Kelly Clarkson Gives Fans What They Need
Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne April 14 2006
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ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO THE LATINO MARKET .
Kelly Clarkson Gives Fans What They Need: Launches 'Addicted' Tour for Summer 2006Concert Ticket Auctions Aiding Gulf Coast Musical Community Universal Studios Hollywood Picks Up the Check Netflix and FourBoys Films Join Forces for the Exclusive DVD Release of 'The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania' Flavor Flav Says 'Yeah Boyeee!' BeKind's AMIGO to Appear on SHOWTIMEMusicians Hall of Fame and Museum to Open in Nashville IMAX Signs Two-Theatre Deal With Santikos Theatres First Black Jesus Movie Aims to Unite Blacks and Jews
Internationally Acclaimed Tenor, Mario Frangoulis, Performs Benefit Concert in Detroit Penthouse Scores With Its Spring Sports Issue Country Music Hall of Fame(R) and Museum Partners With 821 Entertainment Group for Motion Picture Series Creative Network Design The Video Software Dealers Association
New Component Audio DA from GefenSPORTS & AUTOS
Oakland & Dodger baseball
LAND ROVER 'GOES BEYOND' WITH NEW BROADBAND TV CHANNEL POWERED BY NARROWSTEP
CBS Sports to Join Celebration of PGA of America's 90th Anniversary With '90 Years of Excellence' Special, April 16
Acura unveiled an unprecedented trio of new vehicles
A major temporary exhibition is opening today at the Olympic Museum
New Vehicles with XM NavTraffic Debut at The New York Auto Show Kia to Exclusively Offer SIRIUS Satellite Radio as Factory Standard Equipment SIRIUS-Kia Agreement Runs Through 2014
Travis Pastrana to Appear at Wentworth SubaruCity From Madness into Masters; CBS SportsLine Dominates March, Stays Hot in April CBS SportsLine Records Strongest Month of Traffic in Company History Ford Realigns South America Operation
DOD
DoD Identifies Casualties
Month of the Military Child
'America Supports You' Thanks PGA for Troop Support Efforts
NEWS and NEWS now in Spanish
McDonaldsUkrainian vodka giant Soyuz-Victan is planning a $10 million marketing push to bolster its entry into seven major U.S. markets this August.
Marketing for Altoids and Life Savers is curiously weak.
Triple-digit same-store sales increases in flat-screen televisions ExxonMobil Reaches $1 Million Contribution Milestone to Hispanic Heritage Youth AwardsExxonMobil alcanza a contribuir $1 millón de dólares para los premios a la juventud ‘patrimonio hispano’
Nissan Launches ‘El Reto Final Nissan’ Reality Show; Five-Part Original Programming Entitled ‘El Reto Final Nissan’ Will Premiere on Fox Sports en Español in April
Nissan Lanza El Programa ‘El Reto Final Nissan’; La programación original de cinco capítulos titulada ‘El Reto Final Nissan’ se estrenará en Fox Sports en Español en abril Wal-Mart Expande Selección de Productos Orgánicos para Bebés Sports Fans Brush Up on 'Team Colors' from The Home Depot Retailer Introduces Sports-Themed Paint Palette
Aficionados de Deportes Repasan 'Colores de Equipos' de The Home Depot Minorista Presenta Paleta de Pintura con Temas Deportivos
Are African-Americans Legally Citizens of the United States of America? Asks We're Against Racism INC. (WAR INC.)
Motorola Corp. is launching bold, downright racy ads
China Mobile World's 4th largest brand
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ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO THE LATINO MARKET .
Latinos are not a niche anymore. They are the largest minority of the general population representing a purchasing power of over $700 billion. Let us stop seeing Latinos as a niche (lesson # 1). It's irrelevant for this multibillion dollar market. Besides, Latinos are now part of the game in the entertainment industry. They buy more DVDs than the average general population.
First and foremost, Latino consumers must be divided into 3 distinct groups: First Generation Hispanics, Second Generation Hispanics, and Third Generation Hispanics. First Generation Hispanics are Spanish speaking immigrants. They listen to music in Spanish, watch TV in Spanish and purchase movies in Spanish. Their age ranges from 18-40 and a vast majority comes from Mexico and Central America. These Latinos enjoy films from the Mexican Golden Era, North Mexican Regional (equivalent to Western films), and they also watch other Latin American productions.
Second Generation Hispanics are children of immigrants born and raised in the United States. They are bilingual and tend to look for contemporary urban and action movies. There is a subcategory in this group made of bilingual middle and upper class Hispanic Americans. These have a higher education and higher income. They are interested in the preservation of their culture and traditions. They tend to watch films of the New Mexican Cinema, which offer more sophisticated Hollywood-type storylines and feature well known actors like Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and others.
are children of immigrants born and raised in the United States. They are bilingual and tend to look for contemporary urban and action movies. There is a subcategory in this group made of bilingual middle and upper class Hispanic Americans. These have a higher education and higher income. They are interested in the preservation of their culture and traditions. They tend to watch films of the New Mexican Cinema, which offer more sophisticated Hollywood-type storylines and feature well known actors like Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and others.Another important category is the Third Generation Hispanics. These are born in the US from second generation Latinos. They are the ones identifying more with English than Spanish. Although they keep up with Latino traditions, they tend to be more Americanized in their purchasing habits. Third generation Latinos are the ones watching SiTV and laTV because of the networks bilingualism. How can a video store buyer new to the Latino market decide what to buy for his customers?
There are three important things to consider: (1) Let your Latino customers know "out loud" you want their business. Latinos are loud, honestly. If you want them to hear you, you must speak at the same level of their voice. Passive campaigns don't work in the Latino market. (2) Let your Latino customers know you actually have the product they want. Posters, signs and flyers visually accessible will guarantee your customers' awareness of such products. (3) You must provide an environment that makes Latinos feel they are at home. Remember Latinos are family oriented and if they feel like they're at home, you just made your way into their own house. By following these 3 steps you will see a successful Spanish section of DVDs in your store. Next time we'll tell you what products to buy and why. Reality check: Not everything you see in Spanish will sell .
There are three important things to consider: (1) Let your Latino customers know "out loud" you want their business. Latinos are loud, honestly. If you want them to hear you, you must speak at the same level of their voice. Passive campaigns don't work in the Latino market. (2) Let your Latino customers know you actually have the product they want. Posters, signs and flyers visually accessible will guarantee your customers' awareness of such products. (3) You must provide an environment that makes Latinos feel they are at home. Remember Latinos are family oriented and if they feel like they're at home, you just made your way into their own house. By following these 3 steps you will see a successful Spanish section of DVDs in your store. Next time we'll tell you what products to buy and why. Reality check: Not everything you see in Spanish will sell .Kelly Clarkson Gives Fans What They Need: Launches 'Addicted' Tour for Summer 2006
Following Tour, Clarkson Goes Into Recording Studio to Complete Third Album, Follow-Up to Multi-Platinum 'Breakaway' Capping off a two-year run that has seen album sales exceed 10 million copies worldwide, four No. 1 singles and numerous awards including two Grammys, RCA Records artists Kelly Clarkson is bringing her galvanizing live show back to the United States this summer to celebrate with a 24-city concert tour beginning June 30th in West Palm Beach, FL. Aptly named the "Addicted" tour, in addition to performing the hits that her fans can't get enough of, Clarkson plans to preview new material as she prepares to return to the studio later this year.
Following the tour, Clarkson will go into the recording studio to complete her third album, which is scheduled for release in late 2006 or early 2007.
"Breakaway" is an international phenomenon, with sales outside of the U.S. now approaching 4 million units. Kelly took the U.K. by storm this year with her performance on the Brits, a sold-out U.K. tour and a six-times platinum album. The album is also six-times platinum in Australia and Ireland, and four-times platinum in Canada, and is dominating the charts around the world, including Germany, Holland, Sweden, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and others.
The "Breakaway" album has maintained its U.S. chart prominence ever since its debut. With domestic sales topping 5 million, the album has been on the Billboard chart for 71 weeks and has never left the top 30 portion of the 200-position survey. For 61 of its 71 chart weeks, the album has been in the top 20. The album, ranked No. 3 in sales for 2005 and still among the top 15 best-selling albums of 2006, is about to turn six-times platinum.
"Breakaway" has spawned four No. 1 singles so far, starting with the title track and continuing with the hits "Since U Been Gone," "Behind These Hazel Eyes," "Because of You" and Clarkson's current smash, "Walk Away," continues to climb the radio charts.
It's no surprise that Kelly and the "Breakaway" album have won numerous awards since the album's release, including two Grammys (Best Pop Female Vocal Performance and Best Vocal Pop Album), two American Music Awards (Favorite Adult Contemporary Female Artist and T-Mobile Text-In Fan Award), two MTV Video Music Awards (Best Pop Video and Best Female Video), one People's Choice Award (Best Female Recording Artist), and an amazing 11 Billboard Music Awards.
The "Addicted" tour, promoted by Live Nation, will find Kelly playing amphitheaters all over the United States. Tickets for all dates go on sale April 22. In an effort to enable fans to purchase quality tickets in the best locations without having to contend with ticket scalpers, a select number of premium tickets for each show on the "Addicted" tour will be reserved for auction through Ticketmaster.com, with $10 from every ticket sold through auction benefiting Komen Race for the Cure breast cancer initiatives.
A complete list of cities, dates and venues follows:
DATE: CITY/STATE VENUE
Friday, June 30th West Palm Beach, FL Sound Advice
Saturday, July 1st Tampa, FL Ford
Monday, July 3rd Raleigh, NC Alltel
Tuesday, July 4th Charlotte, NC Verizon
Thursday, July 6th Washington, DC Nissan
Friday, July 7th Virginia Beach, VA Verizon
Sunday, July 9th Holmdel, NJ P.N.C.
Monday, July 10th Buffalo, NY Darien
Wednesday, July 12th Wantagh, NY Jones Beach
Saturday, July 15th Hartford, CT New England Dodge
Sunday, July 16th Boston, MA Tweeter Center
Tuesday, July 18th Philadelphia, PA Tweeter Waterfront
Wednesday, July 19th Pittsburg, PA Post Gazette
Friday, July 21st Kansas City, KS Verizon
Saturday, July 22nd Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank
Monday, July 24th St. Louis, MO UMB Bank
Tuesday, July 25th Indianapolis, IN Verizon
Friday, July 28th Houston, TX CWM
Saturday, July 29th San Antonio, TX Verizon
Monday, July 31st Phoenix, AZ Cricket
Tuesday, August 1st Irvine, CA Verizon
Thursday, August 3rd San Francisco, CA Shoreline
Friday, August 4th Sacramento, CA Sleep Train
Sunday, August 6th Seattle, WA White River
Source: Live Nation
Madonna, Celine Dion, Elton John, INXS, Gretchen Wilson, Toby Keith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Among Hundred-Plus Musical Artists On Board With Music Rising Concert Ticket Auctions Aiding Gulf Coast Musical Community
Ticketmaster Online Auctions for Top Summer Concerts Each Weekend in April Raise Funds for Music Rising Through First-Ever Alliance Between Nation's Largest Promoters, Performing Artists and Gibson Guitar
More than one hundred musical artists including Madonna, Celine Dion, Elton John, INXS. Gretchen Wilson, Toby Keith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bonnie Raitt, Staind, Ozomatli and more, have joined on to participate in online ticket auctions to raise funds to replace musical instruments and equipment destroyed during the Gulf Coast hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The performing artists have donated tickets to their concerts for Music Rising online auctions through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com/musicrisingauctions, Music fans may bid for tickets to top summer concert events all across the country with net proceeds going to Music Rising. More than 65 auctions are currently underway and additional auctions are launching each weekend during the month of April through this first-ever alliance between four of the nation's largest concert promoters, Live Nation, House of Blues, AEG Live, and Nederlander Concerts, along with participating artists, Ticketmaster and Gibson Guitar.
