AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 8

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2011
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 8
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


Boat (MELBOURNE)

The federal government's Malaysia solution comes under scrutiny in the High Court today
after an eleventh hour injunction delayed the departure of sixteen asylum seekers to Kuala
Lumpa.

The asylum seekers were due to be flown to Malaysia at 11.30 this morning (AEST), but
in a special hearing in Melbourne last night, High Court judge KENNETH HAYNE granted an
interim injunction delaying the flight until 4.30pm.

That'll give refugees advocate DAVID MANNE enough time to put his case to the High
Court in Canberra at 2.15pm.

The move comes as a boat carrying 50 passengers and two crew was intercepted in Australian
waters yesterday.

Meanwhile, it's been revealed the first group of asylum seekers to be sent to Malaysia
will be housed in temporary accommodation at the popular holidaying town of Port Dickson.

The Immigration Department revealed the location of the budget accommodation yesterday,
90 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur, with better living conditions than Malaysia's existing
94-thousand refugees.



Markets Preview (MELBOURNE)

Australian stocks are tipped to be punished again today, after ratings agency Standard
and Poor's downgraded the United States' credit rating for the first time ever over the
weekend.

Hopes for a bounce on the Australian share market, after a horror Friday, appear to
have been dashed by America's rating slipping from triple-A to double-A-plus.

There was carnage in global markets last week amid fears the US could be headed back
into recession and Europe's debt woes could be spreading to Italy and Spain.

The Australian share market slumped by four per cent to its biggest one-day loss since
the height of the global financial crisis almost three years ago, but RBS Australian Economics
says Australia has little danger of losing its triple-A credit rating.



Bomb (SYDNEY)

Fingerprints have been found on parts of a hoax bomb chained to the neck of north shore teenager.

MADELEINE PULVER spent ten hours in her Mosman home on Wednesday, with the fake bomb
tied to her neck.

News Ltd reports the hunt for the man has intensified after police found fingerprints
on the device, none of which belong to MADELEINE.

Police also told the paper they'll begin canvassing some of Sydney's most prestigious
schools, including students from Sydney Church of England Boys Grammar, known as Shore.



UK Riot (LONDON)

Emergency services have restored order to a London suburb where rioters set fire to
homes and looted shops as a protest at the fatal shooting of a local man by police turned
violent, leading to 42 arrests.

Police say 26 of its officers were hurt, one with a head injury, during the violence
in Tottenham, north London, which sparked condemnation from the prime minister's office.

Police say they're still dealing with isolated pockets of crime in the area involving
a small number of people, but all fires are under control.



Syria (NICOSIA)

Rights activists say Syrian security forces, backed by tanks, have killed 42 civilians
in the city of Deir Ezzor and at least 10 more in the central town of Hula, in the army's
latest crackdown on protests.

The Syrian League for the Defence of Human Rights says more than 100 were wounded in
Deir Ezzor and thousands have fled north.

Meanwhile, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says in Hula, a town
in the Homs district, at least 10 others were killed in an army assault involving about
25 tanks and troop carriers.



Indigenous (CANBERRA)

The federal opposition says a review of commonwealth spending on indigenous programs
has revealed such waste that it makes the roof insulation debacle look trivial.

A federal government review reveals the commonwealth's spending 3.5 billion dollars
each year on Aboriginal programs which yield dismally poor results.

The review was intended for cabinet members only, but Channel Seven has obtained the
document after a year-long legal battle.

Opposition treasury spokesman JOE HOCKEY says at a time when the rest of the world
is running out of money this sort of waste is an affront to everyday Australians.



Rann (ADELAIDE)

Embattled South Australian Premier MIKE RANN's expected to announce his future today,
after cutting short a trade mission to deal with Labor's leadership crisis.

Mr RANN returned late last night from India, where he's been since news broke last
weekend that he'd agreed, under pressure, to step down in favour of Education Minister
JAY WEATHERILL.

A smiling Mr RANN avoided questions about being told by Labor's powerful right faction
they'd have a better chance of winning the 2014 state election with Mr WEATHERILL at the
helm.

He's expected to announce his plans today.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS:


TV MasterChef (SYDNEY)

A 36-year-old mum from the New South Wales town of Orange has taken out the MasterChef
title in a grand finale that included a dessert from the world's best chef.



Aged (CANBERRA)

The Productivity Commission will release its much-anticipated final report into aged
care in Australia today.



IN FINANCE:


Economy Swan (CANBERRA)

Federal Treasurer WAYNE SWAN says an International Monetary Fund report on Australia's
economy is a "glowing assessment" and should boost confidence.

During the weekend the IMF endorsed the government's economic management and supported
Labor's plan to price carbon.

Mr SWAN says its statement is a timely reminder of Australia's strong fundamentals.



AND IN SPORT:


RL EAGLES (SYDNEY)

Manly have thrashed the Sydney Roosters 36-8 at Brookvale Oval but have suffered a
big injury toll in the process.

Co-captain JASON KING - who could be out for the rest of the year - winger WILLIAM
HOPOATE and centre STEVE MATAI all suffered injuries in the rout.

Manly consolidated second place on the ladder with the eight tries to two victory in
front of 13,745 fans, while the Roosters remain in a fight to avoid the wooden spoon.



AFL EAGLES (PERTH)

West Coast have strolled past struggling Richmond by 57 points in their AFL clash at
Patersons Stadium.

Eagles ruckman NIC NAITANUI has displayed his trademark magic and DANIEL KERR has put
on a midfield masterclass in the 22.15 (147) to 14.6 (90) win.

Eagles small forward MARK NICOSKI has also booted six goals as the Eagles keep in touch
with the top four.



AFL TRIBUNAL (MELBOURNE)

Fremantle's ADAM McPHEE can expect time on the sidelines after the AFL match review
panel examines his head-high hit on St Kilda's SAM GILBERT.

McPHEE leapt off the ground and clipped GILBERT's head with his upper arm during the
Dockers' 41-point Friday night loss to St Kilda.



CYC DENMARK (COPENHAGEN)

Australian cyclist SIMON GERRANS has won the Tour of Denmark after finishing 24th in
the sixth and final stage in Copenhagen.



ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

Broadcast Desk inquiries 24 hours: 02 9322 8714

AAP RTV psm/

KEYWORD: BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Man charged with assault

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2005
NSW: Man charged with assault

SYDNEY, Feb 17 AAP - A man has been charged with assault during a brawl which led to
the death of a Sydney publican.

Shane Miles, 47, died on December 20 last year, two days after suffering head injuries
when he was hit by a bar stool thrown across the room of his family's pub, the Bells Hotel
in Woolloomooloo, during the brawl.

A 22-year-old Kogarah man who was arrested today, had now been been charged with assault
occasioning actual bodily harm, police said.

He will appear in Waverley Local Court on March 2.

Kings Cross Local Area Commander Steve Cullen told reporters earlier today that police
expected to make more arrests very soon.

"We are very close now to arresting the persons involved in this matter and this is
their absolute last opportunity to come forward," he said.

AAP pc/jel/cjh/jlw

KEYWORD: MILES LEAD

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Superior Energy Services Schedules Conference Call to Report 2011 First Quarter Earnings Results

Wireless News
04-13-2011
Superior Energy Services Schedules Conference Call to Report 2011 First Quarter Earnings Results
Type: News

Superior Energy Services announced that it will release its 2011 first quarter results on Wednesday, April 27, after the market closes.

In conjunction with the release, Superior Energy Services has scheduled a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the Internet, on Thursday, April 28, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time.
For those who cannot listen to the live call, a telephonic replay will be available through Thursday, May 5, and may be accessed by calling 303-590-3030 and using the pass code 4432547. An archive of the webcast will be available after the call for a period of 60 days on SuperiorEnergy.com.

Superior Energy Services serves the drilling and production- related needs of oil and gas companies worldwide through its brand name rental tools and its integrated well intervention services and tools, supported by an engineering staff who plan and design solutions for customers. Offshore projects are delivered by the company's fleet of modern marine assets.

