't.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama is promoting his plan to update rules about which workers are eligible for overtime pay. Obama says he wants to restore the principle that if you have to work more, you should earn more.

Businesses can avoid paying overtime for some workers who earn above a certain threshold. Obama says under the current rules, some salaried workers are actually paid less than the minimum wage.

In the Republican address, Rep. Bill Johnson of Ohio says seniors deserve better than what Obama's health care is delivering. He says if Obama won't help Republicans repeal the law, Obama should at least protect seniors.

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Online:

Obama address: www.whitehouse.gov

GOP address: www.speaker.gov

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Mass. US Sen. Markey wants gas pipelines upgraded

BOSTON — Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Edward Markey is warning that the deadly gas explosion that destroyed two buildings in New York and killed eight people shows the need to fix the aging infrastructure that delivers fuel in cities across the country.

The Democrat has filed legislation that would require utilities and state regulators to consider replacing the oldest, leakiest natural gas pipelines first.

He said those pipelines have cost consumers billions in lost gas and have contributed to hundreds of explosions over the last decade.

Markey said another bill would establish a state revolving loan fund for natural gas pipeline repair and replacement.

Markey said a massive 2012 explosion in Springfield that injured 18 people and damaged several buildings was a major factor in his efforts to update natural gas pipelines.

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Honda recalling 886,815 Odyssey minivans

DETROIT — Honda Motor Co. is recalling 886,815 Odyssey minivans in the U.S. because a fuel pump cover can deteriorate and cause a fuel leak.

Odysseys from 2005 through 2010 model years are involved. The recalled minivans were made between June 23, 2004, and September 4, 2010.

According to documents posted Saturday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the cover on the fuel pump strainer can wear down from exposure to high temperatures and acidic chemicals, like those found in fertilizers. Fuel leaks can cause a vehicle fire.

Honda says no fires or injuries have been reported.

Honda dealers will repair the vehicles for free, but the company says replacement parts may not be available until this summer. It will notify owners of the recall next month.

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Rule targets for-profit colleges over student debt

WASHINGTON — The for-profit college industry says it will vigorously oppose proposed regulations by the Obama administration designed to protect students at for-profit colleges from amassing huge debt they can't pay off.

The proposed regulations would penalize career training programs that produce graduates without the training needed to find a job with a salary that will allow them to pay off their debt. Schools, for-profit or not, that don't comply would lose access to the federal student aid programs.

"Career-training programs offer millions of Americans an opportunity they desperately need to further their education and reach the middle class," Education Secretary Arne Duncan told reporters Thursday. "Today, too many of these programs fail to provide students with the training that they need at taxpayers' expense and the cost to these students' futures."

If finalized, the regulations would take effect in 2016.

In 2012, the for-profit colleges convinced a judge that similar regulations were too arbitrary. Steve Gunderson, president and CEO of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities, said in a statement that the proposed regulations would "deny millions of students the opportunity for higher earnings." His association argues that the regulations would have a long-term impact on the nation's ability to address workforce demands and improve the economy.

For-profit programs are popular among non-traditional students, some of who have been laid off during the economic downturn.

"The government should be in the business protecting opportunity not restricting it," Gunderson said.

The administration has long sought to block federal student aid from programs that do not prepare students for "gainful employment" in a recognized occupation. The programs covered under the proposed regulations include nearly all programs at for-profit schools, as well as certificate programs at public and private non-profit institutions, such as community colleges, according to the Education Department.

Duncan said for-profit colleges can receive up to 90 percent of their revenue from federal financial aid programs. If blocked from participating, some could be forced to close, he said.

"Some of these programs — whether public, private or for-profit — empower students to succeed by providing high-quality education and career training. But many of these programs, particularly those at for-profit colleges, are failing to do so," the Education Department said in a fact sheet.

The latest proposal closely follows those that were struck down in 2012 by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras, but it makes technical changes tailored to the court's concerns that the benchmarks were arbitrary.

"We tried to base that on expert research and mortgage industry standards for acceptable levels of debt," Duncan said.

For instance, a typical graduate should not pay more than 20 percent of his or her discretionary income to repaying loans. The previous regulations sought a limit of 30 percent of that income going to repayment.

The proposed regulation also says graduates should not be paying more than 8 percent of their total income to student loans. The department previously sought a 12 percent cap.

The proposed regulations also set a default rate of no more than 30 percent.

In many cases, students who graduate from Education Department-approved programs would keep a greater percentage of their paychecks in their pockets.

Education Department reports show for-profit programs account for about 13 percent of all college students but 46 percent of all loan defaults.

At the same time, 22 percent of for-profit student borrowers defaulted on their loans within three years. At public colleges, that number is 13 percent of borrowers.

And for schools that the Education Department could review, 72 percent of for-profit colleges produce graduates who earn less than high school dropouts.

Duncan said the proposed regulations "target those who are both failing students and taxpayers."

The public has 60 days to comment on the proposed regulations.

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AP Education Writer Kimberly Hefling contributed to this report.

