Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Other Disney Characters Get Romantic on New Postage Stamps
To understand the internet you have to be open to change. 
Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne April 22, 2006
MBN
www.montebubbles.com for more MBN news
for more MBN newsINTERNET ADVERTISING IS THE FUTURE
First there was ABC,CBS,CNN,FOX and NBC and now there is MBN ( unofficially the sixth largest supplier of NEWS by and American company. More then 100 pages of news a day and BROADCAST NEWS COMING SOON VIA PODCAST )
SUNDAYS ARE NOW PICTURE DAY Pictures that we have taken and not published during before will be placed here on Sunday of each week for your viewing pleasure
International news from Asia and Latin news in English and Spanish here now
More exciting changes coming each day.
Watch for the MBN Politically incorrect SUV
MONTEBUBBLISM: Today your often rewarded for doing what was wrong yesterday.
ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Other Disney Characters Get Romantic on New Postage Stamps
Michelle Roy Designs Leads the Block
MTV Launches Break the Addiction; Sets Goal to Educate and Empower Young People to Help End Global Warming and Mass Overconsumption
SCRUBS: The Complete Third Season DVD Launch Event and Season 5 Wrap Party
Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker and Blair Underwood Star in This Year's Sizzling Romantic Comedy 'Something New'
Danny Glover, Saxaphonist James Carter and Time Warner's Richard Parsons
The N's Original Animated Comedy Series, O'Grady is Available Now for Download on iTunes(R)
25 Live: George Michael Announces His First European Tour in Fifteen Years
Orb Networks Expands Support for Playing and Recording Internet TV From Windows, Real, and 3GP Mobile Devices
Paris Hilton Offered Chance to Win $178,000 Bentley Back
Fandango Moviegoers Select Top Summer Stars For First-Ever 'Fandango Hot List'
Wanted: Korean American Filmmakers
Global Television Network to broadcast National Final of CanWest/CanSpell on April 22nd at 7pm
North American Premiere of GOAL! THE DREAM BEGINS at The Tribeca International Film Festival
Lionel Richie, Fantasia, Justice Alito in Philly for Sunoco Welcome America! Festival 2006
IP TV, Streaming Movie and Music Revenue Set to Explode, Says Insight Research
Joe Adams, Radio and Television Personality, Broadway Actor, Philanthropist and Longtime Manager to the Late Ray Charles to Visit Columbia's Campus
Tyler Perry, The #1 Box Office Success, is Now The Nation's #1 Author
Two Time Latin Grammy Award Winner, Sin Bandera to Play Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa - May 6
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., Begins Pre-Production On Its Third Feature Film,
Big Screen Launches Official Website for Upcoming Motion Picture, ''The Mirror''
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Announce 2006 North American ``Highway Companions Tour''; Pearl Jam, Trey Anastasio, The Allman Brothers Band and Others Will Appear on Selected Dates
Grammy-Nominated Mega Producer Rodney Jerkins Completes Final Mixes on All-Star Katrina Benefit CD
The Nashville Film Festival has announced the opening night film and the closing night film for the 37th Annual event,
POG(TM) Is Back!
Exclusive New Bruce Springsteen Interview to Air on SIRIUS Satellite Radio This Sunday, April 23
Mobile Entertainment Symposium Sponsored by Bank of America and Interep
Omnicom Vice Chairman Tim Love to Deliver Keynote Speech
Eight NEW MiniBlox Models arrive
THE “2006 ALMA AWARDS” FEATURES THE BRIGHTEST STARS
IN FILM, MUSIC AND TELEVISION, MONDAY
Boris FX Solutions to Support Intel®-Based Macintosh® Systems
NBC's five-night reality experiment "Celebrity Cooking Challenge" over already
Using media as a canvass to paint a portrait of their clients' brands.
NBC's Comstock To Stations: Embrace New Platforms
Television is the strongest ad medium
NVERZION Moves Headquarters to New Facility
A REALLY STUPID IDEA:Philips' Proposed Device to Prevent Ad Skipping
IAB Reports Top 10 Sites Got 72% of $12.5 Billion Total
TANDBERG Television Accelerates Video Compression Lead with Innovation Packed NAB Demonstrations
TANDBERG Television Re-Shapes the Future of Video Head-Ends with NAB Launch of iSIS 8000 IP System
Disney/Pixar's 'CARS'
Dave Matthews, Paul McCartney, Glenn Close, Martha Stewart, Bette Midler, Peter Max, Christie Brinkley and Their Friends Headline Gala Third Annual Chevy Chase Earth Day Auction
Square Enix Announces Settlement in Movie Piracy Case
What Music Do Dogs Like to Hear? Survey Asks in Prep for First Ever 'Canine Concert'
The Los Angeles Press Club Presents: Taking the Leap - From Journalist to Author
Actors Expo, Hosted by Mario Lopez and Featuring Special Guest Speakers Renny Harlin, Kia Jam and Victor Webster, Arrives in South Florida April 29
Bollywood Actress Named Spokesperson for Leading Gaming Site
WhiteBlox Finalizes Network
NSCA Education Foundation Elects Two New Board Members
SPORTS & AUTOS
Oakland Dodger Baseball
Pistons and Spurs - can any other team challenge for the title?
Golf Legend Arnold Palmer to Play and Promote Constellation Energy Classic Return to Hayfields Country Club Sept. 11-17, 2006
Kenny Wallace to Drive National Day of Prayer Car Sponsored by Furniture Row in CUP at Talladega
Ford Escape Hybrid Electric Vehicle on Track for All-Time Record Sales on Eve of Earth Day
The following is being issued by Rubber Manufacturers Association:
Ford Puts Augusta Motor Works In The Race
Be Tire Smart Arizona! Regular Tire Care Can Improve Gas Mileage and Maximize Vehicle Safety
2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid Blends Great Performance, Style and Fuel Economy
Subaru Returns as Official Vehicle of National Garden Month
Professional Football Draft Party to Promote Inner-City Entrepreneurship
DOD
A U.S. service member died in Afghanistan today and a Marine died in Iraq yesterday
Airmen Missing In Action From WWII are Identified
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
DoD Identifies Navy Casualty
Earth Day 2006: DoD Committed to Environmental Conservation
England Lauds Washington at Soldiers' Purple Heart Ceremony
Army Reserve General Honors Missing Soldier During Pentagon Ceremony
NEWS
Southwest Airlines Offers Free Drinks on All Dallas Flights; Dallas-Based Airline Toasts Its Home Team
30 Million Medicare Beneficiaries Now Receiving Prescription Drug Coverage
Nation's Pharmacies Filled 270 Million Prescriptions for Medicare Beneficiaries in First Three Months
Dust Off That Stamp Collection to Learn Its Value at World's Largest Stamp Show, May 27-June 3 in Washington, DC
Hoegaarden, Belgium's Original White Beer, Takes Gold at the 2006 World Beer Cup Competition
Remarks by President Bush and President Hu of People's Republic of China in Arrival Ceremony
Remarks by President Bush and People's Republic of China President Hu After Meeting
Presidents' Meeting Lays Groundwork for More Progress In US-China Relations
Drunk Driving Deaths on the Rise
Orb Networks Amplia Suporte para Tocar e Gravar Internet TV Usando Windows, Real e Equipamentos Móveis 3GP
Scene It?(R) On Demand en Comcast Ofrece a los Televidentes Poner a Prueba sus Conocimientos de Cine y TV
Líder em Publicidade, Renomado Internacionalmente, Une-se a Corbis
Ross Sutherland é o Novo Diretor de Criatividade
VNU NAMES O’LAUGHLIN HEAD OF CORPORATE TAX
Special Military Robots Manufactured by WVHTC Foundation Shipped to Middle East to Combat IEDs
______________________________________________
ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Other Disney Characters Get Romantic on New Postage Stamps
True love is a wish that every heart makes, and the U.S. Postal Service has granted that wish with the help of a few beloved Disney characters. The Art of Disney: Romance postage stamps feature Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse; Lady and the Tramp; Belle and the Beast; and Cinderella and Prince Charming. They'll add a dash of romance to your cards and letters. These stamps were issued during the kick-off of the 13th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival at Walt Disney World Resort. Available only in Lake Buena Vista, Fl. today, The Art of Disney: Romance stamps will be available nationwide tomorrow, April 22.
"We decided to take our cue from one of the most celebrated couples of all time -- Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse," said Jo Ann Feindt, Vice President, Great Lakes Area Operations, U.S. Postal Service, who dedicated the stamps. "Their commitment to each other over the years has taught us not to play by the rules, but to play by the heart. Our heart tells us that this will not be the last set in the Art of Disney series. We will issue one more next year, now that's love."
Joining Feindt in dedicating the stamps were Al Weiss, President of Worldwide Operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, some classic Disney characters featured on the stamps and larger-than-life, seven foot topiary images of the stamps made from fresh flowers and plants.
"All of us at the Walt Disney World Resort -- and at our vacation destinations around the world -- are delighted to dedicate this new set of stamps featuring some of Disney's most beloved characters," said Weiss. "The stamps not only celebrate the enchantment of true love, they spread the joy and magic of these classic Disney characters even wider."
The Art of Disney: Romance self-adhesive 39-cent stamps, available in panes of 20, feature world-famous Disney couples in four stamp designs telling their own romantic tale.
* Cinderella and Prince Charming: Everyone dreams of living a rags-to-
riches fairy tale and dancing with that special someone. As Cinderella
and Prince Charming learn, one waltz can lead to a moment of
realization: "So this is love."
* Beauty and the Beast: This is the evening the Beast has awaited, but
can he tell Belle of his love? He knows his heart, but does she yet
know her own? These two are as uncertain as they are hopeful --
emotions and a tale "as old as time."
* Lady and Tramp: First dates can be full of risks -- and ordering
spaghetti only complicates matters. Fortunately for Lady and Tramp, a
plate of pasta leads to a memorable kiss, turning a simple dinner out
into a wonderful "Bella Notte."
* Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse have been
sweethearts for many years, yet they still have that first blush of
romance. Seeing this celebrated couple, we can all take heart; they
prove that sometimes the course of love can indeed run smooth.
The Disney relationship with the U.S. Postal Service began in the summer of 1918 when Walt Disney sorted and delivered mail in the Chicago Post Office. Next, Mickey Mouse worked for the Post Office when he starred in the 1933 animated short "Mail Pilot." The achievements of Walt Disney were first recognized on a stamp in 1968. On the stamp, a parade of children, hand-in- hand, appear from a tiny castle to surround a portrait of Walt Disney. The children, representing many nations of the World, are garbed in native costume.
In 1998, a "Snow White" stamp was issued as part of the Postal Service's "Celebrate the Century" stamp series that highlighted the most memorable and significant people, places, events and trends of each decade of the 20th century. In 1937, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" premiered as the nation's first feature-length animated film. The movie classic was comprised of 240,000 separate drawings and won a special Academy Award(TM) for Walt Disney.
The Art of Disney: Friendship stamps issued in 2004, the first in the current series, honored friendship as it appears in the art of Walt Disney featuring Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and a host of Disney friends. The Art of Disney: Celebration stamps issued in 2005 were the second in the series and featured Mickey Mouse and Pluto; Alice and the Mad Hatter; Ariel and Flounder; and Snow White and Dopey. Each time, U.S. Postal Service art director Terrence McCaffrey joined with the Disney team including artist Peter Emmerich and creative director Dave Pacheco in designing the stamps.
The Art of Disney: Romance 39-cent pane of 20 stamps ($7.80) and the set of 20 24-cent stamped postal cards with all four designs ($9.95) are available at Post Offices and Philatelic Centers nationwide tomorrow.
For Disney memorabilia fans, there are a host of other collectibles, including:
* A set of four 8 x 10 inch stamp-affixed Disney Prints, depicting each
of the stamps, for $14.95,
* A Disney Digital Color Cancellation Keepsake, which includes four
first-day cover envelopes with one each of the stamps for $13.80 and, a
* "Disney Let's Write a Letter Book" which includes stationery and 8
stamps, for $14.95.
To see The Art of Disney: Romance stamps visit the online Postal Store at http://www.usps.com/shop. Current U.S. stamps and stationery, as well as a free catalog, are available by calling 1-800-STAMP-24. In addition, a selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available at the online Postal Store at http://www.usps.com/shop. Custom-framed prints of original stamp art are available at http://www.postalartgallery.com/.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
Customers have 30 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 1-800-STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at http://www.usps.com/shop. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
THE ART OF DISNEY: ROMANCE COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS
POSTMASTER
10401 POST OFFICE BLVD
ORLANDO FL 32862-9998
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by May 20, 2006.
How to Order First-Day Covers
Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first- day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 or writing to:
INFORMATION FULFILLMENT
DEPT 6270
US POSTAL SERVICE
PO BOX 219014
KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014
First-day covers remain on sale for at least one year after the stamp's issuance.
Since 1775, the Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 144 million homes and businesses every day, six days a week and is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $69 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than half of the world's mail volume -- some 212 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year - - and serves seven and a half million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide. Its website, usps.com, attracts more than 21 million visitors each month.
Source: U.S. Postal Service
Web site: http://www.usps.com/
http://www.postalartgallery.com/
Michelle Roy Designs Leads the Block
Heralding in her new retail store after becoming Paris Hilton’s signature Swarovski-adorned flower hair clips, Michelle Roy Designs headlined this block party Thursday on North Robertson just a walk away from The Ivy, a favored celebrity hangout.
No stranger to the style trends in Los Angeles, Michelle Roy’s, www.michelleroydesigns.com, dabbling blossomed after reporting on trends for 13 years.
Her passion for fun and fashion transformed in 2000 after being spotted with her now signature crystals in her hair . Michelle’s enthusiasm, talent for spotting trends, political correctness (20% of sales benefited Project Angel Food) and proximity to celebrity have garnered her a much envied position in the style pages of Cosmopolitan, Life & Style, Glamour, US, and People to name a few. Recently Eva Longoria (Gabrielle) was adorned with a Swarovski-adorned orchid in her hair in a “Desperate Housewives” episode when she kissed Lynette’s husband.
Bellacures, offered mini manis in their oversized lounge chairs. Reasonable standard services are offered but specialties abound with services for children, 7 types of pedicures, Find Your French (test 3 different French looks), intense moisture, microdermabrasion, and those quick minis for those in a rush. Still new on the block, we’re wondering when they’ll fill their shelves with more products to consider.
Wallett Cosmetics offered pout makeovers with formulations including shea buter, vitamin E, chamomile, aloe vera, green tea extracts and citrus botanicals. We noticed a similiarity to Bobbi Brown cosmetics, but then we also realize there are few companies in the world which actually manufacture lip pencils. The magic of the right lip colors transforms your face.
Margarita King margaritas enticed people to Girari Furniture. Designs of contemporary tables, chairs and stools for the kitchen respectfully utilizes recycled sand-cast aluminum which is hand cast and hand finished in the U.S.A.
Delectable nibbles were provided by Breadbar. I wasn’t familiar with the name, loved the taste, and once I started wanted more. Upon researching, I discovered it’s part of internationally known baker Eric Kayser’s expanding operation and a regular at Spago and Bastide, although you wouldn’t probably know it. Fortunately for me, it’s close by on Third Street. It’s a bread worth fighting rush hour traffic.
(C) 2006 MBN Joyce Chow Photographer (Milli & Michelle Roy)
How does one make an impression through the busy chatter of LA style? A publicist of course (Sugar Public Relations, www.sugarpr.com)…and a Daily Candy email blast.
MTV Launches Break the Addiction; Sets Goal to Educate and Empower Young People to Help End Global Warming and Mass Overconsumption
12-month, 12-step Campaign offers Young People Opportunity to Lead the Fight against Global Warming 'US represents 4% of world population but consumes 25% of world energy.' - Cambridge Energy Research Associates
Following President Bush's State of the Union declaration earlier this year that "America is addicted to oil," MTV announced today the network's latest pro-social initiative, BREAK THE ADDICTION, a year-long campaign to engage, educate and empower young people to take simple, daily actions that can have a measurable impact in the fight against global warming. The campaign will launch with a channel takeover on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, including an on-air, online and wireless messaging campaign about how to help stop global warming, break-ins to regularly scheduled programming that offer environmental lessons, multiple public service announcements (PSAs), and an MTV News package introducing BREAK THE ADDICTION, featuring a leading young environmental activist.
BREAK THE ADDICTION is MTV's year-long recovery program aimed at mobilizing a new generation of environmental activists. On-air, online and on wireless, the initiative will connect the audience to simple, daily tips, as well as in-depth resources, to help them recognize and change habits that harm the environment. Viewers will be directed online to think.mtv.com to quantify and track their efforts by the amount of carbon dioxide emissions and dollars saved due to changes they commit to making throughout the year. Supplemental MTV programming -- both long-form and news packages -- will air throughout the year and the tips will be revealed in daily PSAs on air on MTV, MTV2, and mtvU as well as online and delivered to cell phones. Additional PSAs will appear on mtv.com, mtv2.com, mtvU.com, MTV Overdrive and mtvU Uber. Through partnerships with StopGlobalWarming.org, National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Grist.org, Student PIRGs, Campus Climate Challenge, and Clean Air-Cool Planet, MTV will go beyond the broadcasts to create online and wireless resources, as well as opportunities for grassroots organizing and outreach.
"Throughout history young people have always rallied around issues and generated change, and we know from our constant dialogue with young people that they are concerned about the environment but don't know how to make a difference," said Christina Norman, President, MTV. "BREAK THE ADDICTION will educate and empower young people with tangible, simple actions and measurable ways to see how their small efforts have big effects."
MTV will theme each month with a concrete message -- from Examine Yourself to Go Paperless to Get Political -- and create corresponding programming and resources on air, online, on wireless phones and on the ground. Throughout the campaign, young people will be able to access a number of resources on these platforms, including:
* The BREAK THE ADDICTION recycle bin on TRL -- MTV's flagship TRL program will host the BREAK THE ADDICTION recycle bin for audience members who literally must recycle to gain entrance to the studio. Throughout the year, MTV will point to the container as a reminder of simple acts that can make big impacts on the planet.
* think MTV's Carbon Calculator -- An online calculator, built in partnership with topGlobalWarming.org will launch around Earth Day to enable young people to calculate their carbon and financial savings as they commit to making changes in their lives.
* Long-form programming and MTV News packages -- MTV programming will explore the issues of global warming, as well as showcase the innovative ways that young people are fighting to preserve the environment.
* User-generated Content -- MTV viewer ideas will be solicited and showcased through their submission of pictures about how they're stopping global warming.
* Action Center -- Break the Addiction will provide opportunities for young people to take personal, social, and political action to help stop global warming.
* Comprehensive Online Resources -- think MTV will launch a Break the Addiction website on think.mtv.com to serve as a comprehensive portal for information about global warming and ways to take action to reduce one's environmental impact.
Additional on air, online, wireless, and grassroots initiatives will be rolled out throughout the year.
About think MTV
The think MTV initiative includes longform specials, MTV News reports, PSAs, and other special programming dedicated to the issues that young people care about most. A think MTV icon appears onscreen during programming that has an online counterpart at think.MTV.com, to offer a range of opportunities for young people to learn about and engage on critical issues at the local or national level. On every page within the site, young people can search for local volunteer opportunities, contact their political representatives, and register to vote.
About MTV
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom , is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 95 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.
Source: MTV
Web site: http://think.mtv.com/
http://www.mtv.com/
SCRUBS: The Complete Third Season DVD Launch Event and Season 5 Wrap Party
Kicks Off the GQ Lounge Weekend at the Palms Casino Resort
Thursday, April 27, 2006, Las Vegas
WHO: Cast members of the Emmy winning series, hit TV show -- Zach
Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, Neil Flynn, Christa Miller,
Rob Maschio, season guest stars Elizabeth Banks, Josh Randall,
Dave Foley, Executive Producer of SCRUBS Bill Lawrence and many
more ...
WHAT: Celebrating the DVD release of the third season of SCRUBS, Zach
Braff stars as J.D., a medical resident at Sacred Heart
Hospital, where the staff is bizarre and the laughter is
contagious. Joining the rumpled J.D. are fellow residents Turk
(Donald Faison, "Clueless") as J.D.'s college buddy who is part
of the more elite surgical group, and the beautiful but
socially awkward Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke, "Roseanne").
SCRUBS' talented cast also includes the sure-of-himself Dr. Cox
(John C. McGinley, "Office Space"), the terrorizing janitor
(Neil Flynn, "Mean Girls"), the fatherly Dr. Kelso (Ken
Jenkins, "The Sum of All Fears") and the feisty Nurse Carla
(Judy Reyes, "Oz"). Together, they weave their way through
each unpredictable day with hilarious results.
SCRUBS: The Complete Third Season will be released on DVD on
May 9, 2006 from Touchstone Television and Buena Vista Home
Entertainment. Fans can enjoy this set bursting with
12 different bonus features including gag reels, exclusive
unaired scenes, alternate lines, and much more!
WHEN: Thursday, April 27, 2006 WHERE: RAIN Nightclub
7:00 PM Press Check In Palms Casino Resort
8:00 PM Arrivals Begin 4321 W. Flamingo Rd.
12:00 AM Rain becomes GQ Lounge Las Vegas, NV
Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Web site: http://www.gqmagevents.com/gqlounge
Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker and Blair Underwood Star in This Year's Sizzling Romantic Comedy 'Something New'
Charming Audiences on DVD May 16, 2006 From Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Expect the unexpected when the sparkling romantic comedy "Something New" arrives on DVD May 16, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. "Something New" is a critically acclaimed film about a woman who knows where she's headed in business but has lost her way in affairs of the heart. The first-rate cast is headed by Sanaa Lathan ("Alien vs. Predator," "Love and Basketball") and Simon Baker ("Land of the Dead," "The Ring Two"), with Blair Underwood ("Sex & the City," "Rules of Engagement"), Mike Epps ("Roll Bounce," "The Honeymooners"), Alfre Woodard ("Desperate Housewives," "The Forgotten"), Donald Faison ("Scrubs," "Remember the Titans"), Golden Brooks ("Girlfriends," "Beauty Shop"), and Taraji P. Henson ("Hustle & Flow," "Four Brothers"). In her directorial feature debut, Sanaa Hamri delivers love and laughter in a zesty romance with a twist.
Two worlds collide as "Something New" unfolds against the luminous backdrop of multicultural Los Angeles. Kenya Denise McQueen (Sanaa Lathan), a beautiful, high-powered career woman, knew exactly what she wanted in a man, but with her busy life, she didn't think she'd ever find it. While Kenya and her girlfriends, Cheryl, Suzzette and Nedra, are having fun and looking for love, she finds herself unexpectedly falling for a man (Simon Baker) outside of her social circle. The DVD is priced at $29.98 SRP. Preorder close is April 11, 2006.
More From "Something New"
Spend some time with the "Something New" bonus features to find out more about this irresistible, romantic film and its cast:
* An Introduction To The Film By Blair Underwood
* The Do's and Don'ts of Dating Introduced By Blair Underwood -- How close
are men and women in their concepts of dating? In this humorous
featurette, hear what the cast of "Something New" has learned in their
years of being on the dating scene.
* The Making of "Something New" -- Behind-the-scenes with interviews from
the cast and crew.
Synopsis
Kenya Denise McQueen (Sanaa Lathan) appears to have it all -- beauty, brains and a prestigious job at a top accounting firm. She also has a long list of requirements for the type of man she wants to marry, but she's not having much luck finding someone who fits the bill. Dispirited after hearing that over 42% of African American women never marry, Kenya impulsively agrees to a blind date with Brian Kelly (Simon Baker), a sexy, free-spirited landscape architect, who isn't exactly what she pictured for herself. While not the man she had in mind for romance, she hires him to fix up the yard of her new house and finds herself irresistibly drawn to his earthy, laid-back charm. When she finally meets her theoretically perfect match, corporate attorney Mark (Blair Underwood), Kenya is further thrown into confusion. Everybody has an opinion, from her trio of girlfriends Cheryl, Suzzette, and Nedra (Wendy Raquel Robinson, Golden Brooks, Taraji P. Henson) to her socially prominent parents Joyce and Edmond (Alfre Woodard and Earl Billings). Ultimately, Kenya must decide between the relationship everyone expects and the romance no one expected.
For more information please visit: www.somethingnewmovie.net.
CAST & FILMMAKERS
Director: Sanaa Hamri
Written By: Kriss Turner
Produced By: Stephanie Allain
Executive Producers: Preston Holmes, Joe Pichirallo
Director of Photography: Shane Hurlbut
Production Designer: Mayne Berke
Edited By: Melissa Kent
Costume Designer: Hope Hanafin
Cast: Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker, Mike Epps, Donald Faison, Blair
Underwood, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Alfre Woodard, Golden Brooks,
Taraji P. Henson, Earl Billings
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
DVD
Street Date: May 16, 2006
Pre-Order Close: April 11, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price: $ 29.98 SRP
Selection Number: 28865 (Widescreen); 28866 (Full Frame)
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Layers: Dual (Single Sided)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen); 1.33:1 (Full Frame)
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Reference)
Technical Info: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround; English SDH; Spanish
and French Subtitles
For artwork or screeners, please log on to our Web site at www.ushepublicity.com or fax your request to Universal Studios Home Entertainment Publicity at (818) 866-0226.
Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, 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, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.
Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Web site: http://www.somethingnewmovie.net/
Danny Glover, Saxaphonist James Carter and Time Warner's Richard Parsons Join The Jazz Foundation Of America (JFA) to Kick Off 5th Annual 'Great Night in Harlem' Benefit
WHO:
* Danny Glover - actor and newest JFA Board Member
* James Carter - saxophonist
* Richard Parsons - Event Co-Chair; Chairman and CEO, Time Warner,
Inc.
* Agnes Varis - Event Co-Chair; President & Co-Founder Agvar
Chemicals, Inc.
* Wendy Oxenhorn - Executive Director, JFA
* Ron Carter - Jazz Musician
* Mayor Marc Morial - Former Mayor of New Orleans
* Davell Crawford - The "Crown Prince" of New Orleans
WHAT: Kick-off Celebration for 5th Annual "A Great Night in Harlem"
WHERE: Hosted by Richard Parsons
One Time Warner Center
10th Floor Park Cafe (Enter building on West 58th Street between
8th and 9th - check in at back table in lobby)
New York, NY
WHEN: Monday, April 24th
4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
BACKGROUND:
From the replacement of "Fats" Domino's piano to paying rent and mortgages for Katrina-effected musicians and their families, The Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) has assisted nearly 900 New Orleans musician emergency cases in the few short months since the hurricane and continues to assist 30 elderly jazz and blues artists a week.
Now, JFA sets an unprecedented goal of raising $1.5 million dollars from the 5th annual "A Great Night in Harlem" concert presented by DIRECTV and BET Jazz. Hosted by Bill Cosby, the concert will be held on THURSDAY, MAY 4 (8-10 p.m.) at the world-famous Apollo Theater.
"Great Night" veteran Bill Cosby and JFA's newest board member Danny Glover, will join accomplished musicians for a night to remember including: Johnnie Mae Dunson, Abbey Lincoln, James Blood Ulmer, Dr. Michael White and the Original Liberty Jazz Band of New Orleans, Ron Carter, the legendary Odetta, Jimmy McGriff, Clark Terry, Will Calhoun, Harold Mabern, Ben Riley, George Cables, Gary Bartz and many more, including over 30 musicians from New Orleans.
Tickets can be purchased ($100-$1500) by calling the Jazz Foundation at 212-245-3999 Ext. 29. For more information on JFA, visit www.jazzfoundation.org.
Source: Jazz Foundation
Web site: http://www.vh1.com/
The N's Original Animated Comedy Series, O'Grady is Available Now for Download on iTunes(R)
First Five Episodes of Season Two With Guests Conan O'Brien, Rob Corddry and Amy Poehler are Available for Free Download Monday, April 24
O'Grady Season Two Finale Premieres On Air Monday April 24 at 9:00 PM (ET)
O'Grady, the original animated series on The N, the nighttime network for teens, joins The N's critically acclaimed series South of Nowhere as the newest show available for download at the iTunes(R) Music Store (http://www.itunes.com/). Viewers can download the first five episodes of O'Grady season two for free on Monday, April 24.
Additionally, fans can purchase and catch up on the first 13 episodes of O'Grady season one leading up to the O'Grady season two finale which premieres on The N Monday, April 24 at 9:00 p.m. (ET).
For $1.99 per episode or $19.99 for the entire first season (13 episodes), consumers can download O'Grady from the iTunes(R) Music Store and view the show on either their computer or fifth generation iPod. Beginning Tuesday, April 25, the entire second season will be on sale for $10.98.
Season two of O'Grady spews hilarity as an array of celebrity talent join each episode including: Conan O'Brien, Arrested Development's Will Arnett and David Cross, Saturday Night Live's Rachel Dratch, and Amy Poehler, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart's, Rob Corddry and comedian Sam Seder. O'Grady airs regularly on Monday nights at 9:00 p.m. (ET) on The N.
Written and produced by the award-winning production company Soup2Nuts, O'Grady, is a comedic look at real teenage life -- the relationships, the drama and the 'weirdness.' Co-created by Tom Snyder and Carl Adams, O'Grady is a cross between Friends and The Twilight Zone, where the real meets the surreal. The series revolves around four self-centered high school students -- Abby, Beth, Kevin and Harold -- who deal with their everyday teenage existence while putting up with the 'weirdness,' an inexplicable bizarre, phenomena that afflicts their town.
About SOUP2NUTS
Soup2Nuts(TM) is a cutting edge digital animation studio offering full, in-house production services from creating series to writing, music composing, recording, and character design, through the entire animation process. Founded in 1994, the studio quickly established a reputation as a successful and award-winning creator and producer of animated comedy programming with their first hit, the award-winning Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist, which aired on Comedy Central. In addition, Soup2Nuts created the cult favorite Home Movies(TM) on Cartoon Network, Squigglevision(R) for ABC, The Dick & Paula Celebrity Special for FX, and Hey, Monie for BET and Oxygen. Soup2Nuts is a division of Scholastic Entertainment.
