Qld: Govt boasts improvements since tree clearing ban

AAP General News (Australia)
02-18-2009
Qld: Govt boasts improvements since tree clearing ban

By Gabrielle Dunlevy

BRISBANE, Feb 18 AAP - Queensland's historic land clearing ban has produced some good
results, but the government is concerned over the rate of regrowth land being cleared.

The Statewide Landcover and Trees Study for 2006-07 released on Wednesday outlined
the first six months of data on broadscale tree clearing since the December 2006 ban.

It showed overall clearing was down 37 per cent from 375,000 hectares in 2005-06 to
235,000 hectares in 2006-07.

Greenhouse emissions were down from 41.24 megatonnes to 31.55 megatonnes, putting the
government on track to make its 20 megatonne reduction by 2008.

Because the data is retrospective, the government won't the latest figures until their
2008 data is released

Premier Anna Bligh said the data showed the landmark laws were working.

"This proves that we were right to support these laws," Ms Bligh told reporters in Brisbane.

But Ms Bligh said the amount of regrowth clearing - more than 100,000 hectares over
the year - was disturbing.

The government would consult rural producers, scientists and conservationists on how
to improve the issue, she said.

"While this clearing is legal, some of the types of vegetation that are being cleared
as regrowth do constitute both endangered and `of concern' areas of vegetation," she said.

Conservation group WWF said the data was nothing to be proud of, as the 235,000 hectares
accounted for about 60 per cent of the estimated national figure.

Spokesman Nick Heath said new restrictions were needed to close loopholes that allowed
land owners to clear regrowth, which was important habitat for native species.

"It is astonishing the Queensland government would celebrate the release of these figures
when it shows how far behind the state is in protecting our habitat for 551 threatened
species," Mr Heath said.

With speculation of an early election rife, Ms Bligh admitted she hoped the Greens,
whose preferences will be important for Labor, and Greens supporters, would take notice
of the data.

"I certainly hope that people who care about the environment remember the battle that
was waged to get these laws into place," she said.

Mr Heath said they needed to take up the fight again.

"The single largest environmental win of the Beattie era is being eroded," he said.

"Given what we now know about climate change, is 31 million tonnes of climate pollution
acceptable?"

The government estimates about 5,000 hectares of land was cleared illegally and the
Department of Natural Resources is investigating.

AAP gd/pjo/jfm

KEYWORD: CLEARING

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

-Wimdu introduces services in Spain

Internet Business News
07-18-2011
-Wimdu introduces services in Spain

INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

18 July 2011 - German online tourism company Wimdu has launched services in Spain.
Wimdu uses a social network concept where travellers and owners of holiday properties could deal directly.

Wimdu.com supports more than 15,000 accommodation offers in 50 countries worldwide.

((Comments on this story may be sent to info@m2.com))

(Copyright M2 Communications, 2011)

VIC:Mental health situation dire: nurse

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2011
VIC:Mental health situation dire: nurse

Mental health nurses have voted to step up work bans as they press on with their pay
and conditions dispute with the Victorian government.

Hundreds of psychiatric nurses and support staff were today the latest group involved
in an industrial dispute with the state government to rally outside Parliament House in
Melbourne.

They've voted to escalate work bans, including refusing to admit more patients than
the actual number of beds in a unit, except in emergency cases.

Unplanned patient discharges with less than four hours' notice will also be banned
and nurses won't accept roster changes with less than seven days' notice.

Their union wants a 16 per cent pay rise over three years, while the state government's
public sector wages policy is 2.5 per cent.

AAP RTV mj/mn/wf

KEYWORD: MENTAL (MELBOURNE)

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

Pressing for a public online library

MIGUEL HELFT
International Herald Tribune
04-05-2011
Pressing for a public online library
Byline: MIGUEL HELFT
Type: News

With 15 million books scanned, Google had gotten closer to the elusive goal than anyone else.

Is the tantalizing dream of a universal library dead?
Some scholars and librarians across the United States fear it may be, now that a U.S. judge has derailed Google's bold plan to build the world's largest digital library and bookstore. With 15 million books scanned, Google had gotten closer to the elusive goal than anyone else.

"It is quite disappointing because there isn't something better in the wings," said Michael Keller, the university librarian at Stanford in California, one of the first major universities that allowed Google to scan its collections.

But others, who were troubled by Google's plan, have hailed the ruling. They see it as an opportunity to bring new urgency to a project to create a universal public library -- one that, they say, would be far superior to Google's because it would be noncommercial. The project's ambitious mission, recently laid out in a four-page memo, is to "make the cultural and scientific heritage of humanity available, free of charge, to all."

"People feel energized," said Robert Darnton, the director of the Harvard University Library. "This is an opportunity for those of us who care about creating a noncommercial public digital library and get on with it."

The lofty effort, the Digital Public Library of America, counts a long list of heavyweights among its supporters, including librarians from major universities and officials from the National Archives and the Library of Congress.

But the endeavor remains in its infancy. The group has many champions, but it has no formal structure other than a "steering committee." It has six working groups to study the project's scope, financing, governance, legal hurdles, technical considerations and audience.

"Everyone who is at the table has a different idea of audience, scope, content and governance," said David S. Ferriero, the archivist of the United States, who supports the project and attended the October meeting. "All those issues need to be worked through."

The project is playing catch-up not only to Google, but also to Europe, where several countries have moved forward with large-scale digitization projects. The European Commission has backed Europeana, a site where users can search for digital copies of art, books, music and video held by the cultural institutions of member countries and which includes about 15 million items.

Europeana is serving as something of a model for the U.S. project. U.S. institutions like the Library of Congress, public and private universities and nonprofit groups like the Internet Archive have already scanned millions of books and hundreds of millions of documents.

The challenge now is not only to continue and expand various digitization projects but also to unify them in a single, searchable electronic portal. But unlike in Europe, where national libraries are usually centralized and backed by governments, the United States has a disparate network of independent institutions that have different missions and serve different populations.

These challenges put in sharp relief the main difference between the digital public library and Google's project: speed.

In eight years, Google has digitized 15 million books.

The company's original idea was to make books searchable online but to show only snippets of books protected by copyright. After groups representing authors and publishers sued Google for copyright infringement in 2005, Google, along with the authors and publishers, saw an opportunity to embark on a far more ambitious project -- a universal digital library and bookstore. Plans for it were laid out in a sweeping settlement that the parties announced in 2008.

Under the settlement, every public library in the United States would have been able to offer its patrons free access to the full texts of the entire collection from computer terminals. Google would have been allowed to sell access to individual books and the entire collection in various ways, sharing proceeds with authors and publishers.

For those who believed in expanding access to the world's cultural heritage, there was plenty to like.

"You have to give Google a lot of credit," said Doron Weber, program director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, an early financial backer of the Digital Public Library of America. "Google got everyone's attention."

But the settlement was shot down in U.S. court last month, in part because it turned copyright law on its head, giving Google the right to exploit a book unless its author or publisher objected.

The digital public library project will face the same thorny problem.

"I think the biggest obstacle is copyright," said Pamela Samuelson, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who opposed the Google settlement and is working on legal issues facing the digital public library.

Copyright International Herald Tribune Apr 05, 2011

FED:SES volunteers brace for busy season

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2010
FED:SES volunteers brace for busy season

By Susanna Dunkerley

QUEANBEYAN, Dec 13 AAP - Emergency service volunteers are bracing for a busy Christmas
and New Year with rain and flooding continuing to affect large parts of NSW.

Goulburn, Mulwaree, Cowra, Coolamon and Tamworth on Monday were added to a list of
37 local government areas declared natural disaster zones, as clean-up efforts continued
across the state.

While floodwaters have receded in many areas, the central west town of Forbes is on high alert.

And 4600 people remain isolated, including those in Wee Waa and Coonamble in the state's north.

NSW Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan says State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers
are continuing to work around the clock.

"Flood peaks are moving downstream keeping SES (volunteers) busy for at least another
two weeks, if not more, depending on the rain," he told reporters at the SES Queanbeyan
headquarters.

