BizRocket.com Develops Free Parental Filter

Wireless News
08-09-2011
BizRocket.com Develops Free Parental Filter
Type: News

BizRocket.com announced that in light of recent studies of precipitous growth in pre-teen social networking, it will launch an online marketing campaign which speaks to pre-teens with a focus on parents and schools.

According to BizRocket.com, social network spending is expected to reach $6 billion this year. The social networking market for kids age 13 and under is estimated at over one billion ($1,000,000,000) dollars per year and growing. BizRocket.com is committed to earn a significant share of that revenue stream for shareholders and provide a safe Internet experience for pre-teens. BizRocket.com projects annual revenues to exceed $50 million by third year of full operations.
A new survey shows that despite age restrictions on some social media sites, the number of parents who would allow children 10-12 years old to have a Facebook or MySpace account has doubled in a year.

KidzRocket WebFilter parental control module offers home users with features designed to help protect the young or more sensitive members of the family from pre-defined potentially offensive web and email content. When on the Internet, parents know which websites and categories their children have attempted to access.

The free KidzRocket WebFilter module allows the administrator of a family's home PC to control the types of images and other content that can be viewed both online and embedded within emails. Utilizing the F4i real-time image composition analysis (ICA) engine, KidzRocket WebFilter enables a home PC to become an advanced "content censor" without relying solely upon the dated (and often less effective) 'black & white' list approach employed by many less advanced systems.

KidzRocket.com was invented to meet the national challenge to help protect children from Internet predators, cyberbullying, and various inappropriate Internet related content. KidzRocket.com complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. KidzRocket.com is a subsidiary of BizRocket.com.

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

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

Qld: Second Gateway Bridge announced

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2005
Qld: Second Gateway Bridge announced

BRISBANE, Feb 17 AAP - The Queensland government today announced plans to duplicate
the Gateway Bridge over the Brisbane River.

Transport Minister Paul Lucas said work on the second Gateway Bridge would begin next
year and was expected to be completed in 2011.

The new bridge will be built near the existing bridge, which opened in 1986.

The Gateway Bridge is part of the Gateway Motorway which links the Gold Coast and Sunshine
Coast and is a major connecting road to Brisbane Airport.

AAP nt/sc/cjh/jlw

KEYWORD: GATEWAY

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

FED:Rudd heads to Vietnam, Germany

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2011
FED:Rudd heads to Vietnam, Germany

CANBERRA, April 11 AAP - Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd is jetting off again - this time
to Vietnam and Germany.

Mr Rudd will leave Australia on Tuesday ahead of meetings with Vietnam's foreign minister,
prime minister and president in Hanoi.

The primary focus of the meetings will be the future of the East Asia Summit and the
growing bilateral relationship.

Mr Rudd will also open a new section of RMIT's campus in Ho Chi Minh City and lay a
wreath at Long Tan, ahead of this month's Anzac Day.

Mr Rudd will then travel to Berlin for a NATO foreign ministers meeting on Afghanistan.

Mr Rudd will meet on the sidelines with Afghan foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul.

"It also provides us with an opportunity to reiterate to all 48 participating states
that we're there until the completion of this task," Mr Rudd told AAP on Monday.

Events in Libya are also likely to feature in talks.

AAP ag/sn

KEYWORD: RUDD

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

VIC:Ticket inspectors 'used excessive force'

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2010
VIC:Ticket inspectors 'used excessive force'

A Victorian Ombudsman's report says public transport ticket inspectors have repeatedly
used excessive force against passengers in the course of their duties.

The report by Ombudsman GEORGE BROUWER has been tabled in the Victorian parliament
and follows close to 200 complaints to his office between 2008 and 2009 about public transport
infringements notices.

Mr BROUWER says his office has received CCTV footage that shows instances .. where
authorised officers behaved inappropriately towards passengers or used excessive force
against them.

AAP RTV jrd/wz

KEYWORD: TICKETS (MELBOURNE)

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

QLD:CBD bank robbed

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2010
QLD:CBD bank robbed

BRISBANE, Aug 13 AAP - A lone man has staged an armed bank robbery in Brisbane's CBD, police say.

The man, who was allegedly armed, held up the ANZ bank in Creek Street before 11.30am
(AEST) on Friday.

There were no customers inside the bank during the alleged robbery, a police spokeswoman said.

Investigations were ongoing, she said.

AAP stg/pjo/de

KEYWORD: BANK

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

The main stories on today's 2200 702 ABC News

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-2010
The main stories on today's 2200 702 ABC News

SYDNEY, April 5 AAP - Main stories in today's 2200 702 ABC news:



- The Taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack on the US Consulate in the north-west
Pakistani city of Peshawar.

- More than 100 Chinese miners, trapped for a week, have been pulled to the surface.

- A 68-year-old man is dead after hitting his hit head on rocks and drowning near Portland
in Victoria.

- Maritime Safety Queensland is looking at extending its areas after the Barrier Reef
tanker disaster.

- Scientists are using new technology to find victims, still missing after September 11.



- SPORT: Geelong has come from behind to beat Hawthorn in the AFL; Souths beat the
Bulldogs, and Penrith defeats Newcastle in the NRL.



AAP RTV aw/ajw/

KEYWORD: MONITOR 2200 702 ABC

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

WA: West Atlas oil rig faces fire danger

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2009
WA: West Atlas oil rig faces fire danger

PERTH, Aug 23 AAP - The risk of a fire erupting is the biggest danger facing authorities
trying to cap an oil and gas rig spill off Australia's northwest coast on Sunday.

At least one ship has been given approval to use a spray to minimise the fire risk
while a Hercules aircraft, hired by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), will
be allowed to fly near the rig to drop a chemical aimed at cleaning up the spill.

Experts from around the world have been flown in to Perth to devise a plan to cap the
30-metre wide spill that has grown to at least 12 kilometres.

The West Atlas rig, about 250km off the far north Kimberley coast in the Timor Sea,
began spewing oil and gas on Friday morning but started showing signs of stabilising on
Saturday.

Owned by Norwegian company Seadrill and operated by Thai-based PTTEP Australasia, the
rig is now in the middle of a 37km exclusion zone.

The rig was safely evacuated with all 69 workers escaping injury. Another seven initially
stayed behind to deal with the emergency.

It's not known what caused the spill, but it's believed to have occurred in wells up
to 3,500 metres below the rig, PTTEP chief financial officer Jose Martins said on Saturday.

"Because they are so deep, that's why it's difficult to identify what's going on," he said.

"The leak emanates probably from 2,500 metres below the ocean floor and is coming up
through the well platform ... and the West Atlas drilling rig is sitting alongside the
platform."

Mr Martins said there was as yet no means of gauging the extent of the environmental
damage caused by the spill.

AAP sbl/gfr/sn/cdh

KEYWORD: SPILL (FILE PIX AVAILABLE)

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

Fed:Deported ABC journo talks of incredible intimidation in Fiji

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2009
Fed:Deported ABC journo talks of incredible intimidation in Fiji

SYDNEY, April 14 AAP - Fiji is a country ruled by military government intimidation,
says an Australian journalist deported from the Pacific nation.

In the past five days the military regime has gained more power after the country's
constitution was dissolved, its judiciary sacked and the Reserve Bank taken over, and
local media has been heavily censored.

The Fiji government, under the leadership of Commodore Frank Bainimarama, had veteran
ABC correspondent Sean Dorney deported from Nadi on the first Australia-bound flight on
Tuesday.

He touched down in Sydney just after midday (AEST).

"There is an incredible amount of intimidation going on there at the moment," Mr Dorney
told reporters in Sydney.

"There's no disturbances in the street, there's no carry on, ... the military really
has the country under the thumb.

