NSW:Bomb threat victim 'relieved' after =2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2011
NSW:Bomb threat victim 'relieved' after =2

Ms Pulver had the device around her neck for 10 hours as technicians from the NSW Police
Bomb Squad worked overnight to remove it.

It was later found not to contain any explosives.

A 4-gigabyte USB storage device and a purple lanyard were found on the device.

The attack made headlines around the world, as investigators from Strike Force Haddon
sifted through the evidence, including a note pinned to Ms Pulver and her descriptions
of the assailant.

Her father, Bill Pulver, 53, said on Tuesday the family was relieved after Peters'
arrest and hoped this was the beginning of the end to a traumatic ordeal.

"This has been a baffling and frightening experience," he told reporters in Sydney
alongside wife Belinda.

He said his daughter, who will sit for her HSC exams this year was "a bright, happy
young woman who, for reasons we still don't understand, has had her life turned upside
down going through this dreadful experience".

Peters - the man accused of the attack - is a father of three who was educated at The
Scots College in Sydney's Bellevue Hill.

He was arrested at his ex-wife's home in wealthy La Grange, 50km from Louisville, Kentucky,
at 3.45pm local time on Monday (0545 Tuesday AEST).

A SWAT team arrested him without incident at the request of NSW Police.

When he appeared in the US District Court in Louisville he had his legs and wrists
shackled and was led into the court by three burly US marshals.

According to the indictment, NSW police believe Peters had a link to the Pulver family.

"The police have obtained information that Paul Douglas Peters was formerly employed
by a company with which the victim's family has links," the indictment states.

The indictment alleges Peters surprised Madeleine as she studied in her bedroom.

"At about 2.15pm, she saw a man carrying a black aluminum baseball bat and wearing
a striped, multiple-coloured balaclava over his head, walk into her room," it states.

Peters allegedly told Ms Pulver, "Sit down and no-one needs to get hurt."

He then forced a "black box against her throat and looped a device similar to a bike
chain, which was also attached to the box, around her neck", it is alleged.

A note placed around the teenager's neck allegedly stated: "Powerful new technology
plastic explosives are located inside the small black combination case delivered to you.

"The case is booby trapped. It can ONLY be opened safely, if you follow instructions
and comply with its terms and conditions."

The head of the NSW State Crime Command, Assistant Commissioner Dave Hudson, told reporters
in Sydney that "a fairly detailed chain of circumstantial evidence" led police to arresting
Peters in America.

Police allege Peters bought a 4-gigabyte USB storage device and a purple lanyard with
his Commonwealth Bank Mastercard from an Officeworks store in West Gosford on the NSW
Central Coast on July 4.

They also allege they have CCTV footage of Peters buying a black baseball bat from
the Rebel Sport store at Erina Fair Shopping Centre, also on the Central Coast, on July
16.

NSW Police, according to the US indictment, were led to Peters by a gmail email address
left at the Pulvers' residence.

He allegedly accessed the email account several times at two locations on the NSW central
coast, Kincumber library and a video store at Avoca, according to surveillance footage
obtained by police.

The library footage showed a man arriving and leaving in a Range Rover and, after a
search by the Roads and Traffic Authority, it was discovered Peters lived at Copacabana,
a town located near the library and video store.

Peters allegedly bought a one-way ticket to fly on August 8 from Sydney to Kentucky.

He faces charges of kidnapping, aggravated break and enter with intent to commit a
serious indictable offence, and demanding property with intent to steal.

The Australian government has 60 days to make a formal request for his extradition.

US District Court Judge Dave Whalin scheduled an extradition hearing for October 14.

AAP lcf/wjf/nb

KEYWORD: BOMB 3RD UPDATE 2 SYDNEY

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

Fed: Howard gazumps Rudd's water announcement

AAP General News (Australia)
02-20-2007
Fed: Howard gazumps Rudd's water announcement

CANBERRA, Feb 20 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard has gazumped Labor leader Kevin Rudd,
hinting that a West Australian irrigation project will receive federal funding.

Mr Rudd was expected to promise this morning to contribute $49 million to the Harvey
irrigation project in south-west Western Australia if Labor is elected this year.

But Mr Howard said the project was likely to receive federal funding anyway.

Both leaders are campaigning in WA this week, where several key marginal seats could
help decide this year's election.

Speaking …

QLD:New jet ski safety reforms

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2011
QLD:New jet ski safety reforms

Under new Queensland reforms .. tourists will have to stick to a speed limit and be
tested for their driving skills when hiring a jet ski.

Marine Infrastructure minister CRAIG WALLACE says the changes have been prompted by
the death of British tourist SRIDHAR SHEKAR ... who was killed when he crashed into a
boat's anchor chain on the Gold Coast Broadwater in 2008.

Currently .. private jet ski users not riding under supervision require a recreational
boating licence but tourists using jet skis through a hire company don't need a licence.

AAP RTV ka/nap

KEYWORD: JETSKI (BRISBANE)

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

TheDirectory Launches in Central New Jersey

Wireless News
01-26-2011
TheDirectory Launches in Central New Jersey
Type: News

Elysium Internet, which does business as TheDirectory.com, a local business search and online marketing space, announced that it has established a local presence in Central New Jersey.

In a release, the Company noted this is the first in what it expects to become a national network of Locally based, Independent, Internet Marketing Associates.
TheDirectory.com Founder and CEO Scott Gallagher said, "We're very excited to begin placing reps on the ground in key markets around the country. Central New Jersey is great place to start, being within an hour of both New York City and Philadelphia. Having local reps to service both existing and new accounts is a critical piece of our business plan. We've identified a problem in the delivery of online marketing services to local businesses. Having people on the ground in key markets is a critical part of our solution. To that end we've re-launched our independent rep website at LocalDirectoryJobs.com. We're actively looking to place reps both full time and part in key markets across the U.S."

Elysium Internet DBA TheDirectory.com, is a provider of local advertising, search and publishing space.

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

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

FED:From poverty to history for Ken Wyatt

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2010
FED:From poverty to history for Ken Wyatt

By Josh Jerga

PERTH, Aug 22 AAP - Liberal candidate Ken Wyatt has overcome a childhood of poverty
to be on the verge of making history, by becoming the first indigenous member of the House
of Representatives.

But it would not have been possible without a quality education.

Mr Wyatt grew up in a family of 10 where money was so tight, he helped out by trapping rabbits.

Recently at the 70th birthday of his primary school teacher, Ms Abernathy, he brought
her a gift that captured the financial struggles his family faced.

"I took her an apple," he told AAP.

"When I was a kid I never had the chance to take (her) an apple because we just couldn't
afford it."

When he reached year 10, his parents Mona Phyllis and Donald were approached by the
local Rotary Club who deemed their son "worth supporting" and sponsored him so he could
undertake his leaving certificate.

During the school holidays, he would work odd jobs to support his family.

"I did that to put food on the table for my family and buy clothes because we were
relying on hand-me-downs," Mr Wyatt said.

"That taught me an ethos of working hard. Education is a major reason for my success."

As counting continued in the seat of Hasluck on Sunday, Mr Wyatt was ahead of Labor
incumbent Sharryn Jackson by only about 400 votes.

If elected, the former director of Aboriginal health in WA and NSW has vowed to use
his maiden speech to pay tribute to Kevin Rudd for his apology to the stolen generation.

"When he delivered his address to the house that day, being a typical macho male I
really didn't think the emotions would impact me as much as they were," Mr Wyatt told
AAP.

"I must admit I was sitting there with tears because I knew what my mother and her
brothers and sisters had gone through, particularly knowing the abuse that happened to
her.

