Video: New experiment sent to space station will research Alzheimer

During a panel discussions from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, scientists and researchers discussed the onboard science and research studies being carried to space aboard the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft which include the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System and supplies for research on the risks of in-flight infections in astronauts, as well as research on degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's.

The fifth SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station will carry more than 3,700 pounds of scientific experiments, technology demonstrations and supplies, including critical materials to support 256 science and research investigations that will take place on the space station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry the Dragon cargo ship into orbit on Friday with liftoff planned at 5:09 a.m. EST.

American Airlines seeks to serve Tokyo's Haneda Airport from LAX

American Airlines formally submitted an application Monday to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) proposing to operate daily, year-round, nonstop service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Tokyo's Haneda Airport (HND). Per the U.S.-Japan bilateral agreement, U.S. airlines may only operate a total of four daily round-trip flights at Haneda Airport. Currently that service is provided by Delta Air Lines from Los Angeles and Seattle, Hawaiian Airlines from Honolulu, and United Airlines from San Francisco. American's application seeks to transfer an existing route authority from Seattle, and would provide new service to Haneda from American's hub in Los Angeles.

"With only four authorized daily flights for U.S. airlines between Haneda and the United States, it is imperative that American be allowed to compete," said American's President Scott Kirby. "We are the only U.S. global network carrier without the authority to operate our own aircraft at Haneda. American's proposed Los Angeles-Haneda service will increase competition in the Haneda market and make the most of underutilized operating rights by giving millions of consumers and shippers a new, viable travel option to Haneda that they don't have today."

In December, the DOT instituted a carrier-selection proceeding to determine whether current service between Seattle and Haneda should be reallocated to another airline. Citing underutilization of a scarce resource, American seeks a reallocation of the Haneda authority.

American will operate its proposed LAX-HND service with a Boeing 777-200 aircraft. The airline is retrofitting all 47 of its 777-200s to refresh the cabins and enhance the premium experience on international flights. The retrofitted 777-200 features a Business Class with a fully lie-flat seat and walk-up bar.

Willdan and CDI, engineering a new stock portfolio

The improved economic environment together with further diversification of services and expansion into new geographies are securing a solid foundation for future growth and profitability in the engineering & R&D services arena. Two stocks standout as leaders in the sector.

Willdan Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:WLDN) 

Willdan Group is a provider of professional technical and consulting services to public agencies at all levels of government, public and private utilities, and commercial and industrial firms. It offers services in four segments: Engineering Services, Energy Efficiency Services, Public Finance Services, and Homeland Security Services. The company assists its clients with a range of complementary services relating to engineering and planning; energy efficiency and sustainability; economic and financial consulting, and national preparedness and interoperability. Willdan operates its business through a network of offices located primarily in California and New York. The company also has operations in Arizona, Florida, Texas, Washington and Washington, D.C.

WLDN shares are up 188 percent over the last 52 weeks (Jan. 6, 2014 to Jan. 2, 2015). This year alone the stock is up seven percent, closing Friday at $14.50 per share, up seven percent for the day. WLDN has a 52-week low of $4.34 and a high of $18.92.

CDI Corp. (NYSE:CDI) 

CDI is an integrated engineering and technology services company. Effective January 2012, the company’s segments included: Global Engineering and Technology Solutions (GET), Professional Services Staffing (PSS) and Management Recruiters International, Inc. (MRI). CDI’s restructured business is focused on offering services through three geographic regions: the Americas; Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. The majority of the company’s operations are located in the Americas. Its GET provides engineering and information technology solutions for its clients that include the production of deliverable work products or services performed at a CDI facility or at a client’s facility. Its PSS provides technical and professional personnel to its clients. MRI is a global franchisor that does business as MRINetwork and provides the use of its trademarks, business systems and training and support services to its franchisees.

CDI shares are down two percent over the last 52 weeks (Jan. 6, 2014 to Jan. 2, 2015). This year alone the stock is down two percent, closing Friday at $17.32 per share, down two percent for the day. CDI has a 52-week low of $12.91 and a high of $18.89.

CDI paid a $0.13 dividend in March, May, August and November 2014. 

Disclaimer: This post is provided for information purposes only and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. I am neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. Keith Stein has no position in any stock mentioned in this post. DCNewsroom has no position in any stock mentioned in this post.

Bottom Dollar Food closing 66 stores

Bottom Dollar Food announced Friday that the company will close its 66 store locations in the greater Philadelphia and greater Pittsburgh markets by Jan. 15 and retire the banner's operations. Upon the closing of stores, Bottom Dollar Food will offer every associate severance, and eligible associates will be offered career transition services.

In November, Delhaize Group, the parent company of Bottom Dollar Food, announced that it had entered into a transaction to sell Bottom Dollar Food's 66 store locations and associated lease liabilities to ALDI Inc., and that the transaction would close in the first quarter of 2015.

