Crushing on my Candy addiction

The formula for consistent social media profits has been cracked, or perhaps more accurately, crushed. Unfortunately, the solution is eating my soul.

Let me back up. "Candy Crush Saga" is the most popular social media game ever, and the most addictive. A baffling 190 million people worldwide are using it. The Candy got me during a recent cold, when I was laid up and wondering, "What is this Candy Crush thing that I keep seeing on Facebook?"

It looked harmless enough at first. Rows of shiny little gumdrops and jelly beans, and all you have to do is arrange three in a row of the same color.

The first several rounds were a breeze, and I could see how my score stacked up against my Facebook friends — so many of them playing this game, and such a strange cross-section. The mommy/part-time engineer, the owner of a dance school, the do-nothing basement dweller, the high school math teacher — many ages and genders represented here.

Then my first Candy Crush hurdle: I had run out of lives. Oh well. Time to start over. But wait … I have to wait 20 minutes to earn another life, or I can pay 99-cents for a full set? Well, just this one time …

There's another way to get lives: You can beg friends for them. It forces you to connect and commiserate with friends.

And therein lies the genius formula. The route to instant gratification costs money, and they provide an instant circle of equally wayward friends to cheer you on.

Analysts believe this fad will live on far longer than previous runaway hits like "Farmville," "Texas Hold 'Em" and "Words with Friends." For starters, the rules are far simpler. There is no learning curve. And rather than pushing out sequels and add-ons, the makers of "Candy Crush Saga," a European company called King, have vowed to keep the game constantly evolving. And some of the levels are so difficult that winning feels like an accomplishment.

One of my friends was stuck on the same level for 30 days. "Sadly, I still played it several times a day," she reports. There's something about these colorful little candies.

I'm sure the fine folks at King consulted industrial psychologists in their quest to create an addiction. What better way than to tap into society's disgusting love/hate relationship with sugary treats?

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Squantum home’s a day at the beach

If you want to feel like you're on vacation year round, this waterfront house for sale in the Squantum neighborhood of Quincy comes complete with deeded access to a private beach.

Built in 2008 by Realtor/owner Theresa Repoff, the three-bedroom single family at 173 Huckins Ave. in Squantum is about 100 feet from the ocean and has water views from most rooms. It's also one of nine neighboring houses that have deeded access to private Sunrise Beach.

The 3,100-square-foot home with Brazilian cherrywood floors throughout, a third-floor family room, three outdoor decks and a basement wine cellar is on the market for $1,195,000. The second-floor master bedroom and the entire top floor have unobstructed ocean views.

The house, which goes front to back from Huckins Avenue to Sunrise Road, has a three-vehicle garage underneath it, with doors opening out to both streets. It has bushes in front along with front, side and back lawns.

A granite paver walk leads to a covered porch and into a cherrywood foyer with a double-door closet.

To the left is a floor-through, recessed-lit living and dining area with crown molding and three large sets of triple windows with transoms above that bring in lots of light and have ocean views, although the house next door blocks sight lines. A gas fireplace with a granite surround separates the living and dining space. At the end of the dining area sit glass doors that lead out to a private rear deck that looks out to the beach.

The dining area segues into a recessed-lit kitchen with 25 white-painted beadboard-styled cabinets above and below greenish blue granite counters with a multicolored glass mosaic tile backsplash. There's a granite-topped central island with a four-burner Bosch stainless-steel gas cooktop. The refrigerator and dishwasher are also Bosch stainless-steel.

Also on this floor is a half bathroom with white marble floors and counters over an antique vanity.

The home's three cherrywood bedrooms are on the second floor, reached via a turning staircase.

The sunny master suite features a three-part window with unobstructed ocean views and glass doors out to a private deck. There's a large walk-in closet with built-in storage as well as a double-door closet. The en-suite ceramic-tiled master bathroom has a walk-in shower and double-sink vanity with creme marble countertops.

There are two other bedrooms on this floor — ideally sized for children — as well as another full ceramic-tiledx bathroom. Opposite the bath, behind a frosted glass door, is a laundry room with ocean views.

