MBN, Monte Bubbles Network: Eurostar Sets New Guinness World Record With Cast and Filmmakers of Columbia Pictures' The Da Vinci Code

To understand the internet you have to be open to change.

Content is King

Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne May 17, 2006

MBN

www.montebubbles.com for more MBN news

INTERNET ADVERTISING IS THE FUTURE

Info@montebubbles.netMonte Bubbles now Licensing her image for use.

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

averaging 100 Pages of news a day. )

MBN is the Avis of the news business. Because we are internet we have to try harder and do more on less.

MBN HAS BEEN INVITED TO COVER THE CHINESE CES THIS JULY

SUNDAYS ARE NOW PICTURE DAY

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 : I do know that right now I am not as pretty as the other girls at the dog show. I am bigger then they are, heavier then they are and my fur is very slow growing so it has to be cut very little at a time. But I have a brother that is the most handsome dog there has ever been. I look at him and know one day I will be as pretty as he is handsome and that I have to hang in there till then.

Not a bad haul for a not so pretty, large girl with a hair problem though.

ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY

Spike TV Puts a Stake Into Scripted TV With June 28th Premiere of 'Blade: The Series' Based on Marvel's Renowned Super Hero Radio has Gone to the Dogs – DogRadioThailand.com, DogCatRadio.com Bishop Carlton Pearson Asks: Why All the Paranoia Over The Da Vinci Code? Evangelical Pentecostal Bishop Says That God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear

SPYMAC ANNOUNCES ONLINE PUBLISHING REVOLUTION --

FIRST DRAG & DROP WEBSITE CREATOR

Sometimes You Have To Kill To Make A Killing: The Marketing Secrets Behind The Da Vinci Code AOL Launches AIM Phoneline The Global Da Vinci Code Debate Event Was a Smash Hit and Explained Both Fact and Fiction in Controversial Book and Movie Hyperion to Publish a New Book With Michael J. Fox

ANOTHER ROAD HOME: Israeli Woman/Palestinian Man - Controversial Film Now on DVD Award-Winning DVD Helps Fight Childhood Obesity

WeLoveBettyBoop.com Now Sells Over 700 Unique Betty Boop ProductsDeftones to Co-Headline Family Values Tour 2006

Pre-Tour Free Concerts Set for This Thursday! New Album Nearing Completion The International (Noise) Conspiracy Return to North America!Live Chat Now Featured on Every Wi-Fi TV Channel

State of the Internet, New Wi-Fi TV Features and New Wi-Fi TV Referral Campaign Are Subjects of Online Web Cast

Move Over "Da Vinci Code" "The Key To Solomon's Key" Ignites Historical Bombshell of 'Biblical' Proportions

ABC News' Stephanopoulos Joins May 21 Tribute in D.C. to Fallen Troops ABC News' Stephanopoulos to Serve as Master of Ceremonies for 'A Time of Remembrance' in Washington May 21 Eurostar Sets New Guinness World Record With Cast and Filmmakers of Columbia Pictures' The Da Vinci Code Nikki Beach Returns Beachfront at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes to Cater to the A-List Celebrities of the 2006 Cannes Film Festival

Dolby Demonstrates the Emotional Power of Surround Sound at Tokyo's Omotesando Hills; Dolby TrueHD Completes the High-Definition Experience

Ronald Reagan: The Signature Collection'' Debuts on DVD August 15 from Warner Home Video

One-Bag Shoppers Rely on Local Print and Broadcast 'James Stewart: The Signature Collection' Debuts on DVD August 15 from Warner Home Video

NBC Universal Completes Acquisition of iVillage Inc

Altnet Settles Music Industry Patent Infringement Case

DVD Release of Mega-Tony(R) Award-Winning Musical Comedy Hit 'The Producers' Arrives Today Coinciding With 2006 Tony Awards(R) Announcements

Music Legend Clive Davis 'The Man with the Golden Ears' to Appear on American Idol Tuesday, May 16 and Wednesday, May 17th

A Famous Museum ... A Shocking Murder ... Secrets Written in Code: THE NORMAN ROCKWELL CODE Azteca America Dazzles With Its Upfront Presentation

Sony Unveils World's First Blu-Ray Notebook Computer New VAIO PC Offers the Ultimate in High- Definition Sony Delivers World's First Full-Function Pocket-Sized PC
New VAIO UX Model Combines Micro-Portable Design With Smooth Functionality
Sony DADC Announces Launch of U.S. Blu-ray Disc Production
SPIRIT WARRIORS: A Graphic Novel
By Stephen Baldwin
Cult Film Phenomenon ''BOONDOCK SAINTS'' Returns to the Big Screen on the Eve of the New Unrated Special Edition DVD Release
Artist Lineups Grow for 2006 CMA Music Festival
Young Filmmaker and MTV Director's Film to Premiere at Cannes Festival
R. Kelly Concludes Successful 'Light It Up' Tour
VH1 Breaks Out the Big Guns to Turn the Heat Up on Hard Rock
''Lincoln and Lee at Antietam - The Cost of Freedom'' DVD Wins Top Award at WorldFest - Houston Film Festival
iHollywood Forum Announces Keynote Speakers for Fifth Annual Digital Media Summit, June 6-7, 2006; Summit Showcases Breakthrough Business Models for Monetizing and Distributing Digital Content
Digital Television is Expected to Be Comprehensively Deployed in China before 2008
TV Guide Channel(R) Premieres Second Season of Makeover Series ''LOOK-A-LIKE'' on Thursday, May 31 at 8:00PM ET/PT
Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott Top '06 BET AWARDS List With Four Nominations Each
InterVideo Home Theater Bundled with BenQ Joybooks for a Complete Mobile Digital Entertainment Experience; Easy-to-Use Digital Media Software Brings TV and Radio to Notebook Pcs
Upfront Kicks Off as Teens Tune Out; New Online Research Shows 80% of 16-18 Year Olds Can't Name All Four Top TV Networks - NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX
MasterCard Launches New Ad Campaign Geared Towards Affluent Consumers; Latest Priceless(R) Execution Communicates the Benefits of World MasterCard
Canon XL H1 HD Camcorder Wins Six Awards at NAB2006; Canon's First-Ever HD Camcorder and Console Software Awarded for Innovation and Technology
``Young and the Restless'' Actress Kate Linder Will Be Presented with The ALS Association's All-Star Award\
Wolfmother & iPod Board the Love Train
Giant Inflatable Art Objects Greet Visitors to Pittsburgh As Part of Pittsburgh Roars Cultural Celebration
Famous French Artist's Oil Painting Acquired By Tulsa Museum; Dubuffet Now Part of Philbrook Museum of Art Collection
BBC AMERICA Launches Exclusive Online Game for Primetime Soap, Footballers Wive$ The Wive$ Get Their Own Life on BBCAmerica.com The Knot, Inc. Signs Multiple Book Deal for 'The Nest' With Clarkson Potter
Four-Book Deal for Newlywed and Young Married Brand Premieres With 'The Nest Newlywed Handbook: An Owner's Manual to Modern Married Life' in Fall 2006
empolis Takes Over iTV Business and iTV Browser Pontegra
Reel American Heroes Honor Soldiers on Memorial Day
'Saving Private Ryan' Voted Greatest American War Movie in BLOCKBUSTER Online(R) Survey
Morey's Piers Redefines Waterpark With New Resort-Themed Ocean Oasis Waterpark and Beach Club
betbull Announces First Move Into the Spanish Retail Market With Three Shops to Open This Summer and a Record Q1 Income From its German Shops
Two New Series - 'Lovespring International' & 'Angela's Eyes' - and Fantasia Starring in a Lifetime Original Movie Based on Her Life Highlight Lifetime Television's Summer Programming
The Global Da Vinci Code Debate Event Was a Smash Hit and Explained Both Fact and Fiction in Controversial Book and Movie
Atronic's Penny Parade(TM) Awards Big on Mother's Day
UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE BREAK-UP
Gameloft Counts Down to the Launch of Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest
NewTek SpeedEDIT™ Wins Innovation Award at NAB 2006
SPORTS & AUTOS
Oakland & Dodger Baseball
ExxonMobil Awards Four $5,000 Mobil 1 Scholarships to NASCAR Technical Institute Students
Automotive Fine Arts Society to Celebrate 21st Show at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Remarks by President Bush to the 2005 WNBA Champions
EDS Pinball Auction Raises $25,600 for the Salesmanship Club Family Works Center
Jacobs Receives $6 Million Contract for Design of Olympic Gateway Station
Bettors Looking to Crack Da Vinci Code
Wager on Opening Weekend Gross for The Da Vinci Code at Sportsbook.com
One-of-a-Kind Student Fashion Show: Where the Rubber Meets the Runway
First Mail-Delivery Van Converted to Hybrid Postal Service Demonstrates Hybrid-Electric Technology
Dunlop Podcasts 'Cast' Exciting Auto Enthusiast Content
Honda Announces Pricing of Natural Gas-Powered 2006 Civic GX
Owners Can Benefit From Tax Incentives, Up to 65 Percent Lower Fuel Costs With Optional 'Phill' Home Refueling Appliance
DOD
Briefing Radio Interview with Mario Mancuso on the "Brian and the Judge Show" Fox News Radio Friday, May, 05, 2006
The wife of a Marine from Camp Lejeune, N.C., got more than she bargained for as a contestant on NBC's game show "Deal or No Deal" last night
NEWS & NEWS IN SPAINISH
Road Rage Survey Reveals Best, Worst Cities
iPod(R) Accessory Production in Mainland China and Taiwan to Top US$104 Million in 2006, Suppliers Plan Export Price Hikes - Survey
100 Million Tourists a Year In Paris Make It the Most Visited City In the World!
Paris-Essentials Was Created for People Who Love Paris!
Few Americans Know Connection Between Excess Weight and Cancer Risk, Compared to Heart Disease or Diabetes, New Nationwide Survey Finds
American Cancer Society Launches Great American Eat Right Challenge(TM)
D'immenses structures gonflables accueillent les visiteurs à Pittsburgh dans le cadre du festival culturel Pittsburgh Roars
10 SUGERENCIAS PARA EL CUIDADO DE LOS MUEBLES DE PATIO
EADS at ILA 2006 – Berlin Air Show
___________________________________________________-
ENTERTAINMENT, ART, FASHION, TECHNOLOGY
Spike TV Puts a Stake Into Scripted TV With June 28th Premiere of 'Blade: The Series' Based on Marvel's Renowned Super Hero

New Weekly Action-Adventure/Drama Stars Kirk 'Sticky' Jones as Blade

Based on Marvel Super Hero, Produced by New Line Television, Executive Produced by David Goyer

"Blade: The Series," Spike TV's first original scripted action-adventure/drama fare, premieres on Wednesday, June 28 (10 PM - midnight, ET/PT) with Kirk "Sticky" Jones in the title role of Marvel's immortal half-man, half-vampire who uses his superhuman powers and skills to fearlessly battles the demonic creatures of the night in a blood- drenched crusade to prevent their rise over mankind.

"Blade: The Series" maintains the continuity from New Line Cinema/Marvel Studio's highly successful movie trilogy, but brings the main character into new storylines and characters. The two-hour premiere opens with Blade (Jones) setting up shop in Detroit, investigating the vampire House of Chthon. Along the way, he forms an uneasy alliance with Krista Starr (Jill Wagner), a former military veteran who becomes entrenched in the world of vampires while investigating the murder of her twin brother.

In addition to Jones and Wagner, the series also features Neil Jackson as "Marcus," Blade's chief nemesis and head of the Chthon House; Jessica Gower as "Chase," a seductive vampire who is devoted to Marcus; and Nelson Lee as Shen, a technology genius and Blade's confidante.

Acclaimed screenwriter David Goyer ("Blade" trilogy and "Batman Begins") and popular comic book writer Geoff Johns serve as Executive Producer and Producer of the series, respectively. David Simkins serves as Executive Producer. Peter O'Fallon ("Suicide Kings," "American Gothic") directed the premiere episode.

The weekly series launches with the two-hour premiere on June 28, (10:00 PM - Midnight, ET/PT) with 11 one-hour subsequent episodes to begin airing Wednesday, July 5 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT), encore presentations of the series will telecast on Wednesdays (11:00 PM, ET/PT), Sundays (2:00 AM, ET/PT), and Mondays (10:00 PM, ET/PT).

Bill McGoldrick, Vice President, Original Programming and Lisa Ullmann, Director of Original Programming, are executives in charge of production at Spike TV. Jim Rosenthal and Jon Kroll of New Line Television, Avi Arad, Chairman and CEO of Marvel Studios, Ari Arad, Executive Vice President, Marvel Studios, David Goyer (Blade films, Batman Begins), David Simkins (Charmed, Roswell, Dark Angel), serve as executive producers.

New Line Television is a division of New Line Cinema (www.newline.com), the most successful independent film company in the world. The division develops, produces and distributes TV projects for the broadcast networks, cable and first-run syndication, as well as distributes New Line feature films across the television landscape. In addition to the production, marketing and distribution of theatrical motion pictures, New Line Cinema has divisions devoted to home entertainment, music, theater, merchandising and international. A pioneer in franchise filmmaking, New Line's Oscar-winning "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy is one of the most successful film franchises in history. New Line is a division of Time Warner, Inc.

With a library of over 5,000 characters, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused on utilizing its character franchises in licensing, entertainment, publishing and toys. Areas of emphasis include feature films, DVD/home video, consumer products, video games, action figures and role-playing toys, television and promotions. Rooted in the creative success of over sixty years of comic book publishing, Marvel's strategy is to leverage its character franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world. More information about Marvel can be found at www.marvel.com.

Spike TV is available in more than 90 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

Marvel, Blade and related characters names and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc. TM & (C) 2006 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. Super Hero(es) is a co-owned registered trademark.

Source: Spike TV

Web site: http://www.spiketv.com/
http://www.newline.com/
http://www.marvel.com/

Radio has Gone to the Dogs – DogRadioThailand.com, DogCatRadio.com

Who hasn’t left the tv or the radio on for the dogs and cats? Depending on my mood of course, I’ve channel surfed for Monte Bubbles – whether it’s talk radio or music. Like many, I’m pleased to have a selection of two different internet radio possibilities with music intended for dogs to offer variety from Animal Planet and occasionally National Geographic.

DogRadioThailand.com, launched last week by Anupan Boonchuen, director of a Dog2Home grooming school. He has seen music improve the mood of dogs he grooms.

Anupan dreamed of starting a radio station for dogs. His dream was revitalized after hearing an international news story about a low-cast radio station for dogs in the United States.

DogRadioThailand.com airs mainly Thai pop music which is broadcast around the clock. Future plans are to have djs as radio hosts which are interested students from his dog grooming school. With main qualifications being that they love and dogs and be good at barking, they’re planning on communicating to the dogs. They’ll even take requests for songs.

A cat suggested DogCatRadio.com is an internet radio station. Founder Adrian Martinez, also the President of Morusa Records, an independent record label in Los Angeles, was awarded the “(Radio) Wave of the Future” category in People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal’s 3^rd annual Proggy (for progress) Awards. PETA’s Proggy Awards recognize animal-friendly achievements in commerce and culture.

DogCatRadio.com has a base of over 3 million pet owners who tune in regularly to listen to a variety of upbeat music, pet-advice, and pet commercials. Periodically, they even interview or go out to events. DogCatRadio.com airs live 17 hours a day and by podcast for the remaining time.

Whether it’s DogRadioThailand.com, DogCatRadio.com, Animal Planet or National Geographic, you’ve choices to keep your pet from being so lonely and to ease your mind.

Bishop Carlton Pearson Asks: Why All the Paranoia Over The Da Vinci Code?
Evangelical Pentecostal Bishop Says That God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear

The following is a statement issued by Bishop Carlton Pearson of New Dimensions Worship Center:

"Why all the fuss about The Da Vinci Code? Is it not a fictional novel claiming to be nothing more?

Only those who are alarmed dial 911. Most of the people screaming about The Da Vinci Code are those who profess to be people of faith. However, what some are referring to a 'Faith-based community' is beginning to sound more like a 'Fear-based community.'

The panic of the religious right is obvious in their knee-jerk reaction to The Da Vinci Code or to anything else that challenges their often idolatrous traditions. What is the difference between the Christian response to The Da Vinci Code and the Islamic world's response to Salman Rushdie's 'Satanic Verses'?

As an evangelical Christian pastor, I usually do not read many fictional books; however, as I read the entire Da Vinci Code novel, I could barely put it down even though it clearly states that it is fiction. I loved the fact that the book, as will the movie, touches on several critical points of history that need to be honestly revisited.

While I do not necessarily believe that Jesus was married, it would not be totally unreasonable to assume that the man who said '... whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart,' may have had human attractions, as do other men, to a beautiful young woman attending to Him in the manner scripture suggests Mary Magdalene and other women did. He was, after all, a young single man.

Scripture also says in reference to Jesus, '... we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.' If in fact He was tempted as we are, then one of the only ways He could be so without sin, would be to marry.

According to Christian theology, It is not Christ's possible marriage to a woman that has made the difference in the world, it is His marriage to the church and to His purpose to redeem humankind to God that should be the only thing that truly counts. Even if He were married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman for that matter, it would not change His divinity or His teachings on divine matters of life, at least as far as I am concerned. After all, His favorite title for Himself was 'son of man,' not 'Son of God.'

True believers should be allowed to ask questions without being accused of being rebellious renegades and thus treated as second-class Christians. True believers simply believe, but having faith does not mean you are brain-dead. Having faith does not mean a person believes everything he is told about God by someone else - faith should be based on one's personal inward consciousness of the divine, not someone else's interpretation of that reality.

One of my favorite authors, Oswald Chambers, wrote: 'Doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong; it may be a sign that he is thinking.'"

Website: http://www.higherd.org/

SPYMAC ANNOUNCES ONLINE PUBLISHING REVOLUTION --
FIRST DRAG & DROP WEBSITE CREATOR

Spymac “Drag-n-Drop Site Creator” Lets Everyone Publish Online

Low-Cost, Easiest Way to Create Websites & Blogs

Spymac www.spymac.com, the largest Macintosh community and top Mac & Windows site for sharing photos, movies and music online, introduced today “Drag-n-Drop Site Creator,” which lets Mac and Windows users create their own websites and blogs with just a few clicks. Drag-n-Drop Creator completes Spymac’s suite of tools that lets Mac and Windows users express themselves worldwide at www.spymac.com.

Spymac Brings the Power of Publishing on the Internet to Everyone

In 1985, Apple created a publishing revolution with desktop publishing software that lets everyone express themselves as never before through personal printed newsletters and publications. Now Spymac takes this revolution a step further by bringing the power of Internet publishing to all with easy-to-use economical software that lets anyone with a Mac publish online quickly and easily for a small annual fee. The online software service gives Mac users the power to build professional looking websites and blogs using easy drag & drop technology. The technology is the first ever AJAX-based, online site building software, which is why it’s so incredibly easy to use. Not only does Spymac’s “Drag-n-Drop Site Creator” harness advanced AJAX technology like never before, but it’s also the first software service of its kind to be fully compatible with Apple’s Safari Web browser, so that anything that’s in your website (including text, pictures, forms and even web applications) can be dragged around and positioned exactly where you’d like them by simply dragging and dropping.

Choose from Dozens of Templates for Instant Webpage Designs

Users can choose from dozens of professionally designed templates for instant website page designs that can be easily modified to suit their needs. Any element in the website can be dragged around and positioned as desired, all from within the web browser. Templates available include pages designed for business, weddings, photo albums and artists, school groups and more.

“Mac users can now instantly create a professional website through Spymac at a fraction of the cost,” said Kevin April, CTO, Spymac. “And with Spymac’s 3GB of included storage space, members can include movies and other multimedia on their sites.”

Drag-n-drop Site Creator is part of Spymac Club, a $25 annual service that includes blogging, file sharing software, email, multimedia sharing, and more. For more information, see www.spymac.com.

Spymac is the world’s largest Mac site with 1 million members

About Spymac

Spymac Network Inc. is a New York City corporation with offices in Dusseldorf, Germany and Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Originally launched as a Macintosh enthusiast site, Spymac has now grown to the largest international Macintosh community with nearly one million registered users. Spymac boasts innovative multimedia galleries, the first fully Mac-compatible drag-n-drop homepages, an iPod marketplace, member communities and much more.

Sometimes You Have To Kill To Make A Killing: The Marketing Secrets Behind The Da Vinci Code

As the marketing campaign for The Da Vinci Code movie reaches its climax, a University of Ulster professor has published a book on the marketing of the Dan Brown thriller.

The Marketing Code, by Stephen Brown, not only deconstructs the Dan Brown phenomenon, but it's written in the style of his best-selling namesake. With its tantalising tagline "Sometimes You Have to Kill to Make a Killing", The Marketing Code is the first business book of its type - a management thriller.

Fast, furious and nothing if not facetious, The Marketing Code uncovers a conspiracy at the heart of commercial life. It is a conspiracy that sweeps from the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to an abandoned Knights Templar graveyard in County Antrim. It is a conspiracy that includes the Holy Grail, the sinking of the Titanic and the promotional campaign surrounding Dan Brown's blockbuster novel.

When asked why he wrote The Marketing Code as a thriller, Professor Brown answered, "Most marketing texts are pretty boring. By and large, they are clichéd collations of pie-charts, bullet-points and just-do-it exhortations. I've always tried to write in an unorthodox way and, when I was working on the Dan Brown brand, it seemed appropriate to publish in a parody of his style. Naturally, I'm hoping that Dan Brown will sue and I'll reap the rewards of any accompanying publicity! If he does take legal action, I'll claim to be his estranged twin brother - we were separated at birth - and demand a DNA test to prove otherwise!"

Despite rumours to the contrary, Professor Brown insists that Hustler Business School - the academic institution at the heart of his nefarious commercial conspiracy - is not based upon UU, nor do any of the characters bear any resemblance to esteemed UU colleagues. "One character is based upon a world famous marketing guru but I have his official blessing. He even wrote an enthusiastic endorsement for the front cover."

A page-turning story of death, destruction, disinformation and disreputable distribution strategies, The Marketing Code is Professor Brown's eighteenth book. His previous book, Wizard: Harry Potter's Brand Magic, has been translated into fourteen languages so far, including French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Korean and Hebrew.

Source: University of Ulster

AOL Launches AIM Phoneline

New Service Offers a Free, Local Phone Number and Voicemail to AIM Users

Leading Industry Providers - Broadwing Communications, Telchemy

and Plantronics - Selected to Support AIM Phoneline Service

AOL today announced the launch of the AIM Phoneline service, a new offering that gives AIM users a free, local phone number to receive unlimited incoming calls online through the AIM service as well as free online voicemail. AIM users can get their free AIM Phoneline number by visiting www.aimphoneline.com and by downloading an updated version of the AIM Triton service now in beta testing.

AIM(R) Phoneline is a new communications enhancement to the AIM(R) service, the leading instant messaging service in the United States, which includes the widely-used Buddy List(R) feature, as well as free email, mobile text messaging, voice and streaming video services. With this launch, AOL is also kicking off the 10th anniversary of the Buddy List feature, an historic product innovation that revolutionized instant messaging and real-time communications, and helped millions to organize their online community networks. An interactive timeline and video commemorating the history of the AIM service and the Buddy List feature is available at www.AIM.com/birthday.

With the AIM Phoneline service, AIM users - 18 years of age or older - can get a free, local phone number to use however they like. This number provides always-on voicemail delivered to the user's AIM Mail inbox, and when users are signed into the AIM service, they can screen incoming calls with Caller ID, answer calls and talk as long as they'd like. Users can also enable the service to send a mobile alert via cell phone to notify them whenever they have new voicemail.

"AIM Phoneline was designed to meet the evolving phone needs of U.S. consumers," said John McKinley, President, AOL Digital Services. "Our research shows that the need for a separate and confidential phone number is becoming as important to consumers as the need for multiple email addresses. AIM Phoneline is delivering the first free and easy way to get an additional local phone line that brings a new level of control and flexibility over how we communicate with different people. We're thrilled to bring even more value to our AIM users by providing a new voice service that perfectly complements their busy lives and builds on existing online and instant messaging behaviors."

Mr. McKinley added: "For many computer users, it would be hard to imagine what life was like before instant messaging. The launch of our Buddy List feature was an unprecedented phenomenon that helped make instant messaging a must-have communications lifeline that tens of millions of consumers use every day to connect to others online, via mobile devices, phone calls and more. We're proud of the success AIM has achieved and believe the unique capabilities of AIM Phoneline are a step forward in transforming consumer voice communications."

A recent survey by the Opinion Research Corporation revealed that seven out of ten Americans have use for an additional phone line, and 84 percent say they have concerns about sharing their home phone number, particularly as related to their online social and commercial activities(1). There are numerous ways to take advantage of a free AIM Phoneline number, for example: to post on a Web page for social or business networking; to give to new friends or contacts; to give out when making or researching purchases; for connecting with other online buyers and sellers; and much more.

Free AIM(R) Phoneline service features, include:

-- A free, local phone number for each AIM Screen Name that follows users wherever they go;

-- An "always-on answering service" that takes messages anytime - whether users are online or not - and sends easy-to-access and archive MP3 voicemail messages right to email;

-- Integration with the AIM service and Buddy List feature, which connects the nation's largest and most popular instant messaging community;

-- Unlimited inbound calling from friends on landlines, mobile phones and other PCs;

-- Caller ID that lets users easily screen calls;

-- Ability to receive mobile alerts on a cell phone to keep informed about new voicemail messages; and

-- Ability to report unwanted calls through a service that will soon also incorporate an innovative "Do Not Answer Registry" to help other users manage potential telespam.

As a complement to its free benefits, AIM Phoneline also offers an easy upgrade for those who make lots of calls and want greater flexibility and outbound calling capacity, such as long distance families, long distance cell phone users, and small/home businesses.

AIM Phoneline Unlimited includes unlimited calling in the US, Canada, and more than 30 international destinations for one low fixed monthly fee. In addition to enhanced PC-based call management capabilities, it also offers industry-compliant, nomadic E911 support that will enable AIM Phoneline users to reach emergency services regardless of their location.

In addition to all features of the free service, AIM(R) Phoneline Unlimited features include:

-- 30-day free trial with no risk and no fine print;

-- Introductory, low fixed monthly fee of $9.95 for select number of charter members for unlimited inbound and outbound calling in the U.S., Canada and specific destinations in more than 30 countries internationally (Low fixed monthly fee of $14.95 thereafter for all customers);

-- Enhanced 911 service, including for nomadic users;

-- Enhanced call management tools, including one-click call blocking and detailed online call logs;

-- Complete caller ID with name, number, city and state, that lets users screen calls with the "answering machine-like" ability to interrupt a message and take the call or send directly to voicemail;

-- Ability to place phone calls with a single click from contacts listed within the AIM Buddy List, AIM Address Book and in online call logs; and

-- Ability to dial any number by typing into the AIM Buddy List's integrated "digital dialpad."

AOL is working with leading industry providers to support the AIM Phoneline service, including:

-- Broadwing Communications, LLC, the all optical networking leader, serves as the primary provider for network services including PSTN integration and telephone number management for the AIM Phoneline service and is the enabler of complete E911 emergency calling support;

-- Telchemy(R) Incorporated, the global leader in VoIP performance management technology, enables real-time call quality monitoring of the AIM Phoneline service, allowing AOL to ensure a consistently good voice quality for users; and

-- Plantronics, Inc., the leading provider of communication headsets, will offer AIM Phoneline users access to lightweight and affordable headsets to enhance their PC-based calling experience. Beginning today, consumers can go to

www.plantronics.com/aimphoneline and take advantage of a special offer on the Plantronics(R) .Audio(TM) 40, featuring a noise-canceling microphone for crystal-clear conversation and rich, full-range stereo sound.

and take advantage of a special offer on the Plantronics(R) .Audio(TM) 40, featuring a noise-canceling microphone for crystal-clear conversation and rich, full-range stereo sound.

Availability

To get a free local phone number and more information about the advantages and benefits of AIM Phoneline, go to www.aimphoneline.com.

About AOL LLC

AOL LLC and its subsidiaries operate a leading network of Web brands and the largest Internet access subscription service in the United States. Web brands include the AOL.com(R) website, AIM(R), MapQuest(R) and Netscape(R). AOL offers a range of digital services in the areas of education, safety and security, communications and music. The company also has operations in Europe and Canada. AOL, which is based in Dulles, Virginia, is a majority-owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.

The Global Da Vinci Code Debate Event Was a Smash Hit and Explained Both Fact and Fiction in Controversial Book and Movie

Leading Experts and Biblical Scholars Discussed the Issues Before a Packed Crowd and the World Via Live Video Streaming on the Internet

Three of the world's leading biblical and cultural experts graced the stage tonight and put on their verbal boxing gloves of truth to debate and inform a capacity crowd in a New York Hilton Ballroom in Manhattan regarding the fact and fiction in The Da Vinci Code book and upcoming movie.

The global debate event, which also had a live worldwide audience via the Internet at http://www.davincidebateny.com/, was the only one of its kind in the world before the opening of The Da Vinci Code movie on May 19th worldwide. The debate also included a tough New York audience Q & A session from the capacity crowd.

"The goal of The Da Vinci Code Debate event was to inform the general public regarding what is true, historical fact and what is fiction in both The Da Vinci Code book and the upcoming movie," said Mitch Glaser, president of Chosen People Ministries, one of the event organizers. "The debate speakers expressed various opinions from their expert point of view and the audience asked their own questions too, but in the end, the audience was asked to draw their own conclusions and to continue to fact check The Da Vinci Code book and movie with the Bible and other truly factual and historical sources."

Because of Dan Brown's fictional thriller, Christian history is in the news like never before. There are people in the world angry and protesting opinions and statements raised in The Da Vinci Code and then there are people who see the book and movie as an amazing opportunity.

"There was one thing all our debate speakers agree upon," said Mitch Glaser. "Some of the issues raised in The Da Vinci Code book and movie are allowing people usually not interested in biblical issues to open a Bible to learn more for themselves."

The Da Vinci Code debate speakers included:

* Dr. Darrell Bock, author of Breaking the Da Vinci Code, New Testament

scholar at Dallas Theological Seminary and an expert commentator in the

news, including ABC News' various specials and reports on Jesus and

other Christians.

* Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, author of Judaism for Everyone and London Times

Preacher of the Year.

* Dr. Michael Brown, author of Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus and

founder and president of ICN Ministries.

"We all had differing views regarding many of the biblical issues in both The Da Vinci Code book and movie," said Bock, Boteach and Brown. "But even though we believe there are many issues Dan Brown got wrong in his book, we see the entire controversy as an opportunity to inform and educate the people around the world regarding Biblical truth."

In 2004, the same event organizers held another powerful and controversial debate in New York which was also very successful and took place two weeks prior to the release of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ movie. The debate was entitled, Who Really Killed Jesus?

Both debates were big hits with a sell-out audience and lots of media in attendance and opened minds and hearts, as well as answered many questions of those in the audience regarding the controversial issues within both The Passion of the Christ and The Da Vinci Code films.

"Sales of movies and controversial books about Jesus Christ are one thing, but none compare to the most powerful, truthful, historical and most read book in the world: the Holy Bible," said Mitch Glaser.

The goal of The Da Vinci Code Debate event was to provide various views from leading scholars and experts regarding the truth and fiction within The Da Vinci Code book and movie. By using important tools like the Bible and other historical resources, the event organizers challenged the audience (live in person and via the global Internet simulcast) to learn to question, research and seek the whole truth and nothing but the truth for themselves regarding The Da Vinci Code and Jesus. For more information about The Da Vinci Code debate, visit http://www.davincidebateny.com/.

Hyperion to Publish a New Book With Michael J. Fox

Hyperion announced today plans to publish a new book about optimism by Michael J. Fox to be entitled ALWAYS LOOKING UP. The book is scheduled for publication in fall, 2008.

Filled with honesty and humor, ALWAYS LOOKING UP will address important questions such as: Is an optimistic nature something we are born with, is it genetic? Is it environmental, chemical, spiritual? Are optimism and faith the same thing? Fox will begin with the individuals who inspired him with their courage and spirit, and will seek out the most influential optimists (and pessimists) in the worlds of philosophy, art, science, literature, politics, and popular culture, past and present. He will weave all of his findings, experiences and adventures into a highly personal narrative, similar in tone and style to LUCKY MAN.

The announcement was made by Hyperion president Bob Miller. Of the deal Miller said: "We're really thrilled to be working with Michael on this new book. There's no one better-equipped to investigate the nature of optimism than Michael, someone who embraces life so fully and appreciates whatever it has to offer each day."

Of the deal Michael J. Fox said: "I'm very happy to be working with Hyperion again. This book provides an opportunity to reflect on my own optimism, and to view the subject through a wider lens. It's a lot to take on, but I'm, well ... optimistic."

Bob Miller negotiated the deal with Amanda Urban of ICM. Executive editor Leslie Wells will be the editor for the book. Hyperion retains audio and world rights.

Hyperion, founded in 1991, publishes general-interest fiction and non-fiction hardcover, trade, and mass-market paperback books for adults and includes the Miramax, ESPN Books, ABC Daytime Press, Hyperion East, and Hyperion AudioBooks imprints. Hyperion is the adult trade book publishing unit of ABC, Inc.

Source: Hyperion

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

ANOTHER ROAD HOME: Israeli Woman/Palestinian Man - Controversial Film Now on DVD

GeoQuest Entertainment Group, Ltd. releases its first DVD worldwide on May 23, 2006. ANOTHER ROAD HOME by Danae Elon, award-winning Israeli filmmaker and daughter of renowned writer Amos Elon, portrays her quest to find Musa Obeidallah, the Palestinian man whose love and sacrifice profoundly influenced her life. Diverse media and audiences have lauded this powerful documentary because it brings to the screen a deep humanity about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and does not shy away from confronting its controversial themes. "We have taken tremendous care in producing a DVD of the finest technical quality that also provides interactive discussion tools to stimulate provocative and meaningful dialogue," said the company's founder, Alex Cyrell. When theatrically released in North America by Geoquest Entertainment, the film was met with critical acclaim, standing ovations, and impassioned Q&A sessions. It screened in Europe and the Middle East, and recently aired on the Sundance Channel.