"Under these regulations there's ... no judges so you can't contest anything, you can't
take anything to court.

"It's total military control at the moment."

Mr Dorney was one of a number of journalists caught up in the latest military government
crackdown.

New Zealand television journalist Sia Aston and cameraman Matt Smith were also deported,
and a Fijian journalist was arrested for giving footage to another New Zealand television
network.

Mr Dorney was approached by Fijian immigration officials after one of his stories went
to air in Fiji on the Australia Network.

"I got a phone call from ... a senior immigration official saying: 'Sean, we want to
discuss your reporting with you, could you come into the office?'," Mr Dorney said.

After refusing to leave the country voluntarily, Mr Dorney had his mobile phone confiscated
and was held for several hours.

"I said `my job here is to report what is going on. I'm not going to leave voluntarily,
I've got a visa that's valid for a few more days yet. If you want me to go, I will comply
but I'm not going to go voluntarily'," he said.

Mr Dorney said at no time during his deportation did he fear for his safety.

"I never felt at any stage ... that I was under physical threat,"Mr Dorney said.

"We were not roughly treated but they did insist on having a look at all our cameras,
having a look at what we had shot and they ordered the cameraman from New Zealand ...

to delete everything he had shot."

Mr Dorney said he planned to return to his Brisbane home but had not ruled out returning
to Fiji in the future.

"It's a story that needs to be covered and at the moment it's going to be exceptionally
difficult for someone to cover it," he said.

AAP ad/hn/jpm/mn

KEYWORD: FIJI MEDIA DORNEY

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

SA: Main stories in today's Adelaide newspapers

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2008
SA: Main stories in today's Adelaide newspapers

ADELAIDE, Dec 9 AAP - The main stories in today's Adelaide Advertiser:

Page 1: The death of champion marathon runner Kerryn McCann from breast cancer serves
as a warning to other Australian women.

Page 2: Australia welcomed 16,000 fewer international visitors in October.

Page 3: Santos dismisses rumours of a Chinese-led takeover.

World: Pakistan security forces arrest a man alleged to be a mastermind of the Mumbai
attacks (Islamabad). Thailand's main opposition party seeks an emergency parliamentary
session to prove its majority and form the next government (Bangkok). US president-elect
Barack Obama calls for a grand new approach for fighting terrorism in south Asia (Washington).

Finance: Santos rejects takeover rumours. Qantas boss Alan Joyce admits the merger
talks with British Airways may come to nothing. Australian share market up four per cent.

Sport: Port Adelaide looking for a good start to the next AFL season after posting
a $1.4 million loss in 2008. Mark Sorell looking to stay on as South Australian cricket
coach. South Africa the biggest challenge yet to the Australian Test cricket team says
chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch.

AAP tjd/ss

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS SA

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

Main stories in today's 3AW news

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2008
Main stories in today's 3AW news

MELBOURNE, August 2 AAP - Main stories in today's 3AW news:

- Brewing giant Fosters has been fined more than $1 million over a fatal safety breach.

- Pressure is growing on Collingwood to sack players Heath Shaw and Alan Didak for lying.

- Australia's Olympic athletes are training again today in Beijing surrounded by thick smog.

- The two main Olympic ticket fraud sites have been taken down.

- An elderly man is fighting for his life after being stabbed in his Thornbury home this morning.

- Information on speed camera calibration will be publicly released.

- Two players will face the AFL tribunal tonight. Geelong's Darren Milburn and Carlton's
Steven Browne.

- Police killer Bandali Debs is appealing against his conviction and sentence for the
murder of a teenage sex worker.

- The Rudd government is being urged to buy back water for the Murray River in one go.

- Actor Morgan Freeman will be out of action for three to four months after rolling his car.

- Melbourne model Sally Graham has jetted home from Milan to be the face of Spring Fashion Week.

- The All Ordinaries Index is down 92 points to 4865. The Australian dollar is at US92.71 cents.

- AFL North Melbourne has re-signed Drew Petrie for another three years.

AAP kn/gfr

KEYWORD: MONITOR 3AW 1200

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

Fed: Hockey defends coalition's economic credentials

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2008
Fed: Hockey defends coalition's economic credentials

The RUDD government's been accused of lifting Australia's inflation problem to the
pre-Nazi state of the German economy in the early 1930s.

Former industrial relations minister JOE HOCKEY has defended the HOWARD government's
economic credentials saying he's happy to take responsibility for delivering the most
prosperous economy in modern times.

But the Labor government in recent weeks has repeatedly blamed the former coalition
government for soaring inflation levels which have prompted the Reserve Bank to lift interest
rates.

Mr HOCKEY says Australia's inflation problem is not like the Weimar Republic level
that WAYNE SWAN and KEVIN RUDD want everyone to believe.

Labor has warned it's tightening spending to bring inflation into line by setting up
a razor gang to find 10 billion dollars in savings over four years.

But Mr HOCKEY says that's nothing to boast about in a one trillion dollar economy in
which governments spend 250 billion dollars each year.

AAP RTV kc/rl/crh/bart

KEYWORD: ECONOMY HOCKEY (CANBERRA)

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

Fed: Justin Timberlake shows sell out in minutes

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2007
Fed: Justin Timberlake shows sell out in minutes

SYDNEY, Aug 24 AAP - Australian fans have jumped at the chance to see pop star Justin
Timberlake bring sexy back Down Under.

Tickets to the singer's Melbourne and Sydney shows were all snapped up in less than
15 minutes after going on sale this morning, prompting promoters to add second shows.

Timberlake's two Auckland shows also sold out in less than an hour.

His Australian and New Zealand tour takes in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne,
Perth and Auckland in late October and early November.

A Grammy Award-winning artist with boy band N'Sync, Timberlake has skyrocketed to solo
stardom with two albums and hits such as Sexyback and Rock Your Body.

It has been three years since he performed in Australia.

This time he will be backed by an 11-piece band and team of dancers.

Timberlake's latest album FutureSex/LoveSounds, his second solo release, hit stores
in 2006 and debuted at number one on the Australian and US charts.

It has sold almost eight million copies worldwide.

AAP acb/evt/de

KEYWORD: TIMBERLAKE

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

NSW: Missing bushwalkers found unharmed

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2007
NSW: Missing bushwalkers found unharmed

SYDNEY, April 10 AAP - Three bushwalkers missing in a national park west of Sydney
have been found cold and hungry but unhurt.

The men, all in their 20s, left Sydney about 7am (AEST) on Friday to go bushwalking
and camping in the Kanangra Boyd National Park, near Oberon, police said.

They had been expected to return to Sydney by Sunday afternoon and were reported missing
yesterday after failing to return.

A police spokeswoman said the trio were winched to safety after being located by the
PolAir helicopter in the park about 9.30am (AEST) today.

The men were cold and hungry, but unharmed, she said.

State Emergency Service and police began looking for the group today after their vehicle
was found in a car park at the entrance to the national park yesterday.

AAP kjd/evt/de

KEYWORD: WALKERS LEAD

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

Fed: Howard dismisses talk of Hanson comeback

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2006
Fed: Howard dismisses talk of Hanson comeback

CANBERRA, Dec 8 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard does not believe One Nation founder
Pauline Hanson will make a successful political comeback.

Ms Hanson this week said she would run in next year's federal election - and expressed
her concerns about the number of "black South Africans" infected with AIDS emigrating
to Australia.

She also claims Australians are being banned from swimming in public baths because
of the sensitivities of Muslims.

Asked if he thought Ms Hanson would be successful again at the polls, Mr Howard told
Southern Cross Broadcasting today: "I don't think so, but that will be for the voters.

"I don't believe that people are very interested in what she is saying now."

Mr Howard said that while he was critical of "zealous multiculturalism", he did not
believe people should be singled out for their race or religion.

