Events Diary for Thursday, February 19, 2009

AAP General News (Australia)
02-19-2009
Events Diary for Thursday, February 19, 2009
EVENTS LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER AND LOCAL TIME UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED:

ADELAIDE
- Adelaide Film Festival begins. Runs Feb 19-March 1. Contact 08 8271 1029. www.adelaidefilmfestival.org

BRISBANE
1000 - Launch of Outdoor Classrooms - a school garden handbook. The handbook written by
two Queensland teachers will be officially launched by well-known gardening expert, Jerry
Coleby-Williams. Northey Street City Farm, 16 Victoria St, Windsor. Contact: Janet Millington
0402 062 465.

CANBERRA
0900 - Senate standing committee on education, employment and workplace relations inquiry
into the Fair Work Bill 2008 [Provisions], Room 2S3, Parliament House, Canberra.

MELBOURNE
- Local Government Managers Australia national skills two-day Forum (LGMA), to address
impact of global economic crisis. Contact: John Ravlic 03 9682 9222
0830-1700 - Commercialising Inventions conference, hosted by the Intellectual Property
Research Institute of Australia (IPRIA) and Australian Institute of Commercialisation.

Coles theatre, Melbourne Business School, 200 Leicester Street, Carlton. Contact: Cliff
Howard 03 8344 2154, 0402 780050.

1000 - Joint launch of the Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC), with Minister for
Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science
& Research, Kim Carr, and Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, Greg Combet.

Thales Australia, Land and Joint Systems Protected Mobility, Finn Street, Bendigo. Contact:
Jimmy Hafesjee 0404 042 457. Website: www.defence.gov.au
1315 - Nine Canadian fire specialists arrive in Melbourne to support the Department of
Sustainability (DSE) and CFA; 1410 - Fire specialists welcomed by Craige Brown, Assistant
Chief Officer Operational Support DSE and Gene Desnoyers, Fire Centre Manager, Forest
Service British Columbia. Terminal 2 Tullamarine Airport, Internationals Arrivals hall.

Contact: 03 9412 4777. Website: www.dse.vic.gov.au/fires or www.cfa.vic.gov.au
1930 - Melbourne Recital Centre's first artistic residency `Arditti Quartet' concert.

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre. Contact: Ree Izett 0418 101 399. Website:
www.melbournerecital.com.au

PERTH
No items listed.

SYDNEY
(No time given) - Andrew Neil, chairman and editor-in-chief of The Press Holdings host
a reception. Sydney Conservatorium. Contact: Philippa Drynan 0414 724 972 or Julia Grundy
0415 563 068.

0730 - Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and Police Minister Tony Kelly farewell 150
NSW Police Force officers leaving Sydney to assist Victoria Police in bushfire zones.

Departure Level (western end), Qantas Terminal 3, Mascot. Contact Police Media 02 8263
6100.

0900 - "Creating Australia's Retirement Income System of Tomorrow". IAG, 380 George Street,
Sydney. Contact: Erin Taylor 8248 3745.

1045 - Senator Conroy launches Livewire: a new online community for young Australians
with a serious illness. The Sunset Room, Luna Park, Olympic Drive, Milsons Point. Contact:
Jasmin Athwal 8281 3838 or 0427 018 640.

1100 - Laurie Ferguson MP announces new federal government funding for Multicultural Mental
Health Australia. SBS Atrium, 14 Herbert Street, Artarmon. Contact: Margaret El-Chami
9840 3381 or 0408 445 794.

1130 - Wind Of Shaolin Dance and Martials Arts Spectacular media preview. State Theatre,
49 Market Street, Sydney. Contact: Steven Godbee 0408 706 099.

1215 - Australia-Indonesia joint media conference. Premiers Room, Level 2, Intercontinental
Hotel, Macquarie Street, Sydney. No contact given.

1500 - Environment Business Australia holds a forum on Australia's role in the Global
Green New Deal. Auditorium, 3 Manning Street, Sydney. Contact: Fiona Wain 9358 1800 or
0409 455 992.

1700 - Luna Park hosts a fundraising event for the benefit of Victorian bushfire victims.

Milsons Point, Sydney. Contact: Jothy Hughes 8306 9513 or 0423 491 808.

SPORT
CRICKET - Sheffield Shield - to March 17
TAS v WA, Bellerive Oval - to February 19
GOLF - USPGA Tour - to February 22
Northern Trust Open, Riviera Golf Club, Pacific Palisades, California
GALLOPS -
Canterbury
Ballarat
Rockhampton
Port Macquarie
Geraldton
Bathurst
New Zealand
TROTS -
Penrith
Moonee Valley
Gold Coast
Newcastle
Sth Africa
UK
GREYHOUNDS -
Dapto
Sandown
Albion Park
Angle Park
Bendigo
The Gardens
Mandurah
Hobart
New Zealand

AAP RTV pbc/evt/af/fdf

KEYWORD: DIARY EVENTS THURSDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2009

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

Environment Ministry and Standards Institution launch new green building regulations. Guidelines expected to save families up to NIS 1,000 per year

SHARON UDASIN
Jerusalem Post
07-12-2011
Environment Ministry and Standards Institution launch new green building regulations. Guidelines expected to save families up to NIS 1,000 per year
Byline: SHARON UDASIN
Edition: Daily
Section: News
Type: News

The Environmental Protection Ministry and the Israel Standards Institution unveiled a new "Israel Standard for Green Building" at a joint press conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday - a standard that officials from both offices said would significantly reduce electricity and resource consumption in the country's new and renovated structures.

"A green building is a good type of building that is worth living in. It is a better quality and more economical," said Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan in a statement. "I believe that promoting the use in the Green Building Standard will produce new building standards in Israel. Soon all homebuyers will demand that contractors adhere to the new standard."
The new regulation, formally called "Israel Standard 5281," will meet international standards, but is designed to fit Israel's specific climate and construction style, and is expected to save a family living in a four-room apartment approximately NIS 1,000 per year, the ministry said.

Among the categories to be examined under the new protocols - each of which will receive from one to five stars - are energy efficiency; land usage; water conservation; building materials; health and welfare; waste separation; transportation involved with work; construction-site management; and innovation.

Meanwhile, seven types of buildings will currently be evaluated during construction: residences; offices; educational buildings; tourism venues; health facilities; commercial structures; and public assembly buildings.

"Israel Standard 5281 is at the forefront of global green building standards and is easy to implement and understand," Danny Goldstein, director of the Standards Institution, said in the statement. "The standard widens the possibilities of ranking green buildings and adds a system for evaluating new buildings and existing buildings undergoing renovation."

The residential standards will begin being used on August 1, while the other six will be adopted on September 1, Avigail Dolev, head of the Standards Institution's Green Building Program, told The Jerusalem Post following the briefing.

"It is happening tomorrow," she said, noting that next year industrial buildings and neighborhoods, as a unit, will also be included in the green building evaluations.

Avigail said that her team has been strongly influenced by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) international building certification system - particularly the organization's program for submitting building data via the Internet, rather than in bulky forms.

"We built Internet support exactly like LEED, and all the buildings can follow guides in order to know how to fill out each category," she said. "Then they submit all of their information to the Standards Institute."

But, unlike the LEED system, the Israeli version will include site visits by the Green Building team from concept to completion, which will help guarantee that building contractors are being truthful about their information submissions, according to Dolev.

"We go to the building, to the site, and we check it once during the construction time and once when it's finished," she said. "Then we verify the correlation between their initial plans and obligations and what they have produced on the site."

Buildings in Israel are responsible for more than 60 percent of the country's electricity consumption, and with the help of smart planning and the implementation of new methods, technologies and green building materials as stipulated by Standard 5281, builders will be able to reduce 70% of construction waste, 10% of water use and 30% electricity use, according to the Environment Ministry.

"I view this as one of the most important days in the environmental field," Erdan said.(c) Copyright Jerusalem Post. All rights reserved.

Illustrations/Photos:
Caption: GOING GREEN. Israel hopes to emulate Korea's National
Institute of Environmental Research building, which is covered with
solar cells, emits zero carbon and uses only renewable energy.