"I wish my mother was alive and (could) have seen."

Mr Wyatt said when the tears flowed down his face, he was probably feeling the relief
that the pain of her experiences had been acknowledged.

Mr Wyatt's mother, Mona Phyllis Abdullah, was taken from her parents when she was about
five and placed in Roelands mission, south of Perth.

AAP jsj/sn

KEYWORD: POLL10 WYATT PROFILE

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

Fed: Wheat exports fell in February: ABARE

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2010
Fed: Wheat exports fell in February: ABARE

Australian wheat exports fell to around 1.2 million tonnes in February .. compared
to 1.4 million tonnes in the previous month.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resources Economics (ABARE) wheat supply
and exports report shows exports from Victoria and New South Wales increased in February
.. but fell in Queensland .. South Australia and Western Australia.

Wheat committed for export increased to around 3.5 million tonnes in February, up from
around 3.3 million tonnes in the previous month.

The largest markets for bulk wheat exports were Indonesia, China and Korea.

AAP RTV gd/cb/ar

KEYWORD: CROP (CANBERRA)

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

QLD: Dalby has only eight hours of water left: mayor

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2009
QLD: Dalby has only eight hours of water left: mayor

By David Barbeler

BRISBANE, Dec 1 AAP - Ten consecutive hot days in Queensland's western downs region
has left Dalby with less than half a day's supply of water.

Western Downs Regional Council mayor Ray Brown said despite the council pumping 4.5
megalitres from the town's bores per day, an unusually long period of hot weather has
resulted in the town using six megalitres per day.

With the town's weir and the Condamine River dry, only two megalitres are left in storage.

"Water is coming in all the time, but the reality is we've got only about 15 per cent
available in our reservoirs, which is about two megalitres," he said.

"If they continue at their present consumption, we have only eight hours left."

Level five water restrictions were introduced last week however Mr Brown said the town
would soon have to move to level six.

"Our concern is since we've lifted to level five, we've had an increase in our water
consumption," he said.

"If we go to level six there will be no external watering allowed at all."

Mr Brown said council had fast tracked two projects, including a water recycling plant
and another bore, both of which will be online in March.

"But that doesn't stop the situation at present and it's due to the unusually long
period of hot weather, where we've seen ten hot days straight," he said.

"(The town) is not going to go without drinking water, but we've got to bring in implementations
of tougher water restrictions early."

AAP djb/maur

KEYWORD: WATER QLD

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

Qld: Altruistic surrogacy to be decriminalised in Qld

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2009
Qld: Altruistic surrogacy to be decriminalised in Qld

Premier ANNA BLIGH says she doesn't expect to see thousands of Queensland women becoming
surrogate mothers .. once a ban on altruistic surrogacy has been repealed.

Ms BLIGH's told state parliament today the non-commercial practice will be decriminalised
and regulated .. to help some of the couples who are unable to conceive and bear their
own children.

Queensland is the only Australian state in which altruistic surrogacy is a criminal offence.

The new laws will contain no discrimination on the basis of sex .. meaning same-sex
couples can use a female friend to start a family.

The ban on commercial .. for-profit surrogacy will remain.

AAP RTV jmm/ahe/tm

KEYWORD: SURROGACY (BRISBANE)

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

NSW: Two women killed in Sydney plane collision

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2008
NSW: Two women killed in Sydney plane collision

Police say the two people killed when their light plane slammed into a house after
a mid-air collision in south-west Sydney are both women .. believed to be in their mid-20's.

The pilot and her passenger died when their Cessna hit the rear of a two-storey house
on Flame Tree Street in Casula about 11.30 am (AEDT).

The second plane landed safely at Bankstown Airport.

Assistant Police Commissioner FRANK MENILLI says the bodies are still in the wreckage.

AAP RTV eb/hn/tm/fdf

KEYWORD: PLANES POLICE (SYDNEY)

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

Vic: AFP arrests two more over ecstasy ring

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2008
Vic: AFP arrests two more over ecstasy ring

Police in Melbourne say two more men will face court on drugs charges today .. following
a dawn raid that's brought to 22 the number charged over last week's massive nationwide
drug bust.

Federal Police have arrested a 30-year-old and a 26-year-old from their homes in suburban
Preston.

Both men will appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court today charged with trafficking ecstasy.

Police last week said the interception of the 4.4 tonnes of ecstasy worth 440 million
dollars is the world's largest ever seizure of the drug.

AAP RTV gr/gfr/tm/bart

KEYWORD: ECSTASY (MELBOURNE)

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

Vic: Linesman electrocuted restoring power after strong winds

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2008
Vic: Linesman electrocuted restoring power after strong winds

By Jeff Turnbull, Simon Mossman and Greg Roberts

MELBOURNE, April 3 AAP - The body of a linesman hung for almost two hours from powerlines
today after he was electrocuted while restoring power to Victorian homes still crippled
by yesterday's weather chaos.

The death of the 38-year-old man was the second fatality as a result of the winds of
up to 130 km/h which swept through Victoria.

The linesman, from Somerville, south-east of Melbourne, was making routine repairs
of powerlines at the corner of Beluera Hill Road and Shandon Street in Mornington at 12.20pm
(AEDT) when the tragedy occurred.

Paramedics had to wait for power to be cut before they could retrieve the body at around 2pm.

Yesterday, a 57-year-old woman was crushed when a brick wall collapsed on her in the
southern suburb of Mentone at the height of the destructive winds.

Power supplier Alinta East chief executive Peter Magarry said the company was doing
everything it could to support the man's family and his workmates.

"I am devastated and shocked at the death of a valued team member," Mr Magarry said.

"He was doing his job helping restore power resulting from yesterday's wind storm damage."

Alinta East spokesman Scott Parker said it was too early to know what happened.

"We are doing what we can to make sure this doesn't happen again - it was an otherwise
routine job," Mr Parker said.

Worksafe Victoria chief John Merritt reminded Victorians who have been inconvenienced
by the storm by either blackouts or damage to their homes that the safety of emergency
workers must come first.

"The tragic circumstances surrounding this event today and yesterday just reminds us
that the primacy of safety first for workers - the first and most important thing is the
safety of the workers," Mr Merritt said.

Mr Merritt said the death yesterday of a man in a building collapse in Dandenong could
not be blamed on the weather.

"It happened before the wind got up and we're looking at the integrity of the construction,"

Mr Merritt said.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has been inundated with calls from 4,300 households
in metropolitan Melbourne, mostly dealing with fallen trees.

SES state duty officer John Parker said the 800 local volunteers were being boosted
by crews from around the state and NSW.

"We are asking people to be patient as we work through this volume of calls," Mr Parker said.

"They are predominately for trees down across houses and driveways so there's a lot
of chainsaw work and it is time-consuming."

The powerful winds cut power to more than 200,000 homes and businesses in Victoria,
with around 40,000 still without power late today and power companies will work through
the night to reconnect homes.

It could be days before the full cost of the damage inflicted by yesterday's wild winds
is known, insurance companies say.

Insurance Council spokesman Sean Sampson said it was too early to estimate the insurance
cost of the weather event.

"You can't speculate on the cost while the event is still happening," he told AAP.

"Usually it takes at least 24 to 48 hours before you can assess the insurable impact
and get an indication of the insurance cost as the claims come in.

"From what I've been told it's not a large scale event and at the moment we have not
seen a massive influx of claims."

But Melbourne-based EBM Insurance Brokers predicted a deluge of claims but said the
storms caused a loss of communication and power, which general manager Sharon Fox Slater
says would have prevented some customers lodging their claims.