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Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/philip_elliott

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Obama overtime plan already stirring controversy

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's move to make more workers eligible for time-and-a-half overtime pay is being hailed by Democrats who see it as a potent midterm election issue and condemned by Republicans and business leaders as presidential overreach. Supporters say it will help the still fragile economy, critics say it will damage it further.

It is likely to affect millions of American workers.

"From my perspective, they have to be pulling numbers out of the air right now," said Washington labor lawyer Tammy McCutchen, referring to the conflicting claims by partisans that it would either help or hurt the economy. "We don't even know what the policy is going to be."

She's closer to the process than most. As administrator of the Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division during the George W. Bush administration, McCutchen oversaw the last rewrite of the program in 2004.

Currently, salaried workers making more than $455 a week, or $23,660 a year, aren't eligible for time-and-a-half overtime if some of their work is considered supervisory, even though many spend most of their day doing manual, clerical or technical work with few management duties.

Obama signed a presidential memorandum on Thursday directing the Labor Department to devise new overtime rules "to ensure that workers are paid fairly for a hard day's work." He's tossing out most of the rules McCutchen wrote in the process.

"Well, it's going to be bad for business," she said in an interview. "It's going to be good for my bottom line. Lawyers all over the country are going to be making a lot of money."

She called the rules "my babies. I spent two years of my life working on them. It's personal for me. It's going to be very sad to see them taking out a lot of the stuff I put in," she said.

But she also warned that the Obama administration should expect a rocky road ahead in implementing whatever new policy emerges — just as the Bush administration faced last time around.

Those close to the process suggest it will take 12 months to 18 months for the agency to complete its new assignment.

The move clearly has angered business groups and congressional Republicans, but it fits in with the overall Democratic midterm election game plan of focusing on income inequality and the middle class at the same time the stock market has soared.

"This will help to build an economy that honors work, not one that steals from workers," AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said. "While workers are denied overtime pay that they have earned, compounding flat and falling wages, the bonus pool for Wall Street grew from $1.9 billion in 1985 to $26.7 billion in 2013 — an average annual increase of 14 percent in nominal terms."

Business and conservative groups argue that Obama's order will have the opposite effect of what is intended and could lead businesses to reduce the number of employees or cut pay, resulting in a drag on national economic growth.

"The federal government, in particular, shouldn't be involved in labor markets in any way, shape or form," said Jeffrey Miron, director of economic studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, and a Harvard University economics professor. "It shouldn't be setting hours legislation and it shouldn't be providing union protection."

The order was the latest in a series of executive actions Obama has taken in an end run around congressional Republicans, who have blocked many of his proposals. With Congress blocking his attempt to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour, he used his executive powers to raise it to that level for government contractors.

Thursday's presidential memorandum is aimed at workers who make more than the federal minimum but are ineligible for overtime pay under present law because they are designated as management, even when they have little or no supervisory responsibilities.

"If you're making $23,000, typically you're not high in management," Obama said in unveiling the initiative.

The White House contends the 2004 revisions to the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act are outdated and allow employers to exempt too many workers from overtime pay.

Despite the contrary claims of Democrats and Republicans as to the economic impact of Obama's move, economists suggest any such impact will be minimal.

"Be a boom to employment among lawyers, but otherwise not a big deal," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.

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Follow Tom Raum on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tomraum

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BP regains ability to do work for government

WASHINGTON — The oil company behind the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history can once again perform work for the federal government.

Under an agreement reached Thursday with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than two dozen BP entities and its Houston-based oil production and exploration arm can secure new government contracts.

The company had been suspended from performing any new government work since November 2012, after BP agreed to plead guilty and to pay a $4.5 billion fine for criminal charges involving the death of 11 workers and lying to Congress about how much oil was spilling into the Gulf of Mexico.

The temporary ban barred the oil company for 16 months from leasing more offshore oil and gas properties and renewing fuel contracts with the U.S. military. The decision comes just before the Department of Interior will offer more than 40 million acres for oil and gas exploration and development in the Gulf of Mexico in March lease sales.

For five years, BP will have to abide by a series of ethics, safety and other requirements. An independent auditor will also verify its compliance with the deal.

The company also agreed Thursday to drop its lawsuit challenging the suspension.

"Today's agreement will allow America's largest energy investor to compete again for federal contracts and leases," said John Minge, chairman and president of BP America, Inc., in a statement.

The new chair of the Senate Energy Committee, Sen. Mary Landrieu, praised the agreement.

"BP has rightly been held responsible in a court of law and should continue to make whole the individuals and businesses that were impacted by the oil spill, but barring them from entering new contracts on top of that amounted to double jeopardy and set a terrible precedent that I hope will not be repeated," said Landrieu, D-La. "The good news is that BP will now be able to participate in next week's lease sale that will bring much-needed revenue to Louisiana and other oil-producing states along the Gulf Coast."

Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen's Energy Program, criticized the move for letting BP "off the hook." The company "has failed to prove that it is a responsible contractor deserving of lucrative taxpayer deals," he said.