(Copyright 2011 The Jerusalem Post)

NSW:Another leak halts Orica restart operation

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2011
NSW:Another leak halts Orica restart operation

Embattled chemical giant Orica has again halted operations at its Newcastle plant in
NSW after yet another leak.

The Environmental Protection Authority says about 20 litres of weak ammonium nitrate
solution overflowed from a tank during pumping operations at the Kooragang Island plant
this afternoon.

It comes just one day after an EPA-led committee announced it had allowed Orica to
resume some of its operations, following a hexavalent chromium leak over nearby Stockton
in August.

The EPA says the latest incident is a combination of human error and system failure
after the auto cut-off system on the tank failed and a plant supervisor didn't notice.

A spokeswoman for Orica says there's no public risk to health as a result of the latest leak.

AAP RTV ih/af/wf

KEYWORD: ORICA (SYDNEY)

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

Hartco Agrees to Sell ACS Division to Systemex

Wireless News
04-05-2011
Hartco Agrees to Sell ACS Division to Systemex
Type: News

Hartco Inc. has announced that it has come to an agreement to sell the Advanced Connectivity Solutions division ("ACS") of Metafore Technologies Inc. ("Metafore"), its subsidiary, to Systemex Communications Inc. ("Systemex").

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed, the Company said. The ACS division provides cabling, Internet and related services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to a Canadian cable services provider.
"The divestiture of the ACS division will allow Metafore to focus on strengthening its leadership position in its core IT infrastructure business across Canada," said Pat Waid, Hartco's President and COO. "We are pleased to sell ACS to Systemex, who will invest in the ACS business and ensure its long-term success for the benefit of its customers and associates."

"We are happy to welcome the ACS associates to our company," said Gaston Dandurand, President of Systemex. "This transaction, along with the recent acquisitions of JP Cable and Labreche Telecom are strategic and consistent with our plan to expand as a significant player in Ontario and ultimately have a national coverage in servicing the wireless telecommunications industry in Canada. We are glad to add 150 technicians on the road to our current team of 400 technicians". Synergis Capital Inc., a boutique M&A firm, acted as the exclusive advisor to Systemex for these transactions.

Hartco is a company focusing on the Canadian information technology business and delivers information technology solutions to private and public sector organizations of every size.

Systemex Communications is a private company, located in Quebec. Systemex offers a complete range of engineering, construction, installation and infrastructure maintenance to the wires and wireless telecommunications industry.

More Information:

www.systemex.ca.

www.hartco.com

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

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

VIC:14year-old sex victim wakes crying

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2010
VIC:14year-old sex victim wakes crying

MELBOURNE, Dec 13 AAP - A 14-year-old girl sexually assaulted by two men following
an afternoon of drinking says she suffers nightmares about the incident and wakes up crying.

Ravinder Singh, 31 and Steven Handros, 19 met with the victim and her 15-year-old friend
at Lalor train station in Melbourne's north in September last year.

Singh and Handros have pleaded guilty to sexual penetration of a child under 16.

A previous court hearing was told Handros, of Thomastown, met the girl through an internet
chat service about a year earlier.

The four drove to Epping Plaza in Singh's car before going to his Lalor property to
drink and watch movies on September 20.

Singh went into the bedroom with the victim and had sex with her.

A short time later Handros also had sex with the 14-year-old.

In a victim impact statement, the girl said she experienced frequent nightmares about
the incident.

"I sometimes have dreams about what happened and wake up crying," she said in her statement
read to the Victorian County Court in Melbourne on Monday.

"I feel like my whole life has changed and I just want it to be normal again."

The victim's mother in her statement said her daughter's confidence had deteriorated.

She rarely goes out, gets angry often and has trouble concentrating at school, the
statement said.

Singh's lawyer Julie Sutherland asked County Court Judge Meryl Sexton not to send her
client to prison, but to impose a wholly-suspended sentence.

She said the two girls had lied about their age to the men, who believed they were 16.

The pre-sentence hearing continues.

AAP md/gfr/maur

KEYWORD: HANDROS

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

VIC:Main stories on 1200 3AW news

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2010
VIC:Main stories on 1200 3AW news

MELBOURNE, Aug 5 AAP - Main stories in Thursday's 1200 3AW news:

- A coroner has found an elderly couple were killed in an explosion on a boat which
was known by the company which sold it to be a danger.

- The Labor Party's attempts to refocus the election debate on the economy have again
be overshadowed by former prime minister Kevin Rudd.

- Prime Minister Julia Gillard is campaigning in Queensland.

- Australia's first commercially viable fully electric cars have arrived in Victoria.

- Forty US billionaires have pledged to give half of their wealth away to charity.

- Sport: AFL Demons have announced they are debt free and have money in the bank.

- Essendon to clash with Carlton on Friday night at the MCG.

- Lord Mayor Robert Doyle is considering a facelift for St Kilda Road.

- Two men are being questioned after their friend was electrocuted in Hastings on Thursday
morning.

- Finance: Australian dollar trading at 91.68 US cents.

AAP szp/gfr

KEYWORD: MONITOR 3AW 1200

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

SA: Police officer fires shot after scuffle

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2009
SA: Police officer fires shot after scuffle

ADELAIDE, Dec 23 AAP - A police officer has fired a shot after a scuffle with a man
in Coober Pedy, in South Australia's mid-north.

Police said the incident was sparked when a patrol stopped a car on Wednesday morning.

The woman driver returned a positive blood alcohol test, prompting her male passenger
to begin throwing rocks at a police officer, with one hitting him in the head.

"A scuffle ensued during which the police officer discharged his firearm," a police
spokesman said.

The man was then sprayed with capsicum spray and was taken into custody after other
officers arrived on the scene.

The 26-year-old man was expected to be charged with aggravated assault and hinder police
while the woman was facing traffic offences.

The police officer who was hit in the head with a rock was taken to Coober Pedy hospital
and treated for a head injury, bruising and abrasions.

A second officer was treated for cuts and abrasions.

Police from the Internal Investigation Branch and forensic services will travel to
Coober Pedy to investigate the incident.

AAP tjd/ash

KEYWORD: SHOT

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

ETS Senate failure leaves hard negotiation ahead

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2009
ETS Senate failure leaves hard negotiation ahead

By Kate Hannon, National Political Editor

CANBERRA, Aug 13 AAP - Labor's failure to get its emissions trading scheme (ETS) through
parliament means it faces months of hard negotiation before trying again in November.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and senior ministers attacked the coalition in parliament,
labelling them "dinosaurs" and captives of climate change sceptics hours after the 11
ETS bills were voted down 42-30 in the Senate on Thursday.

Mr Rudd accused Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull of a failure of leadership, saying
the defeat placed Australia's future on climate change in "grave jeopardy".

The Australian Greens - who don't believe the government's ETS is tough enough - and
the two crossbench senators joined the coalition in defeating the bills, handing the government
a potential double dissolution election trigger if they are again voted down in November.

With defeat on Thursday inevitable, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong told the Senate
the government would not give up and would reintroduce its ETS aimed at cutting greenhouse
gas emissions by five per cent below 2000 levels by 2020.

"This bill may be going down today but this is not the end," Senator Wong said.

Mr Rudd said the government would only consider opposition amendments once it adopted
its own policy on climate change, something it has avoided doing so far because of a divided
coalition party room.

He said it had been a disappointing day for Australia when the coalition could not
unite in a single voice on climate change.

"Today they have chosen to do the reverse and, as a consequence, put Australia's future
on climate change in grave jeopardy," Mr Rudd said.

"Today, Australia had an opportunity to embrace the future on climate change and instead
we find ourselves, courtesy of the Liberal and National parties, dangerously anchored
in the past."

But Mr Turnbull accused Senator Wong of "pedantic bloody-mindedness" over her refusal
to negotiate with the coalition unless they presented formal amendments.

Speaking after the senate vote, Mr Turnbull said the Opposition had put forward alternatives,
including Monday's Frontier Economics scheme which would reduce the cost of an ETS and
the impact on electricity prices.