Government grants of about $1,000 will be available to households experiencing hardship
after yesterday's wild weather.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Ward Rooney said the bureau had removed all
severe weather warnings, although gale force winds were still occurring over coastal waters
in Bass Strait.

Hurricane force winds topping more than 170 km/h whipped parts of Tasmania this morning.

AAP jxt/pmu/ht/cdh

KEYWORD: WIND VIC NIGHTLEAD

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

NSW: Party on again at Randwick

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2007
NSW: Party on again at Randwick

By Caryl Williamson

SYDNEY, Dec 1 AAP - Grey skies and constant drizzle could not dampen the enthusiasm
of the crowd which packed Randwick Racecourse today to welcome racing back to Sydney.

More than 20,000 people turned out in their finest for the first metropolitan race
meeting since equine influenza (EI) hit more than three months ago.

Australian Idol winner Natalie Gauci entertained patrons but it was an idol of the
turf who set them alight when Takeover Target chased Dance Hero down to win the day's
feature, the $100,000 Arrowfield Stud Sprint.

The international sprint champion's jockey Jay Ford said he could hear the crowd cheering
the favourite home.

"You could really hear the crowd roaring from the 100 metres and especially when we
went over the line," Ford said.

"It's great to be back racing again and to have all these people turn out."

Although the champagne and beer were flowing all day, racegoers were there for more
than just a party.

With form experts conducting clinics on how to find a winner, the punters did their
best with bookmakers reporting brisk business.

"I'm a little rusty but I'm happy to be back," leading bookie Col Tidy said.

"The size of the crowd has surprised me and they are here to bet - which has been quite
a revelation.

"The atmosphere's good and although the first three races went the bookies' way, after
that I've just broken square."

Randwick was the first Sydney training precinct to succumb to equine flu on August
30 with Warwick Farm and Rosehill following over the next few weeks.

Biosecurity measures are likely to remain in place for some months but are barely noticeable
for racegoers with just a couple of extra fences separating horses and people.

Although Gai Waterhouse, the leading trainer at Randwick, was unable to be at the track
because she was on an overseas holiday, she kept in touch by listening to the race broadcasts
on her mobile phone from New York.

The flow-on effect from the outbreak has meant the loss of jobs and tens of millions
of dollars and an inquiry into how the disease infiltrated Australia is ongoing.

But for a few hours those problems were forgotten as everyone remembered what it was
they used to do on Saturday afternoons.

AAP cw/cjh/de

KEYWORD: RANDWICK FRONTER (PIX AVAILABLE)

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

Vic: Food standards lax at another Benetas home: report

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2007
Vic: Food standards lax at another Benetas home: report

Food handling complaints have been raised against a second Benetas nursing home.

One of the company's homes .. Broughton Hall .. has been the centre of a food poisoning
outbreak .. with five people dying and a similar number taken to hospital.

A former cook at the home .. SANDRA SHARP has told News Limited about food issues at
the Benetas home in Altona Meadows .. in Melbourne's west.

Ms SHARP quit the job late last year .. two days after a resident became ill after
she was given expired soy milk .. and says her complaints had been ignored by head office.







Meanwhile .. Fairfax has reported allegations an elderly male outpatient at yet another
Benetas home was sexually assaulted by a staff member.

Former employee ELIZABETH BELLEINGER was sacked last month .. seven months after reporting
an elderly man was sexually assaulted by a worker who was performing sexual acts on him.

AAP RTV jrd/crh

KEYWORD: HOME (MELBOURNE)

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

Vic: Fire crews prepare for worsening weather later this week

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2006
Vic: Fire crews prepare for worsening weather later this week

MELBOURNE, Dec 18 AAP - Victorian fire crews continued to backburn and shore up containment
lines in Gippsland and the state's north-east overnight, before temperatures climb later
this week.

The fires have burnt more than 680,000 hectares of bush, with the blaze at Mount Terrible,
near Kevington, blackening 310,000 hectares.

Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) coordinator Paul Bates said fire
crews were preparing for worsening weather conditions on Wednesday and Thursday.

"While conditions remain mild, we are working around the clock to ensure the fires
will have no chance to break away under the influence of higher temperatures and renewed
winds," he said.

"That means making sure any advancing fire front runs into fire breaks and areas where
we have already burnt the available fuel.

"In the meantime, there are indications of increased fire activity around Mt Hotham
and Falls Creek, and we are directing more resources into suppressing that."

Overnight, fire crews worked on protecting private property in Jamieson and Kevington,
and backburning in the Merrijig area.

Today, they plan to backburn in Woods Point, Matlock, and Jamieson.

Merrijig residents will meet in Merrijig Hall at 11am (AEDT) and Jamieson residents
will meet at their town hall at 5pm.

The following schools have been reopened: Myrrhee Primary School, Whitfield District
School, Mount Beauty Primary School, Mount Beauty Secondary School, Tawonga Primary School
and Harrietville Primary School.

Edi Upper Primary School will reopen tomorrow.

Jamieson Primary School, Merrijig Primary School and Bogong Outdoor Education Centre
will remain closed for the rest of the year.

The school year ends on Thursday.

AAP mj/wjf

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC DAYLEAD

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

NSW: Police charge five youths over school rugby brawl

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-2006
NSW: Police charge five youths over school rugby brawl

SYDNEY, Aug 10 AAP - Police have charged five teenagers over a violent brawl following
a high school rugby league match in the NSW Hunter Valley.

The fight involved more than 30 players spectators and officials after a game between
Maitland-based All Saints College and Mt Druitt-based Chifley High School last month.

One teenager was taken to hospital with facial injuries after the brawl at Baddley
Oval in south Cessnock.

Police today said they had charged five students from the Mt Druitt school, and were
considering laying charges against two more 17-year-old males.

The students, three aged 18, and two aged 17, have been charged with a total of 16
offences including affray, assault, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, police
said.

They have been bailed to appear in court at a later date.

Three other students from Chifley High School, and one from All Saints College have
been issued warnings, police said.

Police will continue to investigate the matter alongside the NSW Rugby League and the
NSW Education Department.

AAP kaf/klw/grc/jlw

KEYWORD: BRAWL

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

Fed: Costello says lift in export volumes encouraging

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2006
Fed: Costello says lift in export volumes encouraging

CANBERRA, April 4 AAP - The lift in export volumes is encouraging, Treasurer Peter Costello says.

Figures released yesterday showed exports grew by 10 per cent, or $1.5 billion, to
$16.8 billion in February - pushing the trade deficit down to a four-year low.

"In the second half of last year, volumes were a bit disappointing," Mr Costello told reporters.

"It was taking some time before the investment took place to lift capacity.

"We saw in the figures that were released yesterday a lift in volumes - very very welcome,
but I'd like to see that continue for some time."

AAP mfh/so/lma/nf

KEYWORD: TRADE COSTELLO

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

Vic: The main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers

AAP General News (Australia)
10-12-2004
Vic: The main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers

MELBOURNE, Oct 12 AAP - The main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers

HERALD SUN

Page 1: Cricket star and war hero Keith Miller has died aged 84.

Page 2: Prime Minister John Howard says retirement is the last thing on his mind after
the Coalition's triumph in the federal election.

Page 3: A 60-year-old woman has jumped onto the back of a huge crocodile to save a
friend who was under attack.

World: US actor Christopher Reeve (Superman) has died aged 52. The final plea of slain
British hostage Ken Bigley has been broadcast on the internet.

Business: Telstra shares rose 3.2 per cent in the wake of the election result. The
Australian stock exchange was busy in the first day of trading after the election with
media companies and Tasmanian logger Gunns higher.

Sport: Keith Miller will be remembered by a generation of Australians as a sporting
hero and the original Australian idol. Collingwood players began their pre-season training
regime yesterday: only 16 days after the grand final.