The April 2010 spill occurred after BP's Macondo well blew out, causing the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig to explode, killing 11 workers. Millions of gallons of oil spewed into the Gulf, with crude soiling shoreline and beaches from Louisiana to Florida.

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Follow Dina Cappiello on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dinacappiello

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Dems grapple with dilemma on Keystone XL pipeline

WASHINGTON — Democrats are grappling with an election-year dilemma posed by the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Wealthy party donors are funding candidates who oppose the project — a high-profile symbol of the political debate over climate change. But some of the party's most vulnerable incumbents are pipeline boosters, and whether Democrats retain control of the Senate after the 2014 midterm elections may hinge on them.

The dilemma was highlighted Thursday as President Barack Obama's former national security adviser — and now a consultant to the oil industry — said Obama should approve the pipeline to send Russian President Vladimir Putin a message that "international bullies" can't use energy security as a weapon.

The comments by retired Gen. James Jones came as a top Democratic donor again urged that the pipeline be rejected.

Tom Steyer, a billionaire environmentalist, has vowed to spend $100 million —$50 million of his own money and $50 million from other donors — to make climate change a top-tier issue in the 2014 elections.

Steyer, who opposes Keystone, declined to say whether he would contribute to Democrats who support the pipeline, including Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Begich of Alaska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and John Walsh of Montana. All face strong challenges from Republicans in energy-producing states where Obama lost to Mitt Romney in 2012.

Still, a spokesman said Steyer believes Democratic control of the Senate is important from a climate perspective.

Jones told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the Canada-to-Texas pipeline is a litmus test of whether the U.S. is serious about national and global energy security. Approval of the pipeline would help ensure that North America becomes a global energy hub and a reliable energy source to the U.S and its allies, Jones said. Rejecting the pipeline would "make Mr. Putin's day and strengthen his hand," he said.

Jones, who left the Obama administration in 2010, now heads a consulting firm that has done work for the American Petroleum Institute, the oil industry's chief trade group, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Both groups support the pipeline.

Landrieu, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, pressed Secretary of State John Kerry on the pipeline issue Thursday at an appropriations hearing. Landrieu called approval of the pipeline "critical" to the national interest and said that in Louisiana, "it's hard for us to even understand why there is a question" whether it should be approved. The State Department has jurisdiction over the pipeline because it crosses a U.S. border.

Kerry told Landrieu he was "not at liberty to go into my thinking at this point," but added: "I am approaching this, you know, tabula rasa. I'm going to look at all the arguments, both sides, all sides, whatever, evaluate them and make the best judgment I can about what is in the national interest."

Polls show Americans support the pipeline, with 65 percent saying they approved of it in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Twenty-two percent of those polled opposed the pipeline.

Steyer, a former hedge fudge manager, spent more than $10 million to help elect Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., last year. In a conference call with reporters Thursday, Steyer declined to comment on where his advocacy group, NextGen Climate Action, would spend money this fall. But he noted the views of Landrieu and other endangered Democratic incumbents were well known.

"I think those senators voted on this long before 2014," he said, "so I don't think there's any real change here."

Steyer hosted a fundraiser last month at his San Francisco home attended by at least six Democratic senators, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. The event, which raised $400,000 for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, also was attended by former Vice President Al Gore, who said the party needs to make global warming a central issue in the midterm elections.

Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist who advises Steyer, has said the group would not go after Democrats, even those who support the pipeline.

"We're certainly not subscribing to what I would call the tea party theory of politics," Lehane said. "We do think it's really, really important from a climate perspective that we maintain control of the Senate for Democrats."

Steyer said Thursday he has not decided whether to spend money in Colorado, where Democratic Sen. Mark Udall is likely to be challenged by GOP Rep. Cory Gardner. Udall was among more than 30 Democratic senators who engaged in a talkathon urging action on climate change this week, but he has largely stayed out of the Keystone fight. Udall voted against budget amendments urging both support and rejection of the pipeline, arguing that they injected politics into a process that should remain at the State Department.

Udall wants to evaluate the project "on the merits and using objective, scientific analysis," said spokesman Mike Saccone.

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said he hoped Thursday's hearing would offer "a balanced, thoughtful" approach that "puts aside some of the politics that have surrounded this debate" over the pipeline.

"We are here to find answers and shed more light than heat on the issue," Menendez said, although the hearing soon devolved into a series of claims and counterclaims.

The $5.3 billion pipeline would carry oil derived from tar sands in western Canada through the U.S. heartland to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Pipeline supporters, including lawmakers from both parties and many business and labor groups, say the project would create thousands of jobs and reduce the need for oil imports from Venezuela and other politically turbulent countries.

Opponents say the pipeline would carry "dirty oil" that contributes to global warming. They also worry about possible spills.

The State Department said in a Jan. 31 report that building the pipeline would not significantly boost carbon emissions because the oil was likely to find its way to market no matter what. Transporting the oil by rail or truck would cause greater environmental problems than the pipeline, the report said.

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Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

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Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

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Sam Adams brewer backs out of parade over gay-rights flap

Boston Beer Co., the brewer of Samuel Adams, has pulled its sponsorship from the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade amid controversy over the organizers' refusal to let gay veterans march, the company announced in a statement.