"Only a few days ago we'd showed her a few alternatives that would make for a scheme
that was greener, cheaper and smarter ... and she just dismissed it out of hand, said
it was a mongrel idea," Mr Turnbull said.

He flagged opposition plans to "work through" amendments during the next few weeks
and months in order to avoid handing the government an early election trigger.

But he said they wanted to discuss the formation of the amendments with the government.

The Opposition wants the government to delay the ETS bills until early 2010 after the
United Nations climate change summit in Copenhagen in December where it is hoped there
will be global agreement.

It also prefers the government wait until the US government has passed its proposed
ETS in the form of the Waxman-Markey bill.

But the problem for Mr Turnbull is getting any agreement on amendments through his
own party room between now and November with some of his own Liberal colleagues and the
Nationals implacably opposed to an ETS.

The ETS vote attracted a small protest by a group of farmers who said man-made climate
change was a myth as they stood in front of parliament house holding signs saying "Penny
Wrong" and "Green Dreams, who pays?".

AAP keh/sb/jlw

KEYWORD: CLIMATE WRAP

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

Main stories in tonight's 1800 Seven News

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2009
Main stories in tonight's 1800 Seven News

SYDNEY, April 3 AAP - Highlights of tonight's Seven News at 1800.

- A baby boy was born in a toilet in Bankstown hospital and died moments later.

- Three masked men stormed a Sydney woman's home while she was watching TV, threatened
her with a knife and made off with several items, including a plasma TV.

- World leaders have united to inject $US1.1 trillion ($A1.58 trillion) into the global
economy in an agreement they hope will kickstart growth and save jobs.

- Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has apologised of going angry at a flight attendant on
his government plane.

- Stimulus payments of up to $900 start heading to Australia's taxpayers next week
after the High Court ruled the Tax Bonus Act valid.

- Pressure is mounting to disband the Police Integrity Commission after a series of
complaints about the police watchdog.

- The valiant rescue of a man drowning in flood waters near Newcastle may have earned
his lifesaver a nomination for a bravery award.

- Locals say that towns on the mid-north coast of NSW are open for business after the
recent floods.

- A young male elephant at Taronga zoo has been given his own "bachelor pad" after
he displayed frisky behavior.

AAP jcc/

KEYWORD: MONITOR SEVEN 1800

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

Codenomicon Unveils Defensics

Wireless News
10-31-2008
Codenomicon Unveils Defensics

WIRELESS NEWS-October 31, 2008-Codenomicon Unveils Defensics (C)2008 10Meters - http://www.10meters.com

Codenomicon, a developer of Protocol Robustness and Security test solutions, announced the availability of its Defensics for IPTV solution.
Based on the Codenomicon Defensics Robustness and Security test platform and designed to work with all existing IMS & non-IMS Internet Protocol-based television (IPTV) platforms that are part of the Global MSF Interoperability (GMI) 2008 event, the company said.

With double the installed base of any security vendor, Codenomicon Defensics said it is providing solutions for the Telecom and Data networking industry. Born from research conducted by the Secure Programming Group at the University of Oulu, the Defensics for IPTV solution uncovers various deployment issues including Distributed Denial of Service, Zero day, Content source & Channel zapping attacks - all prior to deployment, thereby enabling service providers to ensure the successful market launch of their IPTV services.

"Codenomicon is the only Protocol Robustness and Security test equipment vendor to provide testing services at all GMI 2008 labs," said Andy Huckridge, Vice President of Marketing, Codenomicon & Chair of MultiService Forum's Interoperability Working Group. "Our new solution provides invaluable feedback to both Network Equipment Manufacturers and Service Providers because they can spot and correct issues before they actually deploy. This represents a significant savings in both time and revenues."

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

((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))

(Copyright M2 Communications Ltd. 2008)

AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, April 27

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2008
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, April 27
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


BABY INSURANCE (SYDNEY)

There's strong opposition to a new policy allowing expectant mothers to take out insurance
on their unborn child .. in case of birth defects.

Fairfax says ING has announced the policy .. which allows women between 16 to 40 years
old to claim up to 50 thousand dollars for defects like Down Syndrome .. and 10 thousand
for a stillbirth.

The NSW Midwives Association is accusing ING of marketing fear to expectant mothers
.. and says reality is there are very few mothers who suffer complications during pregnancy.

The AMA also says statistics show that most pregnancies have a normal outcome.



CAMERAS (SYDNEY)

Teachers could be closely monitored on video cameras .. as part of a policy to help
determine who deserves a pay rise.

The Australian Secondary Principals Association is behind the idea .. which it will
put to the federal government as it looks into ways to reward good teachers.

The Sun-Herald says there are some concerns about a breach of children's privacy ..

and about how much such a scheme would cost.



TIMOR TROOPS (MELBOURNE)

200 Australian troops will be withdrawn from East Timor .. after security there says
the country is now stable.

The PM's decision comes after President JOSE RAMOS HORTA returned home from Australia
and lifted a state of emergency .. following attacks on him and Prime Minister XANANA
GUSMAO in February.

The decision means a rifle company group won't be replaced when it completes its tour
of duty today.



MCKENNEY (SYDNEY)

TODD MCKENNEY's been charged after he was found unconscious in a Sydney park from a
drug overdose.

The Sunday Telegraph says the Dancing With The Stars judge was found by passers-by
Friday afternoon in Rushcutters Bay.

He was revived by ambulance officers .. and later charged by police with possessing the drug GHB.

MCKENNEY's told the paper he thinks his drink was spiked and the drug was planted on
him at a party the night before at Potts Point.

He'll face court in May and says he'll defend the charges.



BUSHFIRES VIC (MELBOURNE)

Firefighters in Victoria continue to battle a blaze east of Melbourne .. as locals
prepare to evacuate.

Fire authorities say at this stage there are no communities under threat .. although
the fire in the Bunyip State Park is only 1.5 kilometres from homes.

So far the fire's spread across 800 hectares after starting yesterday .. and is nine
kilometres southeast of Gembrook.



ZIMBABWE RESULTS (HARARE)

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission says it will invite candidates to verify the results
of the March 29 presidential elections from Monday .. before the results are made public.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says its leader MORGAN TSVANGIRAI beat
veteran President ROBERT MUGABE outright in the poll.

The MDC accuses MUGABE of delaying results to rig victory and has rejected the possibility
of a run-off.



OLY08 FLAME KOREA (SEOUL)

The Beijing Olympic torch has touched down in South Korea .. after a troubled relay leg in Japan.

The torch arrived at Incheon airport under tight security .. before police escorted
a convoy carrying it to downtown Seoul.

It had just come from Japan where protesters hurled rubbish and flares at it .. and
brawled with Chinese supporters in Nagano.

Pro-Tibet activists are planning similar protests in South Korea .. with thousands
expected to demonstrate.



ANZAC STATUE (SYDNEY)

Sand from Gallipoli has been placed beneath the feet of a statue of a New Zealand digger
on Sydney's Anzac Bridge.

The statue will be officially unveiled today in a ceremony to be attended by New Zealand
Prime Minister HELEN CLARK and NSW Premier MORRIS IEMMA.

The covered statue was installed yesterday morning .. opposite the existing statue
of an Aussie digger.



Briefly in other news ..




Alcohol and tobacco remain the most popular drugs amongst Australians .. according
to a report out today.




Sydneysiders are being warned their city is running out of burial plots .. with NSW
government estimating the city's greater metropolitan area will be full in a little over
40 years.




The So You Think You Can Dance judges will show off their moves in tonight's grand
finale .. which will see contestants JACK .. RHYS .. KATE or DEMI crowned "Australia's
Favourite Dancer".




And .. Big Brother returns for its eighth series tomorrow night .. with GRETEL KILLEEN
replaced by shock jocks KYLE and JACKIE O.



in Sport ..



AFL WRAP (MELBOURNE)

The Western Bulldogs have maintained their unbeaten start to the AFL season .. thrashing
West Coast by 60 points at Telstra Dome overnight.