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Copyright 2011 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
n/a

FED:Search for family of Christmas Is orphan

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2010
FED:Search for family of Christmas Is orphan

Australian immigration officials are trying to track down the relatives of a child
.. orphaned in the Christmas Island boat accident.

About 48 Iranian .. Iraqi and Kurdish asylum seekers died a week ago when their boat
smashed apart on rocks in high seas.

However .. only 30 bodies have been recovered.

42 people survived the tragedy .. including three children who are orphans.





People who think they might know someone involved in the tragedy can call 1300 724
010 in Australia or +6139 936 5436 from overseas .. 24 hours a day.

AAP RTV bsb/wz/ajw/

KEYWORD: BOAT CAPSIZE (CANBERRA)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Govt must increase Pakistan aid: Brown

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2010
FED:Govt must increase Pakistan aid: Brown

The Greens want to boost foreign aid by about $2.8 billion a year.

Australia is spending $4.3 billion on aid this year or 0.33 per cent of national income.

Both major parties have agreed to boost aid spending to 0.5 per cent by 2016 but the
Greens want to go further.

They also want to create a centre in Australia to coordinate responses to natural disasters
such as tsunamis and floods in the region.

AAP ca/rl/de

KEYWORD: POLL10 GREENS AID 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Main stories in the Sydney newspapers =3

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2010
NSW: Main stories in the Sydney newspapers =3

The Australian

Page 1: The Iranian embassy in Canberra has been accused of spying on Iranian democracy
activists in Australia, collecting intelligence on their activities and reporting back
to Tehran, where critics of the regime can face severe punishment. The federal government's
$3.2 billion in health and hospital investments overwhelmingly favour Labor electorates
and marginal coalition-held seats that could tumble at the coming election. The China-registered
coal carrier stuck on the Great Barrier Reef could be there for several weeks, as authorities
investigate why the ship was travelling so far outside the normal shipping channels.

Page 2: Defence Minister John Faulkner has blocked another Australian shipment feared
destined for a weapons of mass destruction program, sparking an angry response from the
award-winning Victorian manufacturer targeted in his secret intelligence.

Page 3: A Tasmanian father described in court as a pedophile has been given regular
access to his young daughters, provided his mother - their grandmother - never takes her
eyes off them.

World: A top member of a South African white supremacist group yesterday warned that
the slaying of its leader was a "declaration of war" by blacks against whites and said
the killing would disrupt the soccer World Cup.

Finance: Analysts are urging Rio shareholders to block the Pilbara deal.

AAP lm

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS NSW 3 SYDNEY

2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:More likely ALP approached Turnbull: Truss

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2009
FED:More likely ALP approached Turnbull: Truss

CANBERRA, Aug 23 AAP - Nationals leader Warren Truss says he backs Malcolm Turnbull's
version of events when it comes to his supposed discussion with senior ALP figures to
join Labor a decade ago.

Mr Truss said he doubted Labor reports that the now-opposition leader had actively
courted senior Labor figures, including former prime minister Bob Hawke and then opposition
leader Kim Beazley, for a job as the party's finance spokesman in 1999.

Mr Turnbull apparently had become disillusioned with the Liberal leader John Howard
after the failed republic referendum, Labor heavyweights told News Ltd.

Mr Truss said it was much easier to believe Mr Turnbull's account - that Labor approached
him, not the other way around.

"This story has been around for ages, (but) Malcolm said he was approached by the Labor
Party, at the time he was involved in the republican movement and all sorts of other causes,"

he told ABC Television on Sunday.

"Frankly, I think Malcolm's version of events is more believable."

Although the Nationals "don't get involved in the Liberal Party's leadership issues",
Mr Truss said he supported Mr Turnbull, who has been under pressure after a series of
bad polls and the OzCar email affair.

Mr Turnbull's particular skills in economics would be critical to the coalition given
the global financial climate, Mr Truss said.

AAP cj/ash/cdh

KEYWORD: TURNBULL TRUSS

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Hundreds of Tamils to arrive in Canberra at midday

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2009
Fed: Hundreds of Tamils to arrive in Canberra at midday

Foreign Affairs Minister STEPHEN SMITH says he's seen claims that almost 300 Tamil
civilians were killed by artillery shelling by the Sri Lankan government on Easter Sunday
.. but can't confirm the reports.

Mr SMITH says the situation in Sri Lanka's terrible and he .. along with the international
community .. is becoming increasingly concerned.

It comes with hundreds of Tamil demonstrators .. who rallied for two days outside KEVIN
RUDD's Sydney home .. set to take their protest to the Prime Minister's Canberra residence.

The group wants the Australian government to use diplomatic channels to push for a
permanent ceasefire in the conflict between Sri Lankan government forces and the Tamil
rebels.

AAP RTV ah/af

KEYWORD: SRILANKA AUST (PERTH)

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Crop harvest to be poorer than expected due to Nov rains

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2008
Fed: Crop harvest to be poorer than expected due to Nov rains

CANBERRA, Dec 9 AAP - Rain when it was not needed has resulted in a very disappointing
end to the winter cropping season, the nation's commodity forecaster says.

Untimely rainfall last month affected the quality of grain crops as harvest time approached.

As a result there were varying degrees of quality downgrading.

The latest quarterly crop report from from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and
Resource Economics, released on Tuesday, forecasts:

- Total winter grains production to be up by more than a third on last year to 30.6
million tonnes;

- A doubling in the area planted to cotton to 153,500 hectares;

- Rice plantings to be four times last year at 8,000 hectares;

- A 15 per cent drop in the area planted to grain sorghum.

The nation's wheat harvest is expected to top 20 million tonnes, significantly higher
than last season, but well below mid-year expectations when conditions were looking more
favourable.

A very poor spring in southern NSW, Victoria and South Australia adversely affected crops.

Rain in all wheat belt states, except South Australia, has interrupted the winter grains harvest.

While rice and cotton plantings are well up on last year, the forecasts are still well
below historical levels.

AAP srj/rl/kms

KEYWORD: CROP

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: SPC here to stay despite job losses: Brumby

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2008
Vic: SPC here to stay despite job losses: Brumby

MELBOURNE, Aug 5 AAP - SPC Ardmona was here to stay despite shedding staff in tough
times, Premier John Brumby said today.

He was responding to revelations the Goulburn Valley-based fruit cannery will scrap
at least 60 production jobs.

The redundancies follow the axing of 50 middle management positions in January and
are part of a restructure to overcome drought and offshore competition.

Mr Brumby said SPC would still remain a huge employer in Shepparton.

"They're employing still, I think, permanently between 400 and 500 people ... during
the peak season they employ up to another 4,000," he said.

"My understanding is, too, that they're investing something like $10 million in new facilities.

"So, SPC's a great company, it's here to stay, they're investing more, but the combination
of drought and tough international conditions means regrettably that they've had to reduce
staff."

Mr Brumby reiterated Victoria was facing its toughest economic times for 15 years.

But he said thousands of jobs would be created from major infrastructure projects in
northern Victoria, including the $2 billion food bowl modernisation project and the $500
million north-east rail corridor upgrade.

AAP cmb/gfr/maur/de

KEYWORD: ARDMONA BRUMBY

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: So You Think You Can Dance puts Ten on top

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2008
Fed: So You Think You Can Dance puts Ten on top

By Katherine Field, National Entertainment Writer

SYDNEY, Feb 11 AAP - Network Ten's So You Think You Can Dance Australia has come out
on top on the first night of the television ratings period with 1.6 million people tuning
into the hit show.

The reality dance program hosted by Natalie Bassingthwaighte edged out Nine's coverage
of the cricket which netted 1.511 million viewers.

Seven's 6pm news brought in 1.489 million watchers to come in third.

Since attracting almost two million people to its premiere last week, So You Think
You Can Dance continued to pull in big audiences across the country all week.