"We have been participating in the South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade for nearly a decade and have also supported the St. Patrick's Day breakfast year after year," the company said in a statement. "We've done so because of the rich history of the event and to support veterans who have done so much for this country."

Company representatives have marched in the parade in past years, but annoucned today they will not participate this year because of the breakdown in communications between gay-rights group MassEquality and the parade organizers, Allied Veterans War Council.

"We were hopeful that both sides of this issue would be able to come to an agreement that would allow everyone, regardless of orientation, to participate in the parade. But given the current status of the negotiations, we realize this may not be possible." the company said.

Yesterday, the South End bar Club Cafe threatened to stop selling Samuel Adams "until such time as either the Parade organizers change their position, or Sam Adams removes its support of the St. Patrick Day Parade."

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Amazon hikes Prime membership to $99 per year

NEW YORK — Amazon is raising the price of its popular Prime membership to $99 per year, an increase of $20.

It's the first price increase since the online retailer introduced its Prime membership program, which includes two-day free shipping on many products, in 2005. The company said it would probably raise the price by $20 to $40 in January.

The hike will apply to users when they renew their membership. Users who renew membership before April 17 will pay $79 for the year. After April 17 the price will change to $99. New customers that start a free trial between now and March 20 will lock in the $79 rate for the first year.

Amazon has spent heavily to grow its business and expand into new areas, from movie streaming to e-readers and groceries, and it has accomplished that goal.

The company said it added a million new Prime members in the week before Christmas and a surge in online ordering in the U.S. contributed to huge delays for people sending gifts just ahead of the holiday.

But that has rankled some investors, who are looking for bigger returns.

In an email Thursday to members, the Seattle company stressed that it has not raised the price on Prime in the nine years since its launch, even though shipping costs have increased and it has added new services, such as video streaming. The number of products available for two-day shipping has grown to 20 million from 1 million.

Amazon doesn't disclose how many Prime members it has, but it said in December that it has "tens of millions" of members worldwide.

Cowen & Co. analyst John Blackledge estimates there are about 23 million U.S. prime members. Blackledge said that since the bulk of new memberships occur in the fourth quarter, around the holidays, the benefit of the price hike will probably be felt next year.

He added that he doesn't expect the continued growth of Prime members to slow down despite the price increase.

The announcement was an immediate hit with investors.

Shares rose $10.05, or 2.7 percent, to $380.69 during morning trading. The stock is down 7 percent since the beginning of the year.

22.28 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mass. Gov. to head trade mission to Mexico, Panama

BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick is planning another trade mission, this time to Panama and Mexico.

The governor said in a statement on Monday that he would lead a delegation of state officials and business leaders on the March 17-22 trip to Panama City and Mexico City.

Patrick said the goal of the visits is to strengthen current relationships and build new ones in the emerging economies of the two countries.

The governor has embarked on a series of international trade missions in recent years, the most recent one in December to Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The visits have been paid for by a combination of private and public money.

22.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Black Twitter growing into online force

WASHINGTON — The hashtag gave it away.

When a Florida jury convicted Michael Dunn of attempted murder, but not actual murder, in the shooting death of black teenager Jordan Davis, the hashtag #dangerousblackkids popped up on Twitter. Users posted photos of black babies and toddlers, spoofing the fear that Dunn testified he felt before opening fire on a car full of teens at a convenience store.

That hashtag was the calling card of Black Twitter, a small corner of the social media giant where an unabashedly black spin on life gets served up in 140-character installments.

Black Twitter holds court on pretty much everything from President Barack Obama to the latest TV reality show antics. But Black Twitter can also turn activist quickly. When it does, things happen — like the cancellation of a book deal for a juror in the George Zimmerman trial, or the demise of Zimmerman's subsequent attempt to star at celebrity boxing.

Catchy hashtags are a hallmark and give clues that the tweeting in question is a Black Twitter thing.

"It's kind of like the black table in the lunchroom, sort of, where people with like interests and experiences, and ways of talking and communication, lump together and talk among themselves," said Tracy Clayton, a blogger and editor at Buzzfeed known on Twitter as @brokeymcpoverty.

Black Twitter is not a special website or a smartphone app. The hashtag #blacktwitter itself won't necessarily lead you to it. It doesn't exactly stick out among the trending topics on Twitter, even though it's been known to cause a topic or two to trend. It is not exclusively black — there are blacks who don't participate in it, and people of other races who do.

"Black Twitter brings the fullness of black humanity into the social network and that is why it has become so fascinating," said Kimberly C. Ellis, who has a doctorate in American and Africana Studies, tweets as @drgoddess and is studying Black Twitter for her upcoming book, "The Bombastic Brilliance of Black Twitter."

According to a Pew Research Center report, while similar numbers of blacks and whites use the Internet — 80 percent and 87 percent, respectively — 22 percent of those blacks who were online used Twitter in 2013, compared with 16 percent of online whites.