Port Adelaide has beaten Carlton by 21 points .. while during the day Adelaide overwhelmed
Carlton to win by 30 points.

Today .. the Brisbane Lions host Melbourne .. North Melbourne and Sydney meet at Telstra
Dome .. and Hawthorn plays Richmond at the MCG in a twilight game.



LEAGUE WRAP (SYDNEY)

The Storm has claimed its fourth straight win to join Brisbane and the Gold Coast at
the top of the NRL ladder.

The reigning premiers edged out North Queensland 12-10 in Townsville last night.

Also last night .. Manly has taken a 30-22 victory over the Bulldogs at Brookvale Oval.

In today's games .. the Titans hosts the New Zealand Warriors .. and Wests Tigers play Cronulla.



SUPER WRAP (SYDNEY)

The NSW Waratahs have taken a giant step towards securing a home semi-final .. with
a 25-10 bonus-point victory over the Sharks in last night's Super 14 blockbuster at the
Sydney Football Stadium.

The Waratahs are now second place on the table.

In Hamilton .. the Chiefs beat the Queensland Reds 32-20 .. while in South Africa ..

Wellington Hurricanes downed the Central Cheetahs 38-10 .. and the Stormers beat the Highlanders
26-16.



ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

Broadcast Desk inquiries 24 hours: 02 9322 8714

AAP RTV jec/

KEYWORD: BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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

Qld: Mother of road victim appeals for safety this Xmas

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2007
Qld: Mother of road victim appeals for safety this Xmas

The mother of a teenage road crash victim has urged motorists this Christmas to remember
the pain and anguish endured by the friends and family of those killed on the nation's
roads.

BOBBIE HENRY'S daughter .. KELLY .. was just 17-years-old when she was killed in a
speed-related crash on Brisbane's southside in November 1998.

Graphic photographs of the smash .. which also seriously injured two other passengers
.. are now used in education campaigns across Queensland.

As the national road death toll climbed to 10 just 48 hours into this Christmas holiday
period .. Mrs HENRY appealed for motorists to drive safely.

AAP RTV nt/wz

KEYWORD: TOLL APPEAL (BRISBANE)

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

NSW: Optus bus charter not hurting commuters, STA says

AAP General News (Australia)
08-16-2007
NSW: Optus bus charter not hurting commuters, STA says

SYDNEY, Aug 16 AAP - Bus commuters are not disadvantaged by a private charter with
telecommunication giant Optus, the State Transit Authority (STA) says.

The state government earns extra revenue renting its buses for more than 200 daily
services to Optus' headquarters in the northern Sydney suburb of North Ryde.

News Ltd says 40 services a day in the surrounding area are cancelled because of this
contract, but the STA says private chartering does not affect bus timetables or services.

"To the best of our knowledge, no scheduled services have been cancelled in preference
of the Optus Charter," an STA spokeswoman said.

"Staff and bus levels at the depots have been adjusted to take account of the charter," she said.

"Inspectors at the depots are all advised that any service cancellations must be shared
across the network."

Cancellation of bus services was only due to unforeseen circumstances like sickness
or technical difficulties.

The STA sub-contracted the Optus charter and "private buses do most of the work", the
spokeswoman said.

"No charter arrangements take preference over scheduled and timetabled services."

AAP ig/wjf/jt

KEYWORD: BUS

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

COLUMN: The absurdity of an online culture

Ossie Bladine
University Wire
03-08-2007
(Oregon Daily Emerald) (U-WIRE) EUGENE, Ore. -- I believe it was Christmas of '93. My father and his friend were really building up the importance of my Christmas gift. What could it be? A new bike? A Nintendo?

"It's the World," his friend said.

A vacation? A deluxe computer version of "Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego?"

When I found out it was the Internet, along with a personal e-mail account, my reaction could be summed up with a half-shrug and an "eh?"

The World Wide Web has been good to me over the years: Online chess matches, that frog Web site that was really cool, Yahoo! chat rooms and helping me turn procrastination into an art form. I have learned a lot along the way, from when the older boys corrupted my innocent mind by showing me people have sex with animals (zoosex.com), to my higher education years, where the information super-highway taught me that bestiality, or zoophilia, dates back to prehistoric men and "it was often incorporated into religious rituals." (thank you, Wikipedia.com)

I obtained an attitude from the start, however, that the Internet destroys valuable social and cultural traditions. Despite this, it has slowly broken me down to the point that it's part of daily life. But when Time Magazine honored me - and you, and the near 300 million other Americans - as Person of the Year in December, I once again felt something was not right. The magazine said we are "seizing the reins of the global media" and "beating the pros at their own game." Time praised Internet bloggers, YouTube contributors and all the MySpace sheep, skanks and sluts for their part in the "revolution." If you buy into this claptrap, take note: you can't beat the pros.

The absurdity of Time's announcement is laid out in an article by Douglas Rushkoff in the latest issue of Discover magazine. While YouTube is a fresh means of entertainment, "we're still glued to a tube, watching mostly crap," and though blogs give the Average Joe a political voice to be heard, "most political discussions are so inane they make cable news shouting matches look intelligent." Furthermore, corporate America (the pros) has set it so we (the Joes) dish out personal information for their benefit. The content in our Gmail accounts, our e-mail, determine what ads are displayed on our screen, Rushkoff said, and personal and social interests, preferences and trends are being collected by iTunes, MySpace and Second Life. "Each and every keystroke becomes part of our consumer profile; every attempt at self-expression is reduced to a brand preference."

Information on Web 2.0 is following the same ragtag path as communication and entertainment. Wikipedia is a great idea to begin with - an educational database written and edited by the people. Of course, a few flaws and miscues creep in, but overall it's a good source of info on nearly everything. But now there is Conservapedia, which lists 36 reasons why Wikipedia is "six times more liberal than the American public." Or perhaps you'd prefer Uncyclopedia, "the content-free encyclopedia that anyone can edit." This trend of pedias will likely continue until they all become competing cesspools of lies owned by large corporations - kinda like a Republican primary race.

But in the end, it's all relative. I can hiss and scowl as much as I want, but you will still find me on the Web most days. I stay away from MySpace and blogs, but you can find me everywhere else. This week alone, I've downloaded a Ry Cooder album in minutes, caught up with some old and new friends via Facebook and was even featured in a YouTube video, river surfing the McKenzie River with Eli Mack of E&J's Mos Faded Barbershop. So I guess the Internet can be pretty cool. Thanks, Dad.


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(C) 2007 Oregon Daily Emerald via U-WIRE

FED: Thomas case in court=3

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2006
FED: Thomas case in court=3

Mr MOWBRAY's also been critical of the control order's requirements .. which have forced
Mr THOMAS to return immediately from a country holiday to his Melbourne home.

The directions hearing has been adjourned to September 11 in Melbourne.

AAP RTV rp/sb/tm/bart

KEYWORD: THOMAS COURT 3 CANBERRA (REOPENS)

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

Fed: PM says he wants to see Osama dead or captured

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2006
Fed: PM says he wants to see Osama dead or captured

JOHN HOWARD says he wants to see OSAMA BIN LADEN captured or dead.

The PM says the release of a new tape from the al-Qaeda chief .. serves as a reminder
of the evils of terrorism.

He says it's important to maintain the fight against terrorism .. and not to give up
or be intimidated.

Mr HOWARD says the fact some groups BIN LADEN has referred to have distanced themselves
from him .. shows he doesn't represent mainstream Islam.

AAP RTV str/hn/cp/bart

KEYWORD: TERROR BINLADEN (NOWRA)

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

Fed: Aust firms making money, helping rebuild lives

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2005
Fed: Aust firms making money, helping rebuild lives

By Shane Wright, Economics Correspondent

CANBERRA, Aug 22 AAP - Australian firms are learning that making money and being compassionate
aren't mutually exclusive as they seek to rebuild tsunami-ravaged parts of Sri Lanka and
Banda Aceh.

A range of firms have trudged through Banda Aceh and Sri Lanka, looking at the destruction
wrought by the December 26 disaster, and coming up with ways to both help survivors as
well as their own bottom lines.

