Monthly Archives: <span>August 2016</span>

Drone Tested for Use During Natural Disasters in North Dakota

A 20-foot-long drone that was brought to North Dakota to test precision agriculture methods is now part of a trial run to see if can help crews restore power to areas hit by natural disasters. The Israeli-manufactured Elbit Systems Hermes …

Flurry of Partnerships Seen in Self-Driving Car Race

Uber announced Thursday that it will partner with Volvo to make autonomous vehicles. The tie-up is the latest between automakers and tech companies hoping to speed driverless cars to market. Here’s a rundown of who’s working with whom: UBER/VOLVO/TOYOTA/OTTO Ride-hailing …

Business News: FM Global, Kustom US, Foresight Medical

FM Global Breaks Ground on $80M Loss Prevention Training and Operations Center in Singapore FM Global, a commercial and industrial property insurer, broke ground on the construction of a new loss prevention training and operations center, located in the Singapore …

Weeks After Main Shock, 2014 Napa Quake Continued to Creep

On August 24, 2014, just south of Napa, California, a fault in the Earth suddenly slipped, violently shifting and splitting huge blocks of solid rock, 6 miles below the surface. The underground upheaval generated severe shaking at the surface, lasting …

FEMA Wants Proof Before Repaying $30M for Retrofitted Mississippi Homes

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it won’t repay Mississippi for nearly $30 million spent to retrofit homes after Hurricane Katrina unless the state can prove the money was well spent. The state failed to provide documentation for the program, …

Despite Wildfire Danger California Residents Refuse to Evacuate

A wildfire quickly turned into an inferno and within hours had ravaged pine forests near the California ski town of Wrightwood – but only half of its more than 4,500 residents heeded mandatory evacuation orders. Officials say it was another …

Low Back Pain in Midlife Linked to Heavy Lifting as a Young Worker

Young adults with jobs that involve heavy lifting and forceful movements might be at higher risk for back pain later in life, a study from Finland suggests. “When you’re young, you do things your own way, you muscle your way …

The Case of the Sea Unicorn’s Tusk

Our Select specialists are often called in to assist in the valuation of some of the most esoteric items one can imagine. In this case, we were called in to appraise an item out of legend – the tusk of …

Reinsurers’ Catastrophe Defenses Weakened by Hedge Funds

It won’t take another Hurricane Katrina for reinsurers to face losses from covering the cost of storms and earthquakes. Competitors such as hedge funds have eroded prices so much that a typical year of claims could move the industry into …

2 Oklahoma Suits Alleging Drilling Caused Quakes Dismissed

Oklahoma residents have agreed to dismiss two lawsuits claiming several drilling companies triggered earthquakes that damaged homes. Brenda Lene and Jon Darryn Lene filed a lawsuit against multiple companies in February. The couple alleged that wastewater disposal wells caused earthquakes …