The majority of Music Rising Auctions include four (4) premium location tickets for venues with reserved seating (general admission tickets for general admission events) and one Epiphone guitar, which for most auctions will be autographed by one or more of the show's performers. Gibson Guitar, a founding partner of Music Rising, is providing the Epiphone guitars included in the auctions.
Music Rising Auctions launched April 1, 2006 and the first series closes this week. Among some of the current and upcoming Music Rising Auctions (with new auctions to be announced each week in April) include:
Event Date: Market: Act: Venue
June 23 Birmingham Sammy Hagar VW Amp Birmingham
June 3 Boston Staind Bank of America Pavilion
July 19 Chicago Def Leppard / First Midwest
Journey
June 14 Chicago Madonna United Center
Aug. 29 Denver Bonnie Raitt / Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Keb' Mo'
July 15 Grand Prairie Melissa Etheridge Nokia Theatre
June 21 Hartford Lynyrd Skynyrd / Dodge Music Center
Doobie Bros.
July 16 Houston Melissa Etheridge Cynthia Woods-Mitchell Pav.
July 8 Houston Lynyrd Skynyrd / Cynthia Woods-Mitchell Pav.
3 Doors Down
May 20 Kansas City Gretchen Wilson Verizon Wireless Amp
June 27 Kansas City Lynyrd Skynyrd / Verizon Wireless Amp
3 Doors Down
May 26 Las Vegas Celine Dion Colosseum at Caesars Palace
July 14 Las Vegas Elton John Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Aug. 11 Las Vegas Boz Scaggs House of Blues Las Vegas
Sept. 2 Los Angeles Down Home Gibson Amphitheatre
Blues Festival
Sept. 17 Los Angeles Engelbert Gibson Amphitheatre
Humperdinck
Sept. 29-30 Los Angeles Pepe Aguilar Gibson Amphitheatre
Oct. 21 Los Angeles Ana Gabriel Gibson Amphitheatre
July 21 Los Angeles Gipsy Kings Greek Theatre
June 16 Los Angeles INXS Greek Theatre
May 21 Los Angeles Madonna Forum
May 28 Los Angeles Ozomatli House of Blues Anaheim
May 12 Los Angeles Wayne Newton House of Blues Anaheim
June 24 Nashville Sammy Hagar Starwood
June 29 New York Madonna Madison Square Garden
June 4 Phoenix Sammy Hagar Cricket Pavilion
Aug. 26 Pittsburgh Toby Keith Post Gazette Pavilion
Aug. 25 Pittsburgh Toby Keith Post Gazette Pavilion
Aug. 29 Portland Def Leppard / Clark County
Journey
July 28 San Antonio Def Leppard / VW Amp San Antonio
Journey
June 10 San Diego Chicago / Embarcadero
Huey Lewis
Aug. 27 San Francisco Def Leppard / Sleep Train
Journey
June 24 San Francisco Funk Festival Concord Pavilion
Aug. 4 San Francisco Sammy Hagar Shoreline Amp
Aug. 30 Seattle Def Leppard / White River
Journey
May 6 St Louis Pointfest UMB Bank Pavilion
July 14 St Louis Tim McGraw / Savvis Center
Faith Hill
June 27 St Louis Lynyrd Skynyrd / UMB Bank Pavilion
3 Doors Down
May 12 Virginia Beach Gretchen Wilson VW Amp Virginia Beach
July 6 Washington, DC Def Leppard / Nissan Pavilion
Journey
Music Rising is a national campaign created by U2's The Edge, producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson Musical Instruments Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. Music Rising's supporters, including Guitar Center Music Education Foundation, MusiCares, Musician's Friend, Ticketmaster, Live Nation, House of Blues Concerts, AEG Live, Nederlander Concerts, VH-1 Networks, MTV Networks, Rolling Stone Magazine, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, Ken Erlich Productions, Edun Designs, Roots Canada, U2.com and De-Lux Merchandising, constitute the most dynamic and comprehensive organized group to launch a relief program since the Hurricanes hit the United States. The campaign's goal is to put musical instruments back into the hands of musicians who lost everything in the hurricane disasters, helping them to regain their livelihoods, and to replace the instruments lost by churches, schools and community groups, in order to rebuild the heart and culture of the Central Gulf Region. Music Rising is administered by MusiCares. For information on Music Rising, visit www.musicrising.org.
Ticketmaster auctions provide fan-friendly opportunities for artists, performers, sports teams, and more to connect with their fans in a secure purchasing environment, fully integrated with Ticketmaster's state-of-the-art ticketing system. Ticketmaster auctions enable consumers to determine the market value of tickets (a process referred to as "dynamic pricing"). By enabling consumers to select the price he or she is willing to pay for a ticket in a specified seat location for a specific event, Ticketmaster auctions help to keep premium tickets out of the hands of unauthorized resellers. Ticketmaster auctions also offer consumers the security of knowing they have purchased a valid ticket. For auction terms and conditions, please visit ticketmaster.com.
Source: Music Rising; Ticketmaster
Web site: http://www.musicrising.org/
http://www.ticketmaster.com/
http://www.ticketmaster.com/musicrisingauctions
Universal Studios Hollywood Picks Up the Check for $25,000 for Boyle Height's Homegirl Cafe, Local Community Leaders and Cast of Theme Park's Favorite Characters Join in the Festivities
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Studios Hollywood, in conjunction with its nonprofit "Discover A Star" Foundation, "picked up the check" at the Homegirl Cafe as Larry Kurzweil, Universal Studios' President and COO, presented a $25,000 contribution to the organization. Los Angeles City Councilmember Jose Huizar and Homeboy Industries founder, Father Greg Boyle were present to accept the contribution, which will help Homeboy Industries and its Homegirl Cafe subsidiary provide development and training for at-risk youth.
With Lucy and fellow Universal characters serving up a scrumptious breakfast alongside Homegirl Cafe's employees, Universal Studios Hollywood helped celebrate the cafe's first year anniversary of operations and reaffirmed the company's commitment to supporting the local community organizations.
In making the donation to the Homegirl Cafe, Larry Kurzweil said: "Universal Studios Hollywood has a long-standing commitment to making a difference in our community. The 'Discover A Star Foundation,' funded by contributions from our employees and partners, is one way in which we accomplish that goal. As the generosity of our employees enable us to expand the scope of our efforts, we've identified organizations that share our passion for community service. Few organizations have made such dramatic accomplishments as Homeboy Industries and its legendary founder, Father Gregory Boyle. We are proud to play a small part of that effort."
As the generosity of our employees and partners has enabled our 'Discover a Star' Foundation to expand the scope of its philanthropy, we've identified a number of especially worthy organizations that play essential roles in providing services to our community. We have tremendous respect for the work performed by Homeboy Industries and its Homegirl Cafe subsidiary in helping at-risk young women gain valuable work experience and training. Our employees take great pride in making this donation."
Jose Huizar, Los Angeles City Councilmember for the 14th Council District, said, "Growing up in Boyle Heights, I understand the challenges facing our youth in this neighborhood. I also understand the importance of having such bold leadership as demonstrated by Homeboy Industries and Homegirl Cafe in helping the at-risk youth in our community find a path to brighter options."
Created and sponsored by Universal Studios Hollywood, "Discover A Star Foundation" funds initiatives targeted toward children's health issues and services for the homeless.
Father Greg Boyle formed Homeboy Industries in 1992 to create viable businesses that provide training, work experience and opportunities for rival gang members to work side by side. Homegirl Cafe is the newest business venture of Jobs for a Future/Homeboy Industries and is a training facility for young women seeking professional training opportunities in the restaurant business
Universal Studios Hollywood is the world's largest movie studio and theme park. Featuring such unique and ground-breaking attractions as "Revenge of the Mummy -- The Ride," "Shrek 4-D," "Terminator 2: 3D," "Jurassic Park -- The Ride" and the world-renowned behind-the-scenes "Studio Tour," Universal Studios Hollywood has matured into a full day, movie-based theme park.
NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi Universal.
Source: Universal Studios Hollywood
Netflix and FourBoys Films Join Forces for the Exclusive DVD Release of 'The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania'
Netflix , the world's largest online DVD rental service, and FourBoys Films, the production company of actor-director David Hunt and his wife, Emmy Award-winning actress Patricia Heaton, today announced a promotional agreement through which Netflix has acquired all North American rights to promote the DVD release of their documentary film The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania (www.coalqueens.com).
The DVD will be available exclusively to the more than four million Netflix subscribers beginning June 6, 2006. Netflix is committed to providing consumers with access to the widest variety of films available and will merchandise Coal Queens to subscribers with an interest in such projects based on their rental history. For their part, Mr. Hunt and Ms. Heaton will actively promote the film, and its availability through Netflix, in a series of national media appearances.
"Coal Queens is a film that wonderfully relies on the documentary format to celebrate small town America and its values and in the process it makes a genuine connection with its subjects," said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer of Netflix. "Creating a national platform for a film of terrific merit that wouldn't otherwise be broadly seen is a key part of the Netflix creative vision."
The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania was produced by Mr. Hunt and Ms. Heaton, directed by Mr. Hunt and Jody Eldred, and stars actress Sara Rush. It documents Rush's return to her roots in southwestern Pennsylvania, where as a 16-year old in 1972 she won the Coal Queen Pageant. The 90-minute picture is filled with colorful local characters and provides a charming and often humorous look at small town America. The town of Carmichaels (population 556) and its vanishing way of life is a far cry from Hollywood. Coal mining has defined this area of the country, instilling a strength and pride in its citizens. The film captures the spirit of the community during the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Coal Queen Pageant and the King Coal Festival in August of 2003.
"Coal Queens is a project close to our hearts and sharing it with a wide audience is important to us," said Mr. Hunt and Ms. Heaton. "We are excited that Netflix is going to premiere Coal Queens in the U.S and that the film's story will reach people around the country in rural areas like Carmichaels, as well as big cities like New York and Los Angeles."
Utilizing proprietary technology, Netflix is able to target subscribers likely to be interested in little known films like Coal Queens while offering filmmakers a national distribution channel for films and entertainment programming that are otherwise not available to broad audiences.
About FourBoys Films
Other projects under the FourBoys Film (www.fourboysfilms.com) banner include the recently aired TNT movie Engagement Ring, and Amazing Grace, a feature film directed by Michael Apted that is currently in post-production.
About Netflix
Netflix is the world's largest online movie rental service, providing more than four million subscribers access to over 55,000 DVD titles. The company offers a variety of subscription plans, starting at $9.99 a month. There are no due dates, no late fees and no shipping fees. DVDs are delivered for free by the USPS from regional shipping centers located throughout the United States. Netflix can reach more than 90 percent of its subscribers with generally one business-day delivery. Netflix offers personalized movie recommendations to its members and has more than one billion movie ratings. Netflix also allows members to share and recommend movies to one another through its Friends(SM) feature. For more information, visit www.netflix.com.
Source: Netflix, Inc.
Web site: http://www.fourboysfilms.com/
http://www.coalqueens.com/
http://www.netflix.com/
Flavor Flav Says 'Yeah Boyeee!' as VH1 Picks Up a Second Season of His Highly Rated Series 'Flavor of Love' Season One of 'Flavor of Love' Made VH1 History as #1 Rated Series
VH1's smash hit "Flavor of Love" is coming back for a second season, it was announced today. The network has picked up ten one-hour episodes of the Mindless Entertainment/51 Pictures "celebreality" series. The second season will begin production in Los Angeles next month.