About THE N
The N, the nighttime network for teens, is a programming arm of MTV Networks and is currently available in 48 million households via cable, digital cable and satellite television. The N's mission is to be the authentic voice for teens and help them figure out their lives with relevant, topical programming on-air and online at the network's web site http://www.the-n.com/. The N airs everyday from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (ET). The N and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.
Source: The N
Web site: http://www.the-n.com/
http://www.itunes.com/
25 Live: George Michael Announces His First European Tour in Fifteen Years
After years of rumor and speculation, legendary superstar George Michael has officially announced that he will be touring for the first time since 1991.
The tour is entitled 25 Live and tickets will go on sale this Sunday, April 23 at 9am. This promises to be an unprecedented celebration of George's 25 year career in music.
George Michael will be performing a selection of songs taken from ALL of his albums, including some classic Wham! tracks.
George Michael has enjoyed one of the most successful and enduring careers in the history of pop music, selling more than 85 million records globally and encompassing 11 British No. 1 singles, seven British No. 1 albums and six US No. 1 singles. In 2004, he was declared the most played British artist on radio over the course of the last 20 years.
The tour will kick off in Madrid on September 27 and will reach British shores in November.
Tour dates for 25 Live to follow shortly. http://www.georgemichael.com/
Source: George Michael
Orb Networks Expands Support for Playing and Recording Internet TV From Windows, Real, and 3GP Mobile Devices
Consumers Can Now Enjoy Both Home and Online TV as Mobile TV
Orb Networks, the pioneering developer of software for instant access to content everywhere, today announced expanded support for playing and recording Internet TV and other online video from any mobile device with a streaming Windows Media(R) Player, RealPlayer(R), or 3GP player on any carrier network and WiFi.
No specialized mobile software or mobile fees other than a data plan are required. Anyone can now watch and record Internet TV and enjoy vlogs and other online video right from their mobile device's native Web browser and streaming media player.
"This is a fantastic moment for online video, with full-length traditional TV shows and live feeds of international soccer matches coming online to augment the rich content already there. Orb Networks is pioneering the instant enjoyment on mobile devices of all that content," said Ian McCarthy, Vice President of Product Marketing at Orb Networks.
Orb(TM) removes the media-format and bitrate challenges to making Internet TV mobile TV. Content providers can publish iTV feeds in their preferred media format and bitrate and still be sure that their audience can enjoy the content on their everyday mobile devices. "For example, if there's an iTV feed of a live soccer match available online in Windows Media Video format only, I can still enjoy it live (or record it to view later) from the RealPlayer on my Nokia(R) mobile phone," said McCarthy. "Once I've added the URL of the soccer match's iTV feed to my Orb Custom Channels, the free Orb software on my home PC transcodes the original stream (or recording) for me from Windows to Real and ensures that I get the new stream at the appropriate bitrate for my phone's data connection right at my moment of viewing. Watching iTV feeds and recordings on my phone has expanded the value to me of my mobile data plan and handset investments."
Orb's support for mobile playback of online video augments its industry-leading support for the enjoyment of home TV on Windows, Real, and 3GP mobile devices. "With Orb and a Hauppauge(R) WinTV(R) tuner-card on my home PC, I can stream to my phone the new Dr. Who episode live from my home cable-TV feed and then play an online-only episode of Dr. Who Confidential to continue my fan experience," said McCarthy. "Orb deepens consumers' involvement with the television brands they love and expands the ways content providers can reach their audiences."
Orb is available now for free download at www.orb.com.
About Orb Networks, Inc.
Orb Networks is the pioneering developer of software and services that give people secure, free, and instant access to all their digital media everywhere. The award-winning Orb software makes it easy for consumers to enjoy their home and Internet TV, music, videos, photos, podcasts, and other digital content from mobile phones, PDAs, and laptops everywhere. Orb is a member of the DLNA and is a privately held company in Emeryville, California. For more information about Orb, please visit www.orb.com.
NOTE: Orb is a trademark of Orb Networks, Inc. All other trademarks and/or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Source: Orb Networks, Inc.
Web site: http://www.orb.com/
Paris Hilton Offered Chance to Win $178,000 Bentley Back
PartyPoker.com, the world's largest online poker room, are offering Paris Hilton the chance to win her $178,000 (GBP100,000) Bentley back after reports she lost it in a game of poker at her family's casino in Las Vegas.
PartyPoker.com spokesman Warren Lush said: "It is a simple deal for the Simple Life star. If she goes heads-up online in a no limit Texas Hold'em challenge against poker legend Mike Sexton and wins we'll hand her the keys to a brand spanking new Bentley. Forget one night in Paris, we're offering her one night to win her wheels back."
"Paris has said she is mad about poker and that she always wins in Vegas. We're offering her the chance to get lucky and she doesn't even need to leave her house."
"We're aware that her parents have banned her from gambling at their casino. This online challenge solves all her problems - she can cover her losses without stepping foot in there."
"Paris has 30 days to take up the challenge. We're making enquiries about the Bentley now. If she doesn't want to play online we're also willing to set up a face-to-face showdown."
PartyPoker.com has a history of offering cars as prizes. In December there were poker tournaments for Ferraris while at present there is the opportunity to win 2007 Cadillac Escalade's for as little as $11.
Source: Partygaming PLC
Fandango Moviegoers Select Top Summer Stars For First-Ever 'Fandango Hot List'
Moviegoers Are Hot to 'Fandango' with Bankables Depp & Knightley, Breakout Stars Ashmore & Rossu
Fandango, the nation's largest online, phone and mobile movie ticketing service, is breaking out its first "Fandango Hot List", the result of a nationwide moviegoer poll which ranks the established ("The Bankables") and up-and-coming ("The Breakouts") stars most likely to draw fans to movie theaters this summer.
Commandeering the top spot as the #1 Male Summer Bankable is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest's Captain Jack Sparrow himself, Johnny Depp, followed by stalwarts, The Da Vinci Code's Tom Hanks (#2), Pirates' co-star Orlando Bloom (#3), X-Men: The Last Stand's Hugh Jackman (#4), and The Break-Up's Vince Vaughn (#5).
Taking no prisoners, another Pirates cast member grabs the #1 spot for Top Female Summer Bankable: Oscar-nominated actress Keira Knightley. Rounding out the Top 5 for Female Bankables are hotly-anticipated performers X-Men: The Last Stand's Storm, Halle Berry (#2), The Break-Up's Jennifer Aniston (#3), the romantic drama The Lake House's Sandra Bullock (#4), and X-Men's Dr. Jean Grey, Famke Janssen (#5).
Among the up-and-coming stars, X-Men's Iceman, Shawn Ashmore, freezes out the competition for the top spot as #1 Male Summer Breakout. Rounding out the Top Five are Superman Returns' Brandon Routh (#2), X-Men's Pyro, Aaron Stanford (#3) and Adrian Grenier, best known as the star of HBO's Entourage, for his performance in The Devil Wears Prada (#4). Tied for the #5 slot are "Da Ali G Show"'s Sacha Baron Cohen, for his role in the Will Ferrell NASCAR comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and hip-hop star Bow Wow for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
The #1 Female Summer Breakout goes to Emmy Rossum, best-known for her roles in Mystic River, The Day After Tomorrow and Phantom of the Opera, sinking the competition with her role in Poseidon. Rounding out the Top 5 Female Breakouts are Michelle Monaghan, who drew raves in last year's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, for Mission: Impossible III (#2), ingenue Bryce Dallas Howard for M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water (#3), TV's Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell, for the thriller Pulse (#4) and R&B singer Christina Milian, also for her role in Pulse (#5).
The "Fandango Hot List" respondents were asked the question, "Which stars are you most looking forward to seeing in a movie this summer?" The lists were separated by established stars ("The Summer Bankables") and up-and-coming stars ("The Summer Breakouts") and by gender. The online survey took place in April, with thousands of Fandango moviegoers participating.
"The 'Fandango Hot List' shows the pull of star power and a desire for diversity at the movie theaters this summer, and obviously audiences are excited about both," says Fandango Film Commentator Kim Morgan. "Seeking big names like Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, five of the stars of X-3, as well as more breakout and eclectic talent like Sacha Baron Cohen, the 'Fandango Hot List' reveals the varied types of movies and actors the ticket-buying audience wants to watch. And I am especially happy to see one of my favorites, Vince Vaughn, crack the top five male bankables."
For a quick list of the top ten winners in each category, please see below:
THE SUMMER BANKABLES / Established Stars:
Males:
1. Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)
2. Tom Hanks (The Da Vinci Code)
3. Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)
4. Hugh Jackman (X-Men: The Last Stand)
5. Vince Vaughn (The Break-Up)
6. Tom Cruise (Mission: Impossible III)
7. Nicolas Cage (World Trade Center)
8. Adam Sandler (Click)
9. Samuel L. Jackson (Snakes on a Plane)
10. Jack Black (Nacho Libre)
Females:
1. Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)
2. Halle Berry (X-Men: The Last Stand)
3. Jennifer Aniston (The Break-Up)
4. Sandra Bullock (The Lake House)
5. Famke Janssen (X-Men: The Last Stand)
6. Kate Hudson (You, Me and Dupree)
7. Audrey Tautou (The Da Vinci Code)
8. Uma Thurman (My Super Ex-Girlfriend)
9. Kate Beckinsale (Click)
10. Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada)
THE SUMMER BREAKOUTS / Up-and-Coming Stars:
Males:
1. Shawn Ashmore (X-Men: The Last Stand)
2. Brandon Routh (Superman Returns)
3. Aaron Stanford (X-Men: The Last Stand)
4. Adrian Grenier (The Devil Wears Prada)
5.(TIE) Sacha Baron Cohen (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby)
and Bow Wow (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift)
7. Michael Pena (World Trade Center)
8. Ian Somerhalder (Pulse)
9. Lucas Black (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift)
10. Kenan Thompson (Snakes on a Plane)
Females:
1. Emmy Rossum (Poseidon)
2. Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible III)
3. Bryce Dallas Howard (Lady in the Water)
4. Kristen Bell (Pulse)
5. Christina Milian (Pulse)
6. Ashanti (John Tucker Must Die)
7. Jacinda Barrett (Poseidon)
8. Brittany Snow (John Tucker Must Die)
9. Naomie Harris (Miami Vice)
10. Ana de la Reguera (Nacho Libre)
About Fandango
Fandango, the nation's largest movie ticketing service, sells tickets to more than 13,600 screens and 1,150 theaters (nearly 70 percent of theaters in the U.S. enabled for remote ticketing) and to four out of the five largest U.S. theater circuits (according to National Association of Theater Owners, June 2005). One of the Web's top movie destinations (according to Nielsen//NetRatings), Fandango allows moviegoers to read reviews, view trailers, quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and buy tickets up to 45 days in advance. Fandango is available at http://www.fandango.com/, 1-800-FANDANGO and via your wireless mobile device at mobile.fandango.com.
Fandango theater partners include the nation's leading exhibitors: Carmike Cinemas, Century Theatres, Cinemark Theatres, Edwards Theatres, Loews Cineplex Entertainment, Regal Cinemas and United Artists Theatres, as well as American Cinematheque, Brenden Theatres, CineArts Theatres, Cineplex Odeon Cinemas, Cobb Theatres, Colorado Cinemas, Crown Theatres, Flagship Theatres, Kerasotes Theatres, Magic Johnson, Majestic Crest Theatre, R/C Theatres, Signature Theatres, Star Theatres, Wallace Theaters and Wehrenberg Theatres.
Source: Fandango
Web site: http://www.fandango.com/
Wanted: Korean American Filmmakers
Korean Film Council Launches Innovative New Filmmakers Development Lab in Association With the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaii
In a major initiative to nurture and encourage emerging Korean American filmmakers to bring their stories to the screen, the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) announced today the launch of its inaugural KOFIC Filmmakers Development Lab.
Inspired by similar creative environments such as the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, the KOFIC Filmmakers Development Lab is seeking applicants from the United States and Canada with a view to realizing projects that can find audience appeal in both Korea and North America. The Lab will be held in Hawaii in early September, in partnership with the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. Following in October, the Lab fellows will be brought to the Pusan International Film Festival in Korea to meet with relevant film industry representatives and organizations whom could potentially produce their projects.
"Through this incubator type project, we would be able to promote a sharing and a merging of ideas between Korean and Korean American filmmakers," states Ms. An Cheong Sook, KOFIC's Chairperson. "It is important to us that through this cross cultural experience, these filmmakers will be able to establish markets and audiences on both continents."
"We are excited about this tremendous educational and professional partnership with the Korean Film Council, film industry and young filmmakers," said Chris Lee, Director of the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaii. "It accentuates the tremendous growth of the Academy and its now global outreach. We look forward to a long and prosperous association."
Selected participants will be paired with industry mentors from both Korea and the United States, in an intensive week-long retreat. The goal of the Filmmakers Development Lab is to enable participants to develop a high quality script that could be presented to financiers and production companies in both countries.
"These are exciting times for filmmakers and films from non-traditional sources," expresses KOFIC Filmmakers Development Lab director, Roger Garcia, a well-regarded international film consultant and producer. "(The Lab) not only looks to identify the talent but also to present real-world scenarios to participants in developing and presenting their projects."
Information on the KOFIC Filmmakers Development Lab, and how to apply is available online at http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/ and www.hawaii.edu/acm
The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2006.
"While this project is an ambitious one, we believe the talent is there," adds Garcia. "And through this incubator program, we hope to develop the next generation of great new filmmakers."
The Korean Film Council is based in Seoul, Korea with a satellite office in Los Angeles. Its mission is to raise the standard of Korean films, and to promote the Korean film industry at home and abroad. KOFIC provides and supports programs to develop creative filmmakers, improve the production of low-budget films, raise the profile of Korean cinema, and create a network between filmmakers in the Korean, overseas Korean and international communities.
The Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaii, founded just three years ago, emphasizes digital cinema, computer animation and videogame design, and critical studies. Its student films have been screened at major national and international festivals. It is developing a Center for Indigenous Filmmaking, which will embrace story-tellers from Hawaii, the Pacific and Asia.
Source: Korean Film Council
Web site: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/
http://www.hawaii.edu/acm
Global Television Network to broadcast National Final of CanWest/CanSpell on April 22nd at 7pm
Highlights of the second annual CanWest CanSpell National Final Spelling Bee will air nationally on the Global Television Network and NTV (Newfoundland Television Network) on Saturday, April 22 at 7:00 p.m. (check local listings). Saturn RELAY will present the one-hour special featuring 28 of the country's top spellers.
Christine Shipton, Vice President of Original Programming for the Global Television Network said, "We are very excited to offer viewers an inside look at the National Final of CanWest CanSpell. This is the kind of original programming that we like to bring to the Canadian audience: a program that rewards learning and captures the fun and excitement of Canadian youngsters competing at the top level."
The country's top spelling wizards represented 14 regions in Canada, from Victoria on the West Coast to St. John's on the Atlantic side. Their spelling journey took them through entry-level competitions at their local schools and through written and regional bee events, leading up to the National Final Spelling Bee in Ottawa on April 5. The championship competition stretched five hours long, culminating with the winning word: dghaisa.
Going word for word in the final dramatic moments, 14-year old Finola Hackett of Tofield, Alberta - champion of the 2005 event - repeated her winning form and triumphed over Jennifer Hurd of Ottawa, with the correct spelling of two consecutive words plucked at random from the dictionary. In an interview following the hard-fought win, Finola said, "I was really lucky because it (dghaisa) was one of the words I had seen in the dictionary and studied." Finola received a $10,000 education award and the right to keep the CanWest CanSpell cup on display in her hometown of Tofield, Alberta for one more year.
"From the beginning Saturn Canada and the Saturn retailers have always been community-focused," says Dave McCall, Director, Saturn Canada. "The CanSpell program attracts interest from hundreds of thousands of students from across the country and encourages them to excel to new heights in academic achievement. We were honoured to be involved with such a promising program."
Spellers and their immediate family members traveled to the Capital Region via sponsor airline Air Canada, and spent four days touring historic city sites, meeting national dignitaries and getting to know fellow competitors. Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the spellers during a gala reception held in their honour at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Her Excellency The Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, National Patron of CanWest CanSpell, offered welcoming remarks to open the second annual national final spelling bee event.
The country's top spellers now move on to compete in the internationally- known Scripps Spelling Bee on May 31st and June 1st in Washington, D.C. Fans, friends and family members can follow their progress at Scripps through continuous updates at www.canspell.com.
CanWest Global Communications Corp. (NYSE: CWG; TSX: CGS.SV and CGS.NV, www.canwestglobal.com), an international media company, is Canada's largest media company. CanWest is Canada's largest publisher of daily newspapers, and also owns, operates and/or holds substantial interests in conventional television, out-of-home advertising, specialty television channels, web sites and radio stations and networks in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Turkey.
Source: CanWest Global Communications Corp.
North American Premiere of GOAL! THE DREAM BEGINS at The Tribeca International Film Festival
WHO: From the film - Kuno Becker, Tony Plana, Miriam Colon and
director Danny Cannon
WHAT: The North American Premiere of Touchstone Pictures' GOAL! THE
DREAM BEGINS at The Tribeca Film International Film Festival.
How far would you go to live your dream? When Santiago Munez (KUNO BECKER) is given the chance of a lifetime, he must leave his family, his life in Los Angeles and everything that he knows to travel halfway around the globe to England and into a completely foreign world -- the exciting, fast-paced and glamorous world of international soccer.
As an underprivileged Mexican-American immigrant growing up in the poor section of Los Angeles, Santiago seemed destined to follow his father's path in life: laboring at menial jobs to earn just enough money to support his family. Naturally gifted, his amazing talent on the soccer field was wasted in recreation league games while he could only dream of playing on the world stage of professional soccer. But when a British scout (STEPHEN DILLANE) discovers his talent and gets him a tryout with one of England's premier soccer clubs, Newcastle United, Santiago must choose between his father's fate and his own destiny.
Now alone in a world where soccer is a religion and players are gods, this underdog must prove that he's got the talent and determination to make it amongst the best in the world.
GOAL! THE DREAM BEGINS takes audiences into the electrifying, heart- pounding action of the world's most popular sport and features cameos from the soccer's hottest superstars such as David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, and Newcastle captain Alan Shearer.
WHEN: Sunday, April 30, 2006
Press Arrivals: 2:00 PM
Talent Arrivals: 2:30 PM
Screening begins: 3:00 PM
WHERE: Tribeca Performing Arts Center
199 Chambers Street at West Side Highway
New York, NY
GOAL! THE DREAM BEGINS is rated PG -13 and opens May 12, 2006.
Source: Touchstone Pictures
Lionel Richie, Fantasia, Justice Alito in Philly for Sunoco Welcome America! Festival 2006
There is no better place in the nation to celebrate Independence Day and revel in America's precious freedoms than Philadelphia. The 14th annual Sunoco Welcome America! Festival will take place from June 27th to July 4th, producing the biggest, most exciting birthday party in the nation.
As the premier destination city for the Independence Day celebration, Philadelphia is a focus of the nation's attention. Dubbed "America's Next Great City" by National Geographic magazine, this year's festival will certainly prove that claim. The Sunoco Welcome America! Festival and the city's world-class patriotic and historic tourism venues, will offer eight days of family-oriented entertainment, highlighting the best in American music, food and fun. From gospel to pop, the city is alive with concerts, street festivals, history lessons, and July 4th perennials -- patriotic parades and spectacular fireworks.
Stars of the Festival
This year the Sunoco Welcome America! Festival has a new executive director, Clifton Davis -- celebrated actor, singer and event producer.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to build on the great work that has made Sunoco Welcome America! one of the world's biggest outdoor festivals, attracting nearly a million people," Davis said. "Being in Philadelphia on July Fourth is like being in New York on New Year's Eve. After 14 years, Sunoco Welcome America! and the City of Philadelphia are poised to add even more flavor, more fun and more entertainment in 2006."
The highlight of the weeklong summer event is the July 4th Sunoco Sweet Sounds of Liberty Concert and Fireworks, featuring R&B powerhouse Lionel Richie, a five time Grammy award winner (All Night Long, Truly, Hello, Endless Love). Ritchie is a former member of the classic R & B group, The Commodores ("Easy like Sunday Morning") and has sold nearly 100 million albums. He will be joined in concert by Fantasia Barrino (winner of the 2004 American Idol competition) and the Philly POPS.
Honoring the sacrifices made to win and preserve our freedom takes on special significance with so many Americans fighting overseas. On Independence Day 2006, the Sons of the Revolution preside over the nation's commemorative ceremony-Let Freedom Ring-recognizing those who protect our freedom.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, Jr. who will be in Philadelphia to partake in the city's historic celebrations said, "I am looking forward to being in Philadelphia, our nation's birthplace, this July 4th and speaking at the Let Freedom Ring celebration as bells are rung across the nation at 2:00 pm."
An inspirational concert on July 2nd spotlights the legendary Shirley Caesar and contemporary gospel chanteuse Dottie Peoples. Caesar holds numerous Grammy and is known as the First Lady of Gospel.
On July 3rd, Latin music lovers will be dancing in the streets to the rhythms of Puerto Rico and Brazil starring salsa institution El Gran Combo and Brazilian percussionist Xande Cruz.
This year, two new events are being added to the festival roster. A fun-filled Day at the Fair brings an old fashioned carnival to the city; A Taste of Philadelphia is an eclectic and diverse culinary adventure.
July Fourth Favorites
Bringing back old favorites, revelers will be again be treated to the sounds of cool jazz at Arts on the Avenue; stirring renditions from Opera on the Square; Philadelphia's own Peter Nero and the Philly POPS; and Kid's Day. The Southwest Airlines July 4th Parade will be a crowd pleaser again this year with nearly 100 participating groups and featuring members of the world famous Cirque du Soleil. The festival includes three nights of fireworks.
"The Sunoco Welcome America! Festival has been an important part of Philadelphia's Fourth of July celebrations for many years," said Mayor John F. Street. "Under the new leadership of Clifton Davis, I am confident this year's festival will attract a multitude of people, offer world class entertainment and boost our City's and region's economy while celebrating the freedoms and liberties that make our nation great."
Sunoco Inc. has been title sponsor of this freedom festival for the past 12 years.
"As a Philadelphia based company and a long time supporter of the Philadelphia community, Sunoco is again proud to be title sponsor of the city's acclaimed Sunoco Welcome America! festivities," said Jack Drosdick, Chairman and CEO of Sunoco, Inc. "We are excited about seeing Philadelphia at its best during the nation's premier Independence Day event."
Tour Historic Philadelphia
Philadelphia is home to one-of-a-kind American experiences; you can spend an evening with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, or hear a reading of the entire Declaration of Independence. Independence National Park is the setting for Philadelphia's historic summer attractions, all in the shadow of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. For the Fourth of July holiday season, there will be no other city in the country where you can find history around every corner.
For the holiday weekend, the popular Philly Overnight Hotel Package will return on June 23rd just in time for summer fun. Available through September 4th at dozens of hotels throughout the region, the package includes two-night accommodations, free hotel parking and a gift upon check-in. The package is available any night of the week and will be bookable at gophila.com beginning in mid-April.
Sunoco Welcome America! 2006. Come party with us this 4th of July.
For more information visit: http://www.americasbirthday.com/
Source: Sunoco Welcome America!
Web site: http://gophila.com/
Web site: http://www.americasbirthday.com/
IP TV, Streaming Movie and Music Revenue Set to Explode, Says Insight Research
Streaming video and music distributed across the Internet or directly to a mobile handset is fast becoming a mainstream entertainment delivery vehicle that will generate more than $27 billion in network-derived and content-derived revenue into the US markets by 2011, according to a new market research study from The Insight Research Corporation. Streaming media refers to the transmission of digital audio and video files over an IP network or wireless network in real time or on-demand, while prohibiting users from storing the files locally.
Insight's market analysis study, "Streaming Media, IP TV, and Broadband Transport: Telecommunications Carriers and Entertainment Services 2006-2011," describes the technology and market forces underpinning the network-derived revenues generated from distributing streamed content across the public Internet, content distribution networks, cellular networks, or telco IP networks. The study also estimates the revenue from the various types of content-derived revenues, along with associated advertising revenue. The streaming market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of nearly 32 percent over the next five years, driven by on-demand audio, on-demand video, as well as the accompanying advertising revenue.
"The US streaming media market has entered a growth phase, meaning it is experiencing realistic and sustainable growth," says Robert Rosenberg, Insight Research president. "The forecasts that we present are conservative and in line with current performance. If, however, per-stream costs drop faster then anticipated, we have quicker acceptance of IPTV, or improvements in 3G delivery take place faster than expected, it could blow the doors off of our forecasts, propelling this industry into explosive growth," Rosenberg continues.
Insight's report examines the following market drivers: licensing issues, broadband Internet access, mass-market demand, and enterprise usage. Forecasts include revenues for the US market by network services, including digital rights management (DRM), encoding, and performance measurement; and by content services, including advertising, music on-demand, Internet radio and video on-demand.
Source: The Insight Research Corporation
Corporation, +1-973-541-9600, pj@insight-corp.com
Web site: http://www.insight-corp.com/reports/IPTV06.asp
Joe Adams, Radio and Television Personality, Broadway Actor, Philanthropist and Longtime Manager to the Late Ray Charles to Visit Columbia's Campus
Joe Adams, the man who served as the late Ray Charles' manager for more than 45 years, will stop by Columbia College Chicago on Tuesday, April 25th to speak to the Columbia community about his many careers and his longevity in the entertainment industry. The discussion will be held at Columbia's Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash, 8th Floor from 10 a.m. to noon and is free and open to the public. For further information call 312.344.7418.
In 1959 as Ray Charles was embarking on his first Big Band tour he asked Joe Adams, a friend from his radio days, to join him on tour for a month. Adams said yes, and has been with the Ray Charles organization ever since -- although until this day he says he was never "officially" hired.
Two years prior, Joe had retired from a successful career in radio and television and had recently completed a two-year run on Broadway in "Jamaica" alongside Lena Horne and Ricardo Montalban.
Adams always aspired to be a radio announcer, but knew there was not much possibility for a black man to have a career as a radio announcer at the time. He taught himself the art of public speaking by speaking out loud in vacant lots and later tutored actors preparing for roles at major motion picture studios.
He began his radio career with several Hollywood stations in the mid- 1940s. He received his first on-air opportunity at Santa Monica station KOWL. Within two years he had moved from 15 minutes of airtime a day to a five-and- a-half hour show and the number-one rated deejay show in Los Angeles.
In 1947 he moved into television with his two name-sake shows: "Adams Alley" and "Joe Adams Presents," produced for CBS affiliate station KLAC-TV in Los Angeles. During these early days of television, Adams' two shows were among the most popular shows at the time. His format of using top named stars and musicians made him one of the television pioneers of that era. The musical themes for Joe's two broadcast shows "Take the A Train" and "Smada" (Adams spelled backwards) were recorded by Duke Ellington.
Adams has appeared in more than 26 motion pictures. His two most notable roles were Husky Miller in "Carmen Jones" and as Frank Sinatra's psychiatrist in "The Manchurian Candidate."
"Joe has over four decades of experience in the entertainment industry. His expertise as an arts manager, musician, on-air radio and television personality and Broadway actor is dead-on with what we teach here at Columbia," says Dr. Eric V.A. Winston, Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Columbia College. "I met Joe several years ago and had the pleasure of working with him while at Wilberforce University in Ohio. With Joe's help and support, Ray Charles donated $2 million to Wilberforce to establish two endowments. In May, Columbia will graduate approximately 2,000 students many of whom will seek employment in the entertainment industry. I think having Joe here at this time to give our students a first-person account into this very diverse industry is of great benefit to our students."
As an arts manager in Ray Charles' various organizations, Adams has many roles and responsibilities. As Mr. Charles' business manager he had a reputation as a shrewd negotiator and personally negotiated all of Ray's business deals including his award-winning series of commercials for Pepsi Cola. In his role as Vice President/CEO of RPM International, he oversees the business activities of the parent company as well as Ray Charles Enterprises, which includes the activities of the Ray Charles Orchestra and the Raelettes.
For a brief period after joining the Ray Charles organization, Adams briefly held the position of Executive Vice President of Queen Booking Company, which was once the largest African American owned booking agency in the United States.
In 1958 he was the first African American to receive the "Golden Globe" award for Outstanding New Actor. Adams is the recipient of several awards and honorary degrees. A special educational facility is being built in his and his wife's name at Morehouse College in Atlanta, where a performing arts center is also being built in memory of Ray Charles.
Columbia College Chicago, an urban institution committed to access, opportunity, and excellence in higher education, provides innovative practice and education in the visual, performing, media and communication arts to 11,000 students in more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs. Founded in 1890 as a communications school for women, Columbia was revisioned in 1963 as a liberal arts college with a "hands-on, minds-on" approach to arts and media education and a progressive social agenda. Under the modern leadership of President Warrick L. Carter, Ph.D., Columbia is aggressively pursuing its mission to bring a richness of vision and a multiplicity of voices to the creation of culture through the diversity of our students and graduates. For further information visit http://www.colum.edu/ .
Source: Columbia College Chicago
Tyler Perry, The #1 Box Office Success, is Now The Nation's #1 Author
Tyler Perry's First Book, Don't Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings, Debuts at #1 on The New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestseller List
Tyler Perry, the ground-breaking and immensely popular playwright, director, producer and performer, has conquered the literary world at #1 on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestseller list with his first book, Don't Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life, published in hardcover by Riverhead Books on April 11, 2006. This blockbuster debut, which will appear on the April 30th New York Times bestseller list, is another example of how he has soared to the top of every facet of entertainment he has entered: from #1 movies (Diary of A Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion) to multi-million selling DVDs to sold-out national stage tours. Mr. Perry, a true renaissance artist, has proven once again that he is able to communicate his comedic brilliance and words of inspiration to expand his enormous popularity in whatever venue he chooses.