Meredith Clark, a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who is writing her dissertation on Black Twitter, likened it to "Freedom's Journal," the first African-American newspaper in the United States. On that publication's first front page in 1827, it declared: "We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us."

"If you are from a particularly marginalized community or one where others have spoken for you, but you have not had the agency to really speak for yourself or make your truth known, then it is absolutely necessary that in any instance you can take on that agency that you do so," said Clark, who tweets from @meredithclark. "And so that is what you see happening in Black Twitter."

Mainstream U.S. media first took serious notice of Black Twitter last year, when it abruptly rose up to scuttle a book deal for a juror in the trial of Zimmerman, who was acquitted of murder in the death of Trayvon Martin. That was the first time that blacks used Twitter "in a very powerful and political way," said Houston black social media consultant Crystal Washington.

Most recently, Black Twitter reared its head through hashtags like #stopthefight, to protest a proposed celebrity boxing match supposedly between Zimmerman and rapper DMX. The promoter quickly canceled after a flood of Twitter complaints.

Such death-by-Twitter activism could very well be the harbinger of a new civil rights strategy, Ellis said. She noted that a short amount of time elapsed between the moment Black Twitter noticed the juror's book deal and the moment it was called off. The same was true of the Zimmerman boxing match.

"Ask the NAACP how long it would have taken had that been one of their initiatives," Ellis said.

The NAACP employed the hashtag #TooMuchDoubt for its unsuccessful attempt to halt the execution of Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis, and the hashtag #OscarGrant on tweets about its activism over the police killing of black teenager Oscar Grant, whose life was later documented in the movie "Fruitvale Station."

"We realized more than anyone that we had to go in that direction and we've done it," NAACP interim President Lorraine Miller said of the NAACP's social media use during a recent appearance on C-SPAN's "Newsmakers" program.

Black Twitter arguably had its biggest field day last year with embattled celebrity cook Paula Deen, whose admission that she used racial slurs in the past inspired the #paulasbestdishes hashtag, featuring recipe titles such as "Massa-Roni and Cheese" and "We Shall Over-Crumb Cake."

Washington said Black Twitter's playful take on the Deen controversy may have been a dry run to the Zimmerman juror takedown.

"I'm not sure that Twitter users, especially African-Americans, would have zeroed in on the juror's book deal had it not been for the aftermath of #paulasbestdishes just weeks before," Washington said.

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Follow Jesse J. Holland on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jessejholland

22.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sbarro again files for Ch. 11 reorganization

NEW YORK — Sbarro said Monday that it is filing for Chapter 11 reorganization, the struggling pizza chain's second trip through bankruptcy court in less than three years.

The filing comes after the company shuttered 155 of its U.S. locations last month. Sbarro had cited declining traffic in the mall food courts where it does much of its business for the closures. The company did not immediately provide details on whether any marketing or in-store changes were planned to help update its image and boost sales.

It says it still has more than 800 locations worldwide.

Sbarro also filed for bankruptcy protection in April 2011 and emerged a few months later, saying that it significantly cut its debt and received a capital infusion. A new CEO then led a push to revitalize the chain's image by touting new recipes and ovens. But the efforts apparently didn't take hold.

Sbarro, based in Melville, N.Y., says its strategy of store closings and balance sheet restructuring will improve its profitability and reduce outstanding debt by more than 80 percent. It said its filing is designed to "allow for a quick exit from bankruptcy" as it executes a broader plan developed by the new management team.

22.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

World has new top banana as Chiquita, Fyffes merge

DUBLIN — Yes, they have more bananas.

Fruit supply companies Chiquita of the United States and Fyffes of Ireland said Monday they had agreed to merge to create the world's biggest banana supplier.

The all-shares agreement means the two companies will become ChiquitaFyffes PLC, be traded on the New York Stock Exchange and be headquartered in Dublin, a more tax-efficient corporate base.

The companies said the deal, which requires shareholder and regulatory approval in Ireland and the United States, would generate $40 million in pre-tax savings through more efficient operations.

Current Fyffes and Chiquita shareholders each would own half of a combined operation expected to generate $4.6 billion in annual sales.

The two companies said the merger would create a banana behemoth that ships more than 160 million crates worldwide, about a quarter more than either of their main rivals, Dole and Del Monte. ChiquitaFyffes also would become the world's No. 3 distributor of pineapples and melons.

Shares in both companies surged, particularly Dublin-based Fyffes, because Monday's deal valued Fyffes shares at 1.22 euros ($1.66).

Fyffes rose 46 percent to 1.30 euros ($1.80) on the Irish Stock Exchange. Chiquita rose nearly 13 percent to $12.20 in New York.

Fyffes is Europe's biggest banana importer and the oldest industry brand, dating to 1929; Irish wits have long cited the company's presence here as proof that Ireland really is a banana republic. The company enjoys exclusive export rights for the Central American country of Belize.

David McCann, Fyffes' chairman, will become chief executive officer of the combined company, while the chief executive of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Chiquita, Ed Lonergan, will become its chairman.

Lonergan said their "natural strategic partnership" would "provide customers with a more diverse product mix and choice."