ANOTHER ROAD HOME is available for purchase worldwide on http://www.anotherroadhomethemovie.com, http://www.amazon.com and for rental through Netflix. GeoQuest Entertainment screened 350 available titles before selecting ANOTHER ROAD HOME, largely because of its social relevance. Reactions at film festival and theatrical screenings revealed the film's unexpectedly broad appeal. Its message of hope, friendship and family resonates deeply with audiences of all ethnic backgrounds and religions. To maximize image quality, the film was mastered in High Definition. For DVD finalization, a Snell & Wilcox Alchemist standards converter was used with MPEG-2 encoding from Cinema Craft, Inc. The aesthetic and technical benefits of GeoQuest Entertainment's commitment to quality are evident on the DVD. Special Bonus Features include: -- Director's Commentary: Takes the viewer behind-the-scenes with Danae Elon who candidly discusses the obstacles and treasures found during the making of the film. -- Bonus Footage: Includes out-takes and additional interviews with family members. -- 12 Discussion Topics: Key themes emerge during post-screening forums and are the basis for these topics. -- 32 Scene Selections: Menu-bar provides easily navigated access to all scenes in the film that can be used with the 12 Discussion Topics. -- Quote Sheet: Speaks to the amazing response the film has received from critics, civic leaders and general audiences. GeoQuest Entertainment Group, Ltd., a newcomer to the specialty film business, is headquartered in Phoenix, AZ. Its goal is to acquire titles in different genres that are provocative, and have the potential to influence positive change. ANOTHER ROAD HOME - DVD: -- Approx. 80 Minutes/Color/In English -- DVD Extras: Director's Commentary/Bonus Footage/Discussion Tools -- DVD Versions: NTSC and PAL -- DVD Format: Fullscreen (to maintain the artistic integrity of the film) -- DVD Release Date: May 23, 2006 -- DVD Price: $24.95 + Shipping To see the theatrical trailer and for more information: http://www.anotherroadhomethemovie.com

Award-Winning DVD Helps Fight Childhood Obesity

A new DVD created by http://www.YourCreativeChild.com combats the growing trend of childhood obesity and lack of physical exercise by engaging children at a very young age to experience the joy of movement and exercise. Structured for repeated use, the DVD draws children to participate with an energetic cast of children. Terri Kosik, Executive Director, Early Childhood Development Center at Saint Mary's College and the University of Notre Dame, stated, "In light of all the research regarding childhood obesity and children being 'plugged in' to computers/TV/games ... I think the timing of this DVD could not be better." Creative Movement for Children-DVD was recently selected as a winner in Dr. Toy's Smart Play/Smart Toy Children's Products for 2006, sponsored by the non-profit Institute for Childhood Resources. "This DVD is a great way to develop coordination, overall fitness, imagination and translation of the spoken word into movement," said Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D., better known as Dr. Toy.

She goes on to add, "Creative Movement for Children-DVD is an interactive presentation designed to lead children aged three to six through elements of the creative process with movement and dance. This process is based on Ms. Bonnie Boilini Baxter's forty years of training experience with children. It will encourage children to move, dance and interact while helping to develop their creativity. The menus are simple and friendly and designed for children. Help your little one experience the joy of movement and they will gain enthusiasm and energy." See http://www.drtoy.com/awards/4958.html. The DVD, which draws upon Bonnie Boilini Baxter's lifelong work with children, stimulates children to think, imagine and move. Ms. Baxter states, "Unfortunately, many children today lead a very sedentary lifestyle and childhood obesity has become a major problem. I believe that it is critical that children from the earliest age must initiate and sustain a regular habit of exercise.

Over the years I have developed a number of engaging routines that not only make exercise fun, but stimulate the imagination, improve cognitive skills and can build self-confidence. It is my hope that through this DVD more children can experience the joy of movement and gain a lifetime of benefits." Currently in production, Creative Movement for Children, Volume 2 is scheduled for release in September 2006. There are also related educational products in development by http://www.YourCreativeChild.com. YourCreativeChild.com is the result of sustained collaboration between a brother and sister. Bonnie Boilini Baxter brings forty years of experience in childhood education along with a distinguished career in choreography and artistic direction. She is a recipient of the prestigious Life of a Child Award

(http://www.qualityoflife.org/healthworks/lifeofachild.htm). Edward Boilini (http://www.eBoilini.com) has been honored with numerous awards in the field of media arts over the last thirty years. YourCreativeChild.com P.O. Box 31 Notre Dame, IN 46556-0031

WeLoveBettyBoop.com Now Sells Over 700 Unique Betty Boop Products

Betty Boop, featured on WeLoveBettyBoop.com, is loved by young and old. Betty Boop is also one of the most popular licensed characters. Our goal at WeLoveBettyBoop.com is to bring together, in one place, all the different Betty Boop merchandise that is available for sale. Currently we sell over 700 Betty Boop products such as: T-shirts, kitchen accessories, figurines and collectibles, water globes, auto accessories, bathroom accessories, party supplies, magnets, plush toys, jewelry, bedding, afghans and luggage.

, featured on WeLoveBettyBoop.com, is loved by young and old. Betty Boop is also one of the most popular licensed characters. Our goal at is to bring together, in one place, all the different Betty Boop merchandise that is available for sale. Currently we sell over 700 Betty Boop products such as: , kitchen accessories, , water globes, auto accessories, bathroom accessories, , magnets, plush toys, jewelry, bedding, afghans and luggage.

Our customers love our selection and check back regularly to see all the new merchandise that has been added. 98% of first-time shoppers say that they will shop with us again when they want to add to their Betty Boop collections.

About WeLoveBettyBoop.com:

WeLoveBettyBoop.com was founded in 2002 as a place to go to find just Betty Boop merchandise for sale, all in one place. We have stuck to this mission by continually adding new products.

was founded in 2002 as a place to go to find just Betty Boop merchandise for sale, all in one place. We have stuck to this mission by continually adding new products.

Betty Boop is owned by, and is a licensed trademark of King Features and Fleischer Studios.

Deftones to Co-Headline Family Values Tour 2006
Pre-Tour Free Concerts Set for This Thursday! New Album Nearing Completion

Heavy-rock icons Deftones will co-headline Family Values Tour this summer with their friends Korn. This year's event will cover 30 cities across North America and will also feature a second stage with artists to be announced shortly. Other main stage artists will include Stone Sour, Flyleaf and Dir en grey.

This Thursday, May 18, each of the main stage bands will perform their own special free show in four separate U.S. cities as an added bonus to fans in advance of the tour: Korn in Chicago, Stone Sour in Kansas City and Flyleaf in Spokane. Deftones will play Caesar Chavez Park in their hometown of Sacramento. Stay tuned to local media and check the websites for complete details.

Tickets for the first handful of shows of the Family Values Tour will go on sale to the public Saturday, May 20, 2006. Check www.familyvalueslive.com and local media for details. Lawn tickets are being offered for just $9.99 with value-priced seating available at every venue on the tour.

This summer's tour will launch July 27 in Virginia Beach, VA and run through September 20. Available dates and information will be listed below.

In other news, the highly anticipated, yet to be titled, new studio recording by Deftones is nearing completion and is scheduled for release September 2006. This album, the band's fifth, was produced by Bob Ezrin and Shaun Lopez and recorded in Connecticut and California. Deftones will tour the world in support of the album. Further details will be released soon.

Family Values Tour 2006

Thur July 27 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Virginia Beach, VA

Sat July 29 Starwood Amphitheater Nashville, TN

Sun July 30 Hi-Fi Buys Atlanta, GA

Tue Aug 1 tba Greenville, NC

Fri Aug 4 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater San Antonio, TX

Sat Aug 5 tba Dallas, TX

Sun Aug 6 tba Houston, TX

Fri Aug 11 tba Las Vegas, NV

Sat Aug 12 tba Las Vegas, NV

Tue Aug 15 Coors Amphitheater Denver, CO

Wed Aug 16 tba Albuquerque, NM

Fri Aug 18 Cricket Pavilion Phoenix, AZ

Sat Aug 19 tba San Bernardino, CA

Sun Aug 20 Sleep Train Sacramento, CA

Thur Aug 24 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Kansas City, MO

Fri Aug 25 tba St. Louis, MO

Sat Aug 26 Alpine Valley East Troy, WI

Mon Aug 28 tba Cincinnati, OH

Tue Aug 29 tba Indianapolis, IN

Fri Sep 1 tba Holmdel, NJ

Sat Sep 2 tba Wantagh, NY

Sun Sep 3 tba Hartford, CT

Tue Sep 5 tba Saratoga, NY

Wed Sep 6 tba Cleveland, OH

Fri Sep 8 tba Pittsburgh, PA

Sat Sep 9 tba Detroit, MI

Sun Sep 10 tba Buffalo, NY

Tue Sep 12 tba Toronto, ONT.

Wed Sep 13 tba Columbus, OH

Fri Sep 15 tba Camden, NJ

Sat Sep 16 tba Boston, MA

Sun Sep 17 tba Washington, DC

Wed Sep 20 tba West Palm Beach, FL

For updates, ticket and tour information, check out:

www.familyvalueslive.com

www.deftones.com

www.livenation.com

For further DEFTONES information please contact Warner Bros. Records

The International (Noise) Conspiracy Return to North America!

Sweden's premier punk rock band and favorite Communists, The International (Noise) Conspiracy are heading back to North America for another trek in support of their current release "ARMED LOVE." Produced by Rick Rubin, the album includes ten tracks of scorching soulful punk rock. Their live show has been proven to be an event not to be missed. "Certainly Karl Marx is rolling (and rocking in his grave)." FILTER

The Fever will support on all dates, except New York City.

Fri May 19 El Corazon Seattle, WA

Sat May 20 The Plaza Club Vancouver, BC

Mon May 22 The Warehouse Calgary, AB

Tue May 23 Starlite Room Edmonton, AB

Wed May 24 The Distrikt Regina, SK

Thu May 25 Pyramid Cabaret Winnipeg, MB

Fri May 26 Varsity Theater Minneapolis, MN

Sat May 27 Beat Kitchen Chicago, IL

Mon May 29 Call The Office London, ON

Tue May 30 Reverb Toronto, ON

Wed May 31 Babylon Ottawa, ON

Thurs June 1 L'Anti Quebec City, PQ

Fri June 2 Cabaret Du Musee Montreal, PQ

Sat June 3 Axis Boston, MA

Sun June 4 First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA

Mon June 5 CBGB New York City, NY

www.internationalnoise.com

SOURCE: Warner Bros. Records

Live Chat Now Featured on Every Wi-Fi TV Channel

Wi-Fi TV Inc. (OTC: WTVN) announced today that it has added its Wi-Fi TV Live Chat™ feature to all channels now available at www.Wi-FiTV.com. Over 200 live TV channels, free phone calls with the Wi-Fi TV™ branded Virtual Dialer, and many other features are available to Wi-Fi TV members.

"Wi-Fi TV Inc. is building a global community on the Internet, and the live chat feature enables our members to chat with each other live about what they are watching. It is part of the convergence of TV and the Internet being pioneered by Wi-Fi TV Inc.," said Rachelle Kuzma, of Wi-Fi TV Inc.

The Wi-Fi TV Live Chat box is located directly under the Wi-Fi TV Virtual Player ™ where the live TV channels and on-demand video content appears. Members are recognized by the chat feature which automatically enters the user name, and then the Wi-Fi TV member simply enters text into the live chat box.

About Wi-Fi TV Inc.

Wi-Fi TV can be seen over the Internet in the United States, Latin America and globally. More than 200 channels of live TV programming, Country and Category specific breaking news and free voice over IP phone calls are available at www.Wi-FiTV.com. Premium services are offered exclusively to Wi-Fi TV members. Subscriptions are available for $3.95 per month or $24.95 per year on a prepaid basis. There is also a 14-day free trial so users can make sure that Wi-FiTV.com works on their computer.

Wi-Fi TV Inc. has opened a new content and technology demo room for the press in Newport Beach, California.

State of the Internet, New Wi-Fi TV Features and New Wi-Fi TV Referral Campaign Are Subjects of Online Web Cast

Wi-Fi TV Inc. (OTC: WTVN) announced today that it will pay members a $2.50 referral fee for each referral resulting in a paid one year Wi-Fi TV membership, and it will pay $1,000 for the best idea to recruit new Wi-Fi TV members. Wi-Fi TV Inc.'s Chairman Alex Kanakaris also spoke on the State of the Internet and new Wi-Fi TV features.

A web cast is now online at www.Wi-FiTV.com. It is accessible from the home page, the Wi-Fi TV Live page, and also by entering the following Wi-Fi TV channel numbers:

Wi-Fi TV Channel #279 - Part 1, State of the Internet

Wi-Fi TV Channel #280 - Part 2, New Wi-Fi TV Features

Wi-Fi TV Channel #281 - Part 3, New Wi-Fi TV Referral Campaign

Referral Campaign

To earn the referral fee, a Wi-Fi TV member can simply send an email with their name and the name of each person they refer to referral@wi-fitv.com. Wi-Fi TV will send a one-time referral fee of $2.50 for each person that it confirms has become a one-year prepaid member (which costs $24.95). The referral campaign will also be referenced on the home page of www.Wi-FiTV.com (see terms and conditions).

$1,000 Idea Prize

Wi-Fi TV Inc. will pay $1,000 to the best idea submitted by June 5, 2006 that will help Wi-Fi TV Inc. gain more memberships. Ideas should be sent to referral@wi-fitv.com Wi-Fi TV Inc. will select the winner and will announce the winner online. The $1,000 Wi-Fi TV Membership Idea prize will also be referenced on the home page (see terms and conditions).

About Wi-Fi TV Inc.

SOURCE: Wi-Fi TV, Inc.

Move Over "Da Vinci Code" "The Key To Solomon's Key" Ignites Historical Bombshell of 'Biblical' Proportions

Readers looking for an even more striking revelation will find it in a controversial new book that hits bookstores next week. "The Key To Solomon's Key, Secrets of Magic and Masonry," by Lon DuQuette, brings subjects of mystery and intrigue, Freemasonry, Knights Templar and King Solomon, to an astounding conclusion. DuQuette, a celebrated occult author and Mason, reveals for the first time an intricately woven connection between King Solomon's legend and the Templar/Masonic legacy.

According to accepted history, King Solomon has long-held an established position as a wise magician King. He is a key element to the traditions of three warring religions, as well as the central figure of both the secret rituals of Freemasonry and the forbidden rites of sorcery.

Yet, DuQuette respectfully calls into question the truth of the story of Solomon, his magnificent Temple in Jerusalem, and the very keystone of the Bible that supports and connects the Old Testament to the New.

DuQuette's research addresses the reality of King Solomon in a tightly woven narrative that is sure to shock the world. It is here between the shadow of religion and magic that "The Key To Solomon's Key" dispels myths and, for the first time, explains to the public a most dangerous secret -- infinitely more fascinating than accepted history.

Richard Kaczynski, Ph.D., Yale University, Author of "Perdurabo, The Life of Aleister Crowley" states, "For those of us lacking the resources to excavate occult secrets hidden beneath the Louvre, CIA Headquarters or Rosslyn Chapel, 'The Key to Solomon's Key' is the next best thing. These pages reveal the true secrets of Solomon, from Masonry to magic. DuQuette's experience and learning make this fascinating journey through the history of the Bible, Knights Templar, Freemasons, and the Goetia all the more striking because it is real."

DuQuette is the author of over a dozen well received books on Occult subjects, including, "Angels, Demons & Gods of the New Millennium," "My Life With the Spirits," "The Magick of Aleister Crowley," and "Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot." DuQuette lectures and teaches internationally.

"The Key to Solomon's Key, Secrets of Magic & Masonry," published by CCC Publishing, (www.cccpublishing.com) will be available May 31, 2006.

ABC News' Stephanopoulos Joins May 21 Tribute in D.C. to Fallen Troops
ABC News' Stephanopoulos to Serve as Master of Ceremonies for 'A Time of Remembrance' in Washington May 21

News Correspondent Joins First-of-Its-Kind Tribute to Honor Military Families From Across U.S.

George Stephanopoulos, Chief Washington Correspondent for ABC News and anchor of ABC's Sunday morning news program "This Week" will serve as master of ceremonies for "A Time of Remembrance" Sunday, May 21, 2006 at noon on the National Mall at the Washington Monument Grounds.

Stephanopoulos regularly conducts interviews with prominent figures in the Bush administration, members of Congress and key foreign leaders including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, as well as Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi.

The first-of-its-kind event -- "A Time of Remembrance" -- is expected to bring more than 3,000 family members of American soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq to the nation's capitol to be joined by descendants of American heroes from every war dating back to 1776. They will honor those who fought and died to protect the U.S.

Organized by the White House Commission on Remembrance, which was created by Congress in 2000 as an independent, non-partisan agency intended to raise awareness about America's fallen troops and those they left behind, "A Time of Remembrance" will honor America's military history and those who served in the war on terrorism and in combat overseas.

A key element will be the presentation of the specially-created Gold Medal of Remembrance to children of military men and women killed in action in Afghanistan and Iraq. The medals will be presented by General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and R. James "Jim" Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

A Time of Remembrance will begin at noon on Sunday on the National Mall at the Washington Monument, and is planned to continue 90 minutes. Among its features:

* Introduction of family members who lost a relative in each of America's

conflicts, including descendents of Nathan Hale from the Revolutionary

War, the Sullivan Brothers from World War II and descendents of those

who died in the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf wars.

* The presentation of the Gold Medal of Remembrance to the children of

the fallen in Afghanistan and Iraq.

* The National Anthem sung by Tuskegee Airman Esra M. Hill, Sr. and the

Army Chorus.

* Remarks by dignitaries including U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska.

* A flyover by military aircraft.

Families are expected to attend from every one of the 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

Congress established The White House Commission on Remembrance in 2000 as an independent government agency to encourage Americans to honor the sacrifices of America's fallen and the families they left behind. It promotes acts of remembrance throughout the year, and is tasked to unite the country in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 p.m. each Memorial Day.

Source: White House Commission on Remembrance

Eurostar Sets New Guinness World Record With Cast and Filmmakers of Columbia Pictures' The Da Vinci Code

* Eurostar train arrives in Cannes after longest non-stop international train journey

* Guinness World Records verify the achievement

The cast and filmmakers of Columbia Pictures' The Da Vinci Code today helped Eurostar set a Guinness World Record for the longest non-stop international train journey. The record was set as the Eurostar train arrived in Cannes, with the cast and filmmakers onboard, for the start of the Cannes Film Festival.

The Eurostar journey, which took 7 hours 25 minutes, started in London at 09.40 London time this morning, after stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou and director Ron Howard, had named the train "The Da Vinci Code." It is the first time a Eurostar has made the journey with travellers from London to Cannes, and the longest non-stop high-speed journey in the world, with a distance of 1421km.

An official from Guinness World Records certified the record-breaking run and confirmed the record distance during a presentation on arrival at Cannes station.

Eurostar Chairman, Guillaume Pepy, commented: "This is an incredible achievement on an historic day. Eurostar has set a new world record for high-speed trains after bringing the cast and filmmakers of The Da Vinci Code in style from London to Cannes. We are confident that the team are now fully prepared for another historic event -- the film's global premiere at the Cannes Film Festival."

The Da Vinci Code will be released worldwide on May 19, 2006.

From director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, (the Oscar(R)-winning team of A Beautiful Mind), and producer John Calley (the Oscar(R)-nominated The Remains of the Day), comes the film version of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, one of the most popular and talked about novels of our time, with a cast headed by two-time Academy Award(R) winner Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jurgen Prochnow, Paul Bettany and Jean Reno. Produced by Grazer and Calley, The Da Vinci Code (www.SoDarkTheConOfMan.com) involves a thrilling murder investigation that unearths the biggest cover-up in human history.

Editor's Notes:

1. Eurostar is the fast train service linking London, Ashford, Paris,

Brussels, Lille, Avignon, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris and the

French Alps.

2. Eurostar has won the title of "World's Leading Rail Service" for the

last eight years at the World Travel Awards.

3. Eurostar and Eurotunnel are two entirely different companies with

two different management teams. Eurostar is Eurotunnel's largest

customer.

4. In 2007, Eurostar will switch its UK operations to London's

St. Pancras International. Journey times will fall further with

London-Paris only 2h 15m; London-Brussels 1h 51m and London-Lille

just 1h 20m.

5. To book tickets for Eurostar, or to find out more information, go to

www.eurostar.com , call 08705 186186 or contact your travel agent.

6. Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group,

is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment

(SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a

subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations

encompass motion picture production and distribution; television

production and distribution; digital content creation and

distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment

acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities;

development of new entertainment products, services and technologies;

and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony

Pictures Entertainment can be found at www.sonypictures.com

7. Guinness World Records is the universally recognized authority on

record-breaking achievement. First published in 1955, the annual

Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries

and 20 languages and is one of the highest-selling books under

across the globe.

Nikki Beach Returns Beachfront at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes to Cater to the A-List Celebrities of the 2006 Cannes Film Festival

Nikki Beach returns to the beach of the famous Carlton Hotel in Cannes, France, to host the hottest movie premiers, press conferences, concerts and fashion shows during the 59th Cannes Film Festival. A-list celebrities such as Sir Elton John, Lenny Kravitz, Oliver Stone, Penelope Cruz, Meryl Streep, and other film industry VIPs are expected to host private events at Nikki Beach in Cannes from May 17 thru the 28, 2006.

Last year, Nikki Beach at the Cannes Film Festival catered to an incredible clientele, including Woody Allen and Scarlett Johansson hosting the premier party for their movie "Match Point," Salma Hayek, Paris Hilton, Sharon Stone hosting her press conference for "Basic Instinct II," Natalie Portman and George Lucas's Press Conference for "Star Wars," and many more.

With an incredible list of participating sponsors, including Chopard, Ferreti Yachts, Remy Martin, The W South Beach, Cointreau, Piper Heidsick Champagne, Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphyre, Peroni, Evian, Coca Cola, LEBLON cachaca, Range Rover, and r.e.f. public relations, Nikki Beach is sure to capture the film industry VIP's, movie stars, European royalty and the heart of Cannes.

Last year's union between Nikki Beach and Chopard debuted "Nikki BeaChopard," hosting some of the most exclusive events on the Croisette, and leading to the creation of a commemorative watch with sparkling floating diamonds and the Nikki Beach teepee emblem. This year the two partner again, as Nikki Beach creates a beachside media location sponsored by Chopard, and available to studios, celebrities and press for interviews and junkets.

Following last year's success, DPA's Nathalie Dubois will be hosting the Nikki VIP Gift Suite daily from 10:00 - 6:00 to offer on location product, servicing and styling, and gifts to festival celebrities. Enjoyed by the likes of Sharon Stone and Morgan Freeman in 2005, this retreat will feature skincare products from Elizabeth Grant, hairstyling by Frederic Fekkai, and makeup by Face Stockholm. Clothing and accessories by Corleone Jeans, Raquel Raquel, Energetix, Fileena, Ethos, and LeSilla Shoes will be available to VIP guests for red carpet premieres, events and parties. Famous for her gift bags at the Cesar Awards in France and the Emmy and Oscar Awards in Hollywood, Nathalie Dubois will delight celebrities with other USD 30,000 in goodies, such as a trip to Le Taha's private island resort, caviar from Petrossian, the new Bubble Yummie terrycloth collection by Nikki Beach, and an incredible vacation package from Caribbean Escapes.

Some of the events taking place at Nikki Beach during the day are:

-- "Bollywood Brunch," hosted by L'Oreal icon Aishwarya Ray

-- "MIRAMAX" private party for A-listers only

-- Press Conference for "Bug," starring Ashley Judd

-- Brunch for Oliver Stone honoring the 25th anniversary of "Platoon"

-- "Devil Wears Prada" brunch

-- Launch and fashion show of/for Elizabeth Hurley's swimwear line

-- Press Conference for "Peaceful Warrior," starring Nick Nolte

-- Festival Closing party hosted by The W South Beach Hotel & Residences

-- Private BBC event

-- Private event for "Babel," starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett

By night, Nikki Beach occupies over 6000 square feet of entertainment space inside the Carlton Hotel, to host some of the most lavish parties and special events during the festival week. Some of these events are:

-- Cocktail party for the Chopard Boutique opening in the Carlton Hotel, with a private concert by Cunnie Williams

-- Famous European international-touring party, "Don't Tell My Booker," highlighting models, featuring an undisclosed celebrity host

-- Bangkok Film cocktail party, attended by the Princess of Bangkok

-- HBO private cocktail party

-- Official Cannes party for "Trophee Chopard," honoring up-and-coming faces in the Cannes Selection, hosted by Penelope Cruz and Sir Elton John

-- Famous touring party "F*** Me I'm Famous," with Cathy and David Guetta, hosted by Rossy Di Palma

-- Cocktail party for "Played," starring Val Kilmer

-- Private Lenny Kravitz concert for 200 celebrity VIP's

-- Roberto Cavalli Party

-- Launch of "Whitehall Magazine"

Marking the final day and closing of the Festival, will be the LEBLON and Nikki Style Magazine International Model Volleyball Tournament featuring a presentation by The W South Beach Hotel and Residences. With several more events waiting confirmation, and a few surprises up the sleeve, Nikki Beach will be the Festival's premiere location for celebrating, experiencing, and living the Cannes lifestyle in true celebrity fashion.

For all who know and love the Nikki Beach lifestyle, however, rest assured that after Cannes the celebration is not over. Following the Festival week, celebrities, VIPs and guests are invited to attend the June 1, 2006 opening of both Nikki Beach San Tropez and Nikki Beach Marbella. True jetsetters can then carry-on to the June 23 Grand Opening celebration of Nikki Beach Sardinia, the ultra exclusive addition to the international lifestyle company that caters to the world's most elite clientele.

About Nikki Beach

Nikki Beach, the international lifestyle company, was formed nine years ago by owner, Jack Penrod, and then promoter, Eric Omores. He and his team have worked endlessly to sculpt the Nikki Beach concept into the unparalleled lifestyle brand it is today. The Penrod family's business acumen and strategic alliances have worked to create many innovative partnerships for Nikki Beach and they will continue to announce several exciting new partnerships throughout the current year. Since its inception, Nikki Beach has grown into an international lifestyle empire replete with a bi-monthly magazine, Nikki Style, furniture line, music division, clothing line and soon-to-launch luxury cruise liner.

Nikki Beach lifestyle can now be experienced in seven different countries: Miami Beach, FL; Hollywood, FL; Saint-Tropez, France; St. Barth, West Indies; Marbella, Spain; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Sardinia, Italy; Marrakech, Morocco; and New York City, New York.

Nikki Beach

Dolby Demonstrates the Emotional Power of Surround Sound at Tokyo's Omotesando Hills; Dolby TrueHD Completes the High-Definition Experience

Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) today demonstrated how surround sound completes the high-definition experience at HD2 EMOTION, an event in the exclusive Omotesando Hills retail center. The company exhibited Dolby(R) TrueHD, its newest technology geared toward new high-definition DVD players, for the first time to Japanese audiences.

Beginning today until May 28, visitors to HD2 EMOTION can experience Dolby TrueHD technology in a state-of-the-art high-definition home theater environment. Dolby is showing some of the best high-definition music and movie content on the latest devices to illustrate a rich and satisfying high-definition entertainment experience. HD2 EMOTION also reveals how artists and engineers are creating high-definition audio content in studio environments.

"Both high-definition audio and high-definition video are vital to the high-definition experience. The combined effect of complementary high-definition technology can be much more than the sum of the parts," said Masaaki Fushiki, Vice President and General Manager of Dolby's Japan office. "Dolby's event in Omotesando Hills is designed to show how technologies such as Dolby TrueHD exponentially enhance the emotional level of entertainment in this new high-definition era."

The event, which is open to the public, features high-definition musical excerpts from Ayumi Hamasaki ("STEP You" and "Is This LOVE?"), Lee Ritenour ("Anthology Live"), Keith Jarrett ("Tokyo Solo 2002"), and the San Francisco Symphony (Stravinsky's Firebird). In addition, Dolby is showing animation features, including Warner Bros. Pictures' Brave Story and Production I.G.'s Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, 2nd Gig. Hollywood blockbuster clips include Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King as well as 2 Fast 2 Furious.

In addition to the content demonstrations, Dolby will host a special talk by Mr. Haruo Ushio, a well-known Japanese audio-video critic, who will discuss next-generation home theaters, as well as a special discussion between Dolby's Masaaki Fushiki and Haruo Ushio on "Enjoying the Next Generation of Cinema Sound." These talks are scheduled for the weekends during the event (May 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28).

About Dolby TrueHD

Dolby TrueHD technology delivers true high-definition sound--audio playback that is bit-for-bit identical to that of a studio master recording. Dolby TrueHD can support up to eight full-range channels of lossless sound, including surround sound, on the HD DVD format with sample rates of up to 192 kHz. Dolby TrueHD also supports both 5.1-channel and 7.1-channel surround sound experiences.

About Dolby Laboratories

Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) develops and delivers products and technologies that make the entertainment experience more realistic and immersive. For more than four decades, Dolby has been at the forefront of defining high-quality audio and surround sound in cinema, broadcast, home audio systems, cars, DVDs, headphones, games, televisions, and personal computers. Based in San Francisco with European headquarters in England, the company has entertainment industry liaison offices in New York and Los Angeles, and licensing liaison offices in London, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit http://www.dolby.com.

Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. DLB-G

Dolby Laboratories

Ronald Reagan: The Signature Collection'' Debuts on DVD August 15 from Warner Home Video

On August 15, Warner Home Video will introduce "Ronald Reagan: The Signature Collection," featuring five outstanding film performances from the prolific actor and longtime Warner Bros. contract player, who served two terms as Governor of California and then became one of the most popular American presidents of the 20th century. Included in the all new-to-DVD collection are "Kings Row," a Best Picture Award nominee and probably Mr. Reagan's best performance; "Knute Rockne All-American," the actor's best remembered role ("Win one for the Gipper!"); the wartime drama "The Hasty Heart"; the topical "Storm Warning"; and lastly, "The Winning Team," with Reagan playing Hall-of-Fame baseball pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander.

The collection will sell for $49.92 SRP. All titles are exclusive to the collection except "Kings Row" and "Knute Rockne All-American" which will be available individually for $19.97 SRP each.

Reagan was born February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Ill. and was raised in Dixon. During high school, he played football and appeared in his first play, Philip Barry's "You and I." On a trip to California for Cubs spring training, Reagan met a former WHO friend, who had appeared in a few movies. She set up a meeting with an agent who arranged a screen test with Warner Bros., resulting in a seven-year contract for $200 per week.

Reagan made his screen debut in "Love is on the Air" but first came to prominence when he was cast in a major role opposite Bette Davis in "Dark Victory," a performance which helped him win his most famous role, as the ill-fated Notre Dame football hero George Gipp in "Knute Rockne All-American."

Mr. Reagan made 50 films in all. Highlights include "Brother Rat," "Going Places," "This Is the Army," "The Voice of the Turtle," "Hong Kong," "Hellcats of the Navy," and the infamous "Bedtime for Bonzo" in which he played opposite a chimpanzee.

Mr. Reagan served a five-year term as president of the Screen Actors Guild, a position he again assumed in 1959. In 1954 he began an eight-year stint as the host of the television series "General Electric Theater." His final film was Don Siegel's 1964 remake of "The Killers."

Warner Home Video

One-Bag Shoppers Rely on Local Print and Broadcast

A collaborative consumer Shopper Mindset Survey by MARS and BIGresearch, among 5500 customers, found that almost 44% of relaxed shoppers reported that browsing up and down every aisles influenced purchase behavior versus 32% of hurried shoppers with a list and no time to browse.(The study compared two groups of shoppers: those shopping to relax and get away from the house, and those shopping to buy items requested by a family member. Retailers should note that

Anne Howe, SVP, Market Intelligence of MARS, said "... relaxed, self-directed shoppers were willing to visit more stores, tended to buy items that are geared toward personal enjoyment and are influenced most by in-store activities versus the more "harried, on-a-mission" shoppers who are rushing to pick up a few items for the family on their way home from work."

Howe noted that drug stores did not register highly with family directed shoppers who were on a one-bag trip and went on to say "Since price and convenience continue to be the key drivers of store choice among these shoppers, this channel is notable by its absence... (and) could spell good news for grocery and discount retailers..."

Joe Pilotta, VP Research of BIGresearch, finding that media influencing purchasing decisions differ by group, said "Relaxed shoppers were more influenced by direct mail, billboards, Internet and e-mail advertising as well as in-store activity and promotions. Purposeful shoppers who plan their trips relied more on newspaper, newspaper inserts, broadcast and, surprisingly, radio."

'James Stewart: The Signature Collection' Debuts on DVD August 15 from Warner Home Video

On August 15, Warner Home Video honors one of America's most beloved actors and classic Hollywood leading men with the "James Stewart: The Signature Collection." Six of Stewart's films -- all new to DVD -- are being released in the five-disc collection: "The FBI Story," "The Naked Spur," "The Spirit of St. Louis," "The Stratton Story" and a double feature DVD that features two irresistible pairings of Stewart and his dear friend Henry Fonda: "The Cheyenne Social Club"/"Firecreek," both available for the first time on video in widescreen presentations. The DVDs also include expert commentaries, theatrical trailers for each film, vintage comedy shorts, and classic cartoons that have become the distinctive hallmark of Warner Home Video classic DVD presentations.

The collection will sell for $49.92 SRP, with all titles available individually for $19.97 SRP.

Third on the American Film Institute's "25 Greatest Male Screen Legends" list, Stewart's career spanned five decades, during which he appeared in more than 80 feature films.

Born May 20, 1908 in Indiana, Pa., James Maitland Stewart first performed as an assistant magician when he was a child and in his prep school's senior play. He debuted onscreen in 1935's "The Murder Man," starring Spencer Tracy. Stewart's first prominent movie role came courtesy of Margaret Sullavan, who requested he play her husband in the 1936 melodrama "Next Time We Love." For 1938's classic "You Can't Take It With You," Stewart teamed for the first time with Frank Capra, the director who guided him during several of his most memorable performances. They reunited a year later for "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," Stewart's breakthrough picture which cemented the all-American personality which made him so adored by fans.

Mr. Stewart was nominated for five Best Actor Academy Awards(R) -- "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939), "The Philadelphia Story" (1940), "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), "Harvey" (1950) and "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959). He received two Oscars(R) -- one for "The Philadelphia Story"; the other, a 1985 Honorary Award "for his fifty years of memorable performances, for his high ideals both on and off the screen, with the great respect and affection of his colleagues."

Warner Home Video

NBC Universal Completes Acquisition of iVillage Inc.

NBC Universal, Inc. and iVillage Inc. (NASDAQ:IVIL) today announced that NBC Universal has completed its acquisition of iVillage, one of the nation's most successful online destinations for women. The acquisition received stockholder approval at a special meeting of iVillage stockholders on May 12, 2006.

Under the terms of the merger agreement, NBC Universal acquired all outstanding shares of iVillage Inc. Common Stock for $8.50 per share. iVillage Common Stock will cease trading at the close of market today and will no longer be listed on the NASDAQ National Market. Holders of iVillage Common Stock will receive $8.50 in cash for each share of iVillage Common Stock owned.

"With the addition of iVillage, NBC Universal now has a significant online platform upon which to grow its digital media businesses," said Beth Comstock, President, NBC Universal Digital Media and Market Development. "NBC Universal will bring its long history of creating great content to iVillage, adding programming and interactive tools that engage users' passions and interests and that grow the site as a daily destination."

With the closing of this transaction, iVillage is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of NBC Universal. The iVillage team will report to Beth Comstock and continue to be based in New York. Douglas W. McCormick, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of iVillage Inc., has decided to pursue other interests.

McCormick commented, "When I joined the company, my goal was to make iVillage a permanent part of the media landscape and to provide investors with a solid return. Having accomplished this, I hand iVillage over to one of the greatest media companies on the planet and I look forward to pursuing my next challenge."

Added Comstock, "Doug did a good job of consistently delivering value to shareholders and ensuring that iVillage maintained its position as the leading online destination for women. We wish him great success in all his future endeavors."

NBC Universal will announce the appointment of a new iVillage business leader in the near future.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. acted as the financial advisor to iVillage. Legal advisors to NBC Universal and iVillage were, respectively, the law firms of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

About NBC Universal

NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric and 20% owned by Vivendi.