(
Don't Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings is currently the #1 selling nonfiction hardcover title at retail chains and at a number of independent bookstores across the United States and also reached #1 on Amazon.com as well as barnesandnoble.com, with more than 301,000 copies in print after only one week on sale. In addition, the book debuted today as the #1 hardcover nonfiction title on USA Today's Best-Selling Books list.
Tyler Perry said, "I'm really happy for the loyalty and continued support of my fans."
Geoffrey Kloske, Vice President and Publisher, Riverhead Books, commented, "This tremendous market reaction to Tyler Perry's extraordinary new book comes as no surprise. This is a great Riverhead success story and confirms our faith in Tyler's dynamic talents and his ability to connect with his ever-expanding audience on every level."
Mr. Perry shares his wise, endearing, and ferociously funny observations, advice, and beliefs in his book through the voice of his beloved character, Madea Simmons -- the irreverent, sharp-tongued, pistol-packing grandmother at the center of his back-to-back #1 hit movies, Diary of A Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion, multi-million selling DVDs and sold-out theatrical productions, including Madea Goes to Jail.
Major media appearances accompanied the release of Don't Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings, with Mr. Perry interviewed on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" and "The View," CBS-TV's "The Early Show" and "The Late Show with David Letterman," The Christian Broadcasting Network's "The 700 Club" (to be aired later this month) as well as PBS' "The Charlie Rose Show," WNYC-FM's "The Leonard Lopate Show" and NPR's "Morning Edition" and "Talk of the Nation." Last week, he also did a 30-market national television satellite tour and a 25-market national radio satellite tour.
Huge crowds of people of all ages have been turning out to see Mr. Perry in person. He recently held phenomenally successful autographing sessions at Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue and Hue-Man bookstore in New York City, the Borders bookstore just outside of Washington, D.C., and Wal-Mart in Atlanta. Other appearances include stops in Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Print coverage includes Entertainment Weekly (April 7 issue), Jet magazine (April 10 issue), Essence (May issue), Ebony (May issue) and The Charlotte Observer (April 15 issue), with much more to come.
Sean McDonald, Vice President and Executive Editor, Riverhead Books, was the acquiring editor of Don't Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings.
ABOUT TYLER PERRY:
One of America's most successful young playwrights, Tyler Perry is also a popular director, producer, author and actor, starring in his own productions, including the #1 hit movies Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea's Family Reunion.
Within the span of only six years, Tyler Perry went from being homeless "out on the streets" to selling out theaters everywhere. He has accomplished this feat with not only one production, but with seven shows, having successfully toured the nation to standing room only crowds and thus creating a change in the history of urban theater. His most famous character, the gun- toting, wisecracking, brutally honest grandmother, Madea Simmons, has become as recognizable as Redd Foxx's Fred Sanford, Flip Wilson's Geraldine and any number of Eddie Murphy's creations.
Raised in New Orleans in an abusive household, Mr. Perry was inspired by Oprah Winfrey to write a series of letters to himself in 1992 in an effort to undergo a catharsis from his own childhood pain. Those letters would form the basis for his first hit musical, I Know I've Been Changed, a rousing stage play about adult survivors of child abuse. Mr. Perry continues to receive fan mail from people who talk about how seeing that show changed their lives.
In 1998, Bishop T. D. Jakes saw I Know I've Been Changed and tabbed Perry to help with the production of the Woman, Thou Art Loosed stage play -- which Perry helped rewrite, then produced and directed as well as handled everything from make-up to stage-managing and production design. The re-worked Woman, Thou Art Loosed production grossed more than $5 million in just five months, selling out in every major U.S. city and performing to standing room only crowds. In 2000, Bishop Jakes again asked Perry to work on his musical, Behind Closed Doors. Mr. Perry was ultimately nominated for four NAACP Theatre Awards for his production of this show.
Mr. Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself opened in the year 2000 to rave reviews and sold-out houses in New York, Chicago, D.C., Memphis, New Orleans and Atlanta. The production only played in five markets, yet grossed $1 million-plus. Perry was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for his role as Madea, becoming the first urban theater actor to be nominated for this prestigious award.
Mr. Perry's second independent but fifth touring project, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, opened to a full house in New Orleans in January 2001 and played to sold-out audiences everywhere. A year later, Madea's Family Reunion, a production in which Mr. Perry once again donned the Madea Simmons personae, began touring the country to sold-out shows. In January 2003, Madea's Class Reunion -- The Class That Had No Class, debuted to more standing room only crowds.
As a result of the success of the outspoken Madea character, Perry branched out further to portray more of life's ups and downs by shining the comedic spotlight on David & Tamela Mann in the 2004-2005 debut and tour of Meet the Browns. This play, not featuring Madea, generated overwhelmingly positive responses to another favorite character, Mr. Leroy Brown. Following the success of Meet the Browns, Perry began touring Madea Goes to Jail last year.
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G.P. Putnam's Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin Books, The Penguin Press, Philomel, Plume, Puffin, Riverhead Books and Viking, among others. The Penguin Group (http://www.penguin.com/) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.
Source: Riverhead Books
Two Time Latin Grammy Award Winner, Sin Bandera to Play Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa - May 6
Sin Bandera, the two time Latin Grammy-winning band fronted by Leonel Garcia and Noel Schajris makes its North Bay debut this spring at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. The band will bring their winning blend of soulful pop melodies to the Center's 1600 seat Ruth Finley Person Theater on May 6 at 8 p.m.
This eclectic pop act stormed up the charts in 2002 with their ballad "Entra En Mi Vida" featured on the Mexican soap opera Cuando Seas Mia. Now, after selling more than one million copies each of their first self-titled album Sin Bandera and second album De Viaje, the award-winning duo is back with their third album Manana. The album includes songs produced by Brian McKnight and Aureo Baquiero and duets with Reggaeton artist Tego Calderon, International artist Laura Pausini, and Multi Grammy award winning Rap artist, Missy Elliot.
Sin Bandera, comprised of Mexican Leonel Garcia and Argentine Noel Schajris, crafts enticingly slick modern pop marked by exquisitely smooth vocals, slow-jam hip-hop beats, and velvety production. The band has collaborated on numerous productions for several artists including Alejandro Fernandez, AB Quintanilla II & Los Kumbia Kings, Franco De Vita, and Presuntos Implicados. They recently received four 2005 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, as well as two Latin Grammy Awards, a Billboard Award, and an MTV Latin America Video Music Award.
The presentation of Sin Bandera at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts marks the latest in the Arts Center's outreach efforts aimed at providing meaningful headline entertainment and fine arts performances to the North Bay Latino community. These efforts have resulted in the presentation of several highly successful Latin performances, including the 2005 sold out shows of superstar Mexican artists Pepe Aguilar and Juan Gabriel.
Sin Bandera performs May 6, 2006 at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts. Tickets ($45, $65, $85) are available at the Box Office, 50 Mark West Springs Road in Santa Rosa, by phone at 707-546-3600 or online at www.wellsfargocenterarts.com.
Print quality artist images available at:
.
Source: Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
Web site: http://www.wellsfargocenterarts.com/
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., Begins Pre-Production On Its Third Feature Film,
,''The Condemned,'' Starring Stone Cold Steve Austin And Vinnie Jones; Film Marks WWE's Second Theatrical Distribution Collaboration With Lionsgate
World Wrestling Entertainment(R) (WWE) has begun pre-production on its third film, "The Condemned," which will be distributed theatrically by Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, it was announced today by Joel Simon, President, WWE Films, and Peter Block, Lionsgate's President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions.
The film will star WWE's Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vinnie Jones ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," "X-Men: The Last Stand") and will be directed by Scott Wiper, who also wrote the screenplay from an original script by Rob and Andrew Hedden. "The Condemned" will commence principal photography on May 15, 2006, on location on the Gold Coast, Australia and at the Warner Roadshow Studios in Australia. Block will oversee the production for Lionsgate, along with Jason Constantine, Vice President, Acquisitions and John Sacchi, Vice President, Production.
The production follows WWE's two previous feature productions, "See No Evil," the horror thriller starring WWE Superstar Kane, which will be released by Lionsgate nationwide on May 19; and "The Marine," which will be released by 20th Century Fox on September 8. "The Condemned" is produced by Simon and executive produced by Vince McMahon, Chairman, World Wrestling Entertainment and Michael Lake. Jed Blaugrund is co-executive producer and Ross Emery ("The Cave") will serve as the director of photography.
"I am passionate about our WWE Films division and am thrilled to announce 'The Condemned' as the third feature film on our slate," said McMahon. "Joel and his team are going into production on an action-packed, adrenaline pumping, psychological thrill ride."
"We're delighted be filming in Australia once again," said Simon. "We always find a wealth of very talented people over there, as well as some extraordinary locations. The settings will add to the look and feel of this high-octane action thriller."
Block added, "Stone Cold Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones and the rest of the cast will blow audiences away. This film has a great story, extreme action and hard core heart. We very much look forward to working with the WWE for the second time to bring the film to moviegoers."
An adrenalin-charged action thriller, "The Condemned" tells the story of Joe Conrad (Stone Cold Steve Austin), who is awaiting the death penalty in a corrupt Central American prison. He is "purchased" by a wealthy television producer and taken to a desolate island where he must fight to the death against nine other condemned killers from all corners of the world, with freedom going to the sole survivor.
About The Cast and Filmmakers
Stone Cold Steve Austin is one of the best-known and most successful wrestlers of all time. As an actor he has appeared in "The Longest Yard" and played Detective Jake Cage in the television series "Nash Bridges."
Vinnie Jones first came to attention with his breakthrough performance in Guy Ritchie's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels." The former English soccer star most recently completed filming "X-Men: The Last Stand." Other credits include "Swordfish," "Gone In Sixty Seconds" and "Slipstream."
Director/writer Scott Wiper is a graduate of Wesleyan University where his thesis film won the prestigious Frank Capra Prize for Best Student Film. In 1996 he wrote and directed his first feature "Captain Jack" and then in 2000 "A Better Way to Die," which was financed by Newmarket and acquired by Sony Screen Gems and HBO. "A Better Way to Die" has since developed a cult following. Wiper recently wrote two scripts for Warner Bros: "Salvation" for veteran director Walter Hill and Silver Pictures and "Salvaged Lives" for Outlaw Productions. He also penned "Day for Night," based on his original pitch sold to Hyde Park/MGM, with Lion Rock Productions and Vince Newman producing.
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio. Fresh off the number one box office hits "Saw II," "Hostel" and "Madea's Family Reunion" and the Best Picture Academy Award (R) -winning "Crash," Lionsgate is a premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. It has earned 25 Academy Award (R) nominations and seven Oscar (R) wins in the past seven years, more than any other independent studio. Its prestigious and prolific library of more than 5000 titles is a valuable source of recurring revenue and a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the globe.
About World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London.
Trademarks: The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves and all World Wrestling Entertainment logos are trademarks which are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. (C) 2006 World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. THE CONDEMNED is a trademark owned by WWE Films. All Rights Reserved.
Big Screen Launches Official Website for Upcoming Motion Picture, ''The Mirror''
Big Screen Entertainment Group (OTC:BSEG) proudly announces that the "TheMirrorfilm.com" is up and running.
The website gives visitors a sneak peek into the production of the company's newest project, the murder mystery/thriller, "The Mirror," written and directed by BSEG's President of Production, Stephen Eckelberry. The picture stars Kelly LeBrock ("Weird Science," "Woman in Red"), Thaao Penghlis ("Days of Our Lives", "Mission Impossible"), Erin Cahill (FOX TV's - "Freeride"), Bryan Callen ("Mad TV," "Sex and the City") and Shiloh Strong.
The user-friendly portal provides viewers with an overview of the film, cast photos, recent news stories, the film's trailer, and the documentary "On the set of The Mirror," directed by Lightfield Lewis. Lightfield commented that "the behind-the-scenes short film includes rare, never before seen footage from the silent film era, and dares to ask the burning question on everyone's mind: Who is Johnny Rambova?"
The Mirror is currently in post-production at Big Screen's facilities at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California. The film is on schedule to be delivered internationally in July of this year, with a domestic theatrical release in the U.S. at the end of the year.
Michael Manasseri, BSEG's Senior VP stated, "When we brought the trailer of 'The Mirror' to the American Film Market in November of 2005 it garnered more attention from international buyers than any of our other projects. This is why we immediately pushed it into production at the beginning of 2006. Now that the film is completed, we are even more excited about its potential."
David Zappone, President of Business Affairs added, "The Mirror is representative of Big Screen's business model for making movies - the film was shot on an efficient, responsible budget, i.e., no excessive filmmaker salaries or unnecessary perks, allowing for the highest potential return on investment dollars. All of the money is up on the screen, allowing for maximum production value. Our director shot no less than 35 camera set-ups a day and the cast and crew worked in a cooperative, enthusiastic manner."
In finance news, BSEG's CEO Kimberley Kates has completed negotiations with a private equity film fund that will be backing future Big Screen projects. "I am happy to say that Big Screen's next film is fully funded and ready to go. As 'The Mirror' takes flight in July of this year we will begin prepping our next motion picture."
ABOUT THE COMPANY:
Big Screen Entertainment Group (BSEG) is a full service entertainment company designed to develop, produce, purchase, exhibit and distribute products in all media formats, including motion pictures, television, music and publishing.
Our mission is to become leaders in the independent film and television industry, developing, producing and distributing commercially viable, high quality entertainment products that will provide short term return on capital and long term residual income to our investors and partners.
Forward-Looking Statements:
A number of statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including timely development, and market acceptance of products and technologies, competitive market conditions, successful integration of acquisitions and the ability to secure additional sources of financing. When used in this press release, words such as "could," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "potential," "should," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements
Big Screen Entertainment Group
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Announce 2006 North American ``Highway Companions Tour''; Pearl Jam, Trey Anastasio, The Allman Brothers Band and Others Will Appear on Selected Dates
Summer Release for New Petty Solo CD; Peter Bogdanovich to Direct Heartbreakers' Feature Film/Documentary
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers will embark on their 2006 North American "Highway Companions Tour" on June 9 in Charlotte, N.C. The band will be joined along the way by an exciting list of friends and guests that will include a series of very special shows with Pearl Jam, some shows with special guest Trey Anastasio, and others with the Allman Brothers Band. Expect further announcements soon of additional special guests and opening acts who will be on selected dates.
As part of their summer tour, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers -- Petty/vocals, guitars; Mike Campbell/guitars; Benmont Tench/keyboards; Ron Blair/bass; Scott Thurston/guitars, harmonica, backing vocals; and Steve Ferrone/drums -- will headline the Bonnaroo Festival on Friday, June 16, and the Austin City Limits Festival on Sunday, September 17.
Petty is putting the finishing touches on his third solo album, "Highway Companion," which is produced by Jeff Lynne with Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, and will be released this summer.
Academy Award-winning director/screenwriter Peter Bogdanovich ("The Last Picture Show," "Paper Moon," "Mask") has started working on a comprehensive feature film/documentary about the band's three-decades-long history. Given unparalleled access to the band, Bogdanovich will intertwine vintage interviews, videos and live performances with special footage that he began shooting late last year. "We shot New Year's Eve at Mike Campbell's house," said Bogdanovich. "We've gone into the studio with Tom while he did voice-overs for his `King of The Hill' role; recorded his XM Satellite radio show; we'll be there when he headlines Bonnaroo; and we've already started to conduct new interviews with Tom, the band, with long-time associates, journalists, and other people who have played a role during the past thirty years.
"I want to tell this very American story about a small family of musicians who jumped in a car, left Gainesville and drove cross-country to get into the record business," explained Bogdanovich. "How they did it, what happened to them as a result, how this affected their families and friends, and the impact their music has had on the music industry and on millions of people's lives. We'll take you through it all, the early Shelter Records days, touring with Bob Dylan, the Grammys and other awards, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, working with Johnny Cash in the recording studio, and the Traveling Wilburys." No title or release information has been set.
Last summer's Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' tour proved to be one of the band's most successful in their long career. Without a new CD to promote, they played to sell-out crowds totaling more than 750,000 fans; Rolling Stone's glowing article on the success of the tour prompted the headline "Tom Petty Rules the Road," and Joel Selvin of the San Francisco Chronicle declared, "Tom Petty is rock aristocracy."
Over the past thirty years, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers have sold more than 50 million records and been nominated for 16 Grammy Awards. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the first year they were eligible, and this past December, Green Day's Billy Joe Armstrong presented Petty with the Billboard Century Award at the Billboard Music Awards saying, "If you're going to come up and thank god, thank god for Tom Petty." In this 2006 season, Petty reprises his ongoing role as "Lucky" on the long-running Fox animated TV series "King of the Hill," and he is in the middle of the second season of his critically acclaimed XM Satellite Radio Show, "Tom Petty's Buried Treasure."
The confirmed first leg is below; dates for leg two (July/August with the Allman Brothers Band) and leg three (September/October) will be announced shortly. -0-
JUNE
9 Verizon Amphitheatre, Charlotte, N.C. (w/ Trey Anastasio)
10 Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA (w/ Trey Anastasio)
12 Harbor Center, Portsmouth, VA (w/ Trey Anastasio)
14 Polaris Amphitheatre, Columbus, OH (w/ Trey Anastasio)
16 Bonnaroo Festival, Manchester, TN
17 UMB Bank Pavilion, Louis, MO (w/ Trey Anastasio)
20 Madison Square Garden, New York, NY (w/ Trey Anastasio)
21 Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA (w/ Trey Anastasio)
23 Verizon Amphitheatre, Indianapolis, IN (w/ Trey Anastasio)
26-27 Xcel Center, St. Paul, MN (w/ Pearl Jam)
29-30 Marcus Amphitheatre, Summerfest, Milwaukee, WI (w/ Pearl Jam)
JULY
2-3 Pepsi Center, Denver, CO (with Pearl Jam)
BREAK
Grammy-Nominated Mega Producer Rodney Jerkins Completes Final Mixes on All-Star Katrina Benefit CD
Featuring Stylish Remake of Classic Sister Sledge Hit ``We Are Family''; Jerkins Reunites Sister Sledge 20 Years After Last Recording Rodney Jerkins:
-- With Special Guest Performances by Patti Labelle, George Clinton, Ciara, Christina Milian, Chris Brown, Lyfe Jennings, Mary Mary and Ray J, among Others
-- "We Are Family" Single to Be Released to Radio Third Week of June ; CD to Be Released on August 29 Coinciding With the Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
Grammy-nominated mega producer Rodney Jerkins is currently in the studio completing final mixes on his All-Star Katrina benefit project, featuring a stylish remake of the classic Sister Sledge hit "We Are Family," with the original "reunited" members of Sister Sledge performing together for the first time in 20 years, alongside such star power as Patti LaBelle, George Clinton, Ciara, Christina Milian, Chris Brown, Lyfe Jennings, Mary, Mary and Ray J, among others.
The "We Are Family" single, which will be released to radio the third week of June, will be included in a full-length CD (title TBA), released on August 29, to coincide with the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The CD, which will include music recorded by various artists (to be announced), will be distributed by Universal Music Group worldwide this fall.
Proceeds from the single and full-length CD, which will be released to radio and retail, will benefit victims of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, through project partners including "Points Of Light Foundation" (http://www.polf.org), "Communities In Schools" (http://www.cisnet.org) and the "U.S. Dream Academy."
"My `family' in the music business -- my friends -- are excited to be a part of the `We Are Family' CD and DVD to raise funds and awareness for the displaced families still affected by Hurricane Katrina," says Jerkins. "I am honored to lend my creative talents to help the volunteers who provide the social and human services needed on a daily basis to help these families make it day-to-day. They are heroes in action."
"Points Of Light," the nation's foremost advocate and bi-partisan voice on volunteerism and community service, and its affiliates, represent more than 150,000 permanent volunteers in the region working directly with the displaced families of Hurricane Katrina. Funds from the proceeds of the sale of the "We Are Family" project will go to the assistance of volunteer agencies focusing on human and social services. This is the only relief project with a focus on volunteerism.
Says Executive Producer of the project, Sherman Brown: "There is no other Hurricane Katrina relief recording with the public-private partnership reflected by this effort. It is our hope to create the model that will deliver the media, funding, partnership and innovation needed to aid the vulnerable, disenfranchised and displaced. We cannot `parachute' aid into these communities and expect life to return to normalcy. Rather, we must empower those who are permanently `on the ground' and on the front lines with the resources needed to complete the task at hand. With this CD and DVD, we hope to be a major catalyst in making this happen."
Corporate partners of the "We Are Family" project include Clear Channel, Wal-Mart and UPS Foundation.
Rodney Jerkins is widely renowned as one of the greatest music producers of the last two decades at the mere age of 28. He is on an exclusive "go to" list of producers that platinum-selling artists such as Shakira, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys and Patti LaBelle seek out when they want a major hit. His work has generated in excess of 140 million in sales to date. For more information on Rodney Jerkins, please visit http://www.darkchild.com.
The Nashville Film Festival has announced the opening night film and the closing night film for the 37th Annual event,
,being held at Nashville's Regal 16 Cinemas, located in Green Hills, TN. This year the Festival will showcase over 250 films coming from 37 countries from around the world. COME EARLY MORNING, starring Ashley Judd, will be this year's opening night film, and closing out the Festival is, Aurora Borealis, directed by James Burke, starring Joshua Jackson and Juliette Lewis. NaFF will once again be the host to many ground-breaking films, celebrities, numerous industry-related panels/workshops, filmmaker awards, Opening and Closing Galas, live entertainment and many more festivities throughout the week.
COME EARLY MORNING - Opening Night
Ashley Judd gives one of her very best performances as hard-working, self-destructive Lucy (Ashley Judd), a southern small-town woman struggling with a personal life that has been reduced to a spiral of drunken one-night stands. The film is the directorial debut of actress Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy). Former Nashville publisher/composer Alan Brewer of BME/Brewman Entertainment provided the music for the film.
In Attendance: Joey Lauren Adams
The celebration continues at 9:00pm when you will join our guests on the rooftop at BMI for the Gala Party. Tickets are $75 per person/$125 per couple for the film and party. (In case of inclement weather the party will take place in the BMI lobby.)
TO TULSA AND BACK: ON TOUR WITH JJ CALE
North American Premiere of the first-time-ever documentary on JJ Cale, the legendary Tulsa musician and songwriter who wrote two of Eric Clapton's biggest hits "After Midnight" and "Cocaine." The film takes a trek across America with his band as well as a personally guided tour of his life and times. Directed by Jorg Bundschu.
In Attendance: Jorg Bundschu
AURORA BOREALIS - Closing Night
Joshua Jackson, Juliette Lewis, Donald Sutherland and Louise Fletcher star in this tender comedy-drama about bright, charming yet irresponsible Duncan (Jackson) whose need to care for his ailing grandfather (Sutherland) leads him to a brighter future--a future greatly helped by falling in love with his grandfather's nurse (Lewis). Directed by James Burke.
In Attendance: Joshua Jackson, James Burke, producer Scott Disharoon
The closing celebration will be held at La Paz Restaurant at 9:15pm following the last showing of the film. Tickets are on sale for $50 for both the film and party. Tickets are limited! Advance purchase recommended.
Nashville Film Festival is a non-profit 501(c) corporation and receives funding from National Endowment for the Arts, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Tennessee Arts Commission, Nashville Metro Arts Commission, Ragsdale Family Foundation, Target Stores, The Frist Foundation, The Cal Turner Family Foundation, The Memorial Foundation and its generous patrons and sponsors.
POG(TM) Is Back!
Funrise Recaptures the Craze with a POG Tournament at Toy Boat * Toy Boat * Toy Boat at Fashion Island in Newport Beach This Weekend
Funrise kicks off the newest POG craze with a POG Tournament for the kids in Orange County to show off their SLAMMIN' POG skills!
On April 22nd, at 1 pm, kids of all ages are invited to Toy Boat * Toy Boat * Toy Boat, at Fashion Island in Newport Beach, for a chance to be named the POG Champ! Kids can sign up at any Toy Boat location or the day of the event. But the games begin at 1 pm, so don't be late!
The game is simple -- stack the POG, slam the stack with your SLAMMER, and keep the ones that flip over. Restack the remaining POG and the next person takes their turn with the SLAMMER. The person with the most POG when the stack is gone wins! Players must win two out of three games to move on to the next round.
The tournament winner will receive a true POG collectible -- a sheet of new UNCUT NHL POG! Kids will also have opportunities to win POG t-shirts throughout the tournament.
No purchase necessary to participate. POG is available at all Toy Boat * Toy Boat * Toy Boat locations. Visit http://www.officialpog.com for more tournament details.
About POG
In 2006, Funrise reintroduces POG, the 90s collectible trend that swept the nation, but with a 21st century twist.
POG dates back to the 1930s on the Island of Maui, where a group of Dairy employees played games with milk caps to fill their time between shifts. In 1991, Blossom Galbiso, a 5th grade elementary school teacher at Waialua Elementary in Oahu, reintroduced POG, using the milk caps from the Haleakala Dairy (Maui) that produced Passion Fruit - Orange - Guava juice, which is how it got the name. Over two billion POG were sold in the first 18 months in Hawaii alone, and the POG craze quickly spread to the mainland. In its second year POG reached $150 million in sales in the U.S.
About Funrise
Founded in 1987, Funrise is an adventurous innovator of superior toys and an industry leader in the manufacturing and distribution of the most popular children's toys. Simply put....we create fun! Funrise's core property portfolio includes Gazillion Bubbles(R), Nylint(R), Dr Dreadful(TM), Head Bangers(TM), Battlin' Bass(TM), ZOOOOS(TM), Home Arcade(TM) and leading licensed power brands such as Tonka(R), Disney(C), Scooby-Doo(C), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and more, making our product offerings diverse and full of fun for kids of all ages! Funrise has offices in Woodland Hills, CA, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, and France with additional showrooms in New York City and Bentonville, AK. The company is operated by its founder, Arnie Rubin, who also serves as Chairman of the Toy Industry Association (T.I.A.). Funrise's success results from its commitment to quality manufacturing, progressive marketing and a values-based corporate culture.
(C) 2005 POG Unlimited and Global POG Association are trademarks of POG Unlimited
Exclusive New Bruce Springsteen Interview to Air on SIRIUS Satellite Radio This Sunday, April 23
SIRIUS Satellite Radio will broadcast an exclusive new interview with Bruce Springsteen this Sunday, April 23.
Springsteen will discuss his forthcoming album We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions on the weekly SIRIUS program Kick Out the Jams with Dave Marsh on Sunday, April 23, starting at 10 am ET on SIRIUS Stars channel 102. It will also be broadcast on Monday, April 24 at 1 pm and 7 pm ET, and on Tuesday, April 25 at 1 pm ET, on channel 18, The Spectrum.
Springsteen's new album features his personal interpretations of 13 traditional songs associated with folk artist Pete Seeger, and will be released by Columbia Records on Tuesday, April 25. The album's extensive liner notes were written by Marsh, and can be viewed at http://www.brucespringsteen.net/ .
Marsh is the author of three definitive books on Springsteen and his work. He previously interviewed Springsteen for an exclusive SIRIUS broadcast that aired in November 2005, when SIRIUS devoted a commercial-free music channel to the music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of Springsteen's album Born To Run. E Street Radio, which also featured conversations with E Street Band members and others associated with Springsteen throughout his career, was created and broadcast exclusively by SIRIUS from November 1, 2005 through January 31, 2006.
A US tour has been confirmed for Bruce Springsteen with The Seeger Sessions Band. Following the band's initial US date in New Orleans on April 30 and a series of ten concerts in Europe, the US tour resumes with a series of 18 shows kicking off in Boston on May 27 and finishing in New Jersey on June 25. Each night, an all new evening of gospel, folk, and blues will be presented by Springsteen with the 17-member Seeger Sessions Band.
For more information, visit http://www.sirius.com/ .
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://www.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.
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
CONTACT: Elise Brown, of SIRIUS, +1-212-584-5290,
Mobile Entertainment Symposium Sponsored by Bank of America and Interep
Omnicom Vice Chairman Tim Love to Deliver Keynote Speech
Symposium to Address Consumers' Growing Control of Digital Entertainment
Eleven Seven Partners, a media and entertainment marketing and producing company, today announced an impressive roster of leadership participants for its first Mobile Entertainment Symposium. The unprecedented event, "Blowing Up Sound: Emerging Technology, Consumers and Choice - Crafting the New Marketing Model," to be held Tuesday, May 9th, 2006, at the Grand Hyatt in New York, is attracting panelists and speakers from the leading companies in audio technologies, digital media, marketing and mobile entertainment.
Omnicom Vice Chairman, Tim Love, leads the cast of diverse panelists and speakers and will speak about the most evolutionary time in mobile entertainment. Companies with representatives confirmed to participate to date include: Arbitron, AccuRadio, Audible.com, General Mills, iBiquity, Interep, Napster, Net Radio Sales, Norstar Media Entertainment, Podbridge, Vibes.com, XM Satellite Radio, and Zenith Media. The afternoon speaker is Andy Cohen, Founder of Exposed Brick, a marketing consultancy firm specializing in interactive brand advertising strategies.
The symposium will explore the world of emerging audio technologies and will highlight growing consumer control of audio entertainment and its impact on traditional marketing models. The day-long event will feature panels of leading experts in audio technology, marketing executives, consumer research visionaries and financial analysts and will be relevant to any professional working in the fields of marketing, advertising, radio, audio technologies, as well as investors in the media, telecom and entertainment sectors.