The show is currently searching for those special women who really want to be Flav's beloved in season two. After Flav and Hoopz (the finalist) realized that their relationship would not work out, Flavor Flav became more determined to find love, leading to a second season of the show that had everyone talking.
"After spending so much time with Flavor Flav on 'Surreal Life' and 'Flavor of Love,' we shared his frustration at not having found love," said executive producers Mark Cronin and Cris Abrego. "Thankfully, the success of the first season and Flav's popularity enables us to have a second chance at finding him the right woman."
During its first season, "Flavor of Love" was the highest rated series in VH1 history, with three of its ten episodes making VH1's top ten rated commercial telecasts of all time. For its 90-minute season finale, "Flavor of Love" again made VH1 history by becoming the network's top rated telecast of all times (adults 18-49 rating of 3.51).
VH1's "Flavor of Love" is executive produced by Mark Cronin, Cris Abrego and Ben Samek for Mindless Entertainment and 51 Pictures, who also produce "Surreal Life" and "My Fair Brady." Jeff Olde and Jill Holmes oversee the series for VH1.
* all times ET/PT
Source: VH1
Web site: http://www.vh1.com/
BeKind's AMIGO to Appear on SHOWTIME
at Hollywood Life Magazine's ... Breakthrough of the Year Awards April 13th, 2006, 7:00PM; Hollywood's Newest Star! Hollywood's hottest K-9, Amigo, fetches up the spotlight and pulls the red carpet out from under Hollywood's A-List by picking up his own Award at Hollywood Life Magazine's Breakthrough of the Year Awards airing on SHOWTIME on April 13th at 7:00pm, begging the attention of animal admirers everywhere.
Dog-struck stars like Felicity Huffman, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews and Jeremy Piven, Harrison Ford and Dakota Fanning seemed unable to resist the opportunity to show love and admiration, taking a rare picture with Amigo -- whose poise was offset only by his modesty -- for their scrap book.
Alicia Silverstone, fellow animal welfare promoter and professed animal lover, was thrilled to present the award on behalf of Amigo to Frances Hayward, who founded the BeKind Foundation in partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in 2005. BeKind promotes animal welfare and proposes a new national awareness and kindness campaign toward homeless and displaced animals everywhere.
Eddie Griffin hosts Hollywood Life Magazine's ... Breakthrough of the Year Awards, featuring all the said stars and many others, as well as a choice performance by the "Rize" dancers. The Show airs again on Showtime on April 16th & 19th at 6:30 & 8:30pm, and on Showtime Too on April 17th at 12:00 & 8:00pm.
So there's no excuse to miss this amazing pup & amazing night!
Though a natural in front of the camera, Amigo is keeping his priorities straight and his focus promoting Being Kind!
Please check out http://www.bekind.org./
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum to Open in Nashville
Exhibits to include personal history of players and actual instruments used on records from Hank Williams Sr., Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder, Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Neil Young and Many More
The Nashville stage where a young Jimi Hendrix honed his talent. Rescued and re-created by songwriter-entrepreneur Joe Chambers
"Come see what you've heard."
Today in Music City USA it was announced that the first ever, all genre, international Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum will open its doors in June of this year. Legendary musicians Duanne Eddy, Garry Tallent, Steve Wariner, Danny Seraphine, James Burton and Reggie Young attended the press event, and share the thought that such a museum is "so long overdue." The multi-purpose complex will not only feature exhibits from well known musicians, but will also spotlight the musical contributions made throughout the years by studio musicians, producers and engineers in all genres.
Supporters of this long awaited establishment include music icon, Neil Young who said, "You can see the hood ornament on the car if you go to the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. But if you want to look at the engine and see what's making it go, then you go to the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum."
The multi-million dollar attraction is the brainchild of Joe Chambers, who moved to Nashville in 1978 knowing only two people -- producer-songwriter Billy Sherrill and country star Conway Twitty. Seeing his potential, Sherrill took it upon himself to educate Chambers about all aspects of the music business including signing him as a songwriter to his publishing company and hiring him to work at CBS Records. Sherrill allowed Chambers to look over his shoulder on sessions with Ray Charles, George Jones, Marty Robbins, Tammy Wynette, Elvis Costello and many others.
"That introduced me to the world of studio musicians," Chambers says. "I had always thought you played your own music or that your touring band was your studio band too."
Chambers watched in awe as session players heard a song once, then effortlessly added their own distinct licks to each arrangement. Before long and with the encouragement from Sherrill and Twitty, Chambers pretty much hung up his own ambitions as a guitarist and switched exclusively to producing and songwriting. As a songwriter, Chambers' credits include Ricky Van Shelton's first #1 single, "Somebody Lied" and the Randy Travis top ten hit "I Meant Every Word I Said."
In 1985, Chambers opened the first of what was soon to be a chain of successful guitar stores. Through Chambers Guitars, he expanded his relationship with musicians of all genres, from all over the world. However, the turning point to create the museum proved to be something unrelated to his music stores or songwriting.
When one of the Nashville clubs in famed Printers Alley, where Little Richard, Boots Randoph, a young Hendrix and numerous Nashville players performed throughout the years, was being renovated, Chambers tracked down the owner of the building and asked to salvage the basement stage and surrounding area. The owner agreed and now, the Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum will honor the "Guitar Icon," Jimi Hendrix, with an exhibit featuring the rescued and restored stage.
The 30,000 sq. ft. complex also includes a state of the art recording studio, performance hall, small theatre and school of music.
A few of the current items in the hall's collection include:
* Eddie Willis' guitars, from countless Motown session such as "Signed,
Sealed, Delivered" (his story documented in the film "Standing in the
Shadows")
* Pete Drake's steel guitars, heard on Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" and
George Harrison's album All Things Must Pass, as well as most of George
Jones & Tammy Wynette country classics
* Marshall Grant's basses, heard on Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line" and
"Ring of Fire," along with the amp from "Folsom Prison Blues" and "A
Boy Named Sue," as well as Bob Dylan's Nashville Skyline album
* Garry Tallent's Long Horn Bass, as well as many other items used on the
road and in the studio with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
* Scotty Moore's Gibson L-5 along with personal items from his long
career in Elvis Presley's band.
* Chad Smith's (Red Hot Chili Peppers) snare drum, heard on their albums
Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magic.
* Billy Sherrill's cigarette-burned piano, on which he composed country
classics like "Almost Persuaded," "The Most Beautiful Girl" and even
"Stand By Your Man."
Source: Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum
Web site: http://www.musicianshalloffame.com/
IMAX Signs Two-Theatre Deal With Santikos Theatres
Commercial Exhibitors Continue To Recognize Broad Appeal of IMAX DMR(R) Releases
IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Santikos Theatres, an exhibitor based in San Antonio, Texas, today announced an agreement to open IMAX(R) theatres in two of the exhibitor's multiplexes. The first Santikos IMAX location will open in San Antonio, Texas, and the second theatre will open in Houston, Texas. Both theatres are expected to open by 2007.
The deal marks the Company's third commercial multi-theatre agreement in North America for 2006, exemplifying the growing interest in the IMAX theatre business from North American exhibitors looking to differentiate multiplexes by offering a unique experience that consumers cannot replicate at home.
"As we continue our long history of bringing innovation to movie audiences, we are excited to offer our customers the chance to experience movies in the most powerful and immersive way available," said John Santikos, Chairman of Santikos Theatres. "The IMAX theatre in San Antonio will be part of one of the grandest movies palaces we've ever built, and the IMAX addition in Houston will help drive even greater attendance at one of our most successful multiplexes."
"We are pleased to partner with a leading exhibitor like Santikos, pioneers of moviegoing in Texas," said IMAX co-Chairmen and co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "This announcement demonstrates the traction we are gaining in North America, as more exhibitors understand that they can fill theatres, gain market share and differentiate themselves from competitors by offering audiences the opportunity a whole new way to experience Hollywood films."
"This deal builds upon the success of other regional theatre operators throughout the United States," said Larry O' Reilly, IMAX's Executive Vice President of Theatre Development. "Santikos has always been at the forefront of providing compelling out-of-home moviegoing experiences, and the new IMAX theatres will help them stay connected with their audiences and maintain their theatres as the first-choice venues to see movies."
Santikos' IMAX theatres will feature IMAX MPX(R) systems. The IMAX MPX theatre system was designed specifically to enable multiplex operators to more cost effectively enter into the IMAX theatre business, either by retrofitting an existing stadium-seating auditorium or via an economical new build. The new IMAX theatres will be capable of playing Hollywood event films that have been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R), as well as original IMAX productions in 2D and IMAX(R) 3D.
IMAX's 2006 film slate is stronger than any other in its 35-year history. Currently, there are six Hollywood event titles scheduled to be released simultaneously to IMAX and conventional theatres. Four of the titles will feature IMAX 3D. The slate includes: Poseidon: The IMAX Experience (May 12), Superman Returns: The IMAX Experience (June 30), The Ant Bully: An IMAX 3D Experience (August 4), Open Season: An IMAX 3D Experience (September 29), and Happy Feet: An IMAX 3D Experience (November 17). Currently playing in IMAX theatres is Warner Bros. Pictures' V for Vendetta: The IMAX Experience and the studio's second original IMAX 3D film Deep Sea 3D.
About Santikos Theatres
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The Santikos theatres have a legacy of presenting high quality and innovation in motion picture theatre entertainment. In 1924, Greek entrepreneur, Louis Santikos, established the first opulent theatre, the Palace theatre across from the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. This endeavor was only the beginning as the Santikos entertainment portfolio grew over the next several decades to include the introduction of the first drive-in movie experience in San Antonio, along with the first multi-screen indoor megaplex, and the first art cinema with full service in-theatre dining in San Antonio. With the addition of the Greek themed Palladium multi-plex, the construction of the Granada Theatres in San Antonio, and the construction of the new Silverado Theatres in Houston, Santikos remains a prominent name in the Texas entertainment industry.
About IMAX Corporation
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Founded in 1967, IMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies and the newest distribution window for Hollywood films. IMAX delivers the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3D, and IMAX DMR(R) technology. IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) makes it possible for virtually any 35mm film to be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. The IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences. As of December 31, 2005, there were 266 IMAX theatres operating in 38 countries.
IMAX(R), IMAX(R) 3D, IMAX DMR(R), IMAX MPX(R), and The IMAX Experience(R) are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information on the Company can be found at www.imax.com.
First Black Jesus Movie Aims to Unite Blacks and Jews
"Color of the Cross," a Nu-Lite Entertainment production, is an independent, biblically charged religious biopic based on the last 48 hours of Christ's life and stands to be the most controversial depiction of Jesus to date. In this gripping, two-hour epic, Jesus is portrayed as a black Jew. This retelling of the biblical story from a black perspective seeks to repair the anti-Semitism that has been associated with the story of Christ.
The inclusion of Black Jews during Passover in the film makes a clear statement toward the shared history of African and the Middle Eastern cultures without being offensive. Unlike "Passion of the Christ," "Color of the Cross" chose not to focus on the bloody torture of Christ's crucifixion. Instead the film focuses on the human pain and suffering that Christ, the Disciples, and Christ's family endured. "Color of the Cross" reaches across a cultural divide to inspire and challenge its viewers intellectually.
According to the film's director, Jean Claude LaMarre, "To watch a black man on screen, being referred to as rabbi, or to see him partaking in a Seder meal and observing Passover really blurs the lines that divide blacks and Jews in this country. We are part of the same history." "Color of the Cross" seeks to stimulate and awaken peace and unity between all races of people.
Recent programs such as the History Channel's "Warriors of the Bible" clearly shows the diversity of cultures as they existed in the geographical region where the Bible stories occurred. And like many of the recent programs flooding the media such as the Book of Judas, Ron Howard's "The Da Vinci Code," etc, "Color of the Cross" also bases its story not just on scriptural interpretation but other historical data with many interpretations pointing to the fact that Christ very well may have been dark skinned.