The entire third floor of the home is a cherrywood-floored family room, ideal for entertaining with its private outdoor deck with unobstructed ocean views. There's a vaulted ceiling here, lots of windows, a skylight and even a built-in electric fireplace.

The basement has a finished wine cellar and direct access to the garage. There's also a lot of extra storage space in the unfinished areas.

The home has two gas-fired heating and central air-conditioning systems.

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The Ticker

Demolition to make way for Millennium Tower

This weekend Suffolk Constructon will demolish the remainder of a 1905 building at the corner of Franklin and Hawley streets that housed part of Filene's. This will allow developer Millennium Partners to begin work on the 625-foot Millennium Tower, which will include 600 condominiums and apartments, about 218,000 square feet of office space and 231,000 square feet of retail.

SEC files charges against
 hedge fund founder Cohen

The Securities and Exchange Commission leveled its most direct shot against billionaire hedge-fund manager Steven A. Cohen yesterday by filing civil charges that accuse him of failing to prevent insider trading.

The SEC alleged that Cohen, who founded and runs SAC Capital Advisors, failed to prevent two of his portfolio managers from illegally reaping profits and avoiding losses of more than $275 million. Both managers provided information to Cohen that suggested they had access to inside information, the SEC said. But rather than raise any red flags, Cohen praised one of the managers and rewarded the other with a 
$9 million bonus, the SEC said.

Calif. judge finalizing deal
in Toyota acceleration cases

A California judge said yesterday that he's finalizing a settlement worth more than $1 billion in cases in which motorists say the value of their Toyota vehicles plunged after recalls over claims they unexpectedly accelerated.

U.S. District Judge James Selna said he was approving the deal that was announced in December and will affect 22 million consumers.

• Grossman Marketing Group, a print and promotional products company headquartered in Somerville, has announced the hiring of Al Maloney as an account executive who will work out of the company's Somerville office. Maloney's primary responsibility will be to generate new business opportunities throughout the Northeast, including Western Massachusetts and Upstate New York.
• Metabolix Inc. a bioscience company delivering sustainable solutions to the plastics, chemicals and energy industries, announced that Johan van Walsem has been promoted to the position of chief operating officer. In this newly created role, Van Walsem will be responsible for the management of the company's biopolymers, biobased chemicals and crops businesses, as well as the key functional areas that enable these businesses to perform.
• HomeStart has announced the addition of Kate Jordan as the new housing search director. In this role, Jordan will assist homeless individuals and families who are currently being housed in shelters with locating permanent and affordable housing. Jordan will work with HomeStart's management team to oversee the agency's long-term planning goals and assist with the development of programs.

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Value shoppers turn to used cars

With used-car prices falling and the quality of late-model cars improving, buyers are now getting a lot more bang for their buck.

Recent redesigns, especially in the midsize- and compact-sedan segments, have left the used-car market full of vehicles that were on the cutting edge several years ago, but at lower prices now.

Those cars have helped to create "some of the best product we've seen in the industry in years" said Alec Gutierrez, an analyst for Kelley Blue Book. "These vehicles are significantly improved over the models they are replacing."

"If the new-car prices are out of your budget and you're looking to buy used to save a few dollars, used cars the past few years are really good products," said Richard Arca, used car analyst at Edmunds.com. "If you take a look now, the manufacturers made huge strides in improving their product" in the past few years.

To make the deal even sweeter, used-car prices are down 6 percent from their peak in May 2011. The average price for a used car at auction was $11,031 in June, according to Manheim, an auction company, and experts don't expect prices to rise soon.

"Prices will continue to soften at a faster rate," Arca said.

"Now is definitely as good a time as any" to buy a used car, Gutierrez said.

Analysts said the quality of used cars has been instrumental in keeping the entire auto sales business afloat.

"Nearly every vehicle in the industry has so significantly improved that it's helped to shore up the industry," Gutierrez said.

Here are some of the top used cars that have been dramatically redesigned over the past few years:

2011 Hyundai 
Sonata

Replacing the fifth-
generation Sonata introduced in 2005, the '11 was introduced to rave reviews. Kelley Blue Book called the stylish mid-sized sedan a "towering home run" in its review. The redesign brought an entirely new look to the car, along with value, quality and a world-class powertrain.