MORE apw/cjh

KEYWORD: FRONTERS VIC

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

non-tariff office

non-tariff office See tariff office.

America Movil To Launch Palm Internet Access.

MEXICO CITY, Apr 5, 2001

Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) mobile spin-off America Movil over the next several months will launch a range of new services including additional mobile Internet features, according to a report in Mexican financial daily El Economista. America Movil executive Humberto Chavez Lopez said Telcel, as the company is known in Mexico, would introduce Palm Internet access in two months' time. Chavez said Telcel also would broaden the gamut of mobile Internet services available to its clients. Currently Telcel offers mobile Internet online shopping, news, e-mail and limited banking services. "These services are going to continue growing. We're going to go deeper in terms of information, where the user will have more news and higher quality banking services," he said. Chavez said there was no deadline for the introduction of new and improved mobile Internet services. He said the process would be incremental over the next several months.

Copyright 2001 Infolatina, all rights reserved.

  SUBJECT CODE:     Indtel 

News Provided by COMTEX (http://www.comtexnews.com)

Welding hub melding web site with service.(WeldersMall.com)(Brief Article)

A dot-com with a face.

That's the way the organizers of WeldersMall.com of Cleveland describe their new web site, which brings together manufacturers and distributors of welding equipment and supplies.

"Dot-coms are often nebulous when it comes to the details of handling a customer, and the welding market is one that needs customer service," said Donald L. Mottinger, president of Superior Products Inc., a small gas fittings manufacturer in Brooklyn and one of the prime investors behind WeldersMall.com.

"We will offer the convenience of the Internet and the personal touch in helping customers at the same time," Mr. Mottinger said.

WeldersMall.com to date has 16 investors who have raised about $2 million for development of a web site at www.weldersmall.com, which went online last month. The investors comprise 10 distributors and six welding products manufacturers, including Superior Products and industry giant Lincoln Electric Co. in Euclid. Mr. Mottinger said plans call for about 25 investors.

"Our distributors operate a total of 200 stores, and there is a distributor within 50 miles of every person in the United States," Mr. Mottinger said. He said the site offers same-day delivery and technical support for customers.

Site users can fill an electronic shopping cart with a range of products and then pay by credit card. Customers are given identification numbers by their distributors and can order products with pricing and order quantities based on buying histories.

Mr. Mottinger, who is chairman of WeldersMall.com's board, said it was too early to evaluate the site's reception among customers. He said plans to market the site more aggressively will be implemented next month.

The company's president is Nathaniel E. Leonard, a former insurance business unit manager for auto insurer Progressive Corp. in Mayfield Village. Mr. Leonard, who joined WeldersMall.com in May, said he is convinced it has the ingredients to work well.

"To be successful, web sites have to have a competitive advantage, and there have to be barriers to entry," Mr. Leonard said. "We have both because we offer service and technical support, and we have bricks and mortar."

Mr. Leonard was emphatic in distinguishing WeldersMall.com from other players in the dot-com world.

"We are not an Internet company. We are welding companies that happen to use the Internet," Mr. Leonard said. "Our distributors have 120 salesmen in the field. We don't have to go out and hire salesmen to promote the site."

Lincoln Electric, a major producer of arc welding machines and electrodes, didn't hesitate to become a tenant in the online mall.

"It's a cleverly designed concept, and there is a solid group of distributors involved. It was a natural for Lincoln," said Dick Smith, marketing manager for Lincoln. "I think WeldersMall is the initial move of its type in the welding industry."

Distributors are happy because it gives them a chance to embrace Internet technology, said Gary Armstrong, president of General Air Service and Supply Inc. in Denver. Mr. Armstrong said joining WeldersMall.com gave General Air a chance to combine resources with other companies and become part of a network that he could not afford to duplicate on his own.

"The Internet is customer-driven, and this enables me to continue to serve my customers as well as find new ones," said Mr. Armstrong, who operates six stores in Colorado.

Mr. Mottinger said he began working on the web site idea 18 months ago after organizing a meeting with several small companies in the industry to discuss possible threats and opportunities presented by e-commerce.

"We knew the Internet wasn't going away, and we wanted to be involved in using it to create a new channel of distribution," Mr. Mottinger said. "About eight months ago, we began putting a plan together to attack the market. The exciting part of this is that people are talking about the old way of doing business as being obsolete. But what we are doing is enhancing it."

eT Communications Goes Wireless; SkyTel Alliance Provides New Energy Information Solution Architecture.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 10, 1999--eT Communications, Inc. and SkyTel Communications Inc. today announced an agreement to integrate SkyTel's national two-way messaging network into eT Communications' successful energy information solution, the eT SmartLinX System.

The addition of two-way wireless capabilities dramatically complements the eT SmartLinX System's current wireline architecture, creating a low-risk, low-cost, national solution that allows for economical monitoring and control of commercial and residential energy. The wireless SmartLinX System is targeted for use by energy companies that need to gather real-time energy usage data and offer value-added services in order to retain and attract customers in an increasingly competitive, deregulated market.

"Partnering with SkyTel enables us to quickly complement our wireline solution with a national, two-way wireless solution based on open technology standards," said Donald J. Massaro, CEO of eT Communications. "Our energy customers can now implement small or large deployments for their most crucial customers without the cost of deploying a private network and with the flexibility of adding new value-added and enhanced customer care services. This is further proof of our commitment to open architecture and to providing our customers with multiple solutions to the problem of remotely monitoring, collecting and managing data."

The wireless eT SmartLinX System is a complete end-to-end solution consisting of an intelligent, premise gateway that acquires meter data while monitoring and controlling other premise based devices, SkyTel's two-way paging network, Motorola's two-way ReFLEX transceiver, a client/server based database and robust information system software.

"We are very excited to be working with eT Communications," added Mark Rodgers, SkyTel Fixed Wireless vice president. "The combination of eT's SmartLinX end-to-end solution and SkyTel's national wireless network provides a powerful combination for new applications targeted uniquely for the energy industry."

A working prototype system will be demonstrated at DistribuTECH '99 from Feb. 16-18 in San Diego, an energy provider technology conference. Additional units are already being field-tested with early adopter customers.

eT Communications, Inc., headquartered in San Jose, is an information technology company that designs, develops and distributes value-added information solutions to the energy industry and other commercial markets. eT Communications' two-way, open communications gateway and data acquisition software perform remote data collection, analysis, and other value-added premise services.

SkyTel Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:SKYT), headquartered in Jackson, Miss., is a leader in wireless messaging, serving more than 1.5 million customers. Since 1989, the company has led the paging sector toward true nationwide paging through a series of innovations that culminated in SkyTel two-way interactive service. This enables customers to exchange messages with other pagers and the Internet and send messages to any telephone in the U.S. More information about the company is available by calling 800/643-0323.

For more company information, visit the companies' Web sites at http://www.etcomm.com and http://www.skytel.com

Phelps joins list of greats with third win.

Provided by 7DAYS.ae

EVEN if he doesnCOt manage the superhuman task of winning eight golds in Beijing, Michael Phelps has already swam himself into the record books.The sensational swimmer yesterday took his gold medal tally in the Chinese capital to three by winning the 200m freestyle. And in doing so, the American became only the fifth competitor in history to win nine golds in total, joining an impressive list of Paavo Nurmi, Carl Lewis, Larysa Latynina and Mark Spitz, the man whose record he is trying to beat.And Phelps said he was overjoyed to join that pantheon of greats. C[pounds sterling]To be tied for the most Olympic golds of all time, with those names in Olympic history, it is a pretty amazing,C[yen] he said. Phelps won six gold medals in Athens four years ago and has already won gold in the 400m individual medley and 4x100m freestyle relay this time round.