The film will have a theatrical release in October 2006. Revealing clips and exclusive information can be found at: http://www.colorofthecross.com/
Note to the Editors -- The film is a Nu-Lite Entertainment production, and producers are Rev. Cecil "Chip" Murray, Jessie Levostre, Kenneth Halsband, Executive Producers Lila Aviv, Paul Noe, Edy Lahens, Marc Porterfield, Michele Gonda and Co-producer Marcello Thedford.
Source: Nu-Lite Entertainment
Web site: http://www.colorofthecross.com/
Internationally Acclaimed Tenor, Mario Frangoulis, Performs Benefit Concert in Detroit
Mario Frangoulis, a world-renowned tenor, will be making his first appearance in the Detroit area at the Detroit Opera House, Saturday, May 6, 8 p.m. The concert will be a benefit for the Fire Restoration Fund of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in St. Clair Shores and Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis (Archdiocese) of Detroit cultural programs. Frangoulis will be introduced on- stage by Dr. David DiChiera, General Director of the Michigan Opera Theatre.
This will be a one-of-a-kind performance by the young tenor who has a versatile style rooted in his operatic training but inspired by the energy and sound of contemporary pop. His music ranges from classical to an Italian- version of "Nights in White Satin" by the Moody Blues.
Tickets are from $40 and $65 for balcony seating, $75 and $100 for main floor seating and $200 for orchestra pit and box seating. Student tickets are available for $20. Sponsorships include seating, a meet and greet, and a program ad. Program advertising opportunities are also available.
Tickets are available at the Opera House box office; 313-237-SING; through Ticketmaster; 248-645-6666, the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church and Cultural Center, 586-779-6111 or the Greek Orthodox Metropolis (Archdiocese) of Detroit, 248-823-2400.
Frangoulis has performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls in New York, London, Berlin, Helsinki, Paris, Cannes, Brussels, Moscow, Stockholm and throughout Greece. On April 6 and 7 he performed concerts to benefit the Horatio Alger Association in Washington, D.C., and April 9 he performed another important solo benefit concert for the Yellow Ribbon Soldiers Campaign in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mario's "Here's to the Heroes" is a moving ballad that touches everyone's mind and heart.
He was introduced to America with his CD, "Sometimes I Dream," which one writer describes as "bathed in the passionate atmosphere of the Mediterranean." Another wrote, "move over Andrea Bocelli."
His most recent CD, "Follow Your Heart," features gorgeous original ballads, dazzling arrangements of favorite classical melodies and a soaring duet with Latino superstar Alejandro Fernandez.
"Follow Your Heart" was released in Europe just before the tenor performed at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. Frangoulis even made a film debut with such music notables as Alanis Morissette, Natalie Cole, Elvis Costello and Sheryl Crow in the MGM film biography of Cole Porter, "De Lovely."
Mario was born in colonial Rhodesia, Africa. His mother found a home for him with her sister in Greece, at the age of four, at a time when the political situation in Africa was explosive and dangerous. Raised by his aunt in Greece and separated from his beloved older brother, Mario was surrounded with a large extended family. Today, he speaks fondly of both sets of parents and the feeling for music they instilled in him.
Source: Greek Orthodox Metropolis (Archdiocese) of Detroit
Penthouse Scores With Its Spring Sports Issue
MLS and Major League Previews & Predictions, NBA vs. NHL, Poker Studs and a Conversation With Bronson Arroyo and More ...
Ah ... it's spring and the smell of grosgrain leather and bleacher beer is in the air. To commemorate the euphoria of all that is stats and scores, Penthouse is kicking off the May issue Pele style, by featuring an interview with the one and only "Sports Guy" -- Bill Simmons.
Yes, Bill Simmons is an obsessed Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots fan and yet millions of readers each month look beyond his Bean Town roots and herald his comedic sports prose nonetheless. He is ESPN's premiere sports columnist and the author of "Now I Can Die in Peace," and in the May issue of Penthouse, he holds nothing back when discussing his personal holy trinity: sports, women and pop culture. He believes that Angelina Jolie should be our next president, or at the very least, the Commissioner of Baseball: "She's like a smoldering volcano and could convince the big market teams to have revenue sharing and salary caps and in general, she can convince any man to do anything." He confirms that friend Jimmy Kimmel really does grill pizzas and calzones for his pals on NFL Sundays and heralds him as "Martha Stewart with a penis and a sense of humor." And basically, he has something to say about anything and anybody and nothing is off-limits: gambling, steroid use, strippers, his ninth-grade English teacher -- oh yeah, and sports, including his belief that the Yankees are an Evil Empire, not an honorable opponent to ... you guessed it -- the Red Sox.
CHECK MATE: Alexandra Kosteniuk is the current women's Chess vice- champion of the world and in the May issue of Penthouse, interviewer Dave Hollander finds out that this "Anna Kournikova of chess" brings more to the table than just her ethereal beauty. A ruthless and competitive opponent, Alexandra has all the right moves and unlike Anna, she plays to win and not to just look good while she's doing it.
HOT MAMA DRAMA: This Mother's Day, Penthouse honors five celebrity Moms who can fire up any fantasy with an ode to each. Dear Heidi Klum -- "Thank you for your love. It means more than it seems. But, most of all we thank you, for our Victoria's Secret dreams!" Exit stage left and find out who the other fiery and fabulous four guardians are in this months issue.
Speaking of drama ... find out the TOP 10 WAYS TO BREAK UP WITH HER in this month's Dr. Zdrok's VICES & VANITIES column. Like # 2 -- spend all day downloading porn off the Internet and leave Sexaholics Anonymous literature where she's sure to find it, or #5 -- let her catch you trying on her panties and lastly, if all else fails, try #10 and tell her you're gay.
The May 2006 Penthouse issue is currently on sale at newsstands, or at: http://www.penthouse.com/digital . The new edition features sizzling centerfolds, including May Pet and Illinois native Nevaeh and Brittney Skye, the blonde bombshell who teased millions of viewers by streaking at the U.S. Open in 2003.
Web site: http://www.penthouse.com/digital
Country Music Hall of Fame(R) and Museum Partners With 821 Entertainment Group for Motion Picture Series
Feature Documentaries Include Pics on the Carter Family and Border Radio
The Country Music Hall of Fame(R) and Museum and 821 Entertainment Group today announced a partnership to produce and distribute a three-film feature-documentary series for theatrical release, home DVD/video and digital distribution; along with ancillary products such as soundtracks, compilations and companion books. 821 Entertainment Group partners Anastasia Brown and Eric Geadelmann are executive producers for the series.
The first film in the series, "The Winding Stream," is a musical journey with the Original Carter Family. Currently in production, the documentary interweaves two important stories. One thread is the story of the Original Carter Family - their music, their struggles, their triumphs, their commitment to family and their often-misunderstood but undeniable effect on American popular culture. The other thread relates to the story of the current-day Carters and Cashes, who, with a strong sense of ancestral responsibility, are keeping the memory of this trio and their musical legacy alive. Directed by acclaimed documentary filmmaker and Grammy nominee Beth Harrington, "The Winding Stream" features interviews and performances from a variety of artists, and includes one of the last interviews with Johnny Cash.
The second film tells the story of border radio. Megawatt "border blaster" stations, set up just across the Mexican border to evade U.S. regulations, beamed programming across the United States and as far away as South America, Japan and western Europe. Based on the book "Border Radio (Quacks, Yodelers, Pitchmen, Psychics and Other Amazing Broadcasters of the American Airwaves)" written by acclaimed authors and historians Gene Fowler and Bill Crawford, the film traces the eventful history of border radio from the 1930s heyday of "goat-gland doctor" J.R. Brinkley to the glory days of Wolfman Jack in the 1960s. The film shows how along the way border broadcasters spread the popularity of country music (including that of the Carter Family), rhythm & blues and rock & roll - all while pioneering direct sales advertising and laying the foundation for modern televangelists. Trey Fanjoy, an award-winning music video director and filmmaker, is directing the border radio project.
Commenting on the film series, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Director Kyle Young expressed, "This partnership is a good one. We are always exploring new ways to tell the story of country music and this film series is another way to do just that. We think this collaboration with 821 Entertainment will yield tremendous results."
821 Entertainment Group founder and CEO Eric Geadelmann stated, "We are very enthusiastic about the opportunity to partner with such a prestigious institution in an effort to use documentary filmmaking to further the Museum's mission to preserve the evolving history and traditions of country music." Anastasia Brown, president of 821 added, "Our goal is for these films to extend the reach of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to a greater national and international audience. Documentaries in general have such high
visibility at the moment and, combined with the subject matter upon which we will be focused, it all adds up to an extremely intriguing film series."
Accredited by the American Association of Museums, THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME and MUSEUM is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The Museum's mission is the preservation of the history of country and related vernacular music rooted in southern culture. With the same educational mission, the Foundation also operates CMF Records, the Museum's Frist Library and Archive, CMF Press, Historic RCA Studio B, and Hatch Show Print. http://www.countrymusichalloffame.com/
821 ENTERTAINMENT GROUP is a Nashville-based entertainment, media and technology holding company with divisions in motion picture and television production, recorded music and supervisory services and digital media. http://www.821entertainment.com/
Source: 821 Entertainment Group
Web site: http://www.countrymusichalloffame.com/
Web site: http://www.821entertainment.com
Creative Network Design
www.creativenetworkdesign.com), a leading sound and audio software developer, will demonstrate a new version of its NetMix™ Pro MetaPlug™, an audio plug-in for Digidesigns award-winning Pro Tools® professional audio system, at NAB 2006 in the Avid Developer Community section, booth SL1513J.
NetMix Pro MetaPlug enables audio editors to instantly upload audio files securely to any professional media asset management system or FTP site. See below for further information on NetMix Pro MetaPlug.
Creative Network Design will also announce new customers at NAB.
NetMix Pro MetaPlug is a cross-platform RTAS plug-in for Pro Tools users, which enables broadcast users to create an audio file in their selected format and upload it with embedded metadata to an FTP hot folder or a network volume. Audio editors can upload their audio files directly from within the Pro Tools environment.
NETMIX PRO AND NETMIX PRO METAPLUG
NetMix Pro 3.5, which enables spot-to-timeline features for Pro Tools 6.9 XP users, was originally introduced at NAB 2005. Now, the introduction of NetMix Pro MetaPlug enables Pro Tools users to ingest and export audio files with rich metadata from their Pro Tools systems.
NetMix Pro will offer a Windows XP integration with Digidesign Pro Tools. The integrated solution enables Pro Tools and Avid editors to search for sound effects and production music quickly, and transfer sounds with the click of a button into Pro Tools, Avid and many other editing environments.
See below for further details on NetMix Pro.
NetMix Pro is the world’s first and only solution that provides real-time multitrack mixing and editing of digital audio streamed from local, network storage and Internet. With NetMix Pro 3.5, users can search, audition, track, and manage audio files with unprecedented ease. The NetMix Pro-Pro Tools integration is the only editing solution that enables the creation of company-wide metadata structures, for greater interoperability and security.
NETMIX PRO 3.3 from CREATIVE NETWORK DESIGN (IN AVID DEVELOPER COMMUNITY BOOTH SL1513J
With NetMix Pro 3.5, users can preview complex sounds or music edits before importing the audio directly into ProTools, providing increased production efficiency and creativity. A cross-platform tool, NetMix Pro offers bin-to-bin transfer capability with lightning-fast Boolean search and spot to Pro Tools timeline functions.