About NBC Universal Digital Media

NBC Universal delivers its quality content to a variety of new media platforms, giving consumers what they want, where they want it. In 2004, the company launched NBC Mobile and became the first to create customized television programming especially for the cell phone. Today, content includes original newscasts from NBC News, comedy segments from "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and entertainment updates from "Access Hollywood." Online, NBC Universal develops content for its suite of premium sites. During the 2006 Torino Winter Games, NBCOlympics.com offered its largest coverage to date with video and audio streams, real-time results and photos, scoring the site a record-breaking 338 million page views during the course of the games. NBC Universal has also made a number of new platform distribution deals, most notably as one of the first content providers to offer programming on Apple's iTunes. iTunes customers can download popular and classic television shows from NBC, USA, Sci-Fi and Bravo.

About iVillage Inc.

iVillage is "the Internet for women" and consists of several online and offline media-based properties that seek to enrich the lives of women, teenage girls and parents through the offering of unique content, community applications, tools and interactive features. iVillage Inc. (NASDAQ: IVIL) was established in 1995 and is headquartered in New York City.

For more information on iVillage please visit http://www.ivillage.com.

NBC Universal Digital Media

iVillage Inc.

Imperia Entertainment Gears Up for Cannes Film Market

Imperia Entertainment, Inc. (Pink Sheets:IPRE) announced today that its "first team" is on its way to Cannes today to promote its new feature film, "Say it in Russian." "Say it in Russian" will be represented at Cannes by its public relations firm, LCO Communications Office, its sales agent, Patrick de Bokay, its Director, Jeff Celentano, Executive Producers Marc Cifelli and Kenneth Eade, and lead actress Agata Gotova. The trailer and poster for the film will be available at Cannes and on the film's website, http://www.sayitinrussianmovie.com. The company plans to follow the Cannes market with entries in the Venice International Film Festival, August 30th through September 9th, the Deauville Festival of American Cinema, September 1st through the 10th, the Toronto Film Festival, September 7th through the 16th, the London Film Festival, October 19th through November 3rd, the Sundance Film Festival, January 19th through the 20th, and the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2007.

About "Say it in Russian"

"Say it in Russian" is a full length feature film, shot on 35mm. It is a romantic adventure, shot in Paris, Moscow and Los Angeles, starring Faye Dunaway, Rade Sherbedgia ("Snatch"), Steven Brand ("The Scorpion King"), Alex Nesic ("Sleeper Cell") and introducing Agata Gotova, with supporting roles played by Steven Berkoff ("Beverly Hills Cop"), Musetta Vander ("O Brother Where Art Thou"), Elya Baskin ("Moscow on the Hudson") and Oleg Vidov ("Red Heat"), among others. The film is in its final week of principal photography and the company is planning on releasing the film before the end of the year.

About Imperia Entertainment, Inc.

Imperia Entertainment, Inc. (http://www.imperiaentertainment.com) is a company which has emerged as a player in the area of independent film production and distribution, once monopolized by the major film studios. In conjunction with its distribution subsidiary, Imperia International Distribution, the company engages in investing in and producing and distributing full-length feature films. Along with its equity interest in the widely anticipated "All That I Need" (http://www.allthatineed.net), released in theaters last December and now on DVD, Imperia's film properties include its feature film "Say it In Russian," directed by Jeff Celentano ("Primary Suspect," "Gunshy") and edited by David Rawlins ("Saturday Night Fever"), "Brothers," by Tarquin Gotch ("Home Alone"), its MMA movie, "Never Submit," and the award-winning "Autograph" television series (http://www.autograph.tv), which airs on the Colours Television Network. Through its subsidiary, Muller Media, Inc. (Pink Sheets:MLMD), the company also produces "Whiskers," by Jordan Klein ("Flipper," "Splash," "Cocoon").

Altnet Settles Music Industry Patent Infringement Case

In 2004, Altnet, its parent company Brilliant Digital Entertainment, Inc., and Kinetech, Inc., a patent licensing company, launched a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court alleging patent infringements by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Loudeye Corp., Overpeer Inc., Media Sentry (now part of SafeNet) and a number of individuals.

Overpeer and Media Sentry were the companies that the music industry called upon to flood Kazaa and other peer to peer (P2P) systems with "spoofed," that is, fake files. It was alleged that these files were damaged or otherwise counterfeit and that the methods used to distribute them infringed two patents critical to P2P business.

The lawsuit was commenced after RIAA executives and other defendants were put on notice on a number of occasions in relation to the patents and their infringement.

Altnet, on behalf of the plaintiffs in this case, is pleased to announce that a settlement has been reached with the Loudeye and Overpeer companies.

Kevin Bermeister, CEO of Altnet and spokesperson for the plaintiffs, said, "We welcome this settlement as an important step toward the acknowledgement and recognition of the TrueName patents as a prerequisite to legitimate utilization and exploitation of P2P technology."

In a significant turn of events, Overpeer has admitted that its P2P interdiction activities infringed the TrueName patents in question, as alleged by plaintiffs. Both companies have further undertaken not to engage in those activities in future.

"It validates the position Altnet has held with regard to treatment of piracy occurring within P2P applications and establishes with clarity the underlying importance for Altnet to be considered an integral part of the future online entertainment industry," said Mr. Bermeister.

The settlement was filed in the Los Angeles District Court, and the case against the remaining defendants will continue with a trial likely in 2007.

The Speck Consulting Group has been engaged to manage the Altnet patent enforcement program.

To find out more about Altnet, Inc., go to http://www.altnet.com

DVD Release of Mega-Tony(R) Award-Winning Musical Comedy Hit 'The Producers' Arrives Today Coinciding With 2006 Tony Awards(R) Announcements

The theatrical version of "The Producers," the landmark Broadway musical comedy that holds the record for the most Tony Award wins in history, is available on DVD today, May 16, 2006. Appropriately, the DVD comes out the same day as the 2006 Tony Award nominations. Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick reprise their Tony Award-winning roles as a pair of Broadway producers who hatch a seemingly can't-miss scheme, features an unforgettable supporting cast including Uma Thurman and Will Ferrell. Directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, the Tony Award-winning director and choreographer of the original Broadway production, "The Producers" DVD includes more of the musical numbers, wacky repartee and high-energy fun that made it a record-breaking stage play. Written by comedy legend Mel Brooks ("Blazing Saddles") and Thomas Meehan ("Annie"), with music and lyrics by Brooks, the DVD includes over 30 minutes of additional footage, including never-before-seen musical numbers and outtakes.

"The Producers" is released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

"The Producers" tells the hilarious tale of Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) and Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick), Broadway's most inept producers who entice investors with a scheme that's literally too good to be true. But when "Springtime for Hitler," an unbelievably tasteless musical ode to the Third Reich, becomes a comedy sensation, the jig is up for the would-be conmen.

Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Music Legend Clive Davis 'The Man with the Golden Ears' to Appear on American Idol Tuesday, May 16 and Wednesday, May 17th

Music legend and BMG U.S. Chairman Clive Davis, known for his incredible knack for developing superstar careers of artists such as Janis Joplin, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, and Carlos Santana, will be appearing on American Idol Tuesday May 16th and Wednesday May 17th.

Davis, noted as "the man with the golden ears" has just spent the weekend in Los Angeles working with finalists Katharine McPhee, Taylor Hicks and Eliott Yamin for the performance show on Tuesday, offering his star making expertise to the last three finalists. Davis also selected songs for each of the finalists which would best suit their vocal ranges and accentuate their personal musical style.

On Wednesday, Davis will receive a special honor from American Idol, a plaque recognizing him as the producer for the Idol franchise which has sold in excess of over 33 million records. These staggering sales have been generated from both the finalists and those in the runner up position including Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Ruben Studdard, and Bo Bice.

Source: RCA MUSIC GROUP

A Famous Museum ... A Shocking Murder ... Secrets Written in Code: THE NORMAN ROCKWELL CODE

Coming to a Computer Screen Near You!

While the attention of the world is focused on the film version of the best-selling novel, "The Da Vinci Code," writer-director Alfred Thomas Catalfo and producer Marc Dole are rocking the web with their short film spoof, THE NORMAN ROCKWELL CODE.

When the curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. is murdered -- stuck with a harpoon and holding half a lemon and a can of tuna -- the police desperately need help with the investigation. They call in Langford Fife -- Professor of Symbology at Stockbridge Community College and the son of Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife of Mayberry, North Carolina. Langford may have received his degree in symbology from a correspondence course but he insists he's "just as competent as those high-falutin' professors from Harvard with their fancy sheepskins from accredited schools."

With cryptologist Sopha Poisson of the Quebec Secret Service, Langford sets out to uncover the clues hidden in the paintings of Norman Rockwell ... clues that will lead them to a secret society, a legendary bloodline and a battle with sinister forces.

Catalfo came up with the idea for THE NORMAN ROCKWELL CODE after reading the "The Da Vinci Code" and wondering "what if ...?" He wrote a script and enlisted Hatchling Studios to bring it to the screen. The 35-minute film was shot in seacoast New Hampshire, Dan Brown's own backyard, and, of course, includes references to "Opie" -- the character played by "The Da Vinci Code" director Ron Howard in "The Andy Griffith Show." The filmmakers have been invited to screen THE NORMAN ROCKWELL CODE at the real Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass.

For more information, visit www.TheNormanRockwellCode.com.

Source: Hatchling Studios

Azteca America Dazzles With Its Upfront Presentation

- First Time to Enter Upfronts as an Official Nielsen Network; Plus Joining NTI in 4Q06 -

- Audience Levels More Than Doubled in One Year, Preserving Superior Quality Viewers -

- Offers Unmatched Product Integration Opportunities -

TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V. (BMV: TVAZTCA, Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish language television programming in the world, announced today that its fully-owned subsidiary for the U.S. Hispanic market, Azteca America, launched its fourth national upfront campaign in New York City.

The event gathered more than 500 people, primarily advertisers related to the dynamic U.S. Hispanic market, who received thorough information on the network's coverage gains, the solid performance of its audience levels, its exciting programming for 2006 and 2007, and advertising opportunities with Azteca America.

"Five years ago we started developing our dream of creating a U.S. Hispanic broadcast network, and launched our first station in Los Angeles. Today we reach all major Hispanic populations and have a national network status by Nielsen Media Research," said Azteca America Chairman, Luis J. Echarte. "Our popular content, together with a firm determination to succeed, has made our network to be officially one of ten national U.S. networks, and poised to become a strong participant."

In addition to Azteca America's solid coverage, the popularity of the network's programming has an unprecedented momentum. Full day audiences composed of adults between 18 and 49 years old grew 150% to a 5% share among U.S. Hispanic audiences, according to Nielsen Hispanic Television Index, from February 2005 to February 2006. During the weekends, from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m., share has grown to 12% for the same target audiences.

"We are not just gaining larger audiences; our programming attracts superior quality viewers compared with our competitors," said Adrian Steckel, President and CEO of Azteca America. "Our audiences are younger, more affluent and with more kids than those who watch other Spanish language broadcasters, in other words they are more likely to spend money on the products and services advertisers want to sell."

In terms of options for advertising, Azteca America produces substantially all of its shows -- either through TV Azteca or its production facilities in Los Angeles -- which allows offering product integration opportunities like no other Spanish language network in the U.S. Azteca America presents flexible and creative alternatives that go beyond traditional advertising, and provide with ample product recall among audiences, which is essential for a well- rounded media plan.

Azteca America executives presented upcoming thrilling programming that further boost the network's exciting programming grid, such as "Los Protagonistas a Nivel Mundial" with soccer updates from Germany; top quality boxing from "Boxeo Latino"; two new novelas with ample success in Mexico, "Amor sin Condiciones" and "Amores Cruzados"; new versions of our smash musical reality shows, "La Academia V" and "La Academia USA"; newscasts and entertainment shows produced in Azteca America's digital studio in L.A., and much more.

Carlos de la Garza, Head of Sales of Azteca America, presented a comprehensive study that illustrated how advertising with Azteca America creates additional value for clients, "A segment of the audience simply does not watch Univision, Telemundo or Telefutura, which means that shifting a portion of the ad budgets to our network brings an unparalleled opportunity to extend reach at no incremental cost for advertisers."

"Media planners base their advertising decisions on elements that are effectively found in Azteca America, making a buy with us the smartest decision for clients to successfully tap the viewers they are most interested in reaching," said Mr. de la Garza. He added that Azteca America will be listed in Nielsen's National Television Index (NTI) alongside the major English-language networks starting fourth quarter of 2006.

Company Profile

TV Azteca is one of the two largest producers of Spanish language television programming in the world, operating two national television networks in Mexico, Azteca 13 and Azteca 7, through more than 300 owned and operated stations across the country. TV Azteca affiliates include Azteca America Network, a new broadcast television network focused on the rapidly growing U.S. Hispanic market, and Todito.com, an Internet portal for North American Spanish speakers.

Azteca America is the fastest-growing Hispanic network in the United States. Azteca America currently has presence in 43 Hispanic markets, including: Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Chicago, Dallas, San Antonio, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Phoenix, Brownsville-McAllen, Albuquerque, San Diego, Fresno-Visalia, Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, Denver, Orlando, Austin, Tampa, Corpus Christi, Tucson, Las Vegas, Colorado Springs, Monterey-Salinas, Hartford, Salt Lake City, Bakersfield, West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, Omaha, Yakima, Naples-Ft. Myers, Wichita, Reno, Boise, Victoria, Oklahoma City, Charleston, Chattanooga, Amarillo, Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro-Winston Salem, Wilmington and Philadelphia.

Web site: http://www.tvazteca.com.mx/

Sony Unveils World's First Blu-Ray Notebook Computer New VAIO PC Offers the Ultimate in High- Definition

Sony today took the wraps off the world's first Blu-ray Disc enabled notebook computer -- the VAIO(R) AR which will be available this summer.

Part of a series, the VAIO AR comes in two different configurations: Premium and Standard. The AR Premium version plays Blu-ray Disc high-definition content, so you can enjoy movies in full 1080p HD resolution. The notebook has a17-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) widescreen display and uses Sony's XBRITE Hi-Color(TM) LCD technology.

For those who prefer to watch content on a larger screen, the AR model also has an HDMI(TM) connector and included cable that connects to high-definition televisions for a larger viewing experience.

In addition to supporting HD playback, the VAIO AR notebook is a multimedia powerhouse with the capability to record high-definition camcorder content to Blu-ray Discs. Now aspiring moviemakers can shoot, edit and burn their HD creation on a PC -- all in native 1080 resolution.

Using an extensive suite of dedicated software applications, you can also edit high-definition footage and share it on Sony high-capacity BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray Discs (up to 50 GB) or on traditional DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/+RW capitalizing on flexible storage, playback and recording.

"The VAIO AR has the ability to capture, edit and record in HD on a notebook PC right out of the gate," said Mike Abary, vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics in the U.S. "Combined with unsurpassed storage capability our new Blu-ray Disc enabled notebook computer offers users with limitless creative possibilities."

Luxuriously designed and powerfully equipped, the AR Premium is available in a high gloss, piano-black finish with silver trim and an illuminated VAIO logo. It also has the latest Intel(R) Centrino(R) Duo mobile technology for processor-heavy multi-tasking and high-definition video editing.

Let Me Entertain You

Packed with a host of entertainment features, the AR will ship with Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Media Center Edition 2005 and includes a built-in standard-definition NTSC TV tuner (select models) and onboard TV controls, so you can watch and record live television.

The AR Premium also incorporates an NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) Go 7600 graphics card featuring 256MB dedicated video memory. It is ideal for handling high-definition content, television broadcast and DVD playback and bringing gamers closer to the action. The AR series also incorporates a camera and microphone allowing users to chat online with friends and family.

The AR Standard model will start at about $1,800, while the AR Premium Blu-ray Disc enabled model will go for about $3,500. The Premium model will be shipped with the Sony Pictures Entertainment Blu-ray Disc release, "House of Flying Daggers," providing a high-definition experience on the PC right out of the box.

The VAIO AR series will be available online at www.sonystyle.com and at Sony Style(R) stores or select retailers around the country.

Sony Delivers World's First Full-Function Pocket-Sized PC
New VAIO UX Model Combines Micro-Portable Design With Smooth Functionality

Sony Electronics today introduced the VAIO(R) UX Micro PC, placing full-size computer performance in a pocket-sized package.

Weighing just over a pound, the new PC has a Microsoft(R) XP Professional operating system and an Intel(R) Core(TM) Solo Ultra Low Voltage CPU for fast processing and long battery life.

The UX model also features a 4.5-inch wide SVGA screen with XBRITE(TM) technology for viewing that slides up to expose an integrated keyboard. This allows you to access familiar applications easily in the same way you would on a full-sized computer.

The pocket-sized PC also comes equipped with a stylus and Sony's VAIO touch launcher for quick access to functions frequently used such as Internet access, e-mail, various computer applications, games and music. Just push the launcher button located on the side of the unit.

"This model is an achievement in ingenious design," said Mike Abary, vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics in the U.S. "With this pocket PC, you can have the same functionality as your office or home PC in a device that fits in the palm of your hand."

Keeping travelers connected, the new computer incorporates Sony's SmartWi(TM) technology, so you can toggle between wireless WWAN, LAN and Bluetooth(R) technology for convenient access to the Internet and e-mail.

WLAN is also available for Wi-Fi connections at home, office or hotspots; Bluetooth (R) technology for peripherals; or WWAN for access to Cingular's nationwide EDGE network, which allows you to connect to the Internet virtually anywhere there is cellular coverage.

The UX model also incorporates two built-in cameras -- one in front for VoIP communication for on-the-go video conferencing and another located on the back for taking photos. A VGA adapter is included to connect the PC to a projector, making it easy to share presentations and spreadsheets with a group.

Security is also a top priority. The VAIO UX PC comes equipped with an integrated biometrics fingerprint sensor, so you do not have to remember passwords. Incorporated G-Sensor(TM) shock protection has been added to protect the unit's hard drive and reduces the risk of data loss should it be dropped.

For added convenience, a docking station with three 2.0 USB ports, Ethernet, VGA, iLink(R) IEEE-1394 interface and an AV output comes with the unit, making it easy to connect to peripherals like a full-sized keyboard, display and speakers when back in the office or at home.

The VAIO UX Micro PC will be available in July for about $1,800 and can be purchased online at www.sonystyle.com, at Sony Style(R) stores or at select retailers around the country.

Sony DADC Announces Launch of U.S. Blu-ray Disc Production

Sony DADC today officially inaugurated Blu-ray Disc BD-ROM (video, games, data) production in the U.S.

Sony DADC in the U.S. currently has three Blu-ray replication lines functioning with a capacity of 25,000 single-layer 25GB Blu-ray Discs per day, for a total of 750,000 Blu-ray Discs per month. This capacity is expected to increase to nearly 5 million discs per month by October as additional lines are added to the facility. Of these additional lines, six will be capable of manufacturing 50GB dual layer Blu-ray Discs.

"Sony DADC is thrilled to be the leading optical disc manufacturing facility in the U.S. and have a full Blu-ray BD-ROM line ready for production," said Dieter Daum, President, Sony Disc & Digital Solutions. "Blu-ray is going to revolutionize the way consumers enjoy and interact with high definition entertainment content, and we are pleased to play a critical role in this important development."

Sony DADC also has an offset printer and packaging line dedicated to Blu-ray BD-ROM. Additionally, it employs a Phase Transition Mastering (PTM) machine, which can be easily reconfigured to master both BD-ROM and DVD-ROM (video, games, data) on a single system. A second PTM machine will be added this summer, and an additional offset printer and three additional packaging lines will be added by October.

Blu-ray Disc Authoring Services will be offered to customers in July 2006.

About Sony DADC

Sony DADC, a leading producer of optical disc media, has cutting-edge optical media manufacturing facility locations in Terre Haute, IN and Pitman, NJ. Although widely known for its quality disc production and distribution services, Sony DADC also develops and delivers dynamic technologies that not only protect disc content, but also transform discs into powerful marketing tools by adding secure links to bonus web-site content or prize incentives. Sony DADC operates within the Sony Corporation of America corporate group. Visit us at http://www.sonydadc.com/

About Sony Corporation of America

Sony Corporation of America, based in New York City, is the U.S. subsidiary of Sony Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. Sony is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, motion picture, television, computer entertainment, and online businesses make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony's principal U.S. businesses include Sony Electronics Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., and a 50% interest in Sony BMG Music Entertainment, one of the largest recorded music companies in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $64 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006, and it employs 158,500 people worldwide. Sony's consolidated sales in the U.S. for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2006 were $16.7 billion. For more information see http://www.sony.com/.

Source: Sony DADC

SPIRIT WARRIORS: A Graphic Novel
By Stephen Baldwin

It has been hundreds of years since the last great clash for spiritual control of New City. It is rumored that the Devil himself is prepared to oversee the last stages of this triumph.

New City has turned almost entirely evil, and its citizens have become completely blinded by the spiritual forces of darkness. Only one hope remains—six Christian rebels unaware of the big plan God has in store for them. They are the spirit warriors.

Torn apart from childhood, these six kids lived in an orphanage among 19 others. The orphanage was once a burial ground for angels of the great New City battle hundreds of years ago. After mysterious deaths the orphanage was closed. All 25 children were left with supernatural powers to be used to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the last year all of the kids from the orphanage except the spirit warriors have lost their powers to the spirit of evil. The spirit warriors have given their hearts over to the Lord and will battle for his glory no matter the cost.

In Spirit Warriors, (Broadman & Holman, July 2006; 0-8054-4357-6) the first graphic novel from actor/producer Stephen Baldwin, six radical young kids enter the spiritual war zone every day for classic battles of good against evil. Each spirit warrior has his or her own unique ability, moving between the natural and supernatural to fight for their faith and the expansion of God's kingdom.

LIVIN IT: TESTIMONIES
By Stephen Baldwin

A hugely successful partnership between actor/producer Stephen Baldwin and world evangelist Luis Palau, the "Livin It" tour kicked off in 2004, combining innovative youth ministry and performances from some of the finest extreme sports athletes anywhere. The annual series of events now reaches thousands each year in America.

Livin It Testimonies (Broadman & Holman, July 2006; 0-8054-4346-0) presents the heart of the Livin It tour in a fresh and fun magazine format. Along with full-color action photography, readers will enjoy learning about these athletes' love of sports, passion for Jesus Christ, and desire to use skateboarding and BMX riding to reach today's urban youth with the life-saving gospel message.

Livin It Testimonies addresses some of the most important issues that teens face today. From pre-marital sex to drugs and alcohol, these athletes have overcome their pasts and chosen to make the right choices in life through Christ.

LIVIN IT: WHAT IT IS
By Stephen Baldwin

If you've ever wanted to do something to help other people, you know how Stephen Baldwin felt when he saw the Twin Towers in New York City come down on September 11, 2001. That day changed his life and made him realize he had something important to say to people. Since then, Baldwin's been talking, encouraging, and reminding people to live life with a purpose. He's been doing that through Livin It.

What Is Livin It?

"In a sense Livin It is just being dead to the world and being alive in Christ and seeking his will for your everyday life."

-Chris Weigele Livin It is a pair of skate films. It's a tour that travels the country with some of the best extreme sports athletes in the nation. It's a book series. It's even a clothing line. But beyond all the stuff, Livin It represents something much bigger. It's a way of life. It's about finding purpose for being on this planet, knowing there's a God who loves you for who you are, and believing there's hope for the future. Livin It is about having a purpose and sharing that purpose with people you know.
Livin It is a pair of skate films. It's a tour that travels the country with some of the best extreme sports athletes in the nation. It's a book series. It's even a clothing line. But beyond all the stuff, Livin It represents something much bigger. It's a way of life. It's about finding purpose for being on this planet, knowing there's a God who loves you for who you are, and believing there's hope for the future. Livin It is about having a purpose and sharing that purpose with people you know.
What Is Livin It?

br> "We're bikers, we're skaters or whoever we are—but it's not just bikers and skaters—everybody can be livin it. Livin It basically means not conforming to the world, and what the world is telling you to do. We're living something different."
-Mason Cornwell

Livin It: What It Is (Broadman & Holman, July 2006; 0-8054-4350-9) lets extreme athletes from coast to coast and around the world who are livin it for Jesus Christ tell readers what Livin It is to them. Some of these amazing people have just joined up with Livin It, and some of them have been skateboarding for decades. But they all have one thing in common—they want you to know that Livin It is not just a tour, a DVD, a book series, or a cool brand—it's a radical new way of life!

Livin It: What It Is presents the testimonies of born-again Hollywood actor Stephen Baldwin and other celebrities who appear in evangelist Luis Palau's Livin It television specials. It also includes a bonus DVD featuring highlights from Palau TV specials and Baldwin's best-selling Livin It extreme sports release.

What Is Livin It?

"Livin It is living out God's will for your life. It's living by example. It's living like Christ. It's living the life that you were called to live and being that person He has called you to be and using your talents to glorify God."
-Luke Braddock

About Stephen Baldwin

Stephen Baldwin is the youngest of the renowned Baldwin brothers acting family and is known for his work in television (The Young Riders) and more than sixty-five films including The Usual Suspects and The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas. Today he owns a production company, remains active in Hollywood, and leads the "Livin It" youth ministry that inspired his best-selling Livin It DVD. Stephen lives with his wife and daughters in upstate New York.

Cult Film Phenomenon ''BOONDOCK SAINTS'' Returns to the Big Screen on the Eve of the New Unrated Special Edition DVD Release

Go Beyond Boondock with Writer/Director Troy Duffy for the Untold Story Behind the Movie in an On-Screen Interview Created Exclusively for this One Night Only In-Theatre Premiere Event

Explore the harrowing world of THE BOONDOCK SAINTS as never before with a new Unrated Special Edition, coming to the big screen for one night only. Digitally remastered for extraordinary picture quality and exploding in 5.1 EX Dolby Digital Surround Sound, this definitive edition of writer/director Troy Duffy's violent, character-driven masterpiece is back in 130 select Regal, United Artists, Edwards, AMC and Georgia Theatre Company movie theatres across the country on Monday, May 22nd at 8:00 p.m. local time.

This one night only special unrated BOONDOCK SAINTS event will also feature a new, in-theatre exclusive 30-minute feature interview with first time writer/director Troy Duffy, where he will share behind-the-scenes stories and the untold history of one of the most sensational and graphic cult films in recent memory.

THE BOONDOCK SAINTS has gained a tremendous cult following since its theatrical release in 2000. An intelligent, stylish and gritty modern day morality tale written in blood, THE BOONDOCK SAINTS was heralded by critics nationwide and embraced by cult film fanatics everywhere in the similar tradition of Reservoir Dogs, Snatch and Donnie Darko. Featuring powerful performances by an all-star cast including Academy Award(R) nominee Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, The Clearing), Sean Patrick Flanery (Suicide Kings, Powder), Billy Connolly (The Last Samurai, Timeline) and Norman Reedus (Deuces Wild, Blade II), the film is a favorite of action and independent film fans nationwide. For many who have only seen the movie on the small screen, this will be a unique opportunity to catch it in the theatre as it was meant to be seen.

THE BOONDOCK SAINTS will be presented by National CineMedia and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment in select theatres in markets across the country including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Seattle, Washington DC, and many more. Tickets are available online at http://www.BigScreenBoxOffice.com or at presenting movie theatre box offices at the standard movie ticket price (prices vary by theater location). For a complete list of theatres, please visit the website.

THE BOONDOCK SAINTS - Synposis

Irish brothers Connor and Murphy MacManus live and work in South Boston. After killing a Russian mobster in self-defense, the brothers believe they have found their calling from God rid the earth of human evil. So they set out to complete their divine deed by ridding the streets of gangsters, criminals and lowlifes; and as the body count rises, the brothers become local heroes (deemed the "Boondock Saints") even as the police are on their trail. By risking their lives for their beliefs of Veritas (truth) and Aequitas (justice), the vigilante brothers take the law into their own hands...until they are pursued by unorthodox FBI agent Paul Smecker who follows their trail of bloodshed, but admits that the boys are doing exactly what he has always secretly wished to happen.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will release THE BOONDOCK SAINTS: Unrated Special Edition on DVD on May 23rd.

About National CineMedia, LLC

National CineMedia, LLC is a venture of AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA, Inc. and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), three of the world's leading theatrical exhibition companies. The company develops pre feature entertainment; cinema and lobby advertising products; comprehensive meeting and event services; and alternative forms of entertainment content for approximately 13,000 screens operated by its owner theatre circuits and other theatre affiliates. National CineMedia distributes its products and services across its Digital Content Network (DCN), the world's largest in-theatre digital distribution network. Once installation of its DCN technology is completed in Cinemark theatres, National CineMedia's network will comprise approximately 11,000 digital North American theatre screens in 150 markets (49 of the top 50), reaching 525 million movie patrons annually. For additional information, please go to http://www.ncm.com.

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

A recognized global industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on VHS and DVD as well as video acquisitions and original productions. Each year the Company introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets - from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce - throughout the world. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company.

National CineMedia

Artist Lineups Grow for 2006 CMA Music Festival
Billy Ray Cyrus Added To Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum
Tickets for Daily Concerts at Greased Lightning Riverfront Stages Only $14 Each
"Nashville Star" winner Chris Young, John Berry, Billy Gilman, Andy Griggs, Neal McCoy, Pinmonkey, Kevin Sharp and More Added to Daily Concerts
Artists Announced for Acoustic Corner at Wrangler Fan Fair

Music is everywhere during the CMA Music Festival, and this year's event carries on that tradition as artists continue to be added to the more than 70 hours of live musical performances taking place in venues throughout Downtown Nashville. CMA Music Festival is Thursday-Sunday, June 8-11.

Superstar singer/songwriter/actor Billy Ray Cyrus has joined the artist lineup for the Nightly Concert at The Coliseum on Saturday, June 10. The multi-Platinum selling artist is known for hit singles including "Some Gave All," "In the Heart of a Woman," "Busy Man," and "Achy Breaky Heart." He starred in the PAX-TV television series "Doc" from 2001-2004, and currently appears on the Disney Channel television series "Hannah Montana," which also stars his daughter Miley as the title character. Cyrus' last album was his gospel-oriented, The Other Side. He will release his new album, Wanna Be Your Joe, on New Door Records on July 18.

Artists already announced as performing during the Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum include: Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Gary Allan, Keith Anderson, Clint Black, Brooks & Dunn, Terri Clark, Billy Currington, Sara Evans, Pat Green, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Los Lonely Boys and Ronnie Milsap, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Craig Morgan, Joe Nichols, Brad Paisley, LeAnn Rimes, SHeDAISY, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Hank Williams, Jr., Wynonna and Trisha Yearwood.

"We always love it when Billy Ray performs at CMA Music Festival," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Operating Officer. "In addition to being a great entertainer, he also makes time to meet with his fans each year in his booth at the Wrangler(R) Fan Fair exhibit hall. You can feel the electricity in the air when Billy Ray and his fans get together. The roar from his fans shakes the walls!"

Daily Concerts on the Greased Lightning(R) Riverfront Stages Additions

John Berry, Luke Bryan, Whitney Duncan, "Ireland's Search for a New Country Star" winner Aileen Flanagan, Billy Gilman, Andy Griggs, Craig Hand, Ty Herndon, Neal McCoy, Pinmonkey, Pirates of the Mississippi, Rio Grand, Kevin Sharp and the new "Nashville Star" winner Chris Young have joined the artist lineups for the Daily Concerts on the Greased Lightning(R) Riverfront Stages.

"It is very gratifying to have Chris Young return to CMA Music Festival and perform on the Riverfront Stages after winning 'Nashville Star' this year," said Genovese. "During the last several years, he has been a strong supporter of our event, meeting fans in his autograph booth in our Wrangler Fan Fair(R) exhibit hall as he built the foundation of his career. Last year he also performed at our Acoustic Corner. His career evolution is an inspiration to all the budding acts who participate in CMA Music Festival."

Performers who have already been announced for the Daily Concerts lineup include Rhett Akins, Jessi Alexander, Keith Anderson, Jessica Andrews, Rodney Atkins, Steve Azar, Jeff Bates, The Bellamy Brothers, BlackHawk, Blue County, Bomshel, Catherine Britt, Lane Brody, Shannon Brown, T. Graham Brown, Sonny Burgess, Sarah Buxton, Tracy Byrd, Carolina Rain, Eric Church, Earl Thomas Conley, John Corbett, Cowboy Crush, Amy Dalley, The Charlie Daniels Band, Linda Davis, Deryl Dodd, Katrina Elam, Emerson Drive, Ty England, Erika Jo, Jace Everett, Jimmy Fortune, The Fox Brothers, Todd Fritsch, The Grascals, Hot Apple Pie, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Con Hunley, Jack Ingram, Buddy Jewell, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Jamey Johnson, Sammy Kershaw, 2006 Telstra Road to Tamworth winner Nick Kingswell, Blaine Larsen, Little Texas, Brice Long, The Lost Trailers, Rockie Lynne, Bobby Marquez, Brian McComas, 2006 CMA Global Artist Award winner Jason McCoy and the RoadHammers, Ashley Monroe, Megan Mullins, David Lee Murphy, Gary Nichols, Oak Ridge Boys, Jake Owen, Shane Owens, Danielle Peck, Bobby Pinson, Povertyneck Hillbillies, Jon Randall, Restless Heart, Ray Scott, Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband, Luke Stricklin, Keni Thomas, Mel Tillis, Pam Tillis, Aaron Tippin, Trent Tomlinson, Trick Pony, Tanya Tucker, Lane Turner, Jimmy Wayne, Bryan White, Trent Willmon, Mark Wills, Darryl Worley, Chely Wright, Michelle Wright and Billy Yates. Please see the schedule at www.CMAfest.com for the specific day and time for each artist's performance.

As previously announced, the performance by The Charlie Daniels Band will kick off the CMA Music Festival at 10:00 AM on Thursday, June 8. Neal McCoy will kick off the Daily Concerts at 10:00 AM on Friday, June 9; Andy Griggs will launch the Daily Concerts at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 10; and The Fox Brothers will crank up the fun at 10:30 AM on Sunday, June 11. The National Anthem will be sung by Whitney Duncan on June 8; Joni Harms on June 9; Carly Goodwin on June 10; and Rhonda Towns on June 11. Among the hosts scheduled to appear on the Daily Concerts throughout the four days are: XM Satellite Radio personality Jon Anthony; singer/songwriter Lane Brody; WKRN-TV (Nashville ABC affiliate) personality Joe Dubin; WSIX Radio (Nashville) personality Slam Duncan; GAC television personality Nan Kelly; Nashville Bureau Chief for Radio & Records and host of the weekly "CMT Country Countdown USA" Lon Helton; WSM Radio/The Wolf (Nashville) personality Karen Keeley; Sirius Satellite Radio personality Scott Lindy; the "Unofficial Mayor of Music Row," Charlie Monk; The Tennessean celebrity reporter Brad Schmitt; WZTV-TV (Nashville FOX affiliate) personality Kelly Sutton; MuzikMafia member Two Foot Fred; GAC "Country Music Across America" television host Storme Warren; and WGKX Radio (Memphis) personalities Young & Elder, with additional hosts to be announced later.

Individual tickets for the Daily Concerts on the Greased Lightning(R) Riverfront Stages can be purchased on the day of show at the Riverfront Park gate for $14, with children ages 6 and under admitted for free with a paying adult. The Daily Concerts are also included in the four-day ticket packages.

Acoustic Corner

The Acoustic Corner lineup at the Wrangler Fan Fair has been announced. Curtis Alan, Bernadette, Josh Brister, Eddie Bush, Will Clements, Austin Cody, Brad Cotter, Justin David, Kassie DePaiva, Carly Goodwin, Chris Gray, Kyle Jennings, Miko Marks, Daniel Lee Martin, Lee McCormack, Kristen McNamara, Ken Mellons, Amanda Pearce, Damon Smith, Jay Teter, Tresa Street, Rhonda Towns, The Well Hungarians and Kyle Wyley will perform at this intimate stage in the Nashville Convention Center outside the Exhibit Hall. The Acoustic Corner can only be accessed by four-day ticket holders. For performance times and artist schedule, please visit www.CMAfest.com.