Last night's two-hour-and-40-minute special episode, which showed part one of the top
100 contestants' battle to make the top 20, easily beat its rivals in the same timeslot.

Nine's cricket coverage and the movie Shrek2 grabbed 1.52 million viewers.

Seven's combination of a repeat of Kath and Kim, the US series Samantha Who? and the
return of Grey's Anatomy pulled in an average of 1.14 million to come in third.

Despite Ten winning the top spot, the Seven Network dominated the night, scoring five
shows in the top 10.

Last night also saw the return of two hit US TV shows for Seven, with Grey's Anatomy
the sixth most watched show of the night, and Brothers and Sisters 11th.

A repeat of Kath and Kim managed to pull in 1.072 million viewers and secured 12th
position for the night.

The ABC also had two shows in the top 15, with Agatha Christie's Miss Marple attracting
an average audience of 1.068 million and the ABC News drawing in 897,000 viewers.

The non-ratings period wrapped up on Saturday and Ten was the only network to increase
its audience and share in the major demographics.

Ten's audience grew four per cent in the 18-49 age group, five per cent in the 25-54
group and 3.3 per cent in the over 50 group.

The Nine Network was the worst performer.

It lost ground in all areas, including the important 18-49 demographic, where its audience
decreased by 14.6 per cent.

Seven had mixed results.

Ten's head of programming David Mott said he was confident the momentum would continue
in the ratings period, especially with shows such as Australian Idol, Big Brother, Are
You Smarter Than A 5th Grader, Good News Week and new Australian drama Out of the Blue.

"This year is going to be tougher than ever but we're confident that we'll achieve
our stated goals - grow in 18-49, deepen our appeal in 25-54, and lead in 16-39," Mr Mott
said.

AAP kaf/sco/cdh

KEYWORD: RATINGS

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW : Rooftop immigration protest ends =3

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2007
NSW : Rooftop immigration protest ends =3

On Monday, after the trio climbed onto the roof of the detention centre, Kelly slipped
on wet roof tiles and cut his hand on razor wire. Villawood staff invited him to come
down and receive medical attention, but he refused.

The group then huddled together for three nights, exposed to wind and rain, before
ending their vigil only minutes after sunset last night.

They had previously declared the protest would last until this year's federal election.

All three men had previously been imprisoned and were awaiting extradition on character grounds.

"They've been in prison before for a period longer than two years and are awaiting
exclusion," a department of immigration spokeswoman said.

AAP stu/wjf/sp

KEYWORD: DETENTION 3 SYDNEY

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Aust to deploy 300 special force troops to Afghanistan= 9

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2007
Fed: Aust to deploy 300 special force troops to Afghanistan= 9

Defence Minister BRENDAN NELSON says he and Air Chief Marshal HOUSTON will travel to
Canada tomorrow to meet the ministers of others nations with forces in southern Afghanistan
to discuss cooperation arrangements.

They will also discuss a common approach to Pakistan.

Dr NELSON says he's already discussed the mission with US Defense Secretary ROBERT
GATES and British Defence Secretary DES BROWNE.

AAP RTV mb/sb/bart

KEYWORD: AFGHAN AUST 9 CANBERRA

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: PM says Iraq going badly

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2006
Fed: PM says Iraq going badly

CANBERRA, Dec 8 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard has admitted things are going badly
in Iraq and he would like Australia to be out as soon as possible.

However, he said Australia's exit strategy would be to leave when the coalition was
satisfied Iraq was able to look after itself.

Asked if Australia would go along with any US withdrawal of forces, he said it had
to be remembered that the US had 100 times more troops in Iraq than Australia.

"I would like to be out of Iraq as soon as possible. But I am not going to make myself
in any way hostage to a particular date.

"The exit strategy is to go when the coalition is satisfied that the country can reasonably
look after itself.

"It's governed by the conditions in the country. It's governed by the Americans. The
British are obviously the next largest contributor, but still a force that is less than
one twentieth of the American contribution."

The report of the Iraq Study Group, headed by former US Secretary of State James Baker
and former congressman Lee Hamilton, said US strategy for Iraq had failed and proposed
a progressive withdrawal of forces.

Mr Howard said US President George W Bush had not made himself hostage to any particular
withdrawal date.

But he said there would be changes in American policy.

"Of that I'm certain after the discussions I had with President Bush in Hanoi and later
on in Ho Chi Minh city," he said.

"I believe the biggest single change will be that they will require the Iraqis to do
a lot more and that is a good thing."

Mr Howard said Mr Bush would like to be out as soon as it was responsible to leave.

"He is not putting a date on it. In none of the discussions I had with him, and I had
two separate discussions with him in Vietnam, did he commit to a date," he said.

"Everybody would like to be out as soon as possible. We all know it is going badly.

"But we all know and Baker and Hamilton underlined this, that a precipitate American
withdrawal would create a real bloodbath and total chaos and Baker and Hamilton made that
perfectly clear and George Bush is not going to embrace that approach."

AAP mb/sb/sp/it/bwl

KEYWORD: IRAQ HOWARD

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Councils call for action on water

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2006
Qld: Councils call for action on water

By Paul Osborne and Roberta Mancuso

BRISBANE, Aug 1 AAP - Local councils say there's enough community support for Queensland
to go ahead with using recycled water for drinking without the need for a referendum.

To wait until 2008 would put many areas at risk of running dry, they say.

Their call follows the results of a statewide survey, commissioned by the Local Government
Association of Queensland (LGAQ), that found 56.8 per cent support for the use of treated
sewage effluent to supplement town water supplies.

It came, also, as Premier Peter Beattie set up a task force to explore ways of addressing
water shortage.

On Saturday, the city of Toowoomba voted "no" in the nation's first referendum on drinking
recycled sewage.

Mr Beattie, who met with Toowoomba mayor Di Thorley in Brisbane today, said the task
force would have up to six months to come up with options for tackling Toowoomba's water
crisis.

In the survey of 1,000 people, another 29.7 per cent answered "no" to the question
of using treated effluent, while 13.5 per cent did not express a view.

Support was strongest in south-east Queensland, with 60.9 per cent in favour and 27.6
per cent against.

But provincial cities and towns recorded a 44.5 per cent vote in favour and 33.5 per
cent against, with 22 per cent expressing no view.

LGAQ president Paul Bell said the booming south-east would run out of water without
substantial rain by the time a referendum was held in March, 2008.

"We can't wait any longer," Mr Bell said.

"This result is something that should really give the premier confidence to take this
issue forward on behalf of Queensland into the next election."

Mr Bell said the vote in Toowoomba was a "one-off" and not representative of other regions.

Deputy Premier Anna Bligh said today opinion polls could get things wrong.

"That's why a referendum is needed," she said.

The Premier said today the Toowoomba taskforce would "look at every option" available
to ease the chronic water shortage, including using water from nearby farming bores, building
a dam at Emu Creek or getting water as a by-product of coal seam gas.

"We want to do what we can to bring both sides together to resolve this issue," Mr
Beattie said, noting that former Toowoomba mayor and vocal anti-referendum campaigner
Clive Berghofer would be involved.

He said it was unlikely water would be piped to Toowoomba from Brisbane's Wivenhoe Dam.

Mr Beattie said while the taskforce considered the options, the council would press
ahead with drilling more bores.

Ms Thorley welcomed the taskforce, but said recycled wastewater was the best option
for Toowoomba.

"I think the community now is going to have to understand ... the cost of what these
(other) options are," she said.

Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said the government should follow the coalition's
lead and commit to the Emu Creek Dam to supply water to Toowoomba.

AAP pjo/sc/pe/de

KEYWORD: WATER QLD NIGHTLEAD

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Anger good, swearing bad over the Cross City Tunnel

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2006
NSW: Anger good, swearing bad over the Cross City Tunnel

EDS: Attention to language in second and ninth pars



By Paul Carter

SYDNEY, Feb 11 AAP - It's OK to get angry over Sydney's Cross City Tunnel but not to
swear when doing so, according to the NSW premier and the state's opposition leader.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma apologised again today for calling the Cross City Tunnel's
new chief executive a "fuckwit" during a private word with Victorian Premier Steve Bracks
in Canberra yesterday.