Interep, a sales and marketing company specializing in Radio, the Internet, Hispanic Television and complementary services, and Bank of America's Media, Telecommunications & Technology Equity Research Team, are the co-sponsors for the event. Bank of America's top-ranked "All American Institutional Investors Research Analysts" teams slated to moderate the day's event:
-- Keith Bachman (Enterprise Hardware)
-- Jonathan A. Jacoby (Radio & TV Broadcasting)
-- Tim Long (Data Networking & Wireline Equipment, Wireless Equipment)
-- Douglas Shapiro (Cable & Satellite TV, Entertainment)
On-line registration and an agenda for the event are available at http://www.audiosymposium.com/. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Victor Lirio at 212-309-9031 or victor@elevensevenpartners.com.
ABOUT ELEVEN SEVEN PARTNERS
Eleven Seven Partners, LLC, ("Eleven Seven") is a media and entertainment marketing and producing company that presents multi-media conferences and theatrical events. Founded by Victor Lirio, it has conceived, produced and directed several media conferences such as Interep's annual Radio Symposium with keynotes and panelists from leading broadcasting, research, investment banking and advertising companies including Arbitron, Bank of America, Bear Stearns, CBS Radio, Clear Channel, Cumulus, Deutsche Bank, Emmis Broadcasting, iBiquity, ICBC Broadcast Holdings, Omnicom, Radio One, Spanish Broadcasting System and Westwood One. In addition, it has produced Interep's Power of Urban Radio, Power of Hispanic Radio and the "National Radio & Repping" conferences. Eleven Seven also presented the critically acclaimed debut of Tony Award(R) winner Lea Salonga at Carnegie Hall. For more information, please visit http://www.elevensevenpartners.com/.
ABOUT BANK OF AMERICA
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial services companies. The company's Global Corporate & Investment Banking group (GCIB) provides investment banking, equity and debt capital raising, research, trading, risk management, treasury management and financial advisory services. Through offices in more than 30 countries, GCIB serves domestic and international corporations, institutional investors, financial institutions and government entities. Many of the bank's services to corporate and institutional clients are provided through its U.S. and UK subsidiaries, Banc of America Securities LLC and Banc of America Securities Limited. For additional information, visit http://www.bankofamerica.com/.
ABOUT INTEREP
Interep (IREP.PK) is the nation's largest independent advertising sales and marketing company specializing in radio, the Internet, television and complementary media, with offices in 17 cities. Interep is the parent company to the following radio representation firms: ABC Radio Sales, D&R Radio, CBS Radio Sales, McGavren Guild Radio, SBS/Interep and Susquehanna Radio Sales. Interep is also parent to Azteca America Spot Television Sales and Interep Interactive, including Winstar Interactive, the place for Internet brands. Interep divisions benefiting our clients and customers include our "unwired" Network Division; Interep Innovations, our business development division, including the Interep Marketing Group (IMG) and Promotion Marketing; The Event Shop; and Morrison and Abraham, a sales consulting firm. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.interep.com/.
Source: Interep
http://www.audiosymposium.com/
http://www.elevensevenpartners.co
Eight NEW MiniBlox Models arrive
ISIS Features Growing Range of Tiny Solutions
Grass Valley, CA - The ISIS Group describes MiniBloxT as 'an expanding range of conversion and distribution products'. In 2006, the line continues to expand with eight new models. "From the first time we displayed MiniBlox at NAB2003, they have been some of the most popular products in our booth," said Steve Block, ISIS CEO. He continued, "I expect the new models to draw a crowd again this year."
- The ISIS Group describes MiniBloxT as 'an expanding range of conversion and distribution products'. In 2006, the line continues to expand with eight new models. "From the first time we displayed MiniBlox at NAB2003, they have been some of the most popular products in our booth," said Steve Block, ISIS CEO. He continued, "I expect the new models to draw a crowd again this year."New MiniBlox featured at NAB2006 include three 10-bit broadcast quality 270Mbps SDI-to-analog converters with re-clocked SDI output and automatic 525/625 SDI detection. The models are 4424 (SDI to composite), 4425 (SDI to component), and 4426 (SDI to universal).
There are two broadcast quality analog-to-SDI converters using dual 11-bit oversampling ADCs with 5-line adaptive comb filtering, TBC and AGC. The models are 4430+ (composite to SDI) and 4432+ (universal to SDI).
Another two new MiniBlox models are AES-EBU audio embedders with sample rate converters that insert two stereo AES-EBU signals into the ancillary data space of a 270Mbps SDI signal. The input streams can be embedded as 20- or 24-bit audio. Internal audio sample rate converters allow the applied audio to be of any sample rate between 32 and 96 KHz. The sample rate conversion may be bypassed to allow for non-PCM audio streams. The models are the 4461DB+ (balanced) and 4461DU+ (unbalanced).
Finally, the 4464A SDI to analog composite video and audio DAC extracts two balanced stereo audio pairs from any group in the ancillary data space of a 270Mbps SDI signal and provides broadcast quality composite video and analog audio outputs. Composite video is converted using a 10-bit DAC with 4x over-sampling. Anti-aliasing filters and precision DC restoration provide the kind of conversion previously only available in rack mount systems.
MiniBlox are housed in an extremely compact and rugged aluminum case ideally suited to both studio and portable applications. Up to five units can be rack mounted in a 1RU frame, or up to 14 in a 2RU frame.
NAB2006 attendees can see the new MiniBlox "solutions in the palm of your hand" at booth SU141.
About The ISIS Group, Inc:
ISIS Group manufactures high-performance video, audio, and signal management and processing solutions for the television, post-production, and multimedia industries worldwide. In 2004, ISIS acquired Graham-Patten Systems, a Grass Valley company with an established reputation as the world's leading developer of high performance digital audio products for the professional video industry. Both companies are known for technical innovation, product reliability, and outstanding customer support. Information about ISIS Group is available at http://www.isis-group.com and Graham-Patten is at http://www.gpsys.com
THE “2006 ALMA AWARDS” FEATURES THE BRIGHTEST STARS
IN FILM, MUSIC AND TELEVISION, MONDAY, JUNE 5, ON ABC
Marc Anthony, Andy Garcia, Michael Douglas, Carlos Mencia, Michael Pena, Jay Hernandez, Ricardo Antonio Chavira, Maria Conchita Alonso, Lupe Ontiveros, Danny Pino, Sofia Vergara, Adam Rodriguez, Amaury Nolasco, Cristina Saralegui, Sara Ramirez and Wilmer Valderrama
Are Among the Honorees, Performers and Presenters
Some of the entertainment industry’s hottest stars from the worlds of film, television and music will appear at the “2006 ALMA Awards,” airing MONDAY, JUNE 5 (9:30-11:00 p.m., ET/PT), on the ABC Television Network. Eva Longoria (“Desperate Housewives”) hosts.
On the Awards show, which will tape May 7 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, the incomparable Longoria will open with an exciting performance alongside Carmen Electra (“Scary Movie 4”), Roselyn Sanchez (“Without a Trace”), Constance Marie (“George Lopez”) and Spain's hottest musical import, Paulina Rubio.
Among the highlights of the 2006 Awards ceremony will be a presentation of the Celia Cruz Award for Excellence in Music to the internationally renowned award-winning singer and actor, Marc Anthony. The presentation will be hosted by Randy Jackson (“American Idol”). R&B crooner Brian McKnight will perform Anthony’s classic hit, “You Sang To Me” in English and Spanish.
Also, the Anthony Quinn Award for Excellence in Motion Picture will be presented to Academy Award-nominated actor Andy Garcia. The presentation will be hosted by George Lopez (“George Lopez”). Grammy Award winner and international recording artist Gloria Estefan and her husband, music producer Emilio Estefan, will present Garcia with the award and Ms. Estefan will perform.
The eclectic mix of performances, spanning the worlds of pop, rock and Latin music in both English and Spanish, include country superstars Big & Rich, Cowboy Troy (“Nashville Star”) and Tex/Mex music legend, Emilio.
Also scheduled to appear on the show as presenters are (in alphabetical order): Maria Conchita Alonso (“Desperate Housewives”), Ricardo Antonio Chavira (“Desperate Housewives”), Academy Award-winning producer and actor Michael Douglas, Jay Hernandez (“World Trade Center,” “Hostel”), Latin comedy genius Cheech Marin, Carlos Mencia (“Mind of Mencia”), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break”), Lupe Ontiveros (“Desperate Housewives”), Michael Pena (“Crash”), Danny Pino (“Cold Case,” “The Lost City”), Sara Ramirez (“Monty Python's Spamalot,” “Grey’s Anatomy”), Judy Reyes (“Scrubs”), Adam Rodriguez (“CSI Miami”), legendary talk show host Cristina Saralegui, Wilmer Valderrama (“That 70’s Show,” “Yo Momma”) and Sofia Vergara (“Four Brothers”).
The ALMA Awards was created by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., in 1995 as part of NCLR’s strategy to promote fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of Latinos in the media and the enhancement of the Latino image in the entertainment industry. The show was named “ALMA” (Spanish for “spirit” or “soul”) to honor the determined spirit of the Latino community.
Jeff Margolis, Janet Murguia and David Chavez are executive producers of the “2006 ALMA Awards.” The show is produced by Jeff Margolis Productions. Producers are Eva Longoria, Tisha Fein, Gloria Fujita O’Brien and Mick McCullough. The director is Ron De Moraes.
Gold Level Sponsors include: AARP, American Airlines, Ford Motor Company, Frito-Lay/ Pepsi-Cola, General Motors Corporation, Johnson & Johnson and Prudential.
AARP, American Airlines, Ford Motor Company, Frito-Lay/ Pepsi-Cola, General Motors Corporation, Johnson & Johnson and Prudential.Silver Level Sponsors include: Bank of America, Coors Brewing Company, McDonald's Corporation, Verizon, Wal-Mart and Walt Disney Company.
Bank of America, Coors Brewing Company, McDonald's Corporation, Verizon, Wal-Mart and Walt Disney Company.For further information, please go to www.almaawards.com.
Boris FX Solutions to Support Intel®-Based Macintosh® Systems
New versions of award-winning 3D Compositing, Titling and Effects plug-ins support Apple hardware advancements
Boris FX, the leading developer of integrated effects technology for video and film production, will show for the first time Boris native plug-ins running on the Intel-based Macintosh at NAB 2006. Visitors to the Boris FX stand SL2596 can see first-hand the popular Boris Continuum Complete filter package integrated with the latest release of Apple’s Final Cut Pro (version 5.1), running on the Intel-based Macintosh. Boris Continuum for Intel-based Macintosh will be released later this year.
“As a developer of integrated Mac OS solutions for more than 10 years, we are proud to support the next generation of Apple computers,” said Boris FX founder and president, Boris Yamnitsky. “We’re excited about the potential performance enhancements that this will provide to our loyal Macintosh users.”
The first Boris FX product to support the Intel architecture was Boris Calligraphy, a set of four Generators that is included with the Intel-based version of Final Cut Pro. While appearing as native generators, these plugins add valuable titling features, including vector text, auto-animated rolls and crawls, type-on effects, jitter, randomization and Z-space animation including tumble and spin.
Next to support the new architecture will be Boris Red version 4.0. Designed specifically for editors, Red integrates with more than 20 supported NLEs, including Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Avid systems. Boris Red is a powerful and versatile application that integrates advanced 2D and 3D compositing, industry-leading software DVE technology, robust 3D extrusion and animation, native vector titling, motion tracking, vector paint, rotoscoping, Adobe Illustrator file animation and extrusion and more, all in a single plug-in. Version 4.0 introduces dozens of new features, including new filters, 16-bit color support and a sophisticated new paint engine. Boris Red version 4.0 is expected to ship in Q3 2006.This release will be quickly followed by Intel-compliant versions of Boris FX and Graffiti.
The Boris solutions, as well as the new Boris Blue will be shown at NAB 2006 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 24-27 in booth SL2596. Boris solutions are also included in the third annual NAB Post|Production World Conference. For details, visit www.nabshow.com/conferences/.
About Boris FX
Founded in 1995 in Boston MA, Boris FX is the leading developer of integrated graphics and effects technology, delivering 3D compositing and vector graphic products for the broadcast, post production, film and multi-media industries. Since the company's inception, Boris products have grown to serve over 125,000 artists worldwide. A great part of its success lies in the ability to tightly integrate and leverage technologies through strong partnerships with industry-leading manufacturers including Adobe®, Apple®, Autodesk®, Avid®, Canopus®, Discreet®, Eyeon®, in-sync®, Incite®, Leitch®, Matrox®, Media 100®, Sony Pictures Digital®, and Ulead®. For more information, visit www.borisfx.com.
NBC's five-night reality experiment "Celebrity Cooking Challenge" has ended
after only three days. The network is moving the Thursday and Friday episodes of the culinary competition reality series "Cooking" to NBC.com and replacing them with sitcoms and the more successful reality series, "Deal or No Deal."
On Thursday NBC is scheduling "Will & Grace" and "My Name Is Earl" into the 8 p.m. (ET) block, while on Friday the network will run an episode of "Deal" in the time period.
On Wednesday at 8 p.m. "Cooking" scored a 1.5 preliminary national rating in adults 18 to 49, a number that includes live-plus-same-day viewing, according to Nielsen Media Research. NBC was fifth in the time period in the demo on Wednesday. "Cooking" was also down 46 percent from its 9:02 p.m. debut on Monday.
The Art Of The Brand Name: Zenith Uses Canvass As Media by Joe Mandese, Friday, Apr 21, 2006 8:15 AM EST
Using media as a canvass to paint a portrait of their clients' brands.
On Saturday, Zenithmedia will start doing that literally for client Toyota's Scion brand. In what may be a first of its kind media effort for a major automotive brand, Zenithmedia will kick off a series of experiential media events that will set-up, break-down and set up again in major cities, much like the rave culture many of Scion's core consumer of men 18-24 can relate to. The first event, which will run for 30-days beginning Saturday, takes place in an abandoned supermarket at 580 Hayes Street, an artsy neighborhood in San Francisco, where cutting edge artists and popular deejays will render their own interpretations of the Scion brand to any passerby who cares to participate. Dubbed the "Scion Dashboard," the event, which is being produced with support from multimedia marketing shop malbon Brothers Farms and creative boutique Attik, is intended to be an unobtrusive way for hip, young men to interact with the Scion brand.
"The guy we are chasing is very suspicious of traditional media executions and things like that. They don't want to be talked to . They want to find out these things for themselves," says an executive familiar with the effort, which will be officially announced by Toyota today.
That's very much in keeping with the Scion brand, a car line that was created to appeal to skeptical young men who eschew marketing pitches, but want to discover, immerse and customize their own brands around their individual lifestyles.
"We just want them to come in and say, 'Wow, this stuff is cool.' We want to be known as the cool brand," says the insider, adding that the effort will not be benchmarked against traditional media metrics, such as post-buys, audience impressions, or even a CPM.
"We really are not like a packaged goods company where we need to see the CPM on everything we do. A lot of it is feel or gut. If we have an idea we think the public will take to, we don't get too hung up on the CPM," said the executive, noting this is increasingly true of the automotive category, which is willing to take risks with new forms of media that cannot be calculated based on conventional media value.
Automotive brands, in fact, have been some of the leading innovators of interactive TV efforts, including video-on-demand, satellite TV, broadband channels and other platforms that other mainstream marketers are still just thinking about.
Scion's experiential strategy also appears to be like no other before. While trendy West Coast artists such as Big Foot, Shawn Barber, and Ricardo Richey, do their thing on canvasses inside and outside 580 Hayes Street, pedestrians will be invited in to create their own renditions of Scions via computer assisted design programs, that will be printed on to t-shirts and jackets, which will be given away as premiums.
At the end of the 30-day San Francisco run, the experience will shut down and set up in another city, in an abandoned storefront, an empty garage, or some other underground venue in a fashionably cool neighborhood.
NBC's Comstock To Stations: Embrace New Platforms
THOUGH LOCAL AFFILIATES HAVE EXPRESSED concern that the spread of network programming to new platforms may hurt their business, a top NBC executive Thursday made the case that the practice can work to their benefit. Beth Comstock, NBC Universal's president of digital media and market development, told a gathering of local station executives that NBC's decision to make "The Office" available on iTunes has been a factor in higher ratings for the comedy, a benefit for both sides of the network-affiliate partnership.
"Making our TV programs available on new platforms does not cannibalize our TV audience, but in fact has the ability to attract new viewers," she said. "'The Office' has had its largest audiences on the NBC network since we made episodes available on iTunes. While you can't attribute it solely to iTunes, this enhanced exposure has certainly been good news for the network--and our affiliates."
Networks' moves to offer shows on iTunes and the Internet have upset affiliates who feel the networks may be developing a new revenue stream partly on their backs without compensating them. NBC this week announced plans to launch a joint venture with its affiliates to distribute streaming video called The National Broadband Company, though it was unclear how network shows from NBC might play a role.
Comstock made her comments during a keynote address to the Television Bureau of Advertising's annual marketing conference in New York, which this year focused on multiplatform opportunities for stations.
Comstock, who assumed her role in January and spearheaded NBCU's acquisition of iVillage, also offered stations a playbook for success as they bolster their online and other new platform offerings.
"In a time when it seems that every week brings a new announcement that is a challenge to the historic network-affiliate relationship, the 3 C's are your rock," she said. "Context, community, and content. These can be your competitive advantage."
In the "context" area, Comstock suggested stations not be afraid to provide content to consumers when and where they want it. Distribute news and information on Web sites and wireless devices to allow consumers to stay connected, she told station executives.
"How are you making yourself relevant in the context of your viewers' busy, matrixed lives?" she said.
Regarding community, Comstock said the Web is blossoming as a host to various communities, and stations, which have served as community hubs for years, are ideally positioned to transfer their loyal following to the Internet--even the sub-groups that are forming.
"People are hungry to engage," she said. "How can you create more opportunities to bring people together around different points of interest--as parents, as musicians, as whatever. The possibilities are limitless. I'd suggest this gives you a significant advantage as you morph into the digital age."
As for content, Comstock reiterated the mantra that stations can excel on the Web through video offerings. Users are increasingly hungry to consume video as broadband becomes more widespread, while video production is already a core competency of stations, she said.
"Your specialty is storytelling with video," she said. "And video is a growth market." Later, she said "as video moves to the Web, the power of video advertisements will move there as well."
Local video might be stations' differentiation point in the digital age, she said, though simply offering the same content on a different platform isn't sufficient. "It's not enough just to repurpose your television content onto digital platforms," she said. "The ultimate challenge is in developing good content that is right for the digital medium."
Television is the strongest ad medium
claims a Nielsen survey conducted for the Television Bureau of Advertising. The research revealed that 82 percent of Americans say television advertising is the most influential, a far higher number than newspapers (7 percent), radio (5 percent), the Internet (4 percent), or magazines (4 percent).
Nielsen conducted the survey of nearly 1,200 adults over a three-week period in January. The research was commissioned by the TVB, which released the favorable findings Thursday at its annual marketing conference in New York.
The research also asked people which advertising medium is "the most authoritative" and found that 51 percent cited television, compared with 24 percent for newspapers, 11 percent for magazines, 10 percent for radio, and 5 percent for the Internet.
Broadcast television also performed well in respondents' opinions of its news content. The survey showed more adults turn to broadcast television as their primary news source (44 percent) than cable news (24 percent), newspapers (11 percent), and the Internet and radio (both 9 percent).
The medium also topped the survey as adults' first source for local weather, traffic, or sports (56 percent), outperforming the Internet (13 percent) and radio (11 percent), with newspapers down the list at 7 percent.
www.nverzion.com
NVERZION Moves Headquarters to New Facility
Building to Include a New State-of-the-Art Lab
NVERZION, a 15 year leader in the digital broadcast and television station automation industry, today announced the move of its corporate headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT (USA). The new facility includes a state-of-the-art laboratory which will promote greater synergy among working teams, and accommodate the company's continuing growth. The new address is:
NVERZION
296 East 3900 South
Salt Lake City, Utah 84107 USA
Phone: 801-293-8420
"This new location will enable us to be even more responsive to our clients needs by giving us the space and tools we need to continue to provide some of the industry’s top broadcast automation solutions,” said Reed Haslam, Director of Sales for NVERZION. "We are very excited about our new onsite lab, and we plan to make the space available to our partners for demos, training, testing and so on to further enhance our culture of teamwork.”
Since opening their doors in 1991, NVERZION has established itself as an industry leader providing fully-customizable broadcast station automation, storage, archival and central-casting systems, as well as verification and logging solutions to organizations worldwide. The new larger building will enable NVERZION to centralize product/model development, R&D, information management, sales and marketing and administrative/systems support in the Salt Lake City headquarters to ensure that worldwide standards of high quality and consistency are met.
In the past five years NVERZION has seen a tremendous amount of growth and last year alone contracted a record number of new clients, driving revenue up as much as 115 percent.
“This new facility will enable us to continue on that trend,” commented Haslam.
With more than a dozen key industry partners, one key to NVERZION’s success has been the broad range of their station automation solutions. Modular in design, each component works well as either a part of an overall turnkey solution, or as single stand alone component. These tools will dub, segment, edit and schedule broadcast material while managing video servers, VTRs, master control switchers, multiplexers, character generators, satellite receivers, cart machines, storage systems, logo inserters, still stores, routers and more for a clean and powerful broadcast.
About NVERZION
NVERZION provides the tools that make digital broadcasting and television station automation a proven success. NVERZION offers the latest advancements in broadcasting by controlling the equipment that acquires, and distributes broadcast grade content through its progressive software solutions. This software combined with powerful broadcast equipment and engineering experience creates a network of efficient and reliable data control. Every NVERZION product is designed to take the guesswork out of system implementation by being intuitive and simple to use. And NVERZION backs everything they sell with worldwide training, service and support.
A REALLY STUPID IDEA:Philips' Proposed Device to Prevent Ad Skipping
A recent Royal Philips Electronics patent application that would prevent viewers from switching channels during commercials whipped TV watchers and media pundits into a frenzy yesterday, forcing the marketer to issue a statement to allay consumers' concerns.
Philips said its software would also allow viewers to watch TV with no advertising inserted.
Ad control software
The patent, filed March 30 but not yet approved, would force viewers to watch ads by locking the channel during commercials. It would, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark office filing, "prevent a viewer ... from switching channels when an advertisement is displayed," or if the show is pre-recorded, prevent viewers from "fast forwarding ... in order to skip past advertisements." The advertising-control software is applicable to any type of TV signal, analog or digital, and will work with either analog and digital TV signals or Internet connection, and will work for a program recorded on a VCR, DVR or playback device in a cable box, according to the Philips patent filing.
Media outlets from New York to California cried foul over the news, although the outcry may have been premature. Philips swiftly released a statement yesterday, pointing out that the technology, which most likely would be a feature on a TV or a set-top box, would offer the opposite result as well, allowing viewers to watch TV with no advertising inserted. The company added that it has no intention of forcing viewers to watch ads against their will and no plans to implement the technology in Philips products.
Viewer's choice
"We developed a system where the viewer can choose, at the beginning of a movie, to either watch the movie without ads, or watch the movie with ads. It is up to the viewer to take this decision, and up to the broadcaster to offer the various services," the company said in the statement.
Still, the idea that such technology exists and is being pursued by a major consumer electronics manufacturer is unsettling to some. Rants ranged from "This is complete crap!" from a MySpace blogger identified as Dana to "Marketers will bail out on this before it goes anywhere," said Steve Hall at AdRants. Technorati tallied more than 500 mentions of Philips yesterday vs. less than 250 on April 17. A quick glance at the results shows most were talking about the ad-watching patent.
More on the above story
Philips Electronics has filed a patent application for a technology which would prevent users from changing channels to avoid watching television commercials as well as prevent viewers from fast-forwarding through recorded advertisements.
has filed a for a technology which would prevent users from changing channels to avoid watching television commercials as well as prevent viewers from fast-forwarding through recorded advertisements.The basic idea is that broadcasters would embed special flags or control signals in television advertising. Playback devices with Philips' proposed technology would, upon receiving the signal or coming across it in recorded media (whether on VHS tape, a hard drive, or streamed within a home) disable channel-changing, fast-forwarding, and other ad-skipping features in the playback device. The result would be that viewers have no choice but to view the ads in real time. When the ads are over, broadcasters send a special control signal to re-enable channel changing.
Philips' rational for the technology is that the ability to change channels and fast-forward through recorded commercials diminishes the advertising revenue networks and broadcasters derive from programming. As such, Philips also envisions a system whereby viewers could pay a fee to broadcasters or providers to re-enable channel-switching or ad-skipping technologies during commercials. That way, the broadcasters wouldn't losing any revenue from those channel-hoppers and ad-skippers; instead, they'd become a revenue stream.
To their credit, Philips does imagine there might be some consumer backlash to this technology: "When the remote control keys of the video playback device cease to change channels during advertisements there is a very strong likelihood that the viewers will blame the video display device (and the manufacturer of the video display device) instead of the program broadcaster." Philips allows that device manufacturers therefore might want to let users override the feature-blocking capabilities—but, with the understanding that, if they do so, they may not be able to watch the "real" programming at all. Yep: as part of their control signal, broadcasters could say "if you enable users to channel-switch or fast-forward during this show's ads, you can't watch this show
Philips also envisions broadcasters might want to use the system to block display of non-ad programming unless the broadcasters can disable channel changing and fast-forwarding. So, a broadcaster might be able to say "If you don't disable channel-changing and fast-forwarding during my program's advertisements, your audience won't be allowed to watch it."
This is wonderful, glorious stuff. It's always great to see a forward-thinking company like Philips developing empowering technologies to make a better future.
You know, for advertisers. Not consumers
IAB Reports Top 10 Sites Got 72% of $12.5 Billion Total
Advertisers spent $12.5 billion for online advertising in 2005, 30% more than in 2004, according to the Advertising Revenue Report released today by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Internet advertising accounted for nearly 5% of total U.S. ad revenue in 2005.
There are no signs that the rapid growth of online advertising will slow down any time soon, according to the IAB.
Online ad revenue was up 34% in the fourth quarter of 2005 compared to the year-ago period.
Continued growth
Greg Stuart, CEO, IAB, said there are no signs that the swift growth of online advertising will slow down any time soon. "We are confident that this growth trend will continue as more marketers find interactive to be an imperative and additional platforms including broadband video, gaming, iPTV and others continue to emerge as real opportunities," Mr. Stuart said.
Last year 41% of ad dollars spent online went toward keyword search. Thirty-four percent was spent for display advertising, a category that includes sponsorship, slotting fees and rich media, down from 2004 (39%). Classified ads had virtually the same share of the market (17% in '04 vs. 18% in '05). Spending on referrals and lead generation increased from 2% in 2004 to 6% of the market in 2005.
B-to-B and consumer split
Online ad sales are about evenly split between business-to-business advertisers and consumer advertisers (49% to 51%). Of consumer advertisers, 47% of the ad spending is done by the retail industry, 20% automotive, 14% leisure and 10% entertainment.
However, only a few leading companies are reaping most of the benefits of all this ad spending online. Seventy-two percent of all revenue collected in the fourth quarter of 2005 was earned by the top 10 ad-selling companies. Ninety-five percent of all revenue was earned by the top 50 companies.
ANA/AICP Event: Survey Finds Advertisers Believe Strategy Is Effective
A survey by the Association of National Advertisers found that more marketers are using branded entertainment this year than last year, and most are doing it because they believe it is an effective way to reach consumers. The results of the second annual survey were unveiled at ANA's and the Association of Independent Commercial Producers' "The Forum for Branded Entertainment …Live!" held yesterday in the "Saturday Night Live" studio at NBC.
'TV is still the big engine driving this bus,' Reveille founder Ben Silverman told ANA attendees yesterday.
Exploring results
In front of the well-known "SNL" Grand Central facade, a panel moderated by Advertising Age's Associate Publisher Scott Donaton, explored the results of ANA's Branded Entertainment Survey. Panelists included Pam Dickey, executive director-brand advertising at AOL; Colleen Milway, global media director, Campbell Soup Co.; and Jak Severson, managing partner of Madison Road Entertainment.
ANA's study compiled responses from 117 client-side marketers and compared the results to a similar survey conducted last year. Sixty-six percent of respondents indicated that their companies participated in branded-entertainment projects (up slightly from 63% in 2005). Respondents said they are using branded entertainment because they find the strategy to be effective, and not just because it is trendy. Only 2% of the respondents indicated that they chose to use branded entertainment because it is a hot new communications tool, down from 9% in 2005.
Most respondents who said they don't use branded entertainment did so because their brands don't lend themselves to meaningful integration. The panel spoke about the importance of matching a product with its placement, a theme that was revisited throughout the conference. Explaining his strategy for selecting advertising partners, Mr. Severson said: "If the brand doesn't make the show better, the brand doesn't make the show."
Don't force it
Advertisers also want their product to fit seamlessly into the entertainment. If a placement looks forced, it alienates viewers and defeats the purpose of the placement. Ms Dickey said AOL's goal when placing a product is to have the viewers ask themselves, "Did the company pay for that or were they just lucky?"
The inability to measure branded entertainment's impact was a major concern among many respondents. Ms. Milway said this was sometimes an issue for Campbells because there's no good way to measure buzz. A multitude of marketing elements drive the business so it is hard to isolate how much each marketing strategy contributes to sales.
Eighty percent of companies participating in branded entertainment used TV as their medium of choice, while 45% used theatrical movies and 28% have used the Web.
Second panel
In the second panel of the day, moderated by Mitchell Kanner, founder and CEO of 2 Degrees Ventures, the discussion focused on the need to use a multiplatform approach. Panelists included Hugh Miskel, director-event marketing, Home Depot; Steve Pacheco, managing director-advertising, FedEx Corp.; Simon Renshaw, president, Strategic Artists Management; Sarah Ross, senior director-partnership and integrated content marketing, Yahoo; Ben Silverman, co-creator and executive producer of NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and CEO of Reveille; and Gayle Troberman, senior director-branded entertainment, Microsoft Corp.
