BRIEFCASE.Byline: -- Staff and Wire Services Government clamps down on railroad fuel surcharges WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators on Friday banned excessive fuel surcharges by railroads and imposed strict rules on the fees that many companies this week credited with bolstering their quarterly earnings, though the savings were unlikely to trickle down Trickle down An economic theory that the support of businesses that allows them to flourish will eventually benefit middle- and lower-income people, in the form of increased economic activity and reduced unemployment. to consumers. In its decision, the Surface Transportation Board said the railroads must link the surcharges directly with the actual fuel costs for specific rail shipments. The ruling prohibits ``double-dipping,'' meaning that fuel costs can't be calculated into certain price hikes if the shipments already have other fuel surcharges. The Surface Transportation Board also is proceeding with a proposal to monitor the fuel surcharge practices of the rail industry by imposing mandatory reporting mandatory reporting The obligatory reporting of a particular condition to local or state health authorities, as required for communicable disease and substance abuse Infectious disease State boards of health maintain records and collect data resulting from MR of requirements on all large railroads. Windows Vista The current version of Windows for the desktop. It was released in late 2006 for businesses and early 2007 for consumers. Vista adds numerous features, including improved security and advanced multimedia capabilities. under fire over `illegal practices' BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Microsoft Corp.'s rivals renewed their call Friday on EU regulators to act against what they say are ``illegal practices,'' alleging that the new Vista operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. is the company's attempt to extend its monopoly to the Internet. They asked the European Commission to take a decision ``as fast as possible'' on a complaint they filed last February. It had accused Microsoft of working to keep its existing monopolies and trying to extend its market dominance into other areas, including Web-based computing. Microsoft had no immediate comment beyond saying that the rivals, represented by the group the European Committee for Interoperable Systems The European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS) is an international non-profit association founded in 1989 promote interoperability in Information technology. , were not saying anything new. Halliburton profits drop, earnings beat estimate HOUSTON -- Oil industry services provider Halliburton Co. was upbeat Friday despite a 40 percent decline in fourth-quarter profit, citing heavy demand for its oil-field equipment and personnel and predicting more of the same for 2007. Earnings fell to $658 million, or 64 cents per share Cents per share The amount of a mutual fund's dividend or capital gains distributions that a shareholder will receive for each share owned. , compared with $1.1 billion, or $1.04 per share, during the same period a year ago. But the prior-year results included $540 million of income, or 51 cents per share, that came from a tax benefit. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial Thomson Financial A major provider of information, analytical tools, and consulting services to the financial community. The firm, a division of Thomson Corporation, is best known to investors for its First Call segment, which publishes consensus earnings were looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. earnings of 61 cents per share. Coca-Cola worker taped allegedly stealing secrets ATLANTA -- A former Coca-Cola secretary charged with conspiring to steal trade secrets from the beverage giant was caught on surveillance cameras removing documents from her office last June, sometimes late into the evening. A Coca-Cola security expert testified Friday at Joya Williams' trial that a handful of concealed cameras were installed at the Atlanta-based company's headquarters to monitor Williams' movements in different parts of the sprawling complex. The surveillance video, played for the jury on Friday, was made after Pepsi received a letter last May purportedly from a co-defendant in the case stating that the person was willing to sell confidential Coca-Cola documents and samples of products that Coca-Cola was developing to the highest bidder HIGHEST BIDDER, contracts. He who, at an auction, offers the greatest price for the property sold. 2. The highest bidder is entitled to have the article sold at his bid, provided there has been no unfairness on his part. . |
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