But the Labor leader said he while he was sorry for swearing, he stood by the angry
sentiment behind it.

"I shouldn't have used the swear word, I apologised for that," Mr Iemma told reporters
today in Sydney today.

"I don't apologise for the sentiment expressed - my anger at the arrogant and out of
touch way in which the new CEO simply dismissed the issues around the Cross City Tunnel."

At his first press conference on Thursday, Graham Mulligan said CrossCity Motorway
Pty Ltd would not reduce the $3.56 toll nor reverse traffic changes around the 2.1km inner-city
tollway which have angered many motorists.

While Mr Iemma was awaiting the start of a COAG media conference in Canberra yesterday,
he was chatting to his Victorian counterpart Steve Bracks.

Without realising that microphones were open, Mr Iemma responded to a question from
Mr Bracks about issues he needed to deal with in NSW.

"Today? This fuckwit who's the new CEO of the Cross City Tunnel has ... been saying
what controversy? There is no controversy."

The comment was picked up by microphones and was subsequently broadcast.

Mr Iemma, who has not apologised personally to Mr Mulligan, apologised after making
the remark yesterday, and reiterated that apology today.

Opposition Leader Peter Debnam said today Mr Iemma's language was inappropriate for a premier.

"But it's great to see the premier finally feeling the anger and frustration that everybody
else has felt over the tunnel for the past six months, but he is the only one who can
do anything about the anger by reclaiming the roads and renegotiating the contract," Mr
Debnam told reporters today in Sydney.

"He can do that today."

But Mr Iemma said the only power he had to tackle problems with the tunnel was that
of persuasion.

"I'm more than happy to go in to fight for motorists to get a better deal," Mr Iemma said.

"And that's what we'll continue to do. We've got the power of persuasion.

A spokesman for CrossCity Motorway Pty Ltd was unavailable for comment today.

AAP pc/lb/sd

KEYWORD: IEMMA NIGHTLEAD

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Howard crying crocodile tears over journalists: Labor

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2005
Fed: Howard crying crocodile tears over journalists: Labor

MELBOURNE, Aug 30 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard must bear direct responsibility
if two senior political journalists are jailed for refusing to reveal a source, Labor
said today.

Labor's legal affairs spokeswoman Nicola Roxon said the two Herald Sun journalists
risked imprisonment because of a government obsession in tracking down the source of a
leak to the media.

The newspaper's chief political reporter, Michael Harvey, and a senior Canberra bureau
reporter, Gerard McManus, face a contempt of court charge after last week refusing to
divulge the source of a story that revealed federal government plans not to raise war
veterans' entitlements.

The reporters were called before Victoria's County Court as witnesses at a pre-trial
hearing for senior bureaucrat Desmond Patrick Kelly, 52, who is accused of the leak.

They both cited the journalists' code of ethics for their refusal to name their source.

Mr Kelly, employed in the Department of Veterans Affairs, is facing a charge of unauthorised
disclosure of information, which carries a maximum two-year jail sentence.

The alleged leak detailed the government's plan to not deliver $500 million in extra
pensions to veterans and widows.

The government dropped the plan after bad publicity stemming from a Herald Sun story
in February last year.

Ms Roxon today accused Mr Howard of hypocrisy when he last week described the two journalists
as "good blokes" he had a lot of time for.

She said Harvey and McManus would not be facing jail but for the intervention of the government.

"I think it is ridiculous we're in a situation where two journalists are going to go
to jail potentially because Mr Howard has been obsessed in chasing down a leak that has
embarrassed his government," Ms Roxon told reporters in Melbourne.

"I think Mr Howard is trying to intimidate journalists and bullying public servants,
and to me he's just crying crocodile tears now to say they're good blokes.

"It's his actions that have directly led to this and it will be on his hands if they
do go to jail."

The two journalists are expected to be charged within days.

AAP mp/gfr/apm/bwl

KEYWORD: KELLY SOURCE LABOR

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

potassium superoxide

potassium superoxide (potassium dioxide) A yellow paramagnetic solid, KO₂, produced by burning potassium in an excess of oxygen; it is very soluble (by reaction) in water, soluble in ethanol, and slightly soluble in diethyl ether; m.p. 380°C. When treated with cold water or dilute mineral acids, hydrogen peroxide is obtained. The compound is a powerful oxidizing agent and on strong heating releases oxygen with the formation of the monoxide, K₂O.

My dream for Arlington Heights: generosity.(Neighbor)

Byline: Margery Frisbie

Early this summer, a reporter interviewed me for a profile for Digital Cities Home Page, the Internet program to introduce suburban residents to the larger metropolitan area. After some talk about village history, the reporter asked, "What is your dream for Arlington Heights?"

Interviews always impel me to mild indiscretion. Without wondering about the consequences, I suggested that I would wish Arlington Heights to be more generous as a community.

To explain, I told her of Mary Lee Ewalt, executive director of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library in the 1960s when plans were made for the Dunton Street building.

Architect Bob Chaney envisioned a splendid one-story structure with panels of textured limestone. Clear about his dream for the exterior, Chaney approached Ewalt about her dearest wishes for the new library she'd fought for so tenaciously. (There had been strong feeling for an expansion of the old Belmont Avenue facility.)

Ewalt was as sure of her druthers as a 10-year-old about his or her dream bike. She'd been fantasizing about the perfect library ever since the deal to build the new library on Dunton was closed.

"Ideally, I'd like all the stacks around the outside of the building," she said.

She grinned conspiratorially at Chaney. "I'd like all the books totally accessible, so patrons can browse, sampling favorites as they go, choosing a few and keeping them so long as they are interested."

Ewalt even stipulated, "no charge desk." Something of a Left Bank nirvana with no exchange of sous!

Both architect and librarian knew Ewalt's description was a utopian whim. Nonetheless, her largeness of mind influenced the architect as he drew the library's floor plan. And Ewalt's glorious generosity of spirit has continued to influence the library's culture.

Fortunately for the good of our souls, there have always been parallel visions operating in other areas of village life. Two of my heroes are Margaret Schlickman, for many years now a member of the Housing Commission, and Ed Geiss, director of Human Resources in the village. They have persevered valiantly over the years trying to create low-income housing in town.

In touch with the needs of local people suddenly in need, as they've been for decades, Schlickman and Geiss keep gently urging us to be our better selves and to open our community to those who need affordable places to live.

Their current "modest proposal" suggests that developers be given incentives to include units for moderate-income residents in new construction.

There is resistance. There have always been cries that people who can't afford to live in Arlington should shuffle off to Wheeling. Schlickman and Geiss, "more skilled to raise the wretched than to rise," in Oliver Goldsmith's words, keep another vision before us.

Like Mary Lee Ewalt, they ask us to be inclusive and longsighted. They want everything in this town to be as open and wonderful as the library.

Open Market, Inc. and Cisco to Host Final Teleforum on E-Business Marketing.

Part Three of the E-Commerce Best Practices Teleforum Series for Business-to-

Business Technology and Business Decision-Makers

BURLINGTON, Mass., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Open Market, Inc. (Nasdaq: OMKT), the market share leader in Internet commerce software, together with Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) today announced the last of an exclusive series of three strategic teleforums, "Best Practices for Launching and Marketing Your E-Business Web Site," being held on Wednesday, September 1st at 11:00am EDT. Accessible worldwide, the teleforum is targeted to the high level technology and business decision-makers at business-to-business enterprises.