Panelists spoke at length about how the Internet can be an excellent way to leverage TV exposure as well as an effective entertainment property in its own right. Advertisers praised consumers' engagement with the Web, as well as its ability to deliver hard numbers so marketers can demonstrate return on investment. Panelists cited Pontiac's tie-in with NBC's "The Apprentice." By directing people to Pontiac's Web site through keywords, Pontiac got enough responses in the first 41 minutes after the brand appeared on the show to generate the sale of 1,000 cars.
The panel also praised the ability of the Web to create an ongoing relationship between an audience and a brand. "It's very different than producing your 60-second spot, buying your media and walking away," Ms. Troberman said. Yet, the panelists emphasized the best bet is integrating the presentation of a message between media, rather than pulling ad dollars from TV and directing them all online. "TV is still the big engine driving this bus," Mr. Silverman said.
TANDBERG Television Accelerates Video Compression Lead with Innovation Packed NAB Demonstrations
Shows early benefits of SkyStream integration
Advances solutions for HDTV and IPTV with HD PiP and low bit-rate HDTV
Completes MPEG-4 AVC SD/HD delivery chain with new content exchange and newsgathering systems
TANDBERG Television (TAT.OL) today announced that its NAB stands will feature a number of video compression technology innovations that accelerate the company's lead in the global standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and SMPTE VC-1 video head-end market.
TANDBERG Television comes to NAB with expanded compression capabilities thanks to the recent purchase of SkyStream. The acquisition combines two highly complementary, best-in-class technology lines, providing TANDBERG Television with increased encoding density and new transcoding solutions. In turn, SkyStream can now harness TANDBERG Television's engineering critical mass to deliver premium SD video quality and HD AVC encoding. At NAB, both companies will show early integration results as part of their live demonstrations. The SkyStream iPlex/Mediaplex products will feature as part of the new iSIS 8000 IP head-end system launch on the TANDBERG Television booth (#SU1164). Moreover, the TANDBERG HD MPEG-4 AVC encoder will be demonstrated on the SkyStream booth (#SL2987).
In addition, a series of new NAB TANDBERG Television compression launches will deliver increased picture quality and enable a diverse range of digital video applications, including:
HD and SD Picture-in-Picture - TANDBERG Television is showcasing its latest developments in picture-in-picture (PiP) technology thatincrease operator options for real consumer benefits, such as enabling second channel live viewing, advanced video mosaics, next-evolution video programming guides, user configurable multi-view screens and the simultaneous delivery of content to mobile, handheld or web streaming devices.
TANDBERG Television is showcasing its latest developments in picture-in-picture (PiP) technology thatincrease operator options for real consumer benefits, such as enabling second channel live viewing, advanced video mosaics, next-evolution video programming guides, user configurable multi-view screens and the simultaneous delivery of content to mobile, handheld or web streaming devices.TANDBERG Television is already shipping SD PiP in its MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1 encoders. At NAB, the company will launch PiP capability on its HD encoders, delivering outstanding quality and 3-in-1 resolution choices with its EN5990 encoder being able to output MPEG-4 AVC HD main video (either 720p or 1080i), "HD-PIP" which is user selectable with resolutions from 192x192, SIF through to full resolution SD running between 256Kbit/s -> 5Mbit/s and "Micro-PIP" with 96x96 (PAL) / 96x80 (NTSC) resolution. This ability to deliver a full resolution SD version of the HD channel opens up several possibilities for broadcasters and operators and enables a number of HD user multiview applications. With HD source in and both HD and SD versions of the same channel out, SD only subscribers would get a chance to see the HD channel content.
Over 500 channels of MPEG-4 AVC HDTV - The TANDBERG EN5990 MPEG-4 AVC HD encoding system is already enabling North American DTH providers, including DIRECTV, to deliver hundreds of channels of HD programming. In working systems at NAB, TANDBERG Television will push the HD boundaries further, reducing the lower limit on its HD statistically multiplexed head-end demonstration down to 1 Mbit/s to deliver a six channel HD statistical multiplexing system operating at 40Mbit/s with each service at full resolution 1920x1080i.
- The TANDBERG EN5990 MPEG-4 AVC HD encoding system is already enabling North American DTH providers, including DIRECTV, to deliver hundreds of channels of HD programming. In working systems at NAB, TANDBERG Television will push the HD boundaries further, reducing the lower limit on its HD statistically multiplexed head-end demonstration down to 1 Mbit/s to deliver a six channel HD statistical multiplexing system operating at 40Mbit/s with each service at full resolution 1920x1080i.IP Head-end - NAB will see TANDBERG Television move its IP strategy forward with the launch of a complete IP-based system designed to change the face of IP video head-ends in both contribution and distribution networks and in large and small scale DTH cable, satellite, terrestrial and telco platforms. The iSIS 8000 IP system includes best-in-class MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1 video encoding and transcoding, IP multiplexing and new receiver/decoders, all based on over five years of IP development at TANDBERG Television, and brought together under a single control and management system, nCompass.
NAB will see TANDBERG Television move its IP strategy forward with the launch of a complete IP-based system designed to change the face of IP video head-ends in both contribution and distribution networks and in large and small scale DTH cable, satellite, terrestrial and telco platforms. The iSIS 8000 IP system includes best-in-class MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1 video encoding and transcoding, IP multiplexing and new receiver/decoders, all based on over five years of IP development at TANDBERG Television, and brought together under a single control and management system, nCompass.Content Exchange - TANDBERG Television is taking SD and HD MPEG-4 AVC into the content exchange world with new solutions for HD MPEG-4 AVC satellite and electronic newsgathering. In addition, the NAB launch of the world's first professional multi-format MPEG-2/MPEG-4 AVC SD/HD decoder, the RX1290, enables network operators and broadcasters to deliver content from studio to studio and across networks to regional head-ends and affiliates.
TANDBERG Television is taking SD and HD MPEG-4 AVC into the content exchange world with new solutions for HD MPEG-4 AVC satellite and electronic newsgathering. In addition, the NAB launch of the world's first professional multi-format MPEG-2/MPEG-4 AVC SD/HD decoder, the RX1290, enables network operators and broadcasters to deliver content from studio to studio and across networks to regional head-ends and affiliates.MPEG-2 Premium Quality - NAB will also see TANDBERG Television continue to deliver industry leading picture quality and bandwidth savings across its SD and HD MPEG-2 encoder range with a number of new features. These include encoder support for SMPTE 302-2002 PCM audio, SMPTE 334M closed caption support for SD and HD and the launch of HD multipass encoding for improved statistical multiplexing performance. TANDBERG Television will also show increased integration with Triveni Digital PSIP Generation solutions, jointly deployed in a large number of ATSC stations. Greater system synchronization will ensure configuration changes made in the multiplexer are carried through to the Triveni GuideBuilder PSIP generator so that PSIP information is remapped accordingly during channel lineup changes without manual intervention by the operator. In addition, for higher system reliability, PSIP information generated by Triveni Digital GuideBuilder will be inserted into the multiplexer where it will be carouselled for playout, protecting against the event of a failure with the GuideBuilder.
NAB will also see TANDBERG Television continue to deliver industry leading picture quality and bandwidth savings across its SD and HD MPEG-2 encoder range with a number of new features. These include encoder support for SMPTE 302-2002 PCM audio, SMPTE 334M closed caption support for SD and HD and the launch of HD multipass encoding for improved statistical multiplexing performance. TANDBERG Television will also show increased integration with Triveni Digital PSIP Generation solutions, jointly deployed in a large number of ATSC stations. Greater system synchronization will ensure configuration changes made in the multiplexer are carried through to the Triveni GuideBuilder PSIP generator so that PSIP information is remapped accordingly during channel lineup changes without manual intervention by the operator. In addition, for higher system reliability, PSIP information generated by Triveni Digital GuideBuilder will be inserted into the multiplexer where it will be carouselled for playout, protecting against the event of a failure with the GuideBuilder."Video compression is at the heart of our business. As the global leader in video head-end shipments we are proud of our heritage of industry firsts in the compression business and excited by the future. At NAB we will show a range of new products and features for MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1 that are designed to ensure that our customers can deliver the best possible picture quality in the most efficient bit-rates and launch exciting new video services," says Eric Cooney, President and CEO of TANDBERG Television.
About TANDBERG Television
Whether it's advanced compression systems, on-demand or interactive television, TANDBERG Television delivers the technology and expertise that is moving digital video forward. The company's award-winning solutions are used by the world's leading network operators, broadcasters and content owners to deliver new viewer experiences and advertising opportunities. With a broad suite of open, standards-based products, TANDBERG Television offers the highest quality digital TV solutions including IPTV, HDTV, video-on-demand, advertising on-demand, and interactive TV applications to customers in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa. For more information, please visit www.tandbergtv.com.
TANDBERG Television Re-Shapes the Future of Video Head-Ends with NAB Launch of iSIS 8000 IP System
Follows acquisition of SkyStream with announcement of industry's most complete IP system for central and regional head-ends
NAB introduction of new IP products and features, includes MX8400 Multiplexer and nCompass Control V5
TANDBERG Television (TAT.OL) today moved its IP strategy forward with the NAB launch of a complete IP-based system designed to change the face of IP video head-ends in both contribution and distribution networks and in large and small scale DTH cable, satellite, terrestrial and telco platforms. The iSIS 8000 IP system includes best-in-class MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and SMPTE VC-1 video encoding and transcoding, IP multiplexing and new receiver/decoders, all based on over five years of IP development at TANDBERG Television, and brought together under a single control and management system, nCompass.
"IP is the great leveller in the digital video market. The future of IP is secure as the operational and cost efficiencies it provides bring enormous benefits to all operators. At NAB we will launch our new IP head-end system combining new products into a complete solution. The new iSIS 8000 combines best-in-class TANDBERG Television technologies with SkyStream award-winning IP products to offer operators a very broad range of options, whatever the size, scale or application of their network," says Roger Bolton, VP of Business Development at TANDBERG Television.
At the heart of the iSIS 8000 system is TANDBERG Television's extensive capability in video processing and multiplexing, now further expanded with the addition of the SkyStream xPlex range. New at NAB will be the TANDBERG MX8400 IP Multiplexer, a next generation product designed for central head-end applications including primary multiplexing for large DTH satellite, cable and terrestrial and contribution and distribution systems. This open standards, IP based product enables the simplification of systems and with support for up to 4 independent multiplexed outputs from a single unit, eases future expansion and delivers significant reduction in infrastructure costs. Moreover, the combination of ReflexTM statistical multiplexing and advanced multiplexing architectures ensures maximum usage of available bit-rate. TANDBERG Television has always led the market in terms of conditional access integration and has continued this with the iSIS 8000, including a number of DVB Simulcrypt integrations that are available at launch.
For large head-end and central office video processing, and local channel insertion and public, education and government (PEG) channel encoding, TANDBERG Television has integrated the SkyStream MediaPlex / iPlex into the iSIS 8000 system. The MediaPlex and iPlex are flexible switched digital video processing platforms capable of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC SD Encoding, MPEG-2 SD Transrating, MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 AVC Transcoding, multiplexing, de-multiplexing, routing and streaming. With their capability of simultaneous outputs over ATM, IP and ASI transport streams, the NEBS-compliant ultra-compact iPlex and high-density MediaPlex are the ultimate chassis-based solutions for hybrid transmission networks, such as dual cable and IPTV delivery to the home.
Both the TANDBERG MX8400 and the xPLEX head-ends will be fully integrated with the latest version of TANDBERG Television's industry leading nCompass management applications, which combine ease of use with advanced control and management. NAB will see a new version of TANDBERG nCompass Control, v5.0, providing redundancy protection for the MX8400 and the xPLEX in both 1+1 and N+M multiplexer configurations. TANDBERG nCompass Control is ideally suited to controlling and monitoring satellite, cable and terrestrial super head-ends, especially where n+m multiplexing is required to save costs. Powerful re-multiplexing capabilities make it perfect for digital turnaround applications. Cost-effective control of standalone devices through intelligent web pages is available for the simpler regional head-end.
Other new iSIS 8000 system components and features to be launched at NAB include:Dual GigE Encoder output - NAB will see the debut of the new TANDBERG dual GigE output card in the EN5900 and E5700 encoding ranges for MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1. The encoder to multiplexer transport stream data connection has a dedicated high speed IP output and provides full redundancy protection of the transport stream data. The transport stream output from the encoder is transmitted on both outputs simultaneously as a multicast packet stream and full N+M encoder redundancy is provided. The dual GigE Encoder output option card also supports splitting of the encoder multi-program transport stream outputs into separate multicasts - so for example the EN5930's MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and PIP programs can all be multicast on separate addresses.
NAB will see the debut of the new TANDBERG dual GigE output card in the EN5900 and E5700 encoding ranges for MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1. The encoder to multiplexer transport stream data connection has a dedicated high speed IP output and provides full redundancy protection of the transport stream data. The transport stream output from the encoder is transmitted on both outputs simultaneously as a multicast packet stream and full N+M encoder redundancy is provided. The dual GigE Encoder output option card also supports splitting of the encoder multi-program transport stream outputs into separate multicasts - so for example the EN5930's MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC and PIP programs can all be multicast on separate addresses.TANDBERG RX1290 - the world's first professional multiformat MPEG-2/MPEG-4 AVC SD/HD decoder being launched at NAB will enable network operators and broadcasters to deliver IP streams of standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) content from studio to studio and across networks to regional head-ends and affiliates.
the world's first professional multiformat MPEG-2/MPEG-4 AVC SD/HD decoder being launched at NAB will enable network operators and broadcasters to deliver IP streams of standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) content from studio to studio and across networks to regional head-ends and affiliates. (see separate press release).TANDBERG RX5130 Descrambler - the latest generation of the TANDBERG DVB-CA Common Interface Descrambler features satellite and transport stream input, with optional IP output, and is a key component in the turnaround of content into the broadcast head-end. By removing the previous transmission scrambling the RX5130 enables programming to be processed, and re-multiplexed for onward broadcast.
the latest generation of the TANDBERG DVB-CA Common Interface Descrambler features satellite and transport stream input, with optional IP output, and is a key component in the turnaround of content into the broadcast head-end. By removing the previous transmission scrambling the RX5130 enables programming to be processed, and re-multiplexed for onward broadcast.About TANDBERG Television
Whether it's advanced compression systems, on-demand or interactive television, TANDBERG Television delivers the technology and expertise that is moving digital video forward. The company's award-winning solutions are used by the world's leading network operators, broadcasters and content owners to deliver new viewer experiences and advertising opportunities. With a broad suite of open, standards-based products, TANDBERG Television offers the highest quality digital TV solutions including IPTV, HDTV, video-on-demand, advertising on-demand, and interactive TV applications to customers in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa. For more information, please visit www.tandbergtv.com
Disney/Pixar's 'CARS'
The Stars of Disney/Pixar's 'CARS' Hit the Road for 'CARS Road Trip '06'
Presented by State Farm(R) Friday April 21, 2006
WHO: "CARS" stars Lightning McQueen and Sally Carrera along
with voice talent Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt and Academy
Award(R)-winning director John Lasseter as well as Pam
El, VP of Marketing for State Farm and Tom Kelly, VP
Marketing for Mack Trucks, Inc.
WHAT: Two of the stars of Disney/Pixar's exciting new
computer-animated feature "CARS" will race straight off
the movie screen and into the real world as actual
life-sized models of hotshot rookie racecar Lightning
McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) and Sally Carrera, a
snazzy 2002 Porsche 911 (voiced by Bonnie Hunt) hit the
road this week for Disney/Pixar's "CARS Road Trip '06"
presented by State Farm, it was announced today by Brett
Dicker, Executive Vice President of Buena Vista Pictures
Marketing.
Disney/Pixar's "CARS Road Trip 06" presented by State
Farm will bring the "CARS" stars to life through
interactive experiences. The tour, which was designed
and will be managed by the Becker Group, will cross the
country with stops in over 40 cities and be highlighted
by an appearance at the World Premiere for
Disney/Pixar's "CARS" on May 26 in Charlotte, NC at the
Lowe's Motor Speedway. The cars will ride in style via
a special truck inspired by the character Mack, which
will be provided by Mack Trucks, Inc. As the number one
auto insurer in the U.S., and with their headquarters
located along Route 66, State Farm sought to sponsor
"CARS Road Trip '06" in addition to their category
sponsorship of "CARS."
Footage will include: clips from the film and
behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the actual
life-sized cars as well as soundbites from "CARS" stars
Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt and director John Lasseter as
well as Pam El, VP of Marketing for State Farm and Tom
Kelly, VP Marketing for Mack Trucks, Inc.
WHEN: Friday, April 21, 2006
3:00 - 3:15PM EDT / 12:00 - 12:15PM PDT
Dave Matthews, Paul McCartney, Glenn Close, Martha Stewart, Bette Midler, Peter Max, Christie Brinkley and Their Friends Headline Gala Third Annual Chevy Chase Earth Day Auction
Based on their prior successful auctions, Jayni and Chevy are thrilled that scores of their friends from the world of Hollywood and professional sports will be participating in The Third Annual Chevy Chase Earth Day Auction which is now live online at http://www.charitybuzz.com/. In addition, this year, Earth Day Network and The New York Coalition for Healthy School Lunches have joined forces in what is anticipated to be the leading Earth Day event of the season.
Have you ever been invited by Dave Matthews as his VIP guest to see him in concert? Would you want to dress up with Bette Midler and attend her Hulaween Ball in style? Would you enjoy getting painted by Peter Max, have brunch with Blythe Danner, lunch with Bob Newhart or laugh with Sandra Bernhard? Fans of everyone from Glenn Close to Neil Patrick Harris to Nine Inch Nails will find an experience for them. Gourmet cooking lessons with Jayni and Chevy in their kitchen will certainly be in demand and the world's most adorable Yorkshire Terrier is offered for adoption. This auction truly has something for everyone!
From the television world, Martha Stewart will give a personal tour of her show. Special packages are also available with Jon Stewart, Dave Letterman, Tony Danza, Larry David, SNL and even General Hospital.
Sports fans can bid on Mohammad Ali autographed gloves or they can enjoy a round at Trump International or even play golf with Pat Boone in his tournament. Bud Collins will give a tour of the US Open, Chris Evert is donating tennis lessons and Christie Brinkley will lead a kayak tour through East Hampton. New York City insiders can attend a Yankees game in the owners' box. Additional lots are included from Ed Norton, James Blake, Judge Judy and more with additions being made daily.
Fabulous trips are included ranging from Beverly Hills to an African Safari. Steve Case's Miraval is donating a luxury trip and Dan Akryod's House of Blues is a feature attraction in New Orleans. The leading environmental blogger, Graham Hill is even offering an internship with treehugger!
Source: Charitybuzz
Web site: http://www.charitybuzz.com/
Square Enix Announces Settlement in Movie Piracy Case
- The Company Restates Its Aggressive Anti-Piracy Policy -
SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD., a Tokyo-based leading digital content company ("Square Enix"), announced today that it has reached a settlement in an infringement case involving its latest full-length DVD / UMD movie Final Fantasy(R) VII: Advent Children and is stepping up its anti-piracy enforcement with aggressive initiatives being taken against individuals and organizations involved in the theft and unauthorized use of the company's intellectual properties.
On April 17, 2006, Square Enix reached a confidential settlement with an infringer who uploaded to the Internet an unauthorized full-length copy of the DVD / UMD movie, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. For more information about the movie, check out http://www.square-enix-usa.com/dvd/ff7ac/. Shortly after the culprit uploaded the pirated copy of the movie to the Google Video website, Square Enix discovered the link and demanded that Google take down the copy. Google complied with Square Enix's demand and, in accordance with U.S. copyright law, removed the illegal copy from the Google Video website. Square Enix then investigated, located, and prosecuted the culprit who uploaded the movie. On April 17, 2006, the culprit admitted that he illegally uploaded to the Google Video website a pirated copy of the movie, and he agreed to pay a confidential monetary sum to Square Enix for damages.
"In connection with the release of the movie, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, we are actively pursuing those who commit intellectual property infringement against our company," said Yasuhiko Hasegawa, Square Enix's General Manager of Legal Affairs. "Any illegal activities, including the illegal uploading of Square Enix content to Internet sites and the unauthorized copying of Square Enix games, music, movies, images, and other intellectual property, will be prosecuted. While Square Enix appreciates the enthusiasm of its fans, and values its relationship with them, it is also obligated to protect its intellectual property rights or risk weakening or losing the very rights that enable the company to continue to provide its fans with an exciting entertainment experience."
The much anticipated English-language-dubbed version of the movie, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children will be released in North America and the U.K. on April 25, 2006 and April 24, 2006, respectively.
About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.
With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. ("Square Enix") develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises -- FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 65 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST(TM), which has sold over 40 million units worldwide -- under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.
SQUARE ENIX, INC. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix with offices in Los Angeles, California and Seattle, Washington. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on SQUARE ENIX, INC. can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com/na.
FINAL FANTASY, DRAGONQUEST, and the SQUARE ENIX logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Square Enix Co., Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries.
Source: Square Enix, Inc.
What Music Do Dogs Like to Hear? Survey Asks in Prep for First Ever 'Canine Concert'
Munrab Entertainment plans to hold the world's first "Canine Concert" on May 9th, from noon to 1 pm, at Wooldridge Square (900 Guadalupe) in Austin, Texas, an event where live music is played at a sound level only dogs can hear.
In order to find the right band for the canines, Munrab is asking people to vote at www.CanineConcert.com on what type of music they think their dogs want to hear.
"Dogs are forced to listen to whatever music is blaring in their ears but no one ever considers their feelings," says Suzanne Burns, a dog-loving spokesperson for Munrab. "They might prefer jazz over rock, or punk over folk. Who knows?"
Munrab plans to have special audio equipment on hand to adjust the live music the dogs will hear. Just as a dog whistle sounds at a level canines can hear but people can't, the Canine Concert will have a band playing their music aimed at the pitch dogs will enjoy.
The loudness of a sound is measured in 'phons,' which is defined as numerically equal to the sound intensity in 'db' relative to a sound pressure 0.0002 dynes/cm^2 of a single frequency of 1000 cycles/sec.
Typically, a dog whistle is within the range of 16000 Hz to 22000 Hz with only the frequencies below 20000 Hz audible to the human ear. The Canine Concert will use special equipment to adjust the live music so only dogs can hear it.
Anyone can bring their dogs, as long as they are on leashes. Canines may bring musical instruments, as well.
"It's all a grand experiment to make dogs happy," says Burns. "We like people but dogs are our best friends."
To cast your vote see http://www.canineconcert.com/
Source: Munrab Entertainment
Web site: http://www.canineconcert.com/
The Los Angeles Press Club Presents: Taking the Leap - From Journalist to Author
Turn your stories and ideas into a book. A panel of recent journalist/authors will offer tips, explain the triumphs and pitfalls. Come hear:
-- David Willis, on book leave from the BBC to pen a volume about the
California dream
-- Chip Jacobs of the L.A. Daily News, wrote a book about his family
-- Francesca Segre, whose novel "Daughter of the Bride," has been optioned
by Columbia
WHEN: Thursday, April 27.
6:30 p.m. cocktails, networking and book signing
7:30 p.m. program
WHERE: at the club,
Steve Allen Theater,
4773 Hollywood Boulevard
Free parking; Metro: red line, Sunset/Vermont Station
Co-sponsored by: PR Newswire
More info: http://www.lapressclub.org/
Actors Expo, Hosted by Mario Lopez and Featuring Special Guest Speakers Renny Harlin, Kia Jam and Victor Webster, Arrives in South Florida April 29
Actors Expo, the premiere event for aspiring actors, will be at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center in Hollywood, Florida, Saturday, April 29. This all-day forum offers a panel discussion of what actors need to know in order to start acting, continue acting, or to take it to the next level.
The panel features film and television heavyweights, including host Mario Lopez ("Saved By the Bell," "Pacific Blue," "The Other Half" and "The Bold and the Beautiful") and special guests, director Renny Harlin ("Die Hard2," "Cliffhanger," and Driven"), producer Kia Jam, Ascendant Pictures ("Lucky Number Slevin," "Juwanna Mann," and "The Jacket"), and actor Victor Webster ("Sex and the City," "Mutant X" and "The Lot"). These up-close-and-personal discussions will enable aspiring actors to learn how to make it in the film industry.
Actors Expo is the only place in South Florida that can provide the tools and resources necessary to reach individual goals in acting. Each guest panelist will speak candidly about what it takes to be a working actor, and will answer questions on everything needed to know about how to get the part ... but were afraid to ask. Some of the topics that will be discussed include how to search for and obtain an agent/manager and what producers and directors are looking for. The open panel will discuss film, television, casting calls, career advice and personal experiences from the pros to get started in this business. For those who have already begun acting or would like to start, there is Actors Expo.
Actors Expo was created by Paolo Sadri, an accomplished producer in the entertainment industry. The workshops will be held Saturday, April 29 at the Hollywood Central Performing Arts in Hollywood, FL. Cost is $100 for all 3 workshop classes or $50 for one workshop and each additional workshop is $30. For more information or to register for Actors Expo, please visit http://www.actorsexpo.net/ , email info@actorsexpo.net , or call 305-576-7005.
Source: Actors Expo
Web site: http://www.actorsexpo.net/
Bollywood Actress Named Spokesperson for Leading Gaming Site
TeenPattiParty.com Signs Exclusive Deal to Promote Its Gaming Site Across the Globe
TeenPattiParty.com announced that Mahima Choudhury, a leading Bollywood actress, will be the official spokesperson for the company. The actress, who burst into the Bollywood scene in 1997, was previously a model. She was featured in a Pepsi commercial in the mid-nineties with Miss World Aishwarya Rai.
Launched in June 2005, TeenPattiParty.com has helped connect the global South Asian family digitally, providing the best possible way for gamers to get together and relive their cherished moments playing teen patti, which is the Indian version of poker. Safe and secure encryption methods make the site the destination of choice for any player looking to connect with like-minded players and prove their skills at online gaming. In addition to teen patti, players may also choose to join texas hold 'em tournaments or play a wide range of casino games, including blackjack, craps, and roulette.
"I feel that TeenPattiParty.com is a fantastic way for online gamers to connect with each other, no matter where they live," said Mahima Choudhury.
Signing up to TeenPattiParty.com has never been easier, especially considering that every new signer gets $25 to play right off the bat. Added to this, the company promises to match 500% of the first deposit, making this the best promotion in online gaming for South Asians.
TeenPattiParty.com will promote its alliance with Mahima extensively, beginning with a press conference in late May, in New York City and Bombay. Look for Mahima Choudhury, new spokesperson for TeenPattiParty.com, in newspapers and on television to learn about new and exciting promotions for the site. It is expected that this promotion will lead to thousands of new users signing up. Be sure to check out all the teen patti fun on http://www.teenpattiparty.com!/
About TeenPattiParty.com
Since its launch in June 2005, TeenPattiParty.com has been and is the only teen patti website in the world. With hundreds of new users signing up daily, it has become the largest community portal for South Asians across the globe. Headquartered in Costa Rica, and with state-of-the-art software developed in Europe, the goal at TeenPattiParty.com is to provide the safety and comfort that customers seek when gambling online. The company guarantees secure transactions and confidentiality through their state-of-the-art technology platform.
Source: TeenPattiParty.com
Web site: http://www.teenpattiparty.com/
WhiteBlox Finalizes Network
WhiteBlox, the industry's leading broadcast network solutions provider, has finalized the network and links to broadcast exclusive online content for The NAB Show in Las Vegas on April 22-26, 2006. WhiteBlox will be airing content from the show LIVE over the Internet, free to the public, via its proprietary private-network building technology. The events can be accessed via the official NAB site: http://www.nabshow.com/ or at the WhiteBlox website: http://www.whiteblox.com/pressRelations/pressRelations_b.html. WhiteBlox's innovative broadband solution has been enabling viewers to access both live broadcasts and on-demand video programming through one interactive media player for more than three years. WhiteBlox provides an end-to-end solution, from video streaming to digital rights management to ad tracking, and is fully customizable to meet specific needs. In addition, WhiteBlox solutions are easy, scalable and customer friendly. The WhiteBlox system's integrated ToolBlox comprise technology components and management tools, including an Encoder, PlayBlox, AdBlox, ControlBlox and Distributor. These ToolBlox enable customers to start with any video, audio, text, graphics and other assets, and end up with a fully interactive broadband network.
To experience firsthand the dazzling array of features and unprecedented interactivity offered by WhiteBlox, be sure to stop by NAB Booth SL2407F in the Next Generation Content Delivery Showcase. To learn more about WhiteBlox, please visit www.whiteblox.com. About WhiteBlox WhiteBlox, a leading broadcast network solutions company, delivers robust technology and application services in a comprehensive production and delivery suite that allows companies to become their own IPTV broadcasters. WhiteBlox gives customers the flexibility, control and tools to leverage video assets and content into dynamic, engaging and profitable networks through use of its integrated broadband solutions.
NSCA Education Foundation Elects Two New Board Members
The NSCA Education Foundation recently elected two new integrator members to its Board of Directors during the 2006 NSCA Expo. Claire Ford, Ford Audio-Video of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and George Serban, President, Serban Sound Systems, Bakersfield, CA.
The Foundation board also re-elected its current executive committee for a second term. The executive committee consists of Tony Price, director of business development at Telex Communications in Burnsville, MN - President; Vice President Tom Frericks, president/CEO of Copp Systems Integrators in Dayton, OH, and Secretary/Treasurer Loyd Ivey, CEO and founder of Mitek Corporation in Phoenix, AZ. The Foundation board currently consists of 5 contractors and 4 manufacturer members.
“We are excited to have industry veterans and well known leaders such as George and Claire join the leadership of the NSCA Education Foundation,” said Tony Price, president NSCA Education Foundation. “Their industry and business knowledge will prove to be invaluable to the Foundation as we continue to implement industry education initiatives.”