Yesterday Phelps set off at a rapid pace and with just 50m to go led by a body length. By the finish line he was already turning around to check his time as South Korean Park Tae-Hwan touched for silver in 1:44.85 - an Asian record that was nevertheless 1.89sec adrift. American Peter Vanderkaay was third in 1:45.14.C[pounds sterling]I just wanted to be out on my own, which I had done by the 100 metres mark - that was my goal,C[yen] Phelps said. C[pounds sterling]I was out in open water, and I was in the outside lane, which makes it difficult for the other guys to see me.C[yen]Phelps said he was wary coming home of fast-finishing Park, but the South Korean said there was simply nothing he could do.C[pounds sterling]Phelps swam so fast,C[yen] Park said. C[pounds sterling]ItCOs my honour to compete with him.C[yen]

On top of entering the record books, yesterdayCOs win meant that Phelps had also banished the memory of his third place in the same event four years ago. In Athens the 23-year-old had to be content with bronze behind Ian Thorpe and Peter van den Hoogenband in what was billed as the race of the century. Having got the gold this time round, and with it the world record, Phelps could lay that ghost to rest. And he admitted it had motivated him to greater feats. C[pounds sterling]I hate to lose,C[yen] Phelps went on. C[pounds sterling]And getting third in the 200 free four years ago...You know, when I do lose in a race like that and in circumstances like that, it motivates me even more to try and swim faster.C[yen]Phelps repeated his mantra of taking each race one at a time but was unable to pinpoint just exactly who might thwart his bid for a straight eight.Fighting his draining schedule with a huge diet of pasta and pizza, the Baltimore phenomenon suggested, worryingly for his rivals, that conquering sleep was almost as big a challenge as anything he faced in the pool. C[pounds sterling]ICOve been sleeping as much as I can,C[yen] he said. C[pounds sterling]Just about every morning I have woken up at about 4.30 or 5 oCOclock. It takes me a while to fall back to sleep and when I do I get an extra half an hour.

C[pounds sterling]It takes me a while to get up in the morning. But itCOs the Olympics, so you have to.C[yen]Elsewhere, PhelpsCO countrymen continued to dominate at BeijingCOs Water Cube.Aaron Peirsol lowered his own world record in winning the menCOs 100m backstroke, setting a new mark of 52.54sec, while Natalie Coughlin defended her womenCOs 100m backstroke crown.

Australian Liesel Jones was one of the few to break the US stranglehold when she won the womenCOs 100m breaststroke title.

A[umlaut] 2007 Al Sidra Media LLC

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Bike shops fall flat as riders go online.

Byline: Katie Walsh

Jun 05, 2011 (The Australian Financial Review - ABIX via COMTEX) -- The Productivity Commission is investigating whether the goods and services tax (GST) exemption for imported goods under $A1,000 should be removed. With bicycle shops finding it hard to compete with internet retailers, Josh Blake of Sydney's Renegade Cycles believes the exemption should go, even though he says he would still find it hard to compete with web-based retailers. His comments are borne out by consumer Nick Coatsworth, who paid $A4,180, including freight, for a bike from the US in 2010. The same item sells for $A5,800 in Australia.

Publication Date: 4 June 2011

 AUSTRALIA.  PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION RENEGADE CYCLES PTY LTDD-BIKE BEARS BIKES 

Copyright 2011 LexisNexis Australia. All Rights Reserved.

Global Virtual Classroom 2010/2011 Award Winning Websites Announced.

The Give Something Back International Foundation (GSBI) has announced the winners of the 2010/2011 Global Virtual Classroom Contest (GVC) -- a free online collaborative learning project that fosters creativity, cross cultural understanding, helping others and teaches IT and website design skills amongst students working together from around the world.

Sponsored by GSBI, the GVC program provides an opportunity for primary and secondary school students from different countries to work with and learn from students in other countries, as they collaboratively design a website on a topic of their choosing. Teams are comprised of either three primary or three secondary schools from different countries. A panel of international judges evaluates the final work and determines the winners.

In September 2010, AT&T* announced a $25,000 contribution to support the Global Virtual Classroom project.

With subjects that range from combating world hunger to bridging the digital divide, and from helping victims of natural disasters to exploring the creative world of music, sites from participating teams show the kind of creativity that can come from putting approximately 2100 students from 23 different countries together in a collaborative endeavor.

Their efforts were judged for content, presentation, collaboration, and a helping focus. The helping focus encourages students to also demonstrate achievement of a helpful objective such as personal, social and/or environmental responsibility or support for a worthy cause.

This year's Grand Prize winner for the primary school category is the "Lacing up the Digital Divide" website created and built by students from Horace Mann School in Oak Park, Illinois, USA and the International Community School of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The website highlights the importance of bridging the digital divide with innovative approaches as to how to make a positive impact. The team also shares their efforts to support the Bingerville Orphanage in Cote d'Ivoire providing computers, Internet access, books and French website resources to enhance student learning in a very challenging environment.

The Second Place winner in the primary school category is the "The Art of Living" website designed by Abraham Lincoln School in Oak Park, Illinois, USA; Riverside School in Prague, Czech Republic; and St. Mark's Senior Secondary School, Meera Bagh in New Delhi, India.

In Third Place of the primary school category is "Education: Hope for the Future" website presented by John Muir School in San Diego, California, USA; Tainan Municipal Haidong Elementary School in Tainan City, Taiwan; and Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya.

The secondary school category's Grand Prize winner is the "Food for All and All for Food" website presented by students at Philippine Science High School in Quezon City, Philippines; Ranji School in Bangkok, Thailand; and Denmark Empowerment Charter School in Denmark, Wisconsin, USA. The website highlights ways to combat world hunger as well as highlights foods from their respective cultures and the influences on cuisine from around the world.

The Second Place winner for the secondary school category is the "Stay Connected!" website developed by St Mark's Senior Secondary School, Meera Bagh in New Delhi, India; St. Paul Lutheran School in Farmington, Missouri, USA; and Gimnazjum No 4 in Gdynia, Poland.

In Third Place of the secondary school category is the "Enter the Creative World of Music" website created by Gladesmore Community School in London, United Kingdom; Percy Julian Middle School in Oak Park, Illinois, USA; and Belvedere Middle School in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Certificates of participation are awarded to all students. Plaques and cash awards are presented to the schools of the winning teams. The Grand Prize award is $3,000 for the winning primary school team and $3,000 for the secondary school team. The second place award is $1,500 for each winning team and the third place award is $750 to each team. Special Merit awards are also presented for exceptional academic merit, for significant helping focus accomplishments, for creativity, and for the innovative use of multimedia. Merit award winners receive software from Tech4Learning.com.

JoAnn Patrick-Ezzell, the Chairman and one of the co-founders of the Give Something Back International Foundation said, "Beyond the impressive accomplishments of the website projects, we are so pleased that the teams found a myriad of ways to give back to their schools, their communities, and to others around the world in very meaningful ways. This years winners represent wonderful diversity from around the world. They are from: India, United Kingdom, Philippines, Kenya, Czech Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Poland, Taiwan, and Thailand and, in the U.S. from California, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and New York. I would also like to express our sincere appreciation to AT&T for their great support of the GVC over the years - their commitment to supporting education projects around the world is truly inspiring."

To view the winning websites visit www.VirtualClassroom.org. Online applications for the 2011/12 program are also available on the site.

*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 Inc., Asia, India, Philippines, Software, Taiwan, Thailand.

This article was prepared by Journal of India editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Journal of India via VerticalNews.com.