The "Best Practices for Launching and Marketing Your E-Business Web Site" teleforum will address the challenges of launching and marketing your e-business Web site. Key speakers will include:

-- Pyramyth Liu, Director of Sales, Internet Commerce for Acer America

-- Stephen P. Cho, Ph.D., Senior Manager, Internet Commerce and Customer

Care Solutions for Cisco Systems

-- Angie Snelling, Director, Internet Commerce, and Thomas Williams,

Director, Information Technology for Milacron

-- Thomas Anderson, Director, Corporate Communications for Millipore

Speaker presentations will cover specific issues faced in developing a marketing strategy for successfully launching an e-business Web site, including:

-- Analyzing your potential audience

-- Engaging existing customers and acquiring new customers

-- Determining the best "new" marketing mix by testing your plans,

messages, and programs

-- Recommendations for those in the early stages of launching their

Internet Web site

Open Market will also be distributing a white paper based on the teleforum, titled: "Launching Your Internet Commerce Business: Best Practices for Market Visibility and Customer Acquisition."

Open Market and Cisco's series of one-hour teleforums are designed to give listeners the opportunity to hear individual presentations from influential leaders within the Internet commerce industry. In order to participate in this series of teleforums, sign-up online at http://www.openmarket.com/ecommerce or call 1-888-OPENMKT. Replays of the teleforums will be available on RealAudio on Open Market's Web site at http://www.openmarket.com.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, is the third-largest company on NASDAQ and among the top 40 companies in the world. Cisco's own Internet-based business model has helped the company quadruple in size in the past three years and save approximately $680 million annually in business expenses. As one of the world's leading electronic merchants, Cisco has Web site sales of more than $25 million per day.

Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) has been established in direct response to customer requests for help in reaping similar business advantages from Internet-powered networking solutions.

About Open Market

Founded in 1994, Open Market, Inc. (Nasdaq: OMKT) is the market-share leader in Internet commerce software with more than 25,000 merchant licenses sold worldwide and over 10,000 in production. Open Market's high-performance application software products and professional services allow its customers to engage in business-to-consumer and business-to-business Internet commerce, information commerce, and commercial publishing. Among Open Market's distinguished roster of global customers are many of the most popular domains on the Web, including Lycos.com, AOL.com, and the Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition; major industrials such as Acer, Ingram Micro, Milacron, and Siemens; and 10 of the world's top 13 national telephone companies. The company, headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, has a presence in 28 countries. Open Market's international head office is in the UK with additional offices in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and The Netherlands. Open Market can be reached by calling 1-888-OPEN-MKT (toll-free) or 1-781-359-3000 in the U.S. or +44 (0) 1753 838 000 in the U.K. or by visiting http://www.openmarket.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are the company's limited operating history, delays in product development, development of the Internet market, changes in product pricing policies, competitive pressures, and the risk factors detailed from time to time in the company's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Open Market and We ARE Internet Commerce are trademarks or registered trademarks of Open Market, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

OPINION: most perplexing social media dilemma?

What do you find is your organisation's most perplexing social media dilemma?

Matthew Wallace Head of HR, Sporting Index

"The Sporting Index Group generates over 80% of its revenues through the internet - be that desktop or increasingly mobile. As such, we use social media extensively to attract, retain and monitor our best talent. However, social media has many forms - not just LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter but also a myriad of blogs, microblogs, wikis, forums, etc. Therefore, our greatest recruitment challenge is to utilise the right form of social media that best conveys our corporate brand. To achieve this we have adopted a 'Proactive recruitment' strategy - combining corporate branding with innovative talent management and overlaying this with effective use of social media to enable us to attract 'the right talent, at the right time, at the right price'."

Max MacGillivray Founder, Redfox Executive Selection

"Our biggest social media dilemma is: how do we get more of our clients to use social media properly (especially Twitter) to 'engage' with us so we can place great candidates with them?! A number of them know that social media is the future but they seem perplexed, even frightened, as to how they can use it to their company's long-term benefit."

Ian Mavrogiannakos Online marketing executive, JSA

"Social media has transformed the interaction between businesses and their target audience. Online communities are now built around brands, products and services and they are made up of your existing and potential clients who in turn can support or hinder your marketing efforts. Issues arise around how to interact with these communities in an optimum way. Other hurdles may also include how to use the company's values as a driving differentiating factor. Success lies in being relevant and informative to your audience's needs and JSA is realigning its marketing strategy to meet those requests."

Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

Catch the originals while you can.

Provided by 7DAYS.ae

Picasso; he is considered one of the most influential and brilliant painters the world has seen, and even those who don't have the slightest interest in art are sure to know his name and work. But if you are a fan of his distinctive style, it can be hard to get a look at his original paintings.

With galleries displaying Picasso's work in cities such as Barcelona, Berlin and Paris, simply acquiring an entry ticket into a museum could result in a three-hour queue alongside hundreds of other Picasso fans.Aa That's why today's opening in Abu Dhabi of the first-ever exhibition of the works of Pablo Picasso in the Arab world is a thrilling event.

If you get yourself organised now, viewing the masterpieces of the 20th century's signature artist, won't involve frustratingly long queues - just yet anyway. Starting today, the retrospective 'Picasso Abu Dhabi: Masterpieces from the MusE[umlaut]e National Picasso, Paris' opens its doors to the UAE public today - a real treat for the region's art fans.

Gracing the walls at Gallery One at Emirates Palace from May 27 until September 4, 2008, this unique exhibition features 186 paintings, sculptures and drawings from the renowned Spanish artist.Aa The UAE capital is the second city in a nine-nation tour of this particular exhibition and is the only Middle Eastern venue on the tour.

Abu Dhabi's version of the exhibition is slightly differentiated by the inclusion of 40 drawings, prints and illuminated manuscripts reminiscent of the Arab influences Picasso absorbed during his youth in MEilaga, La Cocina and Barcelona.Aa This much anticipated exhibition is drawn exclusively from the holdings of the MusE[umlaut]e National Picasso in Paris, which came directly from the artist's studios and traces Picasso's career across a range of work beginning with his Blue Period 'Self-Portrait' (1901) and concluding with 'Portrait of the Young Painter' (1972), made only months before his death.

"This is a genuine retrospective seen through a museum collection. We have here a totally new situation, since we are able to follow Picasso's own trajectory, his search, the development of his awareness, and his discoveries, through his paintings, sculptures and drawings," said Anne Baldassari, director, MusE[umlaut]e National Picasso, Paris.

To learn more about the great Picasso, public initiatives have been organised to coincide with the exhibition, and activities include interactive art workshops, illustrated lectures, guided exhibition tours and debates on Picasso and his artistic extensive legacy.

The exhibition is open daily from 10am-10pm from May 27 until September 4, 2008 at Gallery One at Emirates Palace. Entry is free-of-charge. For more information please call 02 690 8206.

Picasso education begins this week with a free-to-attend evening devoted to Picasso's work. It will be held at the Emirates Palace and will be led by Anne Baldassari. Those wishing to attend can register by logging on to www.artsabudhabi.com or by calling the special hotline 600 522 299.Aa

A[umlaut] 2007 Al Sidra Media LLC

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Red Hat announces new GM for MENA.

Red Hat, a provider of open source solutions, today announced that George DeBono has been appointed as general manager for Red Hat in the Middle East and Africa region.

DeBono, who previously held a senior global operations role within Red Hat, will now lead the company's business in the region. Prior to joining Red Hat DeBono held management roles at Sun and Computer Associates.

"The Middle East and Africa offer significant growth opportunities for Red Hat. We have been operating in the region with an on-the-ground presence since 2009. We intend to build on our early success by adding depth to our marketing, sales and technical support team and have recruited George to lead the company's regional business. George's track record of outstanding achievement, performance and leadership bode well for Red Hat's ability to increase its footprint in these exciting, emerging markets," said Werner Knoblich, vice president and general manager of EMEA at Red Hat.

"In today's business world, where companies are still grappling with recessionary market conditions, Red Hat's technology is very attractive to end-users as it carries a strong value proposition. As compared to the traditional proprietary Capex model offered by Red Hat competitors, which places a strain upfront on company resources, Red Hat's Opex business model provides internal funding for customers that can be used for innovation, which in turn can lead to a competitive advantage," said DeBono.