However, shoppers used to seeing bananas bearing the bold blue stickers of Chiquita or Fyffes aren't expected to notice any difference there. The two brands are staying separate.

___

Online:

Chiquita-Fyffes statement, http://bit.ly/1kaxkxy

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Stocks down on discouraging news from Asia

A dash of discouraging economic news from China and Japan put a damper on the U.S. stock market Monday, adding to concerns that global growth could be slowing.

KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 10 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,867 at 11:03 a.m. Eastern Time. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 113 points, or 0.7 percent, to 16,339. The Nasdaq composite lost 25 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,311.

CHINA WORRIES: China's exports slumped 18 percent in February, reinforcing fears about the outlook for the world's second-largest economy after the United States. China's official 2014 economic growth target of 7.5 percent, announced last week by Premier Li Keqiang, assumes trade also will grow by 7.5 percent. But customs data show combined imports and exports so far this year have shrunk by 4.8 percent.

THE QUOTE: "The driver this morning has been the economic numbers coming out of China. Their trade numbers were quite disappointing and that's driving the market lower," said David Chalupnik, head of equities for Nuveen Asset Management.

JAPAN TOO: Meanwhile, Japan, the world's third-largest economy, reported a record current account deficit for January and lowered its economic growth estimate for the October-December quarter to 0.7 percent from 1 percent.

IN THE RED: The downbeat economic report from China was hurting several industry sectors heavily reliant on Chinese economic growth, in particular: materials, mining equipment, energy and industrials, which led the decline in the 10 sectors of the S&P 500 index.

TOP BANANA: Chiquita agreed to combine with Dublin-based Fyffes to become the world's top banana company. The stock-for-stock transaction announced Monday creates a global banana and fresh produce company with $4.6 billion in annual revenues. Chiquita rose $1.33, or 12.2 percent, to $12.15.

SEPARATE WAYS: Chemical company FMC plans to separate into two publicly traded companies. The "New FMC" will include the agricultural and health and nutrition businesses, while "FMC Minerals" will include the current minerals segment that houses the alkali chemicals and lithium businesses. FMC rose $3.81, or 4.9 percent, to $81.68.

FROZEN ARCHES: McDonald's fell 46 cents to $95.04. The company said that a key sales metric dropped 1.4 percent in the U.S. last month, which McDonald's attributed to severe winter weather. The world's largest hamburger chain was also hindered by difficult winter weather conditions in January.

EUROPE: The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was barely changed. Germany's DAX fell 0.3 percent. The CAC-40 in France edged up 0.5 percent.

ASIAN MARKETS: Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 closed down 1 percent and China's Shanghai Composite plunged 2.9 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 1.8 percent. A notable mover was Malaysia Airlines, which fell sharply following the disappearance of one its jets en route to Beijing.

BOND WATCH: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.78 percent from 2.79 percent as investors moved money into bonds. The yield, which affects rates on mortgages and other consumer loans, has been rising steadily this month from a low of 2.60 percent on March 3.

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Device aids weight loss

Doctors at three Massachusetts hospitals are recruiting people battling Type 2 diabetes and obesity for a clinical trial of a medical device that has been approved in other countries to reduce blood sugar and body weight without the need for the kind of weight-loss surgery that more than 200,000 Americans undergo each year.

Made by Lexington-based GI Dynamics, the EndoBarrier is a thin, flexible, tube-shaped liner placed via the mouth during a brief endoscopic procedure and inserted in the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine, just beyond the stomach, said Dr. Lee M. Kaplan, the trial's lead investigator and director of the Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

"The food you eat goes down the middle of the tube," Kaplan said, "but the tube blocks interactions between the food and hormone secretions," which can affect insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, satiety and food intake.

In commercial use outside the U.S., the device has been shown to achieve as much as a 30 percent reduction in glucose levels within the first week and a 10 percent to 20 percent body-weight loss within the 12-month period for which it has been approved for use in countries including England, France, Germany and Australia, said Stuart Randle, GI Dynamics' president and CEO.

"No one yet knows why, when you bypass the first section of the intestine, these hormones change so dramatically and so immediately," Randle said.

The U.S. trial, which currently is enrolling people at 22 sites, including MGH, Boston Medical Center and UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, will end in two years and, if it shows that the EndoBarrier is safe and effective, the Food and Drug Administration could approve the device in about a year.

If it does, the EndoBarrier could offer new hope to the 26 million people who have been diagnosed with diabetes in this country, including approximately 360,000 adults in Massachusetts, where the disease each week causes an average of 22 deaths, 38 lower-leg amputations, 13 new cases of end-stage renal disease and five new 
cases of blindness, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

"Obesity and diabetes are twin epidemics that remain out of control, and while we have good medical therapies for diabetes and some good therapies for obesity, they don't always work," Kaplan said. "For those patients who need additional therapy, this device may provide a valuable new option. But testing it is critical."