NetLogic Microsystems Introduces the Industry's Most Powerful Multi-Core Control-Plane Processor for LTE Communications Infrastructure.(Company overview)

The XLP316 multi-core processor features an innovative quad-core, 16-issue, 16-threaded, superscalar architecture with out-of-order execution and superior L3 cache for the most demanding control plane processing requirements

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- NetLogic Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETL), a worldwide leader in high-performance intelligent semiconductor solutions for next-generation Internet networks, today announced the introduction of the newest member of its XLP([R]) processor family, the XLP316 processor which features a best-in-class quad-core, 16-issue, 16-threaded, superscalar processor architecture at up to 2.0GHz with out-of-order execution and superior L3 cache to address the most demanding control-plane processing requirements in communications, networking, storage and security applications.

Control-plane processing requirements in 3G/4G LTE mobile infrastructure are increasing exponentially due to the significant growth in signaling traffic from smartphones and tablets. Always-on mobile broadband applications that run on these data-centric devices make frequent connections to the network to check for updates to emails and social networking sites, as well as to perform other background processes. The accumulation of these frequent bursts of signaling traffic is placing an unprecedented burden on control-plane processing that requires new levels of processing horsepower while maximizing energy efficiency in next-generation mobile infrastructure equipment.

In addition, the industry migration to IPv6 networking, driven by the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses, is creating significantly higher control-plane processing requirements. Because IPv6 generates over 28 orders of magnitude more Internet addresses than its predecessor, this dramatically increases the burden on control-plane processing to manage and update the complex IPv6 databases.

NetLogic Microsystems' innovative XLP316 processor is ideally suited to address new levels of control-plane performance requirements by combining a powerful multi-core processor architecture with a high-performance floating point unit and a low latency tri-level cache architecture. When compared to competing quad-core processors with dual-issue and single-threading per core, in-order execution and missing L3 cache, the XLP316 delivers up to 400% higher control-plane processing performance, which enables original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to develop advanced, scalable systems for next-generation LTE and IPv6 networks.

"Having the industry's only quad-issue, quad-threaded communications processor family with on-chip L3 cache gives us an enormous competitive advantage to address the most demanding control-plane processing requirements," said Chris O'Reilly, vice president of marketing at NetLogic Microsystems. "The combination of the superior and highly optimized architecture along with the advanced 40nm process gives us further advantage in delivering the lowest power profile to meet our customers' stringent requirements."

NetLogic Microsystems' XLP316 multi-core processor integrates 16 NXCPUs[TM] which are fully cache and memory coherent for software applications to seamlessly run in Symmetric Multi Processing (SMP) or Asymmetric Multi Processing (AMP) modes. The 16 NXCPUs are efficiently interconnected via NetLogic Microsystems' high-speed, low-latency Enhanced Fast Messaging Network[TM] to support billions of in-flight messages and packet descriptors between all on-chip elements. The XLP316 multi-core processor offers a tri-level cache architecture with 4 Mbytes of L3 cache and over 6 Mbytes of fully coherent on-chip cache which delivers 40 Terabits per second (Tbps) of extremely high-speed on-chip memory bandwidth. The XLP316 processor also incorporates one channel of 72-bit DDR3 interconnect that yields over 100 Gbps of off-chip memory bandwidth.

In addition, the XLP316 multi-core processor integrates a wide range of high-speed networking interfaces, including:

* PCI-Express([R]) Gen2 4x1 or 1x4

* Eight Gigabit Ethernet (SGMII) channels

* Dual XAUI ports

* USB2.0

* XEN Hypervisor virtualization and I/O virtualization (SR-IOV)

NetLogic Microsystems' multi-core processor family is supported by a comprehensive software development kit (SDK) that contains reference and production-ready software components, which enables customers to accelerate time-to-market.

NetLogic Microsystems is now accepting orders for the XLP316 processors with standard lead times.

About NetLogic Microsystems

NetLogic Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETL) is a worldwide leader in high-performance intelligent semiconductor solutions that are powering next-generation Internet networks. NetLogic Microsystems' best-in-class products perform highly differentiated tasks of accelerating complex network traffic to significantly enhance the performance and functionality of advanced 3G/4G mobile wireless infrastructure, data center, enterprise, metro Ethernet, edge and core infrastructure networks. NetLogic Microsystems' market-leading product portfolio includes high-performance multi-core processors, knowledge-based processors, content processors, network search engines, ultra low-power embedded processors and high-speed 10/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet PHY solutions. These products are designed into high-performance systems such as switches, routers, wireless base stations, security appliances, networked storage appliances, service gateways and connected media devices offered by leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). NetLogic Microsystems is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has offices and design centers throughout North America, Asia and Europe. For more information about products offered by NetLogic Microsystems, call +1-408-454-3000 or visit the NetLogic Microsystems Web site at http://www.netlogicmicro.com.

NetLogic Microsystems, the NetLogic Microsystems logo, Putting Intelligence in the Network, XLP, NXCPU, and Fast Messaging Network are trademarks or registered trademarks of NetLogic Microsystems, Inc. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Yardi Systems products and services: extended value from one platform.(Interview)

What is your company's mission?

For nearly 30 years Yardi's mission has been to provide our clients with superior products and customer service, with a goal of using the latest technology and innovation to help them to improve their business with new best practices, increased productivity, more efficient growth and more effective competition.

How does your product or service set you apart from the competition?

Yardi Voyager is the only software system on the market that consolidates property management and accounting with front office solutions all within a single platform and database. When we add a new product to Voyager, we either build it from the ground up as part of the Voyager platform, or if we acquire a product we re-engineer it as part of Voyager. Our clients receive an unprecedented level of efficiency because we have eliminated the need to integrate multiple systems using interface applications.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Tell us about a recent success story that best defines your company's value proposition.

PRG Real Estate Management Inc. has been able to converge real-time property marketing, resident payments, utility billing management, call center services and many other processes into their Voyager platform. They told us that they respond to prospective renters dramatically faster, and by integrating all these resident-related processes they have been able to increase their occupancy as a result.

What new products/services have you introduced in the last 12 months and how will they meet client needs?

We have released our new rent pricing solution called Yardi RENTmaximizer[TM], an "open" system for price optimization that does not require special expertise and allows users to apply calculation factors and trending at their discretion and see the effect on calculations through a feedback loop. We launched Yardi Call Center[TM] last year to help our clients increase their occupancy and resident satisfaction with round-the-clock response for prospect and resident inquiries and assistance. We also launched our new Internet listing service called RENTCafe[TM] so that our Voyager clients can list their properties with the added benefit that leads will automatically appear as guest cards in the Voyager Leasing Dashboard. These are just a few of our latest products and services for multifamily.

What leading edge solutions are you providing to your clients that will improve their operations?

This year we will provide mobile solutions that will allow access without requiring a desktop or laptop computer. Prospective renters will more easily access property listings because they will be able to use their handheld devices to search for and lease apartments. Resident satisfaction will increase because residents can pay rent and submit work requests with mobile devices. Leasing agents will be able to show more apartments and be more resident-facing because they can process guest cards and applications while walking the community. Maintenance records will be more timely and accurate because maintenance engineers will be able to update work orders out in the field. Managers and executives will be able to make approvals and review performance reports from anywhere in the world.

Yardi Systems

430 S. Fairview Ave.

Santa Barbara, CA 93117

800/866-1144

805/699-2041

www.yardi.com

Key Contact

Terri Dowen

Senior Vice President of Sales

Product Categories

Property Management Software

Resident Screening

Utility Billing

Revenue Management

Internet Listing Service

Online Leasing

Payment Processing

Portals

Call Center

Procure to Pay

Valuation, Modeling and Forecasting

Investment Management

Cloud Services

The Nokia N900 Shipments Have Started.