"I don't think particular groups should be targeted," Mr Howard said.

"You know the strength of my feeling about a cohesive Australian culture and my beliefs
that when people come to this country they should become Australians and I have always
been very critical of zealous multiculturalism as you know over the years.

"But I don't think it really helps to target people by reference to their race or their
religion.".

Mr Howard said that as long as people behaved like "good Australians" it did not matter
what the colour of their skin was or which god they worshipped.

"I'd like to believe that we treat people according to how they behave and if they
behave like Australians and are good Australians the fact that they are black or of a
different religion from what I might be doesn't matter," he said.

AAP nb/it/bwl

KEYWORD: HANSON HOWARD

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

WA: WA government going to IRC over police pay dispute

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2006
WA: WA government going to IRC over police pay dispute

The West Australian government will ask the state's Industrial Relations Commission
to conciliate .. in its pay dispute with police.

The WA Police Union wants a 20 per cent pay rise over two years .. but the government's
offering only 12.5 per cent over three years.

Employment Protection Minister JOHN BOWLER says the government has gone to the independent
umpire .. because negotiations with the union have stalled.

Police began industrial action over the dispute several weeks ago .. working to rule
and implementing bans on unpaid overtime and single officer patrols.

AAP RTV ag/wf/bart

KEYWORD: POLICE WA (PERTH)

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

HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:00, Feb 11

AAP General News (Australia)
02-11-2006
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:00, Feb 11



AWB

SYDNEY - A former intelligence officer says it was impossible for the federal government
not to have known kickbacks were being paid by AWB to Saddam Hussein's regime. (AWB Reid)

CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard has denied he was ever committed to ending AWB's
wheat export monopoly. (AWB Monopoly Lead)

(Nightlead to come)



TROOPS

SYDNEY - Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are being put at risk by faults
in their clothing. (Troops)

SYDNEY - A full audit is needed of the Defence agency charged with buying combat clothing
after reports Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are being put at risk by defective
gear, including helmets, Labor says. (Troops Labor)

CANBERRA - Australian troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have some of the best equipment
in the world, the chief of the army said today. (Troops Leahy to come)

(Nightlead to come)



MELBOURNE - A health reform package unveiled this week would do little to address the
increasing gap in health services available for the rich and the poor, a group of Australian
doctors said today. (COAG DRS)



BRISBANE - The tragedy of patients dying at Bundaberg Hospital would never have happened
if the COAG agreements were in place 20 years ago, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie says.

(COAG Beattie to come)



SYDNEY - NSW Premier Morris Iemma has again apologised over a derogatory comment about
the new chief executive of Sydney's Cross City Tunnel, saying he wished he'd chosen better
words. (Iemma to come)



HOBART - Telstra boss Sol Trujillo should open his private National party briefing
to at least one Tasmanian to get a true picture of telecommunications problems facing
rural Australians, a Tasmanian Labor MP says. (Telstra Tas)



SYDNEY - A man has died in a caravan fire on the New South Wales central coast. (Caravan)



MELBOURNE - A 38-year-old man died from head injuries in a water-skiing accident on
the Murray River in Victoria. (Skiing, Lead)



BRISBANE - A 34-year-old man died when his utility and a semi-trailer collided in north
Queensland. (Toll Qld)



BRISBANE, Feb 11 AAP - Sorry about that officer. A man who police say was under the
weather has allegedly driven his car into a brick pillar outside a Queensland police station.

(Car, Lead)



ADELAIDE - A woman died after a car in which she was travelling collided with a Harley
Davidson at West Richmond in Adelaide's west. (Toll SA)



HOBART - Ten people have been arrested at an anti-live sheep export protest in Tasmania.

(Sheep to come)



AAP sd

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

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

potassium chloride

potassium chloride A white crystalline solid, KCl, which is soluble in water and very slightly soluble in ethanol; cubic; r.d. 1.98; m.p. 772°C; sublimes at 1500°C. Potassium chloride occurs naturally as the mineral sylvite (KCl) and as carnallite (KCl.MgCl₂.6H₂O); it is produced industrially by fractional crystallization of these deposits or of solutions from lake brines. It has the interesting property of being more soluble than sodium chloride in hot water but less soluble in cold. It is used as a fertilizer, in photography, and as a source of other potassium salts, such as the chlorate and the hydroxide. It has low toxicity.

Balancing helps boutique owner live her dream

Krista Meyers has achieved what many women only dream about.

The Glencoe resident not only owns her own businesses — the stylish Krista K and Krista K Maternity + Baby boutiques on Southport Avenue in Chicago — but she's just hit the nine-year anniversary for Krista K, a notable accomplishment in a tough economy that has not been kind to some Chicago area boutiques.

Perhaps even more remarkable is that she's done all this and given birth to three kids during this period: son Mason, now 7, and daughters Marley, 5, and Reese, 3.

Her success is best explained by a walk through the upstairs floor of her original Krista K boutique at 3458 N. Southport. Filled with natural light from ample windows, the shop showcases adorable tops, dresses and more on perfectly spaced racks. Head toward the back of the store and you'll find a toy box full of toys, which seems out of place in a place so chic. Yet for Meyers, 39, it makes perfect sense because her customers juggle the same challenges she does.

"I feel very fortunate to have a successful business and healthy kids," a cheery Meyers said while munching on a portobello sandwich at Julius Meinl, a favorite neighborhood spot. "The challenge is how to juggle it and get that right — there are blurred lines sometimes."

Meyers, recently featured as one of Chicago's "power moms" in Michigan Avenue magazine, has known she wanted to own her own business since college at the University of Pennsylvania ­— she completed her Master's of Business Administration at Northwestern University. Between the two educational experiences she learned marketing and writing a business plan, among other business skills.

Meyers consulted for Williams-Sonoma and Levi Strauss & Co., both in San Francisco, in the late 1990s, working on projects such as creating an online presence for Williams-Sonoma. That was more difficult than it sounds given the retailers reputation for high-quality fabrics and materials. The challenge was to parlay that "high touch" experience to the Internet when the fledging online retail world was just emerging.

Meyer and her husband, who is a Glencoe native (she was born in Chicago but lived in cities around the country growing up), settled in Chicago and lived in the Southport neighborhood, leading to her decision to open the boutique in the then up-and-coming neighborhood. It had limited shopping choices at the time she opened Krista K in 2002.

Krista K has thrived because of some lucky breaks, smart decisions, loyal clients and knowing what customers needed.

A decision to include a small assortment of stylish maternity wear met an untapped need for stylish, flexible clothing that could work during pregnancies and afterward – styles that would be forgiving to the postpartum body.

Other breaks included being the exclusive retailer for designer Liz Lange before Target sold a Liz Lange maternity line. It got to the point where Meyer didn't have enough maternity inventory to satisfy customer demand, so she opened Krista K Maternity just up the street at 3530 N. Southport a few years later. Her businesses went online in 2008.

To stay sane, Meyer has learned to juggle her personal and work lives. She carves out time for herself by running with girlfriends; she most recently ran in the Memorial Day weekend Soldier Field 10-mile race.

Meyer and her husband take at least one trip a year as a couple and two trips a year with the kids. Sundays are usually family movie nights. She can drop her kids off at school and duck out of work in the afternoon to get them.

"You just have to have balance," she said.

Other tricks she's learned to help her survive: putting the BlackBerry in her car in the evening until the kids are in bed. Learning to enjoy all aspects of her business, from working with customers on the sales floor (she wishes she had more time for this) to traveling to New York and Los Angeles to choose inventory. Most important might be listening to what her customers want, such as the maternity business or, more recently, developing a service for assessing clients' closets and wardrobes. It's a growing niche in the retail industry. Her business evolves as her customers do.