DeBono continued, "Our approach is simple -- work with customers who have invested in our technology to help them realise value. Customer satisfaction is key, as satisfaction breeds opportunity. The overarching strategy is transparency, internally as well as to customers and partners. At a grassroot level, we are investing a lot of time and energy garnering market intelligence like understanding the business objectives behind regional customers implementing technology, and which systems integrators deliver consistently high-quality projects. We also realise that we need to continue to popularise the Red Hat brand and for that purpose we have appointed Hesham El Komy to head our marketing and communications programs for the region."

DeBono adds that the growing popularity of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualisation is also a positive trend. "We are currently demonstrating a number of proof of concepts to customers looking at virtualisation infrastructure deployments. The initial positive responses we have received lead us to believe that this technology will be a strong business driver in the region".

Red Hat has its regional headquarters for Middle East and Africa in Dubai Internet City. Clients in the region include Qatar Exchange, Emirates Airlines, Kuwait Ministry of Electricity & Water, Arabtec and Arabian Automobiles.

Copyright 2011 IDG Middle East. All rights reserved.

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

TechNet to Collaborate on Dual State-Federal Policy and Political Program.

TechNet, a national, bipartisan policy and political network of CEOs that promotes the growth of the economy and the Illinois Technology Association, has announced a new strategic partnership to collaborate on a dual state-federal policy and political program for Illinois technology companies.

According to a release, the Illinois Technology Association represents organizations from start-ups to technology companies across the sector representing software, mobile, internet, consulting, online services, electronics, telecommunications, and green technology.

"We at TechNet are very excited to partner with the Illinois Technology Association," said Rey Ramsey, President and CEO of TechNet. "ITA and its President Fred Hoch are the preeminent leaders in Illinois in helping innovation thrive. We look forward to working with them in Illinois and around the nation, a partnership that will strengthen both of our organizations at both the federal and state level."

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Americans of two minds on virtual visits.(DIGITAL MEDIA)

MANY AMERICANS remain skeptical about the prospect of online consultations with their doctors and DIY testing via mobile apps. though men. younger and more affluent people and those with chronic conditions are more receptive.

A survey by Euro RSCG Tonic found that 42% are comfortable with the idea of online consultations and 77% said they'd be open to trying it if it meant greater convenience and less expense. Men. in particular, were gung ho for remote care, with 58% expressing support, compared to only 37% of women.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

People with chronic conditions were also enthusiastic about remote care, as were employed and college-educated respondents, along with those making more than $25,000 a year.

"People with chronic conditions are very interested because it means more contact with their doctor," said Kate Gill, managing director, strategy at Euro RSCG Tonic."It's good news that a lot of people are receptive, because they believe it will be more convenient and cost less money."

Seventy percent of respondents expressed concern about the increasingly crushing ratio of patients to doctors, and the gap between them stands to grow wider still as healthcare reform legislation brings 30 million people into the system, Gill noted.

Forty-eight percent of respondents said they liked the idea of using mobile apps to run their own tests and check-ups at home, with 77% saying they'd be willing to check their blood pressure and 65% saying they'd be willing to track their symptoms themselves.

"A lot will depend on how facile physicians are with technology, and how comfortable they are with it," said Denise Murtagh, planning director at the agency. "There's a demographic break there." Generation X and Y (18-45) were much more comfortable with the notion of remote care than were Baby Boomers (46-64) and Matures (65+), with 52% of Gen Y respondents and 47% of Gen X respondents rating virtual visits positively, as compared to 39% of Boomers and 33% of Matures.

The internet survey was compiled with results from 1,000 adults.

Capital Access Network Awarded Prestigious Monarch Innovation Award by Barlow Research Associates.

Daily Remittance Platform[TM] recognized as "Most Innovative" B2B financial services product

SCARSDALE, N.Y. -- Capital Access Network, Inc. (CAN), today announced it is the recipient of the coveted 2011 Monarch Innovation Award. CAN's Daily Remittance Platform[TM] (DRP) received the highest honor, the "Overall Most Innovative" product of the year, from a panel of independent judges. Last year's recipient was Bank of America's CashPro Online.

The Monarch Innovation Awards are presented by Barlow Research Associates, Inc. and recognize excellence and creativity in business banking. Awards are presented to financial institutions and industry partners that provide the most innovative products to business customers, as well as recognized risk takers who create and promote innovation within their organizations. DRP, an end-to-end finance delivery system enabling small and mid-sized business (SMB) finance providers to offer "daily" remittance and recurring revenue-based finance products while driving credit card issuance and acceptance, is the first finance delivery platform to receive the Monarch Award.

"This is a win-win - more capital for more small and mid-sized businesses and more loan growth with less risk to banks and other capital providers," said Nick Miller, President of Clarity Advantage Corporation, one of the Monarch judges. "What an enormous opportunity. CAN's Daily Remittance Platform challenges and changes accepted credit decisioning and loan management practices at a time when the entire financial industry is desperately looking to grow their loan books and mitigate risk. DRP is a proven innovation and the perfect choice for this honor."

Awards are based on the ability of an innovation to demonstrate uniqueness and usability, build loyalty and customer value, and exhibit replication difficulty. DRP received high marks in each of these categories. Other award winners included Citibank, US Bank, and CashEdge.

"We are honored to accept The Monarch Innovation Award," said Glenn Goldman, CEO and president of CAN. "We designed DRP as a tool to help banks and other capital providers fill an urgent need in the difficult SMB market. Using DRP, our clients can now offer more capital with less risk to underserved SMBs, stimulating cross-sell, retention and revenue generation throughout the financial institution's ecosystem. Having this capability is a critical competitive advantage in today's financial industry."

CAN has tested and refined DRP's model for more than 12 years by providing, through its subsidiaries, US $2 billion of capital to more than 35,000 SMBs in the United States.

About Capital Access Network, Inc.

Capital Access Network, Inc. (CAN) delivers innovative financial products and services, led by its flagship product, the Daily Remittance Platform[TM], for small and mid-sized business (SMB) capital providers. CAN offers SMB lenders, credit card issuers, lessors, processors, acquirers, banks, and other capital providers customized platforms and hosted services that enable "daily" remittance-powered financial products that improve underwriting decisioning and delivery, extend customer lifecycles, control costs and enhance portfolio performance. Learn more at www.CapitalAccessNetwork.com.

About the Monarch Innovation Awards

Developed by BRAI to recognize the importance - and challenge - of innovation in a highly regulated financial services industry, the award is named after the monarch to symbolize the rebirth that results when old formulas and methods give way to new ways of doing things. www.MonarchInnovationAwards.com.

About Barlow Research

Barlow Research Associates, Inc. was founded in 1980 to provide research and consulting services to the banking industry in the U.S. and overseas. BRAI specializes in custom research, strategic consulting and syndicated research programs in small business, middle market and business Internet banking.

eFax Expands Presence in Asia-Pacific.

eFax(R) ramps up operations in Japan with launch of a Japanese language website and Japanese-speaking sales/support teams. The company will also add new cities to its current network.

LOS ANGELES, June 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- eFax, the leading global brand in online fax and the industry's largest fax to email provider with 11 million customers worldwide, is expanding its presence in Asia-Pacific. eFax is already available in Tokyo and Osaka. The expansion includes adding new cities and local eFax numbers, the launch of a Japanese language website and Japanese-speaking customer service/sales teams, and an eFax office operating out of the Chiyoda-ku area of Toyko. The new eFax website is online at www.efax.co.jp.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090826/LA66534LOGO)

Japan is the world's second largest market for personal computers and the number one market in facsimile machines per capita. eFax allows faxes to be sent and received via email, greatly reducing the reliance on dedicated fax machines and giving both desktop and laptop computer owners the ability to send and receive faxes from any location that has wi-fi or Internet access.

eFax has successfully launched local sites in various languages throughout Europe, including English, French, Dutch, German, and Spanish. In addition to the dedicated Japanese language website, Japanese-speaking telesales and technical support personnel are now available to help customers sign up for, and use, the eFax service.