NetMix Metabase Server is a multi-SQL database which enables workstations to gain simultaneous access to large central libraries of sound effects and production music. A server-based sound library, for example, can be accessed over a LAN or the Internet. Using MediaLock, the NetMix Metabase Server can protect media assets against uncontrolled copying through central and secure logging of all transfers.
Users can add unlimited database fields, unlimited metadata fields, and NetMix automatically updates embedded metadata when new fields are added to the Metabase Server.
With playback up to 24 bit and 192 kHz, NetMix Pro can be scaled up to 100 users with a customizable server database.
NetMix Pro is bundled with the following features:
NetMix Pro Project Manager, which:
- transfers all sounds to into Pro Tools, including metadata
- spots all sounds and multitrack clips to picture, with notes
- import EDLs, rebalance scenes, cut-copy-paste scenes/spots
- enables DV movie sync spotting
The NetMix Pro Multitrack Editor can play, edit and mix multiple audio files with different file formats from different storage systems simultaneously. NetMix Pro also features loop, real time pitch-shift.
Searching the NetMix database is easy and powerful with the ability to assign sounds to separate tracks in the NetMix Pro Multitrack Editor.
Users can pre-stage a complex sound or music edit in sync to picture using volume, pan, mute, solo-in-place, multitrack-scrubbing, waveform editing and timecode display. NetMix Pro automatically converts and spots the audio to specific timecodes on to ProTools tracks, maintaining all previously made edits.
NetMix Pro 3.5 requires a minimum configuration of Mac OS 9.2.2, 10.2, or 10.3; Windows 2000 or Windows XP; 512 MB RAM; a sound card, and a network adapter.
NetMix Pro transfers and spots to FinalCut Pro, Nuendo, Logic, Toast, Pro Tools and many other leading sound and audio creation software tools.
The Video Software Dealers Association
(VSDA) is merging with the gaming trade group the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association (IEMA).
The groups announced April 11 that they will form a single trade association to represent the retailers and distributors of video and video game products.
VSDA president Bo Anderson will remain as head of the merged trade group, according to a VSDA spokesperson. IEMA president Hal Halpin will serve as a consultant to the group.
Details of the merger and specific structural changes will be forthcoming. For the time being, both groups will retain independent boards of trustees.
“By coming together in one organization, the retailers and distributors of DVDs and video games will increase their collective power and benefit from the business acumen and product knowledge of one another,” said VSDA chairman Bob Geistman.
The merged group will create a “more efficient and influential organization,” IEMA chairman Rick Vergara said.
“The interests of the membership of the two associations are so closely aligned that we expect a seamless integration,” he said.
Executives of the VSDA and leaders of music retailer trade group the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) previously contemplated joining up. However, that merger never came to fruition.
New Component Audio DA from Gefen
Outputs Audio and Video for Multiple Display Applications WOODLAND HILLS, CA – For system testing, a/v production and presentation venues, the Gefen 1x3 Component Audio Distribution Amplifier offers an easy method of feeding the same source to multiple displays throughout the venue. The plug and play unit is equipped with one RGB component, one S/PDIF input and three RGB component and S/PDIF outputs that feed HD sound and visuals directly to three displays at the same time. HDTV-quality video is supported as each output is capable of achieving resolutions up to 1080p component. Intended to provide a robust solution for audio/video systems incorporating component video, the Gefen 1x3 Component Audio Distribution Amplifier (MSRP $199), comes with its own six-foot source connection cable and external power supply. To extend displays away from the source, Gefen provides Component Extension cables in lengths ranging from 6 to 25 feet. An optional Component Video Extender allows sources and displays to be placed up to 330 feet from each other while retaining a CAT-5 cable connection through small sender and receiver units. The 1x3 Component Audio Distribution Amplifier may be pre-ordered online at Gefen.com or through a Gefen reseller, listed online and located in most major countries throughout the world.
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=3565 About Gefen: A leader in the high definition digital domain, Gefen delivers advanced technologies with multi-platform extension, switching, distribution and conversion capabilities. Gefen equipment is utilized all over the world in professional AV/IT and consumer electronics/home theater environments. Their add-on hardware maximizes system functionality and enhances operability by enabling AV systems to go beyond their original capabilties. Solutions support an array of connectivity interfaces including HDMI, DVI, dual link DVI, HD-SDI, SDI, VGA, RCA, USB, Firewire and RS-232. A selection of high quality cabling is also available. Additional information may be found at www.gefen.com.
About Gefen: A leader in the high definition digital domain, Gefen delivers advanced technologies with multi-platform extension, switching, distribution and conversion capabilities. Gefen equipment is utilized all over the world in professional AV/IT and consumer electronics/home theater environments. Their add-on hardware maximizes system functionality and enhances operability by enabling AV systems to go beyond their original capabilties. Solutions support an array of connectivity interfaces including HDMI, DVI, dual link DVI, HD-SDI, SDI, VGA, RCA, USB, Firewire and RS-232. A selection of high quality cabling is also available. Additional information may be found at www.gefen.com.SPORTS & AUTOS
Oakland and Dodger Baseball
Oakland 2, Minnesota 8 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Oakland Record: (5-5)
Winning pitcher - Kyle Lohse (1-1)
Losing pitcher - Joe Blanton (1-1)
OAK HR - None
MIN HR - M. Cuddyer (1) T. Hunter (3)
Los Angeles 13, Pittsburgh 5 at PNC Park
Los Angeles Record: (5-5)
Winning pitcher - Derek Lowe (1-1)
Losing pitcher - Oliver Perez (0-2)
LAD HR - C. Ross (2) O. Saenz (2)
PIT HR - J. Burnitz (3)
LAND ROVER 'GOES BEYOND' WITH NEW BROADBAND TV CHANNEL POWERED BY NARROWSTEP
First Broadband TV Channel Launched by Major Automotive Brand
Narrowstep (TM) Inc (OTC BB:NRWS), the TV on the Internet Company, announced that Land Rover launched a new 24/7 broadband TV channel using the Company's unique Television Operating System (TM) (telvOS). The 'Land Rover Go Beyond' channel will be dedicated to the spirit of adventure and features Land Rover VIPs such as Maria Sharapova, sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, England Rugby International, Lawrence Dallaglio and celebrity photographer, Richard Young.
Content rich and fully interactive, Go Beyond launched today at the New York International Auto Show and focuses more on lifestyle than cars, and is the first broadband TV channel to be launched by a car company. The project has been developed by MindShare, a global media investment management company and its associative marketing group MindShare Performance.
Phil Popham, Managing Director of Land Rover, said, "Go Beyond is about going beyond personal boundaries and experiencing adventure in its many forms. It amplifies the core brand promise of Land Rover to 'Go Beyond.' It will also enhance our dealer environments, and work in tandem with our landrover.com website to drive sales and further improve customer loyalty."
Mr Popham continued, "The aim is to suit everybody's idea of going beyond. It is certainly not a motoring channel, although you can find out about our Land Rover range of vehicles - and many of the adventures will feature Land Rovers. For some, off-roading in Africa will be their idea of going beyond. For others, it may be experimenting with new and exotic cuisine or staying in an extraordinary luxury hotel."\
Narrowstep CEO Steve Beaumont commented, "We're delighted that such a prestigious brand as Land Rover has chosen Narrowstep's tried and tested telvOS to deliver its global message. This is a tremendous initiative for the motor industry and will undoubtedly prove enormously successful for Land Rover and its Go Beyond strategy."
Gera Sulinska, Managing Partner at MindShare said, "We are delighted that Land Rover embraced our vision to create a brand destination on what is a truly global scale. I can see a time in the next five years when this will be a standard communications platform for all major brands."
Go Beyond TV will consist of six unique channels ranging from travel, to amazing Land Rover off-road journeys, food and wine, people and places. The content will be premium, contemporary and adventurous - three of the cornerstones of the Land Rover brand. The channel will be launched initially in English, reflecting Land Rover's strength in markets such as the USA, UK, Australia and South Africa, but other languages will be rolled out in due course.
Go Beyond TV launches in New York offering a variety of original material from the Discovery Channel and sponsored partners including Born Free, Biosphere Expeditions and the Royal Geographical Society. Go Beyond TV reflects a distinctive, premium, glossy, 'magazine style' form of programming which reflects the community of people who live the Land Rover brand. New content will be added every month, and in addition there will be live broadcasts (from, for example, motor shows) and updates from special events. This will include the Land Rover G4 Challenge, which begins in Thailand on April 23.
The Go Beyond channel will be on show at Land Rover dealerships and major motor shows, though anyone can access it online via a Go Beyond link at www.landrover.com.
About Narrowstep (TM) Inc
Narrowstep (TM) Inc (OTC BB: NRWS) is a leading provider of Internet-based video-content delivery (TV on IP). Narrowstep's product and service offerings enable customers to distribute channels of video-based content and provide related services over the Internet. The Narrowstep system, telvOS (TM) [Television Operating System (TM)], enables comprehensive delivery of video content and television-like programming to mobile, wireless, Internet, broadband and broadcast services. The Narrowstep system enables owners and users of video content to reach audiences by 'narrowcasting' -- targeting delivery of specific content to interested groups. Narrowstep provides services to clients in the United Kingdom, the United States, and various other countries throughout the world, including Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. To learn more, visit www.narrowstep.com.
CBS Sports to Join Celebration of PGA of America's 90th Anniversary With '90 Years of Excellence' Special, April 16
CBS Sports will join in celebrating The PGA of America's 90th anniversary by presenting a one-hour special, "The PGA of America - 90 Years of Excellence," Sunday, April 16, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET.
From its humble beginnings in 1916 at a luncheon in New York City, to becoming the largest working sports organization of its day, The PGA of America has served the game of golf not only by staging premier Championships, but through its membership that has touched the lives of millions by being leaders in instruction and in mentoring.
The CBS special will feature the Association's major championship history, which includes the PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship, and the Ryder Cup, golf's ultimate spectacle.
The impact of PGA Teaching Professionals and their students will be showcased in Curtis Strange and his father Tom; Arnold Palmer and his father, Deke; Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite, and their instructor Harvey Penick; Jack Nicklaus and Jack Grout; and Tiger Woods and John Anselmo. Also, Lee Trevino pays homage to a man whom he credited in allowing him the opportunity to build a career -- 2005 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Bill Eschenbrenner of El Paso, Texas.
PGA Professionals also have achieved dreams away from the competitive arena, as PGA Life Member William Powell of East Canton, Ohio, realized in 1946 when he overcame prejudice and economic hardship to build Clearview Golf Club. Marking its 60th anniversary, Clearview Golf Club is the first golf course that was built, owned and operated by an African-American.
Other segments within the CBS Special include PGA Professional Suzy Whaley of Farmington, Conn., who in 2002 became the first woman since 1945 to qualify for a berth in a PGA Tour event; and the variety of charitable contributions that The PGA of America has made.
CBS Sports also will air a second hour-long special Sunday, Aug. 6, "The Road to the PGA Championship," that will include a feature on the top 20 finishers from the PGA Professional National Championship that have earned a berth in the season's final major.
Celebrating its 90th anniversary, The PGA of America was founded in 1916, and is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.
Source: The PGA of America
Acura unveiled an unprecedented trio of new vehicles
at the New York International Auto Show, including the show stopping world debut of the MD-X Concept SUV. In addition, a production version of the all-new RDX performance luxury SUV made its debut, providing an advance preview of Acura's all-new light truck lineup. Finally, an Acura powered-race car was unveiled along with the announcement that it would campaign in the 2007 American Le Mans Series (ALMS).
"All three vehicles represent Acura's passion for providing the best in automotive performance and technology," said John Mendel, senior vice president, Auto Operations. "From the sporty RDX, to the exciting MD-X Concept, to the world-class Acura ALMS race car, Acura is moving ahead of the competition and into the fast lane."