Almost 300,000 people died in the tsunami that washed across the Indian Ocean, while
almost 1.2 million more were displaced in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Maldives
and India.

Lives were swept away. So too were homes, factories, schools and roads - the very necessities
of communities everywhere.

An Australian Trade Commission-organised mission to both countries has just returned,
with around 14 firms looking at ways they can rebuild the two nations.

Allan Webster and his wife Libby run the Funktion (Funktion) Enterprises business out
of the small regional Victorian town of Toolorook.

One of their specialities is buildings that can be effectively sent overseas in a shipping
container.

Their buildings are being used by sexual disease experts in remote parts of Papua New
Guinea - now they are hopeful of putting similar buildings into Sri Lanka and Banda Aceh.

Mr Webster says he was emotionally overwhelmed by what he saw in Banda Aceh.

"If you don't feel like you've got to do something when you see Banda Aceh, you just
don't have a heart," he told AAP.

"But at the same time, you can have compassion and also make a quid."

Among the firms that have visited both tsunami-hit areas, construction companies have
been prominent.

That's largely due to the pressing problems in both regions where not only have homes
been swept away, but also the people who may have been in a position to re-build them.

Queensland firm Easybuild Australia is already on the ground in Sri Lanka, providing
homes to the tens of thousands of people left without shelter following the tsunami.

It has set up a licensee in Colombo whose factory hopes to churn out 600 ready-built
homes by the end of the year. Some will go to Galle, others into the war-torn north.

Unlike the traditional brick-and-mortar house, Easybuild homes are polystyrene buildings
that come with doors, windows and electrical connections built in.

Company founder Ric Berenger said non-government organisations hoping to build 1,000
homes had run into problems because it was almost impossible to construct those sorts
of buildings in the traditional manner.

He said his company's system would deliver the homes quickly, while at the same time
add to the firm's bottom line.

"What we really only need is a slab, and the house can go up," he told AAP.

"I've walked around these places, talking to people who are sick of getting their photo
taken. They just want a house to live in."

Mr Webster said companies on the trade mission were now working together. The connections
had been made in Banda Aceh and Sri Lanka.

"It's like one FTA (free trade agreement), with the connections we've made which hopefully
will have dividends in the long run," he said.

Other firms now looking at possible work in both countries include PSA Project Management,
Blackwoods and Ikan Building Systems.

Austrade's Sri-Lankan based senior trade commissioner Mirantha Perera said firms that
thought they could make a quick buck would be disappointed.

But for those willing to put in an effort on reconstruction, the long term benefits
could be very large.

"There is the opportunity to, because Sri Lanka is a lower cost country, to work on
the commercial side after the reconstruction work," he told AAP from Colombo.

"From there they can also export into the Middle East or Europe.

"So long term, this can help those businesses that aren't just here to make an easy dollar."

AAP sw/so/jo/jlw

KEYWORD: TSUNAMI BUILD

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

Vic:Organisers deny Commonwealth GamesTV rights fee too pricey

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2004
Vic:Organisers deny Commonwealth GamesTV rights fee too pricey

Organisers of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne have denied claims that Asian
television networks may boycott the event because the fees for broadcast rights are too
expensive.

A report in The Age newspaper claims Indian broadcaster Doordarshan has rejected an
attempt by 2006 organisers to charge 700 per cent more for the rights than the network
paid for Manchester in 2002.

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union says it's been approached by agent Fastrack --
which is acting on behalf of Games organisers -- with a figure that represents a 300 per
cent increase on the fee paid for Manchester.

If the Asian TV networks boycott the games, it could result in the loss of billions
of potential television viewers.

Commonwealth Games chairman RON WALKER has told ABC Radio there's no rush to finalise
negotiations.

AAP RTV sam/gfr/shh/jmt

KEYWORD: GAMES (MELBOURNE)

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Colman, George

Colman, George (the Elder, 1732–94) English playwright and theatre manager who in 1763 revised The Fairies, Garrick's adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, as A Fairy Tale, for Drury Lane, and who revised Nahum Tate's version of King Lear for Covent Garden in 1768, restoring many of Shakespeare's lines.

Quickly

THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM PRINTED VERSION

WHAT DO YOUREALLY THINK?

Have a quote, question, quip or quarrelsome comment? Call Quickly at 648-3109 or (800) 753-5533, Ext. 3109 or send an e-mail to quickly@post-trib.com.

. .

To the people who win large judgments and say it's not about the money, I have two comments. No. 1: If it's not about the money, why don't you donate it to charity? No. 2: Yes, it is about the money.

. .

Time and again airline security or the flagrant lack of it shows up. It is obvious the airlines big and small care very little about the flying public or those on the ground. Weekly smoke screens about security at airports cause no one problems but the flying public. Now they can blame it on government security workers. Hang on, bin Laden, you will get more chances.

. .

I guess it's that time of year where the political literature comes in from all directions. But the best I got so far is from John Rooda. It says he has earned my trust. Any party-hopping politician has certainly not earned my trust. And if you are running on your record, as your literature claims, why ditch your old party for a new one?

. .

Women tame the barbarian in men? I didn't realize I was such a beast by not having a wife. I do believe that caller has serious issues. Now excuse me while I eat a raw boar.

. .

The article by Scheffie Sarver regarding librarians and the Internet is ludicrous. Parents cannot control what children pull up on the library Internet. Miss Sarver must have no sense of right or wrong. Only an idiot would not want to protect children from porn.

. .

I don't know what's with Lolita Cusic complaining about the kids' show "Caillou." My wife and I watch it with our little girls and, like all the children's shows on PBS, it tries to teach them a lesson.

. .

How much good is emission testing doing for the environment when there are consistently at least a dozen vehicles idling outside of every test facility? Is the irony of this lost only on Indiana lawmakers?

. .

Why the big controversy over establishing standards and testing in our government schools? Parents should demand to know if their children are being prepared to prosper and survive in the 21st century.

The Post-Tribune should be commended for the numerous articles they have written trying to hold public officials for the funds they have received.

Stan Lee Media and Pentafour Establish Partnership to Develop Original Animated Properties.

ENCINO, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--March 25, 1999--Stan Lee Media Inc., the recently formed company deploying the global brand and intellectual-property-development capabilities of comic-book- publishing icon Stan Lee, Thursday announced that it has established a partnership with Pentafour, the largest computer-animation company based outside the United States, to produce original animated properties.

Pentafour, based in Madras, India, enjoys a worldwide reputation for its state-of-the art CGI facility, which is able to produce 3-D animation more efficiently and cost effectively than most of its American counterparts.

Stan Lee Media will utilize the computer-based animation services of Pentafour, as well as co-develop content for global exploitation. Stan Lee Media and Pentafour seek to harness local talent and resources for successful marketing of the content developed.

The partnership is Stan Lee Media's first such international alliance. One of the company's founding missions is to export creative expertise and bring the American style of storytelling to key strategic regions internationally to build indigenous entertainment industries.

"We are excited to have our own 'Pixar' to animate our new characters while bringing to life mythic superheroes from other cultures. There are incredible, heroic legends which have existed for millennia in many cultures around the globe. These stories have had trouble acquiring mass audiences when it comes to today's popular entertainment media," said Stan Lee, co-founder and chief creative officer of Stan Lee Media.

"Working with Pentafour, we can combine the world's best technology with our storytelling and production expertise to provide the missing links in shepherding the creative process."

"By having a round-the-clock operation with Pentafour in India, we will achieve unprecedented short lead times for our projects at very competitive costs," added Devendra Mishra, president and chief executive officer of Stan Lee Media.

"We look forward to working with a legend like Stan and his team. Pentafour is creating strategic partnerships with pioneers in the global entertainment community to create world-class product," said V. Chandrasekaran, chairman and managing director of Pentafour Software.

"Our opportunities to utilize the Stan Lee brand and the superhero franchise through the products developed by Stan Lee Media are unlimited in the mass-media market in India as well."