Backed by j2 Global Communications, Inc., a publicly traded company (Nasdaq: JCOM) and leading cloud services provider, eFax is a pioneer in the fax business, with a string of technology and business firsts dating back to 1988. 22 years after its start, eFax remains an important communications tool for individuals and companies of all sizes, from sole proprietors with a single fax number to Fortune 500 companies with thousands of fax numbers.

"Up until now, Japan has been under-serviced as it relates to online fax," said Hemi Zucker, CEO for j2 Global Communications, Inc. "Our continued growth into this market, which will continue through this year, will give Japanese customers the ability to cut the cord to their dedicated fax machines and experience the flexibility and cost savings eFax brings."

About j2 Global Communications

Founded in 1995, j2 Global Communications, Inc. provides outsourced, value-added messaging and communications services to individuals and businesses around the world. With offices in eight cities worldwide, j2 Global's network spans more than 3,500 cities in 48 countries on six continents. The company's websites appear in numerous languages, including Dutch, French, German, Spanish, English and more. Payments are accepted in currencies that include the U.S. Dollar, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Japanese Yen, Euro, Hong Kong Dollar and more. j2 Global provides live sales and customer service support in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Dutch, German, French, Cantonese and more. j2 Global markets its services principally under the brands eFax, eFax Corporate, Onebox, eVoice and Electric Mail. As of December 31, 2009, j2 Global had achieved 14 consecutive fiscal years of revenue growth and eight consecutive fiscal years of positive and growing operating earnings. For more information about j2 Global, please visit www.j2global.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements in this Press Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995, particularly those announcing the Company's plans to continue to expand to additional cities and add additional local eFax numbers in Japan. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and the Company may decide to change, slow or abandon its plans to further expand into the Japanese market. Although management's expectations may change after the date of this press release, the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update these statements.

Press contact:

Bill Threlkeld

pr@j2global.com

Senior Manager, Public Relations

http://www.j2global.com

Twitter: @eFaxpr

SOURCE eFax

Going around, coming around again on the I-way. (Internet telephony via cable)(Broadband Week)

Fin de siecle has such a fine ring to it. As the end of the century approaches, we'll use it more often, ignoring perhaps the fact that one of the dictionary definitions of the French term is "progressive ideas and customs."

Actually - and maybe this is merely a post-Anaheim flashback - the year seems to be starting with a strange feeling of deja vu. For example:

Saving paper: Do you think that Dr. John Malone waited to place his mega-million-digital-box order with NextLevel until after it changed its name back to General Instrument?

This means that TCI could just pull out the 1992 purchase order (a similar digital promise) and use it again, without having to retype it.

Cablephone via IP: Cable telephony may still have an opportunity to succeed, thanks to - of all things - the Internet. Despite a few glorious reports of up to 5 percent penetration, the phone-via-cable opportunity continues to flounder.

Now, however, the Internet is offering cable a second chance at getting into the voice business. The diversifying cable-modem exhibits at the Western Show pointed to several ways in which cable operators could find a "killer app" in Internet-voice services - possibly more appealing than faster Web-data access, which is at the heart of most cable-modem ventures today. TCI president Leo Hindery spoke warmly of using Internet protocol for cable telephony during his Western Show remarks.

While IP telephony still suffers from unpleasant pauses and limited access, there's great public interest in the low pricing and the telco alternative.

Technology is improving rapidly; indeed, a few days before the Western Show, ITXC Corp. (a venture set up with AT&T and VocalTec seed money) unveiled its WWeX-change to interconnect Internet-telephony providers through the Web.

Of course, Internet telephony via cable is appealing to interexchange carriers (including ITXC's backer, AT&T), which need local-bypass connections. This adds credence to AT&T's alleged courtship of TCI, @Home and any other local circuit into the IP-telephony world. Some cable companies - such as U S West Media Group - continue their aggressive pursuit of conventional cable-telephony technology.

But the best opportunities may now lie in exploiting Internet and cable-modem development for more popular - and useful - voice connections.

What about the SSSI VBI? (No worry about losing acronyms as fin de siecle approaches.) During the 1980s, when few cared, Southern Satellite Systems Inc. experimented with data transmission in its vertical blanking interval. Its ventures were virtually ignored.

Today, when Wink, Wave-Top, Intercast and other interactive adventurers are relying on the VBI data feed, the VBI has greater value: presumably some part of $213 million, based on what Time Warner paid to acquire SSSI last month.

The VBI piggybacks with TBS Superstation (also owned by Time Warner), which SSSI retransmits to almost every U.S. cable system and the 68 million homes that they reach. Hence, it's a guaranteed data path to the home, unless cable operators strip out the satellite VBI for their own purposes.

The original SSSI-WTBS deal was one of the most legendary deals of the early cable-satellite era: SSSI paid Ted Turner $1 for the rights to retransmit his Atlanta TV station under regulatory guidelines at the time.

Two questions remain: Who gets to keep the original dollar bill? And what data will be filling that VBI that Time Warner now so clearly controls from end-to-end?

WebTV - forgotten, but not gone: Although many cable executives would like to think that Microsoft was sandbagged by the cable MSOs' 15 million-unit order for GI's digital set-top box, the Redmond giant is inching its way into the living room through other routes. Notably, its WebTV subsidiary is continuing to find an audience, despite problems in delivering its second-generation system in time for Christmas. Mitsubishi Consumer Electronics says it can't keep up with demand for its version of the WebTV box.

Other manufacturers are also hustling to fill orders, suggesting that a significant core of customers will have a Microsoft-based digital device in place well before new cable boxes reach households. The living-room war is just beginning.

New year, familiar stories - likely to repeat themselves through fin de siecle and beyond, as we circle the wagons along the interactive highway again and again and again.

I-Way Patrol columnist Gary Arlen gets dizzy forgetting the difference between fin de siecle and trompe l'oeil.

YourCity.MD Sets Up Largest Single Owned, Geo-Targeted Online Ad Network Covering 450 Cities and States Across U.S.

YourCity.MD LLC (www.YourCity.MD), a medical and information network with 450 city and state-specific .MD Web sites across the U.S., announced the first ever, single owned, geo-targeted ad network reaching over 215 million online healthcare consumers who spend over $200 billion, out of pocket, on health care expenses annually (source: Internet World Stats and World Health Organization).

Drawing medical consumers across the country looking for locally-relevant health information, YourCity.MD offers advertisers the ability to conduct low-cost, targeted city specific and regional campaigns that offer not only medical related products, but other consumer products.

According to Forrester Research's Q3 2007 US Interactive Marketer Online Survey, interactive marketers spend 20 percent of their budget on ads that are targeted geographically. YourCity.MD offers a premium, geo-targeted platform combining national reach with a focus on distinct 450 U.S. markets, each with its own local flavor. And, unlike existing smaller city networks, YourCity.MD is comprehensive, organized, controlled and owned by one company.

"Advertisers understand that we have a powerful geo-focused ad network in place. We have an intuitive .MD presence in all major U.S. cities and attract consumers looking for trusted medical information, local pharmacies, nursing homes, clinics and providers. Advertisers can now reach online healthcare consumers with strong purchasing power and offer a range of local household goods relevant to their specific community, city, state or region - where they live or travel," said Joe Benza, founder and CEO of YourCity.MD.

YourCity.MD caters to more than half of the U.S. online consumer market visiting health-related Web sites (North American Technographics(R) Benchmark Survey, 2008, Forrester). "Once a healthcare consumer uses our Web site to find medical information relevant to their hometown, we become their preferred city specific information network offering news, weather, sports, travel, job listings and much more," added Benza.

YourCity.MD advertisers can purchase up to 12 ads per specialty in each major U.S. city market for 99 cents a day. Once all advertising spots are sold in a city specialty, YourCity.MD will allow the resale of banner and/or text ads and share revenues with the original ad purchaser. Currently, other medical sites charge $100+/day/specialty or $1-$40 per click on a PPC model.