Acura's all-new light truck lineup took center stage with the unveiling of the MD-X Concept and RDX entry premium SUV. With bold styling, the MD-X Concept provides a glimpse of the all-new MDX luxury performance SUV, which will go on sale this fall. The Concept's aggressive design exudes performance and reflects the SUV's track-tuned development.
The all-new RDX, which features Acura's first turbocharged engine and the breakthrough Super Handling All-Wheel Drive(TM) (SH-AWD(TM)), also made its debut. Hitting dealerships this summer, the RDX boasts the exceptional handling of a sports sedan with the utility of a SUV.
Finally, Acura unveiled an Acura-powered race car the company plans to campaign in the 2007 American Le Mans Series. The ALMS draws on the heritage of long-distance "endurance" sports car racing in both Europe and the United States, as exemplified by the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 10-race domestic series includes the 12 Hours of Sebring - a U.S. fixture since 1952 - plus events at the country's premier road circuits, including Road America, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Laguna Seca, Lime Rock Park and Road Atlanta.
ALMS competition features multi-class racing of high-tech sports car prototypes and production-based Grand Touring machinery, with both factory teams and relentless privateers battling for victory. State-of-the-art technology and engineering, ranging from electronics to aerodynamics to fuel efficiency, are key to success in the ALMS. Manufacturers currently fielding teams include Audi, Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, Lexus, Aston Martin, and Chevrolet.
The all-new 2007 Acura RDX Entry Premium SUV, made its production debut at the New York Auto Show. RDX combines Acura’s first-ever turbocharged engine with the breakthrough Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD™), for sports sedan-like handling in a SUV package.
“The all-new RDX is an exciting entry to the Acura light truck lineup for 2007,” said John Mendel, senior vice president, auto operations. “The RDX’s innovative powertrain coupled with SH-AWD provides this SUV with excellent fuel economy and outstanding performance.”
The RDX is aimed at high-energy urbanites that spend the work week in the confines of the city, and then decompress on the weekends by getting away from it all. Regardless of where they go, these drivers expect the ultimate in responsiveness, control and adaptability.
Built on a new global light truck platform, the RDX concept was first designed in California and then developed in Japan. Besides its precedent-setting engineering features including Acura’s first turbocharged and intercooled engine and the first adaptation of a SH-AWD™ system to an SUV, the RDX also offers Acura’s first standard 18-inch wheels and tires.
True to form for Acura, the RDX incorporates a class-leading array of sophisticated electronic technologies that are seamlessly integrated to keep its passengers informed, entertained and in touch. The RDX also introduces new safety technologies based on the fundamentals of Acura’s “Safety Through Innovation” initiative.
As Acura’s first Entry Premium SUV, the RDX was the focal point of the development of a special powertrain that would blend 4-cylinder efficiency and 6-cylinder power. The ideal solution came in the form of an innovative new variable flow turbo (VFT) that delivers an unusually broad powerband with little or no lag in throttle response. The RDX is equipped with an all-new 2.3-liter DOHC 16-valve in-line four-cylinder engine with i-VTEC valve control that combines Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) with Variable Timing Control (VTC). With the variable flow turbo working in concert with i-VTEC, the RDX delivers strong power and torque, excellent fuel economy and very low emissions.
Rated output for the RDX engine is 240 horsepower SAE net* at 6000 rpm. In terms of torque, the RDX has the highest output of any engine in the Acura lineup, with 260 lbs.-ft. of torque SAE net* at 4500 rpm. The RDX is expected to return an EPA-estimated 19/24** City/Highway mileage, while meeting strict CARB LEV-2 ULEV and EPA Tier-2 Bin-5 emissions standards.
A 5-speed automatic transmission with Sequential SportShift is standard. The electronically controlled drive-by-wire throttle and transmission work together to execute shifts, resulting in exceptionally quick and smooth gear changes. The transmission can function as a conventional automatic transmission or, at the driver's option, can be shifted manually via steering-wheel-mounted paddles.
SH-AWD™ is standard in the RDX to maximize available traction while improving handling balance and responsiveness. SH-AWD™ is Acura’s patented all-wheel drive system that distributes the optimum amount of torque not only between the front and rear axles but also between the left and right rear wheels. The system’s direct yaw control helps reduce understeer to enhance steering accuracy and add to total cornering power.
Responsive handling is further aided by fully independent front and rear suspensions. The MacPherson strut front and trailing arm-type multilink rear systems are tuned for compliant control, and assisted with front and rear anti-roll bars for flatter cornering.
Standard Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) with traction control further enhances controllability and grip.
The RDX exterior styling further emphasizes the SUV’s sporty athleticism. It has a taut, muscular presence with standard 18-inch wheels and tires that work together with large wheel arches, aggressively raked body sides, a steeply raked windscreen and a short rear overhang. A unique rear hatch, finished with a replaceable panel to reduce the cost of accident repair, allows the rear of the body to smoothly transition to the rear bumper. This permits a more custom look and also eases the act of loading and unloading cargo.
Inside the RDX, the front-seats feature a high “eye point” that provides a confident field of view. The 3-passenger rear seat has a 60/40 split-folding capability and, when folded flat, significantly expands the load area and increases the cargo volume to 60.6 cubic feet of storage. There are multiple interior storage compartments positioned throughout the interior, including a large (and lockable) dual-level center console located conveniently between the front seats that can securely accommodate a briefcase.
The RDX features an array of electronic features that set it apart from the competition. These include a dual-zone automatic climate control system, a Multi-Information Display (MID), and LED backlit gauges with progressive illumination. Also standard is an impressive 360-watt 7-speaker Acura Premium Sound System with a multi-format 6-disc changer, AM/FM tuner, XM® Satellite Radio, and the convenience of an MP3/auxiliary input jack for easily connecting audio devices such as an iPod.
Just one optional package is offered on the RDX. The Technology Package heightens the RDX’s appeal to technology-savvy customers with a range of advanced features. The centerpiece is a 10-speaker Acura/ELS Surround™ Premium Sound System designed by legendary recording engineer Elliott Scheiner. When playing DVD-Audio discs (DVD-A), this advanced 410-watt system delivers eight discreet audio channels (instead of the usual two) to create an uncannily accurate listening experience. With its multi-format 6-disc DVD-A changer, AM/FM tuner and XM® Satellite Radio, the system is as versatile as it is powerful.
The Technology Package also includes several information and communications such as HandsFreeLink™ and the Acura Navigation system. HandFreeLink is a wireless telephone interface that is designed to work with many Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones (sold separately).
In addition, the AcuraLink™ Satellite Communication System with Real Time Traffic allows for 2-way communication between Acura and the vehicle, providing customers with the latest information specific to their vehicle.
The Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition™ can display up-to-the-minute traffic information including flow, accidents, construction and weather conditions on freeways in 31 major metro areas (where available). When the transmission is placed in reverse, the Navigation screen displays the image from a rearview camera to make parking easier. In addition, the AcuraLink™ Satellite Communication System with Real Time Traffic allows for 2-way communication between Acura and the vehicle, providing customers with the latest information specific to their vehicle.
Technological leadership also extends to safety engineering. The RDX’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure substantially contributes to passenger safety. ACE™ distributes collision loads through the body structure, leaving the passenger cabin more intact for improved occupant protection. Specially designed frame members make the RDX more compatible with smaller vehicles in the event of a vehicle-to-vehicle frontal collision. Likewise, a specially engineered hood and other components help reduce the chances of pedestrian injury in the event of a collision with the vehicle.
Inside the RDX is a full complement of passive safety features. Key technologies include the latest generation of dual-stage, dual-threshold airbags for the driver and front passenger, plus side airbags for the driver and front passenger and side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor for all outboard occupants. Child-seat mounting systems, LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children), allow the quick and secure installation of a child seats.
The RDX will be assembled in Marysville, Ohio, on the same line as the Acura TL sedan. It is the first Acura light truck to come from the facility.
Like all Acura models, the 2007 RDX is covered by a comprehensive 4-year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and a 6-year/70,000 miles powertrain limited warranty. Additional ownership benefits include Acura Total Luxury Care (TLC), which provides free 24-hour roadside assistance, concierge service and trip routing.
The Acura “MD-X Concept” luxury SUV debuted at the 2006 New York International Auto Show featuring bold, sleek exterior styling indicative of the next generation MDX production model
“Every aspect of the MD-X Concept design conveys performance and attitude while still retaining SUV functionality,” said John Mendel, senior vice president, auto operations. “The styling signifies a bold direction for the next generation MDX, both in appearance and substance.”
The MD-X Concept is fashioned as a true driver’s SUV, with its low wide stance and aggressive design. Its sleek surface lines are modeled after a futuristic luxury yacht maneuvering through the ocean.
The MD-X Concept occupies the same footprint as the current MDX, but the wider track and longer wheelbase give the vehicle a more sporty, taut look. The side profile of the concept reveals a refined SUV with smooth chiseled lines and an elegant form. A dominant character line runs from the front quarter panel to the rear, evoking the feeling of forward movement. The sharply raked D-pillar creates a stealth, aerodynamic appearance while still retaining the third row seating functionality and cargo capacity of the current generation MDX.
The Concept sits low to the ground despite the large 20-inch five-spoke custom alloy wheels, while the large wheel arches and flares add to the Concept's muscular appearance. The sleek cabin features flush mounted windshield glass, which improves aerodynamics while adding to the MD-X Concept's smooth and flowing design.
“The smooth lines and sleek shape of the MD-X Concept challenge the conventions of SUV design,” said Ricky Hsu, chief designer for the MD-X Concept. “By providing all the driving excitement of a sports sedan while still retaining the core functionality of the current generation MDX, we have created a sport vehicle that just so happens to provide unexpected utility.”
The front hood is accented with pronounced character lines culminating in an aggressive five-sided grille, which gives the MD-X its bold presence. The commanding front grille features a dominant center bar running through a solid aluminum face. The narrow, Xenon High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights appear to grow out of the massive grille, giving the overall front-end a strong, distinct look.
“The front end of the MD-X Concept communicates power and prestige,” explains Hsu. “We want drivers to do a double-take and notice this SUV when it passes them on the road.”
In the rear, the MD-X Concept has an integrated rear hatch, which sits flush against the bumper to create a smooth, clean appearance. Elongated LED taillights wrap around the cargo hatch adding to the vehicles wide and low appearance. A rear spoiler improves aerodynamics while the integrated dual exhaust pipes add to the SUV’s sporty style.
The next generation MDX production model will be available this fall, bringing a whole new level of performance to the Acura light truck lineup. Track-tuned at the famed Nurburging in Germany, the all-new MDX will feature outstanding performance and handling. Equipped with a powerful, class leading V6 engine and coupled with Acura’s exclusive Super-Handling All Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD™), the next generation MDX will re-invent the luxury SUV segment much just as did when it first debuted in 2001.
New Vehicles with XM NavTraffic Debut at The New York Auto Show
XM NavTraffic Delivers Real-Time Traffic Information for Drivers in 31 Markets Across the U.S.
XM Satellite Radio, the nation's leading satellite radio company with more than 6.5 million subscribers, today announced that XM NavTraffic, the first nationwide satellite traffic information service for GPS navigation systems, will be available in the Acura RDX, the Infiniti G35 sedan, and the Lexus LS sedans beginning with the 2007 model year vehicles. XM NavTraffic is already a factory-installed feature on all Acura RL vehicles and every Cadillac CTS model equipped with on-board navigation.
The latest vehicles with XM NavTraffic are on display at the 2006 New York International Automobile Show at the Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center in Manhattan.
