Lavish living in Lexington

With the price recently reduced by $100,000 to $1,999,000, activity is picking up for a farmhouse-inspired colonial in Lexington's sought-after Fiske Elementary School district.

The new 5,750-square-foot, 13-room home boasts five to six bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, a kitchen equipped with professional-grade Thermador appliances, a "smart home" technology system, two gas fireplaces and a mahogany wraparound porch and deck. It sits on a three-quarter-acre lot with new and mature plantings on a quiet, dead-end road that leads to Lexington conservation land.

"It's an area where you can build a larger home because of the lot size," said Realtor Kristin Brown, of Coldwell Banker in Lexington. "There's a high rate of turnover in terms of new construction in this neighborhood."

The sun-filled home features red oak floors throughout. The herringbone-patterned foyer leads to a formal living room with chair rails, applied molding and a coffered ceiling, and a dining room with the same molding and a tray ceiling. Walnut floor inlays decorate both rooms.

The 22-by-17-foot kitchen's Thermador appliances include a 48-inch gas range with a pot-filler water spigot and a glass mosaic backsplash above it. The counters and large island are topped with quartzite.

The kitchen opens into a mudroom with a pantry and half-bath on one side, and a breakfast area and family room with a gas fireplace and wet bar on the other.

The first floor also includes a room with a separate entrance and a small full bath — perfect for an office, or for a bedroom for a multigenerational family who has a loved one who can't climb stairs.

"We tried to make it appealing to everyone," Brown said.

A "good morning" staircase from the kitchen meets the front-entrance stairs on a landing to the second floor, which includes a sitting area with shelving.

The massive master suite is the home's largest room at 1,000 square feet. With French doors and walnut floor inlays, it sports a gas fireplace and dual walk-in closets. A linen closet is located next to the Carrara marble and beadboard bathroom with his-and-her vanities, a freestanding soaker tub and separate shower with a rain shower head and body jets.

The second floor also includes two bedrooms with an adjoining bath with two sinks, and a fourth bedroom with another bath.

Another bedroom and bath occupy the third floor of the home, along with a playroom with two skylights and a room that could function as a media room.

The "smart home" technology allows the heating, central air conditioning, speaker system, lighting and alarm to be controlled from a smartphone.

"If you're traveling and it's 95 degrees out, you can turn on the air conditioning from your phone," Brown said.

The home also is equipped with a three-car garage, backyard paver patio and vacuum and lawn irrigation systems. The basement is unfinished.

Broker: Kristin Brown of Coldwell Banker, Lexington, 781-389-0893.

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Beetle convertible is fun to drive

High 80s, roof down and AC on max.

Ahh — automobiling bliss.

The 2013 VW Beetle convertible, with its powerful 2.0 L Turbo engine, continues a decades-long tradition by being one fun summer ride. We had the loaded $32,395 top of the line '60's edition that adds comfortable two-tone leather seats and denim blue paint.

The proven turbo cranks out 200 horsepower and really gets this Bug moving. With no lag on acceleration and instant response without getting bogged down by turbo lag, the Beetle demands its place on the road. VW employs a dual clutch automatic trans­mission that makes shifting seamless and smooth. The DSG technology picks the ideal shift points for the car, maximizing performance and good mileage. I averaged about 26 mpg in spirited driving, splitting the 21 city and 30 high­way ­estimates.

The car rides solidly and transmits some road bumps, more than its shared chassis-mate the Golf because of the larger antiroll bars on the suspension. The firmer ride doesn't diminish the fun factor at all, and thanks to the aggressive exterior remodel a couple of years ago, the car remains a head-turner.

Steering on the Beetle is sharp and precise. I liked how connected to the road you feel through the response — very European!

I also love how VW pays homage to its iconic predecessors by keeping the retro interior metal dash and small glove box (a larger one is under the dash) and easy-to-read gauges. Generous with tech features, the navigation and Fender stereo are well done and easy to use. Even the Bluetooth phone operated well in open air. Because it's a convertible you do pick up road noise with the top up, but the interior noise is relatively muted compared to other models I've driven recently.