Keywords: YourCity.MD LLC.

This article was prepared by Marketing Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Marketing Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.

60-Second Q&A: Helmut Schleppi, independent filmmaker.

Shot in the rainforests of Panama, The Interior is an Internet-only weekly TV series, shot in 24p HD (720p) with two JVC GY-HD110U camcorders, small Litepanel LEDs mounted on the cameras (and elsewhere), and several sets of IDX Endura Lithium Ion batteries. The 13-part miniseries was created by Geert Heetebrij and Helmut Schleppi, a Dutch producing/writing team who say they are determined to explore a new paradigm in the financing, production and distribution of original content. Their working motto: "Don't scale the walls of Hollywood. Walk around them."

The team's feature film, A Foreign Affair (released on DVD as 2 Brothers and A Bride), was captured in Russia with actual would-be brides and would-be husbands functioning as extras. The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and has been distributed worldwide.

Using low-cost production techniques (including Final Cut Pro editing) and the Internet, the pair produced the series with $75,000 of their own money. They even cast the show online, and will do so again for season 2. Shari Odell, a camera operator for Fox's 24, served as second-unit DP in Panama. Gary Hoffman was location sound mixer.

HD Studio spoke with Schleppi, who also served as DP/director of The Interior, a week after the first episode appeared online. After a week, Schleppi said the site had thousands of visitors, and the number is growing every hour. The series has been posting for the past six weeks at post facility REBEL ION, in Studio City, CA.

Q: You're shooting HD video for distribution on the Internet. Will viewers be able to tell the difference?

A: The goal for this footage is wider than the Internet. We plan to make a full-length feature and possibly show this series on broadcast TV as well.

From a technical viewpoint, HDV offers us some advantages, even on the Internet. The HDV format gives us flexibility during color-correction. We can see what the QuickTime compression will do to the original footage and make corrections accordingly. We're making extensive use of Flash codecs, and HDV gives us more room to stretch the images and add color if we need to. Between Flash and Final Cut Pro there are some color and gamma issues that we need to take care of. With HDV there's more room to do this and achieve the results we're looking for. With MiniDV, the footage is less flexible.

Q: You're recording to HDV tape for this series. Why?

A: Well, I used one of the new Panasonic P2 camcorders once, for a unique helicopter sequence in South Africa, and one of the P2 cards I was using crashed on me and I wound up losing all my data. I could not get the same scene again. It was very frustrating. There's a real risk that not everyone is aware of. With tape, the risks are greatly reduced. We were in some remote areas of Panama shooting unique footage, and I wanted to be sure I got what I needed before leaving the jungle. We also recorded two-channel audio on the videotape through the cameras.

The Panamanian crew that normally shoots on film was very skeptical of our HDV cameras. They'd seen other HD video cameras fail miserably in the heat and humidity. The high humidity in Panama tends to cause the heads to clog on other VTRs. After working with our HDV cameras and seeing the footage we got, they became instant converts to our way of working.

Q: What do you like about the IDX batteries?

A: We like the Endura batteries because you can use them to easily balance the lightweight JVC cameras. Using the IDX PowerLink system, we could stack two Endura E-7 and E-10 V-Mount batteries together on a camera back. This gave us more record time and extra weight to counterbalance the lens. We had to shoot the entire series in three weeks -- 80 percent handheld. We would shoot for 10 hours or more a day (with short beaks) and the batteries never failed us. I was very impressed. The results were great. Despite challenging logistics, power was never a problem.

Q: Anything you'd change about the production?

A: Well, when we do it again we'll use prime lenses. For this we used the lens that comes standard with the JVC camera. Primes would give the footage less depth of field and likely a better color saturation. But you'd also need a focus puller, which would require a higher budget. Yet, to be honest, many of the people who have seen the footage would never know if we used prime lenses or not. The images we got with the standard JVC package are that good.

To view the series and find out more, go to www.theinterior.tv.

[Copyright 2006 Access Intelligence, LLC. All rights reserved.]

The 2007 Edition Of Mexico Tax, Law And Business Briefing Features Expert Analyses On Mexico's Structural Reform, Public Institutions, And Economic Development.

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c50411) has announced the addition of Mexico Tax, Law & Business Briefing 2007 to their offering.

Mexico Tax, Law and Business Briefing: 2007 provides guidance on tax and legal issues investors should consider when evaluating a possible company acquisition, starting a business or entering into a joint venture or strategic alliance in Mexico. This report highlights recent economic, legal, and tax developments in Mexico's changing business environment, with content provided by experts at major accounting and law firms in the region.

The 2007 edition of Mexico Tax, Law and Business Briefing features expert analyses on Mexico's structural reform, public institutions, and economic development. This one-volume report offers extensive coverage of Mexico's banking/finance, energy, labor, and maquiladora sectors, as well as in-depth analyses of topics such as corporate structuring, foreign investment, free trade, and taxation.

Coverage includes:

* Amendments to Mexico's Tax Laws for 2007

* Tax Considerations for Doing Business in Mexico

* A Review of the Mexican Tax System

* Mexican Transfer Pricing Rules

* How to Protect the Benefits of the Tax Consolidation Regime

* Thin Capitalization Rules in Mexico

* Taxation of Software Payments

* Investments in Mexico's REITS

* Mexican Real Estate Trusts or "FIBRAS"

* A Comparative International Tax Analysis for Foreign Investors of U.S. and Mexican Real Estate

* Real Property Regulation: General Requirements that Need to be Observed in Infrastructure Projects in Mexico

* Foreign Investment in Mexican Real Property: Legal Limitations and Opportunities

* Dealing (and Dealmaking) with Mexican Grupos: A Primer for the Private Equity Investor

* Mexico Ranked Third Globally for Business Regulation Reform

* Migration of Foreign Companies: Limitation to Tax Free Mergers and Spin-Offs

* Structuring Business Acquisitions in the U.S. and Mexico from a Mexican Company Perspective

* Tax Efficient Structures for Financing an Acquisition in Mexico

* Subtle Distinctions: New Mexican Legislation Divides Trademarks into "Well-Known" and "Famous"

* Patent Litigation in Mexico

* Internet Linking and Framing Infringement Under the Scope of the Mexican IP Law

* Anti-counterfeiting in Mexico

* Whose Intellectual Property is It? Employees IP Rights in Mexico

* Mexican and U.S. Employment Laws: A Study in Contrasts

* Tax Alternatives for Maquiladoras: Waiving APAs

* Exports from Mexico: Comparing Tax Benefits of Maquiladora vs. PITEX regimes

* Sales of Maquiladora Production into the Mexican Market: Identifying the Issues

* New Regulations to the Mexican Income Tax Law Impact PE Exemption Available to Foreign Residents with Maquiladora Operations in Mexico

* A North American "Community" Pros and Cons

* NAFTA Case Highlights Importance of Technical Compliance

* Regulation of the Export Industries in Mexico: New Decree for the Promotion of the Manufacturing, Maquiladora and Export Services Industries (IMMEX Decree)

* New Mexican Securities Market Law

* SAPIS under the New Mexican Securities Market Law

* Securitization in Mexico: A Rising Asset Class, Domestically and Cross-Border

* Financial Derivatives: What They Are, How to Use Them, and the Tax Treatment in Mexico

* Transfer of Mexican Shares via Capital Contribution

* Mexico's Oil, Gas and Energy Policy Options

* Incentives for the Development of Renewable Energy Projects in Mexico

* Mexico Court Decision Eases Restrictions on Private Power Generation

* Mexico Enacts Standard NOM-138 Regarding Soil Polluted by Hydrocarbons

* The Implementation of Pollutants Registry and the Right to Know in a Transforming Legal System in Mexico

* And, Much More

Key Topics Covered inside Report:

TAXATION

TECHNOLOGY

REAL ESTATE

CORPORATE AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

LABOR

MAQUILADORAS

TRADE

SECTOR FOCUS: BANKING AND FINANCE

SECTOR FOCUS: ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c50411