In-car navigation systems are among the auto industry's most in-demand new vehicle features, but most navigation systems are blind to traffic jams around the next corner. XM NavTraffic empowers navigation systems by delivering real-time traffic information for drivers in 31 markets from New York to Los Angeles. The XM NavTraffic technology was recently selected as a 2005 "Best Consumer Vehicle Application" by the leading telematics industry organization Telematics Update.
Using XM's coast-to-coast satellite signal, the XM NavTraffic service continuously delivers traffic data directly to GPS navigation systems. XM NavTraffic data enables an overlay of color-coded traffic flow information on the navigation map, indicating how fast the traffic is currently moving on the driver's personal route. Accidents and road construction are identified on the map by icons.
XM NavTraffic can show at-a-glance traffic conditions between driver and destination, allowing the driver to avoid a jam before getting caught in traffic. The traffic data is aggregated for XM by NAVTEQ Traffic from multiple data sources, including police and emergency services, commercial traffic data providers, road sensors, traffic cameras, eyewitness reports, and real-time aircraft surveillance reports.
"XM's strategic automotive partners are rapidly embracing XM NavTraffic," said Roderick MacKenzie, XM's vice president of advanced applications and services. "XM expects to expand the availability of XM NavTraffic in more new vehicles in the months ahead."
In addition to vehicles with in-dash XM NavTraffic systems, XM NavTraffic is also available on a growing number of aftermarket navigation systems that are designed to fit virtually any vehicle on the road. Garmin International recently introduced the StreetPilot 2730, the first-ever portable navigation device to feature XM NavTraffic as well as XM Weather and XM Satellite Radio. Partners such as Pioneer Electronics and Alpine also offer XM NavTraffic-compatible systems.
Offered as a premium data service for $3.99 per month when packaged with XM Satellite Radio's subscription of $12.95 a month, XM NavTraffic is currently available for the following 31 markets: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver-Boulder, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Milwaukee-Racine, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco/Oakland, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington DC and Wilmington, DE.
About XM Satellite Radio
XM is America's number one satellite radio company with more than 6.5 million subscribers. Broadcasting live daily from studios in Washington, DC, New York City, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Toronto and Montreal, XM's 2006 lineup includes more than 170 digital channels of choice from coast to coast: the most commercial-free music, premier sports, news, talk radio, comedy, children's and entertainment programming; and the most advanced traffic and weather information.
XM, the leader in satellite-delivered entertainment and data services for the automobile market through partnerships with General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, Porsche, Suzuki, Subaru, and Volkswagen/Audi, is available in more than 130 different vehicle models for 2006. XM's industry-leading products are available at consumer electronics retailers nationwide.
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About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices and Internet-based mapping applications. NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 1,500 employees located in over 100 offices in 20 countries.
NAVTEQ is a trademark in the U.S. and other countries. (c) 2005 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved.
Source: XM Satellite Radio
Web site: http://www.xmradio.com/
http://www.xmnavtraffic.com/
Kia to Exclusively Offer SIRIUS Satellite Radio as Factory Standard Equipment
SIRIUS-Kia Agreement Runs Through 2014
SIRIUS Satellite Radio and Kia Motors America today announced that Kia will exclusively offer SIRIUS as factory standard equipment in all of its vehicles.
The long-term agreement runs through 2014, with an optional three-year extension to 2017, and calls for SIRIUS to become a standard feature in all 2009 model year Kia vehicles, beginning in 2008.
"We are very excited to add Kia to our list of exclusive automotive partners," said Mel Karmazin, CEO of SIRIUS. "Kia is an exciting company that is producing appealing cars to a growing number of consumers in the U.S., and we look forward to closely working with them to make the Kia in-vehicle experience even more rewarding."
"SIRIUS offers a unique combination of on-air talent, creative programming and various sports and entertainment properties that fit perfectly with Kia's evolving brand characteristics," said Len Hunt, Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors America. "Our next generation products have delivered Kia to new segments and new consumers, and the addition of SIRIUS will strengthen the company's ability to offer high-quality vehicles with modern features and amenities at an incredible value for the consumer."
Kia customers will receive three months of complimentary service, and all radios will be factory activated for dealer and customer convenience.
About SIRIUS
SIRIUS delivers more than 125 channels of the best programming in all of radio. SIRIUS is the original and only home of 100% commercial free music channels in satellite radio, offering 67 music channels available nationwide. SIRIUS also delivers 61 channels of sports, news, talk, entertainment, traffic, weather and data. SIRIUS is the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, NBA and NHL and broadcasts live play-by-play games of the NFL, NBA and NHL. All SIRIUS programming is available for a monthly subscription fee of only $12.95.
SIRIUS products for the car, truck, home, RV and boat are available in more than 25,000 retail locations, including Best Buy, Circuit City, Crutchfield, Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, RadioShack and at http://shop.sirius.com/.
SIRIUS radios are offered in vehicles from Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep(R), Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln-Mercury, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Nissan, Scion, Toyota, Porsche, Volkswagen and Volvo. Hertz also offers SIRIUS in its rental cars at major locations around the country.
Click on http://www.sirius.com/ to listen to SIRIUS live, or to purchase a SIRIUS radio and subscription.
About Kia
Kia Motors America -- the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corp. in Seoul, South Korea -- offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States. For more information visit http://www.kiamedia.com/.
Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance with respect to SIRIUS Satellite Radio Inc. are not historical facts and may be forward-looking and, accordingly, such statements involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, any such statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among the key factors that have a direct bearing on our operational results are: our dependence upon third parties, including manufacturers of SIRIUS radios, retailers, automakers and programming partners, our competitive position and any events which affect the useful life of our satellites.
Source: SIRIUS Satellite Radio
Web site: http://www.sirius.com/
http://shop.sirius.com/
http://www.kiamedia.com/
Travis Pastrana to Appear at Wentworth SubaruCity
What: Downtown Portland will be abuzz on Thursday evening, April 20, when Wentworth SubaruCity hosts a meet and greet, and an autograph session, with Subaru Rally Team USA driver
Travis Pastrana. His "#199" Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car will be on display. The event is free and open to the public.
Well-known for his achievements as Supercross Champion and X Games multi-gold medallist, Travis Pastrana will drive for the win at the Oregon Trail Rally from April 21-23 in
Hillsboro, OR. The Oregon Trail Rally is round three of the nine-event, 2006 Rally America National Championship
(http://www.rally-america.com/). For more information on theOregon Trail Rally visit http://www.oregontrailrally.com/.Subaru Rally Team USA consists of a two-car team led by Travis Pastrana. Joining Mr. Pastrana is the co-founder of DC Shoes and 2005 Rally America Rookie of the Year, Ken Block. The pair will drive their 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI vehicles prepared by Subaru Motorsports partner Vermont
SportsCar. For more information visit
http://www.rally.subaru.com/.WHO: Travis Pastrana, Driver, Subaru Rally Team USA Lou Harrison, General Manager, Wentworth SubaruCity Jim Pernas, Regional Vice President, Northwest Region,
Subaru of America, Inc.
When: Thursday, April 20, 2006
5 - 7 PM
Where: Wentworth SubaruCity - a six-acre, state-of-the-art, exclusive, Subaru Signature Facility
400 E Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
(503) 232-2000
http://www.wentworth.subaru.com/
About Subaru Northwest Region
The Subaru Northwest Region is headquartered in Portland, Ore., and is responsible for Subaru business in Alaska, Calif., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Ore., Wash., and Wyo. Also located in Portland is the Subaru Parts Warehouse and the Subaru Port Operations is located in Vancouver, Wash. The Subaru Northwest Region makes up approximately one quarter of total U.S. Subaru sales.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics calendar year-end 2004. For additional information visit http://www.subaru.com/.
Source: Subaru of America, Inc.
Web site: http://www.rally-america.com/
http://www.oregontrailrally.com/
http://www.rally.subaru.com/
http://www.wentworth.subaru.com/
http://www.subaru.com/
From Madness into Masters; CBS SportsLine Dominates March, Stays Hot in April
CBS SportsLine Records Strongest Month of Traffic in Company History
CBS SportsLine, a leading Internet sports media organization and part of CBS Digital Media, recorded its strongest month of traffic ever in March, 2006 according to Nielsen//NetRatings. The CBS SportsLine.com Network, a compilation of CBS owned and produced sites, including CBS SportsLine.com, CSTV.com (a network of approximately 250 official athletic sites), NCAAsports.com and PGATOUR.com registered 15.4 million unique visitors in March. Taking into account the addition of CSTV.com, the CBS SportsLine.com Network traffic figure is up 94% from 2005. (CSTV Networks was acquired by CBS in 1/06)
Among that network of sites, the CBS SportsLine.com domain led the way with nearly eight million unique visitors, its highest monthly total ever and 50% higher than in 2005. Additionally, Nielsen//NetRatings aggregates a "custom" CBS SportsLine Network figure that includes NFL.com, also produced by CBS SportsLine. That CBS SportsLine Network recorded 18.3 million unique visitors in March, garnering a larger audience than any property in the sports category for the month.
"Our strategy when we announced the transformation of CBS SportsLine to a multimedia digital sports network last September was that the internal investment, specifically in the area of online video, would pay long term dividends for not only CBS SportsLine but the entire CBS Digital Media family. These numbers are clear evidence of those dividends," said Larry Kramer, President of CBS Digital Media. "We're making tremendous progress in taking all of the world-class content that CBS produces and making it available across every available platform."
A major catalyst for traffic this past March was the success of CBS SportsLine's NCAA(R) March Madness(TM) on Demand (MMOD), produced in partnership with CBS Sports, CSTV and the NCAA(R). MMOD provided streaming live video of the first 56 games of the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship and for the first time ever was offered free of charge.
In total, MMOD served over 19 million streams of live and archived video from the 2006 NCAA(R) Division I Men's Basketball Championship.
FINAL NCAA(R) March Madness(TM) on Demand (MMOD) Traffic Numbers:
* MMOD served over 19 million streams of live and archived game action
* MMOD recorded over five million visits during the tournament
* A total of 1.3 million users registered for MMOD
Immediately following the success of MMOD, CBS Digital Media was involved in another highly successful online live video event. Masters.org partnered with CBS SportsLine, CBS Sports and Augusta National Golf Club to produce "Amen Corner Live," live streaming video from the 11th, 12th and 13th holes of the 2006 Masters(R) Tournament.
As was the case with MMOD, "Amen Corner Live" performed flawlessly, producing stunning live video from one of the most famous sporting events in the world. Over four days (April 6-9) and during approximately 22 hours of live video from Augusta National Golf Club, "Amen Corner Live" generated over 3.4 million video streams at Masters.org and CBS SportsLine.com combined.
FINAL "Amen Corner Live" Traffic Numbers:
* Over 3.4 million video streams of live golf action were served over
four days
* A peak usage figure of over 85,000 simultaneous streams
* The average time spent viewing "Amen Corner Live" was over two hours
per visit
Additional highlights from the month of March include a strong beginning to the fantasy baseball season. As was announced in February, this season CBS SportsLine is offering Free Fantasy Baseball Basic, its first free fantasy offering in several years, to go along with its award winning Fantasy Baseball Commissioner and Premium Single games. The result was a 46% increase in fantasy baseball teams hosted on CBS SportsLine as the season officially got underway in April.
"Investing in our content, our customer experience and the success of our advertisers are our top priorities and further evidence of our long term strategy," said Steve Snyder, General Manager of CBS SportsLine. "What's extremely encouraging is that despite our free offering, our subscription revenue for this fantasy baseball season continues to show healthy growth. That is certainly a strong testament to the strength of our fantasy brand in the marketplace."
About CBS Digital Media
CBS Digital Media is the in-house unit of CBS overseeing all online, interactive, wireless and digital video initiatives. The group currently operates CBS.com, CBSNews.com and CBS SportsLine.com.