One drawback with the top up is the limited vision out the small rear window.

I ran across a vintage 1960s Beetle convertible during my test and the difference in the vehicles was stunning. A wider, longer, front-mounted and more powerful engine, far more aggressive body styling and a roomier interior all demonstrate how far the VW convertible has evolved since its introduction in 1949. The oldster looks downright petite parked next to our test model. What they do share is a relative lack of storage space, but the rear seat roominess is a good trade-off.

There are eight price points for the convertible, starting at $24,995 and maxing out with our model. There are a few other convertibles in this price range to compare against: the Fiat 500, Chrysler 200, VW EOS and the Mini Cooper. I think the Beetle offers the driver a high degree of spirit and fun driving.

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Average jobless numbers dip to record lows

An encouraging unemployment application report yesterday was cause for optimism as the four-week average for initial unemployment claims dropped to the lowest since November 2007, economists said.

The four-week average, seen as a more accurate number because it adjusts for week-to-week fluctuations, dropped 6,250 to 335,500 per week even though applications rose by 5,000 last week.

"It's obviously good news," said Elliot Winer, chief economist for the Northeast Economic Analysis Group.

"Ultimately I hope that would help us drop the unemployment rate."

Nigel Gault, co-chief economist for the Parthenon Group, said, "The suggestion from what's happening with the claims is very likely an improvement in job creation and we might see the July number get revised up."

Winer said it is hard to tell if the increase in the past week will be part of a trend or just a blip in the numbers.

"Hopefully the one-week spike isn't the end of the drop," Winer said.

Even if the next unemployment numbers improve, the types of jobs created will be significant.

Many of the jobs added in July were low-paying positions in retail and food services.

The positive numbers also could figure into the Federal Reserve's critical decision on whether to start tapering off its $85 billion bond-buying program in September.

"If they taper, they'll be doing it on the basis that the labor market is doing OK," Gault said.

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South End renovation a Royal jewel

Considering the overall need for more housing in the city of Boston, it's no surprise that the new "Royal" building under development in the city's South End neighborhood at 407-409 Shawmut Ave. is already at 50 percent under agreement in just the first six weeks of going to market.

The Royal project is composed of two adjacent buildings — an 1892 insurance company building and a mid-1800s brownstone — combined into a single structure. The new development will have 12 units in total, most with two or 
three bedrooms.

Nine of the units have floor-through layouts with 1,600 to 2,500 square feet of living­ space. There are also two garden duplex units, each with 1,600 square feet, and one one-bedroom condo with about 900 square feet.

All of the units will have beautiful high ceilings throughout. One of the structures is a corner building, and the units located there will include 18 windows and 10-foot-high ceilings.

Bringing the buildings back to their original detail will be the architectural firm of Finegold Alexander & Associates, which is known for its historical renovations. In addition, the interiors will be designed by Terrat/Elms Interior Design.

Expect to see finish work that is very high-end. Master bathrooms will be all white with marble and glass tile, free-standing tubs and large showers. The guest bathrooms will be grey and silver in glass and ceramic tile with "dropped-in" tubs. The kitchens will have a combination of flat-front espresso-stained cabinetry along with Shaker-style light taupe painted cabinets. The appliance package includes Thermador wall-mounted ovens and integrated refrigerators and dishwashers. In addition to hardwood flooring throughout, all units will have high-velocity cooling and heating systems as well as tankless hot-water heaters.

Scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2014, the remaining six available units range in price from $1.2 million to $1.9 million with the exception of the one-bedroom space at $575,000.

As this development is still months away from viewing, all showings are scheduled 
through the Coldwell Banker office located at 137 Newbury Street, where finish boards and floor plans may be reviewed.