"Acoustic Corner is a wonderful way to be introduced to an artist you haven't heard before, or to rediscover an old favorite in a new light," said Genovese. "These performances started out as CMA Music Festival's best-kept secret, but they have grown into concerts packed with fans looking to discover new music and talent."

CMA Music Festival Tickets Benefit Charity

All of the artists participating in CMA Music Festival donate their time. They are not compensated for performing. In appreciation of their continued support, CMA recently launched "Keep the Music Playing," a program which donates half the net proceeds from the event to the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, to support music education in metro Nashville's public schools. To date, CMA has donated more than $800,000 to charity on behalf of the artists who participate in the Festival.

For up-to-the-minute information about tickets, travel information, schedules, artist appearances and more, visit www.CMAfest.com and sign up for e-news.

To order tickets for the 2006 CMA Music Festival call 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378); visit www.CMAfest.com to download an order form to fax or mail; visit www.ticketmaster.com to buy online or charge-by-phone at (615) 255-9600.

Four-day ticket package categories correspond to a different level of reserved seating at The Coliseum. Four-day ticket packages include the Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum; Daily Concerts at the Greased Lightning Daytime Stages; daily admittance to the Wrangler Fan Fair (Exhibit Hall) featuring the Acoustic Corner; Family Zone; Crisco(R) Country Favorites Corner; Fun Zone; Sports Zone; CMA Music Festival After Hours; free in-town shuttles; the CMA Music Festival Program Book; CMA Music Festival pin; special discounts to area attractions, restaurants, shops and more. Prices start at $125 for adults; $86 for children ages 4-14; and children 3 years and younger admitted free, and do not include applicable handling fees. Ticket prices and artists are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable.

Once again in 2006, CMA Music Festival will be filmed for a two-hour, ABC Network Television special that will air later this summer. The special is produced by Robert Deaton and directed by Gary Halvorson.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. CMA Board member Tony Conway is the Executive Producer of CMA Music Festival. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Promotional partners include Crisco(R), Greased Lightning(R) and Wrangler(R). Fan Fair(R) is a registered trademark of CMA.

Source: Country Music Association

Young Filmmaker and MTV Director's Film to Premiere at Cannes Festival

A new short film, "Pitch" written and starring just-turned-20-year-old Jason Fuchs, directed by Ian Gelfand, is set to have its world premiere as part of the Cannes Film Festival's out of competition Short Film Corner.

"Pitch" stars industry notables like National Board of Review Winner and Independent Spirit Award nominee Dylan Baker, Emmy winner John Shea, Zak Orth of "Wet Hot American Summer" fame, and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Roshumba Williams. "Pitch" co-star Robin Taylor boasts two Cannes appearances, he'll also be seen in "The House is Burning."

The comedy centers on two New York University film grads trying to parlay the success of their hit student film into a feature film deal.

Although "Pitch" has yet to screen commercially, it has already attracted attention in the press. New York Post columnist Cindy Adams calls it "an East Coast peek into the absurdity of show business reminiscent of 'Entourage'..."

Fuchs, a two-time Young Artist Award nominated actor, said he wrote the film "Pitch" after wading through industry pitch meetings and became more involved in the production side of the business. "Also to get attention. I need lots of attention," the New York City born actor adds self-deprecatingly.

When Fuchs, then 19, began pre-production on "Pitch," director Ian Gelfand, one of the producers of the critically acclaimed Bravo sitcom "Significant Others," was his first phone call. Says Fuchs of his collaborator, "Ian is brilliant not only at translating what I have on the page onto the screen, but in finding beats and laughs that, even as the writer, I didn't realize were there." Fuchs is presently attached as one of the leads in Gelfand's upcoming feature film, "Jones Town."

Joining Jason Fuchs on the production team is executive producer Pierce Cravens, 20, also one of the youngest executive producers to have a short film featured at Cannes. "Pitch" will have a U.S. premiere at the New Jersey International Film & Screenplay Festival May 23rd and show again at the NYC Home Film Festival in Manhattan May 30th-31st. "Pitch" makes its Canadian premiere on June 8th as part of the Winnipeg International Film Festival. "Pitch" is also an official selection of the prestigious Newport International Film Festival, June 6th-11th in Newport, Rhode Island.

Website http://www.pitch-themovie.com/.

Source: pitch-themovie.com

R. Kelly Concludes Successful 'Light It Up' Tour

After nine weeks playing to near sell-out audiences in 43 cities, R. Kelly (a.k.a. Mr. Show Biz) rang down the curtain Sunday on his 2006 "Light It Up" Tour, performing in front of what the Sacramento Bee described as a "nearly delirious Mother's Day crowd" in Sacramento's Memorial Auditorium.

Preliminary figures indicate that Kelly sold out 37 performances on the tour, which began in Kansas City on March 9 and included stops in St. Louis, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

Featuring Kelly on stage for nearly two hours with a live band and three back-up singers in what The New York Times called a "hugely entertaining and totally unpredictable stroll through his career," the tour went off without a hitch.

"I want to thank my fans for supporting me with so much passion," Kelly said. "They're the reason I do what I do, and I love them all."

A true musical icon and winner of numerous Grammy, Billboard, Soul Train, and American Music awards, R. Kelly has sold well over 37 million albums worldwide since his first release some 15 years ago. He has co-directed all of his music videos since the classic "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)" and was nominated for a 2005 Grammy for "Trapped in the Closet (Chapters 1-5)."

Source: R. Kelly

VH1 Breaks Out the Big Guns to Turn the Heat Up on Hard Rock

Ted Nugent, Scott Ian, Sebastian Bach, Evan Seinfeld and Jason Bonham Come Together to Resuscitate Hard Rock for VH1's 'SuperGroup'

'SuperGroup' Premieres Sunday May 21 10PM*

While Ozzfest may prosper and Motley Crue shows sell out, the kingdom of hard rock still waits for a powerful force to regain dominion over the power chords cut by crunk, pop-punk, and indie rock. Fortunately, VH1 has assembled some of the heaviest rock icons, who stand ready to thrash a new trail of carnage and excess and to lead the hard rock world as their new gods of thunder.

VH1's "SuperGroup:" Ted Nugent, Scott Ian, Sebastian Bach, Evan Seinfeld and Jason Bonham, are poised to re-conquer the rock world (and hopefully spread a little debauchery in the process) in the ultimate musical experiment. Premiering Sunday May 21 at 10:00 p.m., "SuperGroup" will bring together these five hard rocking icons and present them with the opportunity to create the heaviest "SuperGroup." Ultimately viewers will see whether or not the band will come together as hard rock's saviors or simply implode.

Over a of period two weeks in Las Vegas, legendary rock manager, Doc McGhee, will shepherd the group towards their fate as hard rock heroes. As an iconic rock manager, he automatically commands the respect of the band members and is not afraid to crack the whip. He's a taskmaster with a two-week deadline that can't be missed. On day one, Doc will clearly lay out the stakes, goals, and the limited time that the SuperGroup truly has to revitalize and rule hard rock.

Their quest will culminate with a massive concert at The Empire Ballroom in Vegas. Yet the question remains, hard rock is ready to be saved, but is the "SuperGroup" ready to save hard rock?

"SuperGroup" is produced by 3Ball Productions and Moving Pictures, DPI in conjunction with VH1. Jim Ackerman serves as Executive Producer for VH1. Troy Searer, John Foy, Todd Nelson and J.D. Roth serve as Executive Producers for 3Ball. Peter Jaysen serves as Executive Producer for Moving Pictures, DPI, the TV/film/DVD division of Dennis Publishing US. Rick Krim and Bruce Gillmer serve as Co-Executive Producers for VH1. Christian McLaughlin serves as Supervising Producer for VH1.

*all times are ET/PT

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 87 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH Uno and VH1 Country. Connect with VH1 at http://www.vh1.com/.

Source: VH1

''Lincoln and Lee at Antietam - The Cost of Freedom'' DVD Wins Top Award at WorldFest - Houston Film Festival

Inecom Entertainment Company is pleased to announce that "Lincoln and Lee at Antietam - The Cost of Freedom" received a "Special Jury Award" at the 39th Annual WorldFest - Houston Film Festival, the third oldest International Film Festival in North America. A jury pool selected the feature-length documentary to receive top honors from a field of over 850 entries in the film and video category. The 90-minute film is available on DVD at video stores, Internet retailers, educational and institutional distributors and large retail chains such as Best Buy, Borders and select Barnes & Noble stores nationwide.

Narrated by Ronald F. Maxwell (director of "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals") and written, directed and produced by multiple-award winner Robert Child ("Gettysburg: Three Days of Destiny" and "Gettysburg: The Boys in Blue and Gray"), "Lincoln and Lee at Antietam - The Cost of Freedom" DVD vividly brings to life the story of America's fight for freedom during the battle that changed the course of the Civil War.

"I am gratified and humbled by the 'Special Jury Award.' WorldFest - Houston recognized the value that this documentary has in powerfully illustrating a lesser known, but vitally important, part of American history," says Child on winning the award.

About Inecom Entertainment Company

Inecom Entertainment Company finances and distributes independent films by partnering with innovative producers and enlisting celebrated talent such as Ronald F. Maxwell, Richard Dreyfuss, Keith Carradine and Gene Wilder.

Since 2001, Inecom has released eight feature documentaries and multiple instructional films for USA and international distribution including "EXPO - Magic of the White City" narrated by Gene Wilder, "Gettysburg and Stories of Valor" narrated by Keith Carradine, "Johnstown Flood" narrated by Richard Dreyfuss and "Horses of Gettysburg" narrated by Ronald F. Maxwell. Inecom's upcoming productions include "Winters of War," "The Clara Barton Story" and "World War I Minutes."

iHollywood Forum Announces Keynote Speakers for Fifth Annual Digital Media Summit, June 6-7, 2006; Summit Showcases Breakthrough Business Models for Monetizing and Distributing Digital Content

iHollywood Forum, Inc. today announced speaker lineup for its fifth annual Digital Media Summit (http://www.ihollywoodforum.com), the definitive conference about the transformation of films, music, television, video, games and other forms of entertainment in the digital age.

The summit takes place June 6-7, 2006 at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, CA and will feature keynotes by industry leaders: Ted Cohen, EMI, Senior Vice President, Digital Development and Distribution; David Katz, Yahoo!, Head of Sports and Entertainment; Erik Flannigan, AOL, Vice President, Programming; Gregg Spiridellis, JibJab Media, Inc., Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder; Kevin Wall, Network LIVE, Chief Executive Officer; and Jeff Yee, Cingular Wireless, Director, mCommerce and Downloads.

Digital Media Summit hosts the leaders who create, distribute and monetize the world's top digital content for two days of cutting-edge panels, keynotes, networking and deal making. Attendees exchange the latest intelligence on downloadable and streaming entertainment, digital music, video-on-demand, Internet content, wireless and mobile entertainment, online games and next-generation consoles, interactive television, digital rights management, piracy, personal video recorders and other digital media. The full agenda is available at http://www.digitalmediasummit.com.

"Digital Media Summit draws a unique cross-section of Hollywood, Silicon Valley and Wall Street, communities that rarely come together in one room," said iHollywood Forum CEO and Co-Founder Michael Stroud. "With the changes sweeping digital entertainment, this should be a particularly exciting year."

The conference will feature over 50 speakers and panelists from Hollywood studios, production companies, record labels, video game developers, cable operators, computer and software companies, and top analysts and journalists as moderators.

Panel Topics include:

-- Hollywood vs. the Pirates

-- Take 2, Making Money on the Mobile Internet

-- Hollywood Unwired, Free, Subscription, or Download? What Will Consumers Buy?

-- Covering Your (Digital) Assets, Playing Music.Net

-- User Generated Content: Is There a Legitimate Business Model?

-- Everybody Hates DRM!

-- Cable vs. Satellite vs. IPTV

-- TV, Mobile and the Web: Friends or Foes?

-- Join the Game

-- VOD Seeks a Foothold

-- DVDs, New and Improved

-- Rethinking the 30 Sec. Slot

New this year is the iHollywood Demo for companies seeking funding or strategic partners for digital media and consumer technology ventures. Each company will give a five minute demo to the entire audience, followed by a panel response from investors and analysts. For more information on how to submit your company to present please visit http://www.digitalmediasummit.com

Panel speakers and moderators include:

-- ABC Entertainment, Bruce Gersh, Senior Vice President, Business Development

-- AOL Games, Carter Lipscomb, Industry Relations Specialist

-- BBDO, Jimmy Smith, Executive Creative Director

-- BellSouth, Lee Friedman, Director, Rich Media Services

-- Best Buy, Scott Young, Vice President, Digital Entertainment

-- Big Champagne, Eric Garland, Chief Executive Officer

-- Blu-ray Disc Association, Andy Parsons

-- Bluestreak Network, John Reed, Chairman of the Board

-- Buena Vista Pay Television, Dan Cohen, Senior Vice President, and General Manager

-- Bunim-Murray Productions, Joachim Blunck, Senior Vice President, Digital Content

-- CinemaNow, Curt Marvis, Chief Executive Officer

-- Cingular Wireless, Jeff Yee, Director, mCommerce and Downloads

-- Creative Strategies, Ben Bajarin, Analyst

-- DiMA, Jonathan Potter, Executive Director

-- Decisionmark, Jack Perry, Chief Executive Officer

-- Discovery Communications, Clint Stinchcomb, Senior Vice President, New Media Operations

-- EchoStar Satellite, LLC, Christopher Kuhrt, iTV Specialist

-- EMI, Ted Cohen, Senior Vice President, Digital Development and Distribution

-- Exent, Yoav Tzruya, Chief Operating Officer

-- Fox Interactive Media, John Smelzer, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Initiatives

-- Goldring Hertz & Lichtenstein LLP, Ken Hertz, Senior Partner

-- ICTV, Mark Jeffery, Senior Director, Product Marketing

-- IDC, Susan Kevorkian, Program Manager, Consumer Markets

-- Intertrust, Shawn Ambwani, Vice President, Licensing

-- JibJab Media, Inc., Gregg Spiridellis, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

-- Los Angeles Times, Jon Healey, Editorial

-- Major League Baseball Advanced Media, George Kliavkoff, Executive Vice President, Business

-- Mercora, Srivats Sampath, Chief Executive Officer

-- Metro-Goldwin Mayer, Douglas Lee, Executive Vice President

-- Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, Mark Litvack, Partner

-- Motorola, LaSean Smith, Senior Product Manager, Digital Media Services

-- MovieBeam, Brent Jenkins, Vice President, Programming

-- Movielink, Sean Besser, Director, Business Development

-- MusicNet, John Jones, Senior Vice President, Programming, Artist and Label Relations

-- Napster, Bruce Friedman, Senior Vice President, Programs

-- National Lampoon, Barry Layne, Executive Vice President

-- Nine Systems, Troy Snyder, President and Chief Executive Officer

-- PC Magazine, Jim Louderback, Editor in Chief

-- Playboy Entertainment Group, Chris Petrovic, Vice President, Business Development, Digital Media

-- ROO, Rob Petty, Chief Executive Officer

-- Radar Research, Aram Sinnreich, Founder and Managing Partner

-- Radio and Internet Newsletter, Kurt Hanson, Editor

-- Real Networks, Drew Denbo, Director, Business Development

-- RightsLine, Inc., Russell Reeder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

-- Reuters America LLC, Stephen Smyth, Vice President, Mobile and Emerging Media

-- SafeNet, Prakash Panjwani, Vice President and General Manager, Rights Management Division

-- Sanyo, Mark Waring, Director, HD DVD Group

-- Screen Actors Guild, Anne-Marie Johnson, Vice President

-- Shindler Perspective, Inc., Marty Shindler, Founder

-- Sling Media, Jeremy Toeman, Vice President, Market Development

-- Smart Technology Ventures, Joseph Marks, Managing Member

-- SnoCap, Jamie Perlman, Manager, Business Development

-- Sony BMG, Thomas Hesse, President, Global Digital Business

-- Sony Corporation of America, Albhy Galuten, Vice President, Digital Media Technology Strategy

-- Sony Electronics, Robert Bartels, Director, Marketing

-- Stormfront Studios Inc., Don Daglow, President and Chief Executive Officer

-- T-Venture of America, Inc., Claas Heise, Managing Director

-- thePlatform, Ian Blaine, Chief Executive Officer

-- TiVo Inc., Tishan Waymire, Director, Strategic Development, Advertising Division

-- United Talent Agency, Brent Weinstein, Agent, Digital Media

-- VH1, Tina Imm, Vice President, Digital Media

Digital Media Summit is made possible by a range of sponsors including:

Silver: RooTV

Bronze: DRM Networks, Exent, Infospace, MS&K, Mercora, Nine Systems, Qpass, Sony LocationFree, thePlatform, and ViDeOnline

Exhibiting: SAVVIS and uclick Comics

Research Partners: Chetan Sharma Consulting, iSuppli, Parks Associates and Radar Research

Supporting and Media Partners: Business Wire, C21 Media, Digital Entertainment Group, Digital Media Association, Game Recruiter, IPTV Industry, Internet Streaming Media Alliance, Internet Video Magazine, LAPTOP, MPEG Industry Forum, New Music Tipsheet, Red Herring, Rogers & Cowan, Screen Actors Guild, and SymbianOne

About iHollywood Forum, Inc.(TM)

Founded in 2000, Los Angeles-based iHollywood Forum, Inc.,(TM) produces cutting-edge roundtables and conferences about digital entertainment and mobile technology. The summits attract a diverse mix of Hollywood and Silicon Valley executives, entrepreneurs, technology executives, attorneys and others to learn and make deals in an intimate environment. Sessions are typically moderated by top journalists and analysts. Other conferences produced by iHollywood Forum include the Mobile Entertainment Summit, Music 2.0, Impact! (entertainment marketing) and the Digital Media Summit. More information is available at http://www.ihollywoodforum.com.

Press Information:

Press Credentials to attend Digital Media Summit(TM):

Complimentary admission is available for qualified editorial media available through pre-registration ONLY. Press will not be admitted at the door without prior written approval. Due to limited space, only a few press passes are available so early registration is highly recommended. Credentialed journalists are invited to attend the summit and listen to the lunch program speaker; however, lunch is not included. -0-

Digital Television is Expected to Be Comprehensively Deployed in China before 2008

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c36980) has announced the addition of Operational Study of China's Digital TV Market, 2004-2005 to their offering.

This report describes DTV market in China, its operation patterns and its related policies. It also provides suggestions and recommendations to investors.

Digital Television (DTV) is a new type of broadcasting technology that transmits television programs in "data bits". Compared with the analog television, DTV enjoys overwhelming superiorities. It has become an irreversible trend both at home and abroad that analog television will be digitized. China has set the timetable to implement DTV, that is, it plans to comprehensively deploy DTV before 2008 and phase out analog television by 2015.

The State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT), the major television regulatory body in China, has always positively promoted the development of DTV. In 2001, SARFT released The Tenth Five-year Program of Radio Film and Television Technology and constituted The Timetable of CATV to DTV. SARFT is also considering inviting domestic investors who have capitals, resources and programs including private capital investment, to join the operation of pay channels. In addition, SARFT has won support from the tax department who has promised some tax-reducing or remitting policies on DTV investments.

All sectors in the DTV industry chain are interdependent and playing different roles. The upstream products can only produce value when they reach the end users through the industry chain. Any interruption of the industry chain will cause failure for the upstream products to reach end users, thus produce no value. Balanced development and eliminating bottleneck are the right ways to pursue a benign cycle of the industry chain.

From the point of view on competition strategy, upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain are both rivals and partners. They need to cooperate smoothly as well as bring their strengths into full play to gain profits. When a bottleneck occurs in the industry chain, there might be a substitute to make sure the chain maintains complete. Currently many people intend to unify the industry chain to maximize profits. This is obviously impractical.

Currently the DTV industry in China is still in an initiation stage, and the industry chain is gradually shaping. A bottleneck in the chain will obstruct the development of the whole industry.

Besides digital CATV, DTV also includes In-Building TV, Mobile TV and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV).

In-Building TV is a new type of public media rising in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. In-Building TV ads are mainly high-grade and stylish commercials, entertainment information and public service advertisement. Industries that advertise in In-Building TV are mainly of telecommunications, banking, mobile phone, automobile, cosmetic and commodities, among which telecoms, mobile phone and automobile commercials account for 10 percent of the total.

Mobile TV is initially introduced by Singapore. In 2002, Shanghai launched its mobile TV system and related services in its bus system and became the second city in the world to establish a mobile TV system. May 2004 saw successful trial broadcasting of mobile TV in Beijing. Currently, citizens in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Changchun and Nanjing can watch mobile TV on buses.

IPTV, incorporating Internet, multi-media and communications technologies, is a new type of technology based on broadband CATV network which provides various interactive services including digital television to family users. There are two types of IPTV operators in China: traditional broadcast and television enterprises such as CCTV and Shanghai Media & Entertainment Group, and telecom operators such as China Telecom and CNC. IPTV business in China is currently limited to proving television services such as live broadcasting and on-demand broadcasting, and the programs are still based on conventional television video resources. The key to the future development of IPTV is the operation pattern.

Cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, Foshan, Hangzhou, Taiyuan and Suzhou are earlier in developing IPTV and have established their respective IPTV systems to a certain scale. These cases are worth learning.

While the government is vigorously promoting the development of DTV, there are some problems existed in the industry, such as delay of standardization,, difficulty of network integration , lack of terminals, immaturity of market, deficiency of contents, old TV-watching habits, lack of pricing standards, yet-to-be-improved core technology, faultiness of DTV industry chain, immature operation pattern and system problems. All these affect the development of DTV in China.

Future DTV technology will be oriented to flat and large-scale TVs with high definition and information-oriented. With a large consumer market and excellent investment environment, DTV has a bright future in China.

This report is currently only available in Chinese. If you wish to obtain an English version of this report, please allow 5 working days for report translation.

Topics Covered

1. Definitions

2 .Background of China's television industry

3. Policies concerning the development of DTV in China

4. Analysis of DTV business pattern

5. Case study of DTV business

6. Investment analysis of DTV industry

7. Development trends and conclusions of China's DTV industry

Companies Mentioned

-- CTV Media DTV Investment

-- TIK DTV Investment

-- Oriental Pearl Group DTV Investment

-- Stellar-Megamedia DTV Investment

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c36980

TV Guide Channel(R) Premieres Second Season of Makeover Series ''LOOK-A-LIKE'' on Thursday, May 31 at 8:00PM ET/PT

Premiere Episode Features ''LOOK-A-LIKE'' of ''Desperate Housewives'' Eva Longoria

TV Guide Channel(R), a leading entertainment network providing original programming to nearly 80 million homes, is giving every day people access to today's hottest celebrity stylists with the second season premiere of LOOK-A-LIKE. The series kicks off with an uncanny makeover transforming a true fan into her favorite "Desperate Housewife," Eva Longoria.

Premiering on Wednesday, May 31 at 8:00PM ET/PT, LOOK-A-LIKE gives people the opportunity to portray their favorite celebrity for a day as they are given a head-to-toe "starlicious" makeover. Each half-hour episode treats the LOOK-A-LIKE candidate to hair, make-up and wardrobe styling, culminating with their very own photo-shoot where they have the chance to emulate their favorite star in front of the camera.

Some of the celebrity subjects featured on this season of LOOK-A-LIKE include Nicole Richie, Ashlee Simpson, Kelly Clarkson, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johansson, Kid Rock, Jennifer Aniston, Johnny Depp, Jon Bon Jovi, Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

This new season includes a team of the most sought after stylists in the entertainment industry including: international make-up artist Paul Venoit who has worked with The Rolling Stones, Kate Moss and Claudia Schiffer; veteran hair stylist Jeff Altenburg an industry veteran with 20 years of experience in fashion, film and television and Alissia Marciano, the series' fashion stylist who has worked with Tom Green and advertising clients Diesel, Acura and Motorola. Famed fashion photographer Richard Sibbald catches all the excitement on camera as our LOOK-A-LIKE is the star of their very own fashion shoot.

About TV Guide Channel

TV Guide Channel reaches nearly 80 million homes and is the premier television entertainment network for viewers seeking the latest information on the best programs, hottest stars and latest trends on television. Headquartered in the heart of Hollywood at its TV Guide Studios, the network combines original programming with comprehensive program listings information - all of which deliver on viewers' need for an entertaining and easy guide to what's on TV. TV Guide Channel is owned and operated by TV Guide Networks, Inc., a subsidiary of Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc.

About Gemstar-TV Guide

Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc. (the "Company") (NASDAQ: GMST) is a leading media, entertainment and technology company that develops, licenses, markets and distributes technologies, products and services targeted at the television guidance and home entertainment needs of consumers worldwide. The Company's businesses include: television media and publishing properties; interactive program guide services and products; and technology and intellectual property licensing.

Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott Top '06 BET AWARDS List With Four Nominations Each

Comedian Daman Wayans to Host His First-Ever BET AWARDS Show Televising Live From Los Angeles's Famed Shrine Auditorium on Tuesday, June 27

Featured Performers Include Mary J. Blige, T.I., Mariah Carey and Kanye West

Songstress Chaka Khan to Receive BET Lifetime Achievement Award; World-Renown Actor and Activist Harry Belafonte Set for BET Humanitarian Award

As the countdown officially begins to the most legendary night in Black entertainment, it's the legendary superstars who will be heard from loud and clear. Hip-Hop giants Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott, R&B diva Mary J. Blige and Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx -- all legends in their own right -- earned a phenomenal four nominations each for the 2006 BET AWARDS, which televise live on Tuesday, June 27 from its new location at the Shrine Auditorium at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT (tape delayed to the Pacific and Mountain Time Zones). Nominations were announced today in Hollywood.

BET's annual salute to superlative performance in music, television, film and sports promises 15 intensely competitive categories, including a brand new category recognizing innovation and originality in R&B music. This year's crowning recognitions will go to individuals whose names are synonymous with greatness as R&B icon Chaka Khan receives the BET Lifetime Achievement Award and actor/singer/activist Harry Belafonte is honored with the BET Humanitarian Award.

Actor and comedian Damon Wayans, multi-talented member of the famed Wayans family of Hollywood achievers, steps forward to host his first-ever BET AWARDS show. Add performers like Mary J. Blige, T.I., Mariah Carey and Kanye West, and the stage is set for an explosive night under the Western sky.

"BET Awards is the best awards show on television, period. No qualifier. And here are three great reasons why: Number One, our host is Damon Wayans. He's been making people laugh for 20 years," said Reginald Hudlin, BET President of Entertainment. "Number Two is Lifetime Achievement honoree Chaka Khan. Her voice sounds like she swallowed Jimmy Hendrix's guitar. Third is Humanitarian Award recipient Harry Belafonte, an award I'm very proud to be associated with. Harry is the first music artist to receive a platinum record. Harry popularized the concept of world music before there was even the phrase. And most importantly, his efforts on behalf of human rights and civil rights are unmatched by any other artist. People forget that Dr. King's famous letter from the Birmingham jail was addressed to Harry Belafonte."

Even as a first-time host, Wayans still promises to keep the show flowing with his special brand of brash, irreverent, "Hell No, Homey Don't Play That" humor first unveiled in the ground-breaking sketch comedy series In Living Color. Now the star, creator and executive producer of the hit ABC sitcom My Wife and Kids, earned his stripes and is ready to stake his claim on the awards show circuit.

"Damon is a fierce stand-up comedian with a biting sense of humor that will keep everyone in the audience on their toes," said Stephen Hill, BET Executive Vice President for Music and Entertainment Programming. "The BET Awards is known for bringing the heat. And with the performers we have lined up and the left-of-center elements planned, the heat shall be 'broughten' again. You know how we do."

Busta Rhymes, who was one of the artists announcing the nominations along with Ne-Yo, 3-6 Mafia and Keyshia Cole, earned nods for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Best Duet and Video of the Year and is up for the Viewer's Choice Award. Jamie Foxx, whose recent solo album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's R&B charts, is up for Best Male R&B Artist, Best Duet/collaboration (with Kanye West), Best Actor and Video of the Year (with Kanye West).

And as for the ladies, Mary J. Blige's nominations include: Best Female R&B Artist, Best Duet/Collaboration (with Busta Rhymes) and two nods for Video of the Year. Missy Elliott, also received two nominations for Video of the Year to go along with her nods for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and Best Duet/Collaboration (with Busta Rhymes).

Other artists receiving multiple nominations included: Kanye West, Ne-Yo and Chris Brown each with three; Anthony Hamilton, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Ciara, Keyshia Cole, Lloyd Banks, Mariah Carey, Mary Mary, Papoose, Rah Digga, Slim Thug and T.I. each scored two apiece.

Last year's BET AWARDS was the most-watched program in the network's 26- year history with an amazing 6.6 million viewers tuning in to catch the excitement. BET has again teamed with Cossette Productions, famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards(R) and the five previous record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast.

To heat things up and cool things down, BET will be all over the pre- and post-award show happenings with a special edition of 106 & PARK: LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET, beginning at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT. Hosts Tigger and Julissa Bermudez will no doubt capture all the excitement from fashion to who's escorting whom at the summer's most anticipated awards show. The energy will continue post the awards when BET News brings you THE BLACK CARPET LOUNGE live and hosted by Toure' beginning at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT. There will be a non- stop parade of celebrity interviews and featured highlights from the show.

BET online audience will have the opportunity to really be a part of the show as virtual members of the BET AWARDS 06 voting academy by logging onto http://www.bet.com/ to vote for their favorite performer in the Viewers' Choice poll. The actual voting takes place real time during the telecast. Fans can also select the BET Ultimate Fan by casting votes for 10 previously selected video entries for the individual who best shows off their enthusiasm for the BET AWARDS 06. The lucky winner receives an all-expense trip for two to this year's show plus $2,500 in spending money and an opportunity to co-present the Viewers' Choice Award.

Encore telecasts of the 2006 BET AWARDS are set for:

Friday, June 30th @ 7:30 p.m. ET/PT

Tuesday, July 4th @ 7:30 p.m. ET/PT

Sunday, July 9th @ 7:30 p.m. ET/PT

BET will also offer up other tasty appetizers to tantalize the palette before the show including:

* Exclusive '06 BET AWARDS content available on BET.com's broadband

product BET on Blast, including artist interviews, honoree profiles and

behind-the-scenes access, plus a live video stream of the exciting BET

Awards red carpet arrivals.

* A new category called the BET J Cool Like That Award, named for BET's

newly re-launched sister network (formerly BET Jazz) which offers adult-

oriented fare for sophisticated tastes.

* BET Awards interactivity "on-the-go" for BET Mobile customers with

mobile fan clubs for cellular phone users.

The following is a complete list of the 2006 BET AWARDS nominees and categories:

Best Female Hip Hop Best Male Hip Hop Best Collaboration

(Song Title)

Missy Elliott 50 Cent Beyonce f/ Slim Thug

Lil' Kim Busta Rhymes (Check on It-Pink Panther)

Remy Ma Common Bow Wow f/Ciara (Like You)

Shawnna T.I. Busta Rhymes

Trina Kanye West f/ Mary J. Blige, Rah

Digga, Missy Elliott,

Lloyd Banks, Papoose & DMX

(Touch It - Remix)

Jamie Foxx f/ Ludacris

(Unpredicatble)

Kanye West f/Jamie Foxx

(Gold Digger)

Best Female R&B Best Male R&B Best Group

Beyonce Chris Brown Black Eyed Peas

Mary J. Blige Jamie Foxx Destiny's Child

Mariah Carey Anthony Hamilton Floetry

Keyshia Cole Ne-Yo Mary Mary

India.Arie Prince Three 6 Mafia

Best New Artist Best Gospel Artist Video of the Year

(Song Title)

Chris Brown Yolanda Adams Beyonce f/ Slim Thug

Chamillionaire Kirk Franklin (Check on It)

Ne-Yo Mary Mary Mary J. Blige (Be Without

Rihanna Smokie Norful You)

Paul Wall CeCe Winans Busta Rhymes f/ Mary J.

Blige, Rah Digga, Missy

Elliott, Lloyd Banks,

Papoose & DMX (Touch It -

Remix)

Missy Elliott f/Ciara

(Lose Control)

R. Kelly (Trapped In the

Closet)

Kanye West f/Jamie Foxx

(Gold Digger)

Best Actress Best Actor Female Athlete of the Year

(Sport)

Tichina Arnold Chris Bridges Laila Ali (Boxing)

Taraji P. Henson (Ludacris) Chamique Holdsclaw

Thandie Newton Don Cheadle (Basketball)

Queen Latifah Jamie Foxx Lisa Leslie (Basketball)

Alfre Woodard Terrence Howard Sheryl Swoopes

Denzel Washington (Basketball)

Venus Williams (Tennis)

Male Athlete of the Year (Sport) BET J Cool Like That

Kobe Bryant (Basketball) Eric Benet

LeBron James (Basketball) Anthony Hamilton

Shaquille O'Neal (Basketball) Heather Headley

Tiger Woods (Golf) Kindred the Family Soul

Vince Young (Football) Corinne Bailey Rae

BET.com Viewers' Choice (Song Title)

Chris Brown - Yo (Excuse Me Miss)

Busta Rhymes (Touch It)

Mariah Carey (Don't Forget About Us)

Keyshia Cole (Love)

Ne-Yo (So Sick)

T.I. (What You Know)

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 81 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; and BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices.

ABOUT COSSETTE PRODUCTIONS

Cossette Productions is Hollywood's most unique and comprehensive production company, with more than 35 years of experience offering diverse and creative consultation, direction and execution of entertainment production. To its credit, Cossette Productions has produced 33 years of the Grammy Awards telecast; eight weekly television series totaling more than 500 episodes; numerous award-winning Broadway theatrical plays and musicals; 50 major performance specials, award shows and celebrity tributes; corporate events for the nation's largest companies; and countless made-for-television motion pictures and mini-series.

Source: BET (Black Entertainment Television)

InterVideo Home Theater Bundled with BenQ Joybooks for a Complete Mobile Digital Entertainment Experience; Easy-to-Use Digital Media Software Brings TV and Radio to Notebook Pcs

InterVideo(R), Inc. (NASDAQ:IVII) announced today that BenQ, the leader in affordable notebook computers, is bundling InterVideo Home Theater(TM) with the new BenQ Joybooks as a part of the Q Media software suite. With InterVideo Home Theater, users can easily enjoy digital content, including video, photos and music, from anywhere.

"The BenQ Joybook provides users with the utmost in visual enjoyment," said Steve Ro, CEO and president of InterVideo. "InterVideo Home Theater software is the natural partner to deliver a complete mobile entertainment solution on the laptop."

InterVideo Home Theater is a multimedia software application that provides the full gamut of TV-watching tools, including support for DVB-T, DVB-S and ATSC digital signals. Users can also take advantage of time-shifting features with the ability to pause/rewind live TV and can enjoy support for EPG (electronic program guides).

On the radio side, users can listen to FM and digital audio broadcasts, and record in real time or according to a published schedule. They can also rip and categorize music, watch video files and photo slideshows, and playback DVDs. In addition, users can burn data, music or video to disc.