Pentafour Software is a high-tech company that functions as a one-stop shop for digital production applications for 3-D animation, 2-D animation, visual effects, film scanning/recording and CD-ROM software. Pentafour has more than 1,800 employees, with nearly 700 working on different projects for clients in the entertainment industry around the world.

About Pentafour

Pentafour is based in India with a sister production studio in Los Angeles, and has several offices around the world. Pentafour uses its skills in software development to enhance technology applications with R&D, which help in the transition of entertainment from an analog to a digital world.

Pentafour is a public limited company with revenues of $73 million over the past year. Its latest endeavor, "Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists," is the first-ever 3-D animated motion-capture feature film, and is currently in the final stages of being completed.

Pentafour recently completed work on "The King and I" for Morgan Creek as well. The company's Web site can be accessed at http://www.pentafour.com.

About Stan Lee Media Inc.

Founded by legendary comic-book-publishing icon Stan Lee, co-creator of superheroes Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four and X-Men, Stan Lee Media is deploying Lee's global brand, intellectual-property-development capabilities and goodwill for innovative Internet projects, as well as other new media and traditional media platforms.

The company is developing a branded niche, lifestyle hub on the Internet at http://www.stanlee.net intended to attract the largest- ever global community of 10-to-20-year-old comic-book and superhero enthusiasts.

In addition, Stan Lee Media is applying its creative resources both domestically and internationally to offline custom comic publishing and character creation, traditional publishing and animation for television and film.

Stan Lee Media has headquarters in Encino. The company's corporate Web site can be found at http://www.stanleemedia.com.

.CO to Unveil New Bulby Awards and Short Film Series to Celebrate Entrepreneurs During Internet Week NY.

NEW YORK, June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Less than one year ago, the .CO domain burst onto the scene when it was launched internationally. A unique digital asset with broad, global appeal, .CO is shaking up the marketplace, with upward of one million domain names registered by entrepreneurs and innovative brands in more than 200 countries worldwide.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/cointernet/48931/

To celebrate the individuals, businesses and brands that are helping to build the .CO community, the .CO Registry has created a series of short videos entitled: "Under the Bulb, Capturing Life After Ideas Strike," which can be viewed right now at www.UnderTheBulb.CO. These inspiring videos tell the story of what happens after that "light-bulb moment" - and explores the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of the innovators, entrepreneurs and trailblazers who are building their futures on the .CO platform.

Under the Bulb will be shown live on June 9th, with a ceremonial kick-off premier to be held at a private event during Internet Week NY, the festival celebrating all things Internet - where .CO Internet is the Official Community Sponsor. For those who cannot make it to the week-long festival in New York City, all official content from the broadcast stage will be streamed live around the world, in real time - and will be available for viewing at IWNY.CO - the official streaming video site for Internet Week NY content.

.CO Internet is also kicking off the first-ever Bulby Awards, celebrating the trailblazers, big-dreamers, innovators and insomniac entrepreneurs that are helping to create the .CO global community. The public is invited to vote online for their favorite .CO websites in a variety of different categories, from today through July 1st, and the winners will be announced on July 20th, 2011 - to coincide with the .CO Registry's one year anniversary.

Overstock.com, which has rebranded to O.co internationally, is one of the many nominees for a Bulby Award for the "Best Use of a Single Letter Domain." Today the company has made headlines once again for its bold decision to rename the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, currently known as Overstock.com Coliseum, to O.co Coliseum - which will debut tonight, when both U2 and Lenny Kravitz take the stage to perform. O.co Coliseum will be the new home of both the NFL Oakland Raiders and the MLB Oakland Athletics.

Click here for all the details about The Bulby Awards.

About .CO Internet S.A.S.

.CO Internet S.A.S. is the Registry Operator for the .CO top-level domain. The .CO domain offers individuals, organizations and businesses a truly global, recognizable and credible web address for branding their online presence. Thanks to leading-edge technology, enhanced security and unprecedented rights protections, the .CO domain is poised to become the premier web address. For more information about the .CO Registry, please visit www.Opportunity.CO. You can also follow us on Twitter @dotCO and friend us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/cointernet.

Press Contact: Andrew Robertson andrew.robertson@edelman.com

.CO Contact: Lori Anne Wardi lori@cointernet.co

SOURCE .CO Internet SAS

SMX Advanced Seattle June 7-8: Free Expo+ Pass Tickets Available Until June 4th.

Redding, CT (PRWEB) May 18, 2011

Search Marketing Expo - SMX Advanced Seattle celebrates its fifth anniversary June 7-8, 2011 at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle, WA. While All Access conference passes are sold out, individuals can still participate in this exclusive event via two ticket options.

Passes are still available for four post-conference workshops to be held on June 9th. Conducted by leading experts in internet and search marketing, workshops will focus on search engine optimization (SEO), Facebook marketing, international search marketing and in-house/enterprise search engine marketing. For descriptions of each workshop, visit http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/workshops.

SMX Expo+ passes are also available, free with pre-registration online before June 4th. An Expo+ pass includes:

* &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Access to over 30 leading solution providers in the SMX Expo Hall. Exhibitors include the search engines, PPC management platforms, web analytics solutions, site development tools and a host of others. See the complete list of exhibitors and sponsors at http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/2011/exhibitors.

* &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Admittance to "Plus" sessions which will cover emerging search engine marketing topics. Plus sessions feature case studies, best practices and search marketing solutions presentations from leading providers Covario, Bing and Yahoo! Search.

* &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Keynote simulcast on Tuesday, June 7th keynote. The keynote features Google's Matt Cutts and Search Engine Land editor-in-chief Danny Sullivan in a no-holds-barred Q&A.

* &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Opportunity to network with speakers, conference attendees and vendors with admission to 3 dynamic networking events:

o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SMX Meet & Greet, sponsored by Bruce Clay Inc., Covario and Marin Software, June 6

o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SMX Expo Hall Reception, June 7

o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"In the Park" - Bing's annual SMX Advanced Seattle party at the Olympic Sculpture Park, June 7

For a complete overview of SMX Expo+ pass benefits, visit http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/expo-plus-pass.

Online registration for both Workshop and free Expo+ passes is open until June 4th. Individuals can register on-site for Expo+ passes for cost of $50.

Be a part of SMX Advanced Seattle - register today at http://searchmarketingexpo.com/advanced/register.

About Search Marketing Expo -- SMX and Third Door Media

The Search Marketing Expo -- SMX conference series is produced by Third Door Media, Inc. Third Door Media's mission is to empower internet and search marketing professionals by providing trusted content and community services they need to be successful. Search Marketing Expo conferences are held around the world and include: SMX West (San Jose, CA), SMX East (New York City), SMX Advanced (Seattle, WA and London, England), SMX Munich, SMX Toronto, SMX Sydney, SMX Melbourne, SMX Paris, SMX Stockholm and SMX SoLoMo -- Social Local & Mobile (Phoenix, AZ).

Third Door Media publishes Search Engine Land, the leading search marketing news and analysis site, and Sphinn.com, a social news site that allows search and internet marketers to share news stories, participate in subject-specific discussion forums, and build their professional networks. The company also provides a full range of innovated marketing services including lead generation, content creation and licensing via its Search Marketing Now brand.

# # #

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8447510.htm

ZST Digital Networks, Inc. Schedules First Quarter 2011 Earnings Release on Thursday, May 5, 2011.(Financial report)

Earnings Conference Call to be held on Thursday, May 5, 2011at 8:00 am (U.S. Pacific Time) / 11:00 am (U.S. Eastern Time) / at 11:00 pm (HK / Beijing Time)

ZHENGZHOU, China, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- ZST Digital Networks, Inc. ("ZST" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ZSTN), a major developer, manufacturer and supplier of digital and optical network equipment to cable system operators and provider of GPS tracking devices and support services for transport-related enterprises in China, announced today that it will release financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011 before NASDAQ market open on Thursday, May 5, 2011.

The earnings release will be available on the investor relations page of the Company's website at http://www.zstdigital.com/English/Investor.asp.

Following the release of the earnings announcement, ZST senior management will host a conference call at 8:00 am (U.S. Pacific Time) / 11:00 am (U.S. Eastern Time) / 11:00 pm (HK / Beijing Time) to discuss its 2011 first quarter financial results and recent business activities.