The project is being offered exclusively by Ricardo Rodriguez and Brian Kelley of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. For more information or to schedule an appointment, 
Mr. Rodriguez may be reached at Ricardo.Rodriguez@NEMoves.com

Charlie Abrahams is a licensed real estate agent in Boston who works with buyers and sellers and can be reached for any additional information at Bostonreal­estate@charlie­ abrahams.com.

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The Ticker

Group: Apps not good for teaching babies

Smartphones don't make smart babies, an advocacy group declared yesterday in a complaint to the government about mobile apps that claim to help babies learn.

The Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, whose allegations against "Baby Einstein" videos eventually led to nationwide consumer refunds, is urging federal regulators to examine the marketing practices of Fisher-Price's "Laugh & Learn" mobile apps and Open Solutions' games, such as "Baby Hear and Read" and "Baby's First Puzzle."

Eric Lefkofsky is new Groupon CEO

Groupon named co-founder Eric Lefkofsky as CEO yesterday, replacing Andrew Mason, who was fired from the online deals site in February amid growing concerns about its financial performance.

Groupon also reported strong second-quarter results yesterday, sending shares sharply higher in after-hours trading.

US consumer borrowing up in June

Americans borrowed more in June to buy cars and attend schools. But they were frugal again with their credit cards, as many remain wary of taking on high-interest debt.

Consumers increased their borrowing $13.8 billion in June from May to a seasonally adjusted $2.85 trillion, the Federal Reserve said yesterday in its monthly report on consumer credit. That's the highest level ever.

The category that includes credit card debt dropped $2.7 billion in June and remains 16.5 percent below its July 2008 peak.

TODAY

 Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.

 Freddie Mac releases weekly mortgage rates.

 Selected chain retailers release July sales.

 Presidents of Renfe, Spain's train operator, and Adif, Spain's rail infrastructure, to appear before Parliament to give their opinion and answer questions from deputies on the train accident that killed 79 people in northwestern Spain on July 24.

TOMORROW

 Commerce Department releases wholesale trade inventories for June, 10 a.m.

 The law firm of Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP announced John G. Loughnane, left, has joined the firm as partner in its business department, where he will focus on general corporate, business restructuring and technology licensing matters.

 Cooley LLP announced that it has added Joseph Teja Jr. as a partner. Teja joins Cooley from Foley & Lardner, where he was a partner in that firm's electronics and green energy technologies practices and a member of its emerging technologies industry team.

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Health insurer clarifies compounded drug policy

Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare is trying to clarify its controversial policy to no longer cover compounded drugs in response to multiple pending lawsuits and conversations with state regulators, the insurance company said.

In a series of letters sent out yesterday to policyholders, employers and prescribers, Harvard Pilgrim is affirming that medically necessary compounded medications will be covered, a spokesperson said.

"Harvard's position has always been that it would cover medically necessary compounded drugs," Joan Fallon said. "We're making decisions based on medical necessity rather than excluding benefits."

"The revised letter comes out pretty plainly and clearly," said Bill Graham, Harvard Pilgrim's senior vice president for policy and government affairs. "We're not changing our policy."

Still, the change seems exactly what at least one of the lawsuits is asking for. "It appears that Harvard Pilgrim is changing course consistent with what we're seeking in the lawsuit," said Patrick Sheehan, one of the lawyers seeking a change on behalf of patients.

The original letter stated that "compounded drugs will no longer be covered under your prescription drug benefit." The last paragraph of the letter said doctors may request exemptions if there are no other available treatment options.

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The Ticker

Group: Apps not good for teaching babies

Smartphones don't make smart babies, an advocacy group declared yesterday in a complaint to the government about mobile apps that claim to help babies learn.

The Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, whose allegations against "Baby Einstein" videos eventually led to nationwide consumer refunds, is urging federal regulators to examine the marketing practices of Fisher-Price's "Laugh & Learn" mobile apps and Open Solutions' games, such as "Baby Hear and Read" and "Baby's First Puzzle."