22.27 | 0 komentar | Read More

Buick is showing classic symptoms of vapor lock

Here is a problem that I have fought for almost two years. My 2001 Buick Regal will not start after a shutdown and heat soak. The car has 128,000 miles, never shuts down while driving, starts and runs perfectly in the morning. When it won't restart, you can crank it until the battery runs down, but the car won't start. After shutting the engine off it will start immediately — if you don't wait too long! Engine operating temperature is normal, it never overheats and has a new thermostat and ECT sensor. There are no intake manifold leaks, either vacuum or coolant. Fuel pressure is normal, but a new regulator was installed along with a new MAF sensor. In a no-start condition the spark will jump a gap of at least one inch at the coil.

In the summer I carry a jug of water in the trunk (in winter I use snow) and in a no-start condition I pour about a quart of water on the intake plenum. The car will start right away and will run perfectly until the next no-start condition.

I can't recall a better description of vapor lock. The proper term is fuel percolation, which describes residual engine heat boiling the ready fuel supply in the fuel rails near the plenum/intake manifold. When this occurs, fuel pressure fades due to the aerated fuel disrupting fuel delivery from the injectors. Even though fuel pressure may be "normal" when tested with the engine running, I suspect fuel pressure drops quickly after shutdown due to percolation.

Using water to cool the intake stops the percolation. The first few injector pulses bleed air from the rail and, as fuel pressure returns, the engine starts.

But how to eliminate the problem? Start with three simple steps. Idle the engine for 30 seconds before shutdown to allow coolant to carry residual combustion heat from the cylinder heads into the radiator. Pop the hood open to the safety catch position to allow hot air to escape from under the hood. And try different brands of fuel, looking for a fuel with a vapor pressure less prone to this issue.

In addition, make sure airflow through the A/C condenser and radiator is clear and unobstructed. If the cooling system hasn't been serviced recently a power flush may lower coolant and underhood temperatures measurably.

And to cover all the bases turn the ignition to the "on" position and listen for the fuel pump to run for two seconds and then stop, confirming that the fuel pump relay and fuel pump are operating properly. I'd also test for injector pulse widths from the PCM to confirm that the fuel injectors are being commanded to open/close on a hot restart.

I have a well-maintained 2003 Acura 3.2L TL-S model with 114,000 miles. My Goodyear dealer has continued to propose replacement of the timing belt and water pump. He said the belt should have been replaced at the seven-year mark or 100,000 miles. I can't seem to find any definitive recommendations from Acura or on the Internet about this repair. I want to maintain the car and continue to drive it for a number of years and would value your opinion on this repair.

Acura's service recommendation for this vehicle and engine, as outlined in my Alldata automotive database, calls for timing belt replacement at 105,000 miles/84 months under normal operating conditions. Under severe service conditions — operation at ambient temperatures under minus-20 degrees or above 110 — replacement is recommended every 60,000 miles.

With this engine, a timing belt failure could allow contact between pistons and valves, resulting in catastrophic engine failure, so a new timing belt makes perfect sense. Include pre-emptive replacement of the water pump.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paulbrand@startribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number. Because of the volume of mail, we cannot provide personal replies.

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Casinos’ projections trump panel’s

The annual gaming revenue projected by the competing Mohegan Sun and Wynn Resorts casino proposals exceed a new state Gaming Commission study, which factors in competition from the slots parlor the commission green-lighted to open at the harness racetrack in Plainville.

The commission's study, released late last month by the firm HLT, projects the Boston-area casino will generate $749 million in gross gaming revenue with a slots parlor open in Plainville, with $606.9 million coming from Massachusetts and $142 million from neighboring states. The state will take 25 percent of that revenue in taxes.

Mohegan Sun projects $857 million in gross gaming revenues in its first year for a casino at Suffolk Downs in Revere, while Wynn projects $804 million for its Everett site.

Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said the board will study the discrepancies.

"We'll be looking at their projections, looking at their assumptions and giving them a good scrub," Crosby said.

Clyde Barrow, a University of Massachusetts Dartmouth professor and gaming expert, said his independent studies have projected well north of $800 million, particularly for a Suffolk Downs casino, because it's in such a dense population area.

"They're high," Barrow said, "but I came out in the same space as they did."

Wynn says it's been conservative in its estimates, and supporters of the Everett casino say the Las Vegas company has the economic strength to deliver on promises.

"The hastily devised Mohegan Sun casino proposed in Revere at the last minute will not attract visitors from outside our region or even take away any business from Mohegan Sun's main operation in Connecticut," Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria said in a statement. "Wynn Resorts has a proven track record of attracting international customers to their facilities — that's the type of operator Massachusetts needs."

Gary Luderitz, Mohegan Sun's vice president of operations and development, stuck by the projections, saying the company is better positioned to tap customers in the region due to its existing database and that the commission's estimate that the average adult will leave $375 at the Boston-area casino per visit '"sounds a little low to me."

"We're starting from a very strong position in the Northeast," Luderitz said. "Our data analysis consultants used figures that had held up in other work that they've done. We feel pretty good about it."

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Behind jet's passenger list is rich human tapestry

BANGKOK — Numbered 1 to 227, the passenger manifest for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet is an outwardly unremarkable document.