"We want to thank our associates, customers and communities for their support over the past four years," said Gene Faller, vice president of retail operations for Bottom Dollar Food.

Golden stocks in Canada and South Africa

Public demand for gold coins was strong during 2014. Despite often negative and sometimes misleading comments on Wall Street about gold, there's a continuing public demand for gold as a time-proven, long-term investment, and the stock market reflects this view.

The long-term outlook for gold remains positive with predictions it may climb to $1,500 an ounce or more in 2015. Here are two stocks leading the mining gold sector: 

Richmont Mines Inc. (NYSE:RIC) 

Richmont Mines is engaged in activities related to the acquisition, exploration, development and operation of mineral properties. As of Dec. 31, 2011, the company operates two gold mines, two of its three material properties, (the Beaufor Mine in Quebec and the Island Gold Mine in Ontario) and is developing a third mine (the Francoeur Mine in Quebec).

The Beaufor Mine property, along with other adjacent properties such as Pascalis, Perron, Colombiere, Courvan and Perron Blocks two, three and four, are located approximately 20 kilometers to the northeast of the town of Val-d’Or, in the Abitibi-East County, in the Province of Quebec.

The Island Gold Mine is located approximately 50 kilometers northeast of Wawa, Ontario, in the Sault Ste. Marie Mining Division. Dubreuilville, Ontario, is approximately 10 kilometers northwest of the Island Gold Mine.

On Jan. 24, 2011, Richmont Mines sold its 70 percent interest in the Valentine Lake Property.

RIC shares are up 219 percent over the last 52 weeks (Jan. 2, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2014). Shares closed at $3.16 on Wednesday, up one percent for the day. RIC has a 52-week low of $0.99 and a high of $3.49.

Sibanye Gold Ltd. (NYSE:SBGL)

For a dividend play we turn our attention to SibanyeGold, formerly GFI Mining South Africa (Pty) Limited, a producer of gold in South Africa.

Sibanye Gold is primarily engaged in underground and surface gold mining and related activities, including extraction, and processing. Its principal mining operations include Kloof-Driefontein Complex and Beatrix. Exploration activities are focused on the extension of existing ore bodies and identification of new ore bodies at existing sites. As of Jan. 10, 2013, Sibanye Gold mined only gold, with silver as a by-product.

SBGL shares are up 59 percent over the last 52 weeks (Jan. 2, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2014). Shares closed at $7.57 on Wednesday, up two percent for the day. SBGL has a 52-week low of $4.58 and a high of $11.29.

The company paid a $0.24 dividend on March 12, 2014, and a $0.14 dividend on Aug. 20, 2014.

Disclaimer: This post is provided for information purposes only and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. I am neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. Keith Stein has no position in any stock mentioned in this post. DCNewsroom has no position in any stock mentioned in this post.

Difficult year for virtual business world ProEconomica

Officials with ProEconomia say 2014 was a difficult year for their virtual business world website. ProEconomica is a website where users compete with other players in a virtual business world using concepts found in reality.

"It was a difficult year with fewer visible achievements, but to be sure, ProEconomica is a long-term project in which we work, and we will continue working to achieve the objectives set first," ProEconomica officials said in a message to players. "We wish you good health, success, best new year with many achievements, prosperity and welfare."

In the browser-based world ProEconomia the mission is not limited to developing your entrepreneurial skills and knowledge in the economical field, the most important is that players can contribute to their virtual city's development, and earn some "real money" from the game if successful.

London officials contacting plane passengers following Ebola case

Public Health England (PHE) is undertaking contact tracing following the confirmed case of Ebola in a healthcare worker returning from Sierra Leone, and as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, has spoken to 85 passengers.

The person had left Sierra Leone on Sunday and had been a passenger on flight AT596 from Freetown to Casablanca, flight AT0800 from Casablanca to London, and transferred at Heathrow to flight BA1478 for onward travel to Glasgow.

“Although the risk of infection to other passengers on the flights is considered extremely low, PHE is contacting 100 passengers, and the crew on the flight from Casablanca to Heathrow,” PHE said in a press statement. An additional 32 international passengers are being contacted by international public health authorities. Health Protection Scotland is carrying out a similar exercise for the 71 passengers on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight, speaking with 56 to date.

People contacted by PHE will be made aware that a person on their flight was confirmed with Ebola after they returned to the U.K., although the person would have been in the very early stages of disease and extremely unlikely to be infectious.

As a precaution, PHE informs people sitting directly in the vicinity of the passenger (2 rows adjacent, ahead and behind, comprising 21 passengers) to take their temperature twice daily until the Jan. 18. Any illness that passengers might experience beyond that point would not be considered to be related.

Since October, PHE has screened over 1,700 people returning from Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.