The conference call may be accessed by calling +1-866-519-4004 or +1-718-354-1231 (for callers in the U.S.), 800-819-0121 (for callers in China), 800-930-346 (for callers in Hong Kong), +0808-234-6646 (for callers in United Kingdom) or +65-6723-9381 (for other international callers) and entering pass code 64964592. Please dial in approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled time of the call.

A recording of the conference call will be available through May 18, 2011, by calling +1-866-214-5335 (for callers in the U.S.) or +61-2-8235-5000 (for callers outside the U.S.) and entering pass code 64964592.

About ZST Digital Network, Inc.

ZST Digital Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZSTN) is a China-based company, principally engaged in (1) supplying digital and optical network equipment and providing installation services to cable system operators in China and (2) providing GPS location and tracking services to local logistics and transportation companies in China. The Company has developed a line of IPTV devices that are used to provide bundled cable television, Internet and telephone services to residential and commercial customers. The Company has assisted in the installation and construction of over 400 local cable networks in more than 90 municipal districts, counties, townships, and enterprises. The Company has also launched a commercial line of vehicle tracking devices utilizing our GPS tracking technologies and support services for transport-related enterprises to track, monitor and optimize their businesses. For more information about ZST Digital Networks, Inc., please visit http://www.zstdigital.com/english.

Forward-Looking Statements

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain of the statements made in the press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "project," "plan," "seek," "intend," or "anticipate" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology. Such statements typically involve risks and uncertainties and may include financial projections or information regarding the progress of new product development. Actual results could differ materially from the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including our ability to maintain and increase revenues and sales of our products; our ability to develop and market new products; our strategic investments and acquisitions; compliances and changes in the laws of the People's Republic of China (the "PRC") that affect our operations; our ability to obtain all necessary government certifications and/or licenses to conduct our business; vulnerability of our business to general economic downturn, especially in the PRC; adverse capital and credit market conditions and our ability to meet liquidity needs; and other risk factors detailed in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.

Contacts:

Company Contact:

ZST Digital Networks Inc.

Henry H. Ngan, Chief Financial Officer

Email: ir@zstdigital.com

Investor Relations (HK):

Mahmoud Siddig

Taylor Rafferty

Tel: +852-3196-3712

Email: zstdigital@taylor-rafferty.com

Investor Relations (US):

Bryan Degnan

Taylor Rafferty

Tel: +1-212-889-4350

Email: zstdigital@taylor-rafferty.com

SOURCE ZST Digital Networks, Inc.

NEW IPAD APP FOR BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK LAUNCHES IN APP STORE.

(Full text of a statement. Contact details below.)

(BW)(NY-BLOOMBERG) New iPad App for Bloomberg Businessweek Launches Today in Apple App Store

- Market-Leading Business Magazine Re-imagined Specifically for the iPad with New Features and Content

Technology Writers

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin mmg.cgi?eid=6679184

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE) - Apr. 11, 2011--Bloomberg Businessweek today announced the launch of a new iPad app called Bloomberg Businessweek+ (Plus) - the first app from a major business publication to use Apple Inc.'s subscription offering. The app combines the magazine's fresh perspective on global business news and market trends with exclusive content and interactive features such as the latest market information and news on companies mentioned in articles.

"We re-imagined the Bloomberg Businessweek magazine for the iPad, enriching it in ways that make sense for our readers," said Oke Okaro, general manager and global head of Bloomberg mobile.

"Packaged in a clean, easy-to-use and unique interface, the app offers a great reading experience optimized for the iPad."

"This isn't just another platform to reach our readers and prepare them for the week ahead," said Editor Josh Tyrangiel. "With the launch of the Bloomberg Businessweek app, we are enhancing the value of the magazine by making it instant and interactive."

Bloomberg Businessweek+ leverages the best of Bloomberg's news and data by allowing users to get live information on companies, including current stock price, performance history, and recent news. Bloomberg personalities also come into the spotlight through exclusive video and audio content including a weekly look behind the cover story with Bloomberg Businessweek's editor and creative director. Additionally, both Charlie Rose and Bloomberg's Tom Keene will enhance their weekly print columns with audio commentary.

Additional features include:

* The ability to search across issues by company or keyword, save articles in a personal library, and share favorite stories via email, Twitter and Facebook.

* A special "Highlights" section which gives a quick synopsis of the week's top articles.

* A dedicated navigation bar and global table of contents make it easy to discover articles and other information.

Continuing to invest in new platforms like the iPad opens new doors for advertisers. The new app has several high-impact ad units, giving advertisers an opportunity to reach a new and broader audience and showcase their brand in a new way. NetApp is the Platinum Sponsor, whose campaign fully leverages the platform with a highly visual and interactive advertising experience.

Bloomberg Businessweek+ is launching as the magazine celebrates its one-year anniversary since it was redesigned and increased its global business coverage. The magazine has experienced significant growth on the advertising front with a 49 per cent increase in advertising pages year-over-year for the first quarter of 2011.

Consumers can download the app on iTunes and get access to a free issue. The monthly subscription is $2.99 while current magazine subscribers can get the app, including each issue, at no additional cost.

For more information on Bloomberg Businessweek, please visit http://www.businessweek.com/ and follow us on Twitter @bw and Facebook.

For more information on Bloomberg's mobile offerings, please visit http://www.bloomberg.com/mobile/.

About Bloomberg Businessweek

Bloomberg Businessweek is a trusted source of essential, comprehensive insight that business leaders depend on to get ahead. Bloomberg Businessweek offers a global perspective to help senior executives profit from smarter, faster, and more informed decisions. Founded in 1929, the magazine is a market leader, with more than 4.7 million readers each week in 140 countries. Drawing on more than 2,300 journalists in 146 bureaus across 72 countries, Bloomberg Businessweek covers the business world like no one else can.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http:/ www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6679184&lang=en

Bloomberg Businessweek

Heather Carpenter, +1-212-617-1661 hcarpenter@bloomberg.net or

Lauren Meller, +1-212-617-8185 Lmeller@bloomberg.net

KEYWORD: United States North America New York

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Technology Luxury Consumer Electronics Data Management Electronic Design Automation Hardware Internet Networks Software Audio/Video Nanotechnology Other Technology Photography Mobile/Wireless Professional Services Banking Finance Retail Specialty

CATEGORY KEYWORD: Product/Service Photo/Multimedia

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

Copyright Business Wire 2011

ASIA PULSE nt 12-04 1509

AT&T Brings 3G Mobile Broadband Network to Monroe.

AT&T* announced the availability of its third generation (3G) mobile broadband network in Monroe, opening the door to a new era of mobile services, devices and feature-rich audio and video content for customers in the area. The 3G launch encompasses 24 cell sites.

"It's great news that 3G has arrived in Monroe and West Monroe," said Sen. Francis Thompson. "This expansion is important to this area."

The network extension is part of AT&T's ongoing efforts to drive innovation and investment to deliver the benefits of smartphones and mobile broadband for customers. More smartphone customers have chosen AT&T over any other U.S. competitor, and AT&T is committed to driving continual enhancement of network capabilities to meet these customers' ever-growing mobile broadband needs.

"At the Chamber, we're very excited about AT&T's 3G network," said Sue Nicholson, president and CEO of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. "The project was a major undertaking, and the business community is thrilled it's here."

"Demand for wireless bandwidth is growing, whether it's for sharing video and photos with friends, watching a movie, checking the latest scores, or listening to music on a phone, netbook or other mobile devices on the go," said William A. Oliver, President, AT&T Louisiana. "With this expansion, our customers can continue to ride the leading edge of mobile broadband with emerging devices and thousands of mobile applications."

AT&T matches its network investment with unsurpassed choice in the range of devices, services and applications compatible with its 3G network - the nation's fastest, according to independent testing. AT&T offers a wide variety of devices from more than a dozen manufacturers, including handsets that are compatible with six different operating systems and five different e-mail applications. Our Media Mall 2.0 offers more than 90,000 content options, and customers can download additional applications over the Internet. Additionally, AT&T supports a community of more than 20,000 application developers via its devCentral portal.