Eric Lefkofsky is new Groupon CEO

Groupon named co-founder Eric Lefkofsky as CEO yesterday, replacing Andrew Mason, who was fired from the online deals site in February amid growing concerns about its financial performance.

Groupon also reported strong second-quarter results yesterday, sending shares sharply higher in after-hours trading.

US consumer borrowing up in June

Americans borrowed more in June to buy cars and attend schools. But they were frugal again with their credit cards, as many remain wary of taking on high-interest debt.

Consumers increased their borrowing $13.8 billion in June from May to a seasonally adjusted $2.85 trillion, the Federal Reserve said yesterday in its monthly report on consumer credit. That's the highest level ever.

The category that includes credit card debt dropped $2.7 billion in June and remains 16.5 percent below its July 2008 peak.

TODAY

 Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims.

 Freddie Mac releases weekly mortgage rates.

 Selected chain retailers release July sales.

 Presidents of Renfe, Spain's train operator, and Adif, Spain's rail infrastructure, to appear before Parliament to give their opinion and answer questions from deputies on the train accident that killed 79 people in northwestern Spain on July 24.

TOMORROW

 Commerce Department releases wholesale trade inventories for June, 10 a.m.

 The law firm of Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP announced John G. Loughnane, left, has joined the firm as partner in its business department, where he will focus on general corporate, business restructuring and technology licensing matters.

 Cooley LLP announced that it has added Joseph Teja Jr. as a partner. Teja joins Cooley from Foley & Lardner, where he was a partner in that firm's electronics and green energy technologies practices and a member of its emerging technologies industry team.

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Health insurer clarifies compounded drug policy

Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare is trying to clarify its controversial policy to no longer cover compounded drugs in response to multiple pending lawsuits and conversations with state regulators, the insurance company said.

In a series of letters sent out yesterday to policyholders, employers and prescribers, Harvard Pilgrim is affirming that medically necessary compounded medications will be covered, a spokesperson said.

"Harvard's position has always been that it would cover medically necessary compounded drugs," Joan Fallon said. "We're making decisions based on medical necessity rather than excluding benefits."

"The revised letter comes out pretty plainly and clearly," said Bill Graham, Harvard Pilgrim's senior vice president for policy and government affairs. "We're not changing our policy."

Still, the change seems exactly what at least one of the lawsuits is asking for. "It appears that Harvard Pilgrim is changing course consistent with what we're seeking in the lawsuit," said Patrick Sheehan, one of the lawyers seeking a change on behalf of patients.

The original letter stated that "compounded drugs will no longer be covered under your prescription drug benefit." The last paragraph of the letter said doctors may request exemptions if there are no other available treatment options.

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Doctor criticizes George W. Bush use of stent

Former President George W. Bush's decision to have a stent implanted in an artery yesterday when not in the throes of a heart attack makes him a "poster child" for misuse of the sometimes life-saving technology, according to the author of a study that found the risk outweighs the benefits in those cases.

"He is the poster child for the inappropriate use of stenting now," said Dr. David L. Brown, professor of cardiology at the Stony Brook University School of Medicine and an author of a watershed 2012 study that indicated drugs can reduce heart attack risk as effectively as inserting the expanding metal mesh device without risks including heart attack or stroke.

A blockage in Bush's heart artery was discovered during the former president's annual physical. "At the recommendation of his doctors, President Bush agreed to have a stent placed to open the blockage. The procedure was performed successfully this morning, without complication, at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital," a spokesman said yesterday.

Industry analyst Josh T. Jennings of Cowen & Co. LLC, said three stent makers, including Natick-based Boston Scientific, compete in the U.S., though sales and prices are declining because of increased medication use.

There can be reasons why patients might choose a stent without having had a heart attack, said Dr. John Keaney, chief of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

For athletes, the side-effects of heart drugs, particularly beta blockers, can be debilitating, said Keaney, who is not involved in Bush's medical care. Bush is known as a strenuous exercise enthusiast who runs and rides mountain bikes regularly.