"Shopping was a bit more of a hobby [when Krista K first opened]," she said. "There's a little bit less of that now. People do a lot more shopping online or get information online — including Facebook. In nine years, it's changed so much."

Find both shops online at KristaK.com.

Tamara Bell

Pull Quote: "Shopping was a bit more of a hobby [when Krista K first opened]. There's a little bit less of that now. People do a lot more shopping online or get information online — including Facebook. In nine years, it's changed so much." Krista Kaur MeyersName here, jlkjlk

L90 Announces Board Change.

LOS ANGELES -- L90, Inc. , an online media and direct marketing company, today announced that Mark Roah, a founder of the company, resigned yesterday from the company's Board of Directors, citing personal reasons. The company currently does not intend to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Roah's resignation.

About L90

L90 is an online media and direct marketing company that works with marketers and publishers to build valuable relationships with customers on the Internet. L90 provides advertisers with brand name sites, network reach, and innovative programs for online advertising and direct marketing. L90 has advertising representation relationships with Web sites that are grouped into targeted channels, such as Automotive, Entertainment and Travel, which offer marketers an attractive platform to target consumers. The company also creates innovative advertising programs that include a suite of digital marketing tools, called ProfiTools. ProfiTools include sponsorships, opt-in e-mail, newsletters, content integration, micro-sites and sweepstakes and help marketers achieve their goals of branding, customer acquisition, sales, traffic and customer retention. Headquartered in Los Angeles, L90 has additional offices in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, and Seattle.

MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here

http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X81694637

Contact: Tom Sebastian of L90, Inc., +1-415-354-2813, toms@L90.com

PHS Health Plans Names Daniel Sauer as Regional Vice President of Sales & New Business.

Business Editors

SHELTON, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 11, 2001

Daniel Sauer has been named to the newly created position of regional vice president of Sales & New Business for PHS Health Plans, one of the largest health plans in the greater New York region.

Sauer will be responsible for expanding and managing commercial employer business in each market segment except small employers for the Company's operations in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Sauer joins PHS Health Plans from ChannelPoint, Inc., where he has been serving in a national sales and management role. Based in New York City, he has been managing national sales activity and focusing on e-commerce solutions, working with insurers, brokers, consultants and agents. He previously was sales director for Prudential HealthCare in New York, where he rose through the sales organization, beginning as an account executive in 1994. Prior to that, he was with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey, and with Hewitt Associates. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hamilton College.

"Dan has established himself as a proven leader in the quad-state area and brings instant name recognition and credibility," said Dick LaBrecque, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for PHS Health Plans. "His reputation with brokers and consultants is impeccable. That will serve us extremely well as we transform ourselves to generate explosive growth in 2001 and beyond. I am looking to his strong leadership and proven market expertise to help guide our new business sales force."

Physicians Health Services, Inc. (doing business as PHS Health Plans) is a subsidiary of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT), formerly Foundation Health Systems, Inc., one of the nation's largest publicly traded managed healthcare companies, serving more than five million Americans with a broad selection of health plans and related services. Additional information about Health Net, Inc., is available at www.health.net.

PHS Health Plans is a full-service health plan that serves over one million members in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. With a physician network comprising more than 72,000 healthcare provider locations, PHS Health Plans is the third-largest health plan in the Northeast, offering a full array of open-access products and coordination for multi-region employers. Additional information about PHS Health Plans is available on the Internet at www.phshealthplans.com.

Corsair Reports Strong Earnings With First Quarter 2000 Results; Revenue and Earnings Exceed Expectations Due to PrePay Subscriber Growth.

Business Editors

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 18, 2000

Corsair Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAIR), a leading provider of software and system solutions for the global wireless industry, today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2000.

Net income for the first quarter of 2000 was $2.8 million, compared with a net loss of $2.1 million reported in the first quarter of 1999. Excluding charges that are not expected to recur, aggregating $3.0 million, Corsair reported a net income of $898,000 in the first quarter of 1999.

Net revenues for the first quarter of 2000 were $16.1 million, compared with net revenues of $15.3 million recorded in the first quarter of 1999.

First quarter of 2000 earnings per share were $0.15 on approximately 18.5 million shares outstanding, compared with a loss of $0.12 per share on approximately 18.0 million shares outstanding in the first quarter of 1999. Excluding charges that are not expected to recur, the 1999 first quarter earnings would have been approximately $0.03 per share compared with the 2000 first quarter earnings of $0.15 per share. All per share amounts are computed on a diluted basis.

"I am very proud of our achievements in the first quarter," said Tom Meyer, president and chief executive officer. "Our continued profitability was largely due to the strong acceptance and continued success of our PrePay product. Our PrePay installations now support over 9.0 million subscribers around the world. Furthermore, at the CTIA/Wireless 2000 show, we showcased key product and partnership initiatives designed to leverage our strengths and expand our market opportunities.

"First, we announced a significant new implementation of our PrePay product called PrePay Open, which will greatly expand our addressable market. This new product now supports mixed-infrastucture environments as well as the more broadly-based GSM, CDMA and TDMA networks and allows carriers to offer roaming solutions in these mixed environments. Secondly, we announced PhoneFuel, our first mobile commerce application for the PrePay platform, which allows carriers to provide enhanced account management services to their subscribers via the Web or WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) enabled phones. As the convergence of voice and data drive the wireless phone to become the next key access technology for the Internet, applications such as PhoneFuel will allow carriers to meet user demand for increased functionality and convenience.

"Finally, we announced a strategic alliance and joint distribution agreement with Lightbridge, Inc. This new alliance will provide immediate benefits to wireless carriers by allowing them to quickly enhance their service offerings. We believe that this relationship will yield very positive results for both companies in the coming months," he said.

Conference Call

Corsair's management will hold a conference call to discuss these results today, April 18, at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Those wishing to join should dial 703/871-3077 at approximately 1:20 p.m. A replay will be available for one week by calling 703/925-2533, passcode 3685198.

About Corsair Communications, Inc.

Corsair is a leading provider of software and system solutions for the global wireless industry. The company's products include systems for fraud prevention and prepaid billing. Corsair's PhonePrint wireless fraud prevention system is currently installed in over 180 markets worldwide, and has prevented more than 300 million fraudulent cellular calls. The company's PrePay(tm) wireless billing system supports more than 9 million wireless subscribers. More information can be found on the company's website at http://www.corsair.com.

Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the future financial performance of the company, acceptance of the Company's PrePay product, future products and the benefits of the company's relationship with Lightbridge, Inc. that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially because of various risks, including risks associated with product sales and installation, the ability to bring new products to market, successful completion of potential transactions, economic and political instability in international markets, demand for Corsair's products and services, continued growth of the wireless telecommunications industry, and other risks associated with Corsair's business. For an expanded discussion on such risks, please see the documents filed by Corsair Communications, Inc. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

              Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations              (In thousands, except share data; unaudited)                                     Three Months Ended                                         March 31                                      2000       1999                                  --------   -------- Revenues:     Hardware revenue             $  4,712   $  8,519     Software revenue                7,192      2,923     Service revenue                 4,204      3,836                                  --------   --------         Total revenues             16,108     15,278  Cost of revenues:     Hardware revenue costs          3,882      3,985     Software revenue costs            329        231     Service revenue costs           1,027      1,538                                  --------   --------         Total cost of revenues      5,238      5,754                                  --------   --------         Gross profit (deficit)     10,870      9,524  Operating costs and expenses:     Research and development        2,855      3,482     Sales and marketing             3,310      3,942     General and administrative      1,463      1,601     Business discontinuation         --          856                                  --------   --------        Total operating            costs and expenses       7,628      9,881                                  --------   --------        Operating income (loss)      3,242       (357)  Loss on sale of assets               --       (2,176) Interest income (expense), net        801        399                                  --------   --------    Income (loss)      before income taxes            4,043     (2,134) Income taxes                        1,253       -- Loss on debt extinguishment          --                                  --------   -------- Net income (loss)                $  2,790   $ (2,134)                                  ========   ======== Basic net income  (loss) per share                $   0.16   $  (0.12)                                  ========   ======== Shares used in basic  per share calculation             17,178     18,032                                  ========   ======== Shares used in diluted  per share calculation             18,508     18,032                                  ========   ========             Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Information                        (In thousands; unaudited)                                       March 31, December 31,                                        2000       1999                                       -------   -------           Assets Current assets:    Cash and cash equivalents          $ 6,286   $13,686    Short-term investments              52,873    39,263    Trade accounts receivable, net       9,156    11,548    Evaluation inventory                   486     1,163    Inventories, net                     3,206     3,183    Prepaids and other assets            2,074     1,475    Current portion-notes receivable       395       385                                       -------   ------- Total current assets                   74,476    70,703 Notes receivable                        1,223     1,325 Property and equipment, net             3,424     3,458 Other assets                            1,195     1,197                                       -------   -------                                       $80,318   $76,683                                       =======   =======  Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity  Current liabilities:    Accounts payable                   $ 1,602   $ 2,273    Accrued expenses                     9,510    10,245    Current portion of       notes payable                       764       737    Current portion of capital       lease obligations                    41        80    Deferred revenue                     8,648     6,063                                       -------   ------- Total current liabilities:             20,565    19,398                                       -------   ------- Notes payable,  net of current portion                   469       670                                       -------   ------- Total liabilities                      21,034    20,068                                       -------   ------- Total stockholders' equity             59,284    56,615                                       -------   -------                                       $80,318   $76,683                                       =======   ======= 

WHATISTHELAW.COM: First online legal research se service geared toward non-lawyers is launched.

M2 PRESSWIRE-23 August 1999-WHATISTHELAW.COM: First online legal research service geared toward non-lawyers is launched (C)1994-99 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:230899

In an effort to meet the growing need for quality legal information on the internet, a California law firm has recently launched the first online legal research service geared toward non-lawyers, WhatIsTheLaw.Com. While it is true that in recent years there has been an explosion in legal information available through the internet, save for a few good web sites set up by reputable law firms addressing subjects within their area of specialty, there is often no way for the lay researcher to know whether or not he or she is receiving good, up to date information. Even the highly sophisticated online research services that attorneys often pay hundreds of dollars a month for lack the ability to deliver a simple answer to the question "What is the law on ______" ? Instead the researcher must experiment with countless permutations on boolean search commands, such as "law w/12 regard! w/12 Y2K" and then attempt to make some meaning out of the dozens, if not hundreds of cases and statutes that can result from such searches. More generalized information such as practice guides are almost always available only on a subscription basis, with costs running up into the hundreds of dollars for just one treatise on one subject.

It was against this dearth of "ready to order" legal information that the creator of the WhatIsTheLaw.Com Web site saw an opportunity. "This site fills the gap. It offers lay persons, and lawyers, a site at which they can simply ask their legal question, and get an individualized answer, researched by a licensed attorney, for a very affordable price." Indeed, at $39.99, the research would be cost effective for even an attorney to order, given that fees on the popular Lexis-Nexis and Westlaw databases can run that high after just a few boolean searches, with no guarantee of finding anything relevant!

The site is still in its early phase, and because it is personally run by Mr. Swiderski himself, response time is capped at 48 hours from the time the question is submitted by e-mail. When the response memo is ready, the customer is notified by e-mail, proceeds to pay by credit card, and is then sent the memo by e-mail, usually within 5 minutes after making credit card payment.

CONTACT: James Swiderski Tel: +1 619 322-5367 e-mail: JamesSwiderski@law.com

*M2 COMMUNICATIONS DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR INFORMATION PROVIDED WITHIN M2 PRESSWIRE. DATA SUPPLIED BY NAMED PARTY/PARTIES.*

Do we really know how much we don't know?

Given the slightly left-wing bias of most British media, it can be rather unfashionable to declare a love of Donald Rumsfeld. But I thought I'd use this column to pay homage to him. Obviously, I need to qualify that statement. I don't want to pay homage to all of him. Starting wars on flimsy justification is hard to love. But there's one thing I think we all owe him for: the invention of the known unknown.

Before Rumsfeld, people knew there were things they didn't know. But it was a vague and fluffy kind of not knowing, not a precise, quantifiable state of ignorance like a known unknown. Before his coining the term, we might have been slightly embarrassed about what we didn't know. Since he made a lack of knowledge seem so sexy and important, we can proudly write a list of the things we don't know and declare them to be known unknowns, and seem more intelligent because of it.

This is very helpful in the world of new media because people keep inventing things and improving others to the point where no one knows what the hell is going on. Our known knowns are becoming unknowns as new media madness corrodes some of our previously comfortable uncertainties.

For example, the other day someone told me they'd watched one of the Six Nations Rugby games on their iPad in bed. I assumed they didn't have a TV in their bedroom, but no, they just preferred to use their iPad. Simple broadcast and network economics would declare this to be a bad thing. It's a known known that broadcast is cheaper than streaming for large concurrent audiences. This person had irrationally imposed an extra cost on the BBC, which had thoughtfully already provided perfectly good coverage of the game to the screen at the end of his bed.

If a programme is broadcast, the cost of distribution is fixed. Every person tuning in adds to the overall audience, so the marginal cost of delivery drops. If the same programme is streamed over a public network, then costs aren't fixed. There's a charge for every audience member. It was therefore a known known that broadband was unlikely to usurp broadcast for things like major TV channels. This was the kind of certainty that careers could be based on.

The problem is people keep inventing ways of squeezing more video down the same internet connection. I told this to a very clever boffin at the BBC and he said that while 50Mbps broadband wouldn't remove the incremental cost problem, the BBC would just [do something] to the network once a broadcast channel-sized audience starting streaming any particular content (he said what but it was gobbledygook to me). Apparently this would solve the problem. Even if that's true, for me it turned a known known into a known unknown. Will broadband ever replace broadcast? I used to say a definite no. Now I refer to Mr Rumsfeld.

Copyright: Centaur Communications Ltd. and licensors

Correspondent Bank Sees Opportunity in Fleet Deal.(Bankers' Bank Northeast, Fleet Financial/BankBoston merger)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

Count Bankers' Bank Northeast among the institutions aiming to capitalize on the planned Fleet/BankBoston merger.

The only bankers' bank in the Northeast, the year-old institution is hoping to get a strong infusion of new business after the two giants -- and the region's largest providers of correspondent services to small banks -- combine this year.

The bankers' bank, which is based in Glastonbury, Conn., currently serves only the 35 Massachusetts and Connecticut institutions it counts as shareholders. But it is running advertisements on the Internet and in Boston-area newspapers seeking an experienced correspondent banker to help build its business in New England and eastern New York. It has set a goal of eventually serving 60% of the region's nearly 600 community banks and thrifts.

"When I started in this business 30 years ago, there were at least a dozen banks in New England that offered correspondent banking," said Peter J. Sposito, president and chief executive officer of Bankers' Bank Northeast.

Today, Fleet Financial Group Inc. and BankBoston Corp. are the only New England banking companies that rank among American Banker's 50 largest correspondent banks. Their $16 billion merger would leave small banks in the region with just one option for services such as check clearing, coin and currency delivery, and federal funds transfers.

"We think our timing is perfect," said Mr. Sposito, a former correspondent banker at Shawmut National Corp., which was acquired by Fleet in 1995.