The shipments of the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) N900, Nokia's latest mobile

computer based on open source Maemo 5 software, have now started. The Nokia N900 will be available in retail stores in November with an estimated retail price of EUR 500, excluding sales taxes and subsidies.

"The Nokia N900 has generated a lot of interest since its public launch in August, which has been reflected in the device preorders," says Jose-Luis Martinez, Vice President, Nseries, Nokia. "What's exciting is the Maemo software, which takes its cues from the desktop computer and offers a full browsing experience like no other handset. We believe the Nokia N900 will be a very compelling device for people who are passionate about technology."

At the heart of the Nokia N900 is its powerful ARM Cortex-A8 processor and up to 1GB of total application memory. Users can browse the internet the way they would on any computer and keep dozens of application windows open simultaneously on the dashboard. The panoramic desktops in the Nokia N900 can be personalized with widgets, contacts and shortcuts. Pictures and videos taken with the 5Mpx Carl Zeiss camera automatically show where they were taken, and users can add their own description tags to make searching the photos even easier. SMS and instant messages are organized as chat flow and people can convenienty switch between the multiple conversation windows. The built-in 32 GB storage is big enough to store up to 7,000 songs or 40 hours of DVD-quality video, and it can be expanded up to 48GB with an external microSD card.

Nokia works closely with the developer community and has recently seen significant innovation happening with Maemo. As a result, people will be able to discover a wide range of games, utilities, themes, panoramic wallpapers and service plug-ins for photo-sharing and messaging for the Nokia N900 through Ovi Store and Maemo Select, starting later in the year. In October Nokia announced official Qt port to Maemo 5. This means developers can use Qt software to target the Nokia N900 and that applications can be easily ported to all Qt's supported platforms including the next Maemo 6 release as well as Symbian.

The Nokia N900 will initially be available in Europe, Middle-East, Russia and North America. It is also possible to order the device from the Nokia Online Store: http://europe.nokia.com/buy-online

Keywords: Nokia Corporation, Computers, Desktop Computers, Leisure, Software, Technology.

This article was prepared by Computer Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Computer Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.

IT Expertise Highly Prized Asset.

The elegantly ambiguous phrase, "May you live in interesting times," certainly applies to the U.S. accounting profession today. Especially among firms that serve small business clients, the current landscape is interesting both in the sense of presenting tremendous opportunities for growth and harboring large challenges.

While the demand for their services is on the rise, accountants catering to the small-business clientele also face increased competition from large firms and software companies that are commoditizing tax services. This trend is accompanied by greater pressure for accounting practitioners to provide a comprehensive package of services at a set cost-in other words, value-based billing instead of an hourly rate. Also, the industry is still adjusting to the higher levels of scrutiny and demand for more transparent fiduciary practices required by Sarbanes-Oxley and other new federal regulations.

But amid these interesting challenges, the profession remains healthy and dynamic. The certified public accountant is still among clients' most trusted business advisers, and there is strong demand in the small-business market for CPAs to deliver more specialized and in-depth financial consulting services. Meeting this demand will require accounting professionals and their clients to collaborate more closely and effectively than ever.

Because accounting information is the lifeblood of a business, gaining fluid access to that information is critical for accountants to successfully support their clients. Thus, technology that facilitates seamless information sharing and collaboration will be indispensable to the accounting firm of the future. Also, many small businesses are looking to their accountant as a trusted adviser on technology as well, which presents another interesting set of challenges and opportunities to expand the accounting practice's traditional base of services.

Collaboration

Accounting software integrated with other business systems and the Web is dramatically changing how accountants interact with their clientele. By making information more easily accessible and shareable, these technologies enable accountants to provide higher-quality services to clients in the same amount of time-or even less-than they would spend even just a few years ago.

Security Regulatory Compliance

Safeguarding businesses' sensitive financial data, which has always been a top concern to accounting professionals, is now even more challenging in the Internet age. The same technologies that make information sharing so fast and easy also expose clients and firms to considerable risk from unauthorized access. However, threats such as Internet viruses, worms, and hacking can be minimized by choosing an accounting software package with proven, built-in security features that complement other protective measures within the small business's IT system.

Expanded Services, Higher Value

Accounting technology can be a tremendous asset here. The high level of trust that small businesses already place in their accountant opens the door for firms to market their expertise on choosing an accounting software package, training employees to use the software and even helping clients adjust their business practices to get more value from the technology.

What Else?

In addition to these traits of a comprehensive and effective accounting software solution, accountants and their small-business clients should have a few other criteria on their checklist when evaluating current and future technology products: Easy to use, GAAP compliant, and backed by comprehensive training and support. Change is nothing new to the accounting profession, and its practitioners know the importance of continually updating their knowledge on behalf of clients. As information technology in general continues growing ever more prevalent and fundamental to business success, so too is accounting software as it becomes easier to learn and use. Accountants who actively seek ways to apply software throughout their practices will stand a better chance of increasing their client rosters as well as deepening clients' allegiance.

Future prospects like those should make for interesting times in the best sense.

Bob Lewis is Senior Marketing Manager, Accounting Professionals for Microsoft's U.S. Small Business group. Visit the company's Web site at www.microsoft.com.

(c) 2005 Accounting Technology and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.webcpa.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

The Record, Stockton, Calif., agricultural briefs column.

Jul. 26--AGRICULTURAL HALL OF FAME SEEKS NOMINATIONS: STOCKTON, Calif. -- Nominations of outstanding farm community leaders and mentors are being sought for the San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Now in its 20th year, the hall honors individuals in agriculture who have made significant contributions to the industry and their community.

Those inducted last year were Robert L. Clark, owner of Clark Well Inc.; James Edwards, a multiple-crop grower; Adrian Fondse, a multiple-crop grower and water-issues leader; Herb Speckman, an asparagus grower and manager; and Edward Dinsdale, who was honored posthumously.

Nomination forms are available from Stockton Ag Expo, a project of the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, and must be submitted by Aug. 13. Information: (209) 547-2960

GIRL WINS ANGUS HONORS: Megan Wright of Acampo took top honors in the owned-female category at the Northwest Regional Preview Junior Angus Show on June 25 in Prineville, Ore. Her entry, PT Panache 203 was named grand champion at the competition sponsored by the American Angus Association.

WINERY NAMES BOARD MEMBER: Chris Day, chief executive of Food and Beverage Australia Ltd., an Australian vineyard development and management firm, was elected to the board of Delicato Family Vineyards.

That appointment is expected to bring Delicato -- based in Napa with major operations in Manteca and Monterey County -- Day's experience in global wine markets and strategic planning, said Chris Indelicato, chief executive in a statement.

Day helped found FABAL 22 years ago. He had also served for four years as chief executive of Berren Asset Management Ltd, which managed the International Wine Investment Fund, Australia's largest publicly listed such fund, Previously, he served 9 years as head of planning and development with BRL Hardy Ltd., Australia's largest wine producer, now part of Constellation Brands.

Delicato is the eighth largest winery by volume in the United States. Privately held and operated by the Indelicato family, its brands include Delicato Family Vineyards, Monterra and Clay Station.

WINE SERVICE UPDATES WEB SITE: LODI, Calif. -- Lodi Winery Laboratory, offering wine testing service and wine-making supplies to both commercial and home winemakers, has launched its redesigned Web site, allowing customers to order equipment and supplies over the Internet and manage their accounts.