"InterVideo Home Theater software is the perfect choice for users who want to join the ever-growing group of people who like to enjoy their multimedia on the go," said Hank Horng, BenQ Associate Vice President. "Not so long ago, it was unthinkable to receive premium TV on a notebook computer, much less to record it and timeshift it as well. Our Joybook and InterVideo Home Theater make this as easy as switching on your TV."

The BenQ S73, 14" Joybooks, and S61, 12" Joybooks feature Intel(R) Centrino(R) Duo mobile technology and embedded European standard (DVB-T) digital TV reception, allowing users to watch TV programs anytime and anywhere. Aimed at mobile users who require premium-quality graphic display cards, widescreen displays and exceptional multimedia features, these two notebooks also have enhanced speaker placement and noise suppression to provide users with the best in mobile visual and audio performance.

InterVideo markets Home Theater to consumers and hardware OEMs. For more information, visit http://www.intervideo.com.

About BenQ Group

The BenQ Group is currently comprised of ten companies that operate independently while sharing resources and leveraging synergies among them. The BenQ Group companies include AU Optronics Corporation, the world's third largest manufacturer of LCD panels; Darfon Electronics Corporation; Daxon Technology Inc; Airoha Technology Corporation; Darly Venture Inc; BenQ Guru Software Co., Ltd; Philips BenQ Digital Storage; Cando Corporation, and BenQ Mobile. 2004 revenues for BenQ Group exceeded US$10.8 billion dollars.

BenQ Corporation consists of three main business groups -- Computing Products, Digital Media and Mobile Business. Although these business groups encompass a broad range of products, each retains a focus on providing consumer-oriented solutions designed especially for the digital lifestyle. 2004 revenues exceeded US$5.1 billion dollars. For more information, please visit our website at BenQ.com.

About InterVideo, Inc.

InterVideo is a leading provider of integrated digital and high-definition multimedia and audio/video content solutions in the PC, CE and wireless industries. The company's broad suite of integrated multimedia software products are designed to enhance the consumer's entertainment experience, whether the content is delivered to a home system, HDTV set, wireless system, mobile or personal multimedia device. InterVideo's unique iMobi(TM) multimedia codec technologies are widely used by Smartphones, GPS units and portable entertainment device OEMs and ODMs to enhance music and video enjoyment...anyplace, anytime. The firm's worldwide headquarters is at 46430 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA, 510-651-0888, InterVideo also has major offices in Taiwan, Japan, Mainland China and around the globe. For more information, visit http://www.intervideo.com.

Upfront Kicks Off as Teens Tune Out; New Online Research Shows 80% of 16-18 Year Olds Can't Name All Four Top TV Networks - NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX

Bolt Media today unveiled the results of an online survey, which polled people aged 16-34 about their time spent online and watching TV. A vast majority - 85% - said they spend their free time surfing the Internet - compared to only 69% who say their free time was spent watching TV.

When asked to name the top four TV networks, 4 out of every 5 people ages 16-18 could not name all four of the networks.

"TV audiences are declining because there are so many more new and creative ways to spend your time online. Viewers are shifting away from TV faster than the advertisers, but we certainly expect that trend to change as companies like Bolt, MySpace and YouTube become the place to create, collect and consume content," said Aaron Cohen, CEO of Bolt Media. "People who grew up in the past 20 years are used to being part of the online media mix. Almost every milestone of their lives - ballet recitals, soccer practices, weddings, and birthday parties - has been videotaped, and they're used to being a part of the content. So it's not surprising that these same people would prefer to partake in the "Creation Generation" rather than turn on the television."

Bolt surveyed its members online between the ages of 16-34. Select findings included:

-- Only 25% of all polled could name the Big Four television networks. 1 out of every 3 people under 34 could not name ANY of these networks.

-- TV even falls slightly short of movie watching with 71% saying they spend their free time watching movies compared to 69% watching TV.

-- 4 in 10 16-34 year olds have created a music CD from an mp3 file in the last month.

-- 44% of 16-34 year olds have downloaded music from a free site in the last week, while 26% have paid to download music.

For a full summary of the results of the survey, please visit

http://mediakit.bolt.com/research/

Bolt's recent increase in traffic and users, due primarily to increased functionality through product development and acquisitions, has attracted more advertisers, including Verizon Wireless, Cingular, Coca Cola, Fox Television and Sony Pictures among its top 50 advertisers.

About Bolt Media

A creative network constantly changes. Social interaction begins with creativity. Bolt members upload anything - a photo, video, comedy sketch, song - to get feedback. Feedback spurs more creativity and the formation of a broader audience. Based in New York with 11.4 million unique users, Bolt gives members an audience. In turn, they put up more content.

MasterCard Launches New Ad Campaign Geared Towards Affluent Consumers; Latest Priceless(R) Execution Communicates the Benefits of World MasterCard

MasterCard International today announced a new advertising campaign for World MasterCard, a card program that combines flexible, personalized rewards with no pre-set spending limit to appeal to today's expanding affluent market. The campaign is the most recent component of a broader MasterCard strategy to continue to increase its brand preference and card usage among affluent consumers.

The ad campaign launches tonight with a 30-second television commercial during the season finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy. The spot will run through the end of September. The campaign will also include print executions later this year, and will be integrated into http://www.priceless.com, the interactive and upscale MasterCard website that delivers content to reflect the interests of today's affluent consumer.

The television spot, entitled "Great Lady Golfer," represents an extension of the traditional Priceless(R) advertising format. Rather than showing a series of purchases that lead to a Priceless moment, the new spot opens with a Priceless moment and shows how it leads to a series of related purchases.

The spot features three men and a woman playing a round of golf. The woman makes a very difficult chip shot, to which the narrator responds, "There are some things in life money can't buy." The ad then flashes forward to show a series of purchases the woman makes to improve her game and satisfy her newfound passion for the sport. "For everything else, there's World MasterCard Card, the card that won't hold you back," the narrator concludes.

The campaign communicates the flexible purchasing power created by the no pre-set spending limit of World MasterCard which means that charges to the card are approved based on factors such as previous card usage, credit history, and payment history, eliminating the constraints of a fixed line of credit.

"We've observed that consumers in the affluent market are ready, willing and able to pursue their passions full-bore. And that means they need payments choices such as World MasterCard which gives those consumers unfettered access to experience anything and everything that matters most to them, a point the new ad brings to life," said Amy Fuller, Group Executive, Americas Marketing, MasterCard International. "We believe that taking this new approach to our traditional Priceless ad strategy emphasizes MasterCard's relevance to the affluent market."

McCann Erickson New York is handling the creative for the new ad campaign. The agency creative team includes: Joyce King Thomas, EVP, Chief Creative Officer; Pete Jones, SVP, Creative Director; Chris Cereda, VP, Associate Creative Director; and Sally Hotchkiss, SVP, Executive Producer.

The new ad follows last year's Priceless spot, entitled "Candy Store," that focused on the unique rewards platform of World MasterCard that allows cardholders to choose their own rewards based on their own life priorities. The two spots combine to position World MasterCard as a card the offers unfettered access to the most rewarding life imaginable.

About MasterCard International

MasterCard International is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members' credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment card brands including MasterCard(R), Maestro(R) and Cirrus(R) and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless(R) advertising campaign is now seen in 106 countries and in 50 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope.

Canon XL H1 HD Camcorder Wins Six Awards at NAB2006; Canon's First-Ever HD Camcorder and Console Software Awarded for Innovation and Technology

Canon's XL H1 HD camcorder received five prestigious industry awards, including the NAB2006 Award for Innovation in Media (AIM) Award; TV Technology magazine's "STAR Award"; Videography magazine's "Vidy Award"; The 4EVER Group's "Product Innovation Award"; and Television Broadcast magazine's "Top Innovation Award". In addition, Canon's Console software received Broadcast Engineering magazine's "Pick Hit" award at the 2006 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) exhibit, April 24 - 27, in Las Vegas.

"We are pleased to see such widespread industry acceptance of our first HD camcorder," said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the consumer imaging group at Canon U.S.A., Inc. "The surge of third party support for post production and editing combined with multiple industry innovation awards has really demonstrated to us that the industry has embraced the XL H1 HD camcorder as an affordable yet highly functional HD capture solution."

NAB2006 AIM Award - The Canon XL H1 HD camcorder won an AIM Award in the Content Creation category at this year's NAB2006 AIM Awards. This award is the direct result of voting by the attendees of the show and reflects products that emulate benefits to the users, such as enhanced creativity, faster workflow, all while lowering cost.

TV Technology STAR Award - The Canon XL H1 HD camcorder received the seventh annual "Superior Technology Award" (STAR). TV Technology magazine chooses a panel of judges consisting of industry professionals to judge the awards based on products that demonstrate the ability to further enhance the professional video trade.

Videography Vidy Award - Videography magazine presented Canon with a "Vidy Award" for the XL H1 HD camcorder. The editorial staff of Videography Magazine presents the award for products that represent the evolution of video technology.

4EVER Group Product Innovation Award - The Event Videography Education and Resources group presented the "Product Innovation Award" to the Canon XL H1 HD camcorder based on its potential for a significant and positive impact upon the event video industry.

Broadcast Engineering Pick Hit Award - Now in its 21st year, Broadcast Engineering's "Pick Hit" is the industry's longest running award recognizing innovative products. This year, Canon's Console Software demonstrated its ability to be a highly functional, yet affordable solution to users of the XL H1 HD Camcorder.

Television Broadcast Magazine's "Top Innovation" Award - The Canon XL H1 HD camcorder received this award as a product that combines the best of workflow enhancement and affordable cost to form an innovative product.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The company is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is rated #35 on the BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking second overall in the U.S. in 2005, with global revenues of $31.8 billion. For more information, visit http://www.usa.canon.com.

Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A. Web site:

http://www.usa.canon.com

``Young and the Restless'' Actress Kate Linder Will Be Presented with The ALS Association's All-Star Award\

The ALS Association: -

WHAT: Actress Kate Linder, who has portrayed Esther Valentine

on CBS' top-rated soap opera "The Young and the

Restless" for 24 years, will receive The ALS

Association's (ALSA) All-Star Award at ALSA's

Celebration of Excellence Reception and Awards

Presentation from the winner of last year's award,

former Major League Baseball pitcher Tommy John. The

event will be held during ALSA's 2006 National ALS

Advocacy Day and Public Policy Conference in Washington,

D.C., May 15-17. "The Young and the Restless" is seen by

100 million worldwide viewers everyday.

WHY: The All-Star Award recognizes volunteers whose personal

initiative and extraordinary contributions on behalf of

ALS have expanded the advocacy and awareness efforts to

help increase public awareness of the disease. Linder

offered to help ALSA after her brother-in-law was

diagnosed with ALS. Her contributions have included

starring in an ALSA public service announcement (PSA)

about ALSA's national signature fundraising event, the

Walk to D'Feet ALS(R). The PSA has been seen by more

than 300 million people. She also has made personal

appearances at the Walk, held in 150 U.S. cities. At

ALSA's National Advocacy Day and Public Policy

Conference last year, Linder testified before the Senate

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education

about the state of the disease, research and treatment.

ALSA is the nation's only not-for-profit voluntary

health organization dedicated solely to the fight

against ALS.

WHEN: 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 16

WHERE: National Geographic Society Hall

1145 17th Street Northwest

Washington, D.C., 20036

WHO: Actress Kate Linder

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Tommy John

ALSA President and CEO Gary Leo

Wolfmother & iPod Board the Love Train

Aussie power trio Wolfmother are the latest artists to have their music featured in one of Apple's iconic iPod + iTunes TV commercials, joining mega-names like U2, Wynton Marsalis and Eminem.

Jamming to the song "Love Train" from Wolfmother's self-titled debut, the famed iPod-wearing silhouettes rock-out retro-style while highlighted in splashes of glorious psychedelic color.

"Good things happen when silhouettes dance," says the band's frontman Andrew Stockdale.

Check it out: http://www.apple.com/ipod/ads/

The iPod ad's landed last week just as "Wolfmother" debuted on the US Billboard Album Charts at #22 and #10 on the iTunes Top 100 Albums chart, propelled by big time rock and alternative airplay for the single "Woman."

And Apple are not the only folks taking note of Wolfmother's captivating sound -- the band has also been featured on AOL's Breakers program, Sony Connect's "Connect Next," MSN's "One to Watch," Rhapsody's "Dig This!", MP3.com's "Up and Coming" and many more.

Currently Wolfmother are on a headlining club tour of the United States with pit stops at "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live." They will return stateside to support the Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth in the mid-west in early August before they head to Europe for some dates with Pearl Jam later that month. Dates/venues are as follows:

MAY

Tue 16 Opera House, Toronto, ON

Thu 18 Metro - Smart Bar, Chicago, IL

Fri 19 The Rave II, Milwaukee, WI

Sat 20 Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis, MN

Mon 22 Bluebird Theatre, Denver, CO

Tue 23 Club Sound (formerly Bricks), Salt Lake City, UT

Thu 25 Berbati's Pan, Portland, OR

Fri 26 Sasquatch Festival, Gorge Amphitheatre, George, WA

Sat 27 Richards on Richards, Vancouver, BC

Tue 30 Le National, Montreal, QC

Wed 31 Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA

JUNE

Fri 2 Theatre of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Sat 3 Webster Hall, New York, NY

Tue 6 Black Cat, Washington, DC

Wed 7 Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC

Thu 8 The Loft At Earthlink Live (formerly Vinyl), Atlanta, GA

Tues 13 Canes, San Diego, CA

Wed 14 Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA

In addition to these concerts the band will also be doing instore performances in Boston and Chicago. Details are:

Chicago, IL

Thursday May 18th @ 6 PM

Tower Records

2301 N. Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60614

Boston, MA

Wednesday May 31st @ 6 PM

Newbury Comics

332 Newbury Street

Boston, MA 02115

The group will also be doing a signing only in Salt Lake City at Graywhale CD Exchange (1763 W 4700 S, Taylorsville) on Tuesday May 23rd at 4pm.

And the critical word on Andrew Stockdale (vocals/guitar), Chris Ross (bass/keyboard) and Myles Heskett (drums)? Damn good!

"...you'll be banging your head so hard you'll need to use both hands to

keep your face from flying off." Maxim

"Top 10 Artists To Watch" Rolling Stone

"A stellar, jumbotron-epic." SPIN

"South By Southwest's breakout band." Entertainment Weekly

"...sexy, liberating, exciting, raw..." Los Angeles Times

"...utterly, utterly thrilling." NME, UK.

Throw in critical acclaim like this alongside rave reviews of their recent Coachella appearance (including a front page pic in the Sunday Los Angeles Times) and you've got a band that actually deserves all the ballyhoo.

But don't take our word for it. Go to www.wolfmother.com and experience it for yourself.

Web site: http://www.apple.com/ipod/ads

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

Giant Inflatable Art Objects Greet Visitors to Pittsburgh As Part of Pittsburgh Roars Cultural Celebration

The Monongahela Monster, Houndstoothy the Squirrel, and Pittsburgh's Painted Pachyderm are just a few of the giant inflatable art objects greeting visitors to the Greater Pittsburgh region as part of the Pittsburgh Roars cultural celebration.

Pittsburgh Roars is a collaborative effort by more than 70 cultural, civic, and community partners to get people out, enjoying and appreciating the region as a vibrant place to live, work and visit.

Commissioned by The Sprout Fund, an organization that provides outdoor public art, ten giant inflatables will be on display at various Pittsburgh Roars events throughout the region. Designed by local artists, these immense art objects -- most of which are nearly 30 feet tall -- will travel around Pittsburgh to be placed together and individually, inside and outdoors at different locations throughout the Pittsburgh region to draw attention to Roars programs and special events.

According to Marguerite Jarrett Marks, spokesperson for Pittsburgh Roars, "these wonderful, colorful, and larger-than-life outdoor sculptures embody the spirit of Pittsburgh Roars, and we hope convey a sense of whimsy, fun and excitement to visitors who come to Pittsburgh to enjoy our wonderful architecture, museums and cultural attractions."

Several giant inflatables will make appearances this summer at various locations throughout the region in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Roars initiative. "Pittsburgh has always been appealing to European visitors who admire the region's significant historic landmarks and work by such well known architects as Henry Hobson Richardson and Frank Lloyd Wright," says Jarrett Marks.

In addition to rich architecture, there is no shortage of world-class art museums in Pittsburgh, including the Carnegie Museum of Art, whose current exhibit, "Fierce Friends: Artists and Animals," was originally presented by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The Warhol Museum on the city's North Shore is another essential museum stop for any visitor to the region who admires the artistic vision of Pittsburgh-born Andy Warhol.

Amid the architecture and cultural attractions, visitors to Pittsburgh will enjoy the city's long-standing importance to jazz music. MCG Jazz, celebrating its 20th anniversary, part of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild on the city's North Shore, promotes jazz through special performances, recordings and concerts throughout the region. Many famous jazz musicians made their start in Pittsburgh's Hill District, and that legacy lives on today.

Making European visitors feel at home in Pittsburgh is a top priority of many of Pittsburgh's hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts. Several hotels located in Downtown Pittsburgh have multi-lingual staff ready to help foreign visitors make the most of their trip to the region.

For more information on travel in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region, visit www.visitpittsburgh.com . A complete list of Pittsburgh Roars related programming and events is available at www.pittsburghroars.com .

Pittsburgh Roars

Pittsburgh Roars is celebration saluting Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. Launched in March 2006, Pittsburgh Roars encompasses more than 70 cultural, sports and entertainment venues, civic, community and economic development organizations, corporations, and foundations that have joined forces to present an unrivaled schedule of unique public events, attractions and activities. For more information, visit www.pittsburghroars.com.

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

http://www.visitpittsburgh.com

Source: Pittsburgh Roars

Famous French Artist's Oil Painting Acquired By Tulsa Museum; Dubuffet Now Part of Philbrook Museum of Art Collection

Tulsa's Philbrook Museum of Art has acquired one of its most significant works of the museum's 20th century holdings. "Pepinieriste," 1944 by Jean Dubuffet (French, 1901-1985) was donated to the museum by Karen Nelson.

Executive Director Brian Ferriso said, "Jean Dubuffet is one of the most influential European artists of the postwar era. His 'Pepinieriste' ('Nurseryman') is a playful, almost child-like depiction of a city streetscape. This is the first major work by Dubuffet to enter the collection and is a significant addition."

The Philbrook painting was executed in 1944 as Dubuffet was embarking on his artistic career. Over the next forty years, he created a body of imaginative work based on his iconoclastic concept of l'art brut ("raw art"), a term he coined. Rejecting traditional notions of beauty, he found authentic expression in the work of children, the psychotic and graffiti artists. Dubuffet expanded the concept to include objects made by tribal, folk, or naive artists, whom he saw as working in relation to some stylistic tradition.

Recent acquisitions by the museum include "Portrait of Mary Patton," 1927 by Robert Henri, "Swathe" 2004 by Tony Oursler and "The Blink" 2000-2004 by Michael Joaquin Grey.

Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa's first art museum, was established in 1939. It is housed in the former home of Waite Phillips, oil baron. The building is a Beaux Arts Italianate villa surrounded by 23 acres of formal and informal gardens. Home to almost 10,000 pieces, Philbrook has Medieval, European, American, Native American and Contemporary holdings.

Source: Philbrook Museum of Art

Web site: http://www.philbrook.org/

BBC AMERICA Launches Exclusive Online Game for Primetime Soap, Footballers Wive$ The Wive$ Get Their Own Life on BBCAmerica.com

Television experts have spoken -- there's a hot new soap in town, bringing a breath of fresh air to primetime. Footballers Wive$ "makes Desperate Housewives look like a small-town sewing circle" (Star), "is Dynasty on several kilos of coke" (Seattle Post- Intelligencer), and "an R-rated Falcon Crest with faster-paced, more over-the- top plot developments" (Star-Tribune). How could BBC AMERICA make this series even hotter before the season four premiere on June 4? Launch an exclusive, addictive online game where everyone plays dirty, and everyone's trying to score, of course. BBCAmerica.com and Templar have partnered to create an exclusive online game, Everyone Plays Dirty, for fans of the utterly addictive primetime soap, Footballers Wive$.

Not a sports fan? Not a problem. Not familiar with the show? Not to worry. When you play the game you create your very own soap opera. The object is to keep the players, agents, managers, wives and girlfriends in a good mood by making sure they have everything their little hearts desire -- love, fame, money, power, and yes, a good reputation. Does star player Conrad need love? Send him to the airport for a romantic getaway. Does plastic surgery addict Shannon crave fame? Send her to the tabloids with the hope that the press will be kind. Being a footballer or a footballer's wife has its advantages -- money, power, fame -- but it's not all it's cracked up to be. Players of Everyone Plays Dirty will have to keep on their toes -- the characters have a mind of their own and even the best attempts at giving them what they need have a way of back-firing and going horribly wrong. Without your good influence, these characters will play dirty, and will be irretrievably drawn to gambling, brawling, boozing and shagging. So what are you waiting for? All you need to start playing is internet access and Flash Player 8.0.

"We're delighted that BBC AMERICA entrusted us with this fantastic series, and gave us the chance to make an online game that reflects the inner world of the Footballers Wive$," says Peter Mack, President of Templar. "Footballers Wive$ gave us the perfect opportunity to have a little online fun," adds Grace Mangum, Director of BBCAmerica.com, "Fans of the show are thrilled to see the Wive$ come to life online. Everyone Plays Dirty is one of the most-visited features at BBCAmerica.com -- the game is addictive, just like the television series."

Play Everyone Plays Dirty: http://www.bbcamerica.com/fwgame

BBCAmerica.com connects the U.S. with the best of British television from BBC AMERICA -- the 24 hour U.S. cable channel - with a compelling range of entertainment, sport and news headlines. U.S. exclusive interviews and features go beyond the shows and behind the scenes of BBC AMERICA's provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies and groundbreaking movies. The BBCAmerica.com shop is stocked with the best BBC products, mouthwatering British treats and unique travel opportunities.

Based in Chinatown, Templar is New York's longest-running independent game design studio, specializing in high quality video games for a variety of platforms including PC, mobile devices, and the Web. Formed as a collective in 1997 and reincorporated in 1998, Templar has created original games for clients such as 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, BBC America, LEGO, Intel, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel, HBO, and many others. Templar regularly works with some of the best advertising agencies in the world to provide promotional game development and consulting, including BBDO, Arnold Worldwide, Bartle Bogle Hegerty, and Crispin Porter + Bogusky. A pioneer in the world of video games, Templar is currently developing an original title to be released for next-generation console systems in 2007.

Web site: http://www.bbcamerica.com/fwgame
http://www.bbc.co.uk/

The Knot, Inc. Signs Multiple Book Deal for 'The Nest' With Clarkson Potter
Four-Book Deal for Newlywed and Young Married Brand Premieres With 'The Nest Newlywed Handbook: An Owner's Manual to Modern Married Life' in Fall 2006

The Knot, Inc., creators of preeminent wedding brand The Knot (http://www.theknot.com/), announced today that it has signed a four-book deal with Clarkson Potter to bring The Nest brand from popular Website, TheNest.com, to bookshelves nationwide. The first installment, "The Nest Newlywed Handbook: An Owner's Manual to Modern Married Life," will publish in early Fall 2006.

Dubbed the ultimate resource for hip young marrieds, The Nest addresses topics relevant to the just-married lifestage. In line with content on the site, The Nest book series will provide readers with modern guidance on love, sex and family relationships; built-for-two solutions to married finances, living style, entertaining; and tried-and-true advice for making important decisions, from purchasing a first home to having a first baby.

Featuring The Nest's modern, tell-it-like-it-is approach to married life, the books will package essential information and inspiring images with tips and ideas with a unique realworld advice contributed by millions of married couples from communities on TheKnot.com and TheNest.com.

"Nearly five million Americans cross the threshold into married life each year, and often feel left at the altar. The Nest is their virtual married- best-friend-who's-been-there-before, and we're excited to help young couples get off on the right foot," says Carley Roney, editor in chief and author of The Nest books. "Clarkson Potter's expertise in publishing great service and elegant image-driven books makes them an ideal partner in bringing The Nest's fresh style and much-needed advice to newlywed readers via book retailers."

"We are thrilled to have formed a long-term publishing partnership with this innovative company that in less than 10 years has become the preeminent resource for those about to wed -- or who have recently taken that big step. The Nest Newlywed Handbook was the natural choice to launch our publishing program with The Knot and The Nest, as it fills a long-overlooked gap in the marketplace in a fun, fresh, and encouraging way that will speak directly to their legions of loyal fans," said Pam Krauss, Senior Vice President, Executive Editor of Clarkson Potter.

About Clarkson Potter

Clarkson Potter is the premier publisher of beautifully designed books on cooking and lifestyle. Authors include acclaimed chefs, television personalities, and familiar names like Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray, Ina Garten, Giada De Laurentiis and P. Allen Smith. Clarkson Potter is an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., which is owned by Bertelsmann AG, the international media company.

About The Nest

The Nest (http://www.thenest.com/) is the first and only multimedia resource for newlyweds and young marrieds covering all aspects of couplehood. Created by The Knot, Inc., makers of preeminent wedding resource The Knot, The Nest is focused on providing hip couples with built-for-two advice, stylish ideas, interactive tools and resources for life's happily ever after: from relationships, to home decor and entertaining, to managing marital money matters and starting a family.

About The Knot, Inc.

The Knot, Inc. (Nasdaq: KNOT; http://www.theknot.com/) is a leading lifestage media and services company. The Company's flagship brand, The Knot, is the nation's leading wedding resource that reaches over 1 million engaged couples each year through the Web, newsstands, bookstores, national television and more. The Company's portfolio of lifestage services includes newlywed resource The Nest, teen site PromSpot.com, and personals site, GreatBoyfriends.com. The Knot, Inc. is based in New York and has several other offices across the country.

Web site: http://www.theknot.com/
http://www.thenest.com/
http://www.promspot.com/
http://www.greatboyfriends.com/

empolis Takes Over iTV Business and iTV Browser Pontegra

-- Retroactive March 1, 2006 empolis GmbH takes over the iTV business unit and iTV browser pontegra from Nionex GmbH, the DirectGroup Bertelsmann technology company. empolis is part of arvato, the internationally networked media and communication services provider of Bertelsmann. The objective of this takeover is to create synergies between the iTV business and technologies, which empolis develops as innovative IT services provider in the field of mobile entertainment, and to take advantage of the joint potential.

"The transition between broadcast, mobile and internet technologies become more and more blurred and interactive services increasingly rely on a combination of these technologies. Our customers expect single-source solutions involving mobile content, digital download and mass activity, including a full service portfolio", explains Bernhard Ribbrock, CEO of both empolis and arvato mobile.

In 2002, Nionex launched the world-wide first DVB-HTML based browser for MHP (Multimedia Home Platform). By now this product, called pontegra, is successfully established on the international market. Since then, leading European broadcasters and cable providers have chosen pontegra and have relied on the extensive expertise of the Nionex iTV team, which has now been taken over by empolis.

About empolis

empolis - The Information Logistics Company - is a leading supplier of enterprise content and knowledge management solutions. Over 19 years of experience and comprehensive know-how, including substantial knowledge of complex business processes, build the foundation of our specific solutions designed for a multitude of diverse areas of application. empolis is an arvato AG subsidiary, an international media service company and part of Bertelsmann AG. empolis hereby belongs to a unique, powerful network and is directly integrated into the value chain of arvato ranging from Logistic/Supply Chain Management, Customer Loyalty Systems and Service Center Support, professional and customized IT Services, CD-ROM, DVD and Audio CD print and manufacturing. empolis employs 220 people in Germany and Poland.

Source: empolis GmbH

Reel American Heroes Honor Soldiers on Memorial Day
'Saving Private Ryan' Voted Greatest American War Movie in BLOCKBUSTER Online(R) Survey

-- If you're lucky, the closest you'll ever come to experiencing war is in the movies.

Perhaps the most realistic portrayal of war ever seen on the big screen is "Saving Private Ryan." The unflinching portrayal of World War II, directed by Steven Spielberg, was selected by movie watchers as the Greatest American War Movie of All Time in a survey in honor of Memorial Day by BLOCKBUSTER Online(R).

"Films like 'Saving Private Ryan' vividly bring to life the sacrifices made by our nation's military heroes," says Shane Evangelist, senior vice president and general manager for BLOCKBUSTER Online. "They remind us how important it is to thank and honor the American soldiers who've fought to defend our freedom."

"Saving Private Ryan" was the top pick among American war portrayals chosen by movie fans across the generations. Others included the series "Band of Brothers" (also directed by Spielberg), "Full Metal Jacket," "We Were Soldiers," "Platoon" and "Black Hawk Down."

Movie fans also chose Capt. John Miller, played by Tom Hanks in "Saving Private Ryan" as the Ideal American War Hero. Hanks' character, a schoolteacher in his civilian life, overcomes his own fears to lead a squad of soldiers on a seemingly impossible mission: to locate and save Pvt. James Francis Ryan, the sole survivor among four brothers, who is trapped behind enemy lines.

Other choices for the movie portrayal of an ideal American war hero were Benjamin Martin (played by Mel Gibson in "The Patriot"), Maj. Richard D. Winters (played by Damian Lewis in "Band of Brothers"), Lt. Col. Hal Moore (played by Mel Gibson in "We Were Soldiers"), Trip (played by Denzel Washington in "Glory") and Sgt. Tom Highway (played by Clint Eastwood in "Heartbreak Ridge").

What all these characters have in common -- and what movie fans said they most admire in a war hero -- is courage. Leadership and patriotism were other qualities respected by those surveyed.

To find more American war movies appropriate for viewing this Memorial Day, you can peruse the "War" section of the BLOCKBUSTER Online web site, www.blockbuster.com .

About BLOCKBUSTER Online

With more than 50,000 movie titles to choose from, BLOCKBUSTER Online delivers DVDs right to subscribers' mailboxes to be viewed at their convenience without due dates or late fees. Plans start as low as $9.99 a month, with the $17.99 three-movie-out plan being the most popular. Rental plans include up to four free in-store movie rentals each month at participating BLOCKBUSTER stores. Visit www.blockbuster.com for details.

About Blockbuster

Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI) (NYSE:BBI.B) is a leading global provider of in- home movie and game entertainment, with approximately 9,000 stores throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. The company may be accessed worldwide at blockbuster.com.

Source: Blockbuster Inc.

Morey's Piers Redefines Waterpark With New Resort-Themed Ocean Oasis Waterpark and Beach Club

Morey's Piers, New Jersey's premier seaside amusement destination, opens its new resort-themed Ocean Oasis Waterpark and Beach Club on Saturday, June 17, with adult amenities that are changing the face of today's waterparks.

Guests arriving at the new Beach Club will be greeted by Morey's Piers staff, in their vibrant Hawaiian print shirts and khaki shorts, with fresh- squeezed orange juice, freshly brewed coffee and a copy of the morning newspaper. This is just one of the many services that guests can expect to enjoy every day at Ocean Oasis, along with a host of other amenities and activities that one would find at a top family resort destination. See http://www.moreyspiers.com/.

Along with free wireless Internet access, other details of the new beach club include private family cabanas and huts with towel service, life-size chess and checkers game boards, a themed seating area with a variety of swinging hammock options, a campfire pit, massage therapy services, an 80-seat outdoor restaurant overlooking the Atlantic Ocean serving lunch and dinner with wait staff also servicing cabanas, huts and lounge chairs, concierge service, Nickelodeon-inspired family activities, a retail area, and a mothers' nursing room.

"Ocean Oasis represents the next generation of waterpark attractions. It is an evolution from where waterparks began, first offering waterslides, then more elaborate water playgrounds, and now a more upscale family resort environment that provides a stronger family experience," said Will Morey, President of Morey's Piers. "This is what today's families want."

Described as a getaway for kids of all ages, Jack Morey, Vice President of Morey's Piers adds, "As guests enter the new Ocean Oasis Waterpark and Beach Club, they will feel as if they have arrived at a tropical seaside haven ... thatched roof cabanas and huts nestled in a grove of palm trees, plastic of course, with the sound of Island music playing, and a beautiful wide sandy beach and Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop."

Geoff Rogers, Vice President of operations comments, "We imagine this to be a place where families have a cabana or some private family space, where everyone can interact or just have some quiet time together. Mom can be coaxed into enjoying some of the children's programming that we have planned, or relax and read a book. What happens now at the waterparks is a lot of parents drop their kids off and come back later to pick them up. We see this as an environment where the whole family can come in and share a good time together while having the option to go off and have fun on their own too."

Ocean Oasis Waterpark and Beach Club is a complete overhaul of the aesthetic of an existing Morey's Piers waterpark, formerly Raging Waters on Morey's Surfside Pier. Anchoring Ocean Oasis Beach Club is the existing waterpark featuring 13 major water attractions, including 10 waterslides and Bonsai Beach, an extensive children's water playground that includes water jets, climbing ropes and slides.

betbull Announces First Move Into the Spanish Retail Market With Three Shops to Open This Summer and a Record Q1 Income From its German Shops

-- betbull are pleased to announce the start of their move into the Continental Europe retail market with the opening of one licensed betting shop in Andalucia, Spain in June 2006 and two more shops due to open in August.

The shops which will be run by betbull's wholly owned Spanish registered subsidiary company Betpoint S.L will operate under the licence granted to E Quiniela by the Government of Andalucia. The shops will also be licensed sports bars and will be fitted to a very high specification, providing a combination of betting and entertainment with an unprecedented level of comfort.

The opening of these three shops will serve as a pilot to test both the Spanish retail market and establish a detailed knowledge of trends and preferences, but also new technology. betbull is well advanced in a project to establish a single 'best of breed' technology throughout all its European shops, enabling rapid expansion and providing an unparalleled level of content and service.

betbull's clear goal is to establish itself as the pan European bookmaker. betbull's 100 shops in Germany have continued to perform in Q1 2006 with preliminary unaudited figures showing Stakes of 20.1 million euros (GBP14 million)- up 67 % on the Leip Group shop Stakes Q1 2005. Net Gaming Revenue for the same period was 3.7 million euros (GBP2.6 million)- up 90 % on the Leip Group shop Net Gaming Revenue Q1 2005.

Commenting on the announcement, Simon Bold, Executive Director of betbull said:

"The Spanish market is ready for retail betting and betbull are very excited by this first step into Andalucia. We have also agreed terms with local partners to provide a retail betting network throughout the country on a Province by Province basis as the market is liberalised. This is just the start of betbull's expansion into Spain"

Gunter Schmid, CEO of betbull added:

"We identified Spain as a country ready for retail expansion and resolved to have a presence there in 2006 which we have now done. We are also currently reviewing other opportunities for expansion in other European countries. The results from our German shops show that now is the right time for expansion of retail betting in Europe and we have the experience, resources and management to succeed in this."

betbull Q1 figures will be published on the 31st May 2006 .

About betbull

betbull has the goal to establish itself as one of the leading Continental European retail betting players.

The high calibre management team (Simon Bold, Alexander Leip, and Gunter Schmid) can resort not only to state of the art bookmaking and operating know how but also relevant M&A expertise and track record.

betbull was started in 2004 as a joint venture of betandwin.com Interactive Entertainment AG (stock quoted on the Viennese stock exchange) and Fun Technologies Plc (formerly traded as CES-Software Plc, stock quoted on the Alternative Investment Market in London) and is stock quoted since October 2004 on the Viennese stock exchange ("BETB", "BETB.VI").

For further details please refer to the company website www.betbullplc.com.