Claire Mays Ford is Chief Executive Officer of Ford Audio-Video Systems, Inc., an Oklahoma City-based audio, video, and theatrical lighting contractor. Ford has directed the administrative and financial aspects of the company since its inception in 1973.
George Serban, is President of Serban Sound Systems, an company that specializes in the consultation, planning, design and installation of sound, data, voice and video systems. Serban has served the commercial electronic systems industry for more than 40 years.
About the NSCA Education Foundation
The NSCA Education Foundation is a charitable organization that supports educational initiatives which make the current and incoming workforce more efficient, reduce costs of doing business, promote a standard level of technical knowledge and bring trained professionals into the workforce. For more information about the NSCA Education
SPORTS & AUTOS
Oakland Dodger Baseball
(April 22)
LA Angels 5, Oakland 4 at McAfee Coliseum
LA Angels Record: (9-9)
Oakland Record: (8-10)
Winning pitcher - Jeff Weaver (1-2)
Losing pitcher - Dan Haren (0-2)
SV - Francisco Rodriguez (6)
LAA HR - G. Anderson (4)
OAK HR - N. Swisher (7)
LA Angels 3, Oakland 5 at McAfee Coliseum
LA Angels Record: (8-9)
Oakland Record: (8-9)
Winning pitcher - Rich Harden (3-0)
Losing pitcher - J.C. Romero (1-2)
SV - Kiko Calero (1)
LAA HR - G. Anderson (3)
OAK HR - E. Chavez (7)
Arizona 3, Los Angeles 6 at Dodger Stadium
Arizona Record: (7-10)
Los Angeles Record: (8-9)
Winning pitcher - Odalis Perez (3-0)
Losing pitcher - Orlando Hernandez (1-3)
SV - Danys Baez (4)
ARI HR - None
LAD HR - J. Drew (2)
Pistons and Spurs - can any other team challenge for the title?
Sportsbook.com posts odds on the playoffs and possible championship match-ups
The Pistons are out to prove they can win without Larry Brown, and the Spurs are out to pull off a repeat. The hardwood powerhouses have been the top teams all season. The Pistons are a 2-3 bet to take the title while the Spurs follow at 7-2. The odds of the pair meeting in the final is 8-5.
The Pistons are 1-3 favorites in the East, followed by Miami at 5-2, New Jersey at 7-2 and Cleveland at 18-1. In the West, the Spurs are an even pick to make it to the final, followed by Phoenix at 2-1 and Dallas at 3-1. If bettors think Detroit, Dallas or New Jersey are going to win the NBA title, they may want to take a look at the NHL playoffs as well.
Sportsbook.com is offering odds on teams from those three cities winning both championships. It would mark the first time both the NHL and NBA champions came from the same city in the same season. The Detroit Pistons/Red Wings tandem pays out at 9-2, followed by the Dallas Mavericks/Stars at 80-1 and the New Jersey Nets/Devils at 110-1.
"This is the most exciting time of the year for NBA fans. Everybody bets on the playoffs and this year's match-ups should be outstanding from a fan perspective," said Alex Czajkowski, Sportsbook.com. "There are clear favorties in Detroit and San Antonio but there are so many quality teams in the field that really, any one of five or six teams have a realistic shot."
Sportsbook.com is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, Sportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, Sportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and its products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.
Sportsbook.com is the flagship brand for Sportingbet PLC, , the world's leading publicly traded online gaming company. Sportingbet PLC, headquartered in London, England, has been voted number one in the industry for two years in a row by the authoritative eGaming Review Power 50 Survey.
Source: Sportsbook.com
Golf Legend Arnold Palmer to Play and Promote Constellation Energy Classic Return to Hayfields Country Club Sept. 11-17, 2006
Cal Ripken Jr. to Again Serve as Honorary Chair; All Proceeds to Benefit Area Charities; Full Week of Community Events Scheduled
The PGA TOUR Champions Tour will again be making a stop in Baltimore at the Fourth Annual Constellation Energy Classic to be held at Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, Md., from Sept. 11 - Sept. 17, 2006.
Golf legend Arnold Palmer has agreed to play and promote the September tournament, with Baltimore Orioles great Cal Ripken, Jr. once again serving as tournament Honorary Chairman.
Mr. Palmer plans to tee it up in the Constellation Energy Classic. Owner of 91 career wins worldwide, including eight major championships - 4 Masters, 2 British Opens, 1 US Open and 1 US Amateur, Mr. Palmer is one of the most beloved figures in golf and celebrated his 50th year in professional golf in 2004. One of Palmer's first professional victories came at the 1956 Eastern Open at Mt. Pleasant Golf Course in Baltimore.
Past Constellation Energy Classic fields have boasted some of the biggest names in golf, including Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Ben Crenshaw, Peter Jacobsen, Tom Kite, Hale Irwin and the inaugural Constellation Energy Classic Champion, Larry Nelson.
All proceeds from the Constellation Energy Classic, through its charitable foundation, the Baltimore Classic Fund, Inc., will benefit a variety of charities throughout the region. To date, the Constellation Energy Classic has raised more than $1.5 million for Maryland non-profits and expects to reach the $2 million mark in 2006.
Community events will be offered throughout the week of the tournament, including the McCormick & Co. Championship Pro-Am, Champions Day on Friday (all patrons 50 and over are admitted free) and Family Day on Saturday. More details on these and other community events related to the Constellation Energy Classic will be announced in the coming months.
The Golf Channel will provide live coverage of all three rounds of competition of the Constellation Energy Classic.
Volunteer Opportunities:
The Constellation Energy Classic offers numerous volunteer opportunities for golf fans and community service-minded individuals alike who want to get involved.
Volunteers are needed for everything from helping with scoring during the tournament, assisting on the practice range and coordinating golf cart and courtesy car distribution to tournament promotion, preparing the course for the event and providing crowd control in addition to many other duties that are essential to running a successful event.
Like other professional golf tournaments, volunteers who work during tournament week are required to purchase the volunteer package and wear the official uniform. The package includes a weeklong credential which allows entry to the tournament grounds, a weeklong volunteer parking pass, a tournament logoed hat, golf shirt(s), optional wind vest and lunch on work days during the event and an invitation to a volunteer appreciation party. As an added convenience, uniforms will be shipped directly to volunteers at no additional charge.
The cost of the volunteer package for 2006 will be $65.
For more information on volunteering at the Constellation Energy Classic, call the tournament office at 410-223-3081 to obtain an application or visit the tournament's homepage at http://www.ceclassic.com/.
Tickets:
To order tickets for the Constellation Energy Classic, call 410-223-3085 or go to http://www.ceclassic.com/. Ticket prices are among the lowest for any area professional sporting event. A grounds pass for Monday - Thursday is just $10, while a one-day grounds pass for Friday, Saturday or Sunday is just $15. A weeklong grounds pass is $50 and grants the ticket holder admission every day of the event. A weeklong clubhouse badge is $70 and offers the patron admission to the grounds throughout the week and clubhouse access Friday - Sunday.
Anyone purchasing a $50 weeklong pass or $70 clubhouse badge will receive $50 in dining certificates from McCormick & Schmick's. Children 16 and under are admitted free to the Constellation Energy Classic with a properly ticketed adult.
About Constellation Energy
Constellation Energy (http://www.constellation.com/), a FORTUNE 200 company with 2005 revenues of $17.1 billion, is the nation's largest competitive supplier of electricity to large commercial and industrial customers and the nation's largest wholesale power seller. Constellation Energy also manages fuels and energy services on behalf of energy intensive industries and utilities. It owns a diversified fleet of more than 100 generating units located throughout the United States, totaling approximately 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity. The company delivers electricity and natural gas through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), its regulated utility in Central Maryland.
About the Champions Tour
The Champions Tour is one of the PGA TOUR's three professional golf tours, and features the world's premier golfers age 50 and up. Since its inception in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour with just four events and purses totaling $475,000, the Champions Tour has grown significantly. It now has 30 official Charles Schwab Cup events offering more than $52.5 million in official prize money in 2005 and its highest average purse ever of $1.75 million.
Source: Constellation Energy Classic
Web site: http://www.ceclassic.com/
http://www.constellation.com/
Kenny Wallace to Drive National Day of Prayer Car Sponsored by Furniture Row in CUP at Talladega
NEXTEL CUP Driver Kenny Wallace is scheduled to drive the National Day of Prayer car #78 sponsored by Furniture Row for the NASCAR NEXTEL CUP race at Talladega Superspeedway.
The National Day of Prayer tradition predates the founding of the United States of America when the Continental Congress issued a proclamation setting aside a day of prayer in 1775. In 1952, Congress established an annual day of prayer and, in 1988, that law was amended, designating the National Day of Prayer as the first Thursday in May. For more information visit www.nationaldayofprayer.org.
In commemoration of the day, which falls on Thursday, May 4th, the #78 Furniture Row Chevy Monte Carlo CUP car will feature a new Sam Bass designed, red, white and blue paint scheme showcasing the National Day of Prayer logo for Talladega on April 30.
Based in Denver, Furniture Row Racing(R) is the NEXTEL Series' newest team, formed and sponsored by Furniture Row(R) Companies. Furniture Row(R) Companies is one of the largest family-owned specialty home furnishings and bedding retailers. The company is comprised of five specialty store brands including: Sofa Mart(R), Oak Express(R), Bedroom Expressions(R), Denver Mattress Co(R), and Big Sur Water Beds(R). For more information, please visit www.furniturerowracing.com.
Source: The National Day of Prayer
Web site: http://www.furniturerowracing.com/
Web site: http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/
Ford Escape Hybrid Electric Vehicle on Track for All-Time Record Sales on Eve of Earth Day
Ford Motor Company announced today that the Escape Hybrid is expected to post its highest sales month ever, following increased marketing initiatives, increased tax relief, and increased consumer environmental awareness.
In February, Ford introduced a national marketing campaign to increase consumer awareness of the benefits of the Escape Hybrid, partnering with Kermit the Frog. In March, Ford also introduced zero percent financing for up to 60 months, to further encourage growth of this important technology.
In April, Ford launched a new hybrid tax hotline, to help educate consumers about the federal, state and local government tax incentives available to Ford hybrid customers. Some consumers can save as much as $6,000 as a result of tax relief on both the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. According to the dealer hotline statistics, the top places to own an Escape Hybrid currently are West Virginia, Colorado, Oregon and Louisiana.
Ford was the first manufacturer to introduce a full hybrid SUV. The Hybrid Escape is the most fuel-efficient SUV on earth, returning 36 miles per gallon on the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) city cycle.
About Ford Hybrids
* In February 2006, PRIMEDIA's IntelliChoice.com, the online source for
automotive ownership cost and value analysis, named the Ford Escape
Hybrid 2WD "Best SUV Value Under $28,000" in its "Best Overall Value
of the Year" Awards and was the only U.S. auto manufacturer honored
among the very top vehicles by category.
* The 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid is the world's first hybrid-electric SUV
as well as the first hybrid built in North America.
* 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid was recognized as the 2005 North American
Truck of the Year.
* The Mercury Mariner Hybrid was named the first-ever "2006 Green Car
of the Year" by Green Car Journal.
* The Ford Escape Hybrid meets strict Super Ultra Low Emissions
Vehicle (SULEV II) and Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions
Vehicle (AT-PZEV) standards.
* The Escape Hybrid is a "full" hybrid, meaning it automatically
switches between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power or
combined operation to maximize efficiency and performance.
* Ford Motor Company has more than 150 patents from technological
innovations developed for its hybrid program.
* Ford Motor Company will increase its global hybrid production ten-fold
to approximately 250,000 units annually by 2010.
WHO: Ford Motor Company spokespeople are available to comment on the company's commitment to alternative fuel vehicles and its technology driving the latest environmental innovations in the auto industry.
Source: Ford Motor Company
Web site: http://www.ford.com/
The following is being issued by Rubber Manufacturers Association:
WHAT: Millions of vehicles on the road have at least one tire that is
significantly under inflated. AAA receives more than four
million tire-related roadside assistance calls, and worse,
nearly 700 fatalities and an additional 33,000 injuries occur on
the road each year as a result of tire related accidents.
With Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's written support, the
Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) is kicking off its fifth
annual National Tire Safety Week in Sacramento to educate
California drivers about the importance of proper tire care and
regular tire maintenance, which lead to a safer driving
experience, better gas mileage and a longer life for tires.
WHEN: Monday, April 24, 2006
10:30 a.m.
WHO: Mike Marando, Manager -- Public Affairs, California Office of
Traffic Safety
Steve Beeuwsaert, Assistant Chief, California Highway Patrol
Jenny Mack, Manager -- Public Affairs, AAA of Northern
California
Dan Zielinski, VP -- Communications, Rubber Manufacturers
Association
WHERE: Goodyear Automotive Service Center
1121 I Street
Sacramento
(916) 448-9393
DETAILS: National Tire Safety Week is April 23 - 29, 2006.
Activities will include:
* Helpful Tire Checks
Thousands of tire retailers and other automotive repair outlets
offer free tire pressure and tread depth checks and "how to's"
for drivers.
* Tire Safety Tips
Free information for drivers -- more than 14,000 outlets are
distributing RMA's "Be Tire Smart" brochure.
* 2006 Motorist Survey Data
Survey shows 81% of motorists DO NOT properly check tire
pressure.
For more information please visit http://www.betiresmart.org/ or http://www.safercar.gov/.
Source: Rubber Manufacturers Association
Ford Puts Augusta Motor Works In The Race
Ford Customer Service Division has put Augusta Motor Works on the hood of the #21 Motorcraft(R) Fusion for this weekend's Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. As part of Ford's national "When It Fits, You Win" Sweepstakes, Don Weiner of Augusta Motor Works, St. Cloud, Minnesota was chosen as the first of four Wild Card winners. Wild Card winners will get the name of their qualified installer business on the #21 Motorcraft(R) Fusion during a select 2006 race.
This weekend in Phoenix the "Augusta Motor Works" name will appear on the hood of the #21 Ford Fusion, all thanks to Wild Card winner and Augusta Motor Works shop technician Don Wiener. Wiener and shop owner, Adam Preusser, were enthused about the prize, saying the whole shop will be rooting for Kenny Schrader on Saturday night.
Ford's "When It Fits, You Win" is a national sweepstakes for independent automotive Mechanical Parts Installers. Eligible participants have a chance to win a 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang and other prizes by entering at
http://www.whenitfitsyouwin.com/ . The sweepstakes runs until Sept. 30, 2006.
. The sweepstakes runs until Sept. 30, 2006.The "When It Fits, You Win" Sweepstakes reinforces the message, "To help keep your Ford, Lincoln or Mercury running at its best, use the parts designed specifically for it -- Genuine Ford and Motorcraft(R) Parts," said Dan Merchak, Ford Customer Service Division Wholesale Channel Manager.
In addition to a chance to win the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang, each qualified registrant also is eligible to win prizes such as Snap-On Tools gift cards, Ford Racing Collectibles, Carroll Shelby autographed diecast Shelby Cobra Mustangs, leather racing jackets, and other prizes. Eligible participants can return to http://www.whenitfitsyouwin.com/ each day throughout the sweepstakes for a chance to win a daily instant prize.
Ten first-prize winners will enjoy a VIP trip for two to Ford Championship Weekend, Nov. 18 - 20, at Miami Homestead Speedway. Each first prize winner also will receive a key that may start the Grand Prize -- the Ford Shelby GT500. The individual with the key that starts the vehicle will win the Grand Prize.
The "When It Fits, You Win" web site also contains coupons and discounts on Ford Genuine and Motorcraft(R)-branded products.
The content on the web site features technical and product tips geared toward installers and monthly tips featuring Kenny Schrader - #21 Motorcraft(R) Ford Fusion.
Source: Ford Customer Service Division
Be Tire Smart Arizona! Regular Tire Care Can Improve Gas Mileage and Maximize Vehicle Safety
According to a 2006 survey, more than 80 percent of drivers do not properly check their tire pressure. For that reason, the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) will be kicking off the fifth annual National Tire Safety Week this Sunday, April 23 and is encouraging Arizona drivers to be more aware of what it takes to maintain safe tires.
Governor Janet Napolitano has voiced her support by issuing a statewide proclamation that will serve as an official weeklong reminder for Arizona drivers to check their tires. The RMA joined forces with the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety, Discount Tire, AAA-Arizona and the Arizona Department of Public Safety in Phoenix today to launch this year's effort to educate drivers on how and why it is so important to take care of their tires.
"Unfortunately not enough drivers realize the benefits that proper tire care can have," said Donald B. Shea, RMA President and CEO. "A quick check of your tires can improve your vehicle's gas mileage, maximize the lifespan of your tires and lead to a safer overall driving experience, but our research shows that not enough drivers are getting the message."
An RMA nationwide survey conducted in February, found:
* Only 19 percent of drivers properly check their tire inflation
pressure. Properly checking tires means checking at least once a
month before tires have been driven even a mile and inflating them to
the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure, not the pressure
listed on the tire sidewall.
* 28 percent of drivers wrongly believe that the best time to check
their tires is when they are warm after being driven at least a few
miles.
* Less than half of drivers know where to find the correct tire
pressure -- on a sticker in their vehicle that's usually found on the
driver's door or in the owner's manual. 53 percent wrongly believe
that the correct pressure is found on the tire sidewall.
* 73 percent of drivers do not check the tire pressure in their spare
tire.
* Each month, three out of four drivers wash their car while only about
one in five correctly checks their tire pressure.
RMA urges drivers to invest just five minutes each month for basic tire maintenance. If Arizona motorists are not sure about the best care for their tires they can have their tire pressure checked throughout the year free of charge at Discount Tire company locations, AAA-Approved Auto Repair facilities and many other tire retail stores.
National Tire Safety Week is an initiative of RMA's "Be Tire Smart -- Play Your PART" program to promote proper tire care, which leads to a safer driving experience. This year more than 14,000 tire retailers nationwide are participating in the effort to educate motorists about the importance of tire care. PART stands for Pressure, Alignment, Rotation and Tread, four basic elements of tire care.
More information about the "Be Tire Smart -- Play Your PART" program and National Tire Safety Week can be found at http://www.betiresmart.org/. Additional tire safety information can be found at NHTSA's web site, http://www.safercar.gov/ and on AAA club web sites at http://www.aaa.com/.
The Rubber Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for the rubber products industry. Its members include more than 100 companies that manufacture various rubber products, including tires, hoses, belts, seals, molded goods, and other finished rubber products. RMA members employ more than 120,000 workers and account for more than $21 billion in annual sales.
Source: Rubber Manufacturers Association
Web site: http://www.betiresmart.org/
http://www.safercar.gov/
http://www.aaa.com/
2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid Blends Great Performance, Style and Fuel Economy
With its distinctive exterior design, powerful 4-cylinder engine, sport-oriented suspension and spacious interior, Altima would seem to have it all. Now, Nissan (Nasdaq: NSANY) has found one more attribute that completes the Altima's line-up - superb fuel economy from a state-of-the-art hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain.
The Altima Hybrid continues Nissan's best-selling car's performance tradition in a new variation - a hybrid powertrain mates the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and Xtronic(TM) CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with an electric motor and generator that increases fuel economy while maintaining low tailpipe emissions.
The Altima Hybrid will be available in eight states. The vehicle has been certified to meet California emissions requirements and will be sold beginning in early 2007 in those states that have adopted California emissions regulations: California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine and New Jersey. These states are among the strongest markets for hybrid vehicles.
Passionate Driving That Takes Care of the Environment
Nissan's commitment to the environment takes a different form than might be found at other automakers.
While Nissan strives to offer the most advanced fuel-saving technology available, the company also believes that drivers should not have to sacrifice any of the style or performance attributes that remain at the top of the reasons for buying a new Nissan.
For that reason, the Altima Hybrid is marked with the same expressive styling as its non-hybrid brethren - inside and out. The engine and suspension in the Altima Hybrid deliver the same spirited performance as its more conventional siblings.
The combination of passionate driving and passion for the environment is what makes the Altima Hybrid the standout in its segment.
Altima Hybrid Follows Nissan Tradition
The Altima Hybrid is the latest in a long line of Nissan environmental automotive initiatives.
-- Nissan was the first automaker to introduce a partial zero emission vehicle (PZEV) with its Sentra CA in 2000. In many areas of California the air leaving the Sentra's tailpipe is cleaner than the air going into the engine.
-- Nissan expanded its PZEV offerings to include Altima's 2.5-liter engine in 2005.
-- Nissan's CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), introduced originally in March 1992 in Japan, is now available to increase fuel efficiency in small, medium and large passenger vehicles. Nissan expects to produce 1 million CVTs annually by the end of fiscal year 2007.
-- Nissan introduced the Tino hybrid in Japan in 2000.
-- Nissan brought the Altra EV and Hypermini EV to the U.S. with advanced lithium-ion batteries years before that battery technology caught on with EV experts and enthusiasts.
-- Nissan offers several flex fuel vehicles (FFV) around the world including the Nissan Titan.
-- Nissan continues to be among the leaders in the development of fuel cell vehicles, recently introducing an X-TRAIL model with a Nissan-designed fuel cell stack. Nissan has been an active partner in the California Fuel Cell Partnership since its early days.
Manufacturing
The new Altima HEV will be assembled at the Nissan North America Manufacturing Smyrna, Tennessee plant.
For more information on the Nissan Altima and other Nissan products, please visit http://www.nissannews.com.
Note: All horsepower ratings are per SAE J1349 AUG2004
Subaru Returns as Official Vehicle of National Garden Month
-- Company continues support of Gardening Association's GROW Campaign
Subaru of America, Inc. is pleased to announce its continuing support of the National Gardening Association's GROW campaign and will again return as the official vehicle of National Garden Month(R). GROW is a year-round promotional campaign that engages the public in all aspects of gardening. The focal point of the campaign is National Garden Month - a nationwide celebration of all things gardening including the 2006 Get Gardening Giveaway.
"Subaru and the National Gardening Association (NGA) believe in the power of gardening to transform environments, individuals and communities," said Rick Crosson, vice president, Subaru of America, Inc. "Subaru has a long history of supporting organizations that our customers care about. And gardening ranks extremely high in our customer research as an activity that Subaru customers tell us they most enjoy."
The Get Gardening Giveaway invites the public to share their garden tales as a This Is My Garden story. Interested participants can submit their story through the http://www.nationalgardenmonth.org/ website to be eligible to win the This is My Garden Grand Prize - a $2,500 shopping spree in the NGA's Garden Shop. Entries must be received by Sept. 31.
In addition, the organization is giving away $10,000 in gift certificates for simply submitting your email address.
For more information visit http://www.nationalgardenmonth.org/.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/.
The National Gardening Association, founded in 1972, is a national nonprofit leader in plant-based education. Our mission is to promote gardening as a means to renew and sustain the essential connection between people, plants, and the environment. To fulfill this mission we offer publications and programs focused on five core areas: youth education, health and wellness, environmental stewardship, community development, and home gardening. For more information, visit http://www.garden.org/.
Source: Subaru of America, Inc.
Web site: http://www.subaru.com/
http://www.nationalgardenmonth.org/
Professional Football Draft Party to Promote Inner-City Entrepreneurship
Former NFL Star Charles Haley to Bring Inspiration to Local Youth at TAFU Kick-Off Event
TAFU, an innovative new inner city entrepreneurial venture, today announced that former National Football League star Charles Haley will headline its inaugural event, a luncheon and party celebrating the 2006 NFL draft.
Mr. Haley, a five-time Pro Bowler and consensus future NFL Hall of Fame inductee, is the only player in NFL history to win five Super Bowls. Known for his tenacity and inner drive, he led some of the best defensive teams in league history over his twelve-year career, despite being undersized and coming from a relatively unknown college football program at Virginia's James Madison University.
Mr. Haley will speak to more than 200 youth from Texas Southern University and several Houston high schools, including Wheatley, Milby, Chavez, Kipp Academy and Madison, alma mater of famed National Champion Texas Longhorn Quarterback Vince Young. Haley will emphasize success principles such as preparation, persistence, teamwork and integrity.
The event, which will be held Saturday, April 29 from 9 AM until 3 PM at Houston's historic Ensemble Theater at 3533 Main St., will also feature KCOH Radio Sports Director Ralph Cooper and other local dignitaries. It will also spotlight the goods and services of several thriving new local small businesses. Tickets can be purchased by going to http://www.tafupower.com/ or by calling (832) 722-0904.
The party is the first major event sponsored by TAFU (pronounced Tay-Foo), an innovative new marketing and distribution company created specifically to build entrepreneurship and economic development in inner-city communities. Founded by Houston attorney Joseph Herbert and Dallas marketing and public relations executive Eddie Reeves, TAFU empowers businesses serving the inner city through a variety of marketing, distribution, consulting and financing solutions. For more information, or to purchase tickets, please call (832) 722-0904 or visit http://www.tafupower.com/ .
Source: TAFU Houston
DOD
A U.S. service member died in Afghanistan today and a Marine died in Iraq yesterday
U.S. officials announced today. A U.S. servicemember was killed today when a patrol was attacked by small-arms fire while investigating a cache near Deh Rawod, in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province. One Afghan National Army soldier was wounded in the engagement. The wounded soldier was evacuated to Kandahar for treatment. "We deeply mourn the loss of one of our soldiers.
We will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemy and help the Afghan National Army bring security to the people of Afghanistan," Army Col. Thomas Collins, a spokesman for Combined Forces Command Afghanistan, said. In Iraq, a Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7 died due to enemy action while operating in Anbar province yesterday. No further details were available. The deceased servicemembers' names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Defense officials have identified several servicemembers previously reported killed in Iraq. - Army Pfc. Robert J. Settle, 25, of Owensboro, Ky., died in Taji, April 19 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. Settle was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. - Army Capt. Ian P. Weikel, 31, of Colorado, died in Balad, April 18 from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Baghdad. Weikel was assigned to the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood. - Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore., died April 2, when the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Asad. Nettles was previously listed as "duty status whereabouts unknown." His body was recovered April 16. He was assigned to 1st Combat Logistics Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Patrick A. Tinnell, 25, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., died in As Siniyah, Iraq, on April 19, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated during a dismounted combat patrol. Tinnell was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Airmen Missing In Action From WWII are Identified
The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of eleven U.S. airmen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Capt. Thomas C. Paschal, El Monte, Calif.; 1st Lt. Frank P. Giugliano, New York, N.Y.; 1st Lt. James P. Gullion, Paris, Texas; 2nd Lt. Leland A. Rehmet, San Antonio, Texas; 2nd Lt. John A. Widsteen, Palo Alto, Calif., Staff Sgt. Richard F. King, Moultrie, Ga.; Staff Sgt. William Lowery, Republic, Pa..; Staff Sgt. Elgin J. Luckenbach, Luckenbach, Texas.; Staff Sgt. Marion B. May, Amarillo, Texas.; Sgt. Marshall P. Borofsky, Chicago, Ill.; Sgt. Walter G. Harm, Philadelphia, Penn.; all U.S. Army Air Forces.
The group remains of the entire crew are to be buried today at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, DC, as are the individual remains of each man with the exception of King, Giugliano and Widsteen, whose families have elected hometown burials. On April 16, 1944, Paschal and Widsteen were piloting a B-24J Liberator with the other nine men aboard. The aircraft was returning to Nadzab, New Guinea after bombing enemy targets near Hollandia. The plane was last seen off the coast of the island flying into poor weather.
The loss was investigated following the war and a military board concluded that the aircraft had been lost over water and was unrecoverable. In early 2001 a team of specialists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) interviewed a native of Papua New Guinea who claimed to have found the aircraft crash and recovered identification media for May and Harm. The team surveyed the site in 2002 and found wreckage that matched Paschal's aircraft tail number along with human remains. They also took custody of remains previously collected by the villager. Later that year, two additional JPAC teams excavated the crash site and recovered additional human remains and crew-related artifacts. Identification tags were found for Luckenbach,
May and Paschal. Other crew-related materials found were consistent with items used by the Army Air Forces around 1944. Mitochondrial DNA obtained from dental and bone samples was one of the forensic tools used by JPAC scientists and Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory specialists to identify the airmen.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Robert J. Settle, 25, of Owensboro, Ky., died in Taji, Iraq, on April 19, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during combat operations. Settle was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
DoD Identifies Navy Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcques J. Nettles, 22, of Beaverton, Ore., died April 2, when the truck he was riding in rolled over in a flash flood near Al Asad, Iraq. Nettles was previously listed as Duty Status - Whereabouts Unknown. His body was recovered April 16. He was assigned to 1st Combat Logistics Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Earth Day 2006: DoD Committed to Environmental Conservation
As it joins in the celebration of Earth Day 2006 tomorrow, the Defense Department is committed to conserving and improving the environment, while still accomplishing its mission of maintaining the nation's military readiness, a DoD official said here today. The global war on terror presents the U.S. with an agile, unpredictable enemy, so DoD's focus must be on the warfighter, Alex Beehler, assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for environment, safety and occupational health, said.
The best way to help the warfighter is to ensure the department has the natural resources to test weapons systems and train its forces by ensuring military installations and the surrounding communities remain viable, he said. In this way, military readiness and environmental conservation are inextricably linked. "It is imperative that we manage our assets in a sustainable manner so we can support the warfighter not only today, but also tomorrow and into the future," Beehler said. All branches of service will be celebrating Earth Day this year. The Air Force has had activities all week, starting April 19 with an Earth Day display in the Pentagon.
Today, the Air Force cleaned up a stretch of roadside and sidewalk on Army Navy Drive, adjacent to the Pentagon. The Air Force has also conducted promotions and sent e-mails to staff encouraging participation in Earth Day. Air Force installations across the country are conducting their own Earth Day activities, which include school presentations, tree planting and fundraisers. The Army's Earth Day theme is "sustaining the environment for a secure future." About 200 Army major commands, installations and organizations around the world are celebrating Earth Day with a focus on sustaining the environment to preserve natural resources for future generations, according to the Army's 2006 Earth Day message. "To achieve mission success, soldiers today and for generations to come need the right resources," the statement, signed by Army chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker and Secretary of the Army Francis J. Harvey, read. "Paramount among them is the availability and quality of natural assets that provide effective training areas and support healthy communities in which to live and work.