The site, www.lodiwinerylaboratory.com, allows customers to open and manage their accounts and order a wide variety of small-lot winemaking gear and materials, from sampling and lab equipment to wine yeasts, nutrient and other supplies.

The new site was created by AgriDesigns, a Lodi firm offering Web- and graphic-design services to agriculture and other industries.

To see more of The Record, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.recordnet.com.

(c) 20042, The Record, Stockton, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Miniature paintings: small size, big impact!(Essay)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Instead of painting the usual still life of fruits, vegetables and shiny bottles, why not try a small project that makes a big impact? I'm talking about miniature tabletop paintings that imitate master works of art.

My class was finishing up large (36" x 36") canvas paintings, and I wanted to do something a little different. I recalled a painting assignment when I was in art school that involved researching a master painter and then replicating the work on a smaller scale.

So, with this idea in mind, I approached my students with the concept to get their reaction. They were all for it, especially since their previous project had been so large.

The first step was to spend some time in the media center researching master painters and viewing their works. Students looked through my assortment of books, library reference books and the Internet for inspiration. They kept notations (as they learned to use visual characteristics to group paintings into historical, social and cultural contexts), made copies and downloaded images, creating a collection of works from which to choose.

After finalizing their selections, they made 11" x 14" prints by scanning the images, or downloading from the Web, then resizing in Photoshop. I wanted students to have a larger version to work from since their paintings, though varied in size based on the painting being imitated, were approximately 7" x 5".

Students drew just enough of the basic shapes in the painting, and then, using acrylics, began the process of "imitating" the work as close to the artist's style as possible.

The students' selections ranged from Monet's Impressionistic work to Kandinsky's abstracts. Several were drawn to Hopper's realistic urban and architectural scenes. Ongoing observations and individual and class critiques made it evident that my students were "thinking" like painters, and understanding why their chosen artist painted in a certain style, chose the subject matter they did and used various painting techniques.

As the projects progressed, I enjoyed observing students' transition from working very large to working very small. Several commented that they found painting on a small scale more challenging than the previous 36" x 36" paintings. I was extremely pleased and amazed at their attention to even the smallest of details.

After the paintings were completed, students made frames using metal tooling. Designs were embossed into the metal using a wooden stylus, and acrylic paints were applied, with the excess paint wiped away to reveal the embossed textural effects. The foil was then cut into strips and wrapped around frames cut from poster board.

The completed paintings were displayed on easels cut from mat-board scraps. The miniature paintings made a big impact when they were exhibited at the school art show.

LESSON DESCRIPTION

This lesson focuses on the students' ability to learn to identify style, subject matter, themes and content in painting through the study of historical paintings, and the application of various painting techniques in the replication of a historical artwork.

Color theory principles and the fundamental elements and principles of design will be reviewed and reinforced through the process and production of miniature painting "reproductions."

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students apply media, techniques and processes with sufficient skill, confidence and sensitivity that their intentions are carried out in their artworks.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

High-school students will ...

* use visual characteristics to group paintings into historical, social and cultural contexts.

* find meaning in historical paintings by analyzing, critiquing and evaluating selected artworks.

* experiment with a variety of painting techniques and processes.

* explore color theory principles and the elements and principles of design in the re-creation of a historical painting.

* reflect and respond to aesthetic qualities in their artwork and that of historical painters.

* interpret and evaluate their artwork and that of historical artists.

MATERIALS

* Canvas paper or panels

* Acrylic paints

* Assorted resources, including art books, posters, prints and various websites

* Mat and poster-board scraps (for easels)

* Metal tooling foil

* Stylus

* Utility knives

* Variety of brushes

Bill Hicks is a visual arts teacher at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina.

Web site aims to help improve OR safety.(PRACTICE TRENDS)

It's a simple idea, but it could help save millions of lives: a Web site helping hospitals and surgeons worldwide improve surgical outcomes by making a commitment to implement proven protocols in their operating rooms, to share ideas, and to receive feedback on what works best.

Called ORReady, the grass roots project is the brainchild of Dr. Paul Alan Wetter, founder and chairman of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. Inspired by the humble beginnings of Facebook and the power of collaboration in the Human Genome Project, Dr. Wetter decided that his idea--a global effort to improve surgical outcomes -would be just as feasible, because "smart doctors around the world can get together and do it." No bureaucracy. No big dollar budget.

Launched in early 2010, the project is still in its infancy, and the Web site (www.orready.com) is still maturing. But the power of it all, he said in an interview, lies in the number of people who know about it and use it.

"There are many examples of people who have really improved outcomes in surgery with increased use of safety measures," said Dr. Wetter, who is an ob.gyn. in South Miami, Fla., and an internationally recognized leader in the field of minimally invasive surgery.

He hopes that by sharing OR safety information, there will be at least a 2%-3% improvement in outcomes. That's six million lives saved worldwide each year. He hopes that hospitals, medical societies, and surgical centers worldwide will sign onto this effort within the coming years.

He admits that this is a lofty goal. But he also believes that the increasing emphasis on improving patient safety will help the initiative take off. Add to that the power of technology and collaboration: "[The] world is becoming a small place and information is disseminated quickly," said Dr. Wetter, who is also clinical professor emeritus at the University of Miami.

ORReady is a nonprofit project and is run by members and institutions that have volunteered their time and resources. The Web site follows the Creative Commons guidelines. "We encourage you to copy and use any materials that will help improve surgical outcome and create centers of merit in surgery and MIS [minimally invasive surgery]." It encourages hospitals and departments to download and sign an "Outcome Commitment Letter," to choose from a set of protocols on the Web site that suit their operating rooms, and to register as an ORReady center of merit.

The guidelines suggest several main steps for surgeons and their teams: "Slow Down for Warm Up and Check Lists; Stop for Time Out before you Go." A stoplight on the site sums up the message.

Soon, participants can register with an open-access database that can be used for sharing data, doing research to improve outcomes, and providing feedback. The school of biological and health systems engineering at Arizona State University, Tempe, has offered to help create the database.

"Information goes in; information comes out. We want to know about that [information] and we want to distribute it. Each hospital then can choose what works for them," he said.

Dr. Wetter said that so far, he has approached a handful of institutions in the United States and abroad and has received a unanimously positive response.

"Using the power of the Internet to get ideas in one place is a great idea," said Dr. Darrell A. Campbell Jr., the chief medical officer of the University of Michigan Medical System, who is not involved in the project. "I can support that wholeheartedly."

His only concern, he said, was that procedures and processes that worked for one institution might now apply to another; more research and hands-on evaluation might be needed before the process can be implemented.

The project recently won its first award. The Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons won the 2011 Alliance for Continuing Medical Education Great Idea Award in the Medical Specialty Societies Member section for introducing ORReady as a way to encourage surgical facilities to improve CME for improved surgical outcomes.

"We're looking for things that are best practices, are innovative, and that other people may want to replicate, adapt, [and] consider using," Jann Balmer, Ph.D., president of the Alliance, said in an interview.

"It's very exciting to do this and see this great enthusiasm," said Dr. Wetter. "For almost any doctor, the main concern is the safety of their patients."

Dr. Wetter is now focusing on spreading the word and making more surgeons and hospitals aware of and involved in ORReady. "The more people that know about this, the more successful it's going to be."

He hopes to see his project make an impact within the next few years.

Angels' deal flow strong.

Byline: Mark Fenton-Jones

Mar 07, 2011 (The Australian Financial Review - ABIX via COMTEX) -- Sydney Angels revealed internet ventures mostly applied for investment in 2010 but they were not the only companies to win funding. Four investments were approved in 2010, with two close to completion and two undergoing due diligence. Companies applied for capital from $250,000 to $500,000.

Publication Date: 8 March 2011

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