Two New Series - 'Lovespring International' & 'Angela's Eyes' - and Fantasia Starring in a Lifetime Original Movie Based on Her Life Highlight Lifetime Television's Summer Programming
LMN Premieres Monthly Showcase of Original Movies in August With 'Past Tense' Starring Paula Trickey ('The O.C.')
- Gabby Reece Hosts Encore Presentation of 'Beach Girls' Saturday, May 27 -

This summer, Lifetime Television unveils a dazzling cavalcade of top-notch entertainment including two new series, "Lovespring International" in June from Eric McCormack's ("Will & Grace") production company Big Cattle Productions, and "Angela's Eyes" in July from the producers of the Oscar-winning movie "Crash," along with Fantasia starring in an August Lifetime Original Movie based on her life.

Also in August, LMN, the second highest-rated women's network, debuts its first-ever monthly original movie showcase beginning with a taut supernatural thriller, "Past Tense," starring Paula Trickey ("The O.C.").

Lifetime officially kicks off Summer 2006 during the Memorial Day weekend when fitness expert Gabby Reece hosts an encore presentation of the network's smash hit from last summer, "Beach Girls," airing Saturday, May 27.

Following are highlights of Lifetime's 2006 Summer Programming Schedule:

"Lovespring International" -- premieres Monday, June 5 at 11PM (ET/PT) -- The new half-hour improvisational comedy series is about a dating service marketed to customers as an "elite Beverly Hills" company, despite its location in Tarzana, California. Made up of dysfunctional misfits or "relationship counselors," they desperately try to find love for their clients although they have no idea how to do it for themselves. Starring: Mystro Clark, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jennifer Elise Cox, Jane Lynch, Sam Pancake and Jack Plotnick. "Lovespring International" is produced by Big Cattle Productions and distributed by Lionsgate for Lifetime Television. Eric McCormack, Michael Forman, Guy Shalem and Brad Isaacs are the executive producers. The show was created by both Shalem and Isaacs.

"A GIRL LIKE ME: The Gwen Araujo Story" -- premieres Monday, June 19 at 9PM (ET/PT)

- Based on a true story, the Lifetime Original Movie follows Sylvia Guerrero (Mercedes Ruehl, "Married to the Mob"), a single mother whose teenager (J.D. Pardo, "American Dreams"), born Eddie Araujo, boldly decides to live life as a female by growing long hair, wearing women's clothing and make-up and eventually adopting the name Gwen, after her idol, singer Gwen Stefani. Her difficult decision creates tension and conflict within her traditional close-knit Latino family but over time, they slowly learn to understand and accept Gwen's choice. When Gwen's transgender status is discovered by four males at a local party, they brutally beat and kill her. Gwen's senseless murder shakes her Northern California community and makes headlines across the nation. Sylvia decides to dedicate her life to bringing her daughter's killers to justice and advocating for the rights of all transgender people. The LOM also stars Lupe Ontiveros ("Desperate Housewives," "Selena"). Produced by Braun Entertainment Group and Sony Pictures Television and co-executive produced by attorney Gloria Allred, who represented the family during the murder trial.

"Angela's Eyes" --

premieres July 16 at 10PM ET/PT -- From the producers of the Oscar-winning movie Crash, comes the hour-long drama centering on Angela Henson (Abigail Spencer, "All My Children") a young FBI agent who has the exceptional gift of knowing when someone is lying. She discovered this skill at age 14, when she learned her "average" American parents were actually spies. Attempting to right her parents' wrong, Angela is now working with the same agency that brought her parents down. And while her unique ability is advantageous in her career, it hinders her personal life, preventing her to get close to the men she dates. Created, written and executive produced by Dan McDermott and written and executive produced by Scott Shepard. Academy Award-winners Tom Nunan and Cathy Schulman ("Crash") also serve as executive producers. Produced by The Cleary Company and Bull's Eyes Entertainment in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.

"Not Like Everyone Else"

-- premieres Monday, July 10 at 9PM (ET/PT) -- Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development") and Illeanna Douglas ("Six Feet Under") star in the Lifetime Original Movie based on the powerful true story of Brandi Blackbear, a non-conforming teenage girl who feels her civil rights have been violated when school officials conduct a modern-day witch hunt in the aftermath of the Columbine High School shootings. "Not Like Everyone Else" is produced by Jaffe Braunstein Films in association with Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television. Michael Jaffe and Howard Braunstein (Lifetime's "Odd Girl Out" and "Cyber Seduction: His Secret Life") are the executive producers. Tom McLoughlin (Lifetime's "Odd Girl Out," "She's Too Young") directs from a teleplay written by Jamie Pachino ("What if God Were the Sun?" "Waving Goodbye").

"LIFE IS NOT A FAIRY TALE: The Fantasia Barino Story" (working title) -- premieres in August --

This Lifetime Original Movie is inspired by the true story of Fantasia Barrino, a teenage single mother who overcame poverty, sexual abuse and illiteracy by using her incredible voice to rise to national prominence as the winner of "American Idol." The film is directed by legendary choreographer, actress and director Debbie Allen ("Fame," "Girlfriends") and the ensemble cast includes Loretta Devine ("Dream Girls, "Crash"), Viola Davis ("Get Rich or Die Tryin'," "Traffic"), Kadeem Hardison ("A Different World," Biker Boyz") and Jamia Simone Nash ("My Wife and Kids"). The film is produced by Ostar Productions for Lifetime Television. Bill Haber ("Nightmares & Dreamscapes," "Uprising") serves as executive producer and Ellyn Williams (Lifetime's "Hunger Point") co-executive produces. John McMahon ("Nightmares and Dreamscapes") produces the movie and Keith Glover wrote the teleplay based on the best-selling autobiography "Life is Not a Fairy Tale" by Fantasia Barrino.

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. LIFETIME Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women, Lifetime Home Entertainment, and Lifetime Online are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

Source: Lifetime Television

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

The Global Da Vinci Code Debate Event Was a Smash Hit and Explained Both Fact and Fiction in Controversial Book and Movie

Leading Experts and Biblical Scholars Discussed the Issues Before a Packed Crowd and the World Via Live Video Streaming on the Internet

The Da Vinci Code debate speakers included:

* Dr. Darrell Bock, author of Breaking the Da Vinci Code, New Testament

scholar at Dallas Theological Seminary and an expert commentator in the

news, including ABC News' various specials and reports on Jesus and

other Christians.

* Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, author of Judaism for Everyone and London Times

Preacher of the Year.

* Dr. Michael Brown, author of Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus and

founder and president of ICN Ministries.

Atronic's Penny Parade(TM) Awards Big on Mother's Day

Atronic, leading producer of slot machines, announces its latest Penny Parade(TM) Wide Area Progressive (WAP) winner of $255,697.07 on May 14th (Mother's Day) at Inn of the Mountain Gods Casino.

On Sunday, May 14th, Maureen Galliet was visiting Inn of the Mountain Gods Casino in Mescalaro, New Mexico. She was playing the Ole Ole(TM) game on the Penny Parade link when she hit a jackpot of $255,697.07. This is one Mother's Day Maureen will never forget because of this huge winning Maureen will pay off her bills.

Penny Parade features fun, parade themed penny games and jackpots starting at $50,000. The link's colorful packaging and vast library of successful Cashline(TM) game titles provides a unique and exciting experience in tribal casinos nationwide. For more information on Penny Parade please visit www.PennyParadeOnline.com.

The ATRONIC Group of companies, a leading global provider of casino games and services, is headquartered in Germany. The group companies Atronic International, Atronic Americas and Atronic Systems maintain offices in the USA, Europe, Russia, Latin America, South Africa and Australia. ATRONIC is dedicated to producing only the highest quality of entertaining games and products, including dynamic casino management and linked gaming solutions which are being operated in 89 countries worldwide. ATRONIC holds a total of 190 worldwide gaming licenses including the United States of America, where it is licensed to sell machines in 24 states and to 140 tribes.

ATRONIC is a member of the Gaming Standards Association and supports open industry standards such as Game to System (G2S) and System to System (S2S).

ATRONIC is part of the family-owned and operated GAUSELMANN Group which entered into an alliance with GTECH Holdings Corporation, a NYSE listed American company who acquired a 50 percent controlling equity interest in ATRONIC on December 6th 2004. The transaction, which is contingent upon regulatory and gaming license approvals, is expected to be completed on December 31, 2006. The family-owned and operated GAUSELMANN Group, which has sold 2 million gaming devices since inception, is the second largest manufacturer of gaming devices worldwide. To find out more information about ATRONIC please visit the website at www.atronic.com.

Source: Atronic Americas

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

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

UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE BREAK-UP

AT MANN VILLAGE WESTWOOD

LOS ANGELES, CA

MONDAY, MAY 22, 2006

WHAT: The world premiere of the romantic comedy THE BREAK-UP

WHO: THE BREAK-UP actor/producer Vince Vaughn; producer Scott Stuber;

director Peyton Reed; cast members Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren

Adams, Ann-Margret, Jason Bateman, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Favreau,

Cole Hauser, John Michael Higgins, Justin Long, Ken Bethea, Eric

Bradley, Murray Hammond, Keir O'Donnell, Ivan Sergei; writers

Jeremy Garelick and Jay Lavender; and executive producers Peter

Billingsley and Stuart Besser

Plus celebrity guests including Zachary Bryan, Sophia Bush,

Amanda Bynes, Amanda Detmer, Miguel Ferrer, Catherine Keener,

James Lesure, Alyssa Milano, Leonardo Nam, Timothy Olyphant, Brian

Tee and many more.

WHERE: Mann Village Westwood

961 Broxton Avenue

Los Angeles, CA

WHEN: Monday, May 22, 2006

6:30 PM Celebrity Arrivals

7:30 PM Screening Begins

THE BREAK-UP arrives in theaters nationwide on Friday, June 2, 2006.

Gameloft Counts Down to the Launch of Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest

Gameloft, the leading developer and publisher of mobile games, successfully previewed Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). With a previous working title of Jewel Jam, the company decided on a final title to better reflect the fresh, dynamic and sexy appeal of the heiress extraordinaire. Paris Hilton herself unveiled the new title during her appearance at Gameloft's E3 booth.

"It's a common practice at E3 to present games with working titles," said Gonzague de Vallois, Vice-President of Publishing at Gameloft. "We had the opportunity to have Paris Hilton herself reveal the final game title at our E3 booth and we jumped at the chance. We are very excited to launch one of the most anticipated games of the year."

Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest is the first official mobile game featuring the dazzling socialite. The objective, in this simple yet addictive gameplay, is to solve exciting, frantic puzzles based on an easy concept: switch around stunning diamonds in a grid to line up identical gems and - depending on the challenge or mode - beat the high score in a given time. With more than sixty levels and six different modes - including the fun and original "Diamonds are Forever," "Fortune Telling," and "Forget Me Not" -Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest will keep players of all kinds glued to their mobile phones for hours at a time. As an added bonus, photos of Paris herself will be revealed, and the star will regularly show up to guide, help, and challenge you as the game goes on. Even Tinkerbell, her celebrity dog, will make a surprise appearance!

Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest will be launched in June 2006 across 150 carriers worldwide in over 70 countries reaching 1 billion plus subscribers.

About Gameloft

Gameloft is a leading international publisher and developer of video games for mobile phones. Established in 1999, it has emerged as one of the top innovators in its field. The company creates games for mobile handsets equipped with Java, Brew or Symbian technology. The total number of games-enabled handsets is anticipated to exceed two billion units in 2008.

Partnership agreements with leading licensors and sports personalities such as Ubisoft Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Viacom, Warner Bros., FifPro, Lamborghini, Vans, Paris Hilton, Derek Jeter, Vijay Singh and Geoff Rowley allow Gameloft to form strong relationships with international brands. In addition to the partnerships, Gameloft owns and operates titles such as Block Breaker Deluxe, Asphalt: Urban GT and New York Nights.

Through agreements with major telephone wireless carriers, handset manufacturers, specialized distributors and its online shop, Gameloft has a distribution network in over 70 plus countries.

Gameloft has worldwide offices in New York, San Francisco, Montreal, Buenos Aires, Paris, London, Duesseldorf, Milan, Barcelona, New Delhi, Seoul, Beijing, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Gameloft is listed on Euronext Paris (ISIN: FR0000079600, Bloomberg: GFT FP, Reuters: GLFT.PA)

For more information visit http://www.gameloft.com.

About Paris Hilton

"Quirkily endearing," "oddly engaging" and "fitfully funny" are just a few of the accolades Paris Hilton received when she took Hollywood by storm with her hit television show "The Simple Life." Nurturing a body of work that encompasses film, television and music, Paris Hilton is a bonafide superstar.

Last season audiences tuned in every week to watch her Fox reality series "The Simple Life." The show followed Paris, and Nicole Richie, as they left behind their lifestyle in Beverly Hills and take a country road trip. Taking a Greyhound Bus they traveled coast to coast and the girls made stops along the way to work odd jobs for money. Paris' other television credits include "The O.C.," "Las Vegas," "Veronica Mars," and "The George Lopez Show."

Segueing effortlessly between the big and small screen, Paris last summer was seen on the big screen in Joel Silver's Warner Brothers box office hit "The House of Wax" in a starring role alongside Chad Michael Murray. Her other film credits include "Raising Helen" with Kate Hudson, "Zoolander" alongside Ben Stiller, "The Cat in the Hat" alongside Mike Meyers and "Wonderland" with Val Kilmer.

Paris' career continues to evolve with exciting and challenging projects. This spring Paris will release her first untitled album produced by Scott Storche for Warner Bros. Records. She just released her second book, "Confess It All To Me," following her New York Times Best Seller first book, "Confessions of an Heiress," with the Fireside imprint of Simon and Shuster in September 2004. Also in 2004 Paris was the premiere face of Guess?, shot by photographer Ellen Von Unwerth.

Paris enjoys spending time with her family, friends and pets and is actively involved in numerous charities and various animal advocacy organizations.

Paris currently resides in Los Angeles.

Gameloft

NewTek SpeedEDIT™ Wins Innovation Award at NAB 2006
World’s Fastest Video Editor awarded 4EVER Group’s Product Innovation Award.

NewTek, Inc., manufacturer of industry-leading video and 3D animation products, recently earned a "Product Innovation" Award from the 4EVER Group for SpeedEDIT™, a resolution-independent video editor designed to work quickly and efficiently on any video project, from web streams to high definition.

Eligible products were newly-introduced at NAB 2006, and were evaluated on their price points, innovation and productivity, as well as potential and effective use within the event video community. NewTek was awarded on April 26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

By recognizing those products and/or services that enable event videography professionals to better serve their clients, 4EVER Group hopes to direct more vendor resources to the event video community. The 4EVER Group (www.4evergroup.org) is an organization dedicated to providing resource and educational materials and services to all facets of the event video industry.

“Event Videography is a highly competitive business where even the smallest workflow improvement can improve the profitability of a project,” says Philip Nelson, Vice President of Sales & Video Marketing for NewTek. “NewTek is dedicated to providing tools that allow our clients to work faster, and the product innovation award for SpeedEDIT confirms that commitment.”

SpeedEDIT works seamlessly with HDV, MPEG-2, AVI, QuickTime, Flash or most popular video formats. Users enjoy full resolution on-screen HD previews with FireWire output to camera or deck.

Pricing and Availability

SpeedEDIT will ship Summer 2006 for $495 USD. For more information or to purchase, visit http://www.newtek.com

About NewTek

With headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, NewTek is a leading provider of full-featured video editing, live production, presentation and visual effects tools including TriCaster(TM), VT[5](TM), SpeedEDIT(TM), 3D Arsenal(TM) and LightWave 3D®.
Website: http://www.newtek.com/

LightWave and LightWave 3D are registered t rademarks of NewTek.

TriCaster, TriCaster PRO, SpeedEDIT, iVGA, TriCaster VM and 3D Arsenal are trademarks of NewTek, Inc.

All other products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Sports & Autos
Oakland & Dodger Baseball
Seattle 6, Oakland 12 at McAfee Coliseum
Seattle Record: (17-23)
Oakland Record: (19-19)

Winning pitcher - Joe Blanton (4-4)
Losing pitcher - Felix Hernandez (2-5)
at McAfee Coliseum (17-23) (19-19) - Joe Blanton (4-4) - Felix Hernandez (2-5) SEA HR - R. Ibanez (5)
OAK HR - A. Melhuse (3) N. Swisher (13)
R. Ibanez (5) A. Melhuse (3) N. Swisher (13)
Los Angeles 1, Colorado 5 at Coors Field
Los Angeles Record: (20-20)
Colorado Record: (22-18)

Winning pitcher - Byung-Hyun Kim (2-1)
Losing pitcher - Derek Lowe (1-3)
at Coors Field (20-20) (22-18) - Byung-Hyun Kim (2-1) - Derek Lowe (1-3) LAD HR - None
COL HR - B. Hawpe (10)
None B. Hawpe (10) ExxonMobil Awards Four $5,000 Mobil 1 Scholarships to NASCAR Technical Institute Students

ExxonMobil has awarded four Mobil 1(R) Scholarships to students at the prestigious NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI). Each student received $5,000 towards pursuing his automotive-technician career goals.

NTI, the exclusive educational partner of NASCAR, is the country's first technical training school to combine a complete automotive technology program and a NASCAR-specific motorsports program.

The Mobil 1 Scholarships were developed to address the shortage of automotive technicians in the United States. The Institute is located in Mooresville, N.C., better known as "Race City USA" because nearly 75 percent of NASCAR teams are based there.

"ExxonMobil worked with the NTI to identify four talented students who have the capacity and determination to become top automotive technicians in the motorsports industry," said Henrik Hansen, America's marketing manager, ExxonMobil Lubricants and Specialties. "As the company behind the 'Official Motor Oil of NASCAR,' ExxonMobil supports the NASCAR Technical Institute as an excellent way for students to prepare for work in the automotive industry."

The winners include Michael Caronia and Robert Perry of Statesville, N.C., Robert Barnhart of Riverside, Calif., and Garret Polk of Filion, Mich.

"The Mobil 1 Scholarship will help make my career goals a reality," said Caronia. "It has always been a dream of mine to open my own race shop. At NTI, I receive the most up-to-date training, allowing me to increase my knowledge of racing so I can obtain my goal and be the best of the best."

"When I first heard about the Mobil 1 Scholarship, I jumped at the chance to apply," said Polk. "Once I decided to change careers, I knew I wanted to attend NTI and learn from the best instructors in the automotive field. This scholarship has helped to make my career goals a reality."

"It was great to hear that I was one of the recipients of the Mobil 1 Scholarship," said Barnhart. "It has been a dream of mine to be a part of a NASCAR race team and become an automotive technician."

"As soon as I heard about the Mobil 1 Scholarship, I knew it was a great opportunity," said Perry. "NTI has provided me the knowledge to pursue a career in the building and repairing of highly specialized automobiles used in the racing industry and everyday life. Receiving this scholarship has confirmed that I am on the right path to achieving my goals."

The recipients of the Mobil 1 Scholarship were selected based on a 200-word essay describing their automotive experience, automotive career goals, their desire to enter into the automotive aftermarket industry, completion of at least nine phases of NTI training, and a minimum "B" grade point average (3.0 or higher).

Additional information about Mobil 1 and other ExxonMobil lubricants can be found on the Internet at http://www.mobiloil.com.

Mobil 1 and ExxonMobil are trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.

NASCAR(R) is a registered trademark of the National Association of Stock Car Racing, Inc.

Automotive Fine Arts Society to Celebrate 21st Show at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

The artists of the Automotive Fine Arts Society have been invited to return and captivate the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance audience with an exhibit of their newest works for the 21st consecutive year on August 20, 2006. Sponsored by the Lincoln Division of Ford Motor Company, the dazzling art show on the 18th fairway of the Lodge at Pebble Beach will include depictions of automotive subjects in a variety of mediums including watercolors, acrylics, oils, wood and various metals. AFAS is comprised of artists whose works are collected by art connoisseurs and auto enthusiasts throughout the world.

"We look forward to the Pebble Beach Concours as it is one of the most important automotive events in the world," AFAS President, Ken Eberts said. "Everyone should enjoy the Pebble Beach Concours experience at least once in their life. The new artwork, breathtaking scenery and spectacular cars on display make for an unforgettable weekend."

Artists scheduled to exhibit their work this year include: Larry Braun, Dennis Brown, Harold Cleworth, James Dietz, Ken Eberts, Art Fitzpatrick, Tom Fritz, Tom Hale, Jack Juratovic, Jay Koka, Charles Maher, John Francis Marsh, William Motta, Niles Nakoaka, Bill Neale, Richard Pietruska, Stanley Rose, Barry Rowe, Toni Sikorski, Craig Warwick, Bruce Wheeler and Nicola Wood.

"At the heart of the Concours d'Elegance is an appreciation for the art of the automobile," says Concours Chairman Sandra Kasky Button. "The Automotive Fine Arts Society exhibition underscores that focus. The creative works of the artists encourage people to look more closely at the design -- the lines and curves, the small jewel-like details and the overall elegance -- of the cars on our show field."

The 2006 Pebble Beach Concours will celebrate the fabulous French marques of Delahaye and Voisin and highlight the elegant Convertible Victoria. The event will also pay special tribute to Cars that Raced in the Forest, which were cars that participated in the early Pebble Beach Road Races.

"The Concours and AFAS have a long history of working together to promote the art of the automobile," added AFAS artist and board member Bill Neale. "We are pleased that Barry Rowe was once again commissioned to create the Concours Tour poster this year and Jay Koka was tapped to develop the art that will grace the cover of the event program and poster. Many of the artists plan to bring pieces that highlight the featured marques and celebrate the Pebble Beach Road Races. Some of those original drivers like Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby, usually also appear at the Concours."

Original artwork and limited edition prints will be available at the Concours, as well as signed copies of the AFAS book that was debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2005. "AFAS: a Celebration of Automotive Art" was published by Automobile Quarterly. It records the history, artists and pieces created by AFAS members.

The Lincoln Division of the Ford Motor Company, which has sponsored the Pebble Beach AFAS exhibit since 1996, will do so again for the 10th consecutive year. The Lincoln AFAS art gallery will be held at its time-honored location near the 18th hole next to the world's most exclusive automobiles. The Lincoln sponsored art exhibition has become popular with celebrities, industry leaders and Concours participants over the past two decades.

About the Automotive Fine Arts Society

AFAS was established in 1984 by a group of artists who are acknowledged by critics to be among the best in their field. Members work in many diverse mediums including oil, watercolors, acrylics, wood, gouache, pen & ink, clay and metal. AFAS participates in select shows across the country including the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Information about AFAS is available at http://www.autoartgallery.com/afas

Remarks by President Bush to the 2005 WNBA Champions

The following is a transcript of remarks by President Bush to the 2005 WNBA Champions:

East Garden

1:27 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Please be seated. It is a beautiful day to welcome the Monarchs to the White House. I want to first congratulate the 2005 WNBA Champs, the Sacramento Monarchs. We're glad you're here. Thanks for coming and congratulations to you. (Applause.)

I was thinking about a little one-on-one here on the South Lawn. (Laughter.) Then I reconsidered. Laura said, you might as well stick to your mountain bike, don't try to take on these athletes. We're really glad you're here.

I want to congratulate Coach John Whisenant on being such a fine coach.

Congratulations, sir. Glad you're here. Thanks for coming. (Applause.) Glad you brought Joyce. Welcome. I want to thank my Cabinet Secretary, Alphonso Jackson. Welcome, A.J., thanks for coming. I knew you were a sports fan, and I knew you appreciated excellence on the court, so I'm not surprised you're here.

I want to thank Doris Matsui, Congresswoman Matsui, thanks for coming, from the Sacramento area, as well as John Doolittle. I really appreciate you all being here. Thanks for taking time to honor these champs.

I appreciate Donna Orender, the President of the WNBA. Thanks for coming. Proud you're here. I want to thank John Thomas of Maloof Sports & Entertainment for coming. John, congratulations for putting together a good franchise. Good job. It's not easy to field a championship team, but you've done so.

I'm also proud to be up here with Yolanda Griffith, the WNBA Finals MVP. Congratulations, Yolanda. (Applause.) Popular member of the team, as you can tell. I want to welcome all the other Monarch players who are here. I'm honored to be up here with you. I can't thank you enough for coming by to give us a chance to pay a proper tribute to your championship run.

I also want to welcome members of the local Junior WNBA program, glad you all are here. (Applause.) Welcome to the White House. This is the -- interestingly enough, the 10th year of the WNBA, and I don't know if you can remember, but I certainly do, when a lot of people were speculating that the WNBA wouldn't last. They couldn't possibly make it, they were saying. Well the truth of the matter is, the WNBA has not only lasted, it's thrived, and American sports are better for it. (Applause.)

A lot of fans are coming to see the games, which is a good indication. The WNBA broadcasts are seen now in 193 countries in 31 different languages. That means a lot of people are paying attention to what you're doing on the courts. And we appreciate it.

And I appreciate the team. I appreciate a team that's figured out how to, kind of, meld stars together for the common good. You know, there are a lot of teams with stars on them. I'm sure you've run into a few of them with some pretty good stars. But a lot of times, teams aren't able to work together, and this team was able to do so. They were tough on defense. They had an attitude -- a positive attitude all the way throughout the season. In other words, they didn't think they could get beat. As a matter of fact, they only lost two games on their home court. It's a pretty good -- it's called the "home court advantage." (Laughter.) Fifteen and two in Arco Arena.

I know the city of Sacramento is really proud of you, and I know that if the Mayor were here and the citizens that are kind of serving the folks of Sacramento were here, they'd be saying, we really like the Monarchs; we're really proud that you brought a championship team to our city.

So one of the things I'd like to say to you is, thanks for being team players, thanks for setting high goals, and thanks for working together to achieve those goals.

I also appreciate the fact that you've got players from China and Portugal and Mali, as well as a lot of different states here in the United States. I think it's pretty neat, isn't it, for people who -- from different backgrounds, different cultures are able to figure out a way to win. I think it's a great example for the world, I really do. I think it's important for people to come together for a common cause. I know you view yourself only as athletes -- but I view you as diplomats, as well.

I also want to thank you for the example you've set. It's one thing to be called "champs" on the court -- it's another thing to be called "champs" in life. One of the things you've done is you've set a great example for young women athletes. As the father of twin daughters -- who had trouble finding a backboard, I might add -- (laughter) -- sorry, girls -- I love the fact that there are role models, though, for young women, that somebody can look up to and say, gosh, I want to be like her; I want to realize my dreams by being like Yolanda.

So it's great to be able to play basketball as well as you play, but it's also really important to know that you're setting a good example for people -- people watching your every move.

I was impressed by the fact that you're working on Read to Achieve. You know, I oftentimes call on fellow citizens to serve our country by helping somebody else. One way you can really help somebody is to teach somebody to read. What a wonderful gift. And the fact that pro athletes were willing to take time out of your busy schedule to help inspire a young reader means a lot to the country.

I appreciate very much your honoring breast cancer survivors, helping to lift somebody's spirits. Thanks for entering the annual Race for the Cure. I used be able to run. (Laughter.) But thanks for running while you're young. I know you didn't have to do it, but you set a good sign for people. All in all, I'm honored to be up here with some champs. It's a delight to welcome you here to the White House. May God bless you and your families, and may God continue to bless our country. Welcome. (Applause.)

END 1:34 P.M. EDT

Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/

EDS Pinball Auction Raises $25,600 for the Salesmanship Club Family Works Center

At 5 p.m. yesterday, EDS (NYSE:EDS) , title sponsor of the 2006 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, closed the online auction for the pinball machine autographed by 99 players at the 2006 EDS Byron Nelson Championship. The winning bid was $15,600. A private auction among EDS employees and clients for an identical, unsigned pinball machine went for $10,000.

The total raised by the auctions is $25,600. The entire amount will benefit the Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers' newest facility -- the Salesmanship Club Family Works Center, which opened its doors last Monday.

The pinball machine, customized to reflect the http://www.eds.com/ game Mega Golf Ball Frenzy, created its own frenzy in the players locker room. Players and their families spent hours on the machine over the past week. When the machine was removed from the locker room Sunday evening, the initials atop the pinball leader board were BW, which also happen to the be the initials of the 2006 champion Brett Wetterich.

"EDS and our people are thrilled with the results. The fact that so many players, clients and employees had fun raising money for children and families in the Dallas area is the icing on the cake for another great year of our sponsorship," said Gail Rigler, vice president of marketing for EDS. "Who knows, we might have to bring Mega Golf Ball Frenzy back next year for another auction."

The Salesmanship Club Family Works Center operates innovative programs which combine prevention, early intervention and treatment services for children and their families.

"As we work to make a difference at the Family Works Center, we're proud to have EDS as our partner," said Jim Calvert, Ph. D., Director of the Salesmanship Club Family Works Center. "Thank you to everyone who helped make the auction a success."

About EDS

EDS is a leading global technology services company delivering business solutions to its clients. EDS founded the information technology outsourcing industry more than 40 years ago. Today, EDS delivers a broad portfolio of information technology and business process outsourcing services to clients in the manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, communications, energy, transportation, and consumer and retail industries and to governments around the world. Learn more at http://www.eds.com/ .

About the EDS Byron Nelson Championship

The EDS Byron Nelson Championship, the first PGA TOUR event named after a professional golfer, annually provides more money to charity than any other stop on the PGA TOUR. The 2005 Championship donated more than $6 million to Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers (SCYFC). More than $88 million has been raised for SCYFC since the tournament's inception.

Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers, the sole beneficiary of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, is a nonprofit organization that is helping transform children's futures in the Dallas area. SCYFC operates innovative programs for at-risk children and their families, including a laboratory school in Oak Cliff and family therapy centers in Oak Cliff and Northwest Dallas. Today, SCYFC opens the Family Works Center, which includes intensive day treatment for troubled adolescents, a comprehensive assessment program for young children and skill-based training for children and families to encourage language and social development. Learn more at http://www.salesmanshipclub.org/ .

Web site: http://www.eds.com/
http://www.salesmanshipclub.org/

Jacobs Receives $6 Million Contract for Design of Olympic Gateway Station

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC) announced today that a subsidiary company has received a contract from Transport for London, the organization responsible for the city's transportation system, to provide design and program management services for a major project to enhance the capacity of Stratford Regional Station.

Officials estimate the contract value at $6 million for the 14-month-long project that began February 2006.

Stratford station's location positions it at the heart of a number of major transportation and development initiatives in the capital following London's success in winning the bid to host the 2012 Olympics. Stratford will be the gateway station for the Games.

In making the announcement, Jacobs Group Vice President Bill Mitchell stated, "We are delighted to continue our successful long-term relationship with Transport for London. This opportunity enables us to contribute to the successful delivery of the 2012 Olympic Games and the redevelopment of Stratford town centre."

Jacobs, with over 40,000 employees and revenues exceeding $6.0 billion, provides technical, professional, and construction services globally.

Source: Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.

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

Bettors Looking to Crack Da Vinci Code
Wager on Opening Weekend Gross for The Da Vinci Code at Sportsbook.com

The Da Vinci Code opens this Friday, May 19, and the highly anticipated film is expected to draw large crowds across the U.S. during its opening weekend.

Sportsbook.com, the world's largest online sportsbook and casino, is now offering odds on the film's opening weekend U.S. gross.

With a star-studded cast and lots of buzz, industry experts are anticipating a very profitable opening weekend for The Da Vinci Code. Leading man Tom Hanks, who plays Professor Robert Langdon, has historically been a big box office draw for American moviegoers. Since 1984, Hanks' films have grossed over $3.1 billion in the U.S., including a record seven $100 million dollar movies in a row.

The release of The Da Vinci Code also falls on Memorial Day Weekend, generally regarded as one of the most profitable weekends of the year for new movie releases. The highest ever Memorial Day Weekend gross was $108 million recorded in 2005 for Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.

Sportsbook.com will now be offering bettors an exciting new option to wager on the opening weekend gross of major film releases throughout the year.

"People have been waiting for this movie since the book came out, and you can bet that there will be some serious crowds at American theatres this weekend," said Alex Czajkowski, Marketing Director, Sportsbook.com. "Everybody bets and movie buffs are always thinking about the next big blockbuster. The Da Vinci Code is the ideal film to launch our new betting option, giving people the chance to wager on movies that everyone is watching."

The Da Vinci Code

-----------------

What will The Da Vinci Code gross in its opening weekend across the U.S. (May 19 - 21)?

0 to 35 Million 50-1

35.1 to 50 Million 25-1

50.1 to 65 Million 5-1

65.1 to 80 Million 5-2

80.1 to 90 Million 2-1

90.1 to 100 Million 5-2

100.1 to 110 Million 4-1

110.1 to 120 Million 7-1

120.1 to 130 Million 10-1

130.1 Million or More 20-1

About Sportsbook.com:

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 it's 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

One-of-a-Kind Student Fashion Show: Where the Rubber Meets the Runway

IADT Student Designers Get in Gear for IMAGINE 2006

WHO/

WHAT: IMAGINE 2006, the International Academy of Design and

Technology's 27th annual student fashion show, promises some of

the season's most innovative and memorable fashion moments --

including the unveiling of winning designs from an exclusive

General Motors-sponsored competition in which students created

garments based on GM's hottest cars. Winning entries will be

modeled alongside the vehicles that inspired them, including the

Cadillac Escalade, Saturn Vue Green-Line, Pontiac Solstice,

Buick Lucerne, and the Chevrolet HHR.

A sneak preview of some this year's IMAGINE fashions, as well a

dress rehearsal open to media, will be staged prior to the

Thursday evening show.

WHEN/

WHERE: Wednes., May 17, 2006 @ Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.,

Chicago

IMAGINE Fashions Preview - 12:15 - 12:45 p.m.

Outside, by the Picasso, weather permitting, or East Lobby.

Thursday, May 18, 2006 @ Union Station's Great Hall, 210 S.

Canal St.

IMAGINE 2006 Dress Rehearsal - 1:45 - 2:45 p.m.

IMAGINE 2006 Fashion Show - 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.

First Mail-Delivery Van Converted to Hybrid Postal Service Demonstrates Hybrid-Electric Technology

For more than 200 years, the U.S. Postal Service has been on the cutting edge in the development of every new mode of transportation in the United States. From the dash of the Pony Express rider, the daring of the early airmail pilot, or the rumble of the postal railway car, the Postal Service has been instrumental in the birth, growth, and development of a variety of transportation industries. And this year is no different.

At a ceremony today at the Boston General Mail facility, the Postal Service launched the first conversion of a mail-delivery van into a hybrid- electric vehicle.

"As an agency that delivers mail to 145 million businesses and households six days a week, drives approximately 1.1 billion miles a year, and consumes more than 125 million gallons of motor fuel annually, we are in a unique position to demonstrate to the public and other businesses the growing viability and positive environmental and energy-savings benefits of alternate- fuel technologies," said Walter O'Tormey, Vice President, Engineering, U.S. Postal Service. O'Tormey spoke to an audience of nearly 100 industry representatives, environmentalists, and Postal Service employees.

The hybrid-electric mail-delivery van will be monitored in regular service-delivering mail to Boston-area homes and businesses -- to determine its potential for emissions reduction and fuel-economy improvements. It was converted by Azure Dynamics Incorporated, Boston, a developer of electric and hybrid-electric powertrain systems. Based on the company's other hybrid applications, and depending on the vehicle and its duty cycle, Azure officials expect fuel-economy improvements to be in the range of 30 to 50 percent.

The Postal Service has been testing alternate-fuel vehicles for several years now. In fact, it operates the largest alternative-fuel fleet in the nation -- 30,000 vehicles. The fleet includes compressed-natural gas, propane, ethanol, biodiesel, and electric vehicles.