Recently, AT&T announced plans to further upgrade its 3G network nationwide with HSPA 7.2 technology to deliver considerably faster mobile broadband speeds. The upgrades are planned to begin in the fourth quarter, with completion expected in 2011. Supporting this initiative is AT&T's ongoing deployment of additional backhaul capacity to cell sites, which will support today's unprecedented growth in mobile data traffic as well as the future demands of next-generation networks.

AT&T's 3G mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most open and widely used wireless network platforms in the world. AT&T's 3G network is available in more than 350 major metropolitan areas. AT&T also offers 3G data roaming in more than 100 countries, as well as voice calling in more than 215 countries.

For more information about AT&T's 3G coverage in Louisiana or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/. The online tool can measure the quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.

For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit www.att.com/networknews.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Keywords: AT&T, AT&T Inc., Bandwidth, Broadband, Broadband Network, Data Management, Data Traffic, Electronics, Information Technology, Leisure, Listening To Music, Mobile Broadband, Networks, Technology, Telecommunications, Wireless Network, Wireless Technology

This article was prepared by Network Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Network Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.

IHG opens third Crowne Plaza property in Oman.

Summary: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) along with SAMCO Hotels & Resorts officially opened Crowne Plaza Sohar.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) along with SAMCO Hotels & Resorts officially opened Crowne Plaza Sohar. The opening marks IHG's third Crowne Plaza property in Oman, as they continue to expand in the Sultanate.

"The Government of Oman has done a remarkable job promoting tourism in the region and internationally. Looking back at recent years, Oman has consistently hosted over 1 million tourists every year and has positioned itself as the ideal tourist destination. Business tourism as well has been gradually building momentum especially in the MICE sector which accounts for more then 60% of business travel in the Sultanate," said John Bamsey, Chief Operating Officer, IHG MEA. "Another contributing factor to Oman's tourism has been an increase in the number of flights' coming into the country and the fact that Oman is visitor friendly with over 60 countries able to receive a visa on arrival.

Oman is on track with its Vision 2020 plan to bring economic diversification and tourism will play a key role in not only attracting visitors but also an opportunity to create employment in the country. We are happy to be able to contribute to the governments plan"

Crowne Plaza Sohar consists of 126 rooms, all with a private balcony, of which 44 deluxe bedrooms are designed for long stay guests with a walk-in wardrobe. The hotel also includes 6 executive suites, which home a living and dining room, kitchenette and a large private terrace.

Crowne Plaza Sohar offers a variety of dining options such as 'The Restaurant', an all day dining outlet that features an open air terrace, 'The Mediterranean', a fine dining restaurant serving cuisine from Southern Europe, Levant and Northern Africa and 'The Patisserie' offering pastries, fresh beverages and light snacks. The hotel provides other entertaintainment and leisure facilities such as a pool deck, resident bar and a sports bar which includes a 4 lane bowling alley along and other sports options.

For discerning business travellers, Crowne Plaza Sohar offers a full service business centre with hi speed, wireless internet, 2 exclusive meeting rooms which lead to a private terrace and a ballroom that hosts up to 400 guests.

The hotel is located within a short distance of Sohar's Industrial centre and the port of Sohar. The hotel is conveniently located in close distance from the Muscat and Dubai International Airports.

Bamsey added, "Sohar is an important part of the history of Oman and a popular tourist destination in the country for its beaches and archaeological features. We are proud to bring the first International hotel brand to the city as Sohar continues to develop not only as a tourist hub but a city, which also attracts business travellers."

Crowne Plaza Sohar will be IHG's sixth property within Oman which, as of 30th September 2008, comprises of InterContinental Muscat, Al Bustan Palace InterContinental Muscat, Crowne Plaza Muscat, Crowne Plaza Salalah Resort and Holiday Inn Muscat Al Madinah. IHG also recently signed the Crowne Plaza Duqum Resort, which is scheduled to open in 2011.

2009 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)

2009 Al Bawaba (Albawaba.com)

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Nokia launches new NSeries device [Nokia].

Byline: Nokia

Nokia Tuesday unveiled its newest Nseries device, the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet - WiMAX Edition, Nokia's first device engineered to take advantage of new wide-area high-speed mobile WiMAX networks.

The Internet Tablet platform is combined with next generation wide-area wireless broadband capability.

The Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is expected to be available in the United States during the summer of 2008 in areas where WiMAX connectivity is available.

WiMAX is a standards-based wireless broadband technology that delivers an open Internet experience similar to that of fixed broadband technologies with typical data download speeds of up to 2-4 Mbps per user with peak download speeds of up to 10 Mbps.

Unlike current single point local area technologies like Wi-Fi which have a range of a few hundred feet, WiMAX networks consist of a number of interconnected base stations, each with a radius of up to 2-3 miles, that allow for handoffs from one base station to another as users move about a region or metro area.

Also being introduced with the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is the newest Internet Tablet operating system.

This new upgraded OS2008 introduces new features to the platform, including an enhanced e-mail client, support for Chinese character rendering in the browser and RSS feeds and Seamless Software Update functionality to eliminate manual software updates.

While standard on the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition, current owners of Nokia N810 and N800 Internet Tablets with earlier operating systems will be able to upgrade their device to the revised operating system for free during the second quarter of 2008.

Ask Jeeves, Google Team Up for Advertising Deal.

Byline: Ellen Lee

Jul. 19--Two of the most popular Internet search companies, Ask Jeeves Inc. and Google Inc., have linked up in a $100 million three-year advertising deal.

The agreement should help Emeryville-based Ask Jeeves reach pro forma profitability -- that is, profitability excluding certain costs -- by the end of this year and is expected to double its revenues between the upcoming third and fourth quarters.

Google replaces Overture Services Inc. as Ask Jeeves' paid listings partner. Under the agreement, which launches in September, Ask Jeeves will show a list of advertisers that pay Google to be listed when the right search terms are entered. Google will share with Ask Jeeves more than $100 million in estimated revenue over three years that will come from Google's advertisers on Ask Jeeves' search sites.

"For Ask Jeeves, it seems to be a good deal," said Safa Rashtchy, a senior analyst with U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray. "I have to assume it's getting substantially larger revenues than from Overture."

Details of the deal, including how the revenues will be split between the two companies, were not disclosed, but Ask Jeeves CEO Skip Battle said, "Most of that $100 million comes to us."

The agreement puts a twist on the relationship between Google and Ask Jeeves, which compete against each other. Ask Jeeves recently launched Teoma.com, whose technology is said to rival Google's.

"It's certainly a surprise given that Ask Jeeves has really tried to put itself out there to challenge the throne as the most qualified search engine," said Danny Sullivan, editor of Search Engine Watch.

Battle said that deal won't stop Ask Jeeves from competing against Google.

"We're going to compete for our share of the market," he said.

Ask Jeeves also reported on Thursday revenues of $17.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, compared with $16.7 million for the year-ago quarter. Net loss, including certain costs, was $8.5 million, or 21 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $20.9 million, or 58 cents per share, for the same quarter last year.

Excluding charges, the company said that net loss was $6.5 million, or 16 cents per share, for the second quarter, compared with $9.9 million, or 27 cents per share, for the same quarter last year. Two analysts polled by Thomson Financial/First Call had predicted a net loss of 21 cents per share.

The company also projected that revenues would grow 20 percent during the rest of the year. The third quarter is seasonally slower, but the company said it expects the fourth quarter to be strong. It said that fourth quarter revenues, boosted by its deal with Google, should be about $21 million, with a pro forma net profit of about two cents per share.

During the three-month period, the company laid off about 35 employees as part of its ongoing effort to shave expenses. A few of the cuts came from discontinued operations and the rest came from the company's software division.

Shares of Ask Jeeves, which made its announcements after the market closed, slipped 2 percent, or two cents, to 98 cents per share on Thursday. In after hours trading the shares jumped 25 percent to $1.25.

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