About CBS SportsLine
CBS SportsLine is at the leading edge of media companies providing Internet sports content, Fantasy sports and e-commerce. In addition to its flagship service, the company publishes the official Web sites of the NFL, PGA TOUR and NCAA Sports. CBS SportsLine is a member of the CBS family and a part of CBS Digital Media. For more information about CBS SportsLine and for the latest sports news, scores and expert analysis, please visit http://www.cbs.sportsline.com/.
CBS Corporation is a mass media company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations, combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets. It has operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment, including broadcast television (CBS and UPN), cable television (Showtime and CSTV Networks), local television (CBS Television Stations), television production and syndication (CBS Paramount Television and King World), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), theme parks (Paramount Parks), digital media (CBS Digital Media Group and CSTV Networks) and consumer products (CBS Consumer Products). In Fall 2006, UPN will cease operations and The CW, a new fifth broadcast television network, will launch as a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation. For more information, log on to http://www.cbscorporation.com/.
Source: CBS SportsLine
Ford Realigns South America Operation
* Dominic DiMarco is appointed executive director, Canada and South America * Barry Engle is appointed president, Ford Mercosul and President Ford Brazil * Antonio Maciel Neto resigns as president, Ford South America, effective May 3, to join Suzano Papel e Celulose as CEO
Ford Motor Company announced today a realignment of the Canada and South America organizations, and has named Dominic DiMarco executive director, Canada and South America. Concurrent with this change, Barry Engle becomes president, Ford Mercosul and Ford Brazil. He will report to DiMarco. The changes are effective immediately.
Louise Goeser remains president, Ford of Mexico, and like DiMarco will continue to report to Mark Fields, executive vice president and president, The Americas. William Osborne remains president, Ford of Canada and will report to DiMarco.
Antonio Maciel Neto resigns his position as president of Ford South America to join Suzano Papel e Celulose as its new CEO. His resignation will be effective May 3. Maciel will remain to ensure a smooth transition during the realignment of the region.
"I came to Ford to be part of the most important automotive turnaround in Brazil history and we've accomplished that," Maciel said. "We have a great team in place at Ford to continue the success we started. I am now ready to take on a new challenge."
In his new role, DiMarco will oversee diverse business operations in South America including product development, more than 500 dealerships, multiple car and light truck manufacturing plants, and the only wholly owned commercial truck operation in Ford Motor Company. He assumes leadership of South America to focus on the strategic planning for the region, including developing plans to further increase market share and profitability. In addition, he will oversee operations in the Andina region.
From 1999 to 2005, Ford South America has accomplished one of the most successful business turnarounds in the region. For the past nine quarters, Ford has been the most profitable automotive company in South America.
Previously, DiMarco was executive director, Operations Support and Finance and Strategy for Canada, Mexico and South America. Prior to that assignment, DiMarco was finance director for the North America Labor Negotiations team. He has also served as chief finance director of International Operations, including New Markets and the Asia-Pacific region. DiMarco joined Ford in 1973 as a financial analyst and also has held significant positions in North American Sales and Service Operations and Manufacturing. In addition, DiMarco previously worked in South America as finance controller for Autolatina in Brazil.
"With Dom's overall broad experience in international markets, and more recently in Canada, Mexico and South America he will bring a business and leadership perspective that moves Canada and South America forward," said Fields.
In his new position, Engle will be responsible for all Mercosul operations, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, plus the markets of Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Engle returned to Ford Brazil in September 2005, having previously served as the director, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford Brazil from 2001 to 2003.
Engle's career has included a variety of international management experiences; prior to his return to Brazil he was director and general manager, Worldwide Direct Market Operations with responsibility for export operations in 116 markets around the world. Previously, Engle was director, North America Product Strategy and Planning, a position to which he was appointed in December 2004. Prior to that, he had been General Marketing Manager, Ford Customer Service Division. Engle also has first-hand automotive retail experience, having been a dealer himself.
Engle joined Ford in 1992. He held a variety of marketing and sales positions representing Ford Division, Lincoln Mercury, and Mazda in the United States, Mexico and Japan.
"Barry is an innovative leader, which has been reinforced in his short tenure as president, Ford Brazil. I look forward to working with him even more closely to shape the direction of the commercial operations across the region," said DiMarco.
Maciel joined Ford Motor Company in July 1999 as president of Ford Brazil. In October 2003, he was named president of Ford South America Operations. Maciel was elected a corporate vice president in October 2004. During his tenure he led the successful regional business turnaround and prepared the business for sustained profitability.
"Maciel has made a significant contribution to the Ford Motor Company global business through innovations in product, business and marketing strategies. We wish Maciel well in his new role and thank him for his work at Ford Motor Company," said Fields.
Source: Ford Motor Company
Web site: http://www.ford.com/
DOD
DoD Identifies Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Shawn R. Creighton, 21, of Windsor, N.C., died in Rawah, Iraq on April 8, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker vehicle during patrol operations. Creighton was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Kenneth D. Hess, 26, of Asheville, N.C., died in Rawah, Iraq on April 11, as the result of a suicide bomber attack while Hess was conducting a dismounted patrol. Hess was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died of injuries sustained in Taji, Iraq on April 11, when an improvised explosive device detonated near their Bradley Fighting Vehicle and they subsequently came under small arms fire during combat operations. All three soldiers were assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were: Cpl. Joseph A. Blanco, 25, of Bloomington, Calif. Pfc. James F. Costello III, 27, of St. Louis, Mo. Pfc. George R. Roehl Jr., 21, of Manchester, N.H.
DoD Identifies Missing Marine and Sailor The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Eric A. Palmisano, 27, of Florence, Wis., died April 2, after the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Al Asad, Iraq. The incident also resulted in the death of six other Marines and a Navy petty officer. Palmisano was listed as Duty Status - Whereabouts Unknown until his body was recovered April 11. He was assigned to 1st Transportation Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore. is still listed as Duty Status - Whereabouts Unknown as a result of the incident and search efforts continue.
Military officials in Baghdad announced a U.S. soldier's death today and a Marine's death yesterday, and the Defense Department has identified two other recent casualties. A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed today when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle southwest of Baghdad. A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 died due to enemy action while operating near Baghdad. Officials provided no other details. The servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. In addition, the Defense Department has identified two soldiers - both assigned to the 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska -- who died recently in Iraq: - Army Spc. Kenneth D. Hess, 26, of Asheville, N.C., died April 11 in Rawah as the result of a suicide bomber attack while he was conducting a dismounted patrol. - Army Spc. Shawn R. Creighton, 21, of Windsor, N.C., died in Rawah April 8 when a roadside bomb detonated near his Stryker vehicle during a patrol.
Month of the Military Child
By many people's assessments, concerns about his ailing father probably lost the Masters Tournament earlier this week for Tiger Woods, one of the most celebrated children of U.S. servicemembers. Woods, the defending champion, ended up helping winner Phil Mickelson into his green jacket following the April 9 tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Noticeably missing from the jacket ceremony was retired Army Lt. Col. Earl Woods, Tiger's father and once-constant companion, who is in Cyprus, Calif., suffering from pancreatic cancer. "I'm very proud of my dad. He's a tremendous fighter, got an unbelievable will," Woods said during an interview in the days leading up to the Augusta tournament. Two years ago, immediately following the 2004 Masters Tournament, Tiger got a glimpse into that fighting spirit when he and his father reported to Fort Bragg, N.C., the senior Woods' old duty station. There, Woods traded in his green jacket for an Army battle dress uniform and his golf spikes for combat boots to follow in his father's footsteps and train for four days with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. After the training, the junior Woods hosted the Tiger Woods Foundation's 30th Junior Golf Clinic at the post's Stryker Golf Course, offering one-on-one golf instruction to 84 military children.
Beyond the physical training, marksmanship and close-quarters combat training and the jumps with the Golden Knights parachute team, the senior Woods said he hoped his son took something even more important away from the experience. He wanted Tiger to get a sense of how men and women in uniform "look out for each other, support each other and love each other." The senior Woods first trained at Fort Bragg in 1963 following a tour in Vietnam, and was assigned to a Special Forces Unit there before leaving for another tour in 1970. During that second tour, he served as an adviser to a deputy province chief, Vietnamese Lt. Col. Vuong Phong. Woods nicknamed him "Tiger" for his skills in the field. Years later, Woods named his son Eldrick "Tiger" Woods after his old friend and began instilling in him his values and sense of commitment.
During an interview with Golf Magazine, the senior Woods said he tried to teach his son the lessons he learned in Vietnam and the value of human life and integrity. Those lessons carried over to the golf course, where the senior Woods used his military training to instill in Tiger the discipline and focus that turned him into a world-renowned golfer. He said his son "was always inquisitive about the training I put him through," particularly the "mental toughness training." Tiger apparently learned his lessons well, and those who watch his career most closely attribute his mental toughness to his victories, with 10 major championships, including four Masters titles. During the 2004 clinic at Fort Bragg, Woods compared the physical and mental demands of the military training he received - like that his father used to help hone his golf skills as he was growing up - to those he experiences as a professional golfer. "You have to be mentally ready," he said. "The only difference is that (the soldiers are) putting their lives on the line. I'm not. They're doing it for our country and to keep us safe, and they are to be commended."
'America Supports You' Thanks PGA for Troop Support Efforts
Professional Golf Association troop supporters had a memorable day touring the Pentagon today, as both a reward for their work raising money to support the troops and as a catalyst for more work in the coming year. The 17 guests, members of the PGA's Tournament Players Clubs, talked about future troop support plans and met with Pentagon officials, including Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, welcomed the group in the Pentagon briefing room and thanked them for their hard work. "The department is so grateful," Barber said. "The philanthropy of the PGA Tour family is really impressive, so thank you." The PGA tour is a member of America Supports You, which was launched in November 2004.
ASY is a Defense Department program highlighting grassroots and corporate support for the nation's servicemembers and their families. As a corporate sponsor with a lot of visibility, the tour has the opportunity to help other charities, Barber said. "We make no apology for asking people to keep (the ASY) brand out there, because that brand is a reminder to our military community that America supports them, and it gives more credibility to our grassroots groups," she said. Barber discussed upcoming ASY programs, including a partnership with Weekly Reader to launch later this month, as well as plans for Memorial Day events and Freedom Walks on Sept. 11 to be held across the country. David Pillsbury, president and chief operating officer of the PGA Tour golf course properties, said he was proud to be at the Pentagon to celebrate the success of his group's fundraising over the past year.
Pillsbury told Barber he thinks it's helpful to hear what ASY has planned for the next year, because the PGA Tour hopes to be an integral part of the America Supports You mission, offering money and media outlets for troop charities, for a long time to come. "There's so much more we can do beyond just raising money," he said. "We have an incredible instrument in our communities to be a mouthpiece." During their tour, the group viewed the area of the building that was damaged by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001. They listened to Pentagon tour guides recount that day and explain how the building was rebuilt. "For us it's about not forgetting," Pillsbury said. "As it relates to our troops, it's a very tangible, real thing that we need to get people refocused on, because it's so easy -- out of sight, out of mind."
Synthetic Clothes Off Limits to Marines Outside Bases in Iraq
Marines conducting operations outside forward operating bases and camps in Iraq can no longer wear synthetic athletic clothing containing polyester and nylon, Marine Corps commanders have ordered. The ban on popular clothing from companies like Under Armour, CoolMax and Nike comes in the wake of concerns that a substantial burn risk is associated with wearing clothing made with these synthetic materials, officials said. When exposed to extreme heat and flames, clothing containing some synthetic materials like polyester will melt and can fuse to the skin.
This essentially creates a second skin and can lead to horrific, disfiguring burns, said Navy Capt. Lynn E. Welling, the 1st Marine Logistics Group head surgeon.