Not that community banks are particularly concerned about the disappearance of a major correspondent.

Donald Glass, president of the Community Bank League of New England, said many of his group's members use correspondent banks far less frequently than in the past because the Federal Reserve Bank offers many of the same services, particularly check clearing.

Moreover, small banks no longer rely heavily on large banks to hold their cash. Instead, many place balances in government securities, which typically pay higher returns.

"Correspondent banking is not what it used to be," said Mr. Glass.

Still, Mr. Glass said he expects Bankers' Bank Northeast will pick up some business, especially coin and currency delivery. Many bankers view that business as the most important correspondent service.

Bankers' Bank Northeast was founded a year ago by a group of banks and thrifts that were reluctant to do business with larger banks that they viewed as competitors. Though the bank only provides correspondent services to the institutions that ponied up the $5.8 million to capitalize it, Mr. Sposito said his institution would offer one service to any institution that is not a Bankers' Bank shareholder.

Banks seeking additional services would be asked to make a capital investment, he said.

"We think small banks would rather deal with a bank they own," Mr. Sposito said.

Copyright c 1999 American Banker, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.americanbanker.com

Shedline acts; GARDEN HUT BECOMES HIT MUSIC VENUE.(News)

Byline: MARTIN FRICKER

IN recording terms, Jon Earl is a one-hut wonder - he's created a music venue in his garden shed.

Jon films bands playing in the ramshackle First World War billet and the shows have become an internet hit.

Artists such as Steve Harley, Dave Rotheray of The Beautiful South and US singer Pokey LaFarge have performed in the 8ft by 10ft wooden shack in Clevedon, Somerset, since the recordings began 18 months ago.

Unsurprisingly, the hut, which is still full of junk, has just been named Shed of the Year.

Married dad-of-two Jon, 49, came up with the idea "after a few drinks" and added: "I'd love to have someone like Lady Gaga come to do an acoustic set."

Radio 2 DJ Bob Harris is among the many fans of Jon's website Songs From The Shed.

CAPTION(S):

LEADER OF THE SHACK Jon by the wooden hut in his back garden JUNK ROCK Pokey LaFarge and his band

Nokia transfers Symbian to Accenture.(ONLINE & INTERNET TV: REPORTER)

Nokia is transferring its Symbian operating system operations and 3,000 of its employees to Accenture, allowing it to save 1 billion [euro] ($1.47 billion) by 2013. About 4,000 employees will also be terminated.

Social Commerce Leader PowerReviews Awarded Patent Enabling Innovative SaaS Delivery.

PowerReviews' Second Patent in Two Years Powers Solutions Proven to Increase Traffic and Drive Sales; Other Patents Pending

SAN FRANCISCO -- PowerReviews (www.powerreviews.com), an award-winning provider of social commerce solutions, has received a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (U.S. Patent No. 7,930,363) relating to the method in which it delivers user-generated product reviews to more than 4,700 websites globally. This is the second patent PowerReviews has received for social commerce innovation since 2009.

PowerReviews' Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery methods make it possible to display user-generated content on brands' product pages in a format that is easily crawled by search engine spiders. "The SEO value of user-generated content is essential to our business," says Kimberly Ruthenbeck, Director of Web Customer Experience at Room & Board, "PowerReviews' technology allows us to drive more traffic directly to our product pages and increase sales."

"PowerReviews is single-mindedly focused on driving greater sales for brands and retailers," said Nadim Hossain, Vice President of Marketing for PowerReviews. "Because of our multi-tenant SaaS model--which ensures all customers are on a single code base--we can consistently deliver innovations that produce results for our customers. We're pleased to be recognized by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for our technology, validating our commitment to social commerce innovation."

In November 2009, PowerReviews received its first patent (U.S. Patent No. 7,620,651) relating to their Review Snapshot[R], a technology that helps provide consumers with a structured review summary. In a study of over 400 typical Internet shoppers, PowerReviews' structured reviews were preferred 2-to-1 over traditional reviews for making more informed purchase decisions. The primary reason for this preference was the review format, giving a consensus view of customer opinion and making reviews "easy-to-read," "compact," and "well-organized."

About PowerReviews[R]

PowerReviews is the leading provider of social commerce software-as-a-service solutions to global retailers and brands. The company's unique structured data approach to collecting, organizing, and analyzing user-generated content significantly boosts product sales and customer engagement. PowerReviews is live on over 4,700 websites - across 13 languages in 21 countries - including Staples, Drugstore.com, Room & Board, ESPN, Neutrogena, Quicksilver, and Jockey.

PHLX To Begin Trading Two New Equity Options

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Philadelphia Stock Exchange (PHLX) announced today that it will begin trading put and call options on American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (option/stock symbol: AQU/AEOS) and Omniquip International, Inc. (option/stock symbol: OJQ/OMQP) upon the opening of business on Wednesday, February 4, 1998.

The following table lists the stocks, symbols, position limits, and specialist unit for each new issue:

                                         POSITION     STOCK                                LIMITS     SPECIALIST     American Eagle Outfitters (AQU/AEOS)    7,500       GPZ Trading     Omniquip International    (OJQ/OMQP)   25,000       Professional Edge Fund 

Options on American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. will trade on the February expiration cycle with initial expiration months of February, March, May, and August. Opening strike prices will be 20, 22-1/2, and 25. In addition, GPZ Trading will be offering an automatic execution (AUTO-X) of up to 25 contracts for orders executed through AUTOM, PHLX's automatic execution system for equity and sectors index options. Options on Omniquip International, Inc. will trade on the March expiration cycle with initial expiration months of February, March, June, and September. Opening strike prices will be 20, 22-1/2, and 25. In addition, Professional Edge Fund will be offering an AUTO-X guarantee of up to 20 contracts.

The PHLX is the oldest securities exchange in the U.S. and the nation's fastest growing sectors index options exchange. Founded in 1790, PHLX is a market leader in the trading of over 2,800 stocks, 750 equity options, twelve sectors index options, and 100 currency pairs.

Internet: http://www.phlx.com

SOURCE Philadelphia Stock Exchange

     -0-                             01/29/98 

/CONTACT: Lynda Caravello of the PHLX, 215-496-5200, or e-mail, pr@phlx.com/

/Web site: http://www.phlx.com/

(AEOS OMQP)

CO: Philadelphia Stock Exchange; American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.; Omniquip

International, Inc. ST: Pennsylvania IN: FIN SU:

MZ-MP -- PHTH065 -- 8635 01/29/98 17:40 EST http://www.prnewswire.com

More Than 4,000,000 People Surfed the Games with Maxthon's Olympic Browser.

BEIJING, Aug. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- More than 4,000,000 people have downloaded the Olympics themed version of Maxthon. Maxthon International, the developer of China's most popular Web browser partnered with Sina, a major Chinese media company, to produce versions of the Maxthon browser modified for the Olympics in both Chinese and English.

The Chinese version added Sina's Olympic news coverage to its default homepage and Sina's forum. New Olympic blog links were added to the browser's toolbar. The software was given a facelift in China red, traditional gray and natural green.

The English version of Maxthon added an Olympic medal scoreboard to Maxthon's multi-use sidebar.

http://blog.maxthon.com/maxvol.jpg

During the international Olympics in Beijing, Maxthon provided free help services for visitors. More than 180 Maxthon users signed up to staff Maxthon's Online Volunteer Web site ( http://volunteer.maxthon.cn/ ). They used PCs and chat software to answer Olympic tourists' questions about Olympic scheduling and locations, housing, restaurants, entertainment, and shopping. The volunteers provided chat services in English, Chinese, Dutch, French, Russian, and Spanish.

"We have such a large number of users in all countries, and with the Olympics being held in the same city where Maxthon is based, it just seemed right for us to do something to help people from around the world," said Jeff Chen, CEO of Maxthon.