But behind the columns of capitalized names, nationalities and ages are 227 unique stories, part of a rich human tapestry that assembles every time a flight departs. There were middle-aged Australians with wanderlust, an acclaimed Chinese calligrapher, a young Indonesian man heading to begin a new career, and two people traveling on stolen passports.

More than a day and a half has passed since the Boeing 777 disappeared from radar screens in the first hour of a six-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. From France to Australia and China, families and friends are enduring an agonizing wait for news about Flight MH370.

The flight had a crew of 12, all from Malaysia, a melting pot nation of ethnic Malays, Chinese and Indians. Passengers on the popular business and tourist route were mostly from China and Malaysia, along with smatterings of people from other corners of the world: Americans, Australians, Indians, French, Indonesians, Ukrainians and other nationalities.

Some traveled alone, some in groups. They were young sweethearts and wrinkled older couples. Some had business in mind, others thought of art. Seventy-four years separates the youngest, 2-year-old Moheng Wang, and the oldest, 76-year-old Rusheng Liu.

"I can only pray for a miracle," said Daniel Liau, the organizer of a calligraphic and painting exhibition in Malaysia attended by acclaimed Chinese calligrapher Meng Gaosheng, who boarded the flight with 18 other artists plus six family members and four staff.

"I feel very sad. Even though I knew them for a short time, they have become my friends," Liau said.

Also traveling as a group were eight Chinese and 12 Malaysian employees of Austin, Texas, semiconductor company Freescale, which said it was assembling "around-the-clock support" for their families.

Each day more than 80,000 flights take off and land around the world without incident. For seasoned Australian travelers Robert Lawton, 58, and his wife, Catherine, 54, the seemingly routine takeoff of flight MH370 was the beginning of another adventure.

"They mentioned in passing they were going on another big trip and they were really excited," Caroline Daintith, a neighbor, told Australian Broadcasting Corp. television of the couple described as doting grandparents.

Sharing their adventure was another 50-something Australian couple, Rodney and Mary Burrows. Neighbor Don Stokes said the trip was intended as the beginning of the "next step in their life."

Among the family groups on board were teenage sweethearts Hadrien Wattrelos, 17, and Zhao Yan, 18, students at a French school in Beijing who were returning from the Malaysian leg of a two-week holiday along with Hadrien's mother and younger sister.

In December, Zhao changed her Facebook profile photo to one of her and Hadrien. He had commented: "Je t'aime," followed by a heart, and she had "liked" his comment.

Some boarded the plane with more serious purposes in mind.

Colleagues of Chandrika Sharma said the 50-year-old director of the Chennai chapter of an organization that works with fishermen was on her way from the southern Indian city to Mongolia for a Food and Agriculture Organization conference.

"There must still be hope," said a colleague, Venogupal, who like many in India goes by one name.

He seemed, however, to be bracing for the worst. "She was friendly and very loveable, very industrious and astute. We will miss her."

For 24-year-old Firman Chandra Siregar from Medan, Indonesia, the flight was a new chapter. In Beijing, he was to start a three-year contract with Schlumberger, an oilfield services company.

Dozens of relatives and neighbors gathered at his family's home, some tearful, praying or watching news of the search and rescue operation. Like Sharma's colleagues, they were forced to let hope ebb away.

A team from the Indonesian police's Disaster Victim Identification unit collected DNA samples and medical records from Firman's family and photographed pictures of Firman that hung on the walls of the family home.

The motivation of some on board is murky. Two passengers were traveling with stolen EU passports — fueling speculation that the plane's disappearance was not an accident.

Yet the documents are just two of at least 39 million lost and stolen passports around the world. Last year, there were more than 29.3 million flights worldwide. By chance, many of those flights would have a passenger traveling on a stolen passport. They may be criminals, people seeking a better life, or something else.

Also by chance: Liu Hongwei was not on Flight MH370.

The Beijing-based head of an investment company and friend of the calligrapher Meng said that he was invited to the exhibition and cultural exchange in Malaysia as a sponsor, but that business commitments kept him from going.

"That could have been me on that plane," he said. "We're all very worried."

___

McGuirk reported from Canberra, Australia. Researcher Fu Ting in Shanghai, Associated Press video journalist Isolda Morillo in Beijing and AP writers Gillian Wong in Beijing, Katy Daigle in New Delhi, Ali Kotarumalos in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.

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No consensus on notifying victims of data breaches

WASHINGTON — The data breach at Target has refocused attention on the patchwork of state consumer notification laws — and it's renewed a push for a national standard.

Most states have laws requiring retailers to disclose data breaches, but those laws vary.

Consumers in one state might immediately be told that their personal information has been exposed. But that might not happen elsewhere.

Requirements for businesses depend on where companies are located.

Attorney General Eric Holder has joined the call for a nationwide notification standard.

Consumer groups don't want to weaken existing protections.

Retailers want laws that are easier to comply with and say that too much notification isn't necessarily the best way.

Congress is exploring how a federal standard should be enforced and what the threshold should be for notification.

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