"He may not want to take a lot of medications because he does not want the side-effects they bring, which could leave him too weak to continue his activities," Keaney said.

Despite declining sales, stents have been one of the fastest-developing devices in medicine, said Massachusetts General Hospital interventional cardiologist Robert Yeh, who said the future for innovation remains promising. "On the horizon, being tested now are bio-absorbable stents which the body absorbs without leaving any metal."

Jennings said he's not sure if advances will bump up the manufacturers' bottom lines.

"There are fewer stents per case and fewer patients needing angioplasty," Jennings said.

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China fines 3 milk suppliers in price-fixing probe

BEIJING — China announced Wednesday it has fined six milk suppliers, including Mead Johnson and New Zealand's Fonterra, a total of $108 million for price-fixing after an investigation that shook the country's fast-growing dairy market.

The announcement came as China reels from a separate recall of milk supplies from Fonterra this week due to possible contamination.

The investigation reflected intensifying government scrutiny of business practices under China's 5-year-old anti-monopoly law. Most targets so far have been foreign-owned. It was carried out against the backdrop of several Chinese probes of possible bribery, price-fixing and other misconduct by global suppliers of pharmaceuticals and other products.

The Cabinet's National Development and Reform Commission said it imposed fines totaling 668.7 million yuan ($108 million) on the local units of Mead Johnson Nutrition Co., based in Glenview, Illinois; Hong Kong-based Biostime International Holdings Ltd.; Dumex, a unit of France's Danone SA; Abbott Laboratories, in Abbott Park, Illinois; Fonterra Co-operative Group and Dutch-based FrieslandCampina NV.

The companies admitted they violated the anti-monopoly law by setting minimum prices distributors were required to charge, which raised costs for consumers, the NDRC said in a statement. Regulators did not allege direct collusion, known as horizontal price-fixing, among them.

Setting minimum prices is a common practice in some markets, where companies want to maintain an image as a premium brand. But lawyers say Chinese regulators appear to see most such requirements for distributors as illegal.

Beijing is especially concerned about consumer prices at a time when communist leaders face pressure to contain surging living costs.

Three suppliers were found to have violated the law but were spared fines, the NDRC statement said. They were China's Beingmate Group Ltd.; Wyeth Nutrition, a unit of Switzerland's Nestle SA, and Japan's Meiji Dairies Corp.

Milk quality is a sensitive issue in China after six babies died and thousands were sickened in 2008 due to formula tainted with the chemical melamine. That prompted many parents to switch to buying more expensive imported milk.

Thursday's announcement referred to suppliers of milk powder while earlier reports by state media said investigators specifically targeted sellers of powdered infant formula.

Milk suppliers including Nestle and Dutch-based FrieslandCampina announced price cuts of 5 to 12 percent after the investigation was launched.

Mead Johnson was fined 203.8 million yuan ($33 million), Biostime 162.9 million yuan ($26.3 million) and Dumex 172 million yuan ($27.7 million), according to the NDRC statement. FrieslandCampina was fined 48.2 million yuan ($7.8 million), Abbott 77.3 million yuan ($12.5 million) and Fonterra 4.5 million yuan ($720,000).

Some fines were based on companies' annual sales and ranged from 3 to 6 percent of revenue, the agency said.

There have been few court rulings so far on the 2008 anti-monopoly law. That has fed uncertainty about how it will apply to global companies that are eager to expand in the world's second-largest economy.

Chinese regulators have cited the law in ordering changes to acquisitions or business practices. In 2009, they blocked Coca-Cola Co. from buying a Chinese fruit juice producer.

Business groups welcomed the law as a step toward clarifying operating conditions in China. Since then, they have said it is enforced more actively against foreign companies than against their Chinese rivals.

Last week, a Shanghai court ordered U.S.-based health care giant Johnson & Johnson to pay damages to a distributor in a lawsuit filed under the anti-monopoly law. The court said J&J improperly set minimum prices, depriving the local distributor of possible sales.