Every day our soldiers use these assets to remain ready to defend the nation, and it is our responsibility to protect our environment." The Navy will mark Earth Day 2006 by reaffirming its commitment to protecting the nation's air, land and sea resources, which are essential to the health, safety and defense of all Americans, according to a Navy news release. The Navy has several upcoming environmental stewardship efforts. On May 3, the fiscal 2005 Secretary of the Navy Environmental Awards will be presented to 19 Navy and Marine Corps individuals, teams, installations and ships for their environmental achievements. On May 17, the Oriskany, a retired aircraft carrier that saw service during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, is scheduled to be sunk off the coast of Florida to create an artificial reef that benefits marine life, fishing and recreational diving. May 26, the USNS Sacagawea, the second of the new T-AKE class of cargo ammunition ships, is scheduled to be launched.
These ships incorporate new and innovative pollution-prevention systems to minimize environmental effects. The Marine Corps will partner with schools nationwide to promote Earth Day and environmental responsibility. "Environmental stewardship and defense readiness go hand -in hand for the nearly 900,000 men and women of the United States Navy and Marine Corps," Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter said in a prepared Earth Day statement. "Our unwavering commitment to our mission sustains our environment and national security on Earth Day and every day."
England Lauds Washington at Soldiers' Purple Heart Ceremony
Not far from the city that bears his name, George Washington reposes in his crypt at Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate he retired to after serving as America's first president and commander in chief of the armed forces. Yesterday, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England traveled to Mount Vernon to salute seven soldiers recognized for their bravery and commitment to duty during a Purple Heart Medal ceremony.
All the soldiers had been wounded during service in Iraq. During his remarks, England told the soldiers they've joined more than 500,000 living Purple Heart recipients who've "all served and all sacrificed in the name of something higher than themselves." Holding the ceremony at Mount Vernon was fitting, because "it's the home of our first founding father, a great national hero, and a visionary leader," England said. Washington authorized the Badge of Military Merit, now known as the Purple Heart, in 1782 to honor his soldiers for meritorious service during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783. Three Continental Army soldiers received the military merit badge, England said. Those soldiers were volunteers and heroes, England said, just as the present-day soldiers honored at the Mount Vernon ceremony.
Washington was the right man to lead America's struggle to shake off British rule, England said, noting the general "understood the commitment and sacrifices required to realize the noble goals of the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." After the war, Washington recognized the necessity to prepare for war in order to ensure peace and keep America's hard-won liberties, England said. Washington's military badge was discontinued after the Revolutionary War, England said. Gen. Douglas MacArthur revived the award in 1932, the year before Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany.
About a decade later "fascism had reared its ugly head and engulfed much of the world in a very brutal war," England said. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, like Washington before him, "was staunch in his commitment to liberty," the deputy defense secretary said. Even before the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, fascist dictatorships in Germany, Japan and Italy were threatening to engulf the free world. German air and ground forces invaded France on May 10, 1940. The French military was pummeled in a lightning-fast campaign known as blitzkrieg, and France surrendered on June 25. Only Great Britain stood in Hitler's way in Europe. Like Washington, Roosevelt realized "that freedom has a price," England said. During a radio broadcast on Dec. 29, 1940, Roosevelt told America: "The Nazi masters of Germany have made it clear that they intend not only to dominate all of life and thought in their own country, but also to enslave the whole of Europe to dominate the rest of the world." Roosevelt went on to say that Americans could not depend on the width of the Atlantic Ocean to protect them from Nazi attack if Great Britain fell, noting that new bombers under development would soon render that cushion of space irrelevant.
Therefore, the United States was planning to defend itself against possible attack "with the utmost urgency and in its vast scale we must integrate the war needs of Britain and the other free nations which are resisting (fascist) aggression," Roosevelt said. "We must be the great arsenal of democracy," Roosevelt said. After Pearl Harbor, the United States entered World War II and defeated fascism with the help of its allies. "In World War II as now, exceptional heroes were given the Purple Heart for their extraordinary service," England said. "And at the end of the 20th century, after World War I, World War II, and ultimate victory in the long Cold War, America had earned a period of peace and prosperity." However, that "Pax Americana" ended on Sept. 11, 2001, when al Qaeda terrorists attacked the U.S. with hijacked commercial jets. "Terrorists turned civilian airliners into guided missiles and killed about 3,000 people from 60 different nations," England said. "They would have killed many more, if they'd had the wherewithal to do so." The United States continues to be engaged in the war against global terrorism, a conflict unlike any America has ever experienced before, England said. A new generation of American fighting men and women has accepted the call to duty to defend America, he said. "We are here today to celebrate and to pay tribute to the service of seven members of this generation that is answering the call today," England said. "These men and women have a great deal in common with the soldiers of General Washington's day; they also volunteered to step forward to defend their country in its hour of need."
Army Reserve General Honors Missing Soldier During Pentagon Ceremony
As the Army Reserve observes its 98th birthday this weekend, the commander of U.S. Army Reserve Command today took the opportunity to honor the only U.S. soldier who remains listed as captured in Iraq, Army Reserve Sgt. Keith "Matt" Maupin. Army Lt. Gen. James Helmly noted the contributions and sacrifices Army Reservists are making in support of the global war on terror during a birthday commemoration here at the Pentagon.
The Army Reserve was established on April 23, 1908. More than 150,000 Army Reserve soldiers have been mobilized since Sept. 11, 2001, and more than 25,000 have been called to active duty more than once, he noted. "These are clearly hallmarks of heroes," he said. "But we cannot recognize the call to duty or mention heroes without taking a moment to remember the only American soldier who remains missing in Iraq," the general told an assembled group in the Pentagon's MacArthur Corridor. Insurgents captured Maupin April 9, 2004, after his fuel convoy came under attack at Baghdad International Airport. Two of the 43 soldiers in the convoy, Sgt. Elmer C. Krause and Spc. Gregory Goodrich, and six civilians were killed in the action that followed. A week later insurgents released a videotape showing the soldier surrounded by five armed men.
In June of that year, another videotape showed a man being killed, and an audio track identified the man as Maupin. Pentagon officials have called the second video inconclusive. The Army continues to list Maupin, a 724th Transportation Company soldier, as "missing-captured." Helmly praised Maupin today and said the Army is committed to bringing him home. "Matt Maupin answered the call to duty. He continues to courageously answer the call to duty today," Helmly said of the 724th Transportation Company soldier. Helmly also remembered the Maupin family, who he said "continues to answer the call to duty, serving faithfully and without reservation." He noted the family's tireless work with the Yellow Ribbon Support Center they founded in Ohio to support soldiers and their families.
One example of their work was the recent distribution of state-of-the-art computers to Iraq for soldiers to use in communicating with their families and loved ones at home, the general noted. Maupin's plight serves as a reminder of the Army's warrior ethos, Helmly said. The ethos' four principles are: place the mission first, never accept defeat, never quit, and never leave a fallen comrade. "We must never forget our brother in arms who is not able to be with his family and celebrate this day with us," Helmly said. "We will live the warrior ethos daily, praying for his family and fighting to bring him back home."
NEWS
Southwest Airlines Offers Free Drinks on All Dallas Flights; Dallas-Based Airline Toasts Its Home Team
Never one to miss an opportunity to celebrate, Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) will be handing out free drinks to all Customers flying from Dallas' Love Field airport beginning tomorrow through the Memorial Day Weekend (May 29, 2006).
"I'm a huge Dallas Mavericks fan and to cheer on our team as they move toward a championship for the City, we're offering free drinks on all of our flights from Love Field," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's CEO.
The move was prompted by a comment made by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban last night after another airline launched a promotional give-away during the team's last Dallas home game.
"Mark Cuban made mention of all the Wild Turkey he thought would be flowing at Southwest Airlines, and we would hate to disappoint him," Kelly said.
The Dallas-based carrier will be offering its Love Field Customers up to two free drinks on any flight originating from its home airport. The offer is good for travel from Love Field through the Memorial Day Weekend.
This is not the first time the maverick airline has offered free drinks in response to a competitive challenge. In 1973, now-defunct Braniff airlines offered $13 one-way fares from Dallas to Houston, hoping to put fledgling Southwest Airlines out of business. Southwest's then-president and CEO Lamar Muse shot back with a headline, "Nobody's going to shoot Southwest Airlines out of the sky for a lousy $13" and offered Customers a fifth of premium liquor with any full-fare ($26) ticket. Southwest became the largest distributor in Texas those two months of several popular labels. (For vintage photos, please use this link:)
Southwest Airlines has revolutionized air travel for 35 years by always offering affordable fares that give people tickets to freedom. More than a quarter-century ago, surveys showed one in four Americans had flown. Since the inception of Southwest Airlines, three out of four people have experienced air travel. Southwest boards more than 80 million people annually, allowing them to go, see, and do things they may have never dreamed possible.
SOURCE Southwest Airlines
30 Million Medicare Beneficiaries Now Receiving Prescription Drug Coverage
Nation's Pharmacies Filled 270 Million Prescriptions for Medicare Beneficiaries in First Three Months
Medicare announced today that more than 30 million Medicare beneficiaries are receiving prescription drug coverage, including more than 8 million beneficiaries who have gotten new, individual prescription drug coverage since the program began. More than 93 million prescriptions were filled for these beneficiaries with drug coverage during March -- averaging 3 million prescriptions filled per day.
In addition, 5.8 million people with Medicare get drug coverage from the Veterans Administration and other sources with prescription drug coverage equal to Medicare -- bringing the total to approximately 35.8 million Medicare beneficiaries who are now receiving prescription drug coverage.
"With a month to go, we've passed our projections of 28 to 30 million enrollees in the first year, and we are intensifying our local outreach efforts to get more seniors signed up before the May 15th deadline," HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said. "These strong enrollment numbers are a tribute to everyone in the national network of caring -- all of our partners, community leaders, the State Health Insurance Programs (SHIPS), and family members, who have provided counseling and assistance to the millions of beneficiaries who are now taking advantage of this new benefit and saving money."
"Signing up is as easy as three simple steps," Leavitt said. "One: Get your prescriptions together. Two: Get your Medicare card. Three: Call 1-800-MEDICARE or go online at http://www.medicare.gov/."
More than 8 million people with Medicare now are enrolled in stand-alone prescription drug plans, an increase of 1.7 million in the last four weeks. Close to 1 million people have enrolled in Medicare Advantage health plans, with prescription drug coverage. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that nearly all of the beneficiaries who have enrolled have chosen a plan that has no deductible, low premium or provides some kind of coverage in the coverage gap.
"The May 15th deadline is fast approaching. We urge everyone who has not signed up to act now to avoid a last minute rush," said CMS Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. "There are plenty of ways to get help. Call 1-800-MEDICARE or attend one of the many thousands of events we are conducting with our partners across the country before the May 15th deadline. Sign up now and start saving on your drugs. And if you don't need drugs now, by signing up you can get the lowest cost protection for the future."
CMS and its 10,000 grassroots partners are conducting more than 1,800 enrollment events across the country each week up until the May 15th enrollment deadline. Additionally, CMS has increased resources to keep the wait times down and beneficiary support up at 1-800-MEDICARE and http://www.medicare.gov/.
Overall prescription drug coverage figures as of April 18 are:
* Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs): 8.1 million people with
Medicare have enrolled in stand-alone prescription drug plans. This
total includes 1 million beneficiaries who had their enrollment
facilitated by CMS. This subset of beneficiaries were either
automatically approved for the low income subsidy or applied for the
subsidy through the Social Security Administration or states, but had
not selected a prescription drug plan on their own.
* Medicare Advantage with Prescription Drugs (MA-PDs): Nearly 5.8 million
beneficiaries receive coverage through Medicare Advantage plans with
drug coverage (MA-PDs). More than 950,000 MA-PD beneficiaries have
signed up on their own since the program began.
* Medicare/Medicaid: About 5.8 million were automatically enrolled in
prescription drug plans, plus about 500,000 enrolled in Medicare
Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage.
* Retiree Coverage: More than 6.8 million retirees are enrolled in the
Medicare retiree subsidy. In addition, about 1.4 million retirees are in
employer and union-sponsored coverage that incorporates Medicare group
drug coverage.
* Federal retiree coverage: 3.5 million
-- TRICARE: There are 1.9 million beneficiaries with TRICARE retiree
coverage.
-- FEHB: There are 1.6 million beneficiaries with FEHB retiree coverage.
This figure includes spouses with Medicare who are covered under a
FEHB family policy by retirees who also have Medicare coverage.
* Additional Sources of Prescription Drug Coverage for Medicare
Beneficiaries:
Approximately 5.8 million Medicare beneficiaries have alternative
sources of "creditable" prescription drug coverage:
-- Veterans Affairs (VA): There are an estimated 3.2 million
beneficiaries with creditable drug coverage through the VA.
-- Indian Health Service (IHS): There are an estimated 0.1 million
beneficiaries with creditable drug coverage through the IHS.
-- Active Workers with Medicare Secondary Payer: There are an estimated
2.0 million beneficiaries who are active workers with creditable drug
coverage through an employer group health plan.
-- Other Retiree Coverage: An estimated 500,000 retirees are continuing
in coverage from a former employer that is not coordinated with
Medicare drug coverage.
To view enrollment data online visit cms.hhs.gov/PrescriptionDrugCovGenIn/02_enrollmentdata.asp.
To enroll, visit http://www.medicare.gov/.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Web site: http://www.hhs.gov/
http://www.medicare.gov/
Dust Off That Stamp Collection to Learn Its Value at World's Largest Stamp Show, May 27-June 3 in Washington, DC
Ever wonder what that box of stamps your grandmother tucked away in the attic is worth? It's definitely worth a little, but you just might have a real gem like the 1918 Inverted Jenny Biplane stamp that recently sold for $2.9 million. You can see it, along with $40 million worth of other rare stamps, at the world's largest stamp show. Imagine what it would be like to experience the excitement of auctioning off one of those stamps at one of the Washington 2006 World Philatelic Exhibition's multi-million dollar stamp auctions. Running May 27 through June 3, at the Washington, DC, Convention Center, admission is free.
"Stamp collecting is the world's most popular and historical hobby," explained U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General John E. Potter. "It's a fun and educational activity the entire family can enjoy. We look forward to seeing parents and children; teachers and students; collectors and non- collectors at the Washington 2006 World Philatelic Expo to sample the pastime of a lifetime."
Potter said families can get a jump-start on stamp collecting by buying stamps from the only location on the planet selling stamps from 135 countries under one roof.
"A special collectable Washington 2006 Souvenir Passport includes a page for each country, complete with facts and space for canceling that nation's stamp with that country's postmark. Students can also use this world-class collectable to sharpen their geography skills."
The show opens Sat., May 27, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and is then open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Fri., June 2, doors close at 5:30 p.m. but they reopen Sat., June 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For complete details visit http://www.washington-2006.org/.
Since 1775, the Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 144 million homes and businesses every day, six days a week and is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $69 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than half of the world's mail volume -- some 212 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year - - and serves seven and a half million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide. Its website, usps.com, attracts more than 21 million visitors each month.
Source: U.S. Postal Service
Web site: http://www.washington-2006.org/
http://www.usps.com/
Hoegaarden, Belgium's Original White Beer, Takes Gold at the 2006 World Beer Cup Competition
- With a Hint of Orange and Spice, White Beer Is the Perfect Summer Refresher -
Hoegaarden, Belgium's original white beer, took first place in the Belgium-style wheat beer category in the 2006 Brewers Association World Beer Cup Competition. Emerging victorious over 31 other entries in the class, Hoegaarden (pronounced "WHO-garden") was awarded the gold medal in what is referred to as the Olympics of Beer Competitions. This year's World Beer Cup brought together a panel of 109 expert judges from around the world to judge 2,221 entries from 540 breweries in 56 countries.
Belgium's unique style of wheat beer is called "witbier" in Flemish, "biere blanche" in French and simply "white beer" in English. It is called white beer because of the thick white head and distinctive cloudy appearance.
With its roots tracing back to the year 1445, Hoegaarden is considered the original white beer, and most other white beers are "descended" from it. Hoegaarden is available across the U.S., and enjoys almost cult status globally.
Hoegaarden today still uses centuries-old brewing methods. It is made with 45% unmalted wheat, is top-fermented and finished through classic bottle or keg conditioning. The beer remains unfiltered throughout the entire brewing process, allowing the savory sediment to be retained in the beer, thus delivering the special color, aroma, texture and flavor -- the unique Hoegaarden experience. The beer's shimmering, cloud appearance is mirrored by its one-of-a-kind taste -- soft, refreshing with a hint of citrus and spice. The Curacao orange peel and coriander are traditional ingredients originally added to balance the sourness of white beer when it was made by spontaneous fermentation in wooden kegs. The result is a refreshing beer that is perfect for summer.
Hoegaarden should be refrigerated for at least six hours before serving. Its ideal serving temperature is 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. In Belgium, every beer has its own unique glass designed to highlight the brand's special flavor, and Hoegaarden is no exception. The hexagonal Hoegaarden glass has extra-thick walls to keep the beer from warming too quickly, and is a recognizable icon of the world's most famous Belgian white beer. The special pouring technique recommended for Hoegaarden -- which calls for swirling the bottle after half of its contents are poured into the glass -- showcases the beer's natural yeast sediment and produces the proper cloudy appearance.
Hoegaarden is imported by InBev USA, and is available in bottles as well as on draught.
Source: Hoegaarden
Remarks by President Bush and President Hu of People's Republic of China in Arrival Ceremony
The following is a transcript of remarks by President Bush and President Hu of People's Republic of China in arrival ceremony:
The South Lawn
9:44 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Laura and I are pleased to welcome President Hu Jintao and his wife, Madame Liu, to the White House. (Applause.)
The United States and China are two nations divided by a vast ocean -- yet connected through a global economy that has created opportunity for both our peoples. The United States welcomes the emergence of a China that is peaceful and prosperous, and that supports international institutions. As stakeholders in the international system, our two nations share many strategic interests. President Hu and I will discuss how to advance those interests, and how China and the United States can cooperate responsibly with other nations to address common challenges.
Our two nations share an interest in expanding free and fair trade, which has increased the prosperity of both the American people and the Chinese people. Trade in goods between our two nations has grown to $285 billion a year, and U.S. exports to China grew nearly 21 percent in last year alone. Our trade relationship can become even stronger, as China adopts policies that allow U.S. companies to compete in China with the same freedom that Chinese companies are able to compete here in the United States. So we welcome China's commitments to increase domestic demand, to reform its pension system, to expand market access for U.S. goods and services, to improve enforcement of intellectual property rights, and to move toward a flexible, market-based exchange rate for its currency. These policies will benefit the Chinese people -- and are consistent with being a responsible member of the international economic system and a leader in the World Trade Organization.
Prosperity depends on security -- so the United States and China share a strategic interest in enhancing security for both our peoples. We intend to deepen our cooperation in addressing threats to global security -- including the nuclear ambitions of Iran, the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, the violence unleashed by terrorists and extremists, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. I appreciate China's role as host of the six-party talks, which will be successful only if North Korea makes the right strategic decision: to abandon all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs as pledged to the other five parties. I will continue to seek President Hu's advice and cooperation, and urge his nation to use its considerable influence with North Korea to make meaningful progress toward a Korean Peninsula that is free of nuclear weapons.
The natural world also generates threats to international security -- and the United States and China share a strategic interest in meeting these challenges as well. We will continue to cooperate to fight avian flu and other pandemic diseases. We will continue to cooperate to respond to natural disasters. We will continue to cooperate to develop alternatives to fossil fuels. New technologies can drive economic growth on both sides of the Pacific, and help us become better stewards of our natural resources.
As the relationship between our two nations grows and matures, we can be candid about our disagreements. I'll continue to discuss with President Hu the importance of respecting human rights and freedoms of the Chinese people. China has become successful because the Chinese people are experience the freedom to buy, and to sell, and to produce -- and China can grow even more successful by allowing the Chinese people the freedom to assemble, to speak freely, and to worship.
The United States will also be candid about our policy toward Taiwan. The United States maintains our one China policy based on the three communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act. We oppose unilateral changes in the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by either side, and we urge all parties to avoid confrontational or provocative acts. And we believe the future of Taiwan should be resolved peacefully.
The United States and China will continue to build on our common interests; we will address our differences in a spirit of mutual respect. We have made progress in building a relationship that is candid and cooperative - - and President Hu's visit will further that progress.
And so, Mr. President, welcome to the White House. We're really glad you're here. I'm looking forward to our meetings, and I'm so thrilled to welcome Madam Liu, as well. Thank you for coming. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT HU: (As translated.) President George W. Bush, Mrs. Bush, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends. I'm glad to visit the United States in the lovely season of spring, at your invitation, Mr. President. I wish to convey to the great American people the warm greetings and best wishes of the 1.3 billion Chinese people.
I have come to enhance dialogues, expand common ground, deepen mutual trust and cooperation, and to promote the all-around growth of constructive and cooperative China-U.S. relations in the 21st century -- (audience interruption) --
PRESIDENT BUSH: You're okay.
PRESIDENT HU: The Chinese people have always cherished goodwill towards the American people. In 1784, U.S. merchant ship, Empress of China, sailed to China, opening the friendly exchanges between our two peoples. In mid 19th century, several dozen thousand Chinese workers, working side-by-side with American workers and braving harsh conditions, built the great railway linking the East and the West of the American continent.
In our common struggle against fascist aggression over 60 years ago, several thousand American soldiers lost their lives in battlefields in China. Their heroic sacrifice still remains fresh in the minds of the Chinese people. Thanks to the concerted efforts made by our two governments and our two peoples over the years, our friendship has grown from strength to strength and yielded rich fruit.
The Chinese and the Americans are great peoples. The Americans are optimistic, full of enterprising drive, down to earth, and innovative. In just over 200 years, they have turned the United States into the most developed country in the world, and made phenomenal achievements in economic development and science and technology.
The Chinese are industrious, courageous, honest, and intelligent. They created the splendid ancient Chinese civilization. And today, they're firmly committed to the path of peaceful development and are making continuous progress in the modernization drive by carrying out the reform and opening up program.
Both China and the United States are countries of significant influence in the world. We share important common strategic interests in a wide range of areas, including economic cooperation and trade, security, public health, energy, and environmental protection, and on major international and regional issues. In particular, mutually beneficial and win-win China-U.S. economic cooperation and trade benefit our two peoples and promote the economic growth in the Asia Pacific region and the world at large. Indeed, they have become an important foundation for China-U.S. relations.
Enhanced interactions and cooperation between China and the United States serve the interests of our two peoples and are conducive to world peace and development. We should stay firmly rooted in the present while looking ahead to the future, and view and approach China-U.S. relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. We should, on the basis of the principles set forth in the three Sino-U.S. joint communiqués, respect each other as equals and promote closer exchanges and cooperation. This will enable us to make steady progress in advancing constructive and cooperative China-U.S. relations, and bring more benefits to our two peoples and people of the world.
We are ready to continue to work with the U.S. side and other parties concerned to peacefully resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomatic negotiation to uphold the international non-proliferation regime and safeguard global peace and stability.
We are ready to work with the U.S. side in a spirit of seeking mutual benefit and win-win outcomes to properly address each other's concerns and facilitate the sound and the steady growth of bilateral economic cooperation and trade.
We will continue to pursue the strategy of boosting domestic demand and ensure fast and balanced economic and social development in China. This will create more opportunities for China-U.S. economic cooperation and trade. We will continue to advance the reform of the RMB exchange rate regime, take positive steps in such areas as expanding market access, increasing imports, and strengthening the protection of intellectual property rights, and further expand China-U.S. economic cooperation and trade.
We are ready to expand the friendly people-to-people exchanges and enhance exchanges and cooperation in science, technology, culture, education, and other areas.
We are ready to enhance dialogue and exchanges with the U.S. side on the basis of mutual respect and equality to promote the world's cause of human rights.
President Bush, you and the U.S. government have stated on various occasions that you are committed to the one-China policy, abide by the three Sino-U.S. joint communiqués, and oppose Taiwan independence. We appreciate your commitments.
Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory. We will continue to make every effort and endeavor with every sincerity to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification of the two sides across the Taiwan Straits. We will work with our Taiwan compatriots to promote the peaceful development of cross- strait relations. However, we will never allow anyone to make Taiwan secede from China by any means.
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, the 21st century has entrusted people around the world with a lasting historic mission: That is to maintain world peace, promote common development and create a brighter future for mankind. Let us work together with the international community to build a world of enduring peace, common prosperity and harmony.
Thank you once again, Mr. President, for your warm welcome. (Applause.)
END 10:09 A.M. EDT
Source: White House Press Office
Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/
Remarks by President Bush and People's Republic of China President Hu After Meeting
The following is a transcript of remarks by President Bush and People's Republic of China President Hu:
Oval Office
11:16 A.M. EDT
PRESIDENT BUSH: The President and I will make opening statements. We'll be glad to answer two questions from each side.
Mr. President, welcome. We've just had yet another constructive dialogue. I enjoy my visits with President Hu. He tells me what he thinks, and I tell him what I think, and we do so with respect.
China has important relations with the United States. We obviously have commercial relations that are important. We're working on issues like Iran and Sudan. We've got a mutual interest in seeing that the Korean Peninsula is nuclear weapons-free. We spent time talking about Taiwan, and I assured the President my position has not changed. I do not support independence for Taiwan.
We don't agree on everything, but we're able to discuss our disagreements in a spirit of friendship and cooperation. So it's a very important relationship.
And, Mr. President, thank you for your frankness and for our discussions.
PRESIDENT HU: (As translated.) To begin with, I'd like to thank President Bush for his kind invitation and the generous hospitality afforded to me. And just now I had a pragmatic and constructive dialogue with President Bush, and during that meeting, President Bush and I had an in-depth exchange of views on the Chinese-U.S. relationship and major, regional, as well as international issues of mutual interest.
We have reached important agreement at the meeting. We both agreed that under the new circumstances, given the international situation here, that China and the United States share extensive, common strategic interests and there is a broad prospect for the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. A good China-U.S. relationship is of strategic significance to the maintenance and promotion of peace, stability and development in the Asia Pacific region and in the world at large.
We both agreed to view and address the bilateral relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective, and we both agreed to comprehensively move forward the constructive and cooperative China-U.S. relationship in the 21st century, to the benefits of the Chinese and American peoples, and peoples around the world.
And during the meeting I stressed the importance of the Taiwan question to Mr. President. Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and we maintain consistently that under the basis of the one China principle, we are committed to safeguard peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, and to the promotion of the improvement and development of the cross-straits relations. We have the utmost sincerity and we will do this to our utmost with all sincerity to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification. This being said, we will by no means allow Taiwan independence.
President Bush gave us his understanding of the Chinese concerns. He reiterated the American positions and said that he does not hope that the moves taken by the Taiwan authorities to change the status quo will upset the China-U.S. relationship, which I am highly appreciative.
We both agreed to work together to promote the development of the economic ties and trade between the two countries on the basis of a mutual benefit in seeking win-win outcomes. As for the differences, or even frictions between the two countries in this regard, we both believe that they may be properly resolved through consultations on an equal footing. Both Mr. President and I spoke highly of the outcomes from 17th JCCT team meeting which was held not long ago.
President Bush and I also agreed that the two countries need to better increase their exchanges and cooperation in the military, law enforcement, science and technology, culture, education, and other fields. We also both agreed to further step up our dialogue and cooperation in such fields as counterterrorism, nonproliferation, the prevention and control of the avian influenza, energy, environmental protection, disaster prevention and relief, and other major issues.
Both sides agreed to continue their efforts to facilitate the six-party talks to seek a proper solution to the Korean nuclear issue, and both sides agree to continue their efforts to seek a peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue.
I assured Mr. President that China is willing to work together with the United States and other countries in the world in joint effort to build a harmonious world featuring enduring peace and shared prosperity.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir. Jennifer.
Q Thank you, sir. President Hu, when will China become a democracy with free elections? And President Bush, why have you not been able to persuade China to more quickly revalue its currency?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Last July, the Chinese made a major decision on their currency. There's been some appreciation in the currency. We would hope there would be more appreciation in the currency.
Q President Hu?
PRESIDENT HU: I don't know -- what do you mean by a democracy? What I can tell you is that we've always believed in China that if there is no democracy, there will be no modernization, which means that ever since China's reform and opening up in the late 1970s, China, on the one hand, has vigorously promoted economic reform, and on the other, China has also been actively, properly, and appropriately moved forward the political restructuring process, and we have always been expanding the democracy and freedoms for the Chinese citizens.
In the future, we will, in the light of China's own national conditions and the will of the Chinese people, continue to move ahead the political restructuring and to develop a socialist democracy, and we will further expand the orderly participation of the Chinese citizens in political affairs so that the Chinese citizens will be in a better position to exercise their democratic rights in terms of democratic supervision, democratic management, and the democratic decision-making.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Do you want to call on somebody from the Chinese side?
Q (As translated.) I have a question for President Hu Jintao. And how do you feel the problems and disputes between China and United States in the field of economic ties and trade? And in your view, what kind of measures shall we take to properly resolve these issues?
PRESIDENT HU: The economic ties and trade between China and the United States are an important component for China and U.S. relationships as a whole. And in this economic ties and trade, I think that mutually beneficial cooperation and win-win outcomes represent the mainstream.
Although the two countries do have different opinions or sometimes even frictions in this relationship, what has happened has proven that all these issues or differences can be properly resolved through consultations on an equal footing and further expansion of the mutually beneficial cooperation.
We understand the American concerns over the trade imbalances, the protection of the intellectual property rights and market access. We have taken measures, and we'll continue to take steps to properly resolve the issues.