"We expect hybrid delivery trucks to significantly improve our nation's fuel economy and reduce our reliance on foreign oil," said O'Tormey. "That's why this innovation is so important to us, and why we want to share our experiences with the public."

Due to the size of the Postal Service network, every penny increase in the price of fuel costs the agency an additional $8 million a year.

"We will continue to manage the operation of our more than 200,000 vehicle fleet to maximize fuel efficiency and to keep mail-delivery costs as low as possible," said O'Tormey.

Representatives from Azure Dynamics were present at the event to assist in demonstrating how hybrid-electric technology works. "This event highlights the Postal Service's longstanding interest in supporting the development of alternative, cleaner, and more efficient power sources for their delivery fleets, and demonstrates their commitment and vision to be part of a long-term environmental solution," said Campbell Deacon, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Azure Dynamics. "We are proud to be a part of this Postal Service program and to be associated with this important event."

Since 1775, the United States Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, have connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency that visits more than 144 million homes and businesses every day, the Postal Service is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. It 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 $70 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 U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume -- some 212 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year -- and serves seven million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide.

Azure Dynamics Corporation

Azure Dynamics Corporation is a world leader in the development and production of hybrid-electric and electric commercial and military vehicles and systems. The group estimates it has over 25 million miles of vehicle experience. Azure's operations are based in North America and Europe. Azure is currently working internationally with various partners and customers, including Purolator Courier Ltd., Canada Post, United States Postal Service, Smith Electric Vehicles, Engineered Support Systems, Inc. and AM General LLC. Azure Dynamics Corporation is a public company trading on the TSX (AZD) in Canada and on the AIM (ADC) in the UK. For more company information,

Web site: http://www.usps.com/
http://www.azuredynamics.com/

Dunlop Podcasts 'Cast' Exciting Auto Enthusiast Content

Attractive ads are still running in automotive magazines, but Dunlop Tires increasingly is spreading its message via a niche emerging media, the innovative podcast.

Janice Consolacion, brand planning manager for Dunlop Tires in North America, says, "Podcasts are delivering a powerful punch. We're one of the first out of the gate to take advantage of this new technology, and the rich content of our 'casts is available for automotive enthusiasts searching for cool audio and video."

Consolacion said, "Print ads raise awareness for Dunlop events like Drivers Cup, but it's our podcasts that provide a real feel for the excitement of the competition. Podcasting also is attracting increased traffic to our Web site and giving enthusiasts a reason to return often."

Dunlop's free podcasts -- available on Apple's iTunes site, podcastalley.com and Yahoo! Podcasts - deliver information about the new Signature broad market tire, the sport of drifting, a "25 Top Drivers" two-DVD collectors set available from MotorWeek TV as well as upcoming retail promotions.

In addition, a podcast series features Dunlop Drivers Cup's World Finals, recently held in southern California, "and allows everyone to follow the U.S. teams throughout the seven-day competition," she said.

"Podcasts are a growing avenue to reach customers. The tire brand can use the technology for customer testimonials and sales training to help its sales force understand automotive enthusiasts and their motivations," she added.

According to industry statistics, podcasting has been on a tear since 2005. In just a year, the number of 'casters has doubled to 10 million. Forecasters say 25 million will be downloading music and content by 2008.

"Enthusiasts are naturally drawn to the latest technologies in automotive, electronics, communication and tires, so it's only natural that Dunlop would build a library of information and entertainment to help them make informed choices. It's another way for us to build relationships with our target audience, the 'in-the-know' driver," she said.

The brand planning manager said she believes podcasting will help grow participation in Drivers Cup, a unique international competition for drivers who "love to maneuver on the rocks, in the sand and especially, on the track." Signup for 12 consumer slots is underway now; deadline for applying is July 15.

"On the Web site, a photo is worth a thousand words. On an audio/video podcast, the message is worth a million words," Consolacion said.

About 11 percent of U.S. consumers own an iPod or MP3 player, and the number of pods is growing. One advantage is portability. Consumers aren't tied to their computers to get Dunlop messages. They can take it with them, she said.

For more on Dunlop podcasting, go to http://www.dunloptires.com/podcasts.

Dunlop is a global tire brand with an excellent reputation among performance car enthusiasts. Well known for its prestigious original- equipment fitments and sports car racing heritage, Dunlop is also a key supplier to sport compact enthusiasts featuring "tuner" tire sizes and race series sponsorships.

Web site: http://www.dunloptires.com/podcasts

Honda Announces Pricing of Natural Gas-Powered 2006 Civic GX
Owners Can Benefit From Tax Incentives, Up to 65 Percent Lower Fuel Costs With Optional 'Phill' Home Refueling Appliance

American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today announced the pricing of the completely redesigned 2006 Honda Civic GX. The 2006 Civic GX, which achieves an EPA estimated city/highway fuel economy of 28/39 miles per gasoline-gallon equivalent, goes on sale today with an MSRP of $24,440. Currently natural gas is approximately 30 percent less expensive than gasoline when purchased at a refueling station, and approximately 65 percent cheaper than gasoline when supplied by a Phill home refueling appliance.

2006 Civic GX owners will be eligible for a Federal tax credit of $4,000 for the car and up to $1,000 for the purchase and installation of 'Phill,' the convenient natural gas home refueling appliance. Both GX and Phill benefit from the federal tax credits enacted January 1, 2006, for clean alternative fuel vehicles and fueling infrastructure. Natural gas fuel is an ideal lower-cost alternative to gasoline and is primarily a domestically produced fuel with a price that has proven to track below that of petroleum fuels.

Based on the all-new, award-winning 2006 Civic, the ultra-clean Civic GX produces near zero emissions, makes owners eligible for significant tax credits, and can be refueled with a convenient home refueling appliance. The Civic GX is the only dedicated natural gas-powered passenger vehicle available to retail customers in the United States.

Proclaimed the "Cleanest internal combustion engine on Earth" by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the GX is the only vehicle certified by the EPA to meet both Federal Tier 2-Bin 2 and Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) zero evaporative emission certification standards. GX meets these strict emission standards, as natural gas is inherently a clean burning fuel.

Equipped standard with a 5-speed automatic transmission, the 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine delivers 113 horsepower and 109 ft-lbs of torque, both an increase of more than 10 percent versus the previous model. The Civic GX offers the same standard safety features that have earned Civic the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's "Top Safety Pick -- Gold" Award. Standard safety features include dual front airbags, side curtain airbags, driver's side impact airbag, front passenger's side impact airbag, ABS and Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering Body structure (TM) (ACE (TM)).

Phill -- the home refueling appliance manufactured by FuelMaker Corporation -- provides Civic GX owners a convenient and affordable method of refueling at home. Phill can be mounted to a garage wall, either indoors or outdoors, and allows the GX to refuel overnight directly from a homeowner's existing natural gas supply line.

Natural gas-powered vehicles are part of Honda's energy strategy to offer the best available technology for the reduction of air pollution and petroleum dependence and serves as an enabling technology for hydrogen fuel cell cars in the future. The 2006 Civic GX will be assembled in East Liberty, Ohio. Destination and handling charges for all 2006 Honda vehicles are $550.

For more information or downloadable high-resolution images of the hybrid models and other Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.hondacars.com. Additional resources for items mentioned in this release include www.fuelmaker.com.

Source: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

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

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

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

DOD
Briefing Radio Interview with Mario Mancuso on the "Brian and the Judge Show" Fox News Radio Friday, May, 05, 2006

So we are privileged to have on with us now Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Mario Mancuso. Secretary Mancuso is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism. Deputy Secretary, welcome to Brian and the Judge.

MR. MANCUSO: Thank you very much for having me. It's great to be here.

NAPOLITANO: Mr. Secretary, did your boss have to endure the following yesterday?

RAY McGOVERN: "Why did you lie to get us into a war that was not necessary and that has caused these kinds of casualties? Why?" SECRETARY RUMSFELD: "First of all, I haven't lied. I did not lie then." [Applause]

KILMEADE: That was Ray McGovern, a CIA analyst, in an event that Donald Rumsfeld was at in Atlanta , and it was firing.

NAPOLITANO: Absolutely. Is this what he's going through these days to sell a perfectly legitimate, moral effort to rid the world of terrorism at its root?

MR. MANCUSO: You know, Brian and Judge, we're in tough times. This is a tough fight. But we're winning and we're winning every day. And Secretary Rumsfeld, just like every member of the Department of Defense, myself included, but also every member of the interagency team, the entire US government team, we have a duty to inform the public about what we're doing. We're doing it. That's our primary focus. So while yesterday I think was unfortunate, Secretary Rumsfeld, just like everybody else at DoD, we're focused on the mission and we're focused on it all the time, 24/7.

KILMEADE: I am concerned as an American citizen that the CIA is at war with the Pentagon. Can you please outside Porter Goss, is anyone working with the Pentagon?

MR. MANCUSO: I've got to tell you, we are, this is one team, one fight. There are a lot of government agencies that contribute to this fight. The global war on terrorism, clearly there's a military piece to this which is significant and you see it every day on television and obviously hear it on the radio. But there are other government agencies that have a lot to contribute and they're contributing and we're working well together. At an individual level are there problems sometimes? Of course, but that's true in any large complex enterprise. But I've got to tell you, I have never been so privileged to work with qualified, hard-charging, smart, thoughtful, committed, dedicated, you name it, people both within the Department of Defense but across all government agencies including CIA, Department of State, et cetera.

NAPOLITANO: Mr. Secretary, what could we learn that you're allowed to tell us on the air waves about the tape that Zarqawi and his ilk released and the out-takes of that tape that they left behind?

MR. MANCUSO: It was interesting; it was interesting about that tape. Obviously what I think the American people saw was that Zarqawi truly is not who he says to be, how he positions himself to be. But I think the most interesting feature of the tape is that the Iraqi people primarily did not need the tape to realize that Zarqawi, his vision of the future is not for them. They didn't need that tape to realize that he was a fraud because frankly, they knew he was a fraud and the elections and the response that we got, that the Iraqis had in the national elections and with the standing up of a permanent government demonstrates that the Iraqis have really moved beyond Zarqawi.

KILMEADE: Tell me about Task Force 145 and why it has been so effective. I read this stuff, and you live it, of 10 people captured, 12 killed, foreign terrorists gotten. These raids have been so effective of late, suicides, guards blowing themselves up before you get to them. These are the terrorists. They're making things crazy in Iraq . I know there's always going to be a Sunni/Shia issue, for the foreseeable future; but the terrorists, how close are you to ridding that area of them?

MR. MANCUSO: Let me tell you, all of the efforts of all of our military personnel our Soldiers, our Sailors, our Airmen and Marines are effective, and we're not so much tightening the noose, but what we're doing is developing a tremendous sieve, moving across the troublesome spots alongside Iraqi forces, patriot and courageous Iraqi forces, trying to make Iraq get rid of terrorists inside Iraq and make them self-sufficient from a security perspective. It's hard work. We're very successful. We're winning this thing every day, but we have to keep at it. The President gave us very, very clear guidance. He gave the entire US government clear guidance. He said your mission is to protect America . And in order to fulfill that mission we have to go out and fight and win the global war on terror. That's what we're doing, and that's what we do every day.

KILMEADE: Can you tell me, and this would be new. I know we're getting close. Can you tell me if we should be feeling even more optimistic than General Lynch was yesterday that we're going to get this guy some way soon?

MR. MANCUSO: We are moving, literally, a hundred miles an hour against everyone who threatens the Iraqi government, the Iraqi people and coalition forces. Zarqawi, no doubt about it, is an important leader inside Iraq, but I don't want to overstate his importance because frankly, there is a larger network both inside Iraq and in that region that we are moving against. You know, our efforts in Iraq are tiered, they're prioritized, but this is a full court press. We prioritize people, but this is a full court press against all of the elements that threaten, once again, the Iraqi government, the Iraqi people, innocent civilians men, women and children, and coalition forces.

NAPOLITANO: Mr. Secretary, will the troop levels be reduced before the November mid-term elections?

MR. MANCUSO: The President has said we don't have an exit strategy, we have a victory strategy. Thus far what we have said and what we are committed to, to the extent that troops are sort of drawn down, that is tied not to an arbitrary time schedule, but that is tied to conditions on the ground supporting our military commanders and supporting our troops on the ground with the mission to stand up a free and democratic Iraq.

NAPOLITANO: Is the change in leadership in Italy going to affect our coalition in any way? Do you expect Italian troops to be pulled out under Prime Minister Prodi?

MR. MANCUSO: Italy is a longstanding ally and has supported the United States inside Iraq as well as other missions throughout the world. We're grateful for that support. We look forward to it in the future. But during the election campaign it is my recollection that their positions, both Prodi as well as Berlusconi's positions with respect to Italian troops' participation in Iraq were fairly the same. That is they supported the mission and that there were some issues as to how long the participation would be, but Italy has been a tremendous ally. It's a historic ally, and has been incredibly effective in supporting our efforts and we look forward to that continued participation.

NAPOLITANO: And you're not just saying that because your last name's Mancuso.

MR. MANCUSO: No, I'm not.

NAPOLITANO: And mine's Napolitano. [Laughter]

MR. MANCUSO: It gives me great pleasure to say it because my last name's Mancuso [Laughter]

NAPOLITANO: [Laughter] Absolutely. Brian's have Italian, by the way, Mr. Secretary. [Laughter]

KILMEADE: And you can research my background. I'm sure you did before you hopped on. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense wants to make sure he knows who he's getting in there with. [Laughter] Mr. Secretary, don't you think it is wrong to say that we'll not have a military option in Iran ? Forget about diplomacy. You see the toys These aren't toys. You see the weapons. You know what we have is an Air Force and a fighting force. Is it right to say that we do not have a military option in Iran ?

MR. MANCUSO: I think it's important to realize that as with many other complicated foreign policy issues there are a lot of tools in the tool box. I wouldn't rule anything out or anything in. But the point is, what's your end state? What are we trying to achieve? And once you've decided that and the President's talked about this at length, you decide what is appropriate. The President made clear everything's on the table, nothing is off the table, but he's also made clear that a peaceful resolution is important and that diplomacy is moving ahead full steam.

KILMEADE: He is Mario Mancuso. Thank you so much, Mr. Secretary, for joining us. Continued success; I know you're working overtime with one objective not to be a rich man, but to make America a better place. And thanks for your service.

MR. MANCUSO: If I can say one more thing before I get off. I'd just like to thank our troops and I'd to thank their families and I'd like to thank the American people. People ask me; do you think we can be successful in the mission? That's not the first thing that comes to mind. The first question that comes to mind when I meet with these young men and women is where do we get them from? So from the Pentagon I just want to say thank you to all of them for what they're doing; to their families for supporting them; and to the American people.

NAPOLITANO: And they're listening to you. And thanks to you, Mr. Secretary.

MR. MANCUSO: Thank you. My pleasure

The wife of a Marine from Camp Lejeune, N.C., got more than she bargained for as a contestant on NBC's game show "Deal or No Deal" last night.
.

Renee Stokes, whose husband, Marine Staff Sgt. Justin Stokes, is currently deployed to Iraq, was the second contestant of the night on the high-pressure show that allows people to try for cash prizes up to $1,000,000 in a game of odds and chance. Stokes was joined on stage by her best friend, her mother-in-law, and a family friend. The show allows contestants to bring family members and friends on stage to offer advice at crucial decision-making points. Stokes and the other three women were wearing "America Supports You" lapel pins. America Supports You is the Defense Department's program to recognize citizen support for military men and women and to communicate that support to members of the armed forces at home and abroad.

At the show's beginning, Stokes said she and her husband had just celebrated their one-year anniversary, but it was a lonely celebration because he was in Iraq. She said if she won the $1,000,000 prize, she would buy herself a motorcycle to match the one she and her husband bought right after they got married. After Stokes had played the game for three rounds and had to make a decision of whether to make a "deal" and accept a cash amount instead of continuing with the game, she was given a huge surprise by host Howie Mandel. "This is a tough decision, a big decision, and I know you brought supporters and family. I also know that your biggest supporter is not here," Mandel said.

"This is a time you have to make a serious decision. You've got to get as much help as you can possibly get." As Mandel finished saying this, Stokes' husband, Justin, appeared on a large video screen via satellite from Fallujah, Iraq. Justin's appearance was greeted by screaming and applause from Stokes, her family and friends, and the audience. "I already won my million," Stokes said, referring to her chance to see Justin. Justin was able to provide advice and encouragement to Stokes throughout the rest of the show, with the help of Marines from his unit who were assembled behind him. At one point in the show, "Tonight" talk show host Jay Leno made an appearance, presenting a motorcycle of the exact model Stokes wanted.

The show's "banker" was throwing the motorcycle into the deal to try to convince Stokes to abandon her pursuit of the big money. After consulting Justin, Stokes said no to the deal, but Leno didn't leave without thanking the troops for their service. "I want to thank you for all your service," Leno said to Justin and the other Marines. "We really appreciate what you men and women are doing." Justin's mother, Judy, who was on stage with Stokes, then tearfully addressed her son. "Dad and I love you, and I have your Marine necklace on and your bracelet that you gave me," she said. Justin's father was in the audience and was also emotional as he spoke to his son. "We love you. Be good and get home safe," he said. In the end, Stokes won $28,000 on the show, which she said was still enough to buy her motorcycle. Mandel thanked the military for making the connection to Iraq possible and for America Supports You. "I'd like to thank America Supports You.

That's the organization supporting our troops and their families," Mandel said.

President Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard today hailed the long history of U.S.-Australian cooperation and recalled the first time they met as their respective nations' leaders: Sept. 10, 2001. The two leaders spoke to reporters on the White House's South Lawn before going inside for a meeting. "Prime Minister Howard, you and I stood together here at the White House the day before September the 11th, 2001," Bush said, "and our nations have stood together on every day afterwards. The American people know that Australia is a strong ally. We admire your courage, and we appreciate your sacrifice." The Australian leader recalled their discussions on the day before terrorists attacked the United States. "In our discussions, contrary to what the critics of our two societies say, we were not speaking evil of other people in the world, we were not condemning other religions, we were not condemning other countries," Howard said.

"We were expressing hope about a more peaceful world, a world in which Christian and Muslim would work together, a world in which the nations of the world would unite in harmony and peace. "And the following day, of course, the world changed forever," he continued. "And so much of the common effort of our two societies since has been directed to the fight on terrorism." Bush noted that an Australian was the first American ally to be killed in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and that Australian special operations forces were among the first troops on the ground in Iraq. "The bravery and skill of the Australian military have helped the people of these two nations claim their freedom and deny the terrorists safe havens from which to launch further attacks," he said. Both leaders noted that the United States and Australia have long shared common values and have repeatedly fought side by side in the name of freedom. "Our two nations were once remote outposts of liberty -- lands where those escaping tyranny could find a better life," Bush said. "Today, freedom is on the move. Australians and Americans celebrate freedom's advance, because nations that respect the rights and dignity of their own people are the best partners for peace and the strongest anchors of stability in every region of the world." Howard agreed that the United States and Australia have much in common.

"Our common history, our common commitment to liberty and to democracy has been an important bond that has united the people of America and the people of Australia," he said. "But it's also been our shared values that have been an important constant in that relationship: - "A belief that the worth of a person is defined not by his or her race or religion or nationality, but rather the worth of that person's character and his or her commitment to the common future of the nation of which he is a part; - "A belief that the greatest force for good within any society is stable families, because it's families that bring out the best in people and provide them with the greatest source of emotional support and sustenance; and also, -

“A belief that economic future and economic liberty is best defined by competitive capitalism and the working out of market forces, provided our societies provide an understanding of the need to protect those who, through no fault of their own, may need assistance." Howard echoed an observation by Bush that the United States and Australia have long been partners in freedom's cause, and he expressed his country's gratitude for help Australia has received from America. "I pay tribute, in particular, to the way in which the United States of America came to the assistance of Australia in the dark days of the Pacific War in World War II," he said. "And successive generations of Australians will never forget the vital assistance that the United States extended to our country in our hour of need, in the darkest days of World War II." Bush reaffirmed the purpose of the current military cooperation between the United States and Australia. "We share your determination to defeat those who murder the innocent to promote their ideology of hatred," the president told Howard. "To defeat the terrorists, we must stay on the offensive, and Australia has been on the front lines of every offensive in the war on terror."

Howard imparted his condolences and those of his wife, Janette, for America's losses in the global war on terror, and asserted the value of both nations' sacrifices. "Our cause is a just cause. Terrorism respects no value system; terrorism does not respect the tenets of the great religions of the world; terrorism is based on evil, intolerance and bigotry," he said. "And no free societies, such as Australia and the United States, can ever buckle under to bigotry and intolerance."

NEWS & NEWS IN SPAINISH
Road Rage Survey Reveals Best, Worst Cities

The first annual In The Driver's Seat Road Rage Survey, commissioned by AutoVantage, a leading national auto club, found that the least courteous city in the country is Miami, followed by Phoenix and New York. The other two cities in the bottom five were Los Angeles and Boston. The most courteous city is Minneapolis, followed closely by Nashville, Tenn., St. Louis, Seattle and Atlanta.

The In The Driver's Seat 2006 AutoVantage Road Rage Survey, released today, was conducted to determine the driving habits and attitudes of commuters across the U.S. and to learn more about consumer views on the topic of Road Rage.

"Road rage has unfortunately too often become a way of life, both on and off the track," said NASCAR driving legend and AutoVantage spokesman Bobby Hamilton. "More and more, in cities across America, people are acting out their frustrations with dangerous results. It's bad for professional and everyday drivers alike.

"Our new Road Rage survey shines the light on emerging driving trends, and there are some very interesting results."

The survey's best and worst are:

Least Courteous Cities (Worst Road Rage):

-- Miami

-- Phoenix

-- New York

-- Los Angeles

-- Boston

Most Courteous Cities (Least Road Rage):

-- Minneapolis

-- Nashville

-- St. Louis

-- Seattle

-- Atlanta

Other cities surveyed include Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington/Baltimore.

"This new study focuses on important attitudes and habits of drivers on the open road nationwide," said Brad Eggleston, vice president of AutoVantage. "This groundbreaking research is an important tool to help educate and influence safer driving habits throughout the United States."

When asked the major causes of road rage in the survey, the most frequent theme was people being in a hurry, running late, being impatient and/or speeding.

-- "They are in a rush to get somewhere"

-- "People leaving too late and being in a hurry"

-- "People not going by the speed limit"

American drivers also feel that stress, frustration, bad moods, and being generally aggressive contribute to the widespread phenomenon of road rage.

-- "People being stressed out"

-- "People cut you off and do not signal"

-- "They think the road belongs to them"

Behaviors by other drivers that cause stress for commuters, and which can lead to road rage, include:

-- Driving too fast (57 percent observe this happening every day)

-- Tailgating (50 percent see this every day)

-- Cutting over without notice (44 percent see this every day)

Commuters also reported that other drivers frequently:

-- Talk on their cell phones (98 percent observe this at least once a

week)

-- Run red lights (59 percent observe this at least once a week)

-- Slam on the brakes (54 percent see this happening at least once a week)

As a reaction to rude or bad driving by others, people surveyed reported that they:

-- Honked their horn at the offending driver (40 percent)

-- Cursed at the other driver (32 percent)

-- Waved their fist or arms (9 percent)

-- Made an obscene gesture (8 percent)

-- Called the police to report the driver (5 percent)

About one in one hundred (1 percent) said that they actually slammed into the car in front of them, although not always intentionally. "One time someone plowed into me, so I plowed into the back of another car," said one respondent.

Other key findings of the study:

-- Younger drivers, and those who have the farthest commutes are most

likely to react to an aggressive or rude driver.

-- There is no real difference between men and women when it comes to road

rage.

-- Besides talking on the cell phone while driving, the one thing that

drivers in this survey were most likely to have done is drive too fast

(64 percent admit that they do this at least some of the time).

-- Tailgating. Drivers in Miami are most likely to see this behavior daily

(63 percent), while drivers in St. Louis are the least like to see this

(41 percent).

-- Slamming on the brakes. Drivers in Los Angeles (33 percent) and Miami

(33 percent) are most likely to witness this behavior daily, while

drivers in Minneapolis are least likely (14 percent).

-- Stealing parking spots. One-half (51 percent) witness this behavior

once in a while. Drivers in Miami (8 percent) are more likely to see

someone "stealing" their parking space than drivers in Dallas/Ft.

Worth, Washington/Baltimore and Cleveland.

-- Running red lights. One-fourth (24 percent) said they see drivers every

day who run through red lights.

-- Driving too fast. Drivers in Dallas/Ft. Worth (68 percent) are more

likely to see drivers driving too fast than those in Minneapolis (47

percent) and Cleveland (47 percent).

-- Talking on Cell Phone. Eighty percent say they see drivers every day

talking on their cell phone. A full 91 percent of Dallas/Ft. Worth

drivers said they see this behavior daily.

Overall, 30 percent said they see drivers doing other things like putting on makeup, shaving or reading while driving. Los Angeles (43 percent) emerged as the city where this is most likely to be seen, while Seattle (18 percent) emerged as the place where this behavior is least likely to happen.

Bobby Hamilton

Bobby Hamilton, a spokesman for AutoVantage, is the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion after achieving four career NASCAR Winston Cup Series victories. He founded Bobby Hamilton Racing, which owns and operates three trucks in the NASCAR circuit.

Survey Methodology

Prince Market Research, an independent marketing research company, was commissioned to conduct a nationally representative telephone study with consumers in 20 major metropolitan areas in the U.S. to learn more about consumer views on road rage. All telephone calls were conducted between Jan. 27 and March 8, 2006, during which period, a total of 2,040 interviews, lasting an average of five minutes, were completed. No incentive was offered and the sponsor of the research was not revealed. The margin of error is +/- 2.2 percent.

About AutoVantage

Members of AutoVantage (http://www.autovantage.com/ can save from 5 to 20 percent on car care at some 19,000 service locations, including participating AAMCO, Jiffy Lube, Meineke and American Car Care Center locations. AutoVantage also offers 24-hour nationwide emergency towing, roadside assistance, and lockout protection from its network of more than 10,000 emergency roadside assistance providers. Trip routing for maps and door-to-door driving directions across the U.S. are also included. AutoVantage is offered by Affinion Group, a leader in the membership, insurance and loyalty marketing businesses, providing products and services that touch the lives of millions of Americans.

About Affinion Group

Affinion Group is a leading affinity direct marketer of value-added membership, insurance and package enhancement programs and services to consumers. With more than 30 years of experience, Affinion Group currently offers its programs and services worldwide through more than 4,500 affinity partners. Its diversified base of affinity partners includes leading companies in a wide variety of industries, including financial services, retail, travel, telecommunications, utilities and Internet. Affinion Group also has a growing loyalty solutions operation that administers points-based loyalty programs. Based in Norwalk, Conn., Affinion Group has approximately 3,600 employees throughout the United States and in 13 countries across Europe.

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

iPod(R) Accessory Production in Mainland China and Taiwan to Top US$104 Million in 2006, Suppliers Plan Export Price Hikes - Survey

Global Sources' (NASDAQ:GSOL) China Sourcing Report: Portable Media Player/iPod Accessories shows that mainland China and Taiwan accessory manufacturers expect to produce over US$104 million worth of iPod(R) and related audio accessories in 2006 -- up 37 percent year-on-year.

Report publisher Mark Saunderson said: "The iPod phenomenon has created plenty of opportunities for accessory manufacturers. At least 50 new suppliers are ready to begin production this year in Taiwan and mainland China alone."

The report forecasts 2006 production value of about US$33 million for mainland China manufacturing -- up 85 percent -- while Taiwan production is expected to be about US$71 million.

Saunderson added: "Production costs are increasing due to compliance with the European restriction of hazardous substances directive and high energy costs. Many manufacturers expect to increase export prices by about 10 percent in the months ahead."

China Sourcing Report: PMP/iPod Accessories covers portable speakers and docking stations for iPod and similar audio players, as well as audiovisual cables and chargers, cases, and wireless transmitters. It features profiles of 28 leading manufacturers in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, including many that supply Apple(R)-approved vendors.

The report examines manufacturing, technology and pricing trends, and provides specifications for 87 best-selling export products. The report also shows:

-- 89 percent of surveyed makers supply ODM or OEM products

-- Manufacturers serve brands and retailers worldwide, including

RadioShack, Wal-Mart and Best Buy

-- Shenzhen and Dongguan are major production centers

Global Sources' China Sourcing Reports provide proprietary market information from extensive factory visits and in-person interviews with China manufacturers. They help buyers make better-informed purchasing decisions.

China Sourcing Reports are part of Global Sources' sourcing and product information services, which include Global Sources trade magazines, Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com/ ), Global Sources Direct

China Sourcing Report: PMP/iPod Accessories is available for US$495 at www.globalsources.com/astj/ipod .

About Global Sources

Global Sources is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media company and a primary facilitator of two-way trade with Greater China. It provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers.

The company helps its community of more than 484,000 active buyers to source more profitably from complex, overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing as many effective ways as possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in 230 countries.

The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. Suppliers using its four primary channels -- online marketplaces, magazines, trade shows and direct online sales -- are supported by advertising creative, education programs and online content management applications.

Global Sources delivers information on 1.6 million products and more than 130,000 suppliers annually through 10 leading online marketplaces and nine monthly magazines, more than 100 sourcing research reports, and 14 trade shows including six China Sourcing Fairs. Suppliers receive more than 6.6 million sales leads annually from buyers through Global Sources Online ( http://www.globalsources.com/ ) alone. Global Sources Direct is the company's new initiative that helps suppliers sell online.

In mainland China, Global Sources has a 25-year track record and 1,400 team members in 44 locations. Its services are backed by 35 years experience as a trade magazine publisher, 14 years as an organizer of trade shows, and 10 years as an online marketplace operator.

Web sites: http://www.globalsources.com
http://www.globalsources.com/astj/parkas
http://www.corporate.globalsources.com

100 Million Tourists a Year In Paris Make It the Most Visited City In the World!
Paris-Essentials Was Created for People Who Love Paris!

With 100 million tourists traveling to Paris every year and upcoming movies such as The Da Vinci Code (opening May 19) and Marie Antoinette (Fall 2006) boosting the city of lights' allure, there's no wonder it's the most visited city in the world. If you've been, you know why; if not, you need to find out.

To help you plan your trip, Violaine Galland has designed a web site for the traveler to Paris. You can book one of her seven studios located in the Latin Quarter or Marais, or click on partner sites listing thousands of accommodation choices. She makes it a snap to pre-order airport shuttle, museums pass, international phone cards and tickets for a boat ride on River Seine. See http://www.paris-essentials.com/.

As a Parisian-New Yorker, Ms. Galland has hand-picked the most up to date and user-friendly guidebooks, such as Michelin Paris 2006 or Paris Eyewitness Travel Guide and more eclectic titles such as Where to Wear (Paris 2006), the indispensable shopping guide.

For those who can't make the trip, or are expecting souvenirs, Paris- Essentials offers dozens of curios, keepsakes and "essentials," handpicked from Parisian artisans. Best-selling items include the Mini Panoramic Poster perfect for the office, Tour Eiffel Pouch, Collectable antique Parisian carte postale (set of 18 cards), the original butter-cookies from la Maison Delauney or Camille Bookmark, delicately hand-made by artist Claude Saffar-Prices ranges from $6 to $2995 US dollars, Ship FOB New York City.

"We have two types of buyers" Galland says, "the first one is preparing a trip to Paris, and will mainly purchase city passes, tourist guides or airport transportation; the second just loves the city, and wants to bring a sample of its enchantments home. The average order comprises 3 to 6 items."

The concept grew after years of bookings accommodations for the guests in our Paris studios. The same questions always came out: what is the best way to commute from the airport? Where are the best shops? Which are your favorite restaurants? Like everything about Paris, the site has grown out of a true labor of love, from one world traveler to another.

vg@paris-essentials.com

Web site: http://www.paris-essentials.com

Few Americans Know Connection Between Excess Weight and Cancer Risk, Compared to Heart Disease or Diabetes, New Nationwide Survey Finds
American Cancer Society Launches Great American Eat Right Challenge(TM)

For anyone who needs one more reason to tip the scale toward a healthier lifestyle, the American Cancer Society has it: being overweight is a risk factor for many forms of cancer.

A new nationwide survey(1) commissioned by the American Cancer Society finds that while most Americans (83 percent) recognize the link of being overweight to heart disease and many (57 percent) know the link to diabetes, far fewer (eight percent) understand there is a connection between being overweight and cancer risk. Only 17 percent of the survey respondents said they knew their body mass index (BMI) score, compared to 39 percent who said they knew their cholesterol number, 63 percent their blood type, and 65 percent who knew the number of judges on American Idol.

The Society is launching the Great American Eat Right Challenge (http://www.cancer.org/eatright ) on May 18 to build awareness of the link between being overweight and cancer risk, and to provide practical advice and personalized tips on adopting healthy eating habits, like portion control, as a way to help maintain a healthy weight and reduce cancer risk. At the Web site, consumers will also find interactive tools and giveaways. The promotion is sponsored by Weight Watchers International, Inc.; the Grain Foods Foundation; and Quest Diagnostics, Incorporated.

"While the problem of overweight and obesity in the United States has received much greater attention in recent years, cancer risk has often been missing from that conversation," said Carolyn D. Runowicz, MD, the Society's president. "Given what we know about the impact of excess weight on cancer risk, and given the trends on weight status in this country, we want people to be aware that their weight could be putting them at risk for cancer."

Being overweight is a risk factor for many forms of cancer, including breast cancer among post-menopausal women and colorectal cancer. It is estimated that about one-third of the 564,830 cancer deaths that are expected to occur in the United States in 2006 will be attributable to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and being overweight or obese. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight, including 30 percent who are obese. (Source of statistics: Cancer Facts & Figures Prevention & Early Detection 2006, American Cancer Society.)

"The most effective ways to reduce cancer risk are by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, eating a healthy diet and not smoking," Runowicz said. "As many as one-third of all cancer deaths could be prevented -- not through complicated procedures or expensive medications -- but through simple nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle choices that we all make day in and day out."

Recognizing that some people describe a "struggle" with trying to eat right and manage their weight, the Society recommends portion control as a good first step. "Our message is moderation, not deprivation," Runowicz said. "We're not saying to completely cut out your favorite foods. We're saying people should cut them down to size -- manage how much they eat. Portion control is a good first step in eating right and maintaining a healthy weight."

The Society's survey found that a majority of Americans -- 56 percent -- do indeed find one food or type of food irresistible. The leading cravings were: chocolate (20 percent); pizza/pasta/Italian food (14 percent); cookies/cakes/muffins (10 percent); hamburgers/ beef/meat (9 percent); and fish/shellfish/seafood (9 percent). While chocolate ranked No. 1 in the South(2), West(3), and North Central(4) regions of the U.S., pasta/pizza/Italian food ranked No. 1 and chocolate ranked No. 5 in the Northeast(5).

The Society's Great American Eat Right Challenge Web site page, http://www.cancer.org/eatright , will provide interactive tips and tools to help people take steps toward better health through healthier diets and habits like portion control. In addition to information about how to fit more nutrient-packed fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into each day, the site features a healthy eating quiz, calorie counter, and healthy recipes. Visitors can also check their body mass index (BMI) to determine whether or not they are at a healthy weight -- and can get some practical tips for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. The first 50,000 visitors to the Eat Right Web site can register to receive a free "Do Something Great!" token that can be worn as a reminder to adopt healthy eating habits.