"We are very grateful for the efforts of the SES volunteers who will willingly do this
right across their Christmas break."

Mr Whan spent the morning showing NSW Premier Kristina Keneally around Queanbeyan,
which was cut in half when floods peaked at around 8.5 metres late last week.

The pair will travel to Dubbo, in the state's central west, later on Monday to continue
a tour of flood-affected areas.

Premier Keneally says Forbes would be the major priority of the next 36 hours.

"Whilst the rain has cleared we are still concerned about a number of areas," she said.

She said it was too early to put a dollar figure on the damage across the state, but
assistance was available to councils, businesses and low-income families.

The NSW government has also written to Prime Minister Julia Gillard seeking exceptional
circumstance provisions for farmers.

Mr Whan said they had already lost about half a million dollars worth of crops.

"After a long period of drought that's pretty devastating for farmers," he said.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting little rain on Monday, with just a few isolated
showers and possible thunderstorms expected on the north coast.

SES Commissioner Murray Kear says it's a welcome respite for flood-hit communities.

"But this does look like it's going to be a very wet summer, and so it won't be the
last time SES volunteers respond to community needs," he said.

The SES says it has received 2755 requests for help since the start of the flood crisis.

There have been 133 flood-related rescues.

AAP sld/sb/jl/nb

KEYWORD: FLOODS NSW 2ND UPDATE (VIDEO AND PIX AVAILABLE)

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

AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 5

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2010
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 5
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Poll10 Economy Wrap(CANBERRA)

Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD has accused TONY ABBOTT of trying to "sneak" into power
without an economic plan.

Campaigning in Townsville today .. Ms GILLARD's again challenged the opposition leader
to a second leaders' debate .. but limited to the economy.

She says voters are entitled to hear from him on the economic questions for the future.



Ms GILLARD has also praised KEVIN RUDD as a man of enormous capability .. after her
predecessor urged voters to stick with Labor.

A philosophical Mr RUDD says he can't sit idly by and watch the coalition win government
by default .. and he's urged the electorate not to let what happened to him stop them
from voting Labor.

Ms GILLARD says she welcomes his pledge to campaign for the re-election of the Gillard
government.

Meantime both Deputy Prime Minister WAYNE SWAN and Health Minister NICOLA ROXON have
welcomed Mr RUDD to the Labor campaign trail.

He's recovering at home following gall bladder surgery.



Poll10 Health (CANBERRA)

Opposition Leader TONY ABBOTT has promised to deliver more hospital beds if he wins
government .. but won't give the states any money for them upfront.

Mr ABBOTT's expected to unveil the 3.1 billion dollar package for 28-hundred new public
hospital beds over four years in Sydney today.

Mr ABBOTT's told the ABC if they want to get the money .. they'll have to produce the beds.



Poll10 Hung (CANBERRA)

An analysis of recent opinion polls suggests the chances of a hung parliament are growing.

The Reuters Poll Trend shows support for Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD and her Labor
government has dropped 2.5 percentage points .. to 51.5 per cent .. since campaigning
started.

Ms GILLARD continues to outpoll Mr ABBOTT by 13.3 points as preferred prime minister
in the the Reuters Poll Trend.



Poll10 Tax (SYDNEY)

Assistant Treasurer NICK SHERRY says the federal government will reshape Australia's
taxation system if it's re-elected.

Senator SHERRY says a Tax System Advisory Board would be set up at the Australian Taxation
Office to make it more responsible .. accountable and accessible for Australians.



Poll10 (CANBERRA)

Australia's east coast could eventually be linked by a high speed rail network if Labor
wins the next federal election.

Infrastructure Minister ANTHONY ALBANESE says a re-elected Gillard government would
carry out a 20-million dollar feasibility study into the project later this year.



In Other News ..



Kiesha (SYDNEY)

Police will spend a fifth full day searching waterways and bushland for missing six-year-old
KIESHA ABRAHAMS .. with detectives tight-lipped about any potential new leads gained from
interviews with her parents.

KIESHA's mother .. KRISTI .. her stepfather ROBERT SMITH and her biological father
CHRISTOPHER WEIPPEART spent several hours being questioned at Mount Druitt police station
last night.

Detectives say police divers and officers will continue searching the area in western
Sydney and door-to-door inquiries will also continue.



Trains (SYDNEY)

Hundreds of Sydney rail workers are attending a mass rally today .. as a three-day
campaign of strikes over pay and conditions gets under way.

RailCorp maintenance and administration staff want a five per cent pay hike and assurances
that the increase won't have an impact on staffing levels.

They stopped work at 10am and 11am respectively and gathered at Burwood Park in Sydney's
inner west and are expected to return to work at 2pm.

RailCorp's warned the industrial action could have a knock-on effect to peak hour services.



Jobs IPA (SYDNEY)

Nationwide job vacancies increased for the first time in three months in July .. with
employers expecting a stable industrial relations landscape no matter who wins the federal
election.

Data from IPA recruitment shows job vacancies increased 13.9 per cent last month ..

the first increase in jobs on offer since March this year.



Celebrity DeRossi (LOS ANGELES)

Australian actress PORTIA DE ROSSI and her American TV talk show wife ELLEN DEGENERES
have joined the celebration in the US .. after a judge overturned California's gay marriage
ban.

Geelong-born DE ROSSI legally married DEGENERES in 2008 .. shortly before Californians
voted for Proposition 8 .. which ended gay marriage in the state and sparked furious public
debate and a legal challenge.

Two gay couples have now successfully challenged Proposition 8 .. claiming it violated
their civil rights.

De ROSSI has tweeted to fans that she's ecstatic that Proposition 8 has been overturned.



Briefly in other news ..



Closed (BRISBANE)

The Bruce Highway in central Queensland could be blocked for the rest the day after
a B-Double truck rolled on a bridge ... the incident happened between Rockhampton and
Calliope.



Cliff (MELBOURNE)

A Japanese couple have escaped almost unscathed after their car rolled end-to-end 70
metres down a cliff in western Victoria yesterday.



in Finance ..



Finance Markers Morn RADIO MORNING

At 1133 AEST, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was UP 23.2 points at 4,565.3 points,
while the broader All Ordinaries Index was UP 24.0 points at 4,583.7.

The Australian dollar was at 91.58 US cents, UP from 91.34 US cents at Wednesday's local close.

It was at 69.59 euro cents, UP from 69.07 euro cents on Wednesday.

The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US1,195.95 per fine ounce, UP $US2.20 from Wednesday's
close of $US1,193.75.



in Sport ..



AFL Tigers (MELBOURNE)

Richmond could take an unchanged side into Sunday's AFL match against Melbourne as
they try to continue their improved form in the second half of the season.

The Tigers are coming off a win over Adelaide and are now two games clear of last spot,
while the Demons are making an unlikely bid for the top eight with four rounds left.

Coach DAMIEN HARDWICK said at training today that ANDREW COLLINS, TY VICKERY and DAVID
GOURDIS are all pushing for senior recalls, but it will be tough to change the team.



Tennis ATP (WASHINGTON)

LLEYTON HEWITT'S US Open build up suffered another setback when injury forced him to
retire during his first match at the ATP Washington Classic.

Colombia's ALEJANDRO FALLA was leading 11th seed HEWITT 7-5 3-2 in their second round
clash when the Australian pulled out with a sore right calf muscle.



Tennis WTA Stosur (SAN DIEGO)

World No.5 SAMANTHA STOSUR has defeated American MELANIE OUDIN 6-4 6-4 to advance to
the quarter-finals of the WTA San Diego Open.



Golf PGA Allenby (AKRON, OHIO)

Australian golfer ROBERT ALLENBY has withdrawn from this week's World Golf Championships'
Bridgestone Invitational after undergoing knee surgery for a fishing injury.

ALLENBY slipped on his boat while on a fishing expedition in the Bahamas last weekend
and suffered torn ligaments.

He expects to be sidelined for at least three weeks, also ruling him out of the year's
final major, the PGA Championship next week.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

Broadcast Desk inquiries 24 hours: 02 9322 8714

AAP RTV dcc/af

KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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

FED: Government receives Henry report on tax reform

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2009
FED: Government receives Henry report on tax reform

SYDNEY, Dec 23 AAP - The federal government has received the report of the Henry tax
review but will not give its initial response until early next year, Treasurer Wayne Swan
says.

Mr Swan on Wednesday said he had just been handed the final report from the 18-month
inquiry into the nation's taxation system, but he would not be commenting on it until
early 2010.

"This is a comprehensive report, the product of thousands of submissions, public consultation
... the product of an enormous amount of research and consultation," he told reporters
at Sydney airport.

"There will be enough time for that (comment on the report) in the new year, when we
will release the report as well as the government's initial response.

"Needless to say, the priorities for this inquiry were a fairer tax system, a simpler
tax system and a more competitive tax system, and I certainly look forward to the debate
in the new year about the recommendations."

Mr Swan thanked the community for its input, noting 1,500 formal submissions and 4,700
letters had been provided to the review team, which held discussion forums around the
nation.

"The one thing you know about tax is that everybody's got a view," Mr Swan said.

He thanked the five "eminent" members of the panel, namely Treasury secretary and review
chairman Ken Henry, Jeff Harmer, John Piggott, Heather Ridout and Greg Smith.

AAP mss/hn/jl

KEYWORD: TAX SWAN

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

Fed: Board appointed to oversee migration agent regulator

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2009
Fed: Board appointed to oversee migration agent regulator

CANBERRA, Aug 13 AAP - The federal government has announced the appointment of an advisory
board to guide the newly-established Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority
(MARA).

The board will be chaired by former lawyer and secretary of the Attorney-General's
Department, Robert Cornall.

The office was established on recommendations from a 2007/08 review which found dissatisfaction
among consumers and potential conflicts of interest in previous arrangements.

The advisory board comprises a representative from the Migration Institute of Australia,
the Law Council of Australia, as well as community and consumer advocates.

AAP kms/sb/ht

KEYWORD: MIGRATION

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

SA: New education centre opens in lead up to panda arrival

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2009
SA: New education centre opens in lead up to panda arrival

By Larine Statham

ADELAIDE, April 3 AAP - As far as crowd pleasers go, it's hard to beat a couple of
rotund giant pandas.

And Adelaide Zoo is determined that visitors who'll flock to see Wangwang and Funi
leave with a better understanding of the threats to the endangered species.

The pandas will arrive in September on a 10-year loan from China. As the only pandas
in Australia, they're expected to double the number of people visiting the zoo each year.

As part of its preparations, the zoo on Friday opened a new $4 million environment-focused
education centre.

The interactive facility will ensure visitors leave with a good understanding of the
threats faced by so many species across the world, including the giant panda and native
Australian fauna.

Adelaide Zoo chief executive Chris West said he didn't want the zoo to be recognised
solely as a panda zoo.

But he understood they would pull a big crowd and give the zoo an opportunity to spread
key conservation messages to a wider audience.

"People will come from far and wide and ... so we can tell stories, have messages about
deep conservation ... backyard conservation and the native species work that's being done,"

he said.

The new centre, called the Envirodome, features plants and animals and also offers
visual and aural displays to show how human activity affects water supply, natural habitats
and carbon production.

"(It's) a place adults and children alike can learn about the life on our planet and
our part in saving it," Dr West said.

"Whilst the primary purpose is education it's really interesting and fun too."

The education centre, which will be open to the public from Sunday, is part of a broader
$35 million redevelopment that also includes a special panda enclosure.

With fewer than 1,600 pandas living in the wild, the zoo intends to help save the panda
from extinction by breeding the new arrivals.

AAP lcs/tnf/de

KEYWORD: ZOO (WITH VIDEO)

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

Meraki Ramps Up with Partner Program

Wireless News
10-26-2008
Meraki Ramps Up with Partner Program

WIRELESS NEWS-October 26, 2008-Meraki Ramps Up with Partner Program (C)2008 10Meters - http://www.10meters.com

Meraki, a provider of wireless mesh network solutions, announced the Meraki Partner Program.
Designed to help resellers and IT solution providers leverage Meraki's wireless mesh networking technology, the company noted, the program enables Meraki partners to deploy wireless networking solutions rapidly so they can reach new markets more effectively, strengthen existing customer relationships and substantially increase their revenue.

Meraki said that its solutions are easy to manage and scale from small to large networks, making it perfect for a broad range of industries including apartment and condominium complexes, hotels and resorts, educational institutions, municipalities and many more.

"Wireless networking is clearly the way that most people will be accessing the internet in the coming years as internet-connected devices proliferate and the demand for broadband access grows," said Sanjit Biswas, Meraki CEO. "Meraki's easy to install and manage networks are in high demand in a range of industries and our partner program can help resellers and IT solution providers worldwide capitalize on this opportunity."

Benefits of the Meraki Partner Program include dedicated account management, discounted pricing, training, lead distribution, technical support, and access to a partner portal. These benefits are being offered to complement the network deployment and support services Meraki authorized resellers provide their customers.

"We are very excited to be a part of Meraki's Partner Program. We believe the Meraki product will help give us the necessary solutions to penetrate new markets and develop new long term wireless customers," said Denny Hoelzer, CEO of Sentinel Technologies. "Meraki's world-class wireless networking technology will allow us to deliver powerful networks to our customers at a much more affordable price."

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

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

(Copyright M2 Communications Ltd. 2008)

0200 2gb Sydney Headlines

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2008
0200 2gb Sydney Headlines

- Todd McKenney's radio station is refusing to comment on his arrest on drugs charges.



- A land and air search is underway for an escaped prisoner.



- Expectant parents will now be able to insure their unborn child.



- The Olympic torch continues its journey toward Beijing after its leg in Japan.



- The man accused of masterminding the Sept 11 attacks has met for the first time with
his military lawyer.



- The Dalai Lama has cautiously welcomed China's decision to hold talks.



SPORT: Super 14.

AAP RTV jec/

KEYWORD: 0200 2GB (SYDNEY)

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

NSW: Storms halt Indian Pacific in its tracks

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2007
NSW: Storms halt Indian Pacific in its tracks

Storm damage has halted one of Australia's rail icons and forced passengers to endure
a one-thousand kay bus ride as part of their holiday travel.

The Indian Pacific was heading east from Perth and Adelaide towards Sydney last night
.. when heavy rains across far-west NSW forced it back to Broken Hill.

A Great Southern Railway spokeswoman says flooding damaged track between Ivanhoe and
Condobolin .. and passengers were forced to board busses.

They're expected to arrive in Sydney around 5pm (AEDT) .. and passengers catching the
3pm return service will have to catch buses to Broken Hill where they'll start their rail
journey.

The track's due to be repaired by tomorrow evening .. well before the next Indian Pacific
service travels the area on Wednesday.

RailCorp says CountryLink Services haven't been affected.

The heavy rains in north-western NSW have dumped a record 171mm at Coonamble since
midnight .. and 141mm at nearby Coonabarabran.

AAP RTV vpm/jec/

KEYWORD: STORMS NSW INDIAN (SYDNEY)

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

FED: Questions about security orders in terrorist's court appeal

AAP General News (Australia)
08-16-2007
FED: Questions about security orders in terrorist's court appeal

SYDNEY, Aug 16 AAP - Questions have been raised about secrecy orders made in the trial
of convicted terrorist Faheem Khalid Lodhi.

The Pakistani-born architect has lodged an appeal against his conviction and 20-year
jail term for planning a terrorist attack on Australian soil.

Lodhi, 37, was sentenced last year to a maximum 20 years behind bars after being found
guilty of three terrorism-related charges.

Mentioning the case briefly in the NSW Court in Criminal Appeal today, Simon Daley
from the Australian Government Solicitor's office said an administrative error appeared
to have been made in issuing section 31 orders at the trial.

Section 31 orders relate to non-disclosure of certain information under the National
Security Information (Criminal Proceedings) Act 2004.

"Unfortunately His Honour, whilst giving a judgment indicating what orders he intended
to make, never formally made orders," Mr Daley told Registrar Gabrielle Drennan.

The non-disclosure issues are one of the grounds of Lodhi's appeal.

Mr Daley said he was uncertain what bearing, if any, the administrative error might
have on the appeal.

Ms Drennan adjourned the matter, inviting all parties to relist for further mention
if they wished.

The appeal hearing is due to begin on November 7.

AAP ajc/wjf/jt/bwl

KEYWORD: LODHI

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

Groundbreaking music-sharing arena launched

Jerusalem Post staff
Jerusalem Post
02-23-2007
Headline: Groundbreaking music-sharing arena launched
Byline: Jerusalem Post staff
Edition; Daily
Section: Economics
Page: 17

Friday, February 23, 2007 -- Songweavers, a new music-sharing arena that uses the latest, state-of-the-art Internet technology to enable musicians from around the globe to create music together, has been launched on-line.

The service, which is also available via The Jerusalem Post's Web site at www.jpost.com, allows musicians to get together without physically being in the same location - producing so called "Open Source Music."

Music lovers can also watch the process unfolding in real-time.

In addition to the technological breakthrough, this concept also brings forward other possibilities of international cooperation between people, bridging geographical, political, ethnic and religious gaps.

Songweavers offers a membership status to musicians, enabling them to access all the services provided by the site, while non-member visitors can visit the site, watch the creative process unfold and download all the music available on the site for free.

Songweavers, in addition to operating the Web site, will also operate as music publisher, record company, advertising agency and e-commerce vendor.

Keywords:

Copyright 2007 Jerusalem Post. All Rights Reserved

Headlines from the 6PR 0830 bulletin

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2006
Headlines from the 6PR 0830 bulletin
6PR headlines @ 0830 WST



Dili sealed off after 56 prisoners escape including rebel leader

Police calling for witnesses to ramraid in Perth

Beattie agrees to stop ads targeting Springborg

36 dead after bombings in Baghdad

UN accuses Israel of using cluster weapons in final days of war

South of Egypt's Sinai area on alert for terror attack

Urgent call for blood donors

Parents urged not to buy Bratz dolls dressed provocatively

sport

US Open tennis

Aust showjumping team qualifies for Olympics

AAP RTV tm

KEYWORD: 6PR 0830

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

Vic: Solemn service for soldier killed in Iraq

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2006
Vic: Solemn service for soldier killed in Iraq

MELBOURNE, April 24 AAP - A solemn Anzac Day ceremony will be held in the small township
of Briagolong, in Victoria's east, to honour Private Jacob Kovco who died in Iraq.

The 25-year-old soldier died in Baghdad after accidentally shooting himself in the
head while cleaning a service pistol last Friday.

The father of two, who was born in Melbourne, grew up in Briagolong before moving with
his family to NSW, near Sydney's Holsworthy Barracks.

He is survived by his wife Shelley, son Tyrie, 4, and daughter Alana, almost 1.

At tomorrow's service, Private Kovco's name will be read out before The Last Post is played.

The township with a population of 500 has a sad military past with the local cenotaph
bearing the names of four sons from the one family killed in World War I.

The dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne tomorrow will begin at 6am (AEST).

It marks the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Anzac Cove just before
dawn on April 25, 1915.

The service will be followed by the Anzac Day march which starts at 9am (AEST) and
proceeds along Swanston Street in the city and onto St Kilda Road before finishing at
the Shrine.

Retired Navy Lieutenant Ian Wailes will lead the march.

Descendants of a woman who propagated the first seedlings from a pine cone brought
back from Gallipoli were on hand today to see a new tree planted at Melbourne's Shrine
of Remembrance.

The tree was planted at 11.30am (AEST) by Victorian Governor David de Kretser during
a service attended by up to 3,000 primary school children ahead of Anzac Day tomorrow.

Legacy decided to plant the new tree after it was discovered the original one planted
at the Shrine was dying.

The new tree was grown from a seed collected from the dying pine tree.

Jean Giblett, the granddaughter of Emma Gray, the woman who propagated the first seeds
from a pine cone brought back from Gallipoli, was on hand to witness the planting.

"Now that the tree here is dying it's become really important and we are so proud to
be here today," Mrs Giblett said.

"It's really special and I know my father would have been delighted that we are here."

AAP sam/dk/it/jlw

KEYWORD: ANZAC VIC NIGHTLEAD

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

Novo Report Is Tops.

Novo Nordisk has taken first prize in the Association of Chartered Accountants' (ACA; London) European Environmental Reporting Awards for the third consecutive year. ACA commended Novo Nordisk for increasing its environmental reports' focus on sustainable development and for increasing reporting via the Internet.

Distribution and the design engineer: distribution and the design engineer: delivering the "how".(Application Solutions)

The distribution channel has been engaged with the design community for more than 30 years, and innovation and advances continue to make a lasting and profound impact on how design engineers accomplish their goals. Twenty-five years ago the first stop for an engineer with a question was the prized set of databooks in their cubicle or site library--which in many cases distribution sales teams kept diligently up-to-date. Next, and continuing to this day, distribution field application engineers (FAEs), trained and certified by supplier partners, provide support for designs with access to key factory contacts and resources. While FAEs are as important today as ever, the Internet has changed how the distribution channel supports designers' goals and helps them get their projects to market faster.

In the book "How," Dov Siedman drives the point home that we are in an age where information is transparent, with access to anyone willing to take the time to find it. Engineering support in distribution has moved beyond the world of "what" (datasheets, databooks, simple troubleshooting, etc.) and moved into the era of "how." Distribution has transitioned into the era beyond simply providing information (which is still an important "what"), but how that information flows together and creates powerful solutions and synergies. Two specific areas where the channel helps engineers with the "how" are custom solutions combined with just-in-time training.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

A recent example of just-in-time training focused on solutions is Intel and Xilinx. Intel is making great strides to re-enter the deeply embedded processing market. They have recently announced a variant of the Atom Processor is to be used in several upcoming tablets. Avnet developed a custom Xilinx development board and training around the Intel Tunnel Creek device, which has a PCI-Express lane and an FPGA--to give designers the knowledge of what it would take to design this type of x86 architecture in a deeply embedded system. Based on the Avnet Spartan-6 + Atom Development Kit, this course covers the design and development flows for the Atom and FPGA with hands-on labs focusing on using the FPGA for a custom peripheral. The key link that ties the Atom to the Spartan-6 is the PCI Express Endpoint hard IP block in Spartan-6. The course examines the details of this IP block and explores how to use it with the Avnet Spartan-6 + Atom development kit. The Intel Atom processor allows for many choices of an operating system, which in turn, is needed to tie the FPGA hardware to an application running on the Atom processor. The course also looks at what some of these OS options are and examines their benefits and tradeoffs.

As a sign of the times, this course is taught by distribution engineering staff. There are many other examples of this type of effort in the channel, where highly technical trainings are taught by distribution staff--all to educate the design engineer on designing solutions, whether it is in the general areas of power, lighting, or specific FPGA techniques. Over the course of a year, there are well over 50 unique technical training events being delivered by distribution applications engineers to audiences that number in the thousands of engineers covering a wide array of topics and technologies.

Along with training, the distribution channel has made large investments in customized solutions to help design teams get their product to market faster. In the Americas alone, there are well over 100 design engineers working in the areas of ASIC or custom board design in the distribution channel. These groups focus on both general purpose board design for reference and development purposes (as was the case with the Intel development kit referenced above), to custom chip solutions for specific clients. Distribution has resources available to manage the entire ASIC process, from product definition, RTL design through layout and release for fabrication. In fact, the channel tapes out upward of a dozen ASICs every year for customers. An innovative twist on the custom solution is being pioneered by the distribution channel in Europe. Unlike the ASIC model where the relationship is one to one from a design and customer standpoint, they are aggregating the needs of customers and working with key partners to develop custom solutions for groups of customers with similar design challenges.

To view the expanded online version of this article, visit www.ecnmatcomitags/topics-and-features/application-solutions/

By Ron Moore, Avnet Electronics Marketing, Americas, www.avnet.com

Five guards taken hostage by Salafist prisoners in Morocco.

Summary: Inmates at a Moroccan prison took five guards hostage Tuesday in a second day of unrest that appeared to spread to other jails in the North African country, the state news agency and an independent news portal said.

RABAT: Inmates at a Moroccan prison took five guards hostage Tuesday in a second day of unrest that appeared to spread to other jails in the North African country, the state news agency and an independent news portal said.

The Islamist prisoners' grievances include allegations of torture, unfair trials and arbitrary treatment. They demand release from prison or immediate review of their cases.

The government says the inmates received fair trials and are treated in strict accordance with the law.

"The inmates used iron bars and stones C* to attack the guards," the state news agency MAP said.

"There is a climate of total anarchy in this prison, which houses more than 200 Salafist detainees," according to Abderrahim Mouhtad, the head of the Annassir association, which defends Salafist prisoners' rights.

"Clearly the prison administration intends to take back control of the situation and adopt firmer tactics than before," Mouhtad told AFP.

"These detainees sequestered prison warders yesterday and today. They took on the security forces with stones and the clashes were unusually violent," said a senior official in the ministry of the interior.

According to one prisoner's family member, "the prison authorities wanted to lay their hands on a detainee suspected of having recently broadcast a video on YouTube in which you see the Salafist prisoners protest, inside the prison, about detention conditions."

Citing eyewitnesses, MAP said Monday that the security forces "intervened to establish order."

Some 39 people were injured including 19 members of the security forces and five prison guards Monday, a doctor at the hospital in the town of Sale, near Rabat, where the prison is located, told state television.

The unrest led by the Islamist Salafist Jihadi group is linked to demands for reform in Morocco, a staunch Western ally perceived as a haven of stability in the region.

Street protests organized by the anti-government February 20 movement have also seen an outpouring of complaints by prisoners of torture, frequently documented in interviews filmed on cell phones from behind bars and published on the Internet.

Some of the prisoners were detained after a suicide bomb attack in Casablanca in 2003 that killed 45 people while others were arrested in a years-long crackdown on what authorities said were militant cells plotting attacks.

Human right activists blame authorities for sparking the unrest by trying to transfer the vocal prisoners out of Zaki and confiscate phones with cameras.

The Goud.ma news portal said the security forces fired rubber bullets to tame the protest at Zaki prison. The portal is usually well informed on security matters.

An independent news portal Lakome.ma showed pictures of what it said was one inmate at Zaki with a rubber bullet wound to the back of his neck.

It also published videos showing at least eight inmates in prisons in Tangier and Kenitra with nooses around their necks threatening to commit suicide.

King Mohammad VI last month freed about 100 prisoners, most of whom were members of the Salafist Jihadi group, in what human right officials, appointed by the monarch, said was the prelude to a review of cases of political prisoners.

In a separate development, a judge in Morocco accused seven suspects in a bombing that killed 17 people in a cafe in Marrakesh last month of forming a group "to prepare and commit terrorist acts," a judicial official told AFP.

The seven, including main suspect 25-year-old Adil al-Othmani, are being tried under Morocco's 2004 anti-terrorism law, the official said.

The anti-terror court judge also accused them of "a serious attack on public order, premeditated killing and ambush, possession and fabrication of explosives and belonging to a banned religious group," the official said.

Copyright 2011, The Daily Star. All rights reserved.

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

EA to Acquire Firemint.

Creators of Flight Control and Real Racing to Become a Studio of EAi

MELBOURNE, Australia & REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced an agreement to acquire Firemint Pty Ltd., the leading independent mobile development studio. Based in Melbourne, Australia, Firemint brings a proven powerhouse of creative talent to EAi, with original hits Flight Control and Real Racing for iPhone[R] and iPad[TM], and an attractive future slate of games. The deal is not material to EA overall and is expected to close within four weeks. Financial details are not disclosed.

"The Firemint team is remarkable for its critical and commercial success," said Barry Cottle, Executive Vice President and General Manger of EA Interactive. "Having them as part of EAi will accelerate our position as worldwide leader in game development for mobile devices and online gaming platforms."

The agreement follows EA's recent acquisition of Mobile Post Production Inc. (MPP), the worldwide leader in high quality cross-platform development and porting of games for smartphones.

Cottle continued, "The added technical expertise of MPP, combined with the creative talent of Firemint and our EAi studio teams, fuels EA's leadership in delivering top selling, high quality games across mobile phones and smartphones, tablets and future digital interactive entertainment platforms."

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS[TM], EA[TM], EA Mobile[TM] and POGO[TM]. In fiscal 2010, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.7 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million units. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and Pogo are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. iPone is trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc.

LOCATE EXPRESS USES INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO CONNECT CUSTOMERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.

BOISE, ID -- The following information was released by the Idaho Department of Commerce:

Locate Express just launched their business January 28 of this year, but are already filling a niche in the Treasure Valley. Through the use of an internet dispatch system, customers can be connected to pre-qualified services providers instantaneously. Service providers include landscapers, computer repair technicians, mosquito abatement, to carpentry, and more.

Customers simply go to the Company's website at http://www.LocateExpress.com or call at 208-331-9999. Locate Express uses location-based technology, to find the service provider closest to the customer. The customer has the luxury to review the company's qualifications and history before deciding to use the service provider. The customer also decides if they want immediate service or make an appointment. The service provider responds within minutes.

While the Company's service provider list will continue to grow, it currently has over 30 contractors in their directory. Contractors are invited to register with the company, but must meet certain criteria to assure quality and dependable service. The result is meeting the service needs of customers while creating more work for service providers in the area.

"While we are a small, independent business, our approach and innovative use of technology levels the playing field with large companies," according to owner Doug Joseph. "We plan to develop a bigger and broader list of service providers and expand our service area beyond the Treasure Valley." "Customer satisfaction is essential to our success and we can only achieve it through quality service. Customer feedback will be a very important part of our service provider data base so the highest service standards are met."

Collector shares joy of vintage Santas.

By Lia Russel l

The Virginian-Pilot

Sheila Williams believes in Santa Claus.

So it's no wonder the 67-year-old great grandmother loves this time of year.

"Christmas is a magical time," Williams said. "Who's more magical than Santa Claus?"

As a tribute to the jolly fat man, Williams has amassed a collection of more than 200 vintage Santa Claus figures that date to the early 1900s. She claims to have one of the most extensive collections in the area and also sells them at two consignment stores, Attic Treasures in Ghent and Bay Cottage in Ocean View.

Williams has Santas made of cast iron, plastic, ceramic, papier mache, chalk, tin - even a treasured handmade piece constructed from an old Reader's Digest. They are big, small, still, animated, musical and lighted.

From her childhood memories, Williams recalls her mother decorating extensively for the holidays - a legacy she inherited.

"When my children were young, we lived in a 14-room house with 12-foot ceilings, and we used to decorate each room," said Williams, who is a mother of six. "It would take days."

She lives in an apartment now and doesn't decorate as much. She's given many of her beloved holiday items to her offspring. She also has had to slow down because of her health. Two years ago, Williams was diagnosed with cervical cancer and while she is now in remission, she no longer has the energy for vast holiday garnish.

She still collects her Santas, however, and rummages through yard sales and thrift stores for treasures she said are becoming harder to find.

"Thrift stores tend to throw out the vintage items and keep the junk that's from the dollar store," Williams said. "I don't want my Santas to look perfect. They should have issues. I think their flaws make them more attractive."

Williams cautions against buying antiques over the Internet.

"Online is a dangerous place to go," she said. "Everything looks wonderful on camera. If you don't know much about vintage items, it's easy to get swindled."

Williams' Santas are cherished friends, each with personality traits ("This one is being petulant today!") and a history she has researched.

"This is one of the first Japanese tin-bodied Santas from the early 1950s," she said, tapping the hollow metallic body of a 14-or-so-inch figure. "It's an offshoot of the first tin robots they made. He's battery-operated. He walks and rings a bell."

Her favorite Santa is a circa 1940s store display that is priced at $225. The most expensive piece she ever sold was an early 1900s German papier mache Santa with royal blue pants and a real rabbit fur beard. It was "adopted" for $280.

Williams, who also is a folk artist, said her business is more about "finding homes" for items in her collection than about making money.

"If someone asks 'Why is that so expensive?' then I usually won't sell to them, because they obviously don't know much about the item," Williams said. "I want people who buy my Santas to appreciate them as much as I do."

The vintage items often evoke sentimental memories from older customers, Williams said, reminding them of holiday decorations from their youth.

"You get a special feeling when you see them," she said. "It's all about that emotional connection."

In addition to her cherished Santas, Williams has other vintage holiday items, including real aluminum tinsel and old felt stockings.

During the 14 years she has sold items from her rented space at Attic Treasures, Williams has developed a following.

"People will stop in when they're visiting from out of town," she said. "Some will just stop by to say hello and bring their children to see the types of decorations they grew up with."

And where does the maven of holiday decor stand on the real versus fake Christmas tree debate?

"Real, of course," she said. "Anyone that comes in here is a real tree person."

Lia Russell, 222-5829, lia.russell@pilotonline.com

CAPTION(S):

hyunsoo leo kim | the virginian-pilot

This is the cutline. This is the aqui and here cutline. This is the cutline. This is the aqui and here cutline. This is the cutline. This is the aqui and here cutline. Sheila Williams claims to have the largest and most eclectic collection of vintage Santas in the area. She also sells them at two consignment stores, Attic Treasures in Ghent and Bay Cottage in Ocean View. hyunsoo leo kim | the virginian-pilot

CALENDAR.(Government Local)

Byline: The Register-Guard

Eugene

TODAY

Interstate 5/Willamette River Bridge Advisory Group - 10:15 a.m., Singer Room, Public Library, 100 W. 10th Ave. Project updates, bridge them, design. 682-8472.

City Council - Noon, McNutt Room, City Hall, 777 Pearl St. Work session: protected waterways, economic development. 682-5882.

Cultural Services Advisory Committee - Noon, Bascom/Tykeson Room, Public Library, 100 W. 10th Ave. 682-2697.

Intergovernmental Relations Committee - 1:15 p.m., McNutt Room, City Hall, 777 Pearl St. 682-5049.

Hearings Official - 5 p.m., Sloat Room, Atrium Building, 99 W. 10th Ave. Molecular Probes, 682-5437.

Budget Committee - 5:30 p.m., Bascom/Tykeson Room, Public Library, 100 W. 10th Ave. 682-7118.

Police Commission Policy Screening Review Committee - 5:30 p.m., McNutt Room, City Hall, 777 Pearl St. 682-5852.

Ridgeline Montessori Public Charter School Board - 6:30 p.m., 2855 Lincoln St. Regular meeting followed by executive (nonpublic) session on legal issue. 681-9662.

Churchill Area Neighbors - 7 p.m., Churchill Estates, 1919 Bailey Hill Road. 343-0021.

THURSDAY

Police Auditor Ordinance Review Committee - 5 p.m., McNutt Room, City Hall, 777 Pearl St. 682-5336.

Jefferson Westside Neighbors Board - 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive St. 343-4309.

Harrisburg

TODAY

City Council and Planning Commission Downtown Development - 4:30 p.m., City Hall, 354 Smith St. Walking tour departs City Hall, 5:30. p.m. Downtown development meeting. 995-6655.

Junction City

TODAY

School Board - 4:30 p.m., Boardroom, 325 Maple St. Work session: training on Internet-based bargaining; 998-6311.

Harrisburg

today

Special City Council and Planning Comission Meeting - 5:30 p.m.; 354 Smith St.; Discussion of real estate purchase; 995-6655.

Lane County

TODAY

Housing and Community Services Agency - 9 a.m., Commissioners' Conference Room, Public Service Building, 125 E. Eighth Ave., Eugene. Executive (nonpublic) session. Contract. 682-4203.

Board of Commissioners - Following the above, Harris Hall, same address. Lane County Fair Board; electronic equipment recycling fee and large businesses; timber payments. 1:30 p.m., same location. Parks capital improvement plan; population projections; executive session. 682-4203.

Commission on Children and Families - 5:30 p.m., Carmichael Conference Room, John Serbu Youth Campus, 2727 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Eugene. Menu labeling; girls' development. 682-6656.

Roads Advisory Committee - 5:45 p.m., Goodson Room, Public Works, 3040 North Delta Highway, Eugene. Funding requests. 682-6911.

Commission for the Advancement of Human Rights - 5:30 p.m., BCC Conference Room, Public Service Building, 125 E. Eighth Ave., Eugene. 682-3747.

Siuslaw Watershed Council - 6:30 p.m., Mapleton Grange, East Mapleton Road, Mapleton. 268-3044.

THURSDAY

Lane Transit District Board Service Committee - 3 p.m., board room, 3500 E. 17th Ave., Glenwood. Service additions and capital projects. 682-6100.

Animal Services Advisory Committee - Adoptions Subcommittee - 4 p.m., Lane County Animal Services, 3970 W. First Ave., Eugene. 682-3942.

Oakland

TODAY

City Council - 4 p.m., City Hall, 637 N.E. Locust St. Special session: Job description for open public works position. 5 p.m. Discussion of land use fees.

Pleasant Hill

TODAY

Willamalane Board of Directors - 6:30 p.m., Willamalane Community Recreation Center, 250 S. 32nd St. Joint work session with Springfield Public Schools: discuss after-school programs and November 2008 levy. 7:30 p.m., special board meeting: health insurance renewal and review options. 736-4544.

Sutherlin

Thursday

Parks Advisory Committee - 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 126 E. Central Ave.; Discussion of dog and skate parks; 459-2856.

TriActive and THINKstrategies Study of 460 Companies Finds Savings of 50% on Microsoft Office(R) Deployments.

Free Offer in Q2'08 to Conduct Your Own Company Software Savings Project

AUSTIN, Texas -- TriActive, Inc., a pioneer in SaaS for systems management and THINKstrategies, a strategic consulting company that helps enterprises make better sourcing decisions, today announced the completion of a 460 company study on the usage of Microsoft Office[R] software. The study, which included data collected by TriActive's Asset Management Suite[TM] from over 125,000 endpoints across 460 companies, revealed companies can save an average of 50% or more on their Microsoft Office licensing by only purchasing software actually used by individual employees, and provisioning the correct version of Office needed by the users. The study found that Microsoft Office is installed on more than 99% of corporate PC's and in many cases those Microsoft Office installations are underutilized or completely unused.

TriActive and its partners are offering an opportunity for companies to calculate their own software savings project at no cost or obligation. To register for a copy of the software savings study and a video on the FREE offer, go to www.SystemsManagementOndemand.com/software_savings_project.

"With accurate software installation data from TriActive, we analyzed our software license compliance and found in some instances we had too many licenses, and in others we did not have enough," said Bill Jenkins, IT supervisor, Otay water District. "Using TriActive's solution, our LAR saved us $300,000."

"Working with our strategic partners, we've come up with the most cost-effective and easy way for customers, Large Account Resellers, and Managed Services Providers to find savings in their software portfolios," said Ron Halversen, VP Marketing, TriActive. "We were surprised at the amount of savings in every company just sitting there for the taking. Our job now is to show the masses how easy it is to find and capture the savings."

The TriActive Systems Manager discovery feature identifies and categorizes all the software applications installed within an organization's computing environment. Systems Manager leverages a catalog of nearly 400,000 software titles that organizes and normalizes software types, titles, publishers, and versions into a series of reports for the customer, LAR, or MSP to review quickly and easily using a secure Web portal. The Web portal can show the potential costs of upgrading license agreements and the potential cost-savings of eliminating licenses for unused and underutilized applications.

The most popular approach to software license compliance is the implementation of an on-premise platform solution like IBM, Tivoli, Altiris, LANDesk, or Microsoft SCCM (SMS). While these solutions are designed to provide a broad management platform, they are costly to manage and support, and require vast amounts of infrastructure to provide useful data to Purchasing and Procurement organizations. In most cases, manual data manipulation is required to determine compliance or negotiate software license agreements, consumes valuable IT resources, and becomes yet another major IT project. By partnering with LARs and MSPs, TriActive has enabled a powerful, remote Systems Manager to perform a series of hardware and software management tasks in an automated fashion. The Systems Manager technology is packaged into scalable and modular components so customers can pay for what they use, when they need it. LARs and MSPs can now assist customers by leveraging this Web-based, hosted model to deliver accurate software license and usage reports. The greatest benefit is being able to benchmark their customers' performance across a broad cross-section of their clientele. The only requirement is an Internet connection.

"As the economy becomes more uncertain, businesses of all sizes must manage their operations more carefully," said Jeffrey M. Kaplan, managing director of THINKstrategies and Founder of the Managed Services and Software-as-a-Service Showplace directories. "THINKstrategies is pleased to collaborate with TriActive to clearly demonstrate how companies can benefit from managed services providers (MSPs) who leverage TriActive's powerful Asset Management solution to track their software utilization levels so they can right-size their software licensing agreements and reduce their operating costs."

To obtain a free copy of the study go to:

www.SystemsManagementOndemand.com/software_study.

About TriActive

TriActive, Inc. is a pioneer in SaaS for systems management; the combination of hosted systems management software and subscription model dramatically improves service levels while reducing complexity and total cost of ownership (TCO) for IT departments. TriActive offers a modular solution set that enables IT and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to deliver IT projects and services on demand over the Internet without an expensive upfront investment. For more information visit www.triactive.com. For partner inquiries visit www.ManagedServicesOndemand.com.

About THINKstrategies

THINKstrategies is a strategic consulting services company formed specifically to address the unprecedented business challenges facing IT managers, solutions providers, and investors today as the technology industry shifts toward a services orientation. The company's mission is to help our clients re-THINK their corporate strategies and refocus their limited resources to achieve their business objectives. THINKstrategies is also the founder of the Managed Services and Software-as-a-Service Showplaces (www.msp-showplace.com and www.saas-showplace.com), the largest, online, vendor-independent directories and best practices resources. For more information regarding our unique services, visit www.thinkstrategies.com, or contact us at info@thinkstrategies.com.

TriActive[R] is a registered trademark of TriActive, Inc. Systems Management On Demand[TM] and IT 2.0 - Hosting Your Success[TM] are trademarks of TriActive, Inc. THINKstrategies[R] and SaaS Showplace[R] are trademarks of THINKstrategies, Inc.

S and W sees positive gains from F & I kiosk.

Additional finance options have helped S & W, an Alabama dealership involved in a year-long effort to modernize its business, build up its F & I business.

S & W recently had a F & I kiosk placed in its dealership. The kiosk, which is run by Dealers Finance Source, a Texas company is a self-contained cubicle, equipped with a direct line telephone, computer with Internet connection, a printer/scanner and a printer. Once a customer has decided to purchase a vehicle and any accessories, they fill out an online form at the kiosk.

Before the kiosk was placed at S & W, the Jasper, Ala. dealership worked with Dealers Finance Source to find new lenders, of which about five were found, said Julia McCarthy, president of Motorcycle Management Consulting Services, Inc., the marketing company for Dealers Finance Source.

According to S & W employees, the additional lenders are helping secure more consumer loans.

"In addition to more loan approvals," said Jim Wilson, Sr. of S & W, "customers end up buying everything under the sun--insurance, roadside assistance and other services. We never took much time to sell these services in the past.

"But just the other day, someone came in, picked out a motorcycle and ended up paying another 50 percent in add-on services."

Stephanie Reed of S & W's finance department said "over the years, most of our loans have come from OEM-sponsored finance programs, that means we're dependent on GE or HSBC as primary lending sources. We also used a back-up source, American General, to look at loans that GE or HSBC might reject."

Despite the positive results to date, Reed said there have been some initial downsides.

She says the local service provider doesn't offer the necessary bandwidth to support the Internet-equipped kiosk, slowing the approval turnaround process. So S & W is installing a T1 line, giving them the bandwidth needed to fully support the kiosk.

To support this new customer service, ARI will be modifying the S & W Web site, to reflect the dealer's ability to get loans for a wider range of customers.

A direct mail campaign also will be developed to draw attention to these services.

"We'll be sending out MailSmart mailers to credit-challenged motorcycle owners throughout Alabama, making them aware of S & W's expanded loan approval services," says Nancy Krajcir Bennett, direct mail specialist for ARI. "Loan reject levels are very high, not just in Alabama, but nationwide. Being able to ferret out approval for people with collection histories, liens and even prior bankruptcies is a major selling advantage for S & W.

RELATED ARTICLE: TURNING TECHNOLOGY INTO SALES AND PROFITS

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Yamaha, Polaris, ARI, Dealership University and MIC Systems are installing their technology products, services and best practices at S & W. The seventh part of the series, published in the July 24 edition, looked at how a new Web presence and direct mailings had begun to pay off for the dealership.

U.S. Concrete Announces Second Quarter 2005 Earnings Release and Conference Call Schedule.

HOUSTON, July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- U.S. Concrete, Inc. plans to release second quarter 2005 results on Thursday, August 4, 2005 at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time. In conjunction with the release, U.S. Concrete has scheduled an investor conference call, which will be broadcast live over the Internet, Thursday, August 4, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (9:00 a.m. Central).

    What:   U.S. Concrete Second Quarter Conference Call     When:   Thursday, August 4, 2005 - 10:00 a.m. eastern time     How:    Live via phone - By dialing 303-262-2052 and asking for the U.S.            Concrete call 10 minutes prior to the start time. - OR - Live            over the Internet - by logging on to U.S. Concrete's website at            the address below     Where:  http://www.us-concrete.com/ on the home page   

A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available through Thursday, August 11, 2005, and may be accessed by calling 303-590-3000 and using the passcode 11035726#. An archive of the webcast will be available shortly after the call on the Company's website at http://www.us-concrete.com/ within the investor relations section of that site.

For more information, please contact U.S. Concrete at 713-499-6222 or email vnewsom@us-concrete.com .

U.S. Concrete provides ready-mixed concrete and related concrete products and services to the construction industry in several major markets in the United States. The Company has 88 fixed and seven portable ready-mixed concrete plants, eight pre-cast concrete plants, three concrete block plants and one aggregates quarry. During 2004, these facilities produced approximately 5.1 million cubic yards of ready-mixed concrete, 5.3 million eight-inch equivalent block units and 1.1 million tons of aggregates. For more information on U.S. Concrete visit http://www.us-concrete.com/

CONTACT: Robert D. Hardy, CFO of U.S. Concrete, Inc., +1-713-499-6222

Web site: http://www.us-concrete.com/

Legal battle of the Net virgins.

VIRGIN group sent out a flurry of lawyers' letters to people who have registered Internet domain names similar to its virginwines.com. Virgin is taking action after a number of similar names including virginwine.net and virginwine.org were registered by outside individuals or companies.

Kewill profits fall

KEWILL Systems, the software provider that can help retailers track apples from the orchard to the counter, fell 68p to 410p as pre-tax profits for the half to September dropped from [pounds sterling]2.3m to [pounds sterling]2.1m. Sales fell 7pc to [pounds sterling]33m.

Analysts are disappointed with online sales and still wary, though the shares topped [pounds sterling]31 in March.

Kewill plans a Nasdaq listing.

Fisher pays up

LONGSUFFERING food group Albert Fisher paid ex-chief executive Neil England [pounds sterling]548,000 compensation last year on top of the [pounds sterling]471,000 he received in 1999.

He left in October 1998 - the third chief executive in four years - when the board agreed to pay compensation in monthly instalments until he found a new job. The shares have fallen from 52p in 1996 to 51/4p.

HSBC's quest HSBC plans to expand its services to Islamic clients, who are forbidden by the Koran from receiving interest. The bank, which already has a London office providing advice to Moslem customers, is keen to grow in the Middle East, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The heat is off

IN a dull summer, barbecuing Northern Foods' Dalepak burgers and steaks was less appealing. Their sales fell 5pc, slowing pre-tax profit growth to 2pc at [pounds sterling]42m for the to September. But chief executive Jo Stewart says Ski yogurt, sushi meals, Fox's biscuits and Goodfellas pizzas all sold well. Dividends rose 5.5pc to 2.9p, but the shares dipped 33/4p to 133p.

Alli steps down

LABOUR peer Waheed Alli is quitting as head of Carlton's production business just 18 months after Carlton brought him in following the purchase of Alli's Planet 24 business. Carlton says it is reorganising the group into two units - channels and content.

MPs get tough

AT a Treasury committee hearing, MPs from both big parties accused London Stock Exchange chairman Don Cruickshank of lacking strategy. The committee said the LSE's failed merger with Deutsche Borse and the hostile bid by Sweden's OM may have damaged London as a financial centre.

Wall Street

IN New York the Dow Jones index closed 163.81 points up at 10681.06.

Within3 Enters Into Agreement with The JB Ashtin Group, Inc. to Drive Innovation in the Life Sciences Market.

CLEVELAND and PLYMOUTH, Mich., March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Within3, the world leader in online communities for healthcare professionals (HCPs), and The JB Ashtin Group, Inc. (JB Ashtin) a full-service scientific agency offering strategic medical communications solutions to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, announced today that they are combining their expertise to capitalize on a growing set of opportunities in the life sciences marketplace.

As part of a shared strategy to provide a full range of services to life science companies seeking to engage with health professionals through innovative online channels, Lance Hill, CEO, of Within3 and Joan Bradley, PharmD, CEO, of JB Ashtin are teaming up to combine community technology and professional services with best practices in medical and scientific communications. "Healthcare Providers are engaging in online communities like never before. For the life sciences industry, the opportunity to incorporate this emerging channel into core business strategies has reached a true tipping point," stated Hill.

According to JB Ashtin's market research, the Internet, personal communication devices, and tablet PCs are game changers in the healthcare and pharmaceutical marketing arenas. HCPs today are technophiles. Almost 80% of physicians use smart phones and two-thirds of physicians rely on user-generated content for professional education and healthcare-related information. HCPs are interested in participating in "Smart Conferences" that rely on the PC, smart phones, and tablet devices for networking, for learning through interactive workshops, and for engaging in numerous other applications. The only way for pharma to compete in this market is to have relevant content and comprehensive services available through these channels.

"Better patient care depends on the empowered expertise of healthcare professionals who are dedicated to learning, practicing, and evolving medicine. When these professionals can engage directly with each other, the result is better outcomes for all," said Hill. "With our understanding of HCP networking and the technologies available to achieve this goal, we believe that we are uniquely positioned to help accelerate how HCPs and organizations are advancing the practice of medicine," he stated.

Bradley stated, "Communication is the key word -- pharma's ability to get its message across effectively and to the right person is paramount. Moreover, pharma needs to find out what it takes to continually engage physicians, not just deliver a message." She said, "Now is the perfect time for pharma to utilize the marketing and research capabilities available through online communities and start some great conversations. This is an optimal time to develop focused outreach strategies that educate, motivate, and generate product awareness, while being totally compliant with current PhRMA and governmental regulations."

Specifically, JB Ashtin will work with Within3 on select projects to provide scientific content expertise, message development know-how, and project management leadership to help create fresh, relevant, truthful, and transparent information via these online communities.

Both Within3 and JB Ashtin offer a staff of experienced professionals that have a deep understanding of the industry landscape, with a strong culture of superior service and needs anticipation. With cross-functional experience in the pharmaceutical and HPC industries, they will be able to offer clients a comprehensive perspective on developing communication products for the lifecycle of their products.

About Within3

Within3 is the leader in building online communities that enable healthcare professionals to efficiently connect, collaborate, and share information on a 24/7 basis. Highly branded and customized, Within3 communities energize members by providing an array of interactive capabilities. Working with health systems, medical schools, professional associations, research groups, and industry, Within3's goal is to ensure that each community adds value to both organizational clients and to individual members. For more information about Within3, visit www.within3.com.

About JB Ashtin

JB Ashtin is a full-service scientific agency that has provided strategic scientific communications solutions to the pharmaceutical, biotech, device, and consumer industries since 1999. We proactively work with clients to design and implement dynamic, original, and educational projects that foster product and disease state awareness for a variety of audiences. Our goal is to bring outstanding value and results to our clients and their customers with a personal hands-on approach. For more information about The JB Ashtin Group, Inc., visit www.jbashtin.com.

CONTACT: Kathy Ruggeri, +1-216-272-6389, kruggeri@within3.com

SOURCE Within3

Gluster to Exhibit at Cloud Connect 2011.

Cloud Connect 2011, Booth 603 -- Gluster, a leading provider of scale-out, open source storage solutions, announced it will exhibit at Cloud Connect 2011 taking place March 7 - 10 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Gluster will demonstrate its recently released Gluster Virtual Storage Appliances, the first scale-out NAS virtual appliances for VMware, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and RightScale environments in booth 603.

The cloud is expected to account for 12 percent of all IT spending by 2014, creating a need for storage that works both on-premise and in the cloud. Specifically designed for virtual machine (VM) and cloud environments, Gluster Virtual Storage Appliances give enterprises the ability to treat physical storage as a virtualized, standardized and scale-on-demand pool. The appliances integrate GlusterFS into a virtual machine for deployment on any VMware certified hardware or cloud platform. For AWS, GlusterFS is packaged in an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) for deployment on the AWS public cloud. Gluster is also available as a RightScale Server Template for deployment in AWS. The appliances are fully functional Gluster storage servers that pool storage resources under a global namespace with elastic volume management for data growth and migration with no downtime.

The Gluster Virtual Storage Appliances are: Tailored for VM and cloud environments: The software-only appliances are decoupled from hardware and virtualize the underlying disk and memory resources in a unified global namespace, allowing for limitless scalability. With this feature, enterprises are able to deploy storage in the same manner as virtual machines and eliminate the need for expensive physical monolithic storage systems. Easy to deploy and scale: By scaling performance and capacity linearly, data is able to be added as required in only a few minutes without affecting performance across a wide variety of workloads. Additionally, storage management is centralized and easily automated. Support for multiple platforms: The virtual storage appliances are available in three versions: as a VMware Virtual Machine, an Amazon Machine Image, or a RightScale Server Template, providing easy deployment on any VMware certified hardware or Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2). This support delivers excellent performance across a wide range of workloads, including those found in highly virtualized environments.

For more information and to register for Cloud Connect, visit: http://www.cloudconnectevent.com/cloud-computing-conference/overview.php. Supporting Resources Follow Gluster on the web for the latest news and information at: Gluster Virtual Storage Appliances Gluster.org Community Gluster on Twitter @Gluster About Gluster Gluster delivers an open storage software platform focused on simplifying the task of storing and managing the explosive growth of unstructured data. Our scale-out storage platform runs on commodity hardware scaling out in building block fashion from a few terabytes to multiple petabytes to meet the most demanding capacity and performance needs at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems. Gluster uses a unified global namespace to virtualize disk and memory resources into a single shared pool that is centrally managed. Our scalable virtual NAS appliances address the needs of traditional data centers, shared storage for virtual server environments, and both public and private storage clouds. Gluster is used by enterprises in a wide range of industries, including digital media delivery, healthcare, internet, energy, and biotech. Gluster is privately-held and headquartered in Milpitas, California.

Keywords: Gluster, Software.

This article was prepared by Computer Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Computer Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.