Maxthon 2.0 is a free Internet browser. It has been downloaded nearly 160 million times just from Maxthon's own site ( http://www.maxthon.com/ ). In China, Maxthon has about 30 percent of the browser market, beaten only by Microsoft Internet Explorer. The company has only recently begun to actively market the browser in the United States, but already it is making strong inroads into a market that has been dominated by Microsoft Internet Explorer and Firefox.

(Editors: The accompanying screenshot shows Maxthon's English version of the Olympic browser open to the Volunteer chat site providing help to Olympic visitors. The sidebar on the left is an Olympic medal scorecard.)

CONTACT: Media Contact for Maxthon - Ron White, +1-210-683-1444, or ron@maxthon.com

Web Site: http://www.maxthon.com/ http://volunteer.maxthon.cn/

The Weeks Ahead.(Calendar/Datebook)(Calendar)

Byline: adrianne pasquarelli

this week's events

july 31

ActionCoach New York holds workshop on results for your business. 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., 989 Sixth Ave., fourth floor. Free. (646) 862-1710 or dfares@actionny.com.

july 31

Nationwide Equities Corp. holds networking reception. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Social Bar & Lounge, 795 Eighth Ave., second floor. Free. (917) 975-5985 or evantz@yahoo.com.

july 31

Lower Manhattan Business Solutions holds workshop on Internet marketing. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., 110 William St., fourth floor. Free. (212) 618-8845.

august 1

All State Foundation and Accion New York hold credit workshop. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Women's Business Center at Polytechnic University, 6 Metro Tech Center, Brooklyn. Free. (212) 387-0494 or jbossio@accionnewyork.org.

august 1

New York Society of Security Analysts holds course on credit derivatives. 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., 1177 Sixth Ave., second floor. Fee: $215 members, $275 nonmembers. (646) 871-3428 or education@nyssa.org.

august 1

New York Commercial Real Estate Women Network holds networking reception for members only. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Cafe St. Bart's, Park Avenue and East 50th Street. Free. (212) 499-6566 or jeannette@lvmgroup.com.

august 1

Networking for Professionals holds networking reception. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Via, 16 W. 21st St. Fee: $10 members and $15 nonmembers in advance; $20 for all at door. (212) 227-6556 or events@networkingforprofessionals.com.

august 6-12

august 7

Gold Place Network holds networking reception. 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., 305 Seventh Ave., 11th floor. Fee: $20. (212) 465-8080.

august 7

Camba's Small Business Services holds workshop on starting a business. 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., 884 Flatbush Ave., second floor, Brooklyn. Free. (718) 282-2500, ext. 242, or smallbiz@camba.org.

august 7

Blue Stripe Media Group holds course on writing as a brand. 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., McGraw-Hill Building, 1221 Sixth Ave., second floor. Fee: $75 in advance by credit card only, $85 at door by check only. (917) 617-4522 or david@bluestripe.com.

august 7

Asian Women in Business holds workshop on small business successes. 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Mercedes-Benz Showroom, 430 Park Ave. Fee: free for small business and corporate members, $20 individual and sustaining members, $40 nonmembers. (212) 868-1368 or info@awib.org.

august 7-8

Global Purchasing Cos. holds two-day workshop on how to open and run a successful retail store. 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., 1133 Broadway. Fee: $189. (212) 414-4001 or despina@globalpurchasinggroup.com.

august 8

Blah Blah Blah Etc. Inc. holds seminar on successful marketing. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 1065 Sixth Ave., 13th floor. Fee: $199. (800) 207-0015 or www.maverickmarketing.biz.

august 8

Girls Inc. holds networking reception. 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Harry's at Water Taxi Beach, Second Street and Borden Avenue, Long Island City, Queens. Fee: $80. (212) 509-2000, ext. 211, or sishikura@girls-inc.org.

august 8

American Business Media holds networking reception with digital community leaders. 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Scholastic, 557 Broadway. Fee: $95 members, $125 nonmembers. (212) 661-6360, ext. 3337, or m.langer@abmmail.com.

august 9

New York Society of Security Analysts holds market forecast forum on the Goldilocks scenario. 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., 1177 Sixth Ave., second floor. Fee: $75 members, $115 nonmembers. (646) 871-3405 or seminars@nyssa.org.

august 9

LatinVision Media holds networking reception. 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., New York University, 53 Washington Square South, King Juan Carlos of Spain Hall. Fee: $30. (646) 519-2452 or carlos@latinvision.com.

august 13-19

august 14

TaylorMade Media and Citibank hold networking reception. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Harlem Tea Room, 1793A Madison Ave. Fee: $20 in advance, $30 at door. (516) 285-4999 or rsvp@taylormademediapr.com.

august 14

Manhattan Chamber of Commerce holds networking reception. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Roger Smith Hotel, 501 Lexington Ave. Fee: $15 members, $25 nonmembers. (212) 473-8074.

august 15

Networking for Professionals holds networking reception. 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Techspace, 41 E. 11th St., 11th floor. Fee: $25 members and $35 nonmembers in advance, $40 for all at door. (212) 227-6556 or events@networkingforprofessionals.com.

august 15

International Enterprise Singapore and Global Purchasing Cos. hold Singapore manufacturers exchange conference. 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Fashion Institute of Technology, West 27th Street and Seventh Avenue, Building A, eighth floor. Free. (212) 414-4001 or www.globalpurchasinggroup.com.

september 3-9

september 6

Camba's Small Business Services holds workshop on for-profit versus nonprofit organizations. 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., 884 Flatbush Ave., second floor, Brooklyn. Free. (718) 282-2500, ext. 242, or smallbiz@camba.org.

september 10-16

september 10

Queens Economic Development Corp. holds open house on its entrepreneur assistance program. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Blvd., room G-110, Kew Gardens. Free. (718) 263-0546.

september 11

Manhattan Chamber of Commerce holds networking reception. 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Roger Smith Hotel, 501 Lexington Ave. Fee: $15 members, $25 nonmembers. (212) 473-8074.

september 17-23

september 17

New York Society of Security Analysts holds forum on technical and quantitative research. 5:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., 1177 Sixth Ave., second floor. Fee: free for members, $20 nonmembers. (646) 871-3405 or seminars@nyssa.org.

Avaya targets growth in Lebanon.

Feb. 1--Avaya Inc., a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services, has announced that for the third quarter of 2005 it has maintained global market leadership in Enterprise Telephony according to Dell 'Oro Group's IP Telephony Enterprise Report, 3Q 05. This measurement includes both Internet Protocol (IP) telephony and traditional telephony revenues.

The report places Avaya as the leader position in Enterprise Telephony, with 19 percent of the market in the third quarter, two points ahead of the nearest competitor. In the MENA region, Avaya continues its leadership position in the Lebanon market, with new deployments in enterprise telephony as well as contact center and mobility solutions.

"It's a testament to the business benefits delivered by our solutions that Avaya has maintained leadership in this market measurement by Dell 'Oro for the past four quarters, and this growth is being borne out in key MENA markets such as Lebanon," said Nidal Abou-Ltaif, managing director for Avaya in the Middle East and North Africa.

"As customers in Lebanon continue to migrate to IP telephony in order to take advantage of the business process benefits that intelligent communications applications can offer, Avaya is at the forefront of creating solutions that deliver the flexibility, investment protection, security, and reliability that organizations across this market require," he added. In Lebanon, Avaya counts among its customers a number of prominent organizations including LBC, American University of Beirut, and the Lebanese Army.

Avaya MENA recently announced a strategic customer win with Aramex, a leading global provider of business communications applications, systems and services. The Jordan-based company, which offers a comprehensive portfolio of transportation systems ranging from international express delivery and freight forwarding to logistics and warehousing, chose the Avaya system as senior management sought new ways of enhancing communication between sites and increasing flexibility with third party vendors, customers and partners.