Throughout the year, the Society will help people learn about other things they can do to maintain a healthy weight and reduce cancer risk. People without online access can call the Society's toll-free number at 1-800-ACS-2345 to receive information on nutrition and physical activity and the Great American Eat Right Challenge.

The Great American Eat Right Challenge (formerly known as the Great American Weigh-In) is the latest promotion in the American Cancer Society's "Great Americans" campaign and is part of an ongoing year-round program of prevention and early detection. The Great American Health Check(SM) in January, Great American Eat Right Challenge in May, and the Great American Smokeout(R) in November empower Americans to take control of their health and lower their risk of cancer.

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit http://www.cancer.org/ .

(1) Survey was conducted for the American Cancer Society using Opinion

Research Corporation's CARAVAN(R) National Omnibus. Telephone

interviews were conducted from March 30 -- April 3, 2006 among 2,070

adults 18 years of age and older. Margin of error +/- 2.2 percent.

(2) Includes DE, MD, DC, VA, WV, NC, SC, GA, FL, KY, TN, AL, MS, AR, LA,

OK, TX

(3) Includes MT, ID, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, NV, WA, OR, CA

(4) Includes OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, IA, MO, ND, SD, NE, KS

(5) Includes ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA

Source: American Cancer Society

Web site: http://www.cancer.org/

D'immenses structures gonflables accueillent les visiteurs à Pittsburgh dans le cadre du festival culturel Pittsburgh Roars

Du monstre Monongahela à l'écureuil Houndstoothy en passant par des pachydermes hauts en couleur, d'immenses structures gonflables accueillent les visiteurs dans la région de Pittsburgh à l'occasion du festival culturel Pittsburgh Roars.

Plus de soixante-dix partenaires associatifs, culturels et municipaux ont fédéré leurs efforts pour inciter la population de la région et ses visiteurs à sortir, profiter et apprécier une région dynamique, agréable à vivre et visiter, où il fait également bon travailler.

Sous les auspices du Sprout Fund, organisme de soutien aux projets artistiques dans les lieux publics, dix structures gonflables géantes viendront animer différentes manifestations organisées dans la région à l'occasion du Pittsburgh Roars. Conçus par des artistes locaux, ces objets d'art de près de 30 pieds (9 mètres) de hauteur sillonneront Pittsburgh et sa région pour y être présentés, seuls ou en groupe, afin d'attirer l'attention sur les programmes et événements proposés dans le cadre du Pittsburg Roars.

Comme le souligne Marguerite Jarrett Marks, porte-parole du Pittsburgh Roars, << ces magnifiques sculptures colorées plus grandes que nature traduisent parfaitement l'esprit du Pittsburgh Roars, et communiqueront, nous l'espérons, un sentiment de fantaisie et de liesse à tous ceux qui viennent découvrir nos musées et tout notre patrimoine architectural et culturel. >>

Des structures gonflables gigantesques viendront ponctuer l'été de leur présence un peu partout dans la région. << Pittsburgh a toujours attiré les visiteurs européens qui admirent les grands sites historiques de la région et les réalisations d'architectes célèbres comme Henry Hobson Richardson et Frank Lloyd Wright >>, explique Jarrett Marks.

En plus de sa richesse architecturale, Pittsburgh abrite de nombreux musées d'art de renommée internationale, parmi lesquels le Carnegie Museum of Art, où se tient actuellement l'exposition << Fierce Friends: Artists and Animals >>, initialement présentée au musée Van Gogh d'Amsterdam. Le musée Andy Warhol situé le long d'un affluent au nord de la ville, est une étape incontournable pour quiconque admire la vision artistique de ce natif de Pittsburgh.

Parmi les trésors architecturaux et culturels de Pittsburgh, les visiteurs sauront apprécier à sa juste valeur l'importance que la ville accorde de longue date au jazz. A l'occasion de son vingtième anniversaire, le MCG Jazz de la Manchester Craftsmen's Guild situé sur un affluent au nord de la ville, célèbre le jazz en organisant des manifestations, des enregistrements et des concerts spéciaux dans toute la région. De nombreux musiciens de jazz ont fait leurs débuts dans le Hill District de Pittsburgh, et leur héritage perdure.

De nombreuses structures d'hébergement de Pittsburgh ont à coeur de permettre aux visiteurs européens de se sentir chez eux à Pittsburgh. Plusieurs hôtels du centre-ville de Pittsburgh disposent ainsi d'un personnel polyglotte prompt à aider les hôtes étrangers à tirer le meilleur parti de leur séjour dans la région.

Pour plus d'informations sur les moyens de déplacement dans Pittsburgh et les environs, consultez le site www.visitpittsburgh.com. Une liste exhaustive des manifestations et événements organisés à l'occasion du Pittsburgh Roars est disponible à l'adresse www.pittsburghroars.com.

Pittsburgh Roars

Pittsburgh Roars vise à mettre en relief Pittsburgh et sa région. Lancé en mars 2006, cette initiative regroupe plus de 70 sociétés, fondations et organisations culturelles, sportives, festives, municipales, associatives et de développement économique, qui ont uni leurs efforts pour proposer un programme d'activités et d'animations publiques hors pair. Pour plus d'informations, consultez le site www.pittsburghroars.com.

Site Internet : http://www.pittsburghroars.com

http://www.visitpittsburgh.com

Source: Pittsburgh Roars

10 SUGERENCIAS PARA EL CUIDADO DE LOS MUEBLES DE PATIO
Cómo mantener mejor los muebles para obtener años de uso

Ha comprado unos bellos muebles nuevos para el patio. Y ahora, ¿cómo los cuidará? Un mantenimiento adecuado es la clave para prolongar la vida de los muebles de patio, ya sean fabricados con PVC (cloruro de polivinilo), de madera, mimbre, resina o metal. Cindy Prest, experta de Home Depot en temas relacionados con la vida al aire libre, ofrece 10 sugerencias fáciles para la preparación, limpieza y el mantenimiento de los muebles de patio para que se conserven atractivos y sean de utilidad todo el año.

Colores claros. En comparación con los revestimientos de color oscuro, los de color pastel y los colores claros tienden a conservar su color a través del tiempo. Si los muebles de su patio no están bajo la sombra, usted debe escoger un revestimiento de color claro para evitar que se descoloren rápidamente. Home Depot ofrece varias colecciones de muebles para el patio, incluyendo el juego de 7 piezas Simone de Hampton Bay™, que se caracteriza por sus colores suaves y neutrales y por su mesa de mármol. (SKU# 576849, $899)
En comparación con los revestimientos de color oscuro, los de color pastel y los colores claros tienden a conservar su color a través del tiempo. Si los muebles de su patio no están bajo la sombra, usted debe escoger un revestimiento de color claro para evitar que se descoloren rápidamente. Home Depot ofrece varias colecciones de muebles para el patio, incluyendo el juego de 7 piezas Simone de Hampton Bay™, que se caracteriza por sus colores suaves y neutrales y por su mesa de mármol. (SKU# 576849, $899)
Evite las manchas. Tenga en cuenta los árboles de los alrededores. Ciertas cortezas o resinas, tales como la de los robles, las palmas, el nogal y otros árboles de nueces, pueden ocasionar manchas en los muebles. Trate de mantener los muebles a cierta distancia.
Tenga en cuenta los árboles de los alrededores. Ciertas cortezas o resinas, tales como la de los robles, las palmas, el nogal y otros árboles de nueces, pueden ocasionar manchas en los muebles. Trate de mantener los muebles a cierta distancia.
Enjuáguelos. Para eliminar manchas que han penetrado en los muebles de patio fabricados con materiales de PVC o de hierro, utilice una lavadora a presión para ahorrar tiempo. La Lavadora Eléctrica a Presión de 1750 PSI (presión del agua) Husky™ es potente y fácil de usar. (SKU# 360722, $169)
Para eliminar manchas que han penetrado en los muebles de patio fabricados con materiales de PVC o de hierro, utilice una lavadora a presión para ahorrar tiempo. La Lavadora Eléctrica a Presión de 1750 PSI (presión del agua) Husky™ es potente y fácil de usar. (SKU# 360722, $169) Friéguelos con un cepillo. Un cepillo suave y una mezcla de agua caliente y jabón blando es también ideal para limpiar los almohadones o áreas de los asientos. Evite usar blanqueadores, pues son sumamente cáusticos. Si un blanqueador fuera necesario, use una solución de agua que contenga no más de un 50 por ciento de blanqueador. Use un paño húmedo para limpiar las sillas de metal o las patas o bases de mesas de metal. Para lograr una limpieza óptima, Home Depot ofrece el Cepillo Giratorio Excell®, diseñado para aplicaciones a baja presión. (SKU# 360816, $30)
Un cepillo suave y una mezcla de agua caliente y jabón blando es también ideal para limpiar los almohadones o áreas de los asientos. Evite usar blanqueadores, pues son sumamente cáusticos. Si un blanqueador fuera necesario, use una solución de agua que contenga no más de un 50 por ciento de blanqueador. Use un paño húmedo para limpiar las sillas de metal o las patas o bases de mesas de metal. Para lograr una limpieza óptima, Home Depot ofrece el Cepillo Giratorio Excell®, diseñado para aplicaciones a baja presión. (SKU# 360816, $30)
No se complique. Para un mantenimiento mínimo, opte por muebles fabricados con materiales fáciles de limpiar, tales como el metal. El juego de 7 piezas Verrado de Hampton Bay™ está fabricado con aluminio fundido antioxidante, e incluye almohadones hechos específicamente para resistir los elementos. (SKU# 572667, $899)
Para un mantenimiento mínimo, opte por muebles fabricados con materiales fáciles de limpiar, tales como el metal. El juego de 7 piezas Verrado de Hampton Bay™ está fabricado con aluminio fundido antioxidante, e incluye almohadones hechos específicamente para resistir los elementos. (SKU# 572667, $899)
Protéjalos de los deshechos. Coloque una sombrilla sobre la mesa del patio para protegerla de los deshechos, el polvo y las hojas de los árboles. Muchos de los juegos de muebles para el aire libre vienen con una linda sombrilla. O si no, Home Depot ofrece una sombrilla de 10 pies que protege a la mesa y a sus huéspedes. (SKU# 528624, $119)
Coloque una sombrilla sobre la mesa del patio para protegerla de los deshechos, el polvo y las hojas de los árboles. Muchos de los juegos de muebles para el aire libre vienen con una linda sombrilla. O si no, Home Depot ofrece una sombrilla de 10 pies que protege a la mesa y a sus huéspedes. (SKU# 528624, $119)
Protéjalos del mal tiempo. Coloque los muebles del patio en un área protegida cuando hay mal tiempo, para evitar la oxidación del metal y el moho en la madera y en los revestimientos. A pesar de que los muebles fabricados para el aire libre pueden resistir los elementos, no viene mal llevarlos adentro durante períodos continuos de mal tiempo. Si necesita dejar los muebles afuera, cúbralos con algo que sea impermeable, como por ejemplo un toldo.
Coloque los muebles del patio en un área protegida cuando hay mal tiempo, para evitar la oxidación del metal y el moho en la madera y en los revestimientos. A pesar de que los muebles fabricados para el aire libre pueden resistir los elementos, no viene mal llevarlos adentro durante períodos continuos de mal tiempo. Si necesita dejar los muebles afuera, cúbralos con algo que sea impermeable, como por ejemplo un toldo.
Selle para máxima protección. Los muebles de madera requieren cuidados especiales para que mantengan su forma y belleza. Para muebles de madera de teca, pruebe el aceite Rustoleum® (SKU#, 605275, $8.56/cuarto de galón). Para las demás maderas, use una cera a base de poliuretano, como lo es la Helmsman de Minwax® (SKU# 778315, $12.79/cuarto de galón), especialmente formulada para la durabilidad al aire libre.
Los muebles de madera requieren cuidados especiales para que mantengan su forma y belleza. Para muebles de madera de teca, pruebe el aceite Rustoleum® (SKU#, 605275, $8.56/cuarto de galón). Para las demás maderas, use una cera a base de poliuretano, como lo es la Helmsman de Minwax® (SKU# 778315, $12.79/cuarto de galón), especialmente formulada para la durabilidad al aire libre.
Evite la oxidación. Proteja los metales contra la oxidación puliéndolos con cera.
Proteja los metales contra la oxidación puliéndolos con cera. ¡Siéntese, descanse y disfrute de sus muebles nuevos y limpios!

http://www.eads.net

EADS at ILA 2006 – Berlin Air Show

European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company CEO Tom Enders and German Economy Minister Michael Glos opened this year’s Berlin Air Show, one of the aerospace industry's most prestigious events. At the show, EADS welcomed political and industry officials to their stand, and held a signature ceremony for a new cooperation with the Russian aviation industry.

Highlights from the show follow:

"Bauhaus Luftfahrt" – Aviation think tank at Berlin Air Show
16 – 21 May 2006

Munich / Berlin, 16 May 2006

When the who is who from the international aviation industry meet at Berlin Air Show ILA 2006 in mid-May, "Bauhaus Luftfahrt" cannot afford to miss the occasion. The newly founded aviation think tank will be introduced for the first time to the general public.

In “Bauhaus Luftfahrt”, a unique institution was founded in Europe at the end of last year: the non profit-making association aims to be a visionary systems house for new, unconventional, cross-company and interdisciplinary research. This was the goal given to the association by the four founders - the Free State of Bavaria, EADS, MTU Aero Engines and Liebherr-Aerospace. Industrial and research work are to be closely interlinked under one roof and the focal points will be the technological and economic aspects of air travel in the future.

Two projects will kick off the work: The project "Hybrid Aircraft for Civil Air Transport" researches visionary flight equipment designed to meet all ecological and economic requirements of the future. The second topic, "Research into Future Trends in Aviation", has a commercial focus and aims at making strategic forecasts for the aviation industry by employing cross-branch research and analysis methods.

“Bauhaus Luftfahrt” wishes to work intensively on the promotion of talented young staff: As partner of the VDI (Association of German Engineers) initiative "Sachen machen!" (Making Things), a competition was created in which interested parties could play around with the topic "aircraft concept of the future". The project "Scribble your idea!" should motivate young people to design visionary flight equipment of the future.

NIRSpec: the super eye for the Hubble successor JWST

 Infrared spectrometer can observe 100 galaxies simultaneously

 Extreme sensitivity at minus 238 degrees Celsius

 James Webb Space Telescope to be launched in 2013

When the US space administration NASA launches the successor to the legendary Hubble space telescope in 2013, an instrument from EADS Astrium will be on board. EADS space engineers in Ottobrunn and Friedrichshafen are currently building the Near Infrared Spectrograph NIRSpec for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This instrument, which will cost about €70 million, is due to become the "super eye" of the new telescope.

The James Webb Space Telescope is a collaborative venture undertaken by the American, Canadian and European space organizations. Europe has a considerably larger share in JWST than it had in Hubble and the space activities of EADS are playing a central role within this European share. The present-day EADS Astrium had provided the Faint Object Camera (FOC) for Hubble, which was launched in 1990. For JWST, EADS Astrium is not only building the NIRSpec instrument but also participating in the construction of a second instrument, the mid-IR instrument MIRI. In addition, the JWST will be launched aboard the European launcher Ariane 5, a further EADS SPACE product.

For scientists in search of the origins of the universe the James Webb Space Telescope represents a quantum leap because it can peer deeper into space than Hubble. As light takes several billion years to reach the Earth from those distant regions of space, this ability to look into the depths of space also means a look into long-gone times. Hubble can look back to a time roughly one billion years after the "big bang". JWST will enable researchers to look back even further, to what happened about 300 million years after the big bang.

This is made possible by the considerably larger primary mirror of the new telescope, which will consist of 18 hexagonal individual segments, which will only unfold when the telescope is out in space. However, the instruments on board JWST will be much more sensitive than those integrated into the Hubble telescope.

The new telescope is to be equipped with three instruments:

 a Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) developed by NASA,

 a camera with spectrometer acting as a mid-IR instrument (MIRI), a joint development by American and European institutes with project management support from EADS Astrium in Stevenage (UK),

 and the NIRSpec built by EADS Astrium in Friedrichshafen and Ottobrunn (Germany).

NIRSpec will play a central role in looking back to the beginnings of the universe because this infrared spectrometer does not simply take pictures of distant celestial bodies but scientists can also use the instrument to analyze the composition of matter out in the depths of space. By positioning NIRSpec in space, for the first time an infrared spectrometer is being used that can observe 100 objects simultaneously.

The engineers of EADS Astrium at Ottobrunn and Friedrichshafen have been working on the new instrument for almost two years. The task is a challenging one with the spectrograph picking up even extremely weak radiation originating from the furthest galaxies. The instrument's dimensions are 1.85 m x 1.40 m x 1.00 m and it weighs approx 200 kg. It will mainly be made of silicon carbide (SiC), a very low-weight material with high-tech properties that is also extremely strong and temperature-resistant.
Not only is JWST as a whole a transatlantic joint project, but American and European engineers are also working hand in hand on the NIRSpec instrument. While European experts are responsible for the sophisticated optical design, for the silicon carbide components and the high-precision mechanisms, their American colleagues will provide the detector for the instrument and also the micro-shutter array (MSA). This involves micro-mechanics that enable parts of NIRSpec's "field of vision" to be masked over so that the instrument only detects the objects defined for observation.

The engineers at EADS Astrium plan to complete the instrument by 2009. Four years later, JWST is due to be launched from the European space centre at Kourou in French Guiana.

The telescope will be positioned at the so-called Lagrange point L2 at about 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, from where it will observe the universe for at least five years. At the Lagrange point L2, the gravitational forces of the Earth and the sun are equally balanced so that here the telescope rotates around the sun "in step" with the Earth and constantly remains in the half-shadow of the Earth. This is important because the sensitive instruments on board must always remain cool. The NIRSpec system, for example, has been designed for operation at temperatures down to –238 degrees Celsius. To keep the instrument temperatures low, the telescope will additionally be equipped with an extendable solar protection shield, which in its deployed state will be as large as a tennis court. Instruments that operate in the infrared range like NIRSpec rely on these low temperatures - otherwise heat radiation causes disruption, corrupting the measurements.

EADS Astrium is Europe's leading satellite specialist. Its activities range from complete systems for civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation satellites to scientific space programmes and satellite navigation with the associated avionics and equipment. EADS Astrium is a subsidiary of EADS SPACE, one of the leading global suppliers of space systems for civil and defence tasks. In 2005, EADS SPACE achieved revenues of €2.7 billion and had roughly 11,000 employees in France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain.

The EADS Group is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, it generated revenues of €34.2 billion and employed a workforce of more than 113,000

Airbus and EADS/EFW sign freighter conversion agreement with MIG and Irkut

Airbus, the European aircraft manufacturer, EFW (Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH) the EADS' freighter conversion centre of expertise based in Dresden (Germany), MIG and Irkut, leading Russian aircraft manufacturers, signed a preliminary co-operation agreement for a civil freighter aircraft conversion business.

This co-operation will focus on the conversion of Single Aisle passenger aircraft into freighter aircraft. The conversion activities will include design, conversion kit production, conversion and maintenance. Initially, A320 and A321 Single Aisle aircraft will be converted. The aircraft conversion will be done in Russia and is planned to begin in 2011.

The Letter Of Intent (LOI) was signed by Alexey Fedorov, General Director and Chief Designer of MIG, Oleg Demchenko, President of Irkut, Gustav Humbert Airbus President and CEO, and EFW President and CEO, Horst Emker at the ILA Airshow in Berlin.

"Through this new agreement, the co-operation between Airbus and Russian aerospace industry, which has already been highly successful, will move to a completely new level based upon long term partnership," said Airbus President and CEO Gustav Humbert.

The LOI is a new step which complements and goes far beyond the agreement signed in July 2001 between EADS, Airbus' major shareholder and Rosaviakosmos. The agreement defined an extensive co-operation programme with the Russian aviation industry. Initially, Airbus had planned to offer Russian companies contracts worth US$800 million over ten years. However, due to the success of the programme, Airbus now plans to place over US$900 million of contracts with Russian companies. Airbus' activities with Russia cover a wide range of research and technology projects, design work, materials procurement and component manufacturing, as well as extensive co-operation in the field of aircraft certification.

Airbus has been working with Russian and CIS airlines since 1991. In that year, the twin-engined widebody A310 became the first western-built aircraft to receive a Type Certificate from the Interstate Aviation Committee. Currently, nine airlines from Russia and CIS operate a total of 40 Airbus aircraft.

In Moscow, Airbus has a regional office and a technical staff who provide on-the-spot support for airlines. The Airbus engineering centre in Russia, ECAR, the Airbus and Kaskol Group's joint-venture, has operated in Moscow since spring 2003, and currently employs 150 Russian engineers.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.

Columbus: Europe's central contribution to the
International Space Station ISS

 Space laboratory handed over to ESA by EADS SPACE

 ISS module enables research under zero gravity conditions

 Launch planned for the autumn of 2007

The Columbus space laboratory is about to embark on its first journey. End of May, the research module for the International Space Station ISS will be flown from Bremen to the USA aboard the Airbus special freighter Beluga. On 2 May 2006, EADS SPACE Transportation of Bremen had officially handed the space laboratory over to the customer, the European Space Organization ESA, in the presence of Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel. The space engineers at EADS SPACE Transportation's Bremen site had worked on the 13-tonne space station module for just under ten years. The laboratory, which has cost 880 million euros, is due to be launched into space aboard a Space Shuttle from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the autumn of 2007.

Columbus is Europe's central contribution to the International Space Station ISS. Ten European countries have been involved in the development and construction of Columbus. The major partners in this project were Germany (51 percent), Italy (23 percent) and France (18 percent). Further participants are the USA and Canada. In future, on board Columbus scientists will have the opportunity to conduct experiments that would not be possible in such a way in the Earth's gravity.

The conception of the Columbus module is based on the experience that EADS SPACE Transportation has gathered in the development and construction of the Spacelab space laboratory since the late 1970s. Up to 1998, Spacelab flew aboard a Space Shuttle 22 times in all.

The Columbus laboratory is 8 m long, has a cross-section of 4.50 m and at launch its weight is almost 13 tonnes, which includes the 2.5-tonne payload. In the laboratory there are ten so-called racks. These are internationally standardized payload cabinets, in which the experimental systems can be accommodated.

Columbus has been designed for a mission life of at least ten years. The module provides three crew members with sufficient space to carry out research under zero gravity conditions. In the laboratory, scientists have the opportunity to carry out investigations in all disciplines of basic research (biotechnology, medicine, materials sciences, fluids sciences, human sciences) and also experiments in applied technology projects that would not be possible in the Earth's gravity. The reason for this is that materials and fluids behave differently under zero gravity conditions than they do on Earth. Out in space, for example, metal alloys merge, while under the influence of gravity they do not unite in an optimum manner. The same applies to fluids that blend in space, but not on Earth.

Scientific equipment for Columbus

Various payloads will already be integrated in the racks of the Columbus laboratory at the time of launch:

the Biolab, which allows experiments to be conducted on cells, tissue cultures, micro-organisms, small plants and invertebrates.

the European Physiology Module (EPM), which will assist in investigating the effects of weightlessness on the human organism. The focus will be on phenomena such as osteolysis, changes in the immune system and in the water balance in the human body.

the Fluid Science Lab (FSL), in which the dynamic behaviour and other phenomena of fluids are examined.

The European Drawer Rack (EDR), a universal cabinet in which any four small payloads can be connected up for data and video transmissions as well as mechanical and thermal control.

EADS SPACE Friedrichshafen plays an important role in the payloads for Columbus. For decades now, the engineers from Lake Constance have been the globally acknowledged experts in developing and constructing equipment for conducting experiments under zero gravity conditions. The Protein Crystallisation and Diagnostic Facility (PCDF) and the Advanced Protein Crystallisation Facility (APCF), which both originate from Friedrichshafen, and the Cardiolab (CL) are also destined for the Columbus laboratory, but will not be integrated until docking with the International Space Station has taken place.

And the fresh air on board Columbus also "comes" from Lake Constance, the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLS) being developed and built in Friedrichshafen. The ECLS monitors the atmospheric pressure, ensures cabin air replacement, detects fire and regulates an air conditioning system that controls the cabin temperature and humidity.

Back in the summer of 2003, ESA and NASA had already verified that the Columbus laboratory was fit for flight. However, the problems with the Space Shuttle have delayed further expansion of the International Space Station so that also the launch of Columbus will be later than originally planned. The EADS engineers in Bremen used the additional time until delivery of the laboratory for additional integration work and tests.

EADS SPACE Transportation is also responsible for training the astronauts who will later conduct the experiments in the Columbus module. The training is taking place at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne. A simulation system provided by EADS SPACE Transportation has been installed in Cologne since September 2002. A second trainer of identical design was delivered to NASA's astronaut training centre at the Johnson Space Center in Houston in early 2003.

EADS SPACE – a central industrial partner in the build-up of the ISS

EADS SPACE is involved in further projects connected with the build-up and operation of the International Space Station. The company is, for example, the prime contractor for the unmanned space transporter Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which will bring supplies and fuel to the ISS. In addition, after each dock-on the ATV will repeatedly raise the station a little by means of boost manoeuvres in order to compensate for the gradual loss of momentum and thus prevent the station from dropping out of its prescribed orbit.

EADS SPACE is also the supplier of further experimental systems for ISS that will not be used in the Columbus laboratory but in other station modules. The company is also a participant in the European Robotic Arm (ERA), which is an aid to the astronauts in the assembly of the station and during maintenance tasks.
Furthermore, EADS SPACE and Alcatel Alenia Space have founded the joint enterprise EURISS for the operation and utilization of the European part of the ISS. EURISS is the "mediator" between ESA and the companies involved in the operation and utilization of the space station and is the sole contractual partner of ESA for all activities involving industrial operation and exploitation of the European part of the International Space Station.

EADS SPACE, a 100 percent subsidiary of EADS, is one of the leading global specialists for civil and military space systems. In 2005, EADS SPACE achieved revenues of over 2.7 billion euros with a workforce of 11,000 in France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain. The business operations are spread over three subsidiaries: EADS SPACE Transportation for launchers and manned space systems, EADS Astrium for satellites and the associated ground segments and EADS SPACE Services for the development and supply of satellite-based services.

The EADS Group is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, it generated revenues of € 34.2 billion and employed a workforce of more than 113,000.

Airbus Displays Three Aircraft Family Members At ILA 2006 Berlin Airshow

Airbus will be the only manufacturer of large commercial airliners present at ILA 2006 Berlin Airshow (16-21 May), Germany. The European aircraft manufacturer will fly three of its aircraft to Berlin, representing the most modern Family of commercial aircraft in the world: the A318 single-aisle jet, the A340-600 long-range widebody, and the A380 double-decker. All three aircraft will be present at the static display at Berlin-Schönefeld airport, and will also participate in the flying display.

The A380 participating in the flying display is one of five aircraft of the type that have flown so far and are currently involved in the flight test programme, leading to type certification before the end of the year. Airbus’ A380 will be at ILA in Berlin on all days except for Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, when the aircraft will make its British debut during a visit to London-Heathrow airport. The A340-600 and the A318 will be present throughout the show.

Airbus will be present at ILA Berlin Airshow with a Hospitality Chalet (No. 16-19) for invited guests and will also be represented on the EADS stand, with the A380 cabin mock-up as a highlight, as well as a cabin vision demonstrator, showing futuristic features of the cabin on Airbus’ long-range aircraft to come. Visitors can also see 1/20th scale models of the A320 Family, consisting of the A318, A319, A320 and A321.

On Wednesday 17th May, at 11.00 h, Airbus will hold a press conference in the ILA press centre, room A.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.

LIFE: lunar radio telescope looks back in space and time to the Dark Ages of our Universe

For a long time now it has been acknowledged that the Moon is an unrivalled site for science and research in various areas, such as solar system science, space physics, space weather, biomedical research, search of life in the Universe, research of the origin of the Universe, search of exoplanets.

EADS SPACE Transportation is studying the feasibility of Lunar Infrastructures for Exploration (LIFE) within the framework of long-term scenarios. These infrastructures are intended to make the Moon a perfect platform for various scientific disciplines.

Particularly the far side of the Moon provides a large experimentation platform for radio astronomy and infrared astronomy. Features such as complete shielding from any polluting radiation from Earth, the lack of an ionosphere as well as periodical shielding from sun radiation are offering radio astronomers best research conditions.

Research in the last remaining unexplored radio frequency range below 10 MHz is a major goal in this context. Astronomical observations in this frequency domain are possible exclusively from facilities placed beyond the Earth's ionosphere.

In co-operation with leading research institutes in Germany and the Netherlands, EADS SPACE Transportation is carrying out a feasibility study on a lunar long-wavelength radio telescope. The study is intended to demonstrate the opportunities for a scientifically reasonable participation of Germany in a European exploration programme.

Expected scientific breakthrough

According to the currently most accepted theory, the beginning of our Universe is marked with the Big Bang, which occurred approximately 13.7 billion years before the present epoch. With the erection of a radio telescope on the Moon it is hoped to look back in space and in time to an epoch that existed 300,000 years after the Big Bang, well before the formation of any stars or planets. This era is called the "Dark Ages" and is the last period that can be studied with telescopes before one reaches the electromagnetically impenetrable surface of the Big Bang fire ball.

To uncover signals from this epoch large long-wavelength radio telescopes operating in a frequency range below 10 MHz outside the Earth's ionosphere are required.

The early phases of the Dark Ages contain the largest amount of cosmological information of all periods, information that is required to attack the fundamental questions of our origins. A lunar Low Frequency Array thus promises a scientific breakthrough.

Radio astronomy through the ages

During the last years a change of paradigm has been introduced in Radio Astronomy. In contrary to the huge antennas used until today, advanced electronic data processing has now opened the opportunity to enhance the efficiency of antennas by several factors by combining input signals from many small antennas. Huge steel receivers will be replaced by many small receivers and massive data processing (phased-array technology). This technology is already being used with the Dutch-German LOFAR project. From 2007 to 2010, the world's largest and most advanced terrestrial radio telescope, having its core in Westerbork (The Netherlands) and operating at the longest wavelengths available from Earth, will be built within the framework of this project.

The phased-array technology will allow the deployment of a first long-wavelength radio telescope on the surface of the Moon with a single Ariane 5 launch, thus creating the starting point for a wide area network of receivers similar to the terrestrial LOFAR project. Such a network could serve as the "core" of an expanding multidisciplinary lunar science base. Therefore a feasibility study is being carried out dealing with the establishment of the first scalable infrastructure for science and research on a celestial body outside the Earth.

German institutes and universities provide a significant contribution to the worldwide growth in knowledge about the origin, the development and the future of the earth and mankind.

In order to maintain this position it is also necessary to ensure that the spending within national and international space programmes also feeds German research and science institutions.

In this context, the proposed exploratory programme "LIFE" is to be seen as a project that shall give target-oriented impetus to excellent basic research in various fields such as

astronomy and solar system research
high-rate data communication
robotics/automation/artificial intelligence
information technology
materials
energy generation and storage
space systems

This claim is based on the already existing leading capabilities and excellencies of the involved national and international institutions contributing to the LIFE feasibility study in the frame of various workshops and working groups. Among these institutions are the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (Katlenburg-Lindau), the CNRS Observatory (Paris), the Astrophysical Institute Potsdam, the JIVE (Dwingeloo, Netherlands), the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (Bonn), Astron - LOFAR (Westerbork, Netherlands), the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (Upsala), the German Aerospace Center DLR (Cologne), the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (Heidelberg), the Universities of Bremen, Leiden, Delft, Glasgow and Athens, as well as the LOIS SPACE Centre in Sweden and the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Science.

EADS SPACE is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS and one of the world's leading specialists for civil and defence space systems. In 2005, EADS SPACE had a turnover of €2.7 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. The company has three main subsidiaries: EADS SPACE Transportation for launchers and manned space systems, EADS Astrium for satellites and associated ground infrastructures and EADS SPACE Services for the development and provision of satellite-based services.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of €34.2 billion and employed a workforce of more than 113,000.

Venus Express can start its Mission in June

 Seven instruments to explore the Morning Star

The European Venus Express space probe is ready to begin its scientific mission in June. After a journey of nearly five months and 400 million kilometres, Venus Express successfully entered orbit around Venus on 11 April. Controlled by the joint operations team of the European Space Agency and EADS Astrium at ESA’s Control ESOC in Darmstadt, Germany, the 50 minute burn of the main engine slowed down the probe's speed, so that it could captured by the planet’s gravity. Only 48 hours later first scientific data and pictures were sent back to Earth. A couple of further manoeuvres set the probe in its final 24-h operational orbit. Instruments were switched on step by step, so that routine operations can start this month.

The Venus Express engine and the eight 10 Newton thrusters to position the probe, were built by EADS Space

Transportation in Lampoldshausen, Germany, before being incorporated into the spacecraft propulsion system which was designed, built and tested by EADS Astrium in Stevenage, United Kingdom.

Venus Express is the first European spacecraft to visit the planet Venus. The probe was designed and built for the European Space Agency, in only 33 months, under the prime contractorship of EADS Astrium in France and launched on 9 November 2005 from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Transportation in Lampoldshausen, Germany, before being incorporated into the spacecraft propulsion system which was designed, built and tested by EADS Astrium in Stevenage, United Kingdom.Venus Express is the first European spacecraft to visit the planet Venus. The probe was designed and built for the European Space Agency, in only 33 months, under the prime contractorship of EADS Astrium in France and launched on 9 November 2005 from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Since launch, Venus Express has functioned as planned during its journey from Earth to Venus and was operated successfully with the support of the EADS Astrium team from Toulouse in France and Stevenage in the UK.

The success of this critical manoeuvre will pave the way for the start of the Venus Express scientific mission. In the coming weeks, Venus Express will begin its one and half Earth year-long mission to investigate the Venusian atmosphere in terms of structure, composition and dynamics with its seven scientific instruments.

Venus Express will orbit the second planet of the solar system at an altitude between 250 and 66,000 kilometres by flying above its poles.

Examining the prevailing conditions in the atmosphere and environment of Venus will give crucial insights into understanding the long-term climatic evolution processes on Earth, especially the green-house effect.

By re-using designs developed and experience gained as prime contractor on both the Mars Express and Rosetta probes, EADS Astrium has ensured that Venus Express meets the triple challenge of achieving its scientific objectives, within extremely tight cost and development schedule constraints.
Since launch, Venus Express has functioned as planned during its journey from Earth to Venus and was operated successfully with the support of the EADS Astrium team from Toulouse in France and Stevenage in the UK.The success of this critical manoeuvre will pave the way for the start of the Venus Express scientific mission. In the coming weeks, Venus Express will begin its one and half Earth year-long mission to investigate the Venusian atmosphere in terms of structure, composition and dynamics with its seven scientific instruments. Venus Express will orbit the second planet of the solar system at an altitude between 250 and 66,000 kilometres by flying above its poles.Examining the prevailing conditions in the atmosphere and environment of Venus will give crucial insights into understanding the long-term climatic evolution processes on Earth, especially the green-house effect.By re-using designs developed and experience gained as prime contractor on both the Mars Express and Rosetta probes, EADS Astrium has ensured that Venus Express meets the triple challenge of achieving its scientific objectives, within extremely tight cost and development schedule constraints.

EADS Astrium is Europe’s leading satellite system specialist. Its activities cover complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth observation systems, science and navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and equipment.
EADS Astrium is a subsidiary of EADS SPACE. In 2005 EADS SPACE had a turnover of €2.7 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of €34.2 billion and employed a workforce of more than 113,000.

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