China pursues a policy of boosting domestic demand, which means that we'll mainly rely upon domestic demand expansion to further promote the economic growth of the country. We do not pursue a excessively high trade surplus.
We have already launched the reform of the RMB Chinese currency exchange rate regime, which has paid off initially. And in the future, we'll continue to make efforts to improve the RMB exchange rate regime.
We'll continue to expand the market access and increase the import of American products. As a matter of fact, lately, a delegation composed of Chinese businesspeople have been to the United States, and during their trip, they have totally signed 107 commercial contracts or agreements with a total value of over $16.2 billion U.S.
The U.S. technology products exported to China, particularly in the field of the export of high-tech products, are quite incompatible with the economic might of the United States. I hope that the United States government will be able to relax or ease the restrictions imposed on its exports, particularly high-tech exports to China. And we also hope that the U.S. government will be able to create a level playing field for Chinese businesses who want to enter the American market. And this will certainly help bring down the trade deficit of the United States. And this will also contribute to the further sound and stable growth of the trading ties and economic cooperation between the two countries.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Let me say something on this. First of all, it was a very comprehensive answer, and I appreciate that, Mr. President. I am heartened by the President's answer because he recognizes that a trade deficit with the United States, as substantial as it is, is unsustainable.
I appreciate his statement very much, because the American people -- all we want to do is be treated fairly in the international marketplace. He's used the word "win-win," and that's a very important concept when it comes to economics that are mutually beneficial. Market access is very important. And I appreciate your commitment to that, Mr. President.
What also is very much important is that for the -- as the Chinese society evolves, that it becomes an economy that is not export driven, but consumer driven. I appreciate the government's commitment to that evolution, because as there's more consumers and market access, it will mean that U.S. small businesses and businesses and farmers will have a chance to be able to find new markets. Obviously, the Chinese government takes the currency issue seriously, and so do I. And finally, I want to remind our citizens, as the President said earlier, exports to China are up by 21 percent. And that means jobs.
And so we're going to continue to work on this very important relationship to make sure the playing field is level.
Steve.
Q Thank you. President Bush, have you presented President Hu to go along with tougher actions against Iran, if necessary, such as sanctions? And President Hu, is there more you can do to influence North Korea to give up nuclear weapons?
PRESIDENT BUSH: The first goal of any dialogue with a partner with whom we're trying to create peace is to have a common objective, a stated goal. And we have a common goal, and that is that Iran should not have the nuclear weapon, the capacity to make a nuclear weapon, or the know-how to how to make a nuclear weapon.
And the second goal is to be in a position where we can work on tactics. And one of the tactics that I've been talking to the President about is the use of the United Nations Security Council Chapter 7 to send a common message to the Iranians that China and the United States and EU 3 countries all deeply are concerned about the Iranian ambition.
China is an important voice in international affairs. And I will continue to work with the President to strategize as to how best to achieve our important goal, which is a -- an Iran without the capacity, the know-how, or a nuclear weapon.
PRESIDENT HU: As our friends may know, that the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, China has always been persuading the parties for their reconciliation and promote the talks for peaceful solutions. And we have always been making constructive efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.
It is exactly thanks to concerted efforts of the parties involved that in September last year the six parties had their fourth-round talks, and successfully concluded a joint statement as a initial result. It has not come easily.
The six-party talks have run into some difficulties at the moment. I hope that the parties will be able to further display flexibility, work together, and create necessary conditions for the early resumption of the talks.
Q Mr. President, good morning. I would like to know, what is on your mind and what kind of things you can do to facilitate the people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries?
PRESIDENT BUSH: I remember giving -- well, the first graduation speech I ever gave as President was to Notre Dame. And I was -- I distinctly remember the -- a number of Chinese students that were there who had gotten advanced degrees. And it's a vivid reminder that one of the best ways for there to be exchange is for there to be exchange of students. I think the more U.S. students who study in China, and the more Chinese students who study in the United States will lead to lasting understanding, which is very important for future relations.
Obviously, there will be exchanges in the arts. There's a great interest in the United States about the Chinese arts and the history of Chinese arts. There's going to be sports exchanges. Yao Ming, I mean, he's a perpetual exchange. He's a great player, and he's here all the times. The Olympics will bring a great opportunity for us to have interchange. There's all kinds of ways for the United States and Chinese people to get to know each other, and I look forward to encouraging those kind of avenues of dialogue. Presidents can talk, but sometimes the best way to have lasting friendship is for there to be a lot of people to people exchanges.
Thank you very much.
END 11:47 A.M. EDT
Source: White House Press Office
Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/
Presidents' Meeting Lays Groundwork for More Progress In US-China Relations
Presidents George W. Bush and Hu Jintao took positive steps today to underscore the importance of US-China relations and further bilateral engagement at the highest level, the US-China Business Council (USCBC) said.
"Meetings like these demonstrate the political commitment that exists on both sides to deepening bilateral engagement," USCBC President John Frisbie said. "The goal of such meetings is not only to resolve pressing issues, but also to lay the groundwork necessary to facilitate progress on areas of mutual interest over the longer term."
This is the first meeting between the two presidents in 2006. Last year, they met on five occasions -- setting a record for meetings between a US and PRC president in a single year.
Today, Bush and Hu exchanged views on security and economic issues. On the economic front, the two leaders said their countries would take a "win-win" approach to resolving trade concerns. Bush urged continued advances in lowering the market access barriers US companies face in China and highlighted US support for China's plans to boost domestic consumption to move its economy toward more balanced growth.
Frisbie urged the two governments to build upon the presidential meeting and the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade session and explore establishing a new comprehensive framework to guide commercial and economic relations. "The United States and China will soon be the world's two largest economies. We need a system in place that enables us to discuss the full range of economic issues we face, lays out the common interests and goals, and provides an enhanced structure for resolving problems that emerge," he said.
Frisbie laid out these points in an opinion piece carried in the April 20, 2006 edition of the Financial Times.
Following the PRC president's official activities, USCBC, the National Committee on US-China Relations, the US Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations will host Hu at a dinner to be attended by more than 900 executives, academics, and political and civic leaders. "The high turnout for the dinner demonstrates the strength of support for advancing US-China relations through engagement," Frisbie said.
The USCBC (http://www.uschina.org/) is the leading organization of US companies engaged in business with the People's Republic of China. Founded in 1973, the USCBC provides extensive China-focused information, advisory, and advocacy services, along with comprehensive events, to nearly 250 US corporations operating within the United States and throughout Asia.
Source: US-China Business Council
Drunk Driving Deaths on the Rise
MADD Calls Increase in Drunk Driving Fatalities Alarming; Urges the Country to Support High Visibility Enforcement
Statement for attribution to Glynn R. Birch, National President, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD):
Today the country received distressing news with the release of new government statistics showing an increase in alcohol-related traffic deaths in 2005.
According to the preliminary Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data released earlier today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities increased 1.7 percent from 16,694 in 2004 to 16,972 in 2005 -- the first increase since 2002.
It is painfully clear that our country's complacency about drunk driving is taking its toll in the loss of precious lives. Drunk driving is a 100% preventable crime. High visibility enforcement such as checkpoint and roving patrols are perhaps the single best way to bring these numbers down.
These disturbing numbers are further evidence of the need for an intensified effort to get drunk drivers off the road. Thanks to congressional action, it is likely that in the coming months the country will experience a higher level of drunk driving enforcement than we've seen in nearly 20 years.
MADD encourages all Americans to drive sober and support the efforts of law enforcement to keep our roads safe.
Source: Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Web site: http://www.madd.org/
Orb Networks Amplia Suporte para Tocar e Gravar Internet TV Usando Windows, Real e Equipamentos Móveis 3GP
Agora os consumidores podem assistir a TV de sua casa e on-line na TV móvel
A Orb Networks, pioneira no desenvolvimento de software para acesso instantâneo a conteúdo em todos os lugares, anunciou hoje a ampliação do suporte para tocar e gravar Internet TV e outros vídeos on-line em qualquer equipamento móvel com tecnologia 'streaming' Windows Media(R) Player, RealPlayer(R) ou tocador 3GP em qualquer rede de operadora e WiFi.
Não são necessários software móvel especializado nem pagamento de tarifas para celulares, bastando um plano de dados. Agora, qualquer um pode assistir e gravar Internet TV e apreciar vlogs e outros vídeos on-line diretamente no web browser nativo e tocador de mídia com tecnologia 'streaming' do seu equipamento móvel.
"Este é um momento fantástico para o vídeo on-line, com shows tradicionais de TV completos e transmissões ao vivo de jogos de futebol internacionais aparecendo on-line para aumentar a riqueza do conteúdo já disponível. O pioneirismo da Orb Networks permite apreciar imediatamente todos estes conteúdos nos equipamentos móveis", revelou Ian McCarthy, vice-presidente de marketing de produto na Orb Networks.
Orb(TM) elimina os desafios do formato de mídia e taxa de bits para transformação da Internet TV em TV móvel. Os provedores de conteúdo podem divulgar transmissões de iTV na sua taxa de bits e formato de mídia preferidos e terem ainda a certeza de que o seu público poderá apreciar o conteúdo nos seus equipamentos móveis normais do dia-a-dia. "Por exemplo, em caso de uma transmissão de iTV de um jogo de futebol disponível ao vivo on-line somente no formato Windows Media Video, poderei ainda assistir ao vivo (ou gravar para ver mais tarde) usando o RealPlayer no meu celular Nokia(R)", declarou McCarthy. "Assim que adicionar o URL da transmissão de iTV do jogo de futebol nos meus canais customizados 'Orb Custom Channels', o software Orb gratuito no meu PC domiciliar transcodifica o fluxo de transmissão original (ou gravação) para mim, de Windows para Real, garantindo que vou obter o novo fluxo de transmissão na taxa de bits apropriada para conexão de dados com o meu telefone na hora exata de assistir o jogo. Assistir gravações e transmissões de iTV no meu telefone aumentou o valor para mim do meu plano de dados móveis e dos meus investimentos em handset".
O suporte da Orb para tocar vídeo on-line em equipamentos móveis reforça a sua liderança no suporte do setor para assistir TV domiciliar em Windows, Real e equipamentos móveis 3GP. "Com Orb e um 'tuner-card' (cartão de sintonia) Hauppauge(R) WinTV(R) no meu PC domiciliar, posso colocar no meu telefone o fluxo de transmissão do novo episódio de Dr. Who ao vivo a partir da transmissão pelo cabo de TV para a TV de casa, tocando então um episódio único on-line de Dr. Who Confidential para não perder a oportunidade de apreciar como fã", disse McCarthy. "A Orb aprofunda o envolvimento dos consumidores com as marcas de TV que eles gostam e cria novos modos dos provedores de conteúdo atingirem seus espectadores".
Orb está disponível agora para download gratuito no site: http://www.orb.com/.
Sobre a Orb Networks, Inc.
A Orb Networks é pioneira no desenvolvimento de software e serviços que proporcionam às pessoas um acesso seguro, grátis e instantâneo a toda a sua mídia digital em todos os lugares. O software premiado da Orb facilita aos consumidores assistir sua TV de casa e Internet TV, música, vídeos, fotos, 'podcasts' e outros conteúdos digitais diretamente nos seus telefones celulares, PDAs e laptops em qualquer lugar. Orb é membro da DLNA e é uma empresa de capital fechado com sede em Emeryville, na Califórnia. Para mais informações sobre a Orb, consulte o site: http://www.orb.com/.
NOTA: Orb é uma marca comercial da Orb Networks, Inc. Todas as demais marcas comerciais e/ou marcas comerciais registradas são da propriedade de seus respectivos donos.
Source: Orb Networks, Inc.
Scene It?(R) On Demand en Comcast Ofrece a los Televidentes Poner a Prueba sus Conocimientos de Cine y TV
Comcast Corporation , la proveedora líder de productos y servicios de cable, entretenimiento y comunicaciones en el país, y Screenlife, LLC, creadora del juego de mesa Scene It? The DVD Game(TM), anunciaron hoy la firma de un acuerdo para desarrollar versiones adaptadas para Video On Demand (VOD) de los populares juegos de conocimientos de cine y TV.
Comcast y Screenlife comenzaron a ofrecer versiones VOD de los muy populares juegos de prueba de conocimientos para toda la familia, que incluyen ediciones de película, TV, James Bond y Jr., a principios de este año, en el servicio ON DEMAND de la proveedora de servicio de cable, que ha generado más de dos mil millones de vistas de televidentes desde el 2004. Desde su lanzamiento en febrero, los juegos interactivos Scene It? se han transformado rápidamente en uno de los programas originales más populares en Comcast ON DEMAND y ya han puesto a prueba los conocimientos de miles de clientes.
Esta semana, ambas compañías presentarán el debut de una edición especial con el tema de Harry Potter, basada en el exitoso juego de mesa Screenlife, que coincide con el estreno en VOD de Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire en Comcast ON DEMAND, lo que marca el primer lanzamiento simultáneo de una película por demanda y un juego Screenlife por demanda.
Los aprendices de brujos que quieran poner a prueba sus conocimientos de Harry Potter pueden cambiar sus varitas mágicas por el control remoto a partir del 21 de abril. Los clientes de Comcast Digital Cable pueden seleccionar la edición Harry Potter de Scene It? On Demand en la sección "Free Movies" (películas gratis) del menú ON DEMAND -- no hay cargos adicionales para jugar y no es necesario contar con tableros o piezas del juego. Los jugadores compiten respondiendo una serie de preguntas a un ritmo acelerado, basadas en video clips, imágenes y rompecabezas visuales, en un entretenimiento basado en los populares juegos DVD, una de las categorías de más rápido crecimiento en la industria lúdica.
"Scene It? On Demand ofrece a nuestros clientes una manera nueva y divertida de poner a prueba sus conocimientos en cualquier momento que lo deseen, y es algo que no podrán encontrar en satélite o en otras proveedoras", señaló Matt Strauss, Vicepresidente de Adquisición de Contenido de Comcast. "Nuestra asociación con Screenlife nos brinda una singular forma de poner a nuestros entusiastas del cine y la televisión en contacto con nuestra extensa filmoteca VOD a través de un juego apasionante, visual e interactivo".
"Como líder de la industria de juegos DVD, Screenlife se está esforzando por ampliar su presencia en nuevas plataformas de entretenimiento", declaró Dave Long, cofundador y CEO de Screenlife. "La asociación con Comcast es un vehículo ideal para ofrecer a los clientes entretenimiento interactivo y para toda la familia, en cualquier momento en que éstos deseen jugar".
Lanzado en el 2002, Scene It? es el juego DVD original. Actualmente, este fenómeno de la cultura pop es el juego de mesa en DVD de mayor venta en la historia, con diez millones de juegos vendidos, dominando cerca del 75 por ciento de todo el mercado de juegos DVD. Se le acredita en gran medida a la popularidad de la marca Scene It?, que genera más de $200 millones en venta anuales, el haber revitalizado a la industria de los juegos de mesa.
Los juegos de conocimientos Scene It? On Demand están disponibles en The Fan(TM), el innovador reproductor de banda ancha multimedios de Comcast en http://www.comcast.net/. Comcast y Screenlife tienen planes de lanzar docenas de juegos adicionales Scene It? On Demand en los próximos meses.
Comcast ofrece más de 7,000 programas mensuales ON DEMAND, la mayoría de los cuales están disponibles sin costo adicional. La filmoteca de ON DEMAND de Comcast incluye, cada mes, más de 800 películas, videos y programas musicales, programas para niños, segmentos deportivos, noticias y programas informativos.
Acerca de Comcast
Comcast Corporation http://www.comcast.com/ ) es la principal proveedora de productos y servicios de cable, entretenimiento y comunicaciones en el país. Con 21.4 millones de usuarios de cable, 8.5 millones de abonados al servicio de acceso a Internet de alta velocidad y 1.3 millones de usuarios de servicios de voz, Comcast está principalmente involucrada en el desarrollo, gestión y operación de redes de cable de banda ancha y en la entrega de contenido de programación.
Las redes de contenido e inversiones de la compañía incluyen E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, OLN, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One y cuatro Comcast SportsNets regionales. La compañía posee además un interés mayoritario en Comcast-Spectacor, cuyas propiedades más importantes incluyen el equipo de hockey de la NHL Philadelphia Flyers, el equipo de baloncesto de la NBA Philadelphia 76ers, y dos grandes estadios para eventos diversos en Filadelfia. Las acciones ordinarias Clase A y Clase A Special de Comcast se cotizan en la Bolsa de Valores NASDAQ bajo los símbolos CMCSA y CMCSK, respectivamente.
Acerca de Screenlife, LLC
Screenlife, LLC es una importante compañía de entretenimiento que está cambiando la forma en que se divierte el mundo. Screenlife es creadora y fabricante líder en el mundo de juegos DVD, entre ellos Scene It?, el juego DVD más vendido en el todo el mundo. Los juegos Screenlife cuentan con la Tecnología patentada de DVD Realzado Optreve(TM) DVD y están disponibles en cinco idiomas, en 14 países y en más de 40,000 locales de venta al detalle. Screenlife, líder en licencias de entretenimiento, ha establecido miles de asociaciones con importantes estudios de Hollywood, ligas deportivas y sellos grabadores, como también con actores, deportistas y músicos. Para más información acerca de Scene It? y otros juegos Screenlife, visite http://www.screenlifegames.com/ o llame al teléfono (866) DVD-GAME.
El personaje Harry Potter, nombres y otros datos de publicación son marcas registradas y copyrights de (C) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights (C) JKR.
Source: Comcast Corporation
Líder em Publicidade, Renomado Internacionalmente, Une-se a Corbis
Ross Sutherland é o Novo Diretor de Criatividade
A Corbis (http://www.corbis.com/) anunciou hoje a nomeação de Ross Sutherland para a posição recém criada de Diretor de Criatividade.
Sutherland, que tem conquistado inúmeros prêmios por sua publicidade impressa era, até recentemente, o Diretor Executivo de Criatividade / Sócio Gerente da Young & Rubicam New York.
"Ross tem sido um dos melhores diretores de arte no setor de publicidade por muitos anos, e está singularmente qualificado para preencher esta posição", disse Gary Shenk, Vice Presidente Sênior de Imagens da Corbis. "Ele possui o potencial e a experiência global para auxiliar a Corbis ainda mais frente a um mercado de imagens digitais de US$2 bilhões".
Sutherland estará supervisionando a área de aprovisionamento de imagens criativas da companhia em nível global. Ele gerenciará também a equipe de Criatividade Global que inclui produção e fotografia da Corbis e as companhias de sua total propriedade: zefa e Image 100.
Paralelamente ao fornecimento ativo de novo conteúdo, Sutherland estará arquivando e gerenciado várias coleções de Fotografias Criativas da Corbis. Sutherland iniciou sua carreira em publicidade como diretor de arte em Nova Zelândia e foi diretor criativo nos escritórios da Ogilvy & Mather em Singapura, Tailândia, Hong Kong, Quênia, San Francisco e Nova York.
"Tenho defendido a importância de imagens poderosas com o zelo de um missionário por toda a minha vida", disse Sutherland. "É difícil imaginar uma oportunidade mais perfeita ou mais estimulante".
SOBRE CORBIS
Corbis fornece licenciamento de imagens e serviços relacionados, utilizados diariamente por editores, agências de publicidade, firmas de design e pelas indústrias de televisão e de filmes. Os serviços de licenciamento de imagens, designação e representação, gestão de direitos e de ativos, possibilitam que as pessoas criativas em âmbito mundial ofereçam maior originalidade e impacto ao seu trabalho. A Corbis tem sua sede corporativa em Seattle, com 20 escritórios por toda a América do Norte, Europa e Ásia.
Source: Corbis
Venaca, Inc. Announces Completion of Private Placement With The Argentum Group and First Analysis Corporation NEW YORK, April 21, 2006 -- Venaca, Inc., a leading provider of Digital Asset Management Systems, announced the closing of its first round of institutional financing by funds managed by The Argentum Group and First Analysis Corporation, it was announced today by Venaca's CEO, Thomas F. Burchill. The funds will enable Venaca to continue to build on its existing technology and people infrastructure and be able to pursue rapidly developing growth opportunities. "We are delighted that The Argentum Group and First Analysis have stepped up to make this significant financial commitment to Venaca," Mr. Burchill said. "We are excited about the prospect of putting additional resources in place to serve our existing clients as well as allowing us to forge new relationships in the fast-growing digital asset management marketplace." "The convergence of digital media, the arrival of consumers' 'third screen,' thus, the emergence of a variety of digital distribution platforms, is rapidly and fundamentally changing the competitive dynamics for all Broadcast, Media, and Entertainment companies," said Walter H. Barandiaran, a Co-Founder and a Managing Partner of The Argentum Group. "We are extremely impressed with Venaca's digital asset management systems and look forward to a rapid market deployment of its technology.
Venaca is well-positioned for rapid growth, and we are excited to be able to support them financially." About Venaca, Inc. Venaca, Inc. is a leading technology company specializing in media asset management for the broadcast, media and entertainment industry. The company utilizes a proprietary platform for streamlining an organization's media supply chain and facilitating the storage, management, repurposing and distribution of digital media. Its customers include Turner Broadcasting, Lifetime, College Sports Television Network (CSTV) and Sesame Workshop. More information about the company can be found at http://www.venaca.com. About The Argentum Group The Argentum Group is a New York-based private equity firm that provides expansion capital to rapidly growing small and mid-sized businesses with market leading potential. Argentum targets those industries experiencing rapid growth or undergoing fundamental change in the areas of outsourced services, healthcare, and technology. Argentum serves as general partner of investment partnerships with over $400 million of capital under management. Since its founding in 1988, Argentum has invested in over 100 companies across a broad range of industries. For more information, please visit
http://www.argentumgroup.com. About First Analysis Corporation First Analysis (http://www.firstanalysis.com) is a leading private growth equity Investor. It has one of the longest records (19 years) in private capital investing. It has invested over $530 million, has created over $1.34 billion in fund liquidations, and has over $145 million in active portfolio investments. First Analysis focuses on its three sectors of expertise: outsourced services, information technology, and chemistry-enabled businesses, investing for expansion and growth in small and mid-size companies with established business models, high internal growth rates, and large-market leadership potential. Its goal is to help these companies establish highly profitable leadership positions in their markets, assisting with strategy, recruitment, sales and marketing, and corporate development.
. About First Analysis Corporation First Analysis () is a leading private growth equity Investor. It has one of the longest records (19 years) in private capital investing. It has invested over $530 million, has created over $1.34 billion in fund liquidations, and has over $145 million in active portfolio investments. First Analysis focuses on its three sectors of expertise: outsourced services, information technology, and chemistry-enabled businesses, investing for expansion and growth in small and mid-size companies with established business models, high internal growth rates, and large-market leadership potential. Its goal is to help these companies establish highly profitable leadership positions in their markets, assisting with strategy, recruitment, sales and marketing, and corporate development.VNU NAMES O’LAUGHLIN HEAD OF CORPORATE TAX
VNU N.V. a leading global information and media company, today named Matthew W. O’Laughlin senior vice president - Tax, responsible for the company’s tax function on a global basis, effective July 1, 2006.
Currently vice president of U.S. Tax for VNU, O’Laughlin succeeds Bart Kuper, who is leaving VNU to become Group Tax Director at TNT N.V., the global mail and express delivery services company, headquartered in the Netherlands.
O’Laughlin, who will continue to be based in New York, will be responsible for all corporate tax matters, including U.S. and international tax planning, as well as oversight of the income tax provision. In his new role, O’Laughlin will report directly to Rob Ruijter, chief financial officer of VNU.
In a related move, VNU also announced that Marcel W. A. Kerff, vice president – International Tax, currently based in New York, will be named vice president – European Tax, responsible for all European and Dutch tax matters. Kerff, who has been with VNU since 2000, will return to VNU’s Haarlem office to ensure that VNU continues to maintain a strong tax function in the Netherlands, where the company is legally domiciled. He will report to O’Laughlin.
"Matt O’Laughlin is an outstanding tax professional with broad international experience and a proven track record in managing the company’s tax rate in a strategic and effective manner," said Ruijter. "We are fortunate to have someone of Matt’s caliber to step up and lead our tax function. His appointment, as well as that of Marcel Kerff, is a testament to our outstanding bench strength in the tax area, and we’re confident that Matt’s knowledge of the company will ensure a seamless transition."
Ruijter also thanked Kuper for his many contributions to VNU. "We wish Bart well in his future career," he said.
O’Laughlin joined VNU in 2002 as vice president of International Tax Planning, and was appointed vice president of U.S. Tax in 2005. Prior to joining VNU, O’Laughlin was with the accounting firm of Arthur Andersen L.L.P. in New York, in the firm’s international tax department. Earlier, he was manager of international tax planning for UCAR International Inc., a global manufacturer of graphite and carbon products based in Nashville, Tennessee.
O’Laughlin earned a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, where he also received his undergraduate degree in business administration.
Prior to joining VNU, Kerff was a tax advisor with KPMG Meijburg & Co., and before that with PricewaterhouseCoopers, both in Rotterdam. He earned a masters degree in tax law from the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands.
About VNU
VNU is a global information and media company with leading market positions and recognized brands in marketing information (ACNielsen), media measurement and information (Nielsen Media Research) and business information (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Computing, Intermediair).
VNU is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. The company employs nearly 41,000 people. Total revenues were EUR 3.5 billion in 2005. VNU is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam (ASE: VNU) stock exchange. For more information, please visit the VNU web site at www.vnu.
Special Military Robots Manufactured by WVHTC Foundation Shipped to Middle East to Combat IEDs
Remotely controlled BomBot(TM) designed to keep soldiers out of harm's way U.S. troops in the Middle East will now use special military robots manufactured by the West Virginia High Technology Consortium (WVHTC) Foundation that are designed to combat improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The BomBot, an "expendable" military robot introduced by the United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technology Division, was unveiled yesterday at WVHTC Foundation headquarters in Fairmont, W.Va. The BomBot is manufactured by Innovative Response Technologies, Inc. (IRT), a wholly owned subsidiary of the WVHTC Foundation, and represents a $9.6 million contract from the U.S. Navy. BomBots are robots that can be rapidly deployed to place explosive charges on or near an IED without exposing the operator to danger.
Remotely controlled BomBot(TM) designed to keep soldiers out of harm's way U.S. troops in the Middle East will now use special military robots manufactured by the West Virginia High Technology Consortium (WVHTC) Foundation that are designed to combat improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The BomBot, an "expendable" military robot introduced by the United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technology Division, was unveiled yesterday at WVHTC Foundation headquarters in Fairmont, W.Va. The BomBot is manufactured by Innovative Response Technologies, Inc. (IRT), a wholly owned subsidiary of the WVHTC Foundation, and represents a $9.6 million contract from the U.S. Navy. BomBots are robots that can be rapidly deployed to place explosive charges on or near an IED without exposing the operator to danger.Originally developed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, the BomBot delivers significant value to the coalition forces deployed in the Middle East. At a cost of only $5,000 each - versus earlier versions of robots that cost $100,000-$150,000 - the BomBot minimizes the military's financial investment and maximizes frequency of use.
The U.S. Navy began shipping the BomBot to U.S. military outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this month. "The BomBot was manufactured in only 105 days from the contractual agreement to the first shipment date," said Congressman Alan B. Mollohan, who secured a total of $3.75 million in the 2004 and 2005 Defense Department spending bills for the WVHTC Foundation to prototype, test and evaluate the BomBot. "This rapid production cycle will enable the BomBot team to supply the robots at the rate our troops require them, with the goal of immediately resulting in lives saved." "The manufacture of the BomBot represents a strategic government/industry R&D initiative, coupled with an urgent military need," said WVHTC Foundation President and CEO James L. Estep. "This successful, accelerated collaboration has resulted in a highly mobile vehicle that can be manufactured at a fraction of the cost of past robots used for these purposes, while keeping the robot operator out of harm's way and saving military and civilian lives. This has a particularly special meaning to me because my son is serving in Iraq." Many robotic systems are large and must be transported on a HumVee or by trailer and can move at speeds of only a few miles an hour.
The BomBot is a miniature, modified, 4x4, remote controlled truck that has been equipped with a camera that can pan and tilt. The BomBot has a simple explosive charge dispenser that acts in much the same way as the bed of a dump truck. It weighs 15 pounds and is 22 inches by 20 inches by 18 inches in size, can reach speeds of 30 to 35 miles per hour, and is able to quickly and more covertly place a device near an IED to destroy it. IRT will become the leading manufacturer of the low-cost robots in the country. IRT team members include a group of West Virginia-based companies and organizations: Azimuth, Inc., located in Fairmont and Morgantown; Kvaerner Power, Fairmont; and the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing (RCBI), located in Bridgeport, Rocket Center, South Charleston and Huntington. Additionally, NOMADIO, Inc., of Philadelphia, Pa., is a strategic partner, manufacturing the remote control radio used on the BomBot system. "The BomBot represents advanced technology applied in a simple, cost-effective way," said Brad DeRoos, WVHTC Foundation Vice President of Research and Development. "This vehicle can be used for reconnaissance or as a payload transporter. It is designed to carry up to 10 pounds of explosives to a suspect improvised device, drop off the explosives and move away from the explosives so that the operator can detonate them.
This will undoubtedly equate to military and civilian lives saved." Estep added that he anticipates growth in the robotics industry in the future. International and domestic terrorism, hazardous material monitoring and cleanup, and surveillance in hostile environments are examples of scenarios where robotic vehicles play a role in keeping soldiers, first responders and law enforcement personnel out of harm's way. For further information, go to http://www.irt-robotics.com. The WVHTC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Fairmont, W.Va., functioning as an engine of economic change for growing a statewide and regional high-tech business sector. The Foundation has established a multi-faceted approach to maximize economic development, including infrastructure development, research and development, commercialization and affiliate services. For further information, contact Ron Cochran at rcochran@wvhtf.org.