To see more of the Middle East and North Africa Business Report or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.menareport.com/.

Copyright (c) 2006, Middle East and North Africa Business Report, Amman, Jordan

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.

TICKER SYMBOL(S): AV

PremierWest Bancorp to Present at D.A. Davidson Sixth Annual Financial Services Investment Conference.

PremierWest Bancorp announced today that its executive management team will be presenting at the D.A. Davidson Sixth Annual Financial Services Conference being held in Seattle on May 5, 2004. The presentation may be accessed live via the internet and will begin at 8:45 AM PDT.

This presentation is being webcast by CCBN and can be accessed at PremierWest Bancorp's web site at http://www.premierwestbank.com/ using the following instructions:

    1. Go to "About"    2. Select "Investor Relations"    3. Click on "Live Webcast"   

An archived version of this presentation will be available through PremierWest Bancorp's web site approximately one hour after the live presentation and will be available through April 30, 2005.

PremierWest Bancorp operates primarily through its subsidiary PremierWest Bank. Recognized as one of the fastest growing banks in the Pacific Northwest, PremierWest offers a full array of financial products and services through a network of 32 full service banking offices located primarily along the Interstate 5 freeway corridor between Eugene, Oregon and Sacramento, California.

CONTACT: John Anhorn, President & Chief Executive Officer, +1-541-618-6020 or john.anhorn@premierwestbank.com, Rich Hieb, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, +1-541-618-6020 or rich.hieb@premierwestbank.com, or Tom Anderson, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, +1-541-282-5190 or tom.anderson@premierwestbank.com, all of PremierWest Bancorp

Web site: http://www.premierwestbank.com/

Peterson jury deliberations continue.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

Byline: Brian Anderson

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. _ Jurors will begin their third day of deliberating the fate of Scott Peterson Friday, working toward deciding one of the country's most eagerly anticipated verdicts.

The six-man, six-woman jury asked on Thursday to see evidence photos and worked through lunch for the second day, officials said. It was not clear what the photos showed.

They arrived about 25 minutes before their scheduled start time of 8:30 a.m. and left at 3:55 p.m.

The panel is sequestered and spent their second night at a local hotel on Thursday.

As jurors finished their first full day of deliberations, Judge Alfred Delucchi denied a media request to reconsider his decision barring cameras from the courtroom during the reading of the verdict.

"I don't want to take the chance that this could degenerate into some kind of spectacle," Delucchi said. "With all due respect, I think (the media is) more interested in this verdict as spectacle than public confidence in the judicial system."

Representing a conglomerate of television networks, Los Angeles lawyer Rochelle Wilcox argued that allowing the public to see what occurs in America's courtrooms increases awareness and confidence in the process.

"The public hasn't really seen what happened in this trial in a way that can happen over television," she said. "Television is where the public gets its news."

Delucchi, skeptical from the beginning of the hearing, repeatedly interrupted with questions.

"Would it be a public interest to see one of these families incur a meltdown in the courtroom?" he asked.

Wilcox worked to persuade Delucchi with promises that no one in the gallery would be televised. And if an accidental transmission occurred, the push of a single button would unplug the entire operation.

"Do I look like a TV director?" Delucchi asked. "I'm supposed to be a judge. I don't want to be here directing `stop the camera.' I'm not here to orchestrate this trial. I'm here to try the case."

Delucchi has allowed live audio coverage of the proceedings.

Peterson is accused of killing his wife, Laci, and the unborn son the couple planned to name Conner. She vanished from her Modesto, Calif., neighborhood on or about Christmas Eve in 2002.

Peterson told police he was fishing alone on the San Francisco Bay that day and returned to an empty house. He was arrested April 18, 2003, after his wife's remains and those of the fetus she was carrying washed ashore in Richmond, Calif.

The case and trial has been a media bonanza from the very beginning. From cable talk shows to Internet chat rooms, millions of people worldwide follow each and every turn of the case.

Even the Washington Post on the eve of one of the most bitter presidential elections ever churned out a staff-written story with the headline: "Forget Bush-Kerry. What About Scott-Laci?"

Coverage and speculation surrounding the case have only increased since lawyers wrapped up this week. Delucchi sent jurors away on Wednesday to begin discussing the case.

He has admonished them throughout the trial to avoid media coverage of the case. He took that one step further for deliberations, ordering that they be sequestered until they reach a decision.

Fearing deliberations and the trial could be derailed, Delucchi also denied a media request to unseal transcripts of hearings conducted behind closed doors during the trial. He pointed to the possibility that jurors could get word of evidence barred from trial but discussed during the private hearings, leaving him with little choice but to declare a mistrial.

"Do you think it would have a deleterious effect if all this information leaked out after there was a hung jury?" he asked Wilcox. "I have an awesome responsibility here. I hope you understand that."

___

Visit the Contra Costa Times on the Web at http://www.contracostatimes.com.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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.

(c) 2004, Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.).

Microsoft, Toyota team up on cloud services.(Business)

Byline: Sharon Pian Chan; Times technology Reporter

Microsoft and Toyota are partnering to bring cloud computing to the car.

The two companies said Wednesday they are building services for Toyota 2012 hybrid and electric cars that will run on Microsoft's cloud platform, Windows Azure.

Toyota said its goal is to offer full cloud services to all Toyota customers by 2015.

Both companies together are investing $12 million (1 billion yen) in Toyota Media Service, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor.

"This investment is to build a global platform for next-generation applications that support in-car communications, GPS and information systems broadly and commonly known as telematics," Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said in a news conference broadcast Wednesday on the Web.

He was careful to differentiate the cloud partnership from the current generation of telematics such as On Star and Ford Sync, which provide services in the car. Because the next-generation services will be built in the cloud, drivers will be able to control information going into and out of their car with Internet-connected devices such as smartphones and a PC.

Because of Azure's reach, Toyota will also be able to offer these services in many countries. U.S. and Japan car buyers will likely be among the first to access the services because of the popularity of hybrid and electric cars in those countries.

With services that come out of this partnership, Toyota drivers could turn on their home heating and air conditioning from the car while driving home. They could use a smartphone to schedule when to charge a plug-in hybrid vehicle, taking advantage of times when energy costs are least expensive. They could use a smartphone to check the car's battery level and monitor how many miles they drive before recharging.

"It's a good win for Microsoft for the Windows Azure platform. It's another high-profile customer and a case study they can talk about," said Rob Sanfilippo, research vice president at Directions on Microsoft, an independent analyst firm in Kirkland. "The secondary thing for Microsoft is they are continuing to show presence in the automotive industry."

Microsoft built the platform for Ford Sync, which drivers can use inside the car for mapping services and playing music using voice-recognition technology. Toyota has a competing service, Entune. Toyota President Akio Toyoda said in the news conference that the Microsoft partnership will "reinforce and strengthen" Entune.

Ballmer has a deep connection to the automotive industry. He grew up near Detroit and his father was a manager at Ford.

Toyoda said his relationship with Microsoft goes back to 1998, when he partnered with Microsoft to start Gazoo.com, an Internet retail business that sold Toyota cars.

Toyoda began the news conference by thanking the U.S. and Microsoft for support after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

"Our deepest sympathy go out to everyone affected by this disaster," Toyoda said. "I debated whether or not to come here today, but I recently visited the most severely affected area and talked to some of its people. I came away believing that in addition to supporting the recovery effort, the best thing I can do for them in Japan is to provide hope and steady economic progress for the future."

Sharon Pian Chan: 206-464-2958 or schan@seattletimes.com

Copyright (c) 2011 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved.