QLD:Fourth LNG plant moves a step closer

AAP General News (Australia)
08-16-2011
QLD:Fourth LNG plant moves a step closer

By Tony Bartlett

GOLD COAST, Aug 16 AAP - A fourth liquified natural gas (LNG) plant for central Queensland
has moved a step closer, with Arrow Energy awarding a multi-million dollar contract for
the project.

The engineering design for the plant will be done in Australia, Japan and the United
States over the next 12 months by an international consortium.

The plant, to be built on Curtis Island off Gladstone, will be designed with two processing
units each capable of producing four million tonnes of LNG a year for export.

Arrow CEO Andrew Faulkner was reluctant to put a date on when the fourth LNG plant
might be up and running.

"There is still a final investment decision to be taken by the shareholders and ultimately
that will dictate the precise timing," he told reporters on the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

Premier Anna Bligh said having such projects staggered across a number of years means
the state is looking forward to a decade of opportunity.

"We can sequence a workforce, we can smooth out the employment effect, and everybody
has an opportunity to be part of it," she said.

"As we see these projects come on line we need to make sure Queenslanders, wherever
they are, can get some share of the benefits."

The premier said if it reaches reality, the multi-billion dollar Arrow Energy project
would create more than 3000 jobs in Queensland.

A skills summit being held on Tuesday on the Gold Coast with the mining industry, was
an opportunity to work with mayors from around the state to match employers with regions
looking for work, Ms Bligh said.

"I want companies in the first instance to source their labour as locally as they can,
secondly I want them to look at the rest of Queensland as a labour source and go interstate
and overseas as a last resort," she said.

AAP gd/dep

KEYWORD: LNG

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

Vic: Boy beaten with pole and kicked, two charged

AAP General News (Australia)
02-19-2007
Vic: Boy beaten with pole and kicked, two charged

A 15-year-old boy has suffered head injuries after being beaten with a pole and kicked
as he lay on the ground in Victoria.

Police say the incident occurred in McFarland Road .. in Wodonga .. near Victoria's
border with NSW .. about 11.50 (AEDT) last night.

A spokesman says the youth .. who was with another boy .. was hit with an aluminium
pole and fell to the ground .. before being attacked by a second person and kicked in
the head and stomach.

Senior Constable WAYNE WILSON says the first attacker also continued to hit the boy
with the pole as he lay on the ground.

He was taken to the Wodonga Hospital for treatment for head injuries.

Constable WILSON says two 17-year-old males have been arrested and will appear in the
Wodonga Children's Court at a later date charged with assault.

AAP RTV dr/psm/

KEYWORD: POLE (MELBOURNE)

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

QLD:Man guilty of murdering and torching wife

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2011
QLD:Man guilty of murdering and torching wife

EDS: Reissuing to correct Spina's age in par 2 on updated advice



By Christine Flatley

BRISBANE, April 19 AAP - A man has been found guilty of brutally murdering his estranged
wife and setting fire to her body.

After more than three days of deliberations, the Brisbane Supreme Court jury returned
on Tuesday morning to declare Jason Michael Spina, 38, guilty of the murder of 26-year-old
Haley Elizabeth Mauree Allison.

Spina pleaded guilty to her manslaughter at the start of the trial, but denied it was
intentional.

He claimed he was provoked into strangling and repeatedly stabbing her after she threw
petrol on him and set it alight.

Prosecutor Glen Cash said the jury's verdict made it clear they rejected this claim,
and instead accepted that Spina's burns were sustained when he set fire to Ms Allison.

During the trial the court heard Spina carried out the attack shortly after the pair
separated in October 2009.

Ms Allison's burnt body was found at her parents' Caboolture home two months later.

The court heard the pair had argued immediately prior to Ms Allison's death, but that
the exact circumstances that sparked the assault were still unclear.

"Precisely what happened that night will never be known because Haley Allison's voice
will never be heard," Justice Peter Applegarth said.

"Some things can be said about what happened.

"She was brutally murdered. You strangled her then you repeatedly stabbed her."

Justice Applegarth sentenced Spina to life imprisonment.

The verdict was met with cheers from Ms Allison's friends and family, who described
Spina outside court as a "dog".

Extra security guards were called in when the verdict was handed down, after a violent
altercation between supporters from both sides erupted outside the courtroom on Monday.

One woman was taken to hospital after being punched in the face.

Police are investigating the incident.

AAP cf/crh/jlw/nb

KEYWORD: SPINA (REISSUING)

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

XINHUA MARCHED INTO E-READING

AsiaInfo Services
01-18-2011
Xinhua Marched into E-reading

BEIJING, Jan 18, 2011 (SinoCast Daily Business Beat via COMTEX) -- The Xinhua News Agency joined hands with Datang Telecom Technology Co., Ltd. (SHSE: 600198) on the formal start of a digital media service platform on January 17, 2011, signaling the formal start into the e-reading industry.

That is to say, users later can read news information resources of the Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of the government of China, via mobile phones, electronic readers, and PDA.

Currently, the platform has more than 3,000 registered users. Users who use smart mobile phones based on Android operating system can download the customer end for free of charge, and win online news of the Xinhua News Agency for free of charge.

In addition, the listed company also launched e-readers. Compared with other ordinary e-readers, the Xinhua digital media service platform owns a batch of high-end users in the Chinese Party, politics, and military sector. The e-reader is designed to have a market price of nearly CNY 10,000, compared with about CNY 2,000 for ordinary e-readers.

Source: www.chinanews.com.cn (January 18, 2011)

KEYWORD: BEIJING INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Internet & Online Services & Media SUBJECT CODE: Media
News Syndicates
SinoCast China Business Daily news
digital media
e-reading
e-reader
mobile phone
Android

Copyright 2011 AsiaInfo Services (via Comtex). All rights reserved

FED:Early counting in Victoria

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2010
FED:Early counting in Victoria

CANBERRA, Aug 21 AAP - In Prime Minister Julia Gillard's home state of Victoria, early
figures show Labor behind.

With 5.37 per cent of the vote counted, there was a 2.38 per cent swing against Labor
on first preferences.

In the marginal regional seat of Corangamite, the result was close with six per cent
of the vote counted.

Labor MP Darren Cheeseman had a 0.68 per cent swing against him.

On a two-party preferred count, Liberal party candidate Sarah Henderson was ahead with
a 1.60 per cent swing.

In McEwen, with 13.6 per cent of the vote counted, Labor's Rob Mitchell was on 51.52,
ahead of the Liberal's Cameron Caine on to 48.48

The Greens were ahead in early counting in the marginal Victorian seat of La Trobe.

The south-east Melbourne mortgage-belt seat is a must-hold for the coalition.

With about 3000 votes counted, Greens candidate Jim Reiher had a 4.55 per cent swing.

There was a 0.20 per cent swing against Liberal MP Jason Wood, who has twice won the
seat and survived a 5.3 per cent swing to Labor in 2007.

On a two-party preferred count, Labor candidate Laura Smyth was ahead with a 1.13 per cent swing.

The coalition needs 17 Labor seats to win the election by garnering a uniform swing
of 2.3 per cent across the country. But the government can lose its absolute majority
if it loses 13 seats.

AAP gd/sb/jlw

KEYWORD: POLL10 COUNT VIC

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

Fed: Survey says no to 'big Australia' as Burke sworn in

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2010
Fed: Survey says no to 'big Australia' as Burke sworn in

CANBERRA, April 14 AAP - A survey has shown the majority of voters don't want a bigger
Australia, as Population Minister Tony Burke was sworn in at Government House in Canberra.

Governor-General Quentin Bryce presided over the brief ceremony on Wednesday, wishing
Mr Burke well in his new task of devising a plan to manage the nation's population growth.

As Australia's first population minister, he will have 12 months to examine what numbers
the country can accommodate, and ensure they are provided for with infrastructure, housing
and water.

Mr Burke retains the agriculture, fisheries and forestry portfolio.

Meanwhile, more than 3000 voters were asked whether they supported population growth
in the Australian National University's latest survey of social attitudes.

Almost 70 per cent said they didn't support population growth, citing local jobs, urban
congestion and the environment as reasons.

Those who favoured growth, around 30 per cent, did so for economic reasons like addressing
the ageing population.

But less than a quarter favoured immigration as the main contributor.

Dr Katharine Betts, who has written a report on the findings, says Labor is "very much
out of touch with Australian voters" on the issue of population growth.

"The (population) road train's steaming ahead with a lot of unhappy passengers," the
Monash University academic told ABC Radio.

"There's a large sway of voters out here who would like the train driver to put on the brakes."

The survey also showed opinions differed between states.

About 75 per cent of Queenslanders said they were opposed to population growth, in
contrast to the ACT where half supported growth.

The survey was completed in the three months to February, and is in contrast to a recent
Lowy Institute poll that found people wanted a bigger Australia.

Treasury has forecast the nation's population to reach 36 million by 2050.

AAP gd/kms/jnb

KEYWORD: POPULATION SURVEY UPDATE (PIX AVAILABLE)

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

Qld: No security boost despite MP death threat

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2009
Qld: No security boost despite MP death threat

By Jessica Marszalek

BUNDABERG, Qld, Aug 31 AAP - The Queensland government is committed to open community
cabinet meetings despite a man trying to hit a minister and later revealing to police
he wanted to kill him at recent forum.

A 48-year-old man was ejected on Sunday after throwing a jug of water at Public Works
Minister Robert Schwarten during a one-on-one meeting with him during a public forum at
Bundaberg North State High School.

After throwing the water, the man tried to hit the minister with the jug as Mr Schwarten
raised his hands to defend himself against the blow.

The man was escorted outside by police, losing his shoes in the scuffle.

It was at that time the man said he was going to kill Mr Schwarten, a senior police
officer told reporters on Monday afternoon.

A spokesperson for Mr Schwarten told AAP they were not aware of the threat.

Earlier on Monday, the minister, who was nursing a bruised and swollen hand, expressed
concern for the man.

He said he had paid $70,000 up front for a kit home and lost the money when Coral Coast
Homes went under.

But because he did not sign a building contract he was not covered under the Building
Services Authority (BSA), Mr Schwarten said.

"He's really come along there yesterday expecting government to solve all of his problems
and the government can't do that," the minister told reporters in Bundaberg on Monday.

He said the "dangerous" incident was not a nice one but he felt safe participating
in future community cabinets.

"You don't expect to go to a community cabinet and for that to happen but I guess what
it shows is that people get very distressed," he said.

"He was certainly very distressed and quite frankly he's more to be pitied than scorned
in this circumstance.

"He's in desperate trouble and he took his frustrations out on me."

Mr Schwarten is not pressing charges relating to the assault but police have charged
the man with public nuisance and obstructing police.

He will face Bundaberg Magistrates Court on September 18.

Ms Bligh said the "rare" incident would not change anything about the way community
cabinets were run in the future, including security numbers.

She said there had been enough security at Sunday's meeting and she was committed to
keeping the meetings as open as possible.

"I want people to feel that they can walk into a school hall and meet with any member
of my government and my cabinet unimpeded by a strong police presence," she told reporters
in Bundaberg.

"I don't think that's necessary."

Sunday's community cabinet, which gave residents outside of Brisbane the chance to
meet one-on-one with government ministers and senior departmental officers, attracted
the largest number of registered attendees and around 300 protesters.

AAP jmm/ahe/ldj/jlw

KEYWORD: SCHWARTEN 2ND WRAP

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

Headlines 1600 2UE

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2009
Headlines 1600 2UE

- A Triple Zero operator's admitted to an inquest she was abrupt and detached when
speaking to a student lost in Blue Mountains

- PM has released response to 2020 summit

- Navy's intercepted another boat carrying suspected asylum seekers

- Man lucky to be alive after freak car accident in inner Sydney

- Economists expect RBA to hold off from cutting interest rates next month

- Research has found 1 in 3 drowning deaths are due to neglect

- F3 northbound will be closed again this evening

- SPORT

- NRL Cronulla/Roosters

- Tennis Davis Cup

AAP RTV af

KEYWORD: 1600 2UE

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

NT: Intervention not to blame for urban drift: study

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2008
NT: Intervention not to blame for urban drift: study

A new study's discredited claims the federal intervention into Northern Territory indigenous
communities is causing Aborigines to drift into urban centres.

The measures to combat child sex abuse have been repeatedly blamed for an increase
in the numbers of Aboriginal people squatting on the borders of towns like Darwin and
Katherine.

But a study by researchers from Charles Darwin University refutes the claims saying
aborigines are on the move regardless of the intervention.

Report author ANDREW TAYLOR says urbanisation has been happening in the NT for decades
and it's entirely consistent with models of migration from rural areas elsewhere in the
world.

AAP RTV tr/af/fdf

KEYWORD: INDIGENOUS DRIFT (DARWIN)

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

Swm: Phelps' place among most successful athletes

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2008
Swm: Phelps' place among most successful athletes

BEIJING, Aug 12 DPA - The top 20 most successful athletes at Olympic
Summer Games after American swimmer Michael Phelps won a ninth gold
medal on Tuesday at the Beijing Olympics.

<#>

Name, country Years Sport Medals

G S B

1. Larisa Latynina, Soviet Union 1956-1964 Gymnastics 9-5-4

2. Paavo Nurmi, Finland 1920-1928 Athletics 9-3-0

3. Mark Spitz, United States 1968/1972 Swimming 9-1-1

4. Carl Lewis, United States 1984-1996 Athletics 9-1-0

5. Michael Phelps, United States 2004/2008 Swimming 9-0-2

6. Birgit Fischer, Germany 1980-2004 Canoeing 8-4-0

7. Sawao Kato, Japan 1968-1976 Gymnastics 8-3-1

Jenny Thompson, United States 1992-2004 Swimming 8-3-1

9. Matt Biondi, United States 1984-1992 Swimming 8-2-1
10. Ray C Ewry, United States 1900-1908 Athletics 8-0-0
11. Nikolai Andrianov, Soviet U. 1972-1980 Gymnastics 7-5-3
12. Boris Shakhlin, Soviet Union 1956-1964 Gymnastics 7-4-2
13. Vera Caslavska, Czechoslovakia 1960-1968 Gymnastics 7-4-0
14. Viktor Shukarin, Soviet Union 1952/1956 Gymnastics 7-3-1
15. Aladar Gerevich, Hungary 1932-1960 Fencing 7-1-2
16. Edoardo Mangiarotti, Italy 1936-1960 Fencing 6-5-2
17. Hubert van Innis, Belgium 1900-1920 Archery 6-3-0
18. Akinori Nakayama, Japan 1968/1972 Gymnastics 6-2-2
19. Gert Fredriksson, Sweden 1948-1960 Canoeing 6-1-1
20. Vitali Sherbo, CIS/Belarus 1992/1996 Gymnastics 6-0-4
AFP nh

KEYWORD: OLY08 SWM PHELPS FACTBOX

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

NSW: Main stories in today's Sydney newspapers

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2008
NSW: Main stories in today's Sydney newspapers

SYDNEY, April 3 AAP - The main stories in today's Sydney newspapers:

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH:

Page 1-2 Taronga Zoo wraparound

Page 3: Another battered face has come back to haunt swimming champion Nick D'Arcy,
who has expressed his regret over what he calls an "unfortunate isolated incident".

Page 4: Nick D'Arcy would probably quit swimming if he were dumped from Australia's
Olympic team, his coach has predicted.

Page 5: An $85 million makeover is underway to strengthen the Sydney Harbour Bridge
against terrorism.

World: Zimbabwe's opposition party says it is on the verge of taking power, but has
dismissed speculation it is negotiating an exit for President Robert Mugabe.

Finance: A major client of Opes Prime has won a court injunction to stop the firm's
creditors selling the client's shares.

Sport: Sonny Bill Williams has requested he is kept away from former teammate Willie
Mason when they both appear on The Footy Show tonight.

MORE krc/srp/wf

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS NSW

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

Narrowstep and theONE.tv to Launch a Internet TV Channel with Live Music Events

Wireless News
09-06-2007
Narrowstep and theONE.tv to Launch a Internet TV Channel with Live Music Events

WIRELESS NEWS-September 6, 2007-Narrowstep and theONE.tv to Launch a Internet TV Channel with Live Music Events (C)2007 10Meters - http://www.10meters.com

Narrowstep and theONE.tv recently launched a new Internet TV channel focusing on live music entertainment.
theONE.tv will showcase performances from some the world's most iconic venues including a new series of October launch concerts in London, New York and Los Angeles.

Available to anyone with a broadband connection, theONE.tv is a global 24/7 music broadcaster using Narrowstep's Internet TV platform telvOS to deliver the highest quality video possible on the Internet. theONE.tv, which is available at http://www.theone.tv, will feature some of the world's finest musicians and is working with major artists and music venues in the UK and US to film and broadcast live concerts globally over the Internet and via mobile phone.

"The key to capturing the energy and excitement of a live music event is in the quality of the video," said Todd Narwid, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Narrowstep. "At Narrowstep we pride ourselves in our ability to deliver long-form video over the Internet in true, television-like quality."

This channel has been made possible through the association of Steve Nardelli and Arnold Reicher, with initial funding made available by London investment firm Venesis Limited. Steve Nardelli is the singer and songwriter of the band The Syn and the head of Umbrello Records. His musical collaborations have put him on the cutting-edge of progressive music.

Arnold Reicher brings with him over 15 years of broadcast media experience in both Europe and North America to the project. He has successfully launched international IPTV channels for factual and entertainment markets through his broadcast companies.

"theONE.tv will focus on bringing the energy and atmosphere of live music performance to the new broadcast media of Internet TV," said Nardelli. "theONE.tv has agreements in place with major music content providers including record labels and live music venues, and is now ready to take the online broadcast market by storm."

Narrowstep is a provider of Internet TV services, supporting over 180 channels worldwide.

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

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

(Copyright M2 Communications Ltd. 6, 2007)

Qld: Man charged after siege in north Queensland

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2007
Qld: Man charged after siege in north Queensland

A 46-year-old man's been charged after an overnight siege in north Queensland.

Police say when they arrived at a house in the town of Ayr about 8.30 last night to
investigate an unrelated incident .. the man allegedly armed himself with several carving
knives and threatened them.

Negotiators were called in .. and the man was arrested at 2.30 this morning after allegedly
spitting at police during a brief but violent struggle.

He's been charged with serious assault and threatening violence .. and will appear
in the Townsville magistrates court today.

AAP RTV rad/jmt

KEYWORD: SIEGE (BRISBANE)

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

Vic: Firefighters injured in Mansfield blaze=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-16-2006
Vic: Firefighters injured in Mansfield blaze=2

Rural Ambulance spokesman John Mullen said six firefighters had been caught in a burn-over.

"As a result one has critical burns," Mr Mullen said.

Four of the firefighters suffered burns and smoke inhalation while another suffered
smoke inhalation.

All six were airlifted out of the region then taken by road to Mansfield Hospital.

The critically injured man is expected to be airlifted to Melbourne later today.

AAP jmw/nf

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC INJURIES 2 MELBOURNE

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

AFL: Cox still no certainty to return

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-2006
AFL: Cox still no certainty to return

West Coast coach JOHN WORSFOLD is remaining tight-lipped over whether All-Australian
ruckman DEAN COX will make his long-awaited return to AFL this Saturday.

The high-flying Eagles take on 12th-placed Kangaroos at Subiaco Oval this weekend.

Although COX told Southern Cross Radio this morning that he is fit to play, WORSFOLD
says he must get through this afternoon's closed training session unscathed.

WORSFOLD says COX must prove to the Eagles match committee that he's ready to go and
most importantly receive the thumbs-up from the medical staff.

COX has not played for the Eagles since their round 13 loss to the Western Bulldogs
and was a chance to return last week against St Kilda, before the club decided to rest
him.

AAP RTV str/tdw

KEYWORD: AFL EAGLES (PERTH)

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

SA: Successful candidates in the SA upper house election

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2006
SA: Successful candidates in the SA upper house election

The 11 successful Legislative Council candidates at the March 18 South Australian election:



Labor: Carmel Zollo

Robert Sneath

Russell Wortley

Ian Hunter



Liberal: Rob Lucas

John Dawkins

Michelle Lensink



Independent Nick

Xenophon, No Pokies: Nick Xenophon

Ann Bressington



Family First: Dennis Hood



Australian Greens: Mark Parnell





The state of the parties in the 22-seat SA upper house following the March election:



Labor: 8 seats

Liberal: 8 seats

Australian Democrats: 1 seat

Family First: 2 seats

Nick Xenophon, no pokies: 2 seats

Australian Greens: 1 seat



AAP tjd/cdh/br

KEYWORD: POLLSA COUNCIL (FACTBOX)

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

Bare Head

Bare Head It would be difficult to find a more trivial matter that was the source of greater controversy in Jewish life than the question of whether or not it is permitted for males to pray with uncovered head. From the very few references in the Talmud it would appear that only men noted for their piety covered their heads, not only for prayer but at all times, out of respect for God ‘on high’, that is, above their head. As late as the eighteenth century Elijah, Gaon of Vilna could write (note to the Shulhan Arukh, Orah Hayyim, 8) that according to the strict law there is no need to pray with covered head and that to cover the head is no more than an act of piety. For all that, especially in reaction to Christian worship, it became the universal practice among the Orthodox to cover the head (either with a hat or with the yarmulka) at all times. Certainly, it is now unheard of for worshippers in an Orthodox synagogue to have their head uncovered. In the early days of Reform Judaism it was often the practice to pray with bared head even in the synagogue but this is rare nowadays, and some Reform Jews have adopted the Orthodox practice of wearing a head-covering at all times.

BMW Becomes a 'Part' of Jacksonville; Site Announced For New Regional Parts Distribution Center.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. -- BMW of North America, LLC has selected Jacksonville, Florida for the site of its fourth regional Parts Distribution Center and will begin construction in the coming weeks.

The 140,000 square-foot facility, designed to grow with BMW, will support 45 BMW and MINI dealerships in the Sunbelt states of Florida, Georgia and North and South Carolina. The center will accommodate inventory for all BMW and MINI vehicles - about 70,000 different parts - and will employ up to 50 people. Most of those employees will be hired locally. Completion of the new distribution center, to be located in the Westside Industrial Park, is planned for late in 2002.

"BMW continues to set sales records; in 2001, BMW sold more than 200,000 vehicles in the U.S., an increase of 12.5 percent over the previous year," explained Hans Duenzl, Vice President of Aftersales and Engineering. "In addition, the company is in the midst of its strongest product offensive ever and in the coming years, will introduce several new model lines, including the new Six Series, One Series and the X3 Sports Utility Vehicle. And, the MINI brand was officially launched in this country in March.

"The southeast part of the U.S. continues to be a strong market for BMW Group and we are committed to providing our dealers, and our customers, with the best possible service," Duenzl continued. "With approximately 1.4 million BMWs on the road now, and the exciting new models planned for the coming years, we are ready to expand our parts logistics capabilities."

"BMW's decision gives Jacksonville additional credibility within the automotive industry and supports our view that Jacksonville is where the future leads," said Steve Halverson, 2002 Chairman of Cornerstone Regional Development Partnership's Business Recruitment Standing Committee.

"In addition to being a targeted industry, BMW is a good corporate citizen and exemplifies the types of businesses that we seek to attract. With such a large presence, both nationally and internationally, the benefits of having a BMW parts distribution center here will be far-reaching," said Kirk Wendland, Executive Director of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission.

BMW's investment in the new Jacksonville facility, which will be staffed and managed by Nashville-based third party logistics firm Ozburn Hessey, is estimated at $32 million, including $20 million in inventory.

BMW has three other parts distribution Centers in the U.S. The largest is located in Mount Olive, NJ and the other two are in Ontario, CA and Senatobia, MS. In 2001, sales of BMW parts and accessories were up approximately 15 percent over the previous year.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America has been present in the United States since 1975. Since then, the BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales and financial service organizations for the BMW and MINI brands; a South Carolina manufacturing operation; DESIGNWORKS/USA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. The BMW Group is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW car, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle, 148 BMW Motorcycle retailers and 59 MINI car dealers. BMW US Holding Corp., the Group's headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at http://www.bmwusa.com/ http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/ and http://www.miniusa.com/.

MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X77077543

Contact: Martha McKinley, Business Communications Manager of BMW Group, +1-201-307-3786, Martha.mckinley@bmwna.com; or Maureen O'Connell, maureen@jppr.com, or Ilene Lefland, ilene@jppr.com, both of Jacobs & Prosek Public Relations, +1-203-378-1152, for BMW

Website: http://www.bmwusa.com/

Web site firm Innuity cuts 120 sales jobs.(BUSINESS)

Innuity Inc., a Minnetonka-based firm that builds Web sites for small businesses, said it fired 120 people from its nationwide sales staff in a reorganization.

Only a few of the people affected by the layoffs are in the Twin Cities area, said Susan Misukanis, vice president of marketing for the privately held concern.

Innuity, formerly known as QuikPages, is restructuring its sales effort to emphasize sales through third-party channels and partnerships with companies such as IBM, rather than through its own staff. The company said it will continue to maintain a substantial sales force; most of the 480 employees remaining with the company will be salespeople.

"We're focusing less on feet on the street," Misukanis said.

Innuity uses a variety of sales channels such as call centers and direct marketing to entice small companies - up to 25 employees - to buy a Web site or a Web store. Through its 80-person office in San Clemente, Calif., Innuity also makes Web pages for radio stations.

While the slowing economy has other companies delaying Web development expenses and other Internet initiatives, Misukanis said Innuity is seeing an increase in Web site sales and saw two record sales days recently. The layoffs were intended to help the company reach profitability sooner, she said.

Innuity achieved $25 million in sales last year and expects to double that this year and earn its first profit by early next year.

"With the new partners we're bringing on board, we're ready to rock," she said. Innuity was founded in 1995.

- Sherri Cruz is at scruz@startribune.com.

ObjectSoft Licenses ScreenPlay as a New Feature for Its FastTake(TM) Internet-Based Video Kiosks.

HACKENSACK, N.J., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- ObjectSoft Corporation (Nasdaq: OSFT) announced today that it has licensed superior quality video trailers from ScreenPlay Incorporated for its new Internet-based FastTake(TM) video kiosk, the latest development in the retail video industry.

Arriving in stores across the US and Canada over the next 60 days, the addition of ScreenPlay's trailers is part of an ongoing effort to make FastTake a valuable tool to retailers, ObjectSoft said.

"This solidifies ObjectSoft's position as the provider of the most innovative video sales aid and customer service tool available today," said ObjectSoft Chairman and CEO David E. Y. Sarna. "In-store use of FastTake will allow retailers to reach out to their customers in a new and exciting way."

"ScreenPlay is the premier provider of in-store electronic merchandising for video retailers," said George Febish, President and co-CEO of ObjectSoft Corporation. New developments in DVD technology combined with ObjectSoft's proprietary integration efforts allow consumers to easily tap into ScreenPlay's vast library of trailers bringing a new purchasing experience to customers."

Already unique in the industry, the FastTake video kiosk is housed in a futuristic enclosure that displays product and signage. A user-friendly touch screen allows customers to search Video Detective's database by title, actor, director, rating, and genre. The onscreen search experience delivers a plot summary, the corresponding trailer, box art and related facts and statistics from thousands of videos.

The software for FastTake can allow for database updates, cross promotion between studio and retailer, advertising, multiple rental promotion, point-of-purchase promotion and demographic targeting to benefit the store owner. FastTake installation and servicing are provided by IBM Corporation. Built with the latest Microsoft Corporation development tools and Internet platform, it will soon support electronic commerce (E-commerce) as well.

About ObjectSoft

Founded in 1990, ObjectSoft Corporation provides information and services through public access kiosks. The Company's products, FastTake and SmartSign(TM) kiosks enable organizations to interact with the general public in high density pedestrian traffic areas. ObjectSoft is a publicly held company listed on Nasdaq. For more information on ObjectSoft, visit their website at http://www.objectsoft.net.

About ScreenPlay

Founded in 1990, ScreenPlay Incorporated is a privately-held company headquartered in Seattle, WA. The firm specializes in providing in-store merchandising programs for movie, game and music retailers. ScreenPlay is currently servicing over 3,000 stores in North America, including Rogers Video of Canada, Hastings Books, Music and Video, and The Musicland Group.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning ObjectSoft which are subject to a number of known and unknown risks that could cause actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those described or implied in the forward-looking statements. Among such risks are those discussed in the Company's Registration Statements on Form SB-2 and Form S-3 and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-QSB and include, but are not limited to, limited operating history, recent establishment of new business divisions, dependence on new and untested product, risks related to technological factors and potential manufacturing difficulties.

Research and Markets: Croatia Telecommunications Report Q3 2011 - The Mobile ARPU Rate for Croatia Fell By 6.9% in 2010 to Reach HRK81.7 (EUR14.6).(Report)

M2 PRESSWIRE-July 18, 2011-: Research and Markets: Croatia Telecommunications Report Q3 2011 - The Mobile ARPU Rate for Croatia Fell By 6.9% in 2010 to Reach HRK81.7 (EUR14.6)(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:18072011

Dublin - Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bd02d6/croatia_telecommun) has announced the addition of the "Croatia Telecommunications Report Q3 2011" report to their offering.

BMI's Q3 2011 report on Croatia's Telecommunications market analyses and assesses the growth of the country's mobile communications, fixed-line telephony and internet/ broadband subscriber sectors. The report contains five-year growth forecasts which chart how the country's different telecommunications sectors are likely to develop. Our five-year forecasts are based on the most recent available figures to be published by Croatia's telecoms regulator, the Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency (HAKOM) and by the country's leading network operators. In addition to our five-year growth forecasts for the mobile, fixed-line and internet markets, our report explores each sector in depth in our market data analysis sections. In addition to including the latest data, these sections examine the latest data, trends and developments.

Over the next five years, BMI forecasts a slowdown in the rate of mobile subscriber growth. Growth will be slower as operators find it increasingly difficult to grow organically due to market saturation. This new forecast envisages growth of 1.8% in 2011, with subsequent years seeing diminishing rates of growth. Meanwhile, this report estimates the number of mobile subscribers with 3G handsets increased by 65% in 2010 to reach 574,000. This is equivalent to about 9% of the total mobile customer base. We maintain our view that 3G customer growth could have been higher had it not been for Croatia's economic recession and its lingering after-effects, including a tendency for subscribers cut down on high-end services. Over the long-term, we expect a steady increase in 3G customer numbers.

During this quarter, we introduced a mobile ARPU forecast for Croatia. This forecast is based on historical ARPU data published by the sector's two largest mobile operators, T-Mobile and Vipnet, and is expressed in local currency, the Croatian Kuna. Examined as a market average, the mobile ARPU rate for Croatia fell by 6.9% in 2010 to reach HRK81.7 (EUR14.6). Both of Croatia's mobile operators contributed to the fall in blended ARPU. This long-term forecast for Croatia's blended ARPU rates is one of gradual decline. This research forecasts the rate of decline will diminish in the latter years of the forecast as the acquisition of new prepaid customers tails off and as operators establish more stable sources of income from the deployment of data services.

This report expects the internet sector to remain one of the main growth areas in Croatia's telecoms market over the next five years. With an internet user base which is already high, we expect only single digit growth annually, for the duration of our forecast. By the end of 2015 BMI believes the internet user base will have risen to 3.25mn, equivalent to a penetration rate of more than 74%. Meanwhile, broadband subscriber growth is expected to remain robust for each of our five forecast years. Despite this, we lowered our longterm forecast expectations, as a result of weaker subscriber growth in 2010.

Companies Mentioned:

- Samsung

- T-Hrvatski Telekom

- Tele2 Croatia

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bd02d6/croatia_telecommun

CONTACT:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager,

press@researchandmarkets.com

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).

Police swoop on teenage 'mastermind of global hacking'.(News)

Byline: Andrew Levy

A TEENAGER is suspected of masterminding computer hacking attacks on the CIA, the U.S. Senate and Sony from his bedroom.

Ryan Cleary, 19, was arrested at his family's home in Essex, England, in a dramatic swoop following a joint inquiry by Scotland Yard and the FBI.

He was held hours after the UK's serious crime unit came under online siege from hacking group LulzSec.

The self-styled group of 'pirate ninjas' - whose name is derived from 'Lulz Security' - recently declared on Twitter their intention to break into government websites and banks, and leak confidential documents.

On Monday the Serious and Organised Crime Ageny - dubbed Britain's FBI - was forced temporarily to take its website off-line after hackers bombarded it with traffic.

Now the reclusive teenager faces the prospect of extradition to America where he could face 60 years behind bars for allegedly hacking into the CIA and U.S. Senate websites.

Detectives believe Mr Cleary is a 'major player' with LulzSec, which has been linked to attacks on games firm Sony, in which the passwords of millions of users were accessed.

His mother Rita, 44, said her son suffers from agoraphobia and attention deficit disorder, 'lived his life online' and had not left his bedroom for four years.

Earlier this year, she was fined [euro]130 for allowing her older son to grow cannabis plants at their home.

The mother of two said: 'He has a history of mental health problems. He left school at 15. He has stayed in his room for the last four years in front of his computer. He is bright, but does not have any social skills.' Mrs Cleary, who is on incapacity benefit, claimed her son needed the drugs to ease his epilepsy symptoms.

When his father Neil asked what he was doing on the internet the teenager told him: 'I'm am just gaming'.

Lawyers said U.S prosecutors may demand Mr Cleary faces justice across the Atlantic. Mark Spragg, an extradition lawyer at Keystone Law, said: 'If the charges on which he was arrested would result in a sentence in excess of 12 months, then potentially it would constitute an extradition offence.'

Chrome River Sponsors 2011 Industry Analyst Travel and Expense Benchmarking Survey.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 29, 2011

Chrome River Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of expense reporting and invoice automation, was profiled as a sponsor in independent research firm PayStream Advisors' recent Travel & Expense Management Benchmarking Survey, Improving T&E Processes through Automation.

The benchmarking survey, which PayStream Advisors state was developed to highlight the overall trends that are shaping this rapidly evolving space, provides key insights into the use of expense management automation solutions. The survey examines the challenges associated with manual T&E processes, the expense submission and reimbursement methods, technology adoption and corporate card usage.

According to the survey of 300 professionals from various finance and accounting positions across a number of industries, only 24% of the respondents currently had a fully automated T&E expense management process and 21% had some form of partial automation in place. Of those who participated in the survey, a substantial 39% had a completely manual expense management process, with employees printing out expense reports and submitting them manually for approval routing and re-entry into accounting systems. Notably, PayStream Advisors reports that those companies with fully automated "best practices" expense management solutions are able to dramatically cut their costs by more than half from what their counterparts with manual processes are spending both internally and externally.

"Automating the expense reporting process has a clear and provable ROI including the reduced cost of employee processing, increased efficiency and accuracy, measureable cost reductions and increased control and visibility over company spend," said Alan Rich, Co-founder and CEO of Chrome River. "PayStream Advisors' research demonstrates many of these tangible benefits lending further credibility to the argument for migrating to automation."

A Chrome River profile featuring a solution and implementation overview, as well as a customer case study were included as part of the report. A copy of the report through PayStream Advisors may be found at http://www.paystreamadvisors.com/store/details.cfm?id=336.

About Chrome River

Chrome River Technologies, Inc. provides expense reporting and invoice automation solutions that uniquely combine the latest available internet technologies with over 25 years of financial systems experience. Chrome River delivers immediate payback via a "Software as a Service" delivery model that requires no hardware, no software, and no long-term commitment. This unique service is easily configurable to meet the needs of organizations worldwide with complex expense management policies and collaborative approval processes. Additional information about Chrome River Technologies, Inc. and its solutions may be obtained by phone at 1.888.781.0088 or by visiting the company website at http://www.chromeriver.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Julie Davis

Chrome River Technologies

Tel:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;888.781.0088 x701

Email:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;julie.davis(at)chromeriver(dot)com

# # #

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/chromeriver/survey/prweb8357574.htm

-Research and Markets: Examine the Telecoms Markets Greece with This Country Regulation Overview As It Is One of the Most Highly Regulated Telecoms Markets in the European Union.

M2 PRESSWIRE-December 23, 2010-: -Research and Markets: Examine the Telecoms Markets Greece with This Country Regulation Overview As It Is One of the Most Highly Regulated Telecoms Markets in the European Union(C)1994-2010 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:23122010

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/909c4e/greece_country_re) has announced the addition of the "Greece (Country Regulation Overview)" report to their offering.

Greece is one of the most highly regulated telecoms markets in the European Union. It was quick to adopt the European Commissions regulatory framework in contrast to more developed nations such as Germany.

In Greece, the first round of market analysis commenced in 2004 and by 2008 the regulator, the National Telecommunications & Post Commission (EETT), had published the market decisions for all the markets. In 2009 the EETT also completed the second round of market analysis for LLU, wholesale broadband access, and mobile termination services. This proactive approach has enabled a number of alternative service providers to tap the potential present in the broadband market and to offer bundled services to cater for the growing demand for multi-play services. To bridge the broadband divide, the government is planning to roll out a national fiber broadband project in partnership with private parties with the aim to provide a bandwidth up to 100Mbps to approximately 2 million households and enterprises. Progress with rollout is likely to have been impacted by the recent economic downturn.

Similar to other EU countries, the Greek mobile market is also highly penetrated, with a market penetration of 125% at the end of 2009. Additionally the subscriber base has started declining as a result of increasing churn in the prepaid segment. Although the opportunities provided by the unregulated MVNO market and the auction of technology and service-neutral spectrum are expected to bring some respite, high penetration rates and the availability of mobile number portability services will continue to put pressure on the mobile operators.

Key Topics Covered:

- Fixed market overview

- Internet market

- VoIP

- Multi-play: dual, triple and quadruple players

- Mobile market overview

- MVNOs

- National regulatory authority

- Key legislation and regulation

- Other Acts

- Current status of market analysis

- Wireless licensing

- 3G licensing

- Fixed wireless access

- 2.6GHz spectrum

- Retail regulation

- The retail market

- Retail pricing

- Number portability

- Quality of services

- Wholesale fixed regulation

- Services subject to regulation

- Narrowband voice interconnection

- Cost model for the RIO

- Wholesale access

- Wholesale broadband access

- Wholesale line rental (WLR)

- Local loop unbundling

- Wholesale mobile regulation

- Mobile operator obligations

- Services subject to regulation

- Mobile termination charges

- Mobile number portability

- Universal services

- Universal service obligation

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/909c4e/greece_country_re

Source: Ovum

((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).

Health Grades Reports 3Q 2009 Results.(Financial report)

Health Grades, Inc., an independent healthcare ratings company, has reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30.

In a release on October 28, the Company noted that ratings and advisory revenue for the three months ended September 30, increased $3.3 million, or 33 percent, to $13.3 million from $10.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008. The revenue growth was principally driven by an increase of $2.9 million or 134 percent from the Company's Internet Business Group compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008 and $0.4 million, or 6 percent, from the Company's Provider Services business compared to the three months ended September 30, 2008.

Gross margins for the three months ended September 30, and 2008 were approximately 87 percent and 84 percent, respectively. Operating margins for the three months ended September 30, and 2008 were approximately 22 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Operating income for the three months ended September 30, was $2.9 million, a $0.9 million increase, or 46 percent, over the three months ended September 30, 2008. Net income attributable to HealthGrades for the three months ended September 30, was $1.8 million or $0.06 per diluted share, compared to approximately $1.3 million, or $0.04 per diluted share, for the same period of 2008.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses increased $2.2 million to $8.7 million for the three months ended September 30, from approximately $6.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008.

Operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, include stock-based compensation expense of $0.6 million related to restricted shares previously granted to members of the Company's executive management team. The shares vest upon the achievement of performance metrics based upon annual revenue and operating income. During the third quarter of 2009, management concluded that a performance target related to annual revenue was probable of achievement, and the Company recorded the $0.6 million of stock-based compensation expense for the implied vesting period of these shares.

Sales and marketing expenses for the three months ended September 30 were $3.2 million compared to $2.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008. This increase is mainly due to increased expenses in stock-based compensation, sales personnel, travel, search engine optimization and investments we have made in our sponsorship and advertising business. In addition, sales and marketing expenses increased due to costs incurred related to the websites at WrongDiagnosis.com and CureResearch.com, which the Company acquired in October 2008.

Product development expenses for the three months ended September 30 were $2.2 million compared to $1.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008. This increase is primarily due to additional personnel hired to support product development efforts, including both the improvement of existing products and the development of new product offerings. In particular, the Company added personnel to focus on advertising development initiatives, as well as several projects that are in process with its search engine partners. The Company also continues to invest in initiatives to both improve its existing data and bring new and actionable data to consumers. The Company maintains physician data relating to nearly 800,000 physicians. HealthGrades continues to acquire new physician data and refine the Company's data-matching process to improve both the impact and the accuracy of its information.

General and administrative expenses for the three months ended September 30, were $3.2 million compared to $1.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2008. This increase is mainly due to stock-based compensation expense, personnel hired and additional leased office space.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense for the three months ended September 30, and 2008 was $1.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively. For the three months ended September 30, and 2008, the Company's effective income tax rates were approximately 39 percent and 38 percent, respectively.

Cash Position; Stock Repurchases

For the nine months ended September 30, the Company generated $4.0 million in cash flow from operations. As of September 30, the Company had $14.2 million in cash and cash equivalents, a 25 percent increase over the balance at December 31, 2008. As of September 30, the Company has accrued, as an increase to goodwill, $0.6 million of contingent consideration related to the acquisition of Adviware. This amount is expected to be paid in early 2010. For the nine months ended September 30, the Company did not repurchase any shares of its common stock.

2009 Results and Outlook

Kerry Hicks, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Health Grades, Inc. stated, "This has been a very strong year for HealthGrades. The performance of our Internet Business Group has exceeded the Company's expectations. We have invested and continue to invest substantial resources in this business unit; and, all products in this unit are performing very well."

"We continue to see strong retention rates of our Provider Services contracts, which has resulted in growth in this business area in the first nine months of the year. However, we have experienced weakness in our new sales related to our Provider Services business this year. As we have discussed throughout the year, this is not surprising given the economic environment. We have begun to see increases in new sales in September and October, which are historically some of our strongest months. Although we had originally expected our Provider Services revenue to increase approximately 15 percent over 2008, for the first nine months of the year we are at a 10 percent increase with an expectation that we will finish the year with slightly less than 10 percent annual revenue growth over 2008."

Hicks continued, "I'm very pleased with the Company's results to date. As we have stated previously, we expect to see our overall revenue mix begin to shift closer to 50 percent from Provider Services and 50 percent from our Internet Business Group and Strategic Health Solutions businesses. With a year-to-date increase over the prior year of over 134 percent from our Internet Business Group, the Company's revenue is certainly trending in that general direction."

Guidance

The Company is raising its full year guidance for ratings and advisory revenue to growth of approximately 30 percent over 2008. This is an increase from prior guidance of approximately 25 percent growth over 2008. The Company expects to complete 2009 with an operating margin on the high end of its previously issued guidance range of 17 percent to 21 percent. The Company expects to release guidance for 2010 in December 2009.

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

HOMECOM INTRODUCES ADS-ON-THE-FLY, AN AUTOMATED AD BANNER PROGRAM.

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 1997--

Web Marketers Can Now Buy Inexpensive Space On The Web

HomeCom Communications (http://www.homecom.com) announces the availability of "Ads-on-the-Fly", an automated system for buying and selling Web banner advertisements.

Located at (http://banner.homecom.com) this fully automated system allows for secured payment and instant uploading.

The process requires users to prepare a 460 x 60 (or less) pixel and 10K billboard ( or less, in either .gif or .jpeg format). The image is uploaded from a user's hard drive to HomeCom's servers. After the credit card is approved using HomeCom's secure, on-line credit card processing, the banner will be uploaded and displayed in a matter of seconds. In order for the browser to upload the graphic, advertisers must use Netscape 2.0 or greater.

The product includes an e-mail notification which is sent when there are 100 hits left for the banner. According to Harvey Sax, HomeCom President and CEO, "The integration of an upload feature, an online payment feature and an automatic e-mail response makes this product a superb example of Post-on-the-Fly(TM), HomeCom's technology for constructing easy-to-maintain Web sites."

The banner choices are as follows:

-- $10 buys 1,000 impressions

-- $45 buys 5,000 impressions

-- $85 buys 10,000 impressions

The banner will appear on two highly trafficked HomeCom Web pages. The Pointers to Pointers page (http://pointers.homecom.com) allows buyers to automatically submit their URL to up to 200 search engines and Web award sites; and the Keyword Robot page (http://keyword.homecom.com) enables users to locate the rank of their domain name with particular search engines by keyword.

HomeCom's "Ads-on-the-Fly" is an immediate and inexpensive way to promote a Web site and to test the effectiveness of banners for particular advertising purposes. The fully automated system allows users to upload immediately and at low cost. HomeCom is offering "Ads-on-the-Fly" for resale to marketers, consultants, advertising agencies and public relations firms. Other Web site promotions services offer banner space that takes days to upload. HomeCom's ad banners are uploaded in seconds.

"Web site advertising has increased in both cost and complexity. We decided to get back to the basics of the Internet: cheap and easy publicity," said Brian Atkins, HomeCom software engineer. "Our research and development team had to reverse engineer Netscape's proprietary uploading scheme in order to design the banner application."

HomeCom expects a large increase in traffic to the Pointers to Pointers page this year due to increased functionality, better interface and a robust offering of sites. The company plans to have more sites receiving submissions than any other auto-submit application.

For a complete FAQ on HomeCom's "Ads-on-the-Fly", point your browser to: https://www.encrypted.com/marketing/faq.html .

HomeCom Communications is a full-service Web presence provider and Internet applications development company. With an eye on the future of networked computing, the company develops custom applications and services that will enable business to provide information via private Intranets and the Internet to employees, business partners, customers and the public. -0-

NOTE TO EDITORS: For a list of all HomeCom press releases, please point your browser to: http://press.homecom.com .

CONTACT: HomeCom Communications

Keely Levinge, 404/237-4646, ext. 169

keely@homecom.com

or

Shannon Kinnard, 404/237-4646 ext. 183

shannon@homecom.com

http://www.homecom.com/

NEC Foundation of America Announces new Grants.

technology for people with disabilities continues as foundation focus

ISLANDIA, N.Y., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- NEC Foundation of America today announced grants totaling $221,550 to six organizations that advance the independence and full participation in society of people with disabilities through the use of innovative technology.

"Through these grants, NEC Foundation of America continues its consistent focus of advancing the potential of individuals and of society through technology," noted Hisashi Kaneko, president of NEC Foundation of America. "We are confident that the impact of these projects will be significant for many years to come."

   Organizations receiving grants are:    icouldbe.org                                                   $35,000   New York, NY   To expand an on-line career development and educational planning and   mentoring program that has been focused on at-risk middle and high school   students to now include blind and visually impaired students. These   youngsters will receive access to a pool of mentors with and without their   same disability in order to explore career possibilities that too often   fall outside their normal consideration.   http://www.icouldbe.org/    National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID),              $49,957   a college of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)   Rochester, NY   To conduct field trials and develop training materials for C-Print Pro   Tablet(R), the next generation of C-Print technology which combines the   real time captioning made possible through NTID-developed C-Print with   graphical display output made possible through tablet PC technology. This   combination of technologies allows for the simultaneous viewing of real   time captioning of classroom lectures alongside graphs, charts, and other   pictorial information commonplace in, and critical to the comprehension   of, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses by   secondary and college students nationwide.   http://www.ntid.rit.edu/cprint/product.php    Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD)                     $35,000   Boston, MA   For Partners for Youth with Disabilities National POL Program, to further   develop its web-based infrastructures and model program and disseminate it   to a national audience of mentors and mentees with disabilities in the   coming year. Partners Online is fully accessible to users with a wide   range of disabilities; it incorporates message boards, group chat rooms,   one-on-one chat interface (IM) and email capabilities.   http://www.pyd.org/partnersonline    The Seeing Eye                                                 $12,750   Morristown, NJ   For Harness Up A Satellite: The Future of Independent Travel, GPS (Global   Positioning System) demonstration sessions to take place in three U.S.   cities in the spring and fall of 2008. Eight Seeing Eye staff members who   are proficient in the use of GPS will train 40 blind participants at each   demonstration session. Users will be able to 'test drive' three different   commercial systems in order to determine which one best suits their needs   and level of comfort and which can be integrated with current equipment.   Participants will have the opportunity to purchase GPS equipment at   special pricing during the event.   http://www.seeingeye.org/    TASH (Formerly known as The Association for Persons            $35,843   with Severe Handicaps)   Washington, DC   To support the development and launch of a Peer to Peer Resource Network,   which will be the electronic version of what TASH has done in real-time   since 1975: link self-advocates with significant disabilities, advocates,   parents, teachers, researchers, policy makers, and caregivers to an   Internet-based searchable database with the purpose of helping each other   solve problems, give and receive support, and remove barriers.   http://www.tash.org/     University of Hawai'i                                          $53,000   Center on Disability Studies   Honolulu, HI   For a pilot study to determine the applicability and effectiveness of the   Remote Accessibility Assessment System (RAAS) to people with disabilities   in underserved areas. Specifically, the study will evaluate accessibility   in the built workplace environment of users of wheeled mobility devices in   the Hawaiian Islands, as representative of remote/rural areas. Such areas   have higher rates of disability than urban areas in the United States.   http://www.cds.hawaii.edu/   

For more information about NEC Foundation of America, including application guidelines, please call 631.232.2212, or visit http://www.necfoundation.org/. NEC Foundation of America was established in 1991 and endowed at $10 million by NEC Corporation and its United States subsidiaries. Income generated by the endowment is donated to nonprofit organizations in the United States in support of programs with national reach and impact in the arena of assistive technology for people with disabilities. Through its grants, NEC Foundation of America underscores its philosophy of advancing society through technology and enabling individuals to realize their full potential.

CONTACT: Sylvia Clark, Executive Director of NEC Foundation of America, +1-631-232-2212, sclark@necfoundation.org

Web site: http://www.necfoundation.org/ http://www.nec.com/

Webcast Alert: ICO, Inc. Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2006 Earnings Webcast.

HOUSTON, July 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ICO, Inc. announces the following Webcast:

    What:     Third Quarter Fiscal 2006 Earnings     When:     August 4, 2006 at 9:00 AM Central/10:00 AM Eastern     Where:    http://www.icopolymers.com/     How:      Live over the Internet -- Simply log on to the web at the              address above.     Contact:  Jon C. Biro of ICO, Inc. 713.351.4100   

Investors may participate in the conference call by dialing 847-413-3237, passcode 15219128.

With 18 locations in 9 countries, ICO Polymers produces custom polymer powders for rotational molding and other polymers segments, including textiles, metal coatings and masterbatch. ICO remains an industry leader in size reduction, compounding and other tolling services for plastic and non- plastic materials. ICO's Bayshore Industrial subsidiary produces specialty compounds, concentrates and additives primarily for the plastic film industry.

CONTACT: Jon C. Biro of ICO, Inc., +1-713-351-4100

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

Webroot Announces Immediate Availability of Window Washer 5.0; Enhancements to Award-Winning Privacy Protection Software Include A Simplified User-Interface, One-Click File Shredding, Critical File Protection and a Free Privacy Diagnostic Tool.

BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Webroot Software, a producer of award-winning privacy, protection and performance software, announces the immediate availability of Window Washer 5.0. Like its predecessor, Window Washer 5.0 protects users' privacy and maximizes system performance by deleting unnecessary files. The newest version of Window Washer cleans popular Instant Messaging (IM) files, Web browsers including AOL, Internet Explorer and Netscape, and automatically installs plug-ins to wash popular applications like Adobe Acrobat and Windows Media Player. The program also offers two user-interfaces - one for beginners and one for advanced users.

One of Window Washer 5.0's most significant enhancements is the File Shredder function, which extends the product's "Bleach" capability. Bleach, the over-write of deleted files, permanently removes and overwrites the selected file with random characters, rendering it unrecoverable by undelete or unerase programs. File Shredder provides secure over-write algorithms exceeding Department of Defense and NSA security requirements, and gives users the ability to shred files simply by right-clicking on them.

"Many people don't realize their online activities can be traced through their browser's cache, cookies, history and forms files, leaving them vulnerable to privacy invasions. What's more, these stored files can significantly slow down their system," said Steve Thomas, Webroot founder. "In addition to providing Window Washer 5.0 to address this issue, we've also developed a unique, free Web tool that quickly scans a users system and returns a 'privacy diagnosis.' This tool will help educate both beginning and advanced users about the privacy risks and potential system performance issues currently present on their own PC." The tool is available at http://www.webrootdisp.net/audit/sysaudit.htm , and takes only seconds to run.