Meanwhile, China has ordered a recall of Fonterra infant formula after the dairy company announced Saturday that hundreds of tons of infant formula, sports drinks and other products might be tainted with bacteria that could cause botulism.

Also last month, police detained four employees of GlaxoSmithKline on charges they bribed doctors to prescribe the British pharmaceutical giant's drugs.

___

National Development and Reform Commission (in Chinese): www.sdpc.gov.cn

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Experts: Post, Globe different properties

Amazon founder Jeffrey Bezos agreed to shell out $250 million to buy The Washington Post yesterday in an abrupt and shocking acquisition coming just two days after Red Sox owner John Henry purchased The Boston Globe for a bargain $70 million — but industry observers say those prices reflect the properties' different values.

"The Boston Globe is The Boston Globe, The Washington Post is a different kind of story," said Harold Vogel, a media analyst with Vogel Capital Management. "It's much more of a national — international — paper, and it's in the center of the sausage-making, the politics-making capital, so it has a different value than Boston."

Bezos' cash deal includes The Washington Post newspaper, washingtonpost.com and the company's other regional papers, but doesn't include Slate or the Post's company headquarters. The Globe deal, on the other hand, has been seen largely as a real estate transaction with newspapers thrown in, because it includes the company's valuable Morrissey Boulevard property in a prime location just off the Southeast Expressway, in addition to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

"Clearly, there are some differences that would seem to make Henry's deal a sweet deal because he's getting real estate that's pretty close to what the purchase price was, so if he tries and doesn't succeed, he has that to fall back on," said Rick Edmonds of Poynter Institute. "I'm not aware of something like that in the Post instance. ... The Post is a bigger deal and it has national and international readership in the way the Globe doesn't."

The Post this year registered 431,149 average daily print circulation, while the Globe showed 172,048, according to the Alliance for Audited Media.

Newspaper analyst John Morton said there were several aspects at play that drove up the cost of the Post to 31⁄2 times the cost of the Globe.

"A stronger market position, no competition, a bigger reputation and probably a buyer who was willing to pay a premium in order to buy it," Morton said.

The Globe's sale had been a poorly kept secret since February when it was first announced, with leaks throughout the process when bidders' names and offer ranges emerged. The fact the Post had even been on the market stunned the industry when the sale news broke yesterday.

"If you had asked me yesterday if the Graham family would ever dispose of The Washington Post, I'd say never," Morton said. The Post was family-owned, built up following a bankruptcy auction purchase in 1933, while the Globe was bought by the New York Times in 1993 for $1.1 billion — its subsequent pennies-on-the-dollar sale showing the losses newspapers have suffered in the Internet era.

Henry yesterday toured the Globe newsroom for the first time since Saturday's announcement, meeting with reporters and editors, but has said he won't go into more specifics about his plans for the New England Media Group until the deal officially closes.

Henry has indicated he wants to bring in other leaders to help him with the "community commitment and effort" of running the Globe but hasn't mentioned any potential partners. Meanwhile, a Federal Communications Commission official said the agency's cross-ownership rules apply to traditional broadcast stations that use the public airwaves, and so don't apply to Henry's New England Sports Network, as a regional cable channel.

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Australian central bank cuts rate to 2.5 percent

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia's central bank has cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a record low 2.5 percent because of slow growth and weakening commodity prices.

The Reserve Bank of Australia's decision at a monthly board meeting Tuesday in the first week of a federal election campaign was expected by economists.

The bank last cut the Official Cash Rate, which is a benchmark for other lending rates, by a quarter point in May following four cuts in 2012.

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Apple losing innovative core?

Apple is in trouble on its own turf — innovative design paired with wow-inducing product releases — showing signs of critical weakness in the pending redesign of one of its signature devices, the iPad, with the iPhone in danger of following suit.

The new iPad due this fall is reportedly designed in the image of the iPad Mini. Not smaller, just with the screen filling more of the body, according to rumors that peg the announcement and release dates at sometime this fall, possibly September.

But here's the puzzling part: There is no indication that Apple has plans to add a major innovation to the fifth generation of its trailblazing tablet. An iPad without a gimmick is like a man without a country. We want something like Retina display, which the third generation tablet introduced. Or a front-facing camera, as was introduced with the second iteration.

And when the fifth generation of the iPad is unveiled, I'd like to see at least one of the following game-changers added to the mix:

• Instant iCloud: Microsoft helped pioneer the idea of instant cloud backup for consumers. When you save a document in Office 365, it's backed up automatically to the so-called SkyDrive cloud service. Apple should rip off this idea, as we know it's had no trouble doing in the past.

• Waterproofing: Taking a page from the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, outfitting the iPad with a substance-fighting exterior would really help those of us who use our favorite tablet as a recipe card. Not to mention those of us with children who subject our household electronics to daily punishment. Or anyone who wants to work with it out in the weather. Or play with it on the boat.

• Wireless charging: Again, Apple could pretend it invented this technology that is being used in Nokia Lumias and devices in Japan. I truly wouldn't mind the shamelessness of such a move if it meant I could easily charge my iPad on-the-go.

But here's what I expect instead: lots of talk about how amazing the new iPad is because of its new operating system, iOS 7. I expect a similar price structure to today's iPad, and perhaps an iPad Mini with Retina display that will be announced simultaneously.

It's around that same time — just on the brink of the holiday season — that Tim Cook & Co. will release a new iPhone and the final version of iOS 7. They would be smart to follow through with long-rumored plans to introduce a cheaper iPhone. I think many of us are sick of dropping hundreds of dollars on a new smartphone that is guaranteed to be outdated in 18 months. If Apple stops making strides with its iPad, keeping current with the iPhone is the only way it will remain the world's most valuable company.

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The Ticker

Time Warner, CBS in feud

Three million Time Warner Cable customers in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and other cities remained without access to CBS for a third day yesterday, after the cable provider dropped the network in a spat over fees. Time Warner cut off CBS for viewers in select markets on Friday, saying the network is demanding retransmission fees that are out of line with what it pays other broadcasters. CBS said it had asked the cable provider to continue negotiating while its programming was still on the air.
IBT buying Newsweek

Newsweek is being sold for the second time in just a few years. The owner of the International Business Times said it's buying what is now an online-only brand for an undisclosed sum from InterActiveCorp. The publication ran its last print edition at the end of 2012.

TODAY

 Institute for Supply Management releases its service sector index for July.

TOMORROW

 Commerce Department releases international trade data for June.

 Labor Department releases job openings and labor turnover survey for June.

 CVS Caremark, Walt Disney and 21st Century Fox report quarterly earnings.

 Bristol County Savings Bank has appointed Stephen M. Hardy to the position of commercial lender. He is responsible for developing new business.

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F-250’s check engine light keeps coming on

My 2003 Ford F-250 6-liter turbo diesel with 57,000 "babied" miles is a costly concern. For three years, the "check engine" light comes on while driving. Two-thousand miles back, the Ford dealer replaced the turbo (rebuilt) and EGR valve at a cost of $3,000. Recently I took it back for the engine light and was told that I need a new turbo and EGR valve. I was informed that the turbo was not performing to its peak as the variable vanes were possibly corroded due to lack of use. Frankly, it seems to be running fine, even though the engine light is on.

Did the dealer offer any help with the cost of replacing the turbo and EGR valve after just 2,000 miles? More to the point, in order to identify the problem, it is important to record the DTC fault codes that triggered the check engine light. Without the specific fault codes, we can only guess at the issue.

My Alldata automotive database pulled up TSB 09-16-5, dated August 2009, that addresses low performance/turbo issues. It describes the possibility of "coking" in the turbocharger. This can occur when oil that lubricates the turbo bearings bakes or "cokes" from residual heat after shutting down the engine. Over time these deposits can build up to the point of impeding the response of the variable vanes in the turbo, causing high or low exhaust pressure leading to under or overboost and inaccurate EGR function.

It seems unlikely that the vanes have corroded in just 2,000 miles, but the coking deposits may well be causing the issue. Ask the Ford dealer three things — the precise DTC fault codes downloaded, whether cleaning the vanes in your turbo would help, and finally, will they pay part or all of the cost of replacing a 2,000-mile-old turbo?

I live in Florida by the ocean and I took my 2007 Nissan 350Z to the dealership recently to have my oil changed. I received the invoice and checkup paper, which said the air filter needs replacing in the near future. What the heck does that mean? Shouldn't they have asked me and done it when I was there? And also, how long before I should have it changed out?

The answer to each of your questions can be found in the owner's manual for your vehicle. On my radio shows, I used to ask callers if they'd found the 10 dollar bill every carmaker leaves in the pages of the owner's manual. The "what?' response confirmed that they'd never read the manual. Good fun!

In this case, I think the dealer was being a "good guy" by reminding you of an upcoming scheduled maintenance item, specifically air cleaner replacement. Nissan recommends replacement at 30,000-mile intervals. Might your Z be approaching 30,000, 60,000 or 90,000 miles?

I have a 2009 Chevy Malibu LT. Since May my interior lights have been going on and off sporadically. When I go over bumps, they flicker. In the morning on my way to work, they are completely off. Then around lunchtime when it's hot, they are on — all day and night until I park it in a cool location. When it's 65 degrees or less outside, the lights are off. I feel like it's heat-induced, but am not sure how to fix the problem.

Since the illuminated entry system controlled by the body control module (BCM) turns on the interior lights when a door switch is activated, I'd focus on the door switches. When they close, the circuit in the BCM is grounded and the lights illuminate. Perhaps heat is expanding an involved component just enough to electrically trigger the switch. Check that the dimmer switch is not rotated to the point of turning on the lights and you could try switching the dome light to the "off" position. The BCM should turn off the courtesy lights after 20 minutes.

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 paul brand@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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Nurse at botched Ohio transplant sues over firing

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A veteran nurse present during a botched kidney transplant at an Ohio hospital last summer has sued for wrongful termination.

The lawsuit filed Friday in Columbus seeks $25,000 for Melanie Lemay, a nurse suspended then fired after a different nurse accidentally threw away a viable kidney as medical waste during the procedure last August.

After the error, the hospital apologized and put an administrator and two nurses on paid leave. Lemay alleges her subsequent termination was based on violating policies and procedures that didn't exist on the day of the operation.

The 30-year employee of the hospital alleges that operating room policies that hospital administrators turned over to investigators from the Department of Health and Human Services had an effective date of Aug. 16 — six days after the surgery.

An investigative report on the incident indicated no policy or procedures other than those dated Aug. 16 were presented to investigators as in place on the day of the failed procedure.

The suit states the other nurse failed to log out of the hospital computer system when she went on break, which required Lemay to make entries under that nurse's chart. Lemay said the second nurse did not ask for a status update on the transplant or the patient when she returned from lunch and proceeded to remove the kidney from the room and dispose of it.

Lemay says she did not see the items being removed nor know the other nurse had removed them. She was fired for violating policies on communications, logging out, and failing to stop the other nurse from removing items from the operation room before the procedure was concluded, the suit states.

University spokesman Tobin Klinger declined comment Saturday. "It would be inappropriate for us to comment on pending litigation," he said.

Besides the personnel actions, the hospital voluntarily suspended its kidney transplant program from August to December.

A report by a surgeon hired by the hospital to review its program called it "baffling" that the nurse would accidentally dispose of the viable kidney. At the same time, he found no problems with the systems that would have indicated the hospital was at risk for such a mistake. The nurse who threw out the organ resigned within weeks.

The family of the woman set to receive the kidney that day and her brother, who was her live donor, filed suit against the hospital last week alleging medical negligence and seeking $25,000 for each of eight plaintiffs.

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