2011 Kia Optima

The previous iteration of the Optima, a bland, boring car with few attractive features, was replaced by this heavy-hitter. Packed with amenities, this mid-sized sedan comes with improved styling over older models and new (at the time) tech features, including Bluetooth connectivity, an iPhone audio input and a glove box that will keep drinks cool.

2012 Ford Focus

This compact got a new look in 2012, but also packs more quality, features and options. Also available as a 5-door hatchback for the first time, the Focus boasts a stronger unit-body structure and a completely retuned suspension. Premium comfort features include MyFord Touch infotainment and standard dual-zone climate control.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

The Cruze marked the beginning of Chevy's turnaround, and for good reason. While not technically a redesign, the Cruze replaced the Cobalt in Chevy's lineup. The compact has an impressive 36 mpg, and the price to back it up. Superficially, the car is attractive inside and out.

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Obama commends work of consumer protection agency

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is commending the work of a consumer protection agency created after the economic crisis.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau got its first permanent director this week after the Senate voted to install Richard Cordray after years of delay.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama says consumers can go to the agency to "get some measure of justice" when financial institutions disregard the rules.

He says the bureau has addressed more than 175,000 complaints and has helped recover more than $400 million in refunds for consumers.

In the Republican message, Reps. Todd Young of Indiana and Tim Griffin of Arkansas are calling on the Democratic-controlled Senate to vote on bills passed by the House to delay requirements on individuals and businesses by Obama's health care law.

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Online:

Obama address: www.whitehouse.gov

GOP address: http://www.gop.gov/

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The Ticker

Detroit files for bankruptcy

Detroit yesterday became the largest city in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy, as the state-appointed emergency manager filed for Chapter 9 protection.

A number of factors — most notably steep population and tax base declines — have been blamed on Detroit's tumble toward insolvency. Detroit lost a quarter-million residents between 2000 and 2010. A population that in the 1950s reached 1.8 million is struggling to stay above 700,000. Much of the middle class and scores of businesses also have fled the city, taking their tax dollars with them.

Mass. jobless rate climbs to 7 percent

The state's unemployment rate rose yesterday, further narrowing the employment gap between the state and the rest of the country.

Massachusetts added 2,800 jobs in June, but the unemployment rate rose to 7 percent, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development said yesterday.

While the state unemployment rate remains below the national rate, the state's unemployment is only .6 percent less than the national rate, compared to 1.2 percent lower in January.

Senators make deal on student loans

Student borrowers will see interest rates reduced to levels near those that expired last month under a deal announced by Senate lawmakers yesterday, potentially ending a battle over college costs that had divided Democrats and threatened to leave students with sharply higher costs.

South Station to get new bar

Commuters in South Station hoping to do something other than eat in the food court and stare at the train schedule will finally get their chance.

Bar and restaurant chain Tavern in the Square will be opening an "airport style" bar in the center of South Station, according to restaurant management.

The 750-square-foot location will have televisions, roughly 40 seats ­— bar and table — and will offer 50 draft beers and a limited menu of Tavern's most popular items.

TODAY

 General Electric Co. reports quarterly financial results.

 Christine Ward, left, has been named director of operations for Raising A Reader Massachusetts, an early literacy nonprofit organization. Ward joined the organization in 2010 and continues to work in Operations and Human Resources, helping the organization expand across the state and double the size of the team.

 Intarcia Therapeutics announced the hiring of Dr. Eddie Li to the newly created position of vice president and global head of regulatory affairs. Li brings more than 20 years of experience in regulatory affairs to Intarcia.

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Boston Globe bidder files suit vs. ex-partner

Two media bigs who teamed up to try to buy The Boston Globe in 2011 are now engulfed in a long and pricey breach of contract dispute, as former Time Inc. CEO Jack Griffin is suing Orange County Register publisher Aaron Kushner for up to $10 million in New York Civil Supreme Court, according to court filings.

Griffin — now part of a local group comprised of cousins and former Globe owners Stephen and Benjamin Taylor hoping to buy the broadsheet — is accusing Kushner of stiffing him on payouts after his company, 2100 LLC, acquired the Orange County Register and six other newspapers last year.

Kushner, a former greeting-card merchant from Wellesley, first hired Griffin as a senior adviser at a rate of $600 an hour to consult on the group's possible acquisition of the Globe in June 2011, according to court documents.

The Globe deal never happened, but one year later Kushner's group bought Freedom Communications, which included the West Coast papers.

Griffin alleges the two agreed that he'd be appointed a director and officer, get a one-year consulting contract for $250,000 and a 3.449 percent stake in the company, which, based on the company's then-$5.8 million value, would be worth $200,000.

But six days later, 2100 revalued itself at $89 million and Griffin's share in the company was diluted to 0.225 percent, the lawsuit claims.

Griffin insists in the suit that Kushner relied on Griffin's "name, reputation and contacts" to execute the Freedom deal.

But Kushner's lawyer, Seth L. Levine, vowed to "vigorously" fight the claims.

"Mr. Griffin's lawsuit is frivolous and entirely without merit," said Levine. "His efforts to extract from 2100 Trust and Mr. Kushner an exorbitant sum which he never earned and to which he was never entitled is totally inappropriate."

A spokesman for Griffin said he was a "visible" member of the 2100 leadership team.

"Despite using Mr. Griffin's name, credentials and significant insights gained from working three decades at the highest levels in the publishing industry, 2100 Trust did not compensate Mr. Griffin nor did it grant him equity in the company or name him as a Director, according to its obligations and representations," said Al Minahan.

Judge Barbara Kapnick refused Kushner's motion to dismiss on all four counts earlier this year.

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Board backs off firing Market Basket’s CEO

A victorious Arthur T. Demoulas emerged from a marathon 13-hour Market Basket board meeting late last night, where no vote was taken to remove him, to be greeted by throngs of cheering employees.

"Artie T.! Artie T.!" employees chanted, as one hoisted the embattled supermarket CEO on his shoulders.

"You're the best!" Arthur T. Demoulas told them. "I never want to leave you!"

Directors with a new majority that were seen as aligned against the CEO had met behind closed doors all day and into the night at an Andover hotel as employees, customers and other Demoulas loyalists lined the half-mile road to the property.

Company shareholders led by cousin Arthur S. Demoulas — both Arthurs are sons of the company's two co-founders — last month won a court order that forced yesterday's meeting after directors supporting the CEO failed to attend two prior ones at which his proposed removal was on the agendas.

The detractors had alleged fiscal recklessness and lack of accountability by Arthur T. Demoulas, according to court documents that describe his management as dictatorial. Demoulas' supporters, meanwhile, say opposing shareholders have supported borrowing 
$1.5 billion for a shareholder payout at the expense of Market Basket's 22,000 workers, employee profit-sharing plan and low prices that undercut its competitors. But the meeting ended with no motion to remove Arthur T. Demoulas.

The CEO said in a statement: "I am pleased with today's result. I hope to work constructively with the Board going forward. It is my desire to continue to look out for the best interests of our customers and employees. Together we have built a fine organization and I am extremely proud of you. Thanks to everybody for their tremendous outpouring of support."

The company operates 71 Market Baskets in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, with revenue of 
$4 billion last year, up from $2.48 billion in 2007.

Employees at the rally were steadfast in their loyalty to Demoulas, who's been CEO since 2008. An estimated 2,000 people sporting signs and shirts in his support greeted Demoulas as he drove up to yesterday's 9:30 a.m. meeting.

"If it's not broken, don't fix it," said John Conway, 56, a 35-year employee who manages the Portsmouth, N.H., store and was among the throng of Arthur T. supporters yesterday.

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Arts festivals drawing lots of business to Hub

Officials plan to build on this summer's string of business-boosting arts festivals by bringing even more outdoor summer fun to downtown Boston and city neighborhoods next year.

"We absolutely want to keep what we have, but there's always room for expansion," said Chris Cook, director of arts, tourism and special events. "We're already looking at opportunities to layer in different arts experiences next year."

Cook pointed to the free, nine-day Outside the Box inaugural festival, which ends Sunday, as a model. The event features 200 performances and has attracted thousands of people daily to Boston Common and City Hall Plaza, despite this week's sweltering weather.

"The city needed it," said Ted Cutler, the festival's founder, adding with a reference to the April 15 bombing, "Since the marathon, there's been a cloud over the city. This helped lift it."

In addition to raising people's spirits with art, music and dance, Outside the Box has boosted sales at some local businesses.

Steve Heeley, CEO of Earl of Sandwich, Boston Common's only year-round restaurant, and Lindo DeFarias, manager of Sal's Pizza on Tremont Street, both estimated that sales have been up 50 percent since the festival began.

Rosemarie Sansone, president of the Downtown Crossing Business Improvement District, said she only hopes that future events will be more spread out across the city. And with next weekend's FIGMENT Boston, she'll get her wish. The event returns to the Rose Kennedy Greenway for the third year, bringing more than 100 interactive art projects, dance performances and music.

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US tech earnings weigh on markets

LONDON — Disappointing earnings from two U.S. technology giants weighed on global markets Friday after a stellar run that has seen Wall Street's main indexes post a series of all-time highs.

Stocks around the world have had a solid week, especially after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke indicated that the central bank's monetary stimulus may remain in place for longer than many in the markets had been predicting.

As a result, investors were looking for a reason to book some profits ahead of the weekend and the earnings figures from Google and Microsoft gave them that opportunity, despite a solid report from General Electric.

Google's quarterly report showed its average ad rate fell from the previous year for the seventh consecutive quarter. In an unexpected turn, the decline deepened for the first time in a year.

Microsoft booked a large write-off to its Surface RT business after it slashed prices on the tablets to stimulate demand this week. Its quarterly earnings results also showed that Windows 8, an operating system designed to bridge the divide between PCs and tablets, has been so poorly received that it contributed to a revenue drop in the operating system software unit.

"Results from technology companies have generally been poor with eBay and Intel also missing expectations," said Fawad Razaqzada, technical analyst at GFT Markets. "Overall, however, most of the S&P 500 companies who have reported their results have beaten earnings expectations; though, one has to be wary of jumping to conclusions because it is merely early days still."

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of British shares was 0.4 percent lower at 6,608, while Germany's DAX fell 0.4 percent to 8,307. The CAC-40 in France was down 0.4 percent at 3,910.

Wall Street was poised for a disappointing open with both Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures down 0.2 percent. Modestly better than expected earnings from GE did little to alter the cautious mood expected at the open.

Stock markets, particularly in the U.S., have had a bumper month following a bout of jitters prompted by uncertainty over when the Fed will start reducing its monetary stimulus.

The Fed has been buying $85 billion of financial assets a month in the hope of reducing long-term borrowing rates and shore up the U.S. economy. Bernanke has said that the so-called tapering will begin when a number of economic indicators point to a clear recovery path. The prospect that it may remain for longer has been greeted positively by investors who have grown used to the stimulus money floating around markets.

"Despite the weakness in stocks this morning, global equities are still on track to post a fourth week of gains, helping to underpin the generally bullish feeling in the market of late," said David White, a trader at Spreadex.

Earlier in Asia, markets closed mostly lower following the tech reports in the U.S. and amid worries over the Chinese and Japanese economies, the world's number 2 and 3.

Japan's Nikkei 225 shed 1.5 percent to 14,589.91 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng added just 0.1 percent to 21,362.42. Seoul's Kospi wavered between gains and losses, finishing 0.2 percent down at 1,871.41. China's Shanghai Composite index fell 1.5 percent to 1,992.65.

In currency markets, trading was steady with the euro flat at $1.3111 while the dollar was down 0.2 percent at 100.32 yen.

Meanwhile in the oil markets, the price of benchmark New York crude was 84 cents higher at $108.65 a barrel.

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Cerojano contributed from Manila, Philippines.

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