In keeping with the educational approach, Window Washer 5.0 lets users select which user interface -- basic or advanced -- best meets their needs. The Basic option provides users with an easy to navigate interface, limiting options and ensuring a safe wash immediately after installation (no option changes are necessary). The Advanced screen is for the more experienced user, giving them the option of customizing how Window Washer 5.0 handles cookies, plug-ins and other custom wash options.

Window Washer 5.0 also addresses user fears of unintentionally deleting critical files. From Webroot's Steve Thomas, "our support desk fields a number of consumer questions every year, asking how to avoid removal of system files, or files they want to make sure are safe. Window Washer 5.0 addresses these concerns by adding several layers of protection to make sure that important user files are protected, while simultaneously removing more unnecessary files than ever before."

Lastly, little known "data hideouts" are also cleaned by Window Washer 5.0. For example, Window Washer 5.0 cleans slack space on a hard drive. Space for files is reserved in blocks of bytes. When a document doesn't need all the space in a certain block, the remaining space is called slack space. Slack space presents a security danger as it contains content from previously saved and deleted files -- even though the file appears to be deleted. Window Washer 5.0 permanently deletes the leftover data in these areas.

For a limited time, Window Washer 5.0 will ship with a free companion program, My Personal Favorites, normally a stand-alone product from Webroot that sells for $29.95. My Personal Favorites acts as a password manager, allowing users to manage all their user names and passwords from a hidden, encrypted location. My Personal Favorites runs in the background and prevents unauthorized access to users' bookmarks, user names, passwords and subscription web sites.

Pricing and Availability

Window Washer 5.0 supports the following operating systems: Windows 98, 2000, ME and XP. The software is priced at $39.95 and is available through the Webroot web site at: http://www.webroot.com/ , and in retail stores including Best Buy, CompUSA, Circuit City, Office Depot and others.

    Window Washer 5.0 Enhancements    Inclusion of My Personal Favorites  

My Personal Favorites, a stand-alone product from Webroot regularly retailing for $29.95, is included at no cost for a limited time as a companion to Window Washer 5.0.

File Shredder

File Shredder is integrated into the Windows right-click menu, giving users the ability to instantly shred a document with the click of the mouse. Once Shred is selected, a confirmation appears, confirming that the file should be deleted. Additional detail is provided if the selected file is in a system folder.

Instant Messaging Cleaning

Window Washer 5.0 cleans all popular Instant Messaging (IM) files (e.g. ICQ, AIM, Yahoo Instant Messenger, etc.), deleting IM tracks in the same way it deletes web tracks -- quickly and permanently.

Enhanced File Protection

Window Washer 5.0 includes safety precautions to prevent users from accidentally removing important files. When a user attempts to wash files located in special folders (including system folders, My Documents, My Photos, etc.), Window Washer 5.0 will alert the user to any potential danger and prompt them for a confirmation before proceeding with the wash.

Integrated Plug-ins

Popular plug-ins such as Adobe Acrobat and Windows Media Player are now integrated into the software, automatically discovering and installing appropriate plug-ins on installation.

Customized User Interface

Users can select the interface that best matches their comfort and experience level. The beginner screen is intuitive and immediately allows for a safe wash experience. The advanced screen gives users additional options such as keeping cookies from a specific domain or skipping plug-ins during a wash.

Slack Space and Stream Cleaning

Window Washer 5.0 cleans hard to find data "hideouts" such as slack space and streams. Slack space presents a security danger as it contains content from previously saved and deleted files -- even though the file appears to be deleted.

Page/Swap File Cleaning

Window Washer 5.0 cleans the Pagefile (Windows 2000 or XP) and/or the Swapfile (Windows 98) upon a cold or warm reboot and resets the contents.

About Webroot Software

Webroot, a privately held company based in Boulder, Colorado, creates innovative privacy, protection and performance solutions for active Internet users. The company provides a suite of high-quality, easy-to-use software that guides and empowers customers as they surf the web, giving them peace of mind that their personal information is private and protected. Webroot's software consistently receives top ratings and recommendations by respected third-party media and product reviewers. To find out more about Webroot, visit http://www.webroot.com/ or call 1-800-772-9383.

CONTACT: Christine Stevenson of Webroot Software, +1-303-218-2690, or cstevenson@webroot.com ; or Jennefer Traeger of Metzger Associates, +1-303-786-7000, ext. 203, or jent@metzger.com , for Webroot Software

Web site: http://www.webrootdisp.net/audit/sysaudit.htm

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

Chinese hackers suspected in email breach.

CANBERRA _ Foreign hackers have reportedly compromised computers in the offices of Prime Minister Julia Gillard and senior ministers, confirming fears of increasing cyber espionage and attack.

Chinese hackers _ previously accused of similar attacks on American, French and Canadian computer networks _ are said to be among the suspects.

The reported breaches came despite a tightening of the nation's cyber defences through a new security strategy and warnings by the head of the domestic spy agency that computers posed a growing threat.

``Today, we see constant attempts by cyber means to steal the nation's secrets, as well as information vital to the effective operation of critical national industries and infrastructure, not to mention commercial intelligence and criminal fraud,'' said David Irvine, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).

``The cyber world will be a principal mechanism of warfare in the 21st century [and] has the potential to reduce the conventional and nuclear weapons advantage of a country.''

Although the breaches could not be independently confirmed and the Government maintained its standard practice of not commenting on intelligence matters, Sydney's Daily Telegraph said the parliamentary computers of at least 10 federal ministers were suspected of being hacked into.

The newspaper said the attacks, beginning last month, were believed to have potentially opened access to several thousand emails.

As well as Ms Gillard's, the targeted computers reportedly included those used by Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Defence Minister Stephen Smith.

The Telegraph said the hackers had not broken into the more secure departmental network ministers used for sensitive communications.

The report said Australian intelligence agencies had been alerted by American officials within the CIA and FBI, and that ASIO was investigating.

Four separate government sources confirmed that they had been told Chinese intelligence agencies were among a list of foreign hackers under suspicion, the Telegraph said.

China has previously been accused of attacking security networks in the United States, and of targeting Australian mining giants BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Fortesque Metals Group.

Last month Canada's Treasury Board confirmed there had been an unauthorised attempt to penetrate its networks after broadcaster CBC reported China-based hackers had attacked government computer systems.

This month the French Finance Ministry shut down 10,000 computers after hackers using Chinese internet addresses hunted for documents about the G20 group comprising the world's biggest economies, which France is this year chairing.

China has dismissed the allegations as groundless.

Australia has been growing increasingly nervous about its potential vulnerability to cyber attack, with a national interest analysis on membership of the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime handed this month to a parliamentary standing committee.

Membership of the convention, the only binding international treaty on cybercrime, has already been discussed with key intelligence partners including the US, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.

``It is imperative that the international community devise appropriate measures to address current and emerging threats,'' Rudd said.

Australia has also set up a Cyber Security Operations Centre within the Defence Department, and a new agency, the Computer Emergency Response team, to co-ordinate cyber defences, including threats to private business.

Opening the new agency, Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the rise and increasing sophistication of the cyber threat had been demonstrated by the Stuxnet worm, which changed code in systems controlling critical infrastructure.

Once the code was installed, hackers could remotely control vital systems.

``We've been lucky in Australia to have not been impacted by Stuxnet, but this doesn't mean that we're immune by any means.'' McClelland said.

``These attacks _ while not on home soil _ are real, and the threat to critical infrastructure such as banking, telecommunications and government systems